The receptionist looked up, gave the nut-job a withering glance and began typing on her keyboard. "January Silverbottom. Riiiight." The drawn-out word expressed total disbelief. "Could you spell that for me?" She typed quickly. "Thank you. And you say you have information pertinent to the kidnapping of Miss Emily Fastnet? I'm sorry but the reward has now been withdrawn, Miss Fastnet was rescued early this morning... Oh. Alien invasions? As in, little green men from Mars?" The woman was struggling to maintain a straight face. "That would be Section Fifty Three. Please state your full postal address including zip code, a contact telephone number. I'll need to see some ID?" Her eyes widened slightly when the ID proved to have January Silverbottom printed on it. But the woman was not convinced so easily. Still it wasn't her job to assess these reports. Fewer nowadays than when she'd first started ten years ago, and from what she'd heard the peak had been in the 1980s.<br/><br/>"I am obliged by law to warn you that presenting false information to the FBI<i>is</i>a federal crime and is punishable by up to one year's imprisonment in a federal penitentiary." A printer hummed. "If you still wish to see a federal agent, in light of the warning I have given, please take this badge and wear it visibly at all times while on the premises. Please hand it back in at reception when you leave." Her words now were clearly a rehearsed script, and she pulled the badge out of the printer, folded it and put it in a<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AANd9GcQkpnUCYGISAy9mWivp8Ed4PtMeyCtnKbWsPgI75N0zaKVjS_jXEw&amp;hash=d444c4463d0008da26a0047bcc8f0810" href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQkpnUCYGISAy9mWivp8Ed4PtMeyCtnKbWsPgI75N0zaKVjS_jXEw" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">plastic holder with a lapel/belt clip</a>. She held out the badge that had "January Silver Bottom" printed on one side and a bar code on the other, without even looking. When January took it, the woman almost jumped, looking up startled. This was not unheard of, but it was unusual.  Most of the UFO wackos left after being given the warning. "Uh, okay... Do you have a mobile phone on you? Please turn it off. Please take a seat over there and someone will be down to escort you shortly..."<br/><br/>She was waiting now, for the computer to give a red-light that would mean the search had turned up either a known crazy, either with that name, or with another name via facial recognition, or an actual criminal. Either would result in security detaining the woman. An orange light, meaning a known time-waster, would result in her being escorted from the premises. A green light, which did sometimes happen, meant the woman could be admitted. She wasn't really surprised, but very disappointed when the woman received a green "all clear". There wasn't any need for her to do anything, the computer had automatically notified the correct department.  Of course it was Bureau policy to make any visitor wait, because if they got fed up and left, there was no need to spend time dealing with them, and if they became abusive they would be thrown out or arrested.<br/><br/>The armed guards at the security barrier wore dark blue flack jackets with FBI on the front and back in bright yellow letters, dark glasses, and carried sub-machine-guns as well as automatic pistols. They stood implacably, checking the ID badge of everyone who approached the barrier, ensuring that photos matched faces, before allowing the electronic barrier to be opened by the ID cards.<br/><br/>After about eight or nine minutes the barrier opened to allow a<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F2a%2Fc0%2F5e%2F2ac05e6ac3fc50f4fe15bd945714a75e--business-skirts-business-outfits.jpg&amp;hash=b38daa10b1fc1f27c76bf0b8004685fe" href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2a/c0/5e/2ac05e6ac3fc50f4fe15bd945714a75e--business-skirts-business-outfits.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">young woman in a grey skirt-suit</a>to exit. She smiled warmly at January, flicking her long chestnut hair back as though flirting as she approached. "Miss Silver.. eh .. Bottom? This way please." The ever-so-slight hesitation in the name did not phase the woman. Her friendly smile didn't falter for a moment. "I'm Special Agent Dortmund," she announced unnecessarily as the information was clearly displayed on her ID. "I'm Special Agent Riley's assistant. I'm taking you up to her office." She nodded to the guards and approached the barrier. "Show the barcode on the back of your ID to that laser..." The barrier bleeped and showed a red light. Dortmund showed it her ID and it went green. The opaque glass panels slid aside. "Step through and wait on the other side." Dortmund showed her ID to the next gate along and stepped through as it opened, then closed behind her. "This way."<br/><br/>She led the visitor along a well lit corridor lined with dull grey doors, past a bank of elevators and to a single elevator at the end of the corridor, by a door marked "Emergency Exit", The lift door opened when the agent pushed the button and she motioned for January to enter, then followed her in. She pushed the button for the third floor. The ride up was smooth and quiet. The doors opened and Dortmund stepped out and walked straight across the corridor and opened a door marked "Mulder & Scully Dept". Under it was a sticky lable that read "You are now entering the Twilight Zone, Ooo EEEE OOOO oooooh!"<br/><br/>Dortmund stepped into what was clearly intended to give the impression of a busy outer office, except for the thin patina of dust and the male agent sitting in the corner with his feet up playing a game on his smartphone by the sounds it was making. "Through here, Miss." Dortmund turned and tapped on a door. The word "Come" drifted through it. She opened it and stepped in. "Miss, er... Silverbottom to see you Agent Riley."<br/><br/>Special agent Jacqueline Riley was standing, facing the window, her back to the door. The morning sun warmed her face as she looked out at the totally unimpressive view of Walmart's parking lot and gas station. This meant that she was silhouetted by the light. All anyone entering would see would be a dark shape, maybe some gold around her head as stands of hair caught the light.<br/><br/>"Take a seat, miss Silverbutt." She paused and added, "Or whatever your real name is..." Before January could speak, she turned. Still silhouetted, she sat at her desk, the sun stoll behind her. "You do realise that wasting the time of a Federal agency is a very serious offence? In the last year alone we have jailed six such offenders in this department alone. There are no such things as flying saucers, little green men or death rays. So stop wasting my time. If you turn around and walk out of that door now, you will not be charged..."<br/><br/>There was something oddly familiar about her voice, which was confident and commanding. When January didn't leave, Jacqueline sighed and leant back in her chair. "All right, let's hear your story..." She listened attentively, making notes on a spiral pad. January was almost finished with her tale, when a cloud slid in front of the sun.<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.immediate.co.uk%2Fvolatile%2Fsites%2F3%2F2018%2F04%2FThe-Split-Nicola-Walker-plays-Hannah-6fcfc3f.jpg%3Fquality%3D90%26resize%3D620%2C413&amp;hash=d70a2d5b3819b729a51d26385352503f" href="https://media.immediate.co.uk/volatile/sites/3/2018/04/The-Split-Nicola-Walker-plays-Hannah-6fcfc3f.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620,413" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Special Agent Riley's face</a>became visible for the first time since January had been in her office. A face that would be shockingly familiar.