The jet landed with a soft thump in its usual clearing. The peasants were nearby, in four large cages, under intense lighting from tall spotlights near some huts and a large mound of fertilizer. Gah. It's not that cages aren't proper for this, but I had visualized something a bit less obvious and a bit more American-looking. And the eight Enforcers I have- which will equate to six at a time- stood around, simply watching the peasants, looking for one of them to make an impossible escape from the giant cages. "This is an American experiment.", I told them, my echo calling them to attention immediately. "This is a simple test. If you do work for five weeks, we will let you go." Lying is yet another of my strong suits. "Escape, however, is forbidden. We will put you in groups of ten. If you escape, we will kill the other nine people in your group." I still don't remember where I got that one. It was either the Viet Cong or the Japanese Empire of the early forties.

"When we release you, we shall give you all a home in America. But to resist is to feel pain. You will grow your own food. You will find water on the other side of the island. You have no way out of here, and you have no rights until you are let go." As if they had any before. "Do you understand?" A few weak "Si"s were the reply. I motioned to Billy and he told them what they were to do in detail. His tongue was not used to Latin and Latin-based languages and so he articulated every word carefully, making sure he didn't foul up. I looked at the peasants intently. They weren't just scared, they were absolutely terrified. Good.

"That is where you will live.", I pointed, motioning to the huts. "You will begin work at daybreak tomorrow. Do not be afraid- if you comply, you will have nothing to fear." They won't have time. "Enforcers, put them in groups of ten and ensure they know which group they're in." I told them nothing else. As a rule, trying to make decisions without enough information, for any group of people, is a fear-inducing experience. I've only told these peasants what they need to know. Their fear should paralyze them into obedience.

I walked back to the mansion casually, my servants following closely behind. Billy looked around at the nearly-invisible lighting that illuminated the interior with a pale glow.

Slowly walking back up the stairs, I paused at the door to my room, leaning on it. "Billy, as of right now, how confused are you?" Hopefully the time spent in the jet fixed that.

"Not confused. Lots of stuff I don't know, but that's different.." Confusion can be solved by thinking; ignorance can only be solved by information. "only one thing getting me at the moment. How are you going to get to sleep after resting in the jet all day?"

"Simple. I'm just going to think about how tiring the next five weeks are going to be."

"Yeah, enjoy it while you can.", Sarah said, taking off her clothes before opening the door to her room. Apparently she wanted to show herself to Billy. I, of course, made her take her clothes off the first day I met her. Normals would find her tall and muscular. I find her beautiful.

"I'm gonna have some fucked-up dreams tonight..", Billy said. I'm sure I've heard funnier things before in my life, but I couldn't think of any. Sarah and I laughed our asses off as he stood there wondering why. I wish I could have given him a reason why it was just plain hilarious.

I didn't go to sleep right away- my head was boiling- but the darkness took me quicker than I expected and I fell into dreamland.

And then I heard the screaming.