“That’s what happened,” Mimi said, stoutly. “Tuffy told me he saved me.”

“Well, then, that’s the answer,” Weaver said, smiling. “Problem solved.”

“Not all of them,” the deputy said. “We’re supposed to isolate any ET stuff. And if that’s not an ET I don’t know what is. It could be carrying a plague for all we know. And she won’t be able to take it to a shelter.”

“And it doesn’t explain how it saved her,” McBain pointed out.

“The point is, we need to isolate that thing,” the deputy said. “And her, come to think of it. Mimi, I’m sorry but you’re going to have to give me Tuffy,” the cop continued, pulling out a pair of rubber gloves.

“I won’t,” Mimi said, stubbornly. “Tuffy’s my friend and he saved me. You’re not going to take him away and put him to sleep.”

“We won’t put him to sleep, child,” the woman said. “But he might be carrying germs. We have to make sure he’s safe.”

“He’s not,” Mimi said. “He told me he’s safe.”

“Well, you still have to give him to me, Mimi,” the deputy said, reaching for the creature.

“No!” Mimi answered, backing up. “I won’t give him to you. Leave me alone! You’re a bad man!”

“Mimi…” Weaver said, just as the thing reared up. He caught a glimpse of what might have been a mouth and then two of the thing’s legs extended enormously, forming or extending claws at the end. The claws caught the deputy in his upper arm, just below where it was protected by body armor. There was a sizzling sound and the deputy was flung back to shudder on the ground.

Weaver rolled up and back into a combat stance as the woman stood up and backed away as well. The deputy was shaking from head to foot and then stopped. He was still breathing, though.

“Medic!” Glasser called, dropping the MRE packet he had just carried over and grabbing the deputy. He dragged him to the rear of the command Humvee and then drew his sidearm.