They had spent all day and into the evening talking about the things Topolsky had left for them. Max and Liz had fought for using the magazines, books and radio. The rest had argued that is was just another ploy to get something from them. Although Max agreed with this theory, what choice did they have. They had been here for quite awhile and they were getting bored sitting around with nothing to do. In the end Max had changed their minds. But they had spent the whole day fighting about it, and by the time they were done they had exhausted themselves from arguing the point.

When they realized that it was time for bed they had all sat and stared at each other, none of them wanted to be the first to go back to the cells and crawl into those double beds.

"We could switch." Isabelle suddenly blurted out. "I could sleep with Max, Michael can sleep with Kyle and Liz could share with Maria." The girl smiled; in her mind she had solved their dilemma.

Michael made a snorting noise. "You really think their going to let us do that, no chance of us "breeding" if we're not sleeping with the opposite sex. They'd be in here pulling us out of bed in a second."

"Well do you have a better idea, Mr. Smart-Ass?" Isabelle ask.

Michael said nothing. Max tried to calm his sister down. "Believe me Isabelle, if we could we would switch, but Michael is right. There is no way they are going to let us change the sleeping arrangements."

Isabelle threw herself out of the metal chair, "fine, but I'm not sleeping with him." She stopped at the door to her cell, turned and looked at Kyle, "you can sleep on the floor."

Kyle tossed the magazine back on the table and stood up, "wish me luck, I'll probably freeze to death tonight." He followed Isabelle into their room, he watched as she tossed a pillow and a sheet to the floor. He bent over and snatched up the sheet. He picked up the cloth blanket that she had taken for herself and replaced it with the sheet.

"I'm taking the blanket, that floor is too damn cold to just lay on a sheet. The cold will come right through it." He kicked the pillow closer to the wall and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and dropped to the floor. Reaching up he pulled the pillow under his head.

The light went out as Isabelle smacked the control panel. She didn't bother with the sound button, if one of the others needed them during the night she wanted to be able to hear them. She mumbled a goodnight and flopped down on the bed. Can her life get any worse, she thought.

-*****-

Max turned the light off as Liz crawled into the large bed; he had given her a choice of which side of the bed she had wanted, she had chosen the side against the wall. One thought kept rolling through his mind, He didn't think he was going to get much sleep tonight.

Liz was having trouble controlling her own thoughts. She could do this, she knew she could. She turned on her side facing the room. If they stayed on their own sides and didn't touch she might be able to fall asleep.

The mattress gave as Max joined her on the bed. He lay on his back staring up into the dark room. She could make out his face in the shadows.

Max could hear her draw in a long breath. He realized she was just as affected as he was.

-*****-

"I'm not sleeping on the floor, forget it." Michael ground out as he rolled to the back of the mattress.

"But Kyle is." Maria hissed. "He's gentleman enough to let Isabelle have the bed."

"I never said I was a gentleman. Hell, that floor is freezing cold; why should I sleep there when we have a perfectly good bed. There's enough room for two of us." With that said he turned his back on her.

"That's not the point and you know it." Maria knew she was getting nowhere with this conversation, but she had to try. After her dream this afternoon she didn't think she could sleep next to Michael and actually get any rest.

"Either you get into the bed or sleep on the floor. Either one, I don't care, just turn the light off ok, I'd like to get some sleep." Michael grumbled.

Maria walked over to the light control and punched the green button, the room went dark. She stood there staring at the bed, as her eyes adjusted to the dark she could make out the outline of Michael's body. "He never listens…NEVER! I don't know why I thought he would." Michael could hear her mumbling as she crawled onto the bed and tried to get comfortable.

"You better not snore, you hear me, you snore and I swear, I'll smack you." Maria said as she pulled the covers up over herself.

-*****-

The man sat at one of the monitors in the control room. He was alone, everyone else was either asleep or off doing their jobs. He looked over his shoulder at the exit doors and waited. When he was satisfied that no one was coming, he pulled the small box out of his boot and held it in his hand. It looked like a small pager, identical to the millions that were used by everyday people. He punched in a series of numbers on the small keypad in the center of the black box. The same numbers that he had punched in every night for over two weeks now. [Evythg ok sub r 5x5 wil cntct wen al redy]

Shearer hit send and returned the small device to his boot. Everything was under control. So far the plan was on schedule. Now if only his people had taken care of their side of the situation. Unfortunately he wouldn't hear anything from them until the time was right. He sat back and returned to watching the monitors. All the rooms were dark, you could hear the even breathing of all the subjects. It had taken a few hours, a lot of sighs and much gripping coming out of Room B, but they had finally fallen asleep.

-******-

Maria moved the radio dial trying to find something. Nothing. Just one station, and all it played was oldies. No DJ's or commercials. Just songs from the fifties and sixties. She turned to the others. "I can't believe this. How can they expect us to listen this stuff. My mom listens to this crap."

"It's not that bad, its better than nothing." Kyle mumbled as he looked through a car magazine. He finally looked up, "I didn't realize how much I missed listening to music."

"If you can call that music." Maria sat down and reached across the table for a Vanity Fair magazine. They were all out of date by at least six months but she wasn't going to complain. On her waitress salary she hadn't been able to afford them, so she hadn't read any of them yet.

Too bad Isabelle didn't feel the same way.

"Couldn't they haven't gotten us anything more up to date. These clothes are already out of fashion." She threw the magazine back on the stack and slumped into the nearest chair.

"Beggars can't be choosers." Liz said as she turned the page on the copy of "Earth Science" magazine she had found.

"It's not like you have anywhere to wear them anyway." Kyle told her. He didn't have a good night, the floor had been hard and the blanket did nothing to keep out the cold.

None of them had gotten a good nights sleep, they were all tired and some of them just plain grouchy.

Michael turned the music up louder, too loud. The others just turned and glared at him, "what?"

"Don't you think that it's a little loud?" Max ask him.

"No, I don't think its loud or else I wouldn't have turned it up, now would I." Michael reached up and turned the dial a bit more.

Isabelle stretched across the table to turn it down. As she reached for the dial a familiar tune began to play. She drew her hand back and they all turned and looked at each other. As the tune went on smiles began to form on their faces.

(Stop) Oh yes, wait a minute Mister Postman (Wait) Wait Mister Postman

"MS. JOHNSON!" They all yelled.

Please Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me

"Do you remember how many times she played this song in music class?" Maria said.

Gladys Johnson had been the ninth grade music teacher at Roswell Jr. High School, at one time or another they had all had her class. She had loved the songs of the fifties and sixties and had used them many times in her classroom.

"Yeah, way too many." Michael replied dropping his head into his hands.

(Please, Please Mister Postman) Why's it takin' such a long time (Oh yeah) For me to hear from that boy of mine

Maria got up and grabbed Liz's hand, "do you remember the dance steps she taught us?"

The two girls started dancing, they each held the others opposite hands, twisting and turning with the music.

There must be some word today From my boyfriend so far away Please Mister Postman, look and see If there's a letter, a letter for me

Max laughed as he watched them twirling through the steps, until Liz suddenly turned and pulled him up on his feet. Maria continued dancing by herself, but then her eyes landed on Michael, he knew that look of hers and he started shaking his head.

"No, no way, I do not dance." She didn't listen, she took both of his hands and pulled him up. He stood for a few minutes and rolled his eyes and shook his head at the girl, but she wasn't paying any attention to him.

I've been standin' here waitin' Mister Postman So patiently For just a card, or just a letter Sayin' he's returnin' home to me

Kyle stood back and watched them, he turned and looked at Isabelle. Walking towards her he saw her turn her head and become aware of him advancing on her. Thinking she would try and get away he moved faster, he put his arm out to grab her. He was totally unprepared when she stood and grabbed his hand and walked toward the other four, pulling him behind her.

(Mister Postman) Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me (Please, Please Mister Postman) Why's it takin' such a long time (Oh yeah) For me to hear from that boy of mine

Everyone but Michael was dancing, no matter what Maria did he just wouldn't move. She put her hands on his and tried pulling them back and forth. It didn't work, so she placed her hands on his hips and twisted them to the rhythm of the music. She could feel him getting into it. With his hips slightly swaying and his feet firmly planted on the floor Michael was not really dancing, but Maria would except even that little bit. She laughed up into his face and Michael actually smiled back.

So many days you passed me by See the tears standin' in my eyes You didn't stop to make me feel better By leavin' me a card or a letter

(Mister Postman) Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me (Please, Please Mister Postman) Why's it takin' such a long time

Max enjoyed watching Liz dance, she looked carefree, more like she did before all this had begun. He didn't like to dance, hell he knew he couldn't dance, but if it made Liz happy he would do it.

The music suddenly stopped. They all turned. They had all been so involved in the light moment that they never heard or saw the door open. Never saw Topolsky reach over and turn the music off. As if it was by unspoken command all the men stepped in-front of the women. Maria ducked her head out from behind Michael's body.

"What did you do that for?" she demanded.

The woman actually looked contrite. "I'm sorry for interrupting the dancing, but you can get back to your music in a minute. I just wanted to ask Isabelle if she would come with me for a moment. Please."

"Please. You're asking now." Isabelle said snidely. She had been having a good time, for a moment she had forgotten why they were there.

The woman smiled at her. "It will only take about an hour, I'll bring you right back. I promise."

Isabelle looked to Max.

"What do you want to do?" he ask her.

"I'll go," then she smiled, "but do me a favor, try and teach Michael some other dance moves before I get back, he just looks so stupid."

"Bite me Iz" Michael said.

-******-

Isabelle had followed Topolsky through another set of winding corridors, they finally came to a door and Topolsky opened it and stepped through the doorway.

"Have a seat, I just wanted to ask you a few questions, get a bead on how your feeling right now." She said as she took her seat behind a large desk.

"I'm fine. Can I go back to the others now." Isabelle answered.

"I just have a few more questions." Indicating a plastic chair in front of the desk she motioned for the young girl to sit.

Isabelle looked at the chair for a few seconds, then finally sat down. She figured the faster she answered her questions the sooner she could go back.

"I was worried about you, you weren't close to Liz or Maria before this happened." Topolsky picked up a pen and twirled it through her fingers. "Not having another woman to talk too can put a lot of stress on you."

Isabelle raised her eyebrows at her. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You think I'm stressed because I don't have a girlfriend here?" Isabelle said in astonishment.

Continuing to twirl the pen, she tried again to reach the girl. "I'm just saying that if you need to talk, I'm here for you. I understand your feelings of resentment. Feelings of loneliness."

Isabelle's eyes had dropped to the pen, she couldn't believe Topolsky, who the hell did she think she was, did she think Isabelle was going to tell her anything, open up to HER? She watched the pen as the woman kept rotating it back and forth between her fingers, the same motion every time, the same even rhythm with each pivot. Suddenly she felt very tired. She just wanted to go back to the cells and lay down. She could hear Topolsky going on an on about something or other. She couldn't remember what she was talking about. She just wanted to sleep, that's all she wanted. She never even noticed when she slipped into unconsciousness.