John next day wakes up, he steps in to the front room, halts — eyes land on Henri and Sheriff James, standing like statues in a quiet standoff.
Henri softly, almost rehearsed."Hello, son."
John eyeing the sheriff answered."What's going on?"
Sheriff James sternly said."Some boys were hurt last night. Four of them.Hospitalized. Including my son."
Henri turns slowly to the sheriff."Football players, right?"
Sheriff James nodded."Yeah. Mark's one of 'em.Threw out his shoulder. Funny thing is... none of 'em are talking. Not even him."
John shifts, instinctively tense."Mark's your son?"
Sheriff stares hard at John."Yeah. And he said you were there."
John shiftingly answered."I was.
But I was... distracted.Sarah Hart. We were—
I didn't see much else."
The sheriff narrows his gaze. He doesn't buy it — but can't prove otherwise."Eventually, someone's gonna tell the truth.That's the thing about secrets. They rot."
Henri steps forward, voice calm and dismissive."We'll be in touch, Sheriff.
Appreciate you coming by."
The sheriff lingers for a beat... then leaves. The screen door hisses shut.
Henri stands by the window, peering through the blinds as the Sheriff car veers off, his posture tense.
He then turns to John and questione." Four of them, huh?"
John answered."Yeah."
Henri face didn't show any emotions, his eyes searching."Was it difficult?"
John with slight pride."Piece of cake."
Henri nods, not with pride but with a heavy heart. He begins gathering their belongings—laptop, documents, burner phones—his movements deliberate."Pack your things."
John in disbelief questioned."Because of last night?"
Henri answered."Because I don't like cops knocking on our door. Also because of this"
Henri flips open the laptop. The video is tagged under a conspiracy site: THEY WALK AMONG US.
John in disbelief questioned."What is this? More "truth is out there" nutjobs?"
Henri taps thte video and A grainy video plays—John at the beach, a third glowing scar burning on his leg."No. That's you. One of the kids must've caught it on their phone. And now it's up—and spreading."
On screen: Danielle, shrieking."He's some kind of freak!"
Henri slams the laptop shut."I tried hacking their firewall. No luck. They didn't respond to my email either. We go there. We do it ourselves. Mogs see this—it's game over. We leave. Tonight."
John questioned."And go where? Back to nothing?...What even matters anymore? Your family's gone. Mine too. On Lorien, we'd just be rebuilding ruins. Here, you could've had a life, Henri. Friends. A future. Maybe even love again."
Henri chuckles, but it's bittersweet."I am in love. Always have been. Always will be."He looked at John and added."Lorien love isn't like it is here. We don't forget. We don't move on."
John sighed and said."You could still belong somewhere."
Henri packing up replied."I do belong—right here. With you. And soon, somewhere else. Wherever you are."
John frowned and said."You know what I mean."
Henri questions."Do I?"
John added."You're missing a life, Henri."
Henri sharply replied."You are my life. You and the memories of what we lost—that's all I have left."He looked John in eye and added."
Don't you ever think that's not enough."
John looks down. Silence." I'm not going."
Henri freezes mid-step."What did you just say?"
John added."I'm staying."
Henri chuckles."If you want to pick the next place, that's fine. But—"
John frustrated cut in."It's not my fight, Henri! It never was! I don't even remember Lorien."
Henri whirls around."Wait. Wait... This is about her, isn't it?"He was angry."Go upstairs. Pack. Now."
John quiet, darkly."You're not my father."
Henri retorted."You're right. Your father's dead. Died for you. So did dozens of others. And not so you could play high school sweetheart and pretend to be human."
In a sudden burst, John lifts Henri telekinetically and slams him into the wall.I won't got, also Yeah? I can do this now."
He drops Henri to the ground and turns to leave—but Henri grabs a staff from the corner, hurls it like a spear yelling."HEY, JOHN!"
John spins—stops the staff mid-air with his mind. It floats, trembling.
Henri rushes, tackling him to the floor. They grapple—raw, tense, messy. Henri pins John and struggling."I'm letting go—okay? Okay?"
John defeated."Okay."
Henri slowly releases him.
They lie on the floor, breathing hard. The rage has passed. What's left is something more fragile.
John quietly."I'm not leaving. Just... tell me why they want me dead so much."
Henri panting."Because the Mogs don't colonize—they destroy. Wipe out a planet and move on. They've come here now. Only a few forces can stop them. You... and the others."
John staring at the ceiling."She's not just a girl. I think about leaving her... and it hurts. I don't even know why."
Henri underatood."Because we don't love like humans. With us... it's forever. You don't forget. Not ever."
Henri stood up."If she's that for you... Don't let them win. Or you'll regret it the rest of your life.Now pack. We're moving fast."
John questioned."How long do I have?"
Henri answered."I'll handle the site tonight. You've got one day."
John questioned."One day? To say goodbye?"
Henri looks over his shoulder as he walks away."That's more than the rest of us got."
Sam stands at the edge of his yard, phone in hand, watching the woods in the distance. He quickly types a message.
TEXT MESSAGE TO JOHN: I saw what you did in the woods. We need to talk. Tonight. My place — 371 Arden Street."
John arrives, expression unreadable. Sam meets him outside and gestures toward the nearby warehouse."John. In here."
John follows him into the dimly lit warehouse,
the door creaks closed behind them. A single bare bulb dangles from the ceiling, swinging slightly. Light flickers across old shelves, scattered tools — and a dusty blue truck in the back.
John steps in slowly, eyes scanning the space.
Sam turning to face him questioned."So... what are you?"
John doesn't answer. His face is stone.
Sam continues."You threw those guys like they were nothing. And the thing you did with your hand — I've never seen anything like that. That's not... human.So I'm asking —
what the hell are you?"
Silence.
John turns his head, gaze drifting to the grimy window.
Sam exhales hard. Pulls out his phone."Do I need to threaten you?Because I've got pictures.And when these get out, people will ask questions.Big ones."
John turns. Fast. Too fast. He shoves Sam — hard — slamming him into the side of the truck. The slight clang echoes in the warehouse."Give me that. You know, I can hurt you."
Sam silently relents.
John rips the phone from his hands. Scrolls. Nothing but snapshots, old memories, and photos of Bernie Kosar. He smirks and
sarcastically said."Knock yourself out."
He pushes the phone back into Sam's palm.
A long beat. Sam breathes through his nose. His voice shakes, but his eyes tears up."My whole life… it's been an episode of X-Files.
You ever believe in something so hard it keeps you alive? Every single day, I told myself my dad was coming back.That he'd be back.That everything he believed in — everything we believed in — was real."
Sam steps forward now, breaking through the space between them."Please...Tell me I'm not crazy."
John's expression cracks — just a hair. The coldness in his eyes softens and in a low, almost a whisper."Your dad was right."
Sam confused and blinking."What?"
John smiled and continued."He was right.
Ancient astronauts. Life beyond Earth.
It's not fiction. It's all true."
Sam stumbles back, breath hitching. His eyes fill with tears he won't let fall."I knew it...
They found his truck near the border — door wide open. He just disappeared. He went to the store to buy milk and bread, and he never came back. His truck was parked right outside the store but nobody there had seen him. He just vanished, and his glasses were on the sidewalk beside his truck No signs of struggle. No body. Just... gone."
He looks at John now like he's the last answer to a question he's carried forever."
Maybe they took him."
John steps forward, voice firmer now, a quiet warning behind the words."Sam, listen.
You can't tell anyone about this.You have to promise me.There are others out there — like me. But not all of them are... peaceful."
John added."I'm not safe. And if they find out you know — you won't be either."
A loud voice cuts through the warehouse walls — it was Sam's mother."Sam! I know you're in there! Get back in the house — now!"
Sam flinches. He looks at the door, then back to John and in low, urgent tone said."Wait till I get inside...Then go."
A beat of stillness.
Sam added softer."Be safe."
Sam walks away, slipping back into the night.
John stays in the shadows, watching him disappear — a flicker of regret in his eyes.