Harnessed children, with alien machinery in their backs, work like drones on top of a building. There are a dozen of them and they're scavenging scrap metal. Mechs and skitters stand guard out front.
Tom and his group conduct surveillance from a rooftop across the street. There are 6 aliens and five of them. They're talking about coming back later when Karen knocks a brick off the roof and the aliens hear and open fire. They have to retreat.
Back at the high school HQ, Tom is immediately swarmed by parents of missing children asking if he saw them. Anne suggests the parents post their pictures on a bulletin board.
Porter is back and delivers a briefing in the command post.