"We'll find him," fell on ears deaf to anything but shock and horror.  "We have every Intelligence Agency in the world here now." 

  "And these," another man motioned for a cart to be wheeled closer.  Binders and folders and files and reams of paper.  "What is all this?" 

  "Apparently there are Private Eyes and Programs also interested in helping.  These are presentations."  The remnant of "government" took this also into account.

  Outside the sun shone equally on all parts of the city, but for the black dot.  The shadow.  A blot.  Modern technology's "octopus ink". 

  "At home we call it Shamu.  Like a whale in popular fiction."  A leadership youth group was being sequestered near a history of the old city tour.  "It's all poppycock," an older woman was straightening the shoulders of a young man's shirt.  "What is ma?" 

  "Whatever They tell you." 

     "Don't fight the resistance, figure it out," the weathered-rough-again hand was put over the youth's with the handsaw.  The board being cut was caught on the lip of a bucket of mud, so pinching the cut together.  The hand over, guiding, was to prevent another fit of frustration slowing down the work.  The youth looked at the man.  Feels funny, a man touching another man, I know.  Eyes looked to the problem-trail.  "The board is caught!" The youth realized out loud.  But the mentor was already flipping through sheets of schedule.

  "He doesn't care." 

  "He cares." 

  Another youth, tall and solid, lowered his eyes, made a barely perceptible whimper.  "This is hard mameer." 

  "It is boppy.  It's hard on everyone." 

  Large panels for movies and "TV" were carried in with sheets of drywall.  "There's no plywood chief.  The other team needs it today." 

  Children who had never seen television roused low-energy selves from nap blankets and yoga mats.  A woman spoke in Arabic.  She was lifted by her elbows and held back against a wall until several people could vouch for what was said. 

  "She said it's here." 

  "She meant the Idiot Box." 

  "It will take us some time," a Contractor who'd helped deliver the supplies to discuss bidjob told the room of family.