Later that night, over at a high rise condo...

"Tom, do you have anything you want to say to Aunt Emily before I hang up?" Andrea Brown said to her son through the phone. She held it out on speaker for her sister.

"Uhh yeah, sorry my sisters and I couldn't make it. We've been really busy but we'll visit sometime! I can't wait to see my stunning aunt again!" Tom quipped.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Hah! Oh Tom, you know I'm not that special. Still, you're such a sweetheart, you know that? You take care now!"

Andrea pushed the red icon and tossed the device back into her purse.

"I swear, if he was this confident when he talked to girls Tom wouldn't be single right now," Emily chuckled. "I'm positive!"

"Hey cut him some slack, he's still young and time is on his side!" Andrea glanced at the clock on the wall, then at her watch. She frowned. "On the other hand I think YOU need to to fix that clock. It's 3 minutes off."

Emily yawned. "Tell you what, I'll do it first thing tomorrow morning. We should go to bed now. Otherwise we won't be at our best when we go see Stacey and Brad."

When Andrea retired to her bedroom she immediately turned on the television. After flipping through several channels the screen eventually displayed a live broadcast of **** rocking the streets of downtown Ferrisburg. An angry, unruly mob was marching down a block. Cars were on fire, fists were being pumped into the air, and occasionally a member or two would stray from the group to cause some sort of property damage. Her eyes stayed glued to the screen as she slowly undressed herself.

The male news anchor spoke. "For those just joining us tonight, what you are seeing is a live bird's eye view of downtown Ferrisburg over at 46th and 59th Street. It appears that a massive amount of protesters have banded together and are approaching the police barricades just a few blocks ahead..."

The camera panned over, now showing the police's side as well on the left. Andrea sat on the edge of her bed and paused, her purple panties hanging down her thighs. The crowd moved as one, sloshing forward like a massive sentient blob. Several held signs written 'WHERE IS THE CURE', and there was even one that said 'STOP THE SLUTS'.

Officers clad in riot gear moved into a position that was akin to the phalanx formation the Spartans used during their last stand at Thermopylae. One cop was standing on top of a police van holding a megaphone. Whatever he was saying to the crowd didn't matter, it wouldn't register with them one bit.

"...now the National Guard is arriving on scene."

Several unarmed Humvees rolled into the shot, parking messily on the curb well behind the line of shields. Guardsmen popped out from these vehicles and jogged over to join the officers. Two of them carried grenade launchers. These men got down on one knee, and in synchronized fashion fired several tear gas rounds upwards at an angle that only they would know how to calculate. As expected, the rounds hit their mark.

"...and just like that the crowd appears to be dispersing. Oh, I'm getting a report that the chief of Ferrisburg PD is about to make a statement. We'll bring you over to him now."

A burly man with a neat mustache appeared behind a podium. The perspiration dripping down the sides of his head described it all. The determination in his voice couldn't hide the stress.

"Despite recent shortages in local law enforcement personnel, we will still be able to operate effectively. On top of the National Guard, we now have a unit from the regular army deployed to help us with the ongoing unrest. The 8th Lightning Division has just finished setting up shop and are primed for a peacekeeping mission. As always, please cooperate with the authorities. Looting does not qualify as some pastime activity! We'd like to remind all residents to stay indoors, and it is recommended that any female experienci-"

Andrea silenced the television, having heard all she needed. She finished pulling the panties down and then proceeded to slip her curvaceous form into transparent nightwear.

The last thing she heard before her head hit the pillow was of a distant, wailing siren fading into the night.