He smiled, surprised at the embrace but returning it in kind, holding his tutrle out to prevent the little guy from being squished. He listened to her as she spoke, thinking about the possible causes for the place.

"I don't know, Claire, maybe it's some kind of group hallucination? They found a better way to gather and shut up the rest of us?" He posited, but it seemed flimsy at best. He was less near panic, now that Claire was tangible and also trying to figure out what was happening to them.

"This Xander guy on our side?"