was recovering nicely. The posthypnotic suggestions implanted by the aliens that had caused my seizure had some nice side effects. After I regained consciousness, I felt as though I had a steady Quaalude drip flowing directly into my brain. I forgave the aliens for making me writhe on the floor. And the back problems I’d had since the accident seemed to have disappeared. I seemed to be completely healed.

Scott told me about Dirk talking to him from the TV. It sounded like something Dirk would do and Scott assured me that it was Dirk all right; apparently, he knew stuff about Scott only Dirk would know. I asked Scott what that stuff was, but Scott wouldn’t tell me.

“So I guess that just about explains everything,” Scott said, after summing up the story.

“It does not,” I said. Sometimes Scott could be so exasperating.

“What do you mean?” Scott said, somewhat defensively.

“What about Frank?” I asked. “None of us have seen him since the vampire episode, and yet someone is using his email address every now and again.”

“But Dirk explained that. The aliens used timeline clones . . .”

“For Dirk, maybe. He didn’t say anything about Frank.”

“Well, I just assumed . . .”

“Scott . . . Scott . . .”

I was suddenly very tired. “Don’t forget Frank, Scott,” I said. “Don’t forget Frank.”