I pushed the closet door aside to see Commander Kopetzky seated at our kitchen table. He was drinking a cup of coffee and reading a news feed from an LCD screen implanted in the back of his right hand.

“A little soon for a family reunion, don’t you think, Mr. Fisher?” Bruno asked, not taking his eyes off the small display. “Nice place you’ve got, Carl. Not bad – not bad at all…” He turned off the display, looked over at us, and then stood up. “Don’t look so surprised, good friend! Didn’t Commander Aslög mention that I’d be checking up on the family?”

“I knew he’d be here,” Amy said too loudly. “He’s been following us! I can’t take this, Carl! I can’t take it!” She picked herself up off the closet floor and approached him. “What do you want?! Why are you doing this?!”

“Careful what you say now, Amy,” I said, grabbing her by the wrist and pushing her behind me. “My apologies, Commander Kopetzky!”

“It’s quite alright, Mr. Fisher. Her reaction is normal and to be expected given the unusual circumstances.”