Yesterday's Gone: Season One

in hand, loaded with supplies and the smaller weapons Luis had on hand. They weren’t carrying weapons on their person for fear of being mistaken for threats in what would likely be a clamped-down ferry ride to Black Island.
    They were met by four armed men in black uniforms with unfamiliar emblems on their shoulders, standing guard at the end of the dock where the ferry was tied. The men were wearing some sort of masks. They seemed like military to Brent, which was a good sign because they could likely handle the aliens, if any more showed up.
    But something about the soldiers caused an uneasy feeling to creep through Brent’s insides.
    “Please put your bags down and stand with your arms in the air,” one of the men said through his mask.
    All four rifles were on them.
    “We’re just here for the ride to Black Island. We heard the radio broadcast,” Brent explained.
    As they set their bags down, one of the soldiers stepped forward, rifle no longer aimed at them, but at the ready.
    “Have any of you been bitten?” the soldier asked.
    Jane and Emily shook their heads and said “No.” Brent did the same. Luis had no response.
    What? Why is he saying no?
    “Sir, please respond; were any of you bitten?”
    Luis glanced at Brent, then shook his head no.
    Why are you lying?  
    Brent’s uneasiness escalated.  
    “I need you all to remove your clothing, all of it, and step forward, to this man right here,” the soldier said, pointing to a fifth man in black, who was standing at the dock entrance. The man had no gun, but instead, some sort of high-tech looking flashlight. “Step forward one at a time, as I call you,” the man said.
    “Our clothing?” Jane asked, “Why?”
    “Just do it,” one of the men snapped, in a voice unwilling to compromise or coddle.
    Jane undressed Emily, who asked, “Why are we getting naked?”
    “It’s okay,” Jane said. “It’s okay, baby.”
    Luis glanced at Brent, shaking his head, almost in accusation that Brent should have let him leave.
    They undressed, each of them stripped not only of their clothing, but their dignity at the hands of the soldiers. Brent’s guts were turning as he exchanged another glance with Luis, trying to apologize with mere expression.
    A soldier came and collected their clothing, throwing it into a large thick black plastic bag. “You’ll get assigned new clothing on the ferry,” a soldier said.
    Assigned? Like prisoners?
    “The kid.” A soldier barked. “Send her forward.”
    Emily took a hesitant step forward and Jane attempted to follow.
    “Just the girl,” the main guy snapped, aiming his rifle at Jane.
    “Mommy, I’m scared,” Emily called out, not wanting to move.
    “Go!” the soldier snapped, pointing for Emily to step forward.
    “It’s okay,” Jane said, clutching her arms across her chest. “Mommy’s right here.”
    Emily approached the man with the weird light device. He turned it on. It seemed like a black light, except the light was a deeper, truer, brighter blue. He waved the wand over Emily’s entire body, head to toe.
    “She’s clear,” the light-wand guy said. One of the armed soldiers put a black gloved hand on Emily’s shoulder and led her to a spot right at the steps. The man handed the girl a black blanket to wrap around herself.
    “You,” the guy in charge said, pointing at Jane.
    She stepped up, then closed her eyes. As the wand went over her chest, something buzzed and a light on the device went red.
    The gunmen immediately turned to Jane, rifles aimed at her.
    Emily cried out, sensing the danger, and tried to run toward her mom. The soldier next to her grabbed her, dropped to a knee to lower himself, and held back the child.
    “What’s wrong?” Jane cried.
    That’s when Brent noticed the scar running down the center of her chest; Brent figured from heart surgery.
    The soldier with the light turned some dials on the device, then ran the light over her again, slowing when he reached her chest. The red lights didn’t go off this time.
    “Okay,” he said, “clear. Please move forward.”
    Jane joined her daughter, face red with either anger or embarrassment. Jane took Emily from the soldier’s arms and picked her up, holding her tight. She was also given a blanket to wrap herself in.
    Luis stood in front of Brent, next in line. Brent looked over Luis, trying to see any signs of the things Luis had seen under his skin. Luis’s left arm spasmed, twice. Luis stared straight ahead,