Ted stopped dead in his tracks in the parking lot for no more than a moment. The two armed men took a few seconds to get their bearings, wobbling slightly and then regaining their balance. Their guns, however, were out and at the ready. Despite his astonishment, Ted didn't linger. He'd been astonished several times over the last 24 hours, after all.

The young man had told him to get away fast. He'd said they'd kill him. He had no real choice but to believe it. He had to trust someone and the young disappearing man seemed more trustworthy than these two.

Ted turned on his heels and all but dove into the front seat of his car, started the engine and pulled away with his foot to the floor. The screaming of the tires caught the attention of the two armed men. Ted watched in the rearview as they started in vain to chase him on foot, quickly gave up and lowered their guns in unison. He got a better look at them before he reached the turn onto the highway. Both were dressed in dark suits, probably in their mid 30's. One was slightly pudgy, definitely out of shape, the other lean and more athletic looking. The pudgy one was holding a cell phone to his ear as Ted's car screeched out onto the empty highway.

At that exact moment, the cell phone the disappearing man had given him rang, making him almost jump out of his skin. For an instant, Ted worried that it might be the  armed man, but he saw the 617 exchange on the caller ID and answered it.

"Yeah," he said, fumbling to get the phone to his ear with one hand.

"I assume this means you weren't caught," the disappearing man said.

"Who the hell were they?" Ted asked, "What the hell do they want with me?"

"Look, I'll answer your questions all in good time," the man said, "right now you need to get to Boston. I can meet you there face to face. Then I can talk."

"Wait just a god damned minute," Ted started, but raising his voice triggered another coughing spasm, his chest felt like someone were standing on him with lead shoes. When the coughing subsided and he finally caught his breath, the disappearing man spoke again.

"How long have you had that cough?"

"About a week. I should probably be in a god damned hospital."

"Believe me," the man said, "fixing that cough is the last thing you want to do right now."

"What the hell are you talking about? Look. I need some answers, here. I need some information. I think you now a thing or two about what is happening here. How the hell did you disappear like that? And where is my god damned dog?"

"Christ sake, your dog is fine. I have him. But this is not a secure line. You just keep driving and I'll catch up with you when I can."

"Where are you?" Ted asked. "How will you catch up with me? Look, this is getting ridiculous. What am I supposed to do when I reach Boston?"

"I'll contact you again on this line in about one hour. I'll tell you where to go."

Suddenly Becky's cell started ringing. Ted cradled the first cell onto his shoulder and fumbled blindly for the other one on the passenger seat.

"What the hell is that?" the man asked.

"My girlfriend," Ted started, "hang on. Don't hang up."

He put down the first cell phone and answered the other.

"Becky?"

There was nothing but static on the other end.

"Becky! I'm coming to find you. Becky?"

Faintly he could hear her voice on the other end, but it was impossible to make out more than a few garbled words.

"Becky! Hang on, honey! I'll find you. I'm on my way! Just hang on, Becky!" Then the connection was gone and the phone went silent.

Ted put the other phone back to his ear.

"Where the hell is my girlfriend?" he demanded. "Where the hell is everybody?"

"Look," the disappearing man said. "I want to help you. But for right now you're just going to have to trust me. I can't tell you anything now except that she's alive and she's not going anywhere. But listen to me. This is important. If you come across anyone else -- anyone at all -- do not stop. Keep going. There is no one you can trust right now. No one but me."

"I haven't seen another living soul but you and those two guys with the guns," Ted said, trying to steady his voice so as not to set off another bout of coughing. "There isn't anyone else anywhere as far as I can see."

"Oh they're out there," the man said. "Believe me on that. But they are not to be trusted."

"Oh, and you are?"

"I did give you the phone, didn't I?" the man said, "And I did warn you they were coming."

Ted said nothing.

"One hour," the man said. "Keep driving." And he hung up and the phone went silent.