{"id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","serial_id":"5755b744ada6e220cd1d9948","episode_ids":["59becb54c7dc8d000126a942","59becbaffec9fa00017f57e2","59becbedc7dc8d000126a943","59becc3dfec9fa00017f57e3","59becc9148e97e0001b644c4","59beccc9c7dc8d000126a944","59becd10fec9fa00017f57e4","59becd6bfd9a2b0001c3eb47","59becda0fec9fa00017f57e5","59becdc548e97e0001b644c5","59becdebc7dc8d000126a945","59bece0ffd9a2b0001c3eb48","59bece37c7dc8d000126a946","59bece5bfd9a2b0001c3eb49"],"description":"You live. You love. You die. Now Run! Divided over the events of the last season, the teens must deal with new threats and dangerous allies in the second season of the hit Sci-Fi thriller. ","subtitle":"","title":"ReMade Season 2","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.issue.20170917","number":"2","featured":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/remadeserial_tall.jpg","cover_wide_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/covers/remades2_wide.jpg","gowatchit_id":"","is_free":false,"episodePrice1":199,"episodePrice2":299,"episodePrice3":499,"episodePrice4":599,"episodePrice5":799,"episodePrice6":899,"episodePrice7":1099,"episodePrice8":1299,"episodePrice9":1399,"episodePrice10":1599,"episodePrice11":1699,"episodePrice12":1899,"episodePrice13":1999,"episodePrice14":2199,"episodePrice15":2299,"episodes":[{"id":"59becb54c7dc8d000126a942","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":1,"title":"Patch Job","released_date":"2017-11-15T12:54:14.047+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Blast from the past","byline":"Andrea Phillips","featured":true,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E1_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2017-11-15","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThings had been weird for Jing-Wei for a real long time now. Robots, space stations, mutant animals? Fine. It was a head trip for sure, but she was unexpectedly alive, and that was worth something. You can get used to anything, if you have to. Humans adapt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter all that adapting, she would have bet cash money you couldn\u0026rsquo;t surprise her anymore. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t dreamed that things could get even more weird in a whole new direction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike finally running into actual factual people, when she\u0026rsquo;d all but given up on the idea that there were any. And to put the freaky cherry on the weird-ass sundae, they acted like they already knew Jing-Wei. But she\u0026rsquo;d never seen them before in her life. Either one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pair of strange girls sighted her through the trees a split second before Jing-Wei spotted them back. \u0026ldquo;Hello?\u0026rdquo; the long-haired girl called. She came running toward Jing-Wei flat out. The other chased close behind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey slowed as they got closer, stopping a little farther than an arm\u0026rsquo;s reach away. The first girl just stared at Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s face. \u0026ldquo;Oh my god, it really is you. How are you\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You know her?\u0026rdquo; the other girl asked. This one was Latina, with short hair and a set to her jaw like she could show you stubborn if you were wondering about it. She gripped a keeper arm in her hands, and she edged around Jing-Wei like she thought she might be \u003cem\u003edangerous\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s Jing-Wei,\u0026rdquo; said the first girl. Pretty thing, shiny hair. Didn\u0026rsquo;t look like she got much sleep, though. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s one of the ones we told you about on the train. Jing-Wei . . .\u0026rdquo; The girl swallowed. \u0026ldquo;They killed you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei stepped back, just a half step, enough to give some space between herself and the idea of any \u0026ldquo;they\u0026rdquo; killing her. \u0026ldquo;How do you know my name?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s makerspace was a glorious jumble of \u003cem\u003estuff\u003c/em\u003e, all lit by naked fluorescent tubes that cast splintered shadows onto every surface. The walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling sheet-metal shelving. Those shelves were stuffed with cardboard boxes of hastily wrapped bundles of cords and wires, and cheap plastic organizers full of screws and bolts sorted haphazardly by size and shape. Various pieces of gear were crammed into every spare nook, and even teetered on the very top shelves. Broken quadcopters, broken vacuum cleaners. Bolts of plastic sheeting and Bubble Wrap. Glitter paint.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe total effect was like somebody had taken everything they could find from ten years of garage sales, disassembled all of it, then put the pieces in a box and shaken it up. To Jing-Wei, it was the coziest, happiest place in the universe. It was a teeming and glorious ecosystem of possibilities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it had everything she needed to take those possibilities and yank them into reality, too. There were wide workbenches, the thick wooden work surfaces scratched, stained, even burned. A few of them were bare, waiting for a new maker with a new ambition, but others were permanently occupied with 3-D printers, laser cutters, or piles of more low-tech gear like soldering irons, hot glue guns, and screwdrivers. A server rack hummed in the back corner, its lights a steady green.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cement floor was painted gray, and sloped toward a drain somewhere in the center of the wide-open room. The makers liked to make cracks about how that made it easy to hose the place down after they got blood all over it. They were careful not to say it whenever the landlord stopped by, though. Not everyone could take a joke.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei preferred to be alone in the space, like she was now; it was a couple of hours before school, and not many of the other makers were early risers. She bent over her workbench, examining the toy that twitched there. It was a gift for her little sister, Chang-Rou; Jing-Wei had made a spindle-legged thing meant to walk on its own and hop a few inches straight up from time to time. It was cute and funny, and her sister was going to love it to pieces. Or she would, if only Jing-Wei could get the thing to work right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt had been fine for about fifteen seconds, but then one of the legs had jammed in a lifted-up position and wouldn\u0026rsquo;t move anymore. Now the poor thing wobbled and tipped over when it tried to walk, and when it tried to hop, it just looked like it really needed to pee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei pulled the leg out of its jammed state and flexed it a few times. If there was a rough spot somewhere in the joint, maybe she could smooth it out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei set the toy down and switched it on. \u0026ldquo;Try again, little guy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe robot walked five steps, hopped three times, and then its leg got stuck up again, as if it were trying to imitate one of those tap-dancing peacock spiders. The poor thing fell over and twitched until Jing-Wei switched it off again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, that isn\u0026rsquo;t going to work, is it?\u0026rdquo; She sighed and flipped the toy over so she could take its leg off. The thing had been put together from scraps she\u0026rsquo;d scrounged up around the space anyway, so the legs didn\u0026rsquo;t all match in the first place. But she wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure if there was anything left that could work with what she had.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe stuck the broken leg in the pocket of her lab coat\u0026mdash;a gift from her mother, who was always cracking jokes about the mad science Jing-Wei got up to. The box she needed would be on one of the high shelves, unless somebody had taken it into their head to \u0026ldquo;reorganize\u0026rdquo; in the last few days. You could never be sure. She grabbed one of the stepladders and rolled it toward a likely looking shelf. There was a box helpfully labeled robot parts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce she got up there, she blew away a thick fur of dust. This wasn\u0026rsquo;t the box she\u0026rsquo;d found the first time, but maybe she\u0026rsquo;d dig up something even better now. She rummaged through it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt really wasn\u0026rsquo;t what she needed, though. The box held an array of motors, brackets for holding sensors, treads, and wheels. She thought for a moment about reworking the toy to replace one or two of its spidery legs with wheels, but decided it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be funny enough to make Chang-Rou happy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei stretched past the edge of the stepladder to reach for the next box. Her center of balance hung somewhere in the air between the ladder and the shelves, but she could steady herself with three fingertips. She pulled out the first thing she could reach to see what was in the next box, and recognized the part at once: it was a pincer claw that somebody had coated with rubber cement in a fit of misguided experimentation, trying to make it more grippy or something. She tugged the box a little closer to her along the shelf to see what else it held.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo dice. Just as she\u0026rsquo;d expected, there wasn\u0026rsquo;t another leg precisely the same size as the one that had broken. Well, maybe this was a chance to make the little toy even funnier, with mismatched parts that balanced one another out. She weighed a likely candidate in her hand, then stuck it into her pocket while she tried to find another one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe box tipped forward. The ladder wobbled under Jing-Wei as she reached a little too far to keep the box from falling. A shower of small parts spilled out of the box, bouncing off Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s arm and shoulder. Her forearm banged hard against the metal shelf, and she stopped, hanging perilously in the air. Her heart started pounding, too late for the adrenaline to help; it just made her knees and hands shaky. She took a deep breath, settled her heels back on the ladder, and pulled the box down to rest on her thigh so she could look through it more safely.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce everything was steady, she sifted through the robot parts some more. Most of them were junk, but there were a few maybes in there, and she stuck those into her pockets. Finally, she found enough potential replacements worth testing out. She pushed the box back into its spot and climbed down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce safely on solid footing, Jing-Wei took the new set of robot legs out of her pockets to compare them more closely. The legs weren\u0026rsquo;t all the same length, but she could probably adjust the angle of the knee bend so that they operated the same. And the brackets that held them in place were the same size as the old ones. It would work out great, maybe even better than she\u0026rsquo;d planned. \u0026ldquo;Here we go, little guy!\u0026rdquo; she called toward her workbench. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m gonna fix you right up.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer elbow struck the ladder as she turned. The ladder rattled against the metal shelving unit. Above Jing-Wei, the box of robot parts tipped again, then fell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t see it, and she didn\u0026rsquo;t feel it for very long either. One moment she was smiling at the future of Chang-Rou\u0026rsquo;s gift in deep satisfaction, and the next everything turned white and full of stars.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually the whiteness receded, but the stars remained the same. Jing-Wei floated in nothingness, suspended over an infinite field of sparkling emptiness. No, not just emptiness; there, just to the left, was the blue-and-white marble she\u0026rsquo;d seen hundreds of times before.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe tried to turn her head to see it better, but either her muscles were too weak to move her, or she was immobilized in some other way. And now she noticed the pain, gushing from the back of her skull, flooding the nerves to her neck, her shoulders, her back. She made a noise of distress, something small and choking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA robotic arm passed into her field of view. It spun her, and Jing-Wei saw what had been behind her: a cold, utilitarian room. Metal walls, glow lights embedded at the corners. The robot arm shifted again. She could see the glint of the needles before they came down. They filled her veins with fire as they pierced her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flames inside her burned her consciousness away, and she returned to blessed darkness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Jing-Wei woke up again, she felt better. Mostly. A little . . . electric, as if there were a radio in her brain tuned to a dead channel. Not static, not any noise at all. Just a strange, buzzy sensation. There was a sharp feeling under her ear, but when she reached to touch it, there was nothing there but smooth skin.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt least the shooting pain from her head was gone, and the fire in her veins, and the needles. She was still in that room, though. Still floating. Half the room was stars. She was . . . in space?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhoa. That was pretty awesome.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever awesome space was to look at, though, it did raise a few questions that wanted answers real bad. She began to take stock of her situation. The room was completely empty. Not even a Frankenstein slab for her to lie on, and that spidery robot arm she half remembered was gone too. She\u0026rsquo;d thought the walls were metal, but when she touched them, they weren\u0026rsquo;t as cold as metal. Some kind of plastic, maybe, or a plastic coating.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat beautiful window full of stars, though . . . She ran her fingertips across it. Was it just a screen? That seemed most likely, except for the part where the law of gravity wasn\u0026rsquo;t being strictly enforced all of a sudden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe it really \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c/em\u003e stars. Dang. How did she get here? And\u0026mdash;she noticed for the first time\u0026mdash;why was she wearing a red jumpsuit? Was it, like, a NASA uniform kind of thing? Or was she some kind of prisoner? She had a momentary flash of fear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, maybe she should do some exploring and get a few answers about what was what around here. Except . . . problem. The whole room was maybe three meters across, and there was no door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWait. She looked up, and experienced a moment of wild vertigo as she completely reoriented herself in space. The hatch she saw in the ceiling became a door in front of her, and the stars became a ceiling, not a window.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe pressed at her uneasy stomach. \u0026ldquo;This is bonkers,\u0026rdquo; she said out loud. Her voice reverberated off those plastic-coated walls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat hatch hissed and opened, and a robot came in. It was bigger than she was, crowding her into a corner of the starry room. It looked something like a spider sticking its butt high in the air. Its black carapace was scuffed up, even melted in places, so she could see into its mechanicals. One of its joints was welded together with something bubbly and silver.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt reached out a pincer arm to give her something: a little package wrapped in waxy paper. She took it from the robot, hesitant. It withdrew its arm and stayed motionless, watching her with an array of red lenses: one big eye and a lot of little ones, almost like freckles. Infrared sensors, maybe?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell. It was becoming clear what was going on here, at least. This was one heck of a weird-ass dream, and her parents were going to die laughing once she told them about it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe robot shifted its weight downward, apparently settling in to wait for something.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked at the packet it had given her. May as well open it, then. As she did, a delicious, faintly spicy smell wafted toward her, and her stomach grew uneasy in the opposite way. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t realized how \u003cem\u003ehungry \u003c/em\u003eshe was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe took a bite of the protein bar inside. It was amazing: a little sweet, a little chewy. Not quite like anything she\u0026rsquo;d had before. This was a surprisingly vivid dream.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sized up the robot. \u0026ldquo;So what are you supposed to be?\u0026rdquo; she asked it. \u0026ldquo;My anxiety about that social studies paper?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside the robot\u0026rsquo;s body, something sparked. The robot scuttled away from the doorway and lowered itself closer to the floor, as if apologetic. After a few minutes, a new robot entered. Jing-Wei could tell from its gloss, its elegant motion, its lines that this was a higher-end model, newer and better treated. Its carapace was etched with elaborate designs. Pretty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts red eye peered at Jing-Wei and flared bright. And inside Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s brain, she saw . . . \u003cem\u003ethings.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe images came quick, just flashes that were there and gone again almost before she could process them. They were as clear as a movie projected on the inside of her forehead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe saw an army of thousands of robots like these two, working equipment, cleaning, building. She saw a sky turn from yellow to blue, then a pile of detritus sifted from the ocean. The robots\u0026rsquo; job was to keep things clean and safe. Keep things from falling apart. These \u003cem\u003ekeepers\u003c/em\u003e were made to help people, and Jing-Wei was a person, so they meant to help her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGradually Jing-Wei became aware that the mouthful of protein bar was still sitting on her tongue. She\u0026rsquo;d stopped chewing during the onslaught of images.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYeah, this was a weird-ass vivid dream, all right. She swallowed. Or. Unthinkable, but she had to think it. What if it wasn\u0026rsquo;t a dream at all? \u0026ldquo;How did I get here?\u0026rdquo; she asked the keeper. \u0026ldquo;Where . . . where is this?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgain Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s brain filled with incomprehensible images. She saw herself, streamers of blood running toward the middle of her face from her scalp. She saw a broken skull, a shattered vertebra. She saw a stream of digits counting down to zero, then blackness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo that was upsetting. The food bar slipped from her fingers and floated by her hand, unable to fall without gravity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper continued speaking, if you could call what it did speaking. Jing-Wei saw herself coalescing into existence, blue-lipped and still. She saw the keeper working over her with a dozen tools that flashed away before she could understand them. It was bringing her back to life, or perhaps preserving the tiny flicker of life that remained in her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So I was dead and you . . . remade me? Like from a blueprint?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe avalanche of images ceased. The first keeper, the scuffed-up one, shifted its weight forward, plucked the protein bar from where it hovered by Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s side, and pressed it into her hand again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe took the bar. \u0026ldquo;Thank you,\u0026rdquo; she told the keeper. \u0026ldquo;I . . . guess.\u0026rdquo; She rubbed the back of her head. It seemed fine, not even tender. Things sure had taken a turn for the interesting. But none of it was real. Was it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah stared at Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;I watched you die. You were \u003cem\u003edead. \u003c/em\u003eAgain.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei eyeballed these strangers\u0026mdash;very strange\u0026mdash;and held her hand out to shake. \u0026ldquo;Uh, do you think we could start over? I\u0026rsquo;m Jing-Wei, and you\u0026rsquo;re . . . ?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m Seyah, and this is Inez.\u0026rdquo; Neither one of them reached out to shake, though.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei let her hand drop, but still ventured a smile. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t even tell you how good it is to hear another human voice. It\u0026rsquo;s been a real long time. It\u0026rsquo;s great to meet you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez didn\u0026rsquo;t let her guard down for a second. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll see about that,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese were the first faces she\u0026rsquo;d seen in . . . How long had it been, anyway? Two months? Three? These were the first people she\u0026rsquo;d so much as sniffed since she\u0026rsquo;d woken up. But she hadn\u0026rsquo;t thought for a hot second it would go this badly once she met somebody. Tough luck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How do you all know I died, anyway?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked, puzzled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Some of us saw it happen.\u0026rdquo; Seyah looked at her feet. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t ask for details.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSome of us? \u003c/em\u003eSome of who? \u0026ldquo;But I was alone.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei looked around, her puzzlement growing. \u0026ldquo;I was alone in the makerspace, and\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, we mean the second time you died. Once to get you here, and the second time after you met us.\u0026rdquo; Seyah\u0026rsquo;s eyes widened. \u0026ldquo;Wait. If you\u0026rsquo;re alive, then is Wesley with you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Or Teddy?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked quickly. \u0026ldquo;With you, or back at the TV studio?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTV studio? \u003c/em\u003eJing-Wei puzzled over that, but it was a small weird in the face of a huge brick wall made of various weirds and she didn\u0026rsquo;t think it was worth asking more. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry? I don\u0026rsquo;t know you or Teddy or . . . What was the other name?\u0026rdquo; Then she was struck by a new thought. \u0026ldquo;Wait, did . . . did you die too? To get here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes. We all died.\u0026rdquo; Seyah sounded more matter-of-fact about it than you might expect. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s how we got here in the first place, right? We died and they remade us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh . . .\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei focused on her feet and those ultra-comfy slip-on sneakers. \u0026ldquo;Right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So you\u0026rsquo;re alone?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re lucky we found you before any caretakers did.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Caretakers?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Big robots, lots of arms? Not much for talking?\u0026rdquo; Inez raised an eyebrow. \u0026ldquo;Didn\u0026rsquo;t they remake you, too?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei grinned and shook her head. This was a way less uncomfortable topic than death; she could talk about robots for ages. \u0026ldquo;You must mean the keepers? Nah, you\u0026rsquo;ve got the wrong idea about them. My keepers\u0026mdash;my caretakers\u0026mdash;have been \u003cem\u003egreat\u003c/em\u003e. I don\u0026rsquo;t know what I\u0026rsquo;d have done without them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah and Jing-Wei both turned gray, like Jing-Wei had outed herself as an enormous, tentacled sea monster. \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eYour\u003c/em\u003e caretakers?\u0026rdquo; Seyah said slowly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were no other \u003cem\u003epeople\u003c/em\u003e on the space station, that much was clear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were plenty of keepers, but Jing-Wei could never quite work out how many. The one that had come to her first, the one with the damaged carapace: that one was Sparky, for the little arcs of electricity she could see inside his shell from time to time. Sparky seemed to be in charge of the care and feeding of Jing-Wei; he stayed with her basically every second of the . . . however much time was passing. Sparky was the bottom of the food chain, apparently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the top was Pretty, the speaker for the robots. The others could also communicate with Jing-Wei, flashing pictures straight into her brain, but aside from Pretty, they were only about as informative as a foreign country\u0026rsquo;s subway pictograms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was another that seemed to be the same model as Pretty, with a similar ornate pattern of lines and circles stenciled onto his chassis, or maybe cut into the surface with a laser. He was skittish; whenever Jing-Wei came close to him, he would flee. She called that one Bashful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was one with twice the limbs of her companions, and Jing-Wei named her Grabby. There were at least three or four more that came in and out of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s presence like a whirlwind, never staying long enough for her to work out identifying features and names.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe wondered where the other keepers went when she couldn\u0026rsquo;t find them. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t like the place was so full of hiding spots.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fact, the vessel they were on was only maybe a couple hundred feet long in total. There was a curved central hallway with rooms coming off of it like spokes in a bicycle wheel. But only a small part of the wheel. Jing-Wei had looked outside and the rest of the wheel was gone, if it had ever existed in the first place. There were hatches at the ends of the long hallway, sealed up tight, and when she stayed close to them too long, Sparky would pull her gently back to the center of the craft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the rest of the place was her domain, for all the good that did her. There was a bathroom, thankfully, and that was the closest thing she had found to human furniture. Some of the doors wouldn\u0026rsquo;t open for her; others were jammed so they wouldn\u0026rsquo;t close anymore. There were rooms full of broken equipment: cracked glass panels, huge metal housings jutting from the walls, crumpled piles of gold foil. She could only guess at what it had all been meant for. And not very good guesses either; there were plain chunks of metal and crystal where she would have expected circuit boards. Nothing that looked like a screen, either, much less a keyboard.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen she was feeling introspective, she\u0026rsquo;d stare at space, or at Earth. She\u0026rsquo;d \u003cem\u003edied,\u003c/em\u003e apparently, over a robot toy for her little sister. She thought she\u0026rsquo;d have had a lot longer. Years, decades, maybe a whole century. She took comfort where she could find it, though. She was grateful that she\u0026rsquo;d been doing something kind with her last breath; she\u0026rsquo;d been \u003cem\u003emaking \u003c/em\u003esomething. And though everything else was strange and lonesome, she got to play with robots here all she liked. That was something, even if it wasn\u0026rsquo;t how she\u0026rsquo;d have arranged for that to happen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually, she ran out of places to explore and mysteries to contemplate, and then the boredom set in. Sparky gave her bulbs full of dusty-tasting water to drink and a seemingly endless supply of those protein bars. She tried to sleep, floating in empty rooms, but the lack of weight made it difficult. She\u0026rsquo;d never realized how much she needed the pressure of a pillow under her head to be comfortable, or how impossible it was to rest without the weight of a blanket resting on her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe tried to ask Pretty questions. What the keepers were for, why she was here in space, what was going on. She slowly learned that each keeper was a different model; some were custom-built for specific purposes, some of them (like Sparky) were general laborers, and others had adapted or been retrofitted for specialty work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut whenever Jing-Wei started asking for specifics about \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e, Pretty shut her down. Images of Jing-Wei sleeping, staring out a window, floating motionless. Their meaning was clear to her: \u003cem\u003eNot yet. Wait\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo Jing-Wei tried to make things out of the junk instead\u0026mdash;at least she\u0026rsquo;d be making things here, too. Leaving her mark on the world. Nothing mechanical; she didn\u0026rsquo;t have the right parts for it. But she made an armada of floating ships out of glass tied together with strips of gold foil. She gave them shining gold sails, too, and raced them down the hall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was what she was doing when everything \u003cem\u003elurched\u003c/em\u003e. Jing-Wei slammed against the wall. From somewhere out of sight, Sparky sent her a stream of semicoherent messages: a keeper dressed in . . . bones? Another with blades in place of its arms. She saw a keeper plunging a claw through the chest of an old woman, like something from a horror film.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe image flickered and changed, and suddenly the old woman had Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s wrong with you?\u0026rdquo; she said out loud. Was Sparky threatening her? She shivered. Or was he trying to warn her about something?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne last image: a picture of a door she recognized. It was close to the far end of the hallway; she\u0026rsquo;d never been able to open it, and Sparky hadn\u0026rsquo;t let her linger there for long either. She knew it from the red symbol etched on it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe station rang like a bell, as if something enormous had struck it. Pretty rushed by her, going the other way. As she passed, she shoved Jing-Wei so she tumbled through the air and toward the door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdrenaline filled her veins. Something was really not okay, and she knew how to take an order when she had to. She kicked her way down the hall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei passed a window, but the empty sweep of stars had changed. There was a keeper on the other side, in space. It had a drill attachment on one limb. It set the drill to the window, where it made a high, shivering whine that hurt Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s teeth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRed lights began to flash up and down the hall. Klaxons blared. Jing-Wei half expected a robot voice saying, \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Emergency, emergency.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Except the robots didn\u0026rsquo;t have voices around here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe pounded on the door Sparky had sent her to. It hissed open. She pulled herself into this new room, and the door closed behind her. The room had a recliner, the first real furniture she\u0026rsquo;d seen in this place, and an enormous vista of stars. She tried to settle into the seat, though it was no easy task without gravity. She felt a gentle push, and through the window she finally saw the outside of the space station that was her home in this strange new life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was an arc, like a piece of leftover pie crust. Ducts and cables trailed into nothingness at either end, and she could now see that one of the doors she hadn\u0026rsquo;t been allowed near opened into empty space. This place had once been part of something much larger. She wondered what catastrophe had happened to the rest of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr maybe it wasn\u0026rsquo;t so mysterious. There were keepers swarming the outside. She didn\u0026rsquo;t think they were the ones she knew. As she watched, one of them pulled off a section of the space station\u0026rsquo;s hull. The section exploded outward, pushed by the force of air racing into a vacuum. The attacking keeper was blown into space along with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dang,\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe looked around, half expecting a robot to jump out and start disassembling the puny shell of metal and ceramic that protected her from the vacuum of space. She put two and two together: Sparky had sent her here to be safe. This must be an escape pod, then.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe went back to trying to figure out the buckles on her seat. In the end she wasn\u0026rsquo;t completely sure she\u0026rsquo;d done them the right way, but figured it would work well enough. Getting things to more or less work right was her specialty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe escape pod plummeted toward the Earth. After a time, the window filled with light, so bright that she couldn\u0026rsquo;t look at it. Gravity returned too, sweet, beloved gravity. First she was pressed lightly into her seat, and then she felt heavy. Finally, it seemed as if the air around her had turned to stone, crushing her. The edges of her vision turned red, and then black.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Jing-Wei woke up again, she was still strapped into her seat, and the view outside was of nothing but brick-colored dirt. She might have been out for minutes or for hours; she had no way to know. She unstrapped herself gingerly and slipped to the ground. Standing upright on her own two feet was a delicious luxury.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTime to get out of here, she supposed, and see where she was and what was going on. There might even be people around who would explain things to her better than the robots could.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was a glass pad next to the door with the outline of a handprint on it. Jing-Wei smiled at it. Finally, a user interface she understood. She pressed her hand to the plate, and the door to her escape pod slid open.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA blast of dry air struck her, carrying a swirl of sand. She climbed out of the pod and found herself surrounded by waves of red dunes. Blue mountains rose in the distance, and lines of pale green scrub traced the hills between.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe felt dizzy. The sky was so big here, and she was all alone in the middle of it. She turned to look back at her escape pod.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd found she wasn\u0026rsquo;t so alone after all. There were keepers clinging to the outside of the pod, maybe half a dozen in total. One by one they detached from the pod and settled onto solid ground. That was some robust engineering if the things could \u003cem\u003efall from space\u003c/em\u003e and still be fine. Jing-Wei couldn\u0026rsquo;t help but be impressed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcept . . . she took a few unsteady steps back. Maybe these were the bad keepers, the ones who took apart space stations and people. No, not keepers. Unbuilders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe she shouldn\u0026rsquo;t wait around to find out for sure. She turned to flee, but before she could go more than a few steps, one of the keepers chased her down and scooped her up. She twisted to get away and fell to the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper loomed over her, and she cringed away from its reaching arms. Then she recognized the keeper\u0026rsquo;s scuffed-up carapace, the holes. It was Sparky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky picked her up and cradled her under his body. He used three limbs to hold her in place, like one of those absurdly uncomfortable minimalist-design chairs. Then Sparky scrambled toward the mountains with a rapid, jerky gait. Apparently they weren\u0026rsquo;t done running yet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei pounded on his shell. \u0026ldquo;Stop! What\u0026rsquo;s going on?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky sent her the same images he had on the space station: the funny-looking keepers, the old woman being killed. Jing-Wei thought about it. If they were still on the run, that meant she was still in danger. She did wonder, though, why she would be in danger in the first place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut maybe the keepers were bringing her to people. That would be a nice change of pace. Not that the robots were bad company, but they weren\u0026rsquo;t exactly great conversationalists.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei stared at the faces of the teenagers bunched around her, like they were bees and she was the only flower for a hundred miles. Seyah had brought them all here to pass judgment on how to handle this emerging situation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wait had been brutal: Inez glaring at her from a dozen feet away. Jing-Wei trying to make conversation but getting shut down left and right the same way her mom had shut down requests to stay out after curfew. She even started to miss that thing where she hadn\u0026rsquo;t seen another human being in ages, because at least then she didn\u0026rsquo;t have anyone projecting hate out of their eyeballs at her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the squad arrived to look her over, it turned out that there were eight kids in all, evenly split between boys and girls, and racially diverse like a Disney show about kids running a circus or some shit. Every one of them looked like they\u0026rsquo;d seen a ghost. Except Inez, who still might as well have been on her guard against an ax murderer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe youngest one chimed in first, the white boy with the round cheeks and the soulful blue eyes. \u0026ldquo;You really don\u0026rsquo;t remember us? I\u0026rsquo;m Hyrum.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And I\u0026rsquo;m May. We were friends, Jing-Wei,\u0026rdquo; said the Asian girl. She seemed shaken. \u0026ldquo;Remember? You were an amazing builder and you came up with a neat way to make hammocks in the jungle.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jungle?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei looked around the scrubby hillside. Were \u003cem\u003eall\u003c/em\u003e of these kids off their rockers, then?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe swole black boy stepped next to May and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. \u0026ldquo;And I\u0026rsquo;m Gabe. I helped you carry all that plasti-steel stuff from the ruins.\u0026rdquo; He searched Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s face. \u0026ldquo;You really don\u0026rsquo;t remember any of it, do you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How do you even know this is Jing-Wei?\u0026rdquo; Inez demanded. She drew herself to her feet. \u0026ldquo;This could be a . . . a clone, or a caretaker in disguise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Can they do that?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked, horrified.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I suppose we can\u0026rsquo;t prove they can\u0026rsquo;t,\u0026rdquo; said May. \u0026ldquo;I wonder what Holden would\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Holden left,\u0026rdquo; Inez cut her off. \u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t need his superpower of knowing-better-than-the-rest-of-us to see what\u0026rsquo;s going on here. She\u0026rsquo;s definitely in league with the caretakers.\u0026rdquo; Inez finally turned her back on Jing-Wei to address her friends. \u0026ldquo;Did Seyah tell you she called them \u0026lsquo;my caretakers\u0026rsquo;? Like she thinks they\u0026rsquo;re \u003cem\u003efriends.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I told them,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They are my friends,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;And I think they wanted me to find you. Well, somebody, anyway.\u0026rdquo; Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember anything related that Pretty had told her back on the space station. \u0026ldquo;They made me because something went wrong? Or re-remade me, it sounds like, but they didn\u0026rsquo;t tell me about that part.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shook herself; she was going off the rails. \u0026ldquo;They needed me because they didn\u0026rsquo;t know how to talk to people.\u0026rdquo; She hesitated. \u0026ldquo;Pretty always said I\u0026rsquo;m supposed to talk to other people for them, but they never had anyone besides me. Until now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How can you talk to them?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked. He stared at Jing-Wei with a mix of revulsion and fascination. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;ve never talked to us, and not for lack of opportunity.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shrugged. \u0026ldquo;They put something in my head when they made me,\u0026rdquo; she said, ignoring the dirty glare from Inez. The words flowed out of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s mouth so casually now: \u003cem\u003eThey made me\u003c/em\u003e. \u0026ldquo;But it\u0026rsquo;s not like a radio or anything. It\u0026rsquo;s just . . . pictures, and lots of numbers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What, like video?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shook her head. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no audio, except static,\u0026rdquo; she said. She put her hands out, palms facing up. \u0026ldquo;Listen, I\u0026rsquo;m sure if you got to know the keepers like I do, you\u0026rsquo;d see that some of them are really helpful. They\u0026rsquo;re meant to be helpers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fat chance,\u0026rdquo; muttered a pale boy. Jing-Wei hadn\u0026rsquo;t caught his name. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll believe it when I see it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei grinned, triumphant. \u0026ldquo;Okay then, I\u0026rsquo;ll prove it.\u0026rdquo; She whistled. \u0026ldquo;Hey, Sparky? Come on out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA flicker of motion came from the trees. A flash of red light. Her keeper emerged with an awkward, disjointed gait. Seyah shrieked; Inez froze in place, but only for a split second.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez pushed Seyah away. \u0026ldquo;Run,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe pushed May behind him, then bent his knees and raised his spear, ready to fight by Inez\u0026rsquo;s side. The slim boy, Alex, put his thick walking stick up too. Looked like those were the scrappy ones.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe others started to back away, clearly torn between running at top speed to make a faster escape versus slipping away slowly, hoping to not catch the machine\u0026rsquo;s attention with any sudden motion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez brandished her keeper arm as if it were a weapon. She looked crazed, hopeless. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll hold it off as long as I can,\u0026rdquo; she said, her voice vibrating with urgency. \u0026ldquo;Now \u003cem\u003erun\u003c/em\u003e!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe view of Sparky\u0026rsquo;s undercarriage was really dull after a while. Jing-Wei twisted around and saw that the other keepers had followed along, single file, like marching ants. They demolished the miles far more quickly than Jing-Wei would have predicted, and she spent some time studying how they moved and balanced to try to figure out how they worked. They really were beautifully engineered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey raced onward like that for what seemed like forever. Hours, maybe. The sun had started high in the sky; it sank until it cast long shadows from those distant mountains. And after a while, the running itself became unbearable. Each step jolted Jing-Wei to her bones. Sparky\u0026rsquo;s metal limbs pressed into her, and no matter how she shifted, there was no comfort to find. And eventually she had to pee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe thumped on Sparky\u0026rsquo;s shell. \u0026ldquo;Hey, we really have to stop soon,\u0026rdquo; she said. She squirmed a little to try to take some pressure off her bladder. \u0026ldquo;I mean it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky ignored her, or perhaps didn\u0026rsquo;t hear her at all. She pounded again. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m serious.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keepers just kept running. Pretty hadn\u0026rsquo;t even made it down to Earth; Jing-Wei wondered if she\u0026rsquo;d be able to get her message through to the other keepers anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei kicked up, this time, to make a hollow ringing sound. \u003cem\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s see Sparky ignore \u003c/em\u003ethat. \u0026ldquo;I need a break,\u0026rdquo; she pleaded. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m cold and tired, and I need something to eat, and a bathroom, and\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky stopped short then froze in place. Something inside of him clicked and whirred. Jing-Wei tried to wriggle her way out of the keeper\u0026rsquo;s grasp, but his limbs were immobile and she couldn\u0026rsquo;t get free.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keepers stayed there, still like monuments, for about forty heartbeats. Then they turned in unison and began racing in a new direction. Now they were headed for the trees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe that was promising. But maybe not. Jing-Wei renewed her complaints, her Sparky-thumping, her fruitless efforts to slip out of Sparky\u0026rsquo;s arms. She\u0026rsquo;d just about given up when she saw lights through the trees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei experienced a sudden flare of hope. Signs of civilization. Signs of life?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lights streamed out from the windows of a rambling country house. It looked well kept, from the neatly pruned hedges to the sparkling clean diamond-paned windows. Except for the trees growing up and out through the roof.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky finally set her down, and nudged her through the door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside, the house was a curious mix of perfectly maintained and perfectly abandoned. There was no dust, the paint looked fresh, the wood floors gleamed. But the furniture was oddly sized and arranged. A chin-high table dominated one room, with chairs tucked under it that would have suited toddlers. Another room had a whole row of normal-sized dining room chairs carved from glass. And the whole echoing place turned out to be empty of people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe found a bathroom that looked about right, except that none of the plumbing operated. After some debate with herself, she used the facilities anyway, wiped as best she could with an embroidered hand towel, and shut the door behind her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was a bedroom, too, with a low canopy bed the size of a swimming pool, studded with waist-high mounds of pillows and blankets. Now this she could get used to.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce she sat down on the edge of the bed, Sparky gave her a protein bar and another bulb of dusty water to drink. The bars had been delicious enough the first time she\u0026rsquo;d eaten them, but now she could tolerate only a few bites before sheer boredom overwhelmed her. \u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t have any Cheetos stashed anywhere, do you?\u0026rdquo; she asked the robot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky didn\u0026rsquo;t say much. No surprise there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually Jing-Wei climbed under the blankets. She fell asleep fast and completely, a sweet relief after the unsettled sleep she\u0026rsquo;d had in space. But she woke up a few times in the night. She had bad dreams, dreams about suffocating in an infinite space. Dreams about running forever. Dreams where she was the only person left in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery time she woke, though, Sparky was there, standing over her, keeping her safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next morning, Jing-Wei hardly had time to wake up, use the facilities, and take the protein bar Sparky offered her before the keeper grabbed her and set off again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei wondered where the keepers were taking her, or if they were taking her anywhere in particular. Maybe they were just running away. But from what? Wondering was all she could do. Sparky wasn\u0026rsquo;t much for small talk, and he didn\u0026rsquo;t always answer her even when the talk wasn\u0026rsquo;t small.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe day passed in inches and drops. Barely. Jing-Wei felt frozen in time, with no way to tell whether minutes had gone by, or only seconds, or maybe hours.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwice she pounded on Sparky\u0026rsquo;s hull and asked for a rest break. Both times Sparky complied, handing her another bar and another bulb of water and giving her maybe fifteen minutes to stretch her legs. By late afternoon Jing-Wei found herself eyeing the scrubby little cacti nearby, wondering if it would kill her to eat them. She might even have been willing to chance it, just for the change of pace. She didn\u0026rsquo;t know if she could take one more protein bar.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually Jing-Wei grew unsettled by how empty the terrain was. They didn\u0026rsquo;t cross any roads or fences along the way. After they left the house, there was no sign that humans even existed. Or ever had. When she\u0026rsquo;d first woken up here, she\u0026rsquo;d been too enchanted with her environment to start asking many of the big questions. Just being in space had been pretty big, and the terror of leaving space had crowded out anything else for a while.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut now she started to wonder where she was. And where everybody else was, for that matter. She asked, but Sparky only showed her a brief glimpse of an unhelpful map with a blinking dot on it. The map didn\u0026rsquo;t have any words on it, just the outlines of landforms and long strings of numbers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keepers ran, Sparky in front and a whole entourage behind. She spotted Bashful in the mix, and a few others she\u0026rsquo;d never properly met. More this morning than there had been last night. Where had they come from?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether they ran for the mountains, making steady progress toward . . . something.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sun was just beginning to set when they stumbled into the ambush. At first glance, the expanse of patchy grass they were crossing was perfectly ordinary. Sparky led straight across, the others still trailing behind in single file. Like Disneyland\u0026rsquo;s Main Street Electrical Parade, Jing-Wei thought, if it had been re-themed for \u003cem\u003eThe Matrix\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs soon as the last of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s keepers had crossed into the open, figures erupted from beneath the ground: more keepers. They had been buried and lying in wait for their prey.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe new keepers were strange and frightening\u0026mdash;wrong. Just like the ones that had attacked the space station. \u003cem\u003eThese must be unbuilders too, \u003c/em\u003eshe thought. Some had decorated themselves with collections of bizarre odds and ends, like they\u0026rsquo;d missed the memo on acceptable media for arts and crafts day. They were strung with bones and studded with stones, coated in paint or in mud. Some had armored themselves with metal or enormous sheets of plastic. One had torn away all of its carapace, so its inner workings lay exposed. Jing-Wei twisted to try to get a better look at that one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of them had replaced legs with other tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of those other tools looked awfully dangerous.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky began to back away. Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s brain burst with a constellation of images, gone before she could recognize any of them. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s going on?\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne final image: a skull and crossbones. That was about as universal a symbol as Jing-Wei could think of, and since she was the only thing here that was technically alive, she had no illusions about whose death was on the table here. Her fingers shook and her palms began to sweat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the unbuilders raised a limb. It was thick and heavy at the end, covered in sharp spikes. It struck one of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s keepers and left a rippling dent in its shell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like that, the fight was on. Things happened too quickly for Jing-Wei to make heads or tails of them; it was just a barrage of sensory data that didn\u0026rsquo;t make any sense, no more comprehensible than Sparky\u0026rsquo;s message before the fight had started.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn arc of lightning sizzling from one machine to another. Two robots grappling together, removing each other\u0026rsquo;s legs. The harsh shriek of metal being torn apart. The smell of hot graphite bubbling up from a gap in a keeper\u0026rsquo;s shell. Fire, quiet and patient, licking at the desert scrub.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky began to flee with Jing-Wei wrapped tight in his arms, his body between Jing-Wei and any possible threat. Something burst behind them, and Sparky toppled forward, somehow arcing into a somersault around Jing-Wei. The keeper pushed her away from the violence, toward the trees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei didn\u0026rsquo;t need more than that. She pelted down the hill as fast as she could go, finally coming to a halt in a little hollow under a pine tree where she could see out but hopefully still be sheltered from harm. Though if the unbuilders saw with infrared, then there was nothing she could do to hide, anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSounds from the battle carried over to her\u0026mdash;clanging, sawing, the thud of something heavy hitting the earth. Explosions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually the noise died down and the field went still.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei huddled where she was, barely breathing. Sparky didn\u0026rsquo;t come for her. But nothing else came after her either.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sun finished setting, and the stars came out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shivered, afraid to move and afraid to let her guard down, in case one of those unbuilders was still waiting around to unbuild \u003cem\u003eher\u003c/em\u003e. Damp settled into her skin, penetrating her jumpsuit as if it were nothing. She hugged herself for warmth and stared at the stars. There were more than she\u0026rsquo;d ever seen before in her life. She pretended that they were company enough to keep her awake.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, at dawn, Jing-Wei crept back toward the still-smoking wreckage. It was simultaneously gruesome and comical. Pieces of keepers were strewn everywhere, a mess all too much like a bad day at the makerspace.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei leaned down to pick up a scrap of Bashful\u0026rsquo;s shell, then dropped it when it burned her fingertips.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was suddenly, acutely aware of being alone, with that big sky watching her. She roamed the field of blackened parts, looking for something that could be salvaged. Or something that could tell her where to go from here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTap. Tap. Tap, tap.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sound was the click of plastic against metal. An image appeared in Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s head, but it was scrambled; it might as well have been a photo of an unsolved jigsaw puzzle. The kind that was all paint splatter. Jing-Wei stepped gingerly around the husk of a broken keeper. Not one of her entourage. She would have recognized it, for sure: It had pieces of armor welded to its joints, like conch shells.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe searched for the source of the noise amid the wreckage. And eventually she found it. The keeper was seriously damaged\u0026mdash;it was hard not to think of it as injured. One leg was snapped at the second hinge, and others were completely missing. Its carapace had been removed; a soft yellow fluid leaked from exposed lines. She ran gentle fingertips across the top of its shell. \u0026ldquo;What did they do to you, big guy?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBetween two wires, just next to a deep gash in its skeleton, there was a familiar blue flash.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei swallowed. \u0026ldquo;Sparky.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe inventoried the damage as best she could. She didn\u0026rsquo;t know much about how a keeper was put together, but she had a lot of broken examples to go by.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe\u0026rsquo;d make it work. She\u0026rsquo;d bring Sparky back to life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main problem was a lack of tools, but Jing-Wei was surrounded by a generous supply of scrap metal to repurpose. Before long she\u0026rsquo;d found things she could use as wrenches, pry bars, even screwdrivers for the weird hex-head screws the keepers used. She set about making Sparky whole as best she could. She replaced that leaky tube with only a little trouble, and straightened a bent section of the machine\u0026rsquo;s skeleton with disproportionate effort. In the end it was still crooked, just . . . less so. But Sparky hadn\u0026rsquo;t been mint in box to begin with, so she didn\u0026rsquo;t think it would matter too much. She pulled out a cracked heat sink, its fins glistening, and found a whole one from another keeper. She was grave-robbing to make one life out of a couple dozen corpses. It was satisfying work, one of her favorite kinds of tinkering. Jing-Wei could almost pretend she was back at the makerspace for a few hours, making broken things whole, or making new things from broken pieces. She wondered what her little sister would\u0026rsquo;ve thought of a keeper as a toy instead of the jumping spider that, it turned out, had killed Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were lots of unmarked modular boxes inside Sparky that Jing-Wei couldn\u0026rsquo;t get into. She figured they might be power supplies or batteries, but it was possible one of them might be . . . Sparky, or at least the thing that was the most Sparkiest part of Sparky. The CPU or the hard disk or its equivalent, she couldn\u0026rsquo;t be sure. But some of those mystery boxes were pretty obviously busted too. She worried about this for a while as she crouched over her patient. If she took pieces from an unbuilder, would Sparky become an unbuilder too?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t like she had a lot of better options. She gently uncoupled wires and pried out the most damaged components, the ones that were crushed and singed. She took matching parts from other keepers and pushed them into place, then realized she had absolutely nothing even faintly resembling a soldering iron. She wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be able to get the wires hooked up properly. \u003cem\u003eDang.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, she could at least twist the wires together and see what happened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs soon as she made the connection, Sparky woke up and became . . . chatty. Numbers counted up in Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s head, a test pattern of blocks of colors, a flurry of meaningless symbols. Then Sparky reached inward with one of his whole limbs, touching the place Jing-Wei wished she could have soldered. There was a flare of heat, the smell of hot metal, and then the connection was solid.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s a neat trick,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei murmured.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorking together now, they repaired Sparky. The keeper directed her toward the parts he needed, and helped her to place them correctly. Gradually, the machine took over his own repairs, until by the end Sparky was limping through the field on his own, harvesting scraps of shell and securing them in place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Should we fix up your friends, too?\u0026rdquo; she asked. Sparky shook like a wet dog. Jing-Wei got the vague impression that he had decided that one fully functioning keeper would be better than two or three half-broken ones that might fail entirely in hours or days.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost done\u0026mdash;just one last problem. They hadn\u0026rsquo;t been able to repair the keeper\u0026rsquo;s last broken leg; Jing-Wei and Sparky had both searched the remains, and there was no other fitting leg to use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey, I have an idea,\u0026rdquo; she said. She scurried toward the trees where she\u0026rsquo;d hidden through the night. \u0026ldquo;We can use a piece of wood, right?\u0026rdquo; She pulled a thick branch toward Sparky and used one of the unbuilders\u0026rsquo; serrated arms to cut it down to size (well, until Sparky took over the job, presumably in the name of efficiency).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei helped him to fix the piece of wood into place. Now the keeper looked jaunty, like a pirate with a peg leg. She patted him on the carapace. \u0026ldquo;There you go, Sparky. Good as new.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was still a whole metaphysical question about whether the new keeper could be considered the same Sparky in any meaningful sense. But Sparky Senior hadn\u0026rsquo;t asked her any questions about her authenticity or identity, and Jing-Wei felt like it was only polite to return the favor to Sparky Junior.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually, the keeper prodded her forward, again showing her a glowing dot on an indecipherable map. Origin or destination? Jing-Wei couldn\u0026rsquo;t guess. The mystery remained, but other things had changed. Now the keeper needed to conserve his energy; Jing-Wei would have to walk from here on out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper reared up and swiveled to look at Inez. She hefted her makeshift weapon, ready for anything the machine might throw at her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky was a patchwork of mismatched pieces, not unlike one of the unbuilders, come to think of it. Parts of his carapace were embossed with elaborate designs; parts were glossy and new, others scratched up, their best days long behind them. The leg Jing-Wei had replaced, the gnarled piece of wood, was much shorter than the others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper ambled closer to Inez, whirring softly. His biggest red \u0026ldquo;eye,\u0026rdquo; that steady red light, flickered madly like Sparky was winking at them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Get away from that caretaker,\u0026rdquo; the Latina girl warned Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll take care of it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky is fine!\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei insisted. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no problem here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNobody was interested in what Jing-Wei had to say, though. Sparky reared up tall, his gaze still fixed on Inez. Inez shifted from side to side, poised to defend or attack, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t clear which.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a moment, everything was still. A breeze moved through the tableau, ruffling Inez\u0026rsquo;s hair. \u0026ldquo;Why are you still here?\u0026rdquo; she hissed. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t clear if she meant Seyah and the gang, or Jing-Wei, or maybe just the patched-up keeper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper leaned forward, slowly, slowly, just a half an inch at a time, until he was almost touching Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he was only half a foot away from touching her, Inez threw herself at the machine. She kept up a steady, inventive stream of bilingual profanity as she attacked him. She struck at his red eyes with the wrench; she kicked at his legs with her feet. She hurled her shoulder at his body, hoping to unbalance him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei pleaded. She looked at the others gathered around for support, but none of them seemed like they were about to take her side. Most of them had backed away and were watching warily, not sure if they should intervene to help Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe circled the pair, looking for an opening to attack the keeper without getting in Inez\u0026rsquo;s way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper danced away from Inez, then tried to grab her with his pincer arm. Inez ducked under his reach and clanged her weapon against the shell again. The keeper skittered back a few yards, supernaturally quick. He leapt, briefly lodging himself in a tree, then came down behind Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Stop it!\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei was urgent now. \u0026ldquo;STOP!\u0026rdquo; She waved her arms to try to catch everyone\u0026rsquo;s attention. She might as well have been invisible, for all the effect it had.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez swung toward Sparky again: his weakest point, the peg leg. The wood snapped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe unbalanced keeper pushed her as he fell, hard. Inez reeled back and landed badly on one foot. She cried out and dropped to one knee, then fell to her hip. \u0026ldquo;Jesus Christ, my ankle.\u0026rdquo; She glowered at Sparky and tried to pull herself back onto her feet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe stepped between Inez and the machine, fists high, not that they\u0026rsquo;d be much help to him. \u0026ldquo;Come at me,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore Gabe or Inez could attack the keeper again, or the keeper could strike back, Jing-Wei threw herself in front of Sparky, the same way she\u0026rsquo;d kept her little cousins away from each other when they were set on a dustup.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Enough,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo; This is my friend!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez slowly picked herself up from the dirt and spit on the ground at Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s feet. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re really \u003cem\u003efriends\u003c/em\u003e with this\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The keepers brought me back to life,\u0026rdquo; said Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Why wouldn\u0026rsquo;t we be friends?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah darted to Inez\u0026rsquo;s side and wrapped an arm around her, lips pressed tight and silent, like they\u0026rsquo;d taken some kind of oath of silence or some garbage.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez dropped her weapon onto the ground and buried her face in her hands. Her voice floated toward Jing-Wei, acid curling out into the trees. \u0026ldquo;You wouldn\u0026rsquo;t get it,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei decided to overlook that outburst. If Inez wanted to fight some more, well, she\u0026rsquo;d have to try harder. Jing-Wei wasn\u0026rsquo;t the one with a grudge, whatever that grudge was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut maybe there was a way to chill this situation out a notch. \u0026ldquo;Sparky, take a hike. We need some space. I\u0026rsquo;ll be fine here.\u0026rdquo; She made a little shooing motion with her hands.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky swiveled his gaze between the three girls, ever vigilant. Jing-Wei wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure if the keeper would do what she said. But then he scuttled back through the trees and out of sight. Probably not a step farther than that, though.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez twisted to look at Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Well? What do you have to say for yourself?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei raised her arms high in the air. \u0026ldquo;What am I supposed to say for myself? Why are you so worked up? What in the world did I ever do to you, anyway?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not what you did; it\u0026rsquo;s what they did,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t as high-strung as Inez, but he wasn\u0026rsquo;t turning out to be a whole lot more friendly either.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky hasn\u0026rsquo;t done anything to any of you. None of them would ever hurt a\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; She remembered a burning field, the remnants of violence, and stopped short. \u0026ldquo;Well, they\u0026rsquo;ve never hurt me, anyway.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay pounced on her hesitation. \u0026ldquo;What would they hurt, then?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There were some other keepers,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;It was . . . it was a fight.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Just go,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;You and your pet murderbot. Both of you, get out of here. We don\u0026rsquo;t need any robot sympathizers. That\u0026rsquo;s already cost us enough.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei put her palms up. \u0026ldquo;Hey, hey, we\u0026rsquo;re all friends here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are we?\u0026rdquo; Inez stared her down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Seyah put her finger on Inez\u0026rsquo;s arm. \u0026ldquo;Hang on a second,\u0026rdquo; she said softly. \u0026ldquo;I know this is hard, Inez, but we\u0026rsquo;re not exactly fighting from a strong position right now. And if she can talk to the caretakers, Jing-Wei might know some things that can help us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez stiffened at this. \u0026ldquo;Yes, but\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; She looked toward where the keeper had disappeared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei snorted. \u0026ldquo;Sparky is harmless, I promise. C\u0026rsquo;mon, give me a break. If we\u0026rsquo;d really wanted to hurt any of you\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;Jing-Wei said this not \u003cem\u003eat\u003c/em\u003e Inez but definitely loud enough to make sure she heard\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;we would have done it already.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez stared Jing-Wei down. When she spoke again, her voice was full of needles, like some kind of porcupine. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s enough from you. Listen up, everyone. We need to decide how to deal with this . . . this . . . \u003cem\u003etraitor\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe teens left Arcadia with a map to a place called Sanctuary. After Teddy’s death, they resolved that the most important thing was to move on, and make sure that he didn’t die in vain. Inez and Seyah tentatively reached out to each other, revealing a mutual interest. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger. (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.168","slug":"ReMade-S2E01","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E01.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/9781682102152_ReMade_S2E1.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/9781682102152_ReMade_S2E1.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/9781682102152_ReMade_S2E1.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 1"},{"id":"59becbaffec9fa00017f57e2","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":2,"title":"Signal to Noise","released_date":"2017-11-22T12:51:38.441+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"The perils of Sanctuary","byline":"Matthew Cody","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E2_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2017-11-22","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden missed noise. It had taken a while for him to realize it, but once he had, the idea took root inside his skull. The quiet was oppressive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe soundtrack of modern life he\u0026rsquo;d taken for granted now haunted him. He had people to talk to, but what was missing was the sound of \u003cem\u003ecivilization\u003c/em\u003e. Cars, music, crowds\u0026mdash;everyday sounds that blended together to create the hum of humanity. But on this future Earth, the hum was as dead as the human race. What you had instead were days of silence, punctuated by the sudden screech of metal, of screams and violence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll you had were the few people close to you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday had been an especially quiet day, which made Holden\u0026rsquo;s noisy blundering even worse. He still didn\u0026rsquo;t understand how Umta moved through the woods without making a sound, while the rest of them might as well have been wearing bells.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA twig snapped beneath his foot like a firecracker going off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few yards to his left Nevaeh crouched low, watching him. Her expression said \u003cem\u003estay still\u003c/em\u003e, but Holden needed to plant himself in a better position. They\u0026rsquo;d picked an open glade to set up in, but the ground underfoot was too boggy. There was no way to brace himself, and by now he\u0026rsquo;d been on enough boar hunts to know that, without solid ground, he\u0026rsquo;d crumple like paper under the animal\u0026rsquo;s charge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe earth was firmer to his right, where the long grass was thick and its root system held the moist dirt together. As stealthily as he could, Holden moved to take up his new position. He carried two spears today, both topped with scavenged metal sharpened to points. The longer one he held loosely in his left hand, and the shorter one in his throwing arm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden winced at every crunch as he picked his way through the grass, but a new sound froze him in place. He heard Umta\u0026rsquo;s distant growl, followed by the roar of something . . . unnatural. It was closest to a piglike squeal, but synthetic sounding. Like a bad recording of the real thing. Holden hefted his throwing spear and scanned the glade\u0026rsquo;s perimeter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe creature came charging out of the underbrush, just feet from where Holden had been standing. Holden\u0026rsquo;s first instinct had been close\u0026mdash;this animal might have once been a boar. But instead of fur, the thing was covered in a mass of wriggling tentacles, each one as long as a finger. The beast\u0026rsquo;s voice box and much of its lower jaw were missing, and in their place was a plastic speaker that broadcast the series of grunts and squeals. A short slim spear was already planted firmly in its flank, and blood glistened along its side. The beast was berserk, in pain and looking for something to gore with its razor-like tusks. Even though Holden had moved positions, he was still the closest target. But the boggy ground that had troubled him slowed the boar down too. As it turned toward him, its feet slipped in the soft earth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden hurled his short spear. His aim was off and the spear landed with a thunk in the boggy ground.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt took the boar thing two seconds to get its feet underneath it again, but that was time enough. Cole was shouting nearby, trying to get the creature\u0026rsquo;s attention. What the hell was he doing? He was supposed to be guarding the far side of the clearing in case the animal made a run for it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTusks down, the creature charged. One of Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s spears glanced off its back. Well, she\u0026rsquo;d hit it at least.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden\u0026rsquo;s heart pounded, but he breathed past the panic. Bracing the butt of his long spear against the hard earth, he faced the attack.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole and Nevaeh shouted even louder. Bodies crashed through the trees as the others came running. For a brief moment, the world was noisy again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden waited until the last second, then turned the spear to meet the creature\u0026rsquo;s charge. The boar thing hit the spear with enough force to send shocks of pain up Holden\u0026rsquo;s arms, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t let go. The sturdy plasti-steel shaft buckled but didn\u0026rsquo;t break.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beast let out a burst of static as it died, but its tentacles kept writhing long after it stopped breathing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a few long, horrible minutes the forest was still again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki, Sunita, and Umta emerged from the trees. Loki let out a low whistle as he surveyed the scene. \u0026ldquo;Christ, what the fuck is that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo one answered. They\u0026rsquo;d tracked what they\u0026rsquo;d hoped was a normal boar, and it was hard not to be crushed to find just another monstrosity. The group had begun seeing more and more animals like this\u0026mdash;horribly mutated creatures, machine-and-animal hybrids. Holden suspected that the caretakers were behind it. Even as game grew scarce, they encountered more and more of this kind of handiwork. The poor creatures wandered the wilderness in agony. It seemed like pointless cruelty, but maybe there was a purpose behind it all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe it was just the caretakers\u0026rsquo; idea of fun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You take it down all by yourself, Holden?\u0026rdquo; asked Loki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita elbowed Loki in the ribs. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s my throwing spear in its side.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Everyone did their parts,\u0026rdquo; said Holden, although that wasn\u0026rsquo;t exactly true. Cole had charged in when he was supposed to be their last line in case the beast got past everyone else. But Holden didn\u0026rsquo;t want to call out Cole in front of everybody. The big farmhand had been generally sullen and quick to argue ever since Arcadia. Holden suspected he\u0026rsquo;d only come along because that was what Nevaeh wanted to do. Maybe Cole regretted that decision now. Maybe he wasn\u0026rsquo;t alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir bellies were empty, their spirits low. It couldn\u0026rsquo;t go on like this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden took a deep breath and drew out his knife. \u0026ldquo;Umta, help me with this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen he knelt next to the creature and began cutting. Nevaeh covered her mouth. \u0026ldquo;What are you doing?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden choked back his own gag reflex and reminded himself that he\u0026rsquo;d had the same reaction the first time he\u0026rsquo;d cleaned a normal boar. \u0026ldquo;We have to eat. Underneath all this it\u0026rsquo;s still just a pig.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not eating that,\u0026rdquo; said Cole. \u0026ldquo;No way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta brushed past him and drew out her own knife. \u0026ldquo;Then you starve.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat night smelled like woodsmoke and roasting pork. They\u0026rsquo;d built their campsite next to a craggy hillside, beneath a rock overhang, to hide the light of their fire. Loki theorized that the caretakers could probably see in thermal anyway, so their efforts might not do them any good. But if the machines were nearby, taking precautions\u0026mdash;no matter how pointless\u0026mdash;made everyone feel better. And it was surprising how easily they all forgot their earlier revulsion once the meat started roasting. Cole even licked his fingers clean.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nights were bitter cold and getting colder. The coats they\u0026rsquo;d scrounged in Arcadia turned out to be surprisingly durable and fit well enough (except for Cole\u0026rsquo;s puffy jacket, which didn\u0026rsquo;t even reach his wrists). But the cold still found its way into their bones. And the map kept leading them north. Always north.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden sat apart from the others, giving up a few minutes of warmth to be alone with his thoughts. He sat on a fallen log, holding the little map disk in his hand, occasionally flicking on the hologram display so he could study the three-dimensional representation of forested hills and deep valleys yet to come. The device was basically a super-tech GPS, which meant that at least some of those ever-present satellites above their heads had to be functioning. Maybe they were self-aware like Arcadia had been, with nuclear hearts that wouldn\u0026rsquo;t let them die. Empty of people. Floating alone in the void.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr maybe they were crawling with caretakers, just like the space station the group had woken up in. Maybe an entirely different group of people was running for their lives up there. Like Holden and the rest, maybe they were being remade just to be hunted down and slaughtered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a nauseating thought. But Arcadia, at least, hadn\u0026rsquo;t believed it to be true. The citywide AI seemed to think that the technology used to bring Holden and the others back was unique to that particular station, and the last Holden had seen of it, the caretakers were tearing the station apart. That meant that they were truly the last humans on Earth. Unless . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe magnified the map to get a better look. There, deep within the hills, was a small red dot that marked Sanctuary. Arcadia claimed it was an underground bunker where long ago humanity had gone to wait out the disaster they\u0026rsquo;d wrought on the Earth\u0026rsquo;s surface. \u003cem\u003eSanctuary\u003c/em\u003e. If nothing else, it might be a safe place for Holden and the others, including those who\u0026rsquo;d chosen to stay behind. Something defensible, a home.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden flicked off the map and shoved it into his pocket. In Arcadia, he\u0026rsquo;d given the map to Inez. And after\u0026mdash;after their desperate flight to escape, after Teddy\u0026mdash;she\u0026rsquo;d thrown it back at him. It was a dangerous memory, because thinking of Inez led to thinking of Seyah and wondering if he\u0026rsquo;d ever see her again. But they\u0026rsquo;d each made their choices, one to go and one to stay.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group was split, and maybe for good. Although he\u0026rsquo;d promised to find Sanctuary and return to the others, Holden wondered if they really wanted him back. After what he\u0026rsquo;d done in Arcadia\u0026mdash;to Arcadia\u0026mdash;many of the others had lost faith in him, put their trust in Inez instead, and Inez was convinced that it was too dangerous to go looking for Sanctuary now\u0026mdash;they should hole up and rest. But Holden knew that time wasn\u0026rsquo;t on their side. Umta insisted on coming with him, of course. Loki and Nevaeh, too. Sunita was a surprise, but the way she watched Loki made Holden think her decision had more to do with a crush than loyalty. And Cole, well, Cole was a mystery. He spent half his time second-guessing every decision Holden made, and the other half brooding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Holden didn\u0026rsquo;t regret the choices he\u0026rsquo;d made. It was a mercy to give the centuries-old AI the final peace she\u0026rsquo;d wanted, and it was common sense that they couldn\u0026rsquo;t stay in the city after she was gone. Still, the look on Seyah\u0026rsquo;s face when Holden announced he was leaving the group was something that he would never forget. Hurt, anger, betrayal.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd maybe, just maybe, a little bit relieved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seconds?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden looked up to see Nevaeh standing there, holding out a metal plate stacked with roasted pork.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe smiled. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve already had thirds, I think.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe cleared off a spot on the log and sat down beside him. It struck him as funny, that here at the end of the world they still worried about things like getting dirt on the seat of their pants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh was staring at him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe pointed at his chin. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;ve got thirds in your beard.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden wiped a piece of gristle off his chin. \u0026ldquo;God, I wish I\u0026rsquo;d grabbed a razor before we left Arcadia.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I like it. It\u0026rsquo;s starting to fill out nicely, unlike some poor baby-faced souls.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe glanced over her shoulder at Loki, with his stringy mustache and sparse chin whiskers. Nevaeh grinned. \u0026ldquo;I have to admit, it\u0026rsquo;s hard not to laugh when he strokes it. Have you noticed? It\u0026rsquo;s his new thinking pose.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden had to chuckle. Loki was his friend, but the guy did take himself way too seriously sometimes. Others could sense that, like his name, certain aspects of Loki\u0026rsquo;s personality weren\u0026rsquo;t exactly authentic. But then, after what Loki\u0026rsquo;d been through back in his former life, Holden didn\u0026rsquo;t blame him for trying on someone else for a while.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHell, any one of them could be lying about who and what they were back before they were remade. Only Holden and Seyah had any connection that predated all of this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBest not to think of her,\u003c/em\u003e he told himself. \u003cem\u003eFocus on the present\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s kind of freezing over here,\u0026rdquo; said Holden as Nevaeh buried her chin in her coat. \u0026ldquo;Go back to the fire and warm up.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nah, the smoke was getting to me.\u0026rdquo; She glanced at him. \u0026ldquo;Unless you want to be alone?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo his surprise, he didn\u0026rsquo;t anymore. He gestured to the plate of pork resting on her lap. \u0026ldquo;Who thought to pack the flatware, anyway?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole. It\u0026rsquo;s a cook kit. Made for camping, I think.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s where the lighter came from? Damn useful.\u0026rdquo; Everyone knew that Holden was a failure when it came to starting fires.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh nodded. \u0026ldquo;Though there\u0026rsquo;s also this little thumb-shaped gadget I can\u0026rsquo;t figure out. Super future corkscrew, maybe?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;God, wouldn\u0026rsquo;t it be great if we actually found a use for it? I think we all could use a drink.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh shrugged. \u0026ldquo;I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t know.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden stared at her in amazement. \u0026ldquo;Nothing? Never?\u0026rdquo; She shook her head. \u0026ldquo;Not even a sip of your dad\u0026rsquo;s beer?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was sick for a long time. And my mom was very into holistic cures. There was a lot of teenage stuff that I just . . . never got around to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomething between them changed. Maybe it was the topic\u0026mdash;Holden knew that when Nevaeh said she was \u0026ldquo;sick,\u0026rdquo; she meant she had been dying of cancer. But the two of them had talked about that on plenty of occasions. Holden\u0026rsquo;s own mother had died from cancer. The talking seemed to help both of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd yet something was now off. Nevaeh was definitely . . . nervous, maybe? Anxious? He decided to change the subject. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve been thinking about how we hunt. I bet we\u0026rsquo;re all getting good enough to split up into teams. Cover more ground that way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she didn\u0026rsquo;t take the bait. Nevaeh was staring at the ground so intently, it looked like she was reading the dirt and rocks. \u0026ldquo;Do you miss her very much?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who?\u0026rdquo; asked Holden, even though he knew \u003cem\u003eexactly\u003c/em\u003e who.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh answered, \u0026ldquo;I want you to know . . . I don\u0026rsquo;t think it was right for Seyah to stay behind.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden sighed. \u0026ldquo;Everyone needed to make their own choices. And after what I did, I understand why some people believe Inez\u0026rsquo;s way is the right one. Hunker down. Regroup and rest. Makes sense.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You made the right call, Holden. Arcadia was suffering and no one else was prepared to do anything about it. Not even me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I also got Teddy killed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh finally tore her eyes away from the ground. When she looked up, Holden was shocked to find her glaring at him. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t you say that. Ever. Teddy died because psychotic robots tore him apart. Like they would have done to all of us if we\u0026rsquo;d stayed. It was only a matter of time.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow it was Holden\u0026rsquo;s turn to look away. But Nevaeh kept talking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You blame yourself for everything, Holden, and you never cut yourself any slack for all the really good decisions you make. I honestly think we\u0026rsquo;re alive because of you.\u0026rdquo; She took a deep breath in through her nose. \u0026ldquo;The air smells so good out here. This moment . . . I don\u0026rsquo;t take it for granted.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis cheeks grew warm despite the night chill. \u0026ldquo;Thanks. I mean . . . you\u0026rsquo;re welcome?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh relaxed. \u0026ldquo;Learn to take a compliment.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Working on it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a clear, crisp night, and they took a moment to gaze up at the stars and at the much-brighter lights of satellites and derelict stations passing overhead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I just know I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t do it,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said after a moment. \u0026ldquo;I mean, you two were remade together. That\u0026rsquo;s . . . That\u0026rsquo;s like fate, isn\u0026rsquo;t it? What kind of girlfriend would leave you after all you two have been through?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then it hit him. Everyone knew that Holden and Seyah had known each other before they were remade, but Nevaeh had taken it a step further and assumed that they were a couple. Just how na\u0026iuml;ve could Nevaeh be? Very, it seemed. While it was true he and Seyah had spent a lot of time together, there were never any displays of affection, public or otherwise. He thought it was obvious to everyone how he felt about Seyah, and it was equally obvious how she felt about him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last time they\u0026rsquo;d spoken, Seyah had made it very clear: She could offer friendship and nothing more. Holden had accepted that; at least he thought he had. But then Arcadia had begged him to shut her down, to end her suffering. The group said no, but Holden did it anyway and they\u0026rsquo;d been forced to flee the city. The group fractured, with Holden leading this expedition to find Sanctuary while Inez took charge of those who stayed behind. And more and more Holden found himself wondering\u0026mdash;was he really leading them somewhere, or was he just running away?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look, Nevaeh, I think you\u0026rsquo;ve got the wrong idea\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It just makes me so mad!\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh began to pace.. \u0026ldquo;After Inez actually hit you, still Seyah sided with her! What a . . . a bitch.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden stiffened at the word. Why should he care what anyone called Seyah? Still, he fought hard to bite back a scolding retort.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seyah was never my girlfriend,\u0026rdquo; he said instead. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;ve got it all wrong.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh picked up at once on what had happened. \u0026ldquo;Oh god, I\u0026rsquo;m sorry, I shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have said . . . I didn\u0026rsquo;t mean . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry about it. I just want to get back to the fire. Get warmed up.\u0026rdquo; Holden left Nevaeh sitting there on the log. He felt pissed at her, but maybe he was really angry with Seyah for staying, and himself for giving a damn. People needed him in the here and now, but he couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop thinking about the girl he\u0026rsquo;d left behind. God only knew why, but Nevaeh, Umta, Loki, Sunita, and even Cole looked to him for leadership.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn some way, maybe a hundred ways, he\u0026rsquo;d let Seyah down. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t afford to let these people down too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was still blood on his shoes, and some girl pestering him about food. Strangers in red jumpsuits gathered around\u0026mdash;some curious, some scared. A few just looked dazed. Someone had gotten a fire going, but it would be too generous to call this place a camp. This was a haphazard, slapdash group of strangers huddled together because they didn\u0026rsquo;t know what else to do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, Seyah snapped at the girl that there was no food and what the hell was she talking about anyway? The girl backed off, muttering something under her breath.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey found a patch of grass near the fire and tried to stay warm, because what else was there to do? Umta sat a few feet away, ignoring the stares. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t said much, not since that metal creature had torn a boy apart in front of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group seemed to be made up of teenagers, except for Umta. Someone passed around some kind of protein bars, but the Asian girl who had been so obsessed with food refused to even touch one. Holden had tried asking questions, but no one had any answers. They were in shock, and scared. And they were right to be\u0026mdash;a few had glimpsed those metal creatures up in the station, but no one had watched them kill. He wondered when he should break the news.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncongruously, a pretty black girl was doing yoga, right out in the middle of everyone. She stretched and breathed deep with each position. It was a bizarre sight to see here among all these frightened faces. Holden and the girl made eye contact and the girl smiled. Holden smiled back. Then Seyah returned with a couple of protein bars and some water. She sat down next to Holden, and the girl quickly looked away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the sun went down, they helped gather wood for more fires. A lot of people were talking, but no one was really saying anything. What was there to say? In the dark, they became solitary lumps of shadow hunkered down in front of the flames. Someone was crying.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah rubbed her arms together. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m cold.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlowly, cautiously, Holden put an arm around her. Seyah tensed up at first but then leaned into him, and they sat together like that, sharing each other\u0026rsquo;s warmth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey\u0026rsquo;d known each other, properly, for about a half hour before waking up in the station\u0026mdash;a single car ride. Now that ride felt like a lifetime.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden held her closer. They stayed that way until dawn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Two? You\u0026rsquo;re sure?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki nodded. \u0026ldquo;Squatting in front of the door like a couple of gargoyles.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden scratched at his beard. \u0026ldquo;Shit. Any sign of people?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nope.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita threw up her hands. \u0026ldquo;Well, that\u0026rsquo;s that. We can\u0026rsquo;t exactly go up to those caretakers and ask them where everyone is.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was being sarcastic, but the sarcasm failed to mask the crushing disappointment on her face\u0026mdash;on everyone\u0026rsquo;s faces. They\u0026rsquo;d come this long way, through hunger and exhaustion and cold to find the sanctuary Arcadia had promised them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll that stood in the way now were two killing machines. Holden knew what the group was thinking because he was thinking the same thing\u0026mdash;they should have stayed with Inez and the others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe boar creature was the last successful hunt they\u0026rsquo;d had, and that was over a week ago. For the last few days they\u0026rsquo;d been living on boiled acorns. The six of them took what shelter they could beneath the branches of a great pine tree. Despite the dropping temperatures, they\u0026rsquo;d agreed not to risk the smoke of a campfire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pulled out the disk and flicked on the map. \u0026ldquo;Show me, Loki.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki knelt down and pointed at a spot near the red dot on the map. \u0026ldquo;I came up this ridge. Can\u0026rsquo;t see it from here, but if we continue north for about an hour, we\u0026rsquo;ll break tree cover and it\u0026rsquo;s there. It\u0026rsquo;s a good vantage point for surveying the area.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The first thing I noticed was a clearing, about twenty yards or so of bare dirt right in the middle of the woods. In the center\u0026rsquo;s a door. Must lead to an underground structure. Maybe some kind of bunker.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That has to be it!\u0026rdquo; said Nevaeh. \u0026ldquo;The door to Sanctuary.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Could be,\u0026rdquo; Loki said, \u0026ldquo;but it\u0026rsquo;s guarded by caretakers. One on each side of the door. Totally still. They\u0026rsquo;re all bent over like they\u0026rsquo;re turned off or something, but I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t walk up and say hi.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole let out a low whistle. \u0026ldquo;Where there\u0026rsquo;s one caretaker, there\u0026rsquo;s bound to be ten more, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I scouted miles in each direction and didn\u0026rsquo;t see any.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But if you\u0026rsquo;re wrong and farmer boy\u0026rsquo;s math is right, there could be scores of them,\u0026rdquo; said Sunita. \u0026ldquo;Count me out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Can you take me there?\u0026rdquo; asked Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should all go,\u0026rdquo; said Cole, but Holden shook his head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, I want to see them. But that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean we risk everyone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta grunted in something like a laugh. \u0026ldquo;Holden, you are as quiet as a herd of beasts rutting in heat.\u0026rdquo; Holden had noticed that she\u0026rsquo;d been experimenting with figurative language lately. Her similes obviously needed work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill, she had a point, however crudely made. \u0026ldquo;What do you suggest, Umta?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I go too.\u0026rdquo; She grinned. \u0026ldquo;I can show you what \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e to step on.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hike through the forest was uneventful, although Holden half expected an army of caretakers to drop out of the trees at any moment. By insisting on coming, he slowed Umta and Loki down, but the promise of Sanctuary had been burning in his mind for weeks now. The possibility, however far-fetched, that there might be someplace safe in this nightmare world was like a drug that wouldn\u0026rsquo;t leave his system. He\u0026rsquo;d split the party over it, and if he wasn\u0026rsquo;t careful, he could end up leading this half to their deaths. He needed to see it with his own eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArcadia had been a mirage in the desert. Sanctuary could be the real oasis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta helped Holden climb the ridge. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t a sheer drop by any means, but if a person stumbled, they would slide down a decline littered with sharp rocks and clinging thorns. It would be all too easy to break a leg. Or a neck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLuckily, the ridge leveled out on top. Loki, who\u0026rsquo;d taken the lead, gestured to them that they should stay low, so they took the last few yards on their bellies. On the other side of the ridge was more forest, and the clearing. It was just as Loki had described: a circle dug out of the wilderness, a perfectly proportioned patch of cleared earth meticulously maintained. A metal-and-concrete structure sat in the middle\u0026mdash;hopefully the entrance to an underground bunker. The door itself was weatherworn and filthy, but even from this distance, Holden could spot the faint blue glow of a small rectangular panel just big enough for a person\u0026rsquo;s palm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd on either side of the door, a caretaker. If you didn\u0026rsquo;t know what you were looking at, you might have mistaken them for just more leftover ruins of a civilization long past. They sat motionless, folded in upon themselves like children kneeling during a tornado drill\u0026mdash;knees bent, heads down. Their metal carapaces were lacquered with decades, maybe even centuries of dirt. Each had the telltale red eye\u0026mdash;a caretaker\u0026rsquo;s multifaceted insect eye that glowed as it hunted its prey. But for now, at least, those eyes were dark.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay,\u0026rdquo; Holden whispered. \u0026ldquo;Ideas?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta gave him a deliberate nod. \u0026ldquo;Yes. We leave. Never come back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden sighed. \u0026ldquo;Other ideas?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, they still haven\u0026rsquo;t moved,\u0026rdquo; said Loki. \u0026ldquo;Maybe they\u0026rsquo;re inactive. Like that weird mirrored one Seyah found.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden brushed aside the small twinge at the mention of her name. \u0026ldquo;That one disappeared, remember? I want to be sure.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey stayed hidden atop the ridge for the next hour. One hour bled into two. Still, they watched for any signs of life in those two metal husks. A curious robin decided to investigate Holden and his friends, and Loki was forced to shoo it away several times. Eventually, it gave up on the strange creatures and flew down to the edge of the perimeter. It stayed on the overgrown side, just outside the circle as it pecked at the earth for its next meal. Gradually, it hopped closer and closer to the circle\u0026rsquo;s edge. It paused there a moment, head cocked as if birds could ponder. Then it hopped onto the dirt. Holden was so bored that the little bird had nearly hypnotized him, and it took someone\u0026rsquo;s elbow in his ribs to bring him back around. Loki had a finger to his lips as he pointed at the caretakers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir eyes had come alive. They started as pinpricks of light that gradually expanded into a bright red glow, like pupils widening in the dark. The little robin abandoned the circle of packed dirt and flew into the low branches of a nearby tree.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker began to unfold\u0026mdash;arms and legs extending as it slowly drew itself to standing. With stiff, awkward strides, the machine stepped out of the circle and lumbered toward the robin.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlarmed, the little bird took flight.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA segmented metal appendage\u0026mdash;more like a tentacle than an arm\u0026mdash;whipped out from the caretaker as sharp metal claws snatched the bird out of the air. A flurry of feathers and a spot of blood later, and the caretaker casually tossed the robin\u0026rsquo;s carcass into the trees. Then it returned to its position by the door, and used those same claws to gently pat down the disturbed dirt in its wake. It even brushed aside the tiny robin footprints, restoring the broken circle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts work done, the caretaker folded in on itself and carefully retracted its arm, hiding it once more. Gradually, the glowing red eyes dimmed back to black.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt felt like minutes had passed before Holden dared even to breathe, much less talk. But Loki managed to sum up the experience with a drawn-out whisper. \u0026ldquo;Shiiit.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta nodded. \u0026ldquo;Shit.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe camp actually looked like a camp now, filled with lean-tos and even more complex shelters. The sheets of that strange material Jing-Wei and Wesley had found\u0026mdash;they were calling it plasti-steel\u0026mdash;were strong and flexible. It made building simple for everyone except Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a very public argument the night before with Jing-Wei, the last thing he wanted was to be the only one who couldn\u0026rsquo;t put up a simple lean-to. He\u0026rsquo;d watched a few of the others to get an idea of how to even begin: use the sheets of plasti-steel for the frame and walls, then fill in the gaps with pine branches and mud for insulation. That annoying kid, Hyrum, turned out to be some kind of uber\u0026ndash;Boy Scout, and he\u0026rsquo;d offered to help. The only catch was he\u0026rsquo;d also turned out to be a Jesus freak, and if you wanted his help, you had to listen to his wild theories about this place really being the afterlife.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYeah, an afterlife filled with killer robots. Holden chose to go it alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How\u0026rsquo;s it going?\u0026rdquo; Seyah stood there, watching him. The sunlight through the trees hit her just so, and for a moment she was Titania again. The actress, the popular girl. Beautiful. Untouchable. Then she stepped out of the sun, and scrapes and bruises became visible. Unwashed hair pulled back in a stringy ponytail. Tired eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGod only knew what he must look like. He went back to tying branches. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t tell me\u0026mdash;you finished building yours an hour ago.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shrugged. \u0026ldquo;Half an hour, maybe. Hyrum helped me. You should let him\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;My soul\u0026rsquo;s doing just fine, thank you. It\u0026rsquo;s the rest of me that\u0026rsquo;ll suffer if I have to spend another night out in the open.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s a sweet kid if you give him a chance.\u0026rdquo; Seyah handed Holden a strand of woven grass to tie off the final branch. \u0026ldquo;But you should have seen his face when I told him my mom was Muslim. I don\u0026rsquo;t think he\u0026rsquo;s seen one of us in person before.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden murmured an agreement, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t dare look up from his work. He didn\u0026rsquo;t want to ruin it now. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s Jing-Wei up to?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Digging in. I heard her talking about her plans for more permanent buildings. She\u0026rsquo;s organizing scavenging trips to the ruins.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis hand slipped and he got a splinter under his thumbnail. \u0026ldquo;Goddammit!\u0026rdquo; Holden shook his hurt thumb. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei is so caught up in playing builder that she\u0026rsquo;s not thinking straight.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She has a point about needing supplies.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe looked at her. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei didn\u0026rsquo;t see what we saw. She doesn\u0026rsquo;t know what those machines are capable of. Hell, half of these kids think we made the whole thing up.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They do not, Holden.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, they sure as hell act like it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah shrugged again but didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything, so Holden went back to work. But after a few moments he could still feel her eyes on him. He tried to ignore her staring, but he grew increasingly self-conscious. He seemed to have forgotten how to tie a knot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe gave up and turned to her. \u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe cocked her head at him, thoughtful. \u0026ldquo;You were always so quiet back at school.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I did my own thing. I didn\u0026rsquo;t think you noticed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I knew your mom had died. Just a couple of months before we started rehearsing the play, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat stopped him short. \u0026ldquo;Yeah. You never said anything about it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Neither did you.\u0026rdquo; She began to play with a stray blade of grass, twisting it around her finger. \u0026ldquo;We didn\u0026rsquo;t really know each other before, and once we woke up here, I guess I figured I\u0026rsquo;d wait until you told me yourself. Wasn\u0026rsquo;t my business.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden sat on his heels. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t think you even knew my name back then.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t. But the news got around.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course. They\u0026rsquo;d gone to a small school, and he supposed everyone knew at least one thing about everyone else. Seyah was the actress. Holden was the boy who\u0026rsquo;d lost his mother. His one distinction. \u0026ldquo;Look, I\u0026rsquo;m not sure why we\u0026rsquo;re even talking about this now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just that you\u0026rsquo;re so different than I thought you were.\u0026rdquo; She stopped fiddling with the grass. \u0026ldquo;You went from the quiet guy to telling everyone what to do.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not telling people what to do!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, you\u0026rsquo;re good at it! I mean it as a compliment, Holden. You\u0026rsquo;re right about Jing-Wei. Last night when you two got into it, a lot of us were on your side. But then you kind of gave up. And all today . . . you\u0026rsquo;ve been messing around with this stuff by yourself.\u0026rdquo; She gestured at the scattered broken branches. The discarded sheets of plasti-steel. \u0026ldquo;I just don\u0026rsquo;t want you to turn into the quiet guy again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShit, but she was right. For him, the day had basically been one big pout. But there was nothing to be done about it now. Better to change the subject. \u0026ldquo;Where\u0026rsquo;s your shelter?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Over by Sunita\u0026rsquo;s.\u0026rdquo; She ran her fingers over the walls of his lean-to. Inspecting the little gaps. \u0026ldquo;You know that weird tree that looks like an old man?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The one on the other side of camp?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shrugged again, and then Holden understood. People were already talking about the two of them. They were the only two who weren\u0026rsquo;t total strangers before waking up on that station. It was natural that some people had suspected Holden and Seyah were more than friends. Seyah had put her shelter as far away from Holden\u0026rsquo;s as she could to try to squelch those rumors. It was a signal to the camp, and to Holden, that at night, they would sleep on opposite sides.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe should just clear the air with her once and for all. They both knew how he felt, so why keep dancing around\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah let out a gasp as one of the panels she was examining suddenly came loose. It wobbled and collapsed with a crash. The rest of the lean-to came down with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was a beat while they both stared at the pile of plastic and pine needles that used to be Holden\u0026rsquo;s shelter. A day\u0026rsquo;s work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh my god, I\u0026rsquo;m so sorry!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden wiped his forehead and sighed. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t be. It probably would\u0026rsquo;ve fallen down on me in the middle of the night. Let\u0026rsquo;s face it: I\u0026rsquo;m a crap builder.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah began scooping up the fallen pieces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seyah, leave it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No way. I knocked this over and I\u0026rsquo;ll put it back together.\u0026rdquo; She began clearing a space to start from scratch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll be fine,\u0026rdquo; said Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;ll freeze to death sleeping out in the open, and I\u0026rsquo;m not letting you snuggle up with me\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; She bit off the joke, but it was too late. A long, uncomfortable silence followed as Seyah began stacking and tying up the walls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve got an idea,\u0026rdquo; she said at last. \u0026ldquo;While I do this, why don\u0026rsquo;t you get a fire going? It\u0026rsquo;ll be dark soon.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden was very, very grateful to have something to go do. He smiled. \u0026ldquo;You bet.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, there was no way he was getting a fire going without matches, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t tell her that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe light drizzle turned to sleet as the temperature plummeted. Still, they couldn\u0026rsquo;t risk a fire\u0026mdash;not with those two caretakers just on the other side of the ridge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey kept watch in pairs that night while the others huddled together for warmth beneath the pine, catching what little sleep they could. They were hungry and freezing, but for weeks now Sanctuary had been their grail quest. As their situation grew more desperate, the idea of it grew even more potent. They\u0026rsquo;d come this far, left friends behind because of the mere possibility of finding a place they could all call home. They couldn\u0026rsquo;t turn back now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden kept watch with Umta. Together they listened to the wind and warily eyed the dark, on guard for the red glow of a caretaker\u0026rsquo;s stare, but late night turned to early morning and still nothing came for them. The sleet tapered off and left behind a thin coat of frost along the branches. Ice droplets jingled like tiny bells in the wind. Holden and Umta had stayed up well past their shifts at watch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden rubbed his tired eyes. \u0026ldquo;We should wake the others. Get some sleep before dawn.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta grunted, which Holden took to mean agreement, but she made no move to get up. Her eyes shone bright and alert as she watched the woods. Holden found himself wondering how many nights she had spent like this before being remade. Holden had pieced together what he could from the little she\u0026rsquo;d told him about her days before the attack on the station. Of all of them, she was unique. It was obvious she hadn\u0026rsquo;t been born in the twentieth century, probably not even in the same millennium as the rest of them. Maybe this prehistoric woman was an experiment; maybe she was an accident. Whatever the reason, those machines hadn\u0026rsquo;t been satisfied with simply remaking her. They did things to her brain, amplified her intelligence, taught her language. Just as they\u0026rsquo;d cured Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s cancer, the caretakers had fixed what they perceived as wrong in Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t like to talk about that time, except to insist that the original group of caretakers who\u0026rsquo;d remade them had been kind in their own way. She argued that any harm they did was due to a lack of understanding about humans, not about cruelty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe. But every other caretaker Holden had met was cruel to the point of sadistic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden started awake as his chin dipped to his chest. He either needed to sleep or do something to keep himself awake.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Umta?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe grunted. \u0026ldquo;Yes?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Before you were remade, did you have a husband or a . . . a mate or, you know?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta\u0026rsquo;s eyes were black under her heavy brow. \u0026ldquo;Yes. He died.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry. When?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Two hundred and fifty thousand years ago.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, I mean . . .\u0026rdquo; Of course he\u0026rsquo;d been dead for that long. Was Umta trying to be funny? \u0026ldquo;Do you miss him?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe scratched her head for a moment before answering. Maybe he\u0026rsquo;d gotten too personal, but he was tired and, besides, it was too late now. But if the question bothered her, she didn\u0026rsquo;t show it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That is a strange question to me,\u0026rdquo; she said slowly. \u0026ldquo;Where I came from, the men did not . . .\u0026rdquo; She paused, searching for the word. \u0026ldquo;Did not \u003cem\u003ewoo\u003c/em\u003e women. They took them, you understand? That is what he was like.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden nodded, sick at the thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So no, Holden. I do not miss him. I am glad to see most men have . . . evolved since then.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe\u0026rsquo;d often imagined the primitiveness of Umta\u0026rsquo;s world. Chasing mammoths across the plains, wearing furs and all that. It was a TV movie version of her life, but it was all he had to go on. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t contemplated the harshness of it all. The rest of them had been plucked from mostly comfortable lives, but Umta\u0026rsquo;s everyday existence must have been brutal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why do you think the caretakers did what they did to you? Why\u0026rsquo;d they bother?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta hesitated before answering. \u0026ldquo;I do not know. My life before was hard. Too hard. And, yes, I was dumb. But I had sons.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t know that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I did not love my mate and I do not miss him. But I loved my sons and I miss them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomewhere a night bird cried out. Umta perked up and both of them peered into the darkness. Nothing moved. The forest returned to quiet, and once more they were alone in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Back then I had no word for \u003cem\u003elove\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026rdquo; she said, her voice little more than a whisper. \u0026ldquo;I was too dumb to know it here\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;she pointed to her head\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;but I knew it anyway. The caretakers made me smart. But I was happier when I was dumb.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo Umta was a mother. It explained a lot about her, actually. She\u0026rsquo;d always watched over him\u0026mdash;all of them\u0026mdash;with an unusual protectiveness. Her \u0026ldquo;otherness\u0026rdquo; unnerved some of the group, but she never held it against them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you miss her?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;The question startled Holden nearly as much as the night bird\u0026rsquo;s cry had. Of course, Umta could only be talking about one person\u0026mdash;the person who seemed to be on everyone\u0026rsquo;s minds lately.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was really starting to piss him off. \u0026ldquo;Why does everyone keep talking about her? Seyah made her choice and I made mine. I\u0026rsquo;m fine.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta breathed on her hands to warm them up. \u0026ldquo;At first, I had a very hard time with all of you. How you think, what you feel. These words\u0026mdash;language is . . . like grabbing a fish in water. Slippery. So difficult. But I watched your faces, not so different from mine, and I learned that your faces tell the same truths.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe leaned in close, just inches from his face. Holden leaned back. \u0026ldquo;Umta, we should talk about personal space . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You miss her, Holden. And it hurts you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden stood up and jammed his hands into his pockets. He was prepared to storm off, to tell her to keep her psychoanalysis to herself, when he remembered who he was talking to. Umta wasn\u0026rsquo;t trying to analyze him; she was just being honest in the same way she\u0026rsquo;d been honest with him when she talked about her sons. But that didn\u0026rsquo;t mean she was right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look, I miss her,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;But it\u0026rsquo;s not what everyone thinks. Nevaeh, half the group probably, thinks we were together . . . Um, you know, mates.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta grunted. \u0026ldquo;I understood \u003cem\u003etogether\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden cleared his throat. \u0026ldquo;Yeah, anyway. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t like that, not before and not here. Not ever.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not ever?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You can love someone, but that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean they will love you back. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to happen, okay? Better she stayed behind.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She loves you, Holden.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t need a pep talk.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrustrated, Umta began tugging at her matted hair. \u0026ldquo;Language,\u0026rdquo; she muttered as she made a sour face. \u0026ldquo;Let me try again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m telling you, there\u0026rsquo;s nothing to say.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Holden, I never loved the way you love Seyah, and the way you want her to love you. Now I never will.\u0026rdquo; She cracked a smile full of crooked teeth. \u0026ldquo;You are all too ugly for me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe grew serious again. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not the love you want. But different love is still love. Seyah does love you in her way, just as I loved my sons. And that was my greatest . . .\u0026rdquo; She paused, searching for a word, but couldn\u0026rsquo;t find it. She put her hand over her heart. \u0026ldquo;Here. It was the best part of me. I cannot say it better than that. \u003cem\u003eThat\u003c/em\u003e love. The best part.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith that she insisted Holden get some rest. The sun would be up soon, and they had an important day ahead of them. A dangerous day. Umta would watch over them until dawn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Holden curled up next to the others for warmth, he closed his eyes and tried not to think about Seyah. He was too cold, too anxious, to fall into a real sleep, but he dozed fitfully. Unasked-for dreams came in that blurred place between sleep and waking. When dawn came, he woke with the certainty that he\u0026rsquo;d seen Seyah for the very last time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sunrise brought with it another overcast day, and in the gray early morning light they reviewed the plan one last time. They tried to act like this was just another boar hunt, but that was nonsense. Boars were dangerous wild animals, but they wouldn\u0026rsquo;t take you apart piece by piece just to see what you looked like on the inside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday\u0026rsquo;s hunt would also be different in another important way\u0026mdash;Holden would be out in front.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s nuts, man,\u0026rdquo; said Loki, after hearing Holden\u0026rsquo;s plan. \u0026ldquo;No offense, but you\u0026rsquo;re going to get yourself killed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden had been thinking his argument through for hours. \u0026ldquo;No, I\u0026rsquo;m not going to get that close. I\u0026rsquo;m not stupid.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What will you do?\u0026rdquo; asked Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to get them to leave that clearing,\u0026rdquo; answered Holden. \u0026ldquo;If I can draw them into the woods, then you all can ambush them. I\u0026rsquo;m not quiet, but I\u0026rsquo;m fast when I need to be. I\u0026rsquo;ll get their attention and then run like hell.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole shook his head. \u0026ldquo;Hate to say it, but he\u0026rsquo;s got a point. We don\u0026rsquo;t stand a chance taking them head-on. Surprise is our only option.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden knew his argument made sense. Whoever took point today would be relying on the others to surprise the caretakers and bring them down quickly. That meant they would need their best fighters on the attack, not running away as decoys.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden didn\u0026rsquo;t mention the other reason his plan made sense. While the odds were if the plan failed they were \u003cem\u003eall\u003c/em\u003e dead, the decoy would obviously be taking the greatest risk. That was why Holden had to do it. He\u0026rsquo;d been the one to drag them north in search of Sanctuary, and he was responsible for this. It was only right he take that risk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You forgot about me,\u0026rdquo; said Nevaeh. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m going with you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No way,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;You stay back with\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You said our best fighters should be in the back line, and we all know I can\u0026rsquo;t fight. Two decoys are better than one.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDefiantly, she crossed her arms over her chest and looked him in the eye. \u0026ldquo;Bet I\u0026rsquo;m faster than you anyway.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden had it all planned out, but he hadn\u0026rsquo;t planned on this. \u0026ldquo;Look, it\u0026rsquo;s too dangerous\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not for you it isn\u0026rsquo;t.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s my responsibility\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Says who?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh stepped back and took everyone in. \u0026ldquo;No one forced us to come with you!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita and Loki were nodding, agreeing with her. This was getting out of hand, fast. \u0026ldquo;Everyone needs to\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Nevaeh cut him off again. \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eThis\u003c/em\u003e makes sense.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden threw up his hands. \u0026ldquo;Goddammit, will you stop interrupting me, Seyah?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eShit\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer name hung in the air like an echo, but no one said anything. Holden rubbed his tired eyes. They were waiting to see what he\u0026rsquo;d do next. \u0026ldquo;Fine. Nevaeh and me up front. We can do this if we all follow our jobs.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey nodded, but every one of them had to be thinking the same damn thing: Holden, the hopeless romantic, was still hung up on the girl who\u0026rsquo;d broken his heart. Maybe that was the reason he\u0026rsquo;d gone on this quixotic quest to find Sanctuary. Missing Seyah was like a stitch in his side that wouldn\u0026rsquo;t go away. Holden had made her choose between him and Inez, and she\u0026rsquo;d chosen Inez. Maybe he\u0026rsquo;d forced that decision on her in the guise of doing what was best for the group, and maybe Sanctuary was just an excuse.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Or maybe Sanctuary really was worth it. After coming this far, Holden was ready to risk his life to find out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was still morning when they reached the ridge. The caretakers below hadn\u0026rsquo;t moved from their positions since yesterday, or if they had, they hadn\u0026rsquo;t left any trace. Last night\u0026rsquo;s rain had turned the dirt perimeter around the door to mud.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh kept pace with Holden as he crept through the trees. They stayed far enough apart so as not to get in the way of each other, but not so distant that the caretakers could cut one of them off. Her earlier bravado was gone now that they were actually going through with it. She looked like Holden felt\u0026mdash;scared and sick. It was a good thing they were out of food, or Holden would\u0026rsquo;ve spent the morning throwing up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the woods behind them, the others had taken up their positions. Their only chance was to lead the caretakers into an ambush, and Holden was counting on the machines\u0026rsquo; taste for murdering humans to be incentive enough.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden stopped about twenty feet from the perimeter, where he was still hidden in the woods. After watching the killing of the robin yesterday, Holden had developed a theory about these two caretakers\u0026mdash;they were sentinels set to guard this place. They were here to keep something in, or keep something out. In either case, they kept their full attention inside that perfect circle, until something or somebody broke it. The robin hadn\u0026rsquo;t been a threat until it stepped inside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was time to put that theory to the test. Still hidden, Holden picked up a fist-sized rock and lobbed it at the nearest caretaker. It bounced off the machine\u0026rsquo;s metal carapace with a metallic twang.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden leaned into a crouch, ready to dash away, as the red glow of the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s eyes signaled he\u0026rsquo;d gotten its attention. But then the caretaker he\u0026rsquo;d struck simply extended an arm, retrieved the rock, and lobbed it back outside the perimeter. Then the eye went dark again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh looked at Holden and mouthed, \u003cem\u003eWhat the hell?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden had to ignore every instinct in his body, but he put one foot in front of the other until he\u0026rsquo;d reached the circle. He was in full view of the caretakers now, should they choose to look. A glance to his left showed him that Nevaeh had followed suit. She got it now too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers ignored everything until something broke their circle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, Holden and Nevaeh each put one foot inside the perimeter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers\u0026rsquo; eyes lit up\u0026mdash;red stares, like laser lights, settled on Holden and Nevaeh.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay, that\u0026rsquo;s enough,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo sooner had the words left his mouth than the caretakers began to move. Dirty rainwater spilled out of crevices as they lifted on tripod, stalklike legs. Tentacled arms unwound themselves, and in unison the caretakers let out a horrific screech of metal grinding on metal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden had come to understand that screech. He\u0026rsquo;d learned the lesson in blood along with everyone else.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHumans. \u003c/em\u003eThat was what they were saying. \u003cem\u003eHumans are here.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden bolted, and he made sure Nevaeh was right beside him. He didn\u0026rsquo;t have to look back to know the caretakers were already in pursuit; he could hear the clang of their heavy joints, the clearing of trees that got in their way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh pulled a few strides ahead of him. Lithe and graceful, she leapt over the underbrush and danced around trees, whereas Holden was a stampeding animal, tearing through tangles of vines as branches whipped across his head and shoulders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was a mistake. There was no way they were going to outrun those machines.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat was the saying in zombie movies? You didn\u0026rsquo;t need to be fast, just faster than the person next to you. Maybe Nevaeh, at least, would get away. Maybe their plan would still work without Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut then he realized that the sounds of the caretakers\u0026rsquo; pursuit were getting quieter, not louder. Holden risked a glance over his shoulder and saw that as slow as he was, the caretakers were even slower. They were not designed to sprint through heavily wooded forests, while Holden\u0026rsquo;s ancestors had had millions of years of experience running from predators in just such an environment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers were never going to catch up to Holden and Nevaeh. Unfortunately, they didn\u0026rsquo;t need to.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first flash of light didn\u0026rsquo;t even register in Holden\u0026rsquo;s brain. Even as a shower of smoldering pine needles rained down on his head. Even as he smelled the smoke. Seconds later, when the tree next to him lit up like a torch, Holden remembered Jing-Wei lying dead at his feet. Half her head had been burned clean off by the same flash of light.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei was screaming his name. No, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t Jing-Wei\u0026mdash;it was Nevaeh, shouting and frantically pointing to something behind him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the caretakers was circling around, trying to flank Holden and Nevaeh, while the other one stood its ground. It was aiming a long black cylinder directly at Holden. It didn\u0026rsquo;t matter how fast he ran now; there was nowhere to go. No time even to take cover.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Holden stared down the caretaker, something moved in his periphery\u0026mdash;a burst of movement to the machine\u0026rsquo;s left.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita and Cole rushed out of hiding. Armed with axes of scavenged metal and plasti-steel, they hacked at the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s spindly legs. For the first time, Holden properly took in his surroundings. Rotting log. Oak split down the middle from an ancient lightning strike.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe\u0026rsquo;d led the caretakers to the chosen ambush spot without even realizing it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh appeared at his side. \u0026ldquo;Get down!\u0026rdquo; They ducked for cover as the caretaker staggered. One leg was dangling useless at the joint, but the caretaker stayed standing on its two good legs. It lashed out at Sunita and Cole with its arm. Sunita rolled out of the way, but Cole took a glancing hit along his back. He went down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s other side, Umta and Loki rushed in to join the fight. Like Sunita and Cole, they focused on one leg. They had a plan and a purpose. Another leg went out from under it, and the caretaker crashed to the ground. But in the chaos and panic of the fighting, they\u0026rsquo;d forgotten about the other one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt burst from the trees, just feet from Holden and Nevaeh. It had successfully circled them while they battled its companion, and now four clawed arms reached out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes a plan worked perfectly, and sometimes you just got lucky. All around them, trees went up in flames as the downed caretaker began firing its weapon wildly. Loki\u0026rsquo;s ax was already embedded in the machine\u0026rsquo;s eye, and the red glow flickered. Umta and Sunita leapt onto its back and hacked at the tender places around its exposed neck joints.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pulled Nevaeh to the ground as light continued to flash over their heads. The second caretaker found itself directly in the line of fire, and it let out a screech as one arm melted off. Another flash, and a basketball-sized hole appeared in its chest. As it toppled to the ground, Umta let out a howl of victory as the first caretaker\u0026rsquo;s eyes went dark for the last time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey\u0026rsquo;d won. Both caretakers were destroyed. And except for the crackle of burning trees, the forest was quiet again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was hard to tell whether he was shaking because of the vibration of the train, if he was cold, or if he was still in shock. All Holden knew was he couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop shivering.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah felt his forehead. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m going to see if I can find you a blanket. I\u0026rsquo;ll be right back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe reached for her hand as she stood to go. She gave it a squeeze. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll be right back. I promise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the camp slaughter, he\u0026rsquo;d been sure Seyah was dead. Burned like Jing-Wei or torn apart like Wesley. When he\u0026rsquo;d found her safe with the others, Holden hadn\u0026rsquo;t had the words to tell her how it made him feel to see her again. He needed to do that. He needed to do it soon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomewhere nearby, Loki and Gabe were arguing about the two newcomers. Two teens arrived on a train, just when they needed a getaway. What are the odds? Right then, Holden didn\u0026rsquo;t really give a fuck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t know who they are or why they\u0026rsquo;re here,\u0026rdquo; Loki was saying. \u0026ldquo;Hell, what if those machines have ones that look like us? They could be sleeper agents.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Man, you watch too much damn sci-fi,\u0026rdquo; said Gabe, exasperated. \u0026ldquo;And keep your voice down.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden closed his eyes. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and nearly retched\u0026mdash;his clothes smelled like burnt flesh.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; said an unfamiliar voice. He opened his eyes to see a girl standing over him. It was the new girl, the one they\u0026rsquo;d found on the train.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe knelt down beside him and held out a baby-blue blanket. \u0026ldquo;I heard your friend asking around for one of these. Here, take it. I found it under the seat, all wrapped in plastic.\u0026rdquo; She held it up to her nose. \u0026ldquo;Smells like it just came out of the dryer. Warm, too. Weird, huh? Here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe helped Holden wrap it around his shoulders. She was right\u0026mdash;it was straight-out-of-the-dryer warm. Definitely weird.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No problem. I\u0026rsquo;m Inez, by the way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Holden.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe raised an eyebrow at his name. \u0026ldquo;Someone told me I should find you. Black girl. Neva-something?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nevaeh.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shook her head. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m shit with names. Anyway, she said I should talk to you, especially since Jason Bourne over there keeps talking about tossing us off the train.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden sighed. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s Loki. He\u0026rsquo;s just freaked-out. He\u0026rsquo;ll calm down.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Loki? No way. That his real name?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden shrugged. He doubted it. \u0026ldquo;For what it\u0026rsquo;s worth, no one is throwing anyone off the train. I promise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez studied him. Now that Jing-Wei was gone, Nevaeh probably told her he was the one to make decisions. Inez couldn\u0026rsquo;t have been expecting to find him huddled on the floor, shivering to death. But right then, Holden couldn\u0026rsquo;t care less what anyone thought about him, not when his clothes still smelled like Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s death.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a few moments Inez said, \u0026ldquo;Cool. I\u0026rsquo;m glad we\u0026rsquo;re not getting the stowaway treatment. I\u0026rsquo;m as freaked-out by you all as you are by us. So is Teddy, over there. Believe me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I believe you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Anyway, tell your girlfriend I\u0026rsquo;ll see if I can\u0026rsquo;t score a few more blankets.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden quickly corrected her. \u0026ldquo;Seyah\u0026rsquo;s not my girlfriend. We\u0026rsquo;re just friends.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez held up her hands. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t mean anything by it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay. It\u0026rsquo;s just . . . We knew each other before, is all. Before . . . all this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No shit? I\u0026rsquo;ve only known Teddy for, Christ, however long we\u0026rsquo;ve been here now. Weeks, maybe? Feels like years. Do you \u003cem\u003eall\u003c/em\u003e know each other?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden shook his head. \u0026ldquo;Just the two of us. We were in a car accident together.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez nodded slowly, understanding. So she\u0026rsquo;d been in a fatal situation too. Holden supposed she\u0026rsquo;d share her story when the time was right. That time obviously was not now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d give anything to have someone here with me from . . .\u0026rdquo; She trailed off. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re both super lucky, you know that? Having someone around you can trust one hundred percent.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen Inez stood up. \u0026ldquo;I gotta go make sure Teddy doesn\u0026rsquo;t get himself booted. He\u0026rsquo;s sweet, but a little . . . odd.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay. Thanks again for the blanket.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez smiled. \u0026ldquo;Take care of yourself, Holden.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez wandered off just as Seyah returned with a stack of the blue blankets. \u0026ldquo;Hey, look what I\u0026mdash; Oh.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden held up a corner of his blanket. \u0026ldquo;Dryer fresh.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah stacked the blankets and sat down next to him. \u0026ldquo;Were you talking to that new girl?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah. Inez.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t like her.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t even know her. You sound like Loki.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t mean she\u0026rsquo;s a robot.\u0026rdquo; She tucked the blanket around Holden\u0026rsquo;s shoulders. \u0026ldquo;Just something about her rubs me the wrong way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She seems perfectly nice to me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah shrugged. \u0026ldquo;Her friend looks just like that reality-TV star. You know, from the football show?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Never saw it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You didn\u0026rsquo;t miss much.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden laughed. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t help it, he let out a long belly laugh. Seyah smiled awkwardly, but she was obviously concerned.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay,\u0026rdquo; he said, wiping his eyes. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m okay.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s so funny? Something I said?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComposing himself, Holden let out a long sigh. \u0026ldquo;You said I didn\u0026rsquo;t miss much, but I miss \u003cem\u003eeverything\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah looked away. \u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; she said softly. \u0026ldquo;Me too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden held her hand. \u0026ldquo;Seyah?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks anyway. For the blanket.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Anytime, Holden.\u0026rdquo; She put her other hand on top of his. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve got your back. That\u0026rsquo;s what friends do.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door was solid steel\u0026mdash;or some other futuristic metal that Holden didn\u0026rsquo;t even have a name for. There were no obvious creases or hinges and there was definitely no handle. Not that any of that mattered. Holden knew exactly how to open it. They\u0026rsquo;d seen the glowing palm-sized panel before\u0026mdash;both on the space station and on the train. A sophisticated control panel, a lock that was keyed to human handprints only. A very specific species of human too, because Umta could not operate it. All one had to do was place a palm on the panel, and the door would open for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow they just had to work up the guts to do it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Could be swarming with caretakers in there,\u0026rdquo; said Loki. \u0026ldquo;Maybe these two were just the doormen.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But caretakers can\u0026rsquo;t open it,\u0026rdquo; said Nevaeh. \u0026ldquo;You said yourself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You never know.\u0026rdquo; Loki had lifted the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s weapon\u0026mdash;the long black cylinder\u0026mdash;and now he held it cradled in his arms. With the exception of some minor scrapes and cuts, and one particularly nasty bruise across Cole\u0026rsquo;s back, they had survived the fight with the caretakers intact. It would be a shame if someone got hurt, or worse, because of carelessness now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey\u0026rsquo;d approached the door cautiously. Loki insisted on scouring the dirt circle for booby traps but thankfully found none. After the adrenaline rush of combat had worn off, reality set in for all of them. They\u0026rsquo;d overcome one very deadly obstacle, but they were still starving and exhausted with no real idea of what lay behind that door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArcadia had promised a sanctuary, but the city AI had been suffering from her own particular kind of dementia. All they had to go on was her word and a map that led to a door in the ground. They\u0026rsquo;d split from the rest of the group, traveled hundreds of miles north on foot through harsh terrain for this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita voiced what they all were thinking. \u0026ldquo;Whatever\u0026rsquo;s in there, it better be sweet as hell.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;Getting cold, folks,\u0026rdquo; said Cole. \u0026ldquo;If we\u0026rsquo;re gonna do this, I suggest we do it before we freeze our butts off.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;Gotta say I agree with Cole,\u0026rdquo; said Loki. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t wanna camp out here one more night if we don\u0026rsquo;t have to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden searched for Umta. \u0026ldquo;We have come all this way,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;We should finish it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll this way . . . It was about goddamn time he found out for what.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden placed his palm against the panel. It glowed brighter for a moment, a brilliant cobalt blue, before turning green.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the creak of ages, the Sanctuary door began to slide slowly open.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden made a bold move on his own: He shut down Arcadia, ending the group’s respite there. Not everyone agreed that this was the right call. They were left with directions to a place called Sanctuary—and a whole lot of questions about what they’d find there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.169","slug":"ReMade-S2E02","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E02.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/9781682102169_ReMade_S2E2.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/9781682102169_ReMade_S2E2.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/9781682102169_ReMade_S2E2.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 2"},{"id":"59becbedc7dc8d000126a943","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":3,"title":"Fear of Falling","released_date":"2017-11-29T13:04:30.783+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Getting to know you","byline":"Gwenda Bond","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E3_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2017-11-29","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe woods had never felt safe to Seyah\u0026mdash;and safe seemed like a foreign concept these days anyway. Like something she\u0026rsquo;d never truly experience again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut this? Jing-Wei showing up out of the rustling green trees without any memory of the rest of them and a \u003cem\u003ecaretaker\u003c/em\u003e in tow? A caretaker she called Sparky and seemed to actively like? This made every part of their wobbly new reality even shakier as far as Seyah was concerned. And Inez\u0026mdash;lacking their history with \u003cem\u003ea\u003c/em\u003e Jing-Wei, even if not \u003cem\u003ethis \u003c/em\u003eJing-Wei\u0026mdash;had already decided she wanted no part of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She \u003cem\u003eis \u003c/em\u003ea traitor,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, when no one chimed in to agree with her sentiments about punishing Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;You all know I\u0026rsquo;m right. So what do we do with her?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe irony. After the split with the others, their group had made camp in a largish, deep cave known as Devil\u0026rsquo;s Hole, on the far side of Niagara Falls. Seyah had visited it with her family once, and been relieved to find Devil\u0026rsquo;s Hole still existed in pretty much the same condition as it had back then. Their stated objective was to rest up and recover . . . The unstated one to somehow get over what had happened to poor Teddy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny illusion of quiet and calm they\u0026rsquo;d found vanished with the appearance of this new Jing-Wei. And, given her caretaker buddy, any chance Inez would stop reliving Teddy\u0026rsquo;s death. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t been herself since Arcadia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I already told you.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s face tightened with frustration. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re no threat to you. Especially not Sparky.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum cleared his throat. He stood in a loose clump with Alex, Amelia, and Sebastian. \u0026ldquo;She isn\u0026rsquo;t wrong. They haven\u0026rsquo;t done anything to us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Tell that to my ankle,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, and punctuated it with a wince. A hand went down toward her ankle as she balanced on her other leg. Seyah moved closer to support her, and Inez shrugged her off, hopping away. Apparently she still wouldn\u0026rsquo;t accept the smallest help from anyone, Seyah included. Par for the course, of late.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay frowned. \u0026ldquo;Maybe we should go back to camp and talk.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You mean our camp?\u0026rdquo; Inez challenged her. \u0026ldquo;No. Freaking. Way. We are not bringing a caretaker sympathizer and a caretaker to our camp. We might as well just broadcast the location to every caretaker on the planet.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe said, \u0026ldquo;She has a point.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah watched Inez\u0026rsquo;s shoulders square, and kne w she\u0026rsquo;d dig in on this now that people were agreeing with her . . . And even though seeing Jing-Wei had initially flooded Seyah with joy, Inez wasn\u0026rsquo;t wrong about everything. They couldn\u0026rsquo;t trust her like they would have old Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez is right,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, and ignored May rolling her eyes. \u0026ldquo;We need a lot more information before we reveal where we\u0026rsquo;re staying to Jing-Wei and, um, Sparky. But I agree with Hyrum. We can\u0026rsquo;t just abandon them either.\u0026rdquo; She hesitated. \u0026ldquo;Or punish them when they haven\u0026rsquo;t done anything yet.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez crossed her arms over her chest. \u0026ldquo;What are you proposing then?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah\u0026rsquo;s eyes swept the forest. What \u003cem\u003ewas \u003c/em\u003eshe proposing? Something that would keep them from bickering or sniping at one another . . . if such an option existed. Something that would keep everyone alive. Though she was even less sure \u003cem\u003ethat\u003c/em\u003e option existed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If she\u0026rsquo;s sticking around, we need answers,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;How did you find us?\u0026rdquo; she asked, turning to Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s eyes narrowed. Seyah recognized it as the old Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m thinking\u003c/em\u003e expression.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChill fingers danced up Seyah\u0026rsquo;s spine at the implication hidden in Inez\u0026rsquo;s question and the lack of immediate response. Had Jing-Wei run into the rest of their friends? She hadn\u0026rsquo;t considered that. Was \u003cem\u003ethat\u003c/em\u003e how she\u0026rsquo;d found them? And, if so, then where were \u003cem\u003ethey\u003c/em\u003e?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore they split up, they\u0026rsquo;d set a rendezvous point on the map Arcadia had given them, a spot about an hour\u0026rsquo;s walk away from the current camp, over at Niagara Falls. Which had turned out to be Niagara \u003cem\u003eFall\u003c/em\u003e, singular now, one massive spill of water, unmistakably, unmissably huge. If the others made it to Sanctuary and found a welcome party, they\u0026rsquo;d return for them. Or so the plan said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah wondered every day whether they\u0026rsquo;d see their friends again . . . and whether the split had been a mistake. She suspected they all did. Well, all of them except Inez, who had been the big advocate for setting up a camp to recuperate. She\u0026rsquo;d been so angry at Holden, so grief-stricken over Teddy. She\u0026rsquo;d refused to entertain the idea that Arcadia might really be sending them somewhere good. None of that had changed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the group made the trek to the designated meeting area a couple times a week to check for any sign of good news on the horizon. Nothing yet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well?\u0026rdquo; Inez prompted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We were running from bad keepers.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei glanced nervously toward the woods, where her pet caretaker had trundled off on command. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s who Sparky rescued me from. I call them unbuilders. We weren\u0026rsquo;t looking for anyone, as far as I know. I don\u0026rsquo;t know where we were going. You\u0026rsquo;re the first . . . people I\u0026rsquo;ve seen since they brought me back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah believed her, though she couldn\u0026rsquo;t say why. Phew. Maybe the others were safely at Sanctuary by now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you sure that thing hasn\u0026rsquo;t just been steering you\u0026mdash;and now all of us\u0026mdash;into a trap?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked. \u0026ldquo;Couldn\u0026rsquo;t it tell its friends right where we are and vice versa?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We haven\u0026rsquo;t seen any caretakers since we\u0026rsquo;ve been here,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said, though a note of doubt crept in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky wouldn\u0026rsquo;t do that,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh-huh,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And he doesn\u0026rsquo;t have friends left\u0026mdash;all the other helpful keepers from the space station are dead. He\u0026rsquo;s been protecting me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei sported the same red jumpsuits they\u0026rsquo;d all worn at first\u0026mdash;well, except for Inez, since where she and Teddy started out had left her with a cheerleading uniform. The outfit served as an all-too-clear reminder of the tragedy that happened right after they\u0026rsquo;d all arrived in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry I don\u0026rsquo;t remember any of you,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said, holding out her hands in a plea. \u0026ldquo;That was me, but not \u003cem\u003eme\u003c/em\u003e. A different version of me, I guess. I\u0026rsquo;m just glad \u003cem\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m\u003c/em\u003e alive. But Sparky is my friend. You guys have one another. Sparky is all I have. He wouldn\u0026rsquo;t hurt you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah could see the circles of debate forming\u0026mdash;they would go around and around and around about this, while Inez stood on a foot that must be killing her. That, at least, Seyah could fix.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s sit down.\u0026rdquo; Seyah caught May\u0026rsquo;s eye, flicked hers to Inez\u0026rsquo;s ankle, and slowly eased down in the leaves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay followed suit, and then so did Inez, without realizing Seyah had stage-managed her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei and the others did the same.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei, put yourself in our place,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. \u0026ldquo;Some of us saw you die here. You were dead. And now here you are, another you, telling us this caretaker is your friend and that it remade you . . . again. We\u0026rsquo;ve \u003cem\u003eonly\u003c/em\u003e known bad caretakers. Your . . . unbuilders.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay raised a hand. \u0026ldquo;Inez attacked, uh, Sparky\u0026mdash;not the other way around. I\u0026rsquo;m not sure what I believe, but like Jing-Wei said\u0026mdash;if they wanted to hurt us, they would have already, wouldn\u0026rsquo;t they?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shrugged. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t really know how to think like a murdering robot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei gave her a long, cool look. \u0026ldquo;Me either,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo much for holding off the bickering. The two of them stared at each other in a clash of wills. Seyah knew Inez wasn\u0026rsquo;t the backing-off type. The first Jing-Wei hadn\u0026rsquo;t been either.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd May was the third hardheaded variable in the mix.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah looked around the forest again. They were surrounded by plenty of land. She tried to come up with the option Holden would have suggested if he\u0026rsquo;d been here. More and more, she missed having him around.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo her surprise, thinking like Holden worked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look,\u0026rdquo; she said, playing peacemaker, \u0026ldquo;let\u0026rsquo;s compromise. Why don\u0026rsquo;t we make a camp for Jing-Wei and Sparky somewhere else? That will give us a place to talk. Neutral ground. They\u0026rsquo;ll promise not to look for our actual camp and we\u0026rsquo;ll know we can trust them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eStart\u003c/em\u003e to trust them,\u0026rdquo; Inez muttered. \u0026ldquo;And that\u0026rsquo;s a stretch. It\u0026rsquo;ll be too late if they break their word. They\u0026rsquo;ll be at our doorstep. You know what happened . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer voice broke a little. To Teddy, she meant. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t shed a single tear where anyone could see. Seyah had been watching. She suspected Inez refused to let herself cry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where would we set up camp for them?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Somewhere far from us,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, then raised her eyebrows. \u0026ldquo;I know a place.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is that okay with you?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess so.\u0026rdquo; She stood up and called out, \u0026ldquo;Sparky, follow us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMetallic claws and a spiderlike body as broad as a tree trunk emerged from foliage a dozen feet away, where it had apparently been waiting since Jing-Wei dismissed it so they could talk. The caretaker hobbled a little where Inez had chopped into one of its limbs that had been made from wood instead of metal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah had to summon all the strength of will inside her not to run at the sight of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez stood and clutched the arm she\u0026rsquo;d stripped off the caretaker that had killed Teddy. It had fast become her security weapon. Seyah had seen behavior like Inez\u0026rsquo;s before, from her dad. She sensed Inez considering whether to launch herself at Sparky again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez,\u0026rdquo; she said, \u0026ldquo;if you won\u0026rsquo;t lean on me, maybe use that as a walking stick?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez blinked at her, then at the arm. \u0026ldquo;I can walk,\u0026rdquo; she said, and hobbled forward. She raised her voice so everyone could hear. \u0026ldquo;Probable traitors, right this way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But can I make the siren go, just once?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked. She suspected that, even if her dad wouldn\u0026rsquo;t indulge her, his partner, Robbie, probably would.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re on duty,\u0026rdquo; her dad said, from behind the wheel of the police car. \u0026ldquo;You promised to behave if we let you ride along tonight.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUncle Robbie, practically a member of their family, looked through the grille into the backseat and gave her a wink. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll let you do it later.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Right now you\u0026rsquo;re a prisoner,\u0026rdquo; her dad joked. \u0026ldquo;Prisoners don\u0026rsquo;t get to turn on the siren or lights. Don\u0026rsquo;t encourage her, Rob.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thank you, Uncle Robbie,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, smiling her best smile.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How could I say no to that sweet face?\u0026rdquo; he asked her dad. \u0026ldquo;How can \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e say no to that sweet face?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad grunted in agreement and put the car in drive. \u0026ldquo;It can be hard, and she knows it. She played you, soft touch.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey, I don\u0026rsquo;t have a girl of my own to spoil yet, so my godchild gets it all.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah kicked her legs in the backseat, excited as they pulled away from the curb. She had \u003cem\u003efinally\u003c/em\u003e convinced her dad that letting her come for a ridealong was a good idea. Cops allowed them for journalists or child delinquents in need of scaring straight, so she knew it was possible, but she also knew he\u0026rsquo;d only agreed because it was for a school report. Everyone in her sixth-grade class had to do one about a parent or family member\u0026rsquo;s job. Her mom worked at a bank, but her dad was a \u003cem\u003ecop\u003c/em\u003e. Seyah could just imagine how jealous everyone would be when she read her report about \u003cem\u003ethis \u003c/em\u003eout loud.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBanks were boring, barring a robbery or something like that (which never happened in their town). Police most definitely were not.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr not \u003cem\u003eonly\u003c/em\u003e boring, anyway. Touring the station hadn\u0026rsquo;t been that thrilling, until Seyah imagined every ringing phone being someone calling in with a hot tip or desperately needing help. Then it got better. But she was still glad to be out in the car now, where something might happen that would make the other kids\u0026rsquo; jaws drop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do you think? Should we set up a speed trap?\u0026rdquo; her dad asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer eyes went wide. Speed traps sounded cool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s check out the highway around thirty-four,\u0026rdquo; Uncle Robbie said. \u0026ldquo;See if we can bring in some drunk drivers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sounds good,\u0026rdquo; her dad said. \u0026ldquo;Remember, kitten, you have to listen to whatever we tell you tonight. Our job can be unpredictable. Justice is necessary. And while\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;While peace is what we bring, it\u0026rsquo;s not always what we find,\u0026rdquo; Uncle Robbie chimed in, clearly having heard this before.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah wrote this down in her notes. Uncle Robbie and her dad had been partners for ages. He was younger than her dad, and his family was all back in Wisconsin, but he never talked about them. So Seyah\u0026rsquo;s family adopted him. He came over for the big family dinner at her grandma\u0026rsquo;s after church every Sunday, with her dad\u0026rsquo;s family, and to their weeknight dinners a couple of times a week. Her mom always made him have dessert, saying he was too thin. Seyah got to have dessert only on special occasions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs her dad steered them onto the on-ramp for the highway, he revved the engine. He must be breaking the speed limit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you \u003cem\u003esure\u003c/em\u003e we can\u0026rsquo;t turn the sirens on?\u0026rdquo; she asked, hoping to perfect the moment. It\u0026rsquo;d be just like a movie.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, John, why don\u0026rsquo;t you flip the sirens?\u0026rdquo; Uncle Robbie said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad snorted. \u0026ldquo;Boy, she has you wrapped around her little finger. I\u0026rsquo;m not going to . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut then he reached over and both the sirens and lights blared to life. Seyah sat up straighter, leaning forward with her fingers on the grille. \u0026ldquo;Yay!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad said, \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not for you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then what is it?\u0026rdquo; she asked, eager, spotting taillights ahead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Someone going way too fast,\u0026rdquo; her dad answered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot just too fast. The low red car in front of them swerved, and only when they were right on its bumper did it finally slow and ease over to the side. Her heart pounded, seemingly in time to the strobe of the lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad left them on but killed the siren, and Seyah\u0026rsquo;s breathing sounded loud in the car. \u0026ldquo;What if you have to arrest him?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad ignored her, reading the license plate into the radio, saying it was a traffic stop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen he was stepping out of the car, and so was Uncle Robbie.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you going to put him in here with me?\u0026rdquo; she asked in a small voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobbie leaned in the door. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry, honey. If we bring him in, we\u0026rsquo;ll call for another unit to pick him up. We\u0026rsquo;ll be right back. I won\u0026rsquo;t let anything scary happen. I promise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shut the door. Uncle Robbie and her dad walked over to the red car, and her dad knocked on the driver\u0026rsquo;s window and shone a flashlight in. Uncle Robbie was busy checking out the car itself, walking around it slowly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe car\u0026rsquo;s window went down and Seyah strained to see everything that was happening. It must be kind of terrifying to walk up to a stranger\u0026rsquo;s car like that. She\u0026rsquo;d never really thought about it before. Her dad must have to do a whole \u003cem\u003elist \u003c/em\u003eof scary things at his job.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, getting pulled over was probably equally scary for the person in the car. Even if it was his own fault for driving so crazy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad motioned for the guy to get out. Seyah had gathered enough from hearing stories at the dinner table to know that was hardly ever a good sign. This guy was probably going in. She wondered if he was a drunk driver.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he stepped out, she saw that he was white, with a goatee, and wearing a baggy suit. Her dad took a step back and said something to him. He probably told the guy to put his hands up, she guessed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen her dad\u0026rsquo;s hand was on his gun at his side. She couldn\u0026rsquo;t hear, but she could see his lips moving, giving the guy some order.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven from this distance, she could see the guy\u0026rsquo;s eyes were wild. The whites of them were visible. He raised his hand, and there was something in it. Something extended at her dad\u0026mdash;a handgun. He waved his arm, gesturing around in the air with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer heart stopped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer hands pressed against the grille. \u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;No.\u0026rdquo; She\u0026rsquo;d wanted excitement, but this was too much.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad pulled his weapon, fast.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe looked over at the car, clearly worrying about her, just as Uncle Robbie dove forward and a loud \u003cem\u003ebang! \u003c/em\u003esounded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then her father tackled the man and wrestled cuffs onto him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUncle Robbie lay on the ground, unmoving.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe didn\u0026rsquo;t move again\u0026mdash;not even when the ambulance came and paramedics shocked him with paddles. There was blood on the pavement when they lifted him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah would never forget what it looked like. She would never forget her dad finally letting her out of the car and folding her in his arms while she sobbed. Eventually, he guided her into the front seat\u0026mdash;Uncle Robbie\u0026rsquo;s seat\u0026mdash;and drove them home.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah, tears streaming down her cheeks again, told him, \u0026ldquo;He promised nothing scary would happen.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad hadn\u0026rsquo;t cried at all. She understood. His sorrow ran so deep that bringing it to the surface would have hurt even more. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t ready.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe felt guilty, just like Seyah did. They both knew the truth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUncle Robbie had died to keep the two of them safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir trek through the forest took place with gritted teeth and little talk. Seyah winced for Inez\u0026rsquo;s every hobbling step. Her face had taken on a grim set, but she still refused any help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum was the only one who didn\u0026rsquo;t get the silence memo. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;ve been with it this whole time?\u0026rdquo; he asked, his voice quiet and shy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;With Sparky? Yeah. Since we left the lab where I woke up,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Sparky protected me. He\u0026rsquo;s not your enemy. You\u0026rsquo;ll see.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop glancing at Jing-Wei, half wary, half in awe. Seyah could relate. It was one thing to know you\u0026rsquo;d died in your previous life, or at least been brought here right at the moment of death. It was another to see someone who\u0026rsquo;d done that and then died \u003cem\u003eagain \u003c/em\u003eshow up in a whole new body with no memory of the first time around. For that matter, how did they know this new Jing-Wei had the kind of memories they did of their lives before? Or that any of them hadn\u0026rsquo;t been through the same thing? What if they were all on their third or fourth or hundredth spin in the future, some horrible loop? Thinking about it made Seyah\u0026rsquo;s head hurt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You do remember things though?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked, hoping it would confirm that Jing-Wei was more like them than different. \u0026ldquo;From when you were alive before?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei nodded. \u0026ldquo;We all died there, right? We all have our memories. We all . . . miss it. The people we knew.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah pictured her parents and then, without meaning to, Holden. \u0026ldquo;I do.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Enough chitchat,\u0026rdquo; Inez barked, a rasp in her voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah knew Inez must be thinking of Teddy again. They had people to miss from their old lives\u0026mdash;and now these new ones.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re here.\u0026rdquo; Inez stepped to one side of some scrubby underbrush surrounded by trees. A hillside curved up in front of them. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t an inviting campsite, but it \u003cem\u003ewas \u003c/em\u003ea long way from theirs. Seyah had never seen this area before.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You want us to sleep on a slope?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei frowned. \u0026ldquo;I mean, I could probably rig something up . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum shot her a disappointed look.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is it okay, safety-wise, leaving them out here alone?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian asked. He had on some of the eyeliner that he and Amelia had brought from Arcadia. Seyah noticed now that they were holding hands. Interesting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez snorted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut surprisingly it was May who spoke up this time. \u0026ldquo;She has a caretaker to look after her.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re the ones who need protecting,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei ignored this, but glanced at Sparky, and Seyah wondered if she was communicating with the robot right then. Whatever the case, the caretaker hung back, keeping its distance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This will be fine,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Thank you.\u0026rdquo; She turned back to face them all, but it was Inez she spoke to. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not your enemy either.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez bit her lip. Then she asked, \u0026ldquo;Look, when they brought you back\u0026mdash;are you \u003cem\u003esure\u003c/em\u003e you\u0026rsquo;re the only one?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s brow furrowed. \u0026ldquo;What do you mean?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez pressed on. \u0026ldquo;Would it be possible to bring someone else back? There was no one else there?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah put her hand on Inez\u0026rsquo;s arm. \u0026ldquo;You asked already.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe she didn\u0026rsquo;t know the names,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, her lips pressing tightly together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t see anyone else,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. Her forehead wrinkled. \u0026ldquo;There aren\u0026rsquo;t any copies of you guys, if that\u0026rsquo;s what you mean. Just me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not asking about copies of me,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Of us. Not exactly. I want to know if maybe . . .\u0026rdquo; Inez shook her head. She couldn\u0026rsquo;t say his name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You mean Teddy,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re asking if there\u0026rsquo;s a copy of him out there? Or if it\u0026rsquo;s possible to make one?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez didn\u0026rsquo;t want to talk about this, that much was plain. But it seemed that she couldn\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003enot \u003c/em\u003eask either. Seyah ached for her. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026mdash;we\u0026mdash;lost a friend a few weeks ago,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Could these caretakers you claim are good bring him back? Could Sparky?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei stayed solemn as she shook her head. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry about your friend. The keepers who could, they\u0026rsquo;re gone now. They\u0026rsquo;re the ones who died. Sparky doesn\u0026rsquo;t . . . That part of their lab, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t what Sparky worked on . . . And it\u0026rsquo;s gone too now. The bad keepers destroyed it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay. Got it. For the record, I still consider all caretakers bad,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Caretakers, then,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;But the keepers aren\u0026rsquo;t bad.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry if \u003cem\u003eI\u003c/em\u003e don\u0026rsquo;t take your word for it.\u0026rdquo; Inez whirled around and hobbled away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where are you going?\u0026rdquo; May called.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;To camp. Let the whiz kid get settled. We\u0026rsquo;ll come back later.\u0026rdquo; Inez paused and sighed, though she didn\u0026rsquo;t bother looking at them. \u0026ldquo;If that\u0026rsquo;s all right with everyone?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were supposed to make decisions as a group. That was what had driven them to split up with the others in the first place\u0026mdash;Holden making the call to shut off Arcadia without consulting anyone, and the messy result. Inez could be bossy, but she would never compromise on her principles. It was one of the things Seyah liked best about her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah nodded so the others could see, and put her hands in a prayer position, pleading with them to agree. Inez would be hurting in more ways than one after having discussed Teddy, even in a veiled way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; May said. Then, quieter, to Seyah, \u0026ldquo;Go talk to her. She has to get past this, somehow. It\u0026rsquo;s . . . not good for her. Or for anyone. We need her back. Now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah nodded again, realizing that Jing-Wei watched all this with rapt attention. She didn\u0026rsquo;t know if Jing-Wei was dangerous or not, but she didn\u0026rsquo;t like Inez\u0026rsquo;s vulnerabilities being on display to a stranger. Especially when Inez never openly acknowledged having any.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay. I\u0026rsquo;ll catch up with her. You guys will come along behind us?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sure Gabe knows the way.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah wove through the trees in the direction Inez had gone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe knew what her dad would have said\u0026mdash;that he\u0026rsquo;d had it with Inez\u0026rsquo;s attitude. She\u0026rsquo;d basically been shutting everyone out since they\u0026rsquo;d settled in here. But no one more so than Seyah. That was one reason Seyah had volunteered to go out on patrol with her in the first place\u0026mdash;and then they\u0026rsquo;d encountered Jing-Wei and Sparky. But although Inez had been distant, she still wore the cross necklace Seyah had given her for Christmas. That must mean something.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoss might happen quickly, but coming to terms with it could slow time down to a crawl. Seyah knew that, intimately.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez had slowed down once she\u0026rsquo;d gotten out of sight of everyone. Which meant that Seyah caught her easily after a minute of tromping through the woods. She scooped her arm under Inez\u0026rsquo;s free one\u0026mdash;the other still clutched the caretaker arm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are you doing?\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m helping you, so stop being a jerk,\u0026rdquo; Seyah answered. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s get back to camp so you can take the weight off your ankle and we can see how much worse you\u0026rsquo;ve made it. You do know that walking on a sprain is not exactly recommended, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll be fine,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, her voice hoarse. \u0026ldquo;Besides, who wants to hang out with a jerk? Don\u0026rsquo;t you want to catch up with your old pal and her murderbot?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This idiot likes this jerk,\u0026rdquo; Seyah answered. \u0026ldquo;And, yes, I do want to hear what she has to say, but I\u0026rsquo;m on your side, Inez.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez relaxed a little, leaning more on Seyah. \u003cem\u003eFinally. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What you asked back there . . . that must have been hard,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sound of water got closer as they approached a cliff that overlooked a river.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It was a stupid thing to ask. I\u0026rsquo;m not thinking straight,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;I need to get my head back on right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think it was stupid. But, um, I agree with the head part,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. \u0026ldquo;Maybe if you talked about it. With me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez stiffened against Seyah. \u0026ldquo;It.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe word was flat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What happened to Teddy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s nothing to discuss. I didn\u0026rsquo;t look out for him well enough. I let it happen,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;But I just . . . I don\u0026rsquo;t understand. Why does Jing-Wei get a second chance but not Teddy? So yeah, I\u0026rsquo;m a terrible person. I let my friend die, and for a few seconds there I thought maybe I could get him back. I can\u0026rsquo;t. End of story.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think so.\u0026rdquo; Seyah stepped in front of Inez, forcing the other girl to face her. Inez stopped short to keep from bumping into her. \u0026ldquo;The story\u0026rsquo;s still going,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said quietly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Leave it alone,\u0026rdquo; Inez said before she moved around Seyah.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry, I can\u0026rsquo;t do that,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, following.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seyah . . . I can\u0026rsquo;t afford to be distracted . . . not again. Our lives depend on it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re being an ass,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, which was what she felt certain Inez would tell her if the situation were reversed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now you understand me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;God, stop it,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. \u0026ldquo;Just stop. We\u0026rsquo;re all worried about you. We all care about you. We all lost Teddy too. People aren\u0026rsquo;t distractions.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, \u0026ldquo;but caring about them too much sure is.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah felt like she\u0026rsquo;d been punched in the heart.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then Inez made it worse. Stopping, she leaned the caretaker arm against a tree trunk and then reached behind her neck. Her face expressionless, she took off the little golden cross necklace and held it out to Seyah. It dangled between them like a divider of the past and the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah no choice but to take it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez turned and hobbled ahead through the trees. Seyah followed her all the way back to their camp, but at a distance. She understood what Inez was doing. She even understood why, that it was the pain and blame she directed at herself for Teddy\u0026rsquo;s death making her act this way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill. The fact remained that Inez had pushed her away again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd this time it had worked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah saw everything through a fog on the drive with her mom to the cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sheer size of the outpouring of grief over Robbie\u0026rsquo;s death in the line of duty made the sadness of the people who\u0026rsquo;d known him feel more intimate, lonelier. The world mourned Robbie as an officer, but she mourned him as Uncle Robbie. She clung to her memories of him. Others described his bravery and heroism every day, how much longer his career should have been. But Seyah mostly couldn\u0026rsquo;t believe he\u0026rsquo;d never grin at her again. That he\u0026rsquo;d never bring her a chocolate milk shake as a pre-dinner special treat again, even though her mom would give him a hard time about it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe funeral had already been an all-day affair\u0026mdash;the mayor of their town, the police captain, a distant cousin of Robbie\u0026rsquo;s Seyah had never heard of, and Seyah\u0026rsquo;s father had all spoken at the nearly two-hour-long service, along with two different preachers. The crowd had been standing-room only, filled, of course, with police in uniform, as well as lots of community folks. The caravan to the gravesite was a seemingly unending line of police cars and mourners.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe man who\u0026rsquo;d shot Uncle Robbie was a club owner who was into things no one would talk about in front of Seyah. All they\u0026rsquo;d tell her was that he was going to jail for a long time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir police force was relatively small, but officers from nearby towns and across the state had shown up. Some volunteered as part of the honor guard, and others had been performing casket watch 24/7 for the last few days. Seyah\u0026rsquo;s dad was a pallbearer, so he was in a separate car. There was a dish filled with halvah in the back to take to a big potluck at the captain\u0026rsquo;s afterward, a Persian sweet Seyah liked but which her mother only made for funerals. She wondered if she\u0026rsquo;d even be able to stomach it today.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUncle Robbie would have loved it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is Dad going to be all right?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer mother didn\u0026rsquo;t respond right away. She pursed her lips, thoughtful, fingers tightening on the steering wheel. Mascara dotted her cheek beneath the eye Seyah could see.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How could I have let that happen? With Seyah in the car?\u0026rdquo; he\u0026rsquo;d said to her mom the night before while Seyah had eavesdropped on the stairs, peeking through the railing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know,\u0026rdquo; she\u0026rsquo;d said, \u0026ldquo;but she\u0026rsquo;s a strong girl.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe\u0026rsquo;d put his head in his hands. \u0026ldquo;Do you think I was distracted? Is that why it happened?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shhh,\u0026rdquo; her mom had replied, and made the same comforting noises she made when Seyah was distressed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad \u003cem\u003estill\u003c/em\u003e hadn\u0026rsquo;t cried, so far as she knew. Seyah had cried enough for both of them, and so had her mom. But it worried Seyah . . . As much as she loved Uncle Robbie, she knew her dad loved him more. Her dad had been in the car with him every day. They were partners. They had called each other brother, and she knew they\u0026rsquo;d meant it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer mother stayed silent while she parked the car; they had a place near the front.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, she turned to look at Seyah. \u0026ldquo;Dad will be okay. He has us, so he\u0026rsquo;ll have to be,\u0026rdquo; her mom said. And, repeating a common sentiment from the past week, she added, \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m so sorry you had to see it happen.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah was sorry too. Would she ever be able to close her eyes and not imagine it? Would she ever be able to not imagine her dad in place of Uncle Robbie every time he left for work?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut those things were crowded out by concern for her dad. What must \u003cem\u003ehe\u003c/em\u003e see that he wished he could stop picturing?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe and her mom waited until the entire procession had arrived before they got out of the car. The day was a spring dream, the tombstones surrounded by green grass and blooming flowers and pale blue sky. Bagpipers struck up \u0026ldquo;Amazing Grace,\u0026rdquo; loud and harsh but somehow still beautiful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScanning, she spotted her dad holding on to the side of the flag-draped casket as he and the other pallbearers carried it to the gravesite. Police officers stood at attention along the route.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUncle Robbie\u0026rsquo;s mother and father were here, having flown in from Wisconsin the day before. Other than the cousin, that was it for his family. Robbie\u0026rsquo;s mother reached out for Seyah\u0026rsquo;s mother\u0026rsquo;s hand, and they both held on tightly as they walked to the reserved seating under a small tent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad\u0026rsquo;s face was trained straight ahead. He and the other officers, mostly men Seyah recognized, placed the long coffin with Uncle Robbie\u0026rsquo;s body in it next to a waiting grave just in front of the seats. The honor guard was set up behind it, under the blue sky, with a large bell beside them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the pallbearers finished with the casket, they moved to stand at attention in a line.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last preacher from the service said a few words, and then an officer began to ring the bell with slow, regular pulls. With each ring, one of the pallbearers saluted, and once they had all saluted, they began to kneel as the rings went on. Seyah counted, the ringing like a strike against her heart. Twenty-one times. Finally the pallbearers rose and saluted once more as the bell stilled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree men fired long rifles together, three times. \u003cem\u003eCrack, crack, crack. \u003c/em\u003eFor duty, for honor, for country.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, at last, a speaker crackled with static and then blared with the noise of a radio call. \u0026ldquo;Calling 7531, 7531,\u0026rdquo; a woman said. There was silence, and then the voice spoke again. \u0026ldquo;No response from 7531. Officer Robert Powell is unable to respond. The Whitfield Police Department is grateful for Officer Powell\u0026rsquo;s four and half years of service. On April tenth at seven forty-five p.m., he made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his partner. So ends the watch of Officer Powell, who can rest knowing we will respond in his stead. Rest in peace, friend.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah was crying again. Through the blurry veil of her own tears, she saw one shining tear slip down her father\u0026rsquo;s cheek.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the flag was folded and ceremonially presented to Uncle Robbie\u0026rsquo;s mother, and her father was able to be at rest and join them, her mother tried to give him a hug and her father refused it. He had too much to drink at the potluck and slept all the way on their drive up to Niagara afterward. Her mom thought a weekend trip in nature would help him heal. But as soon as they arrived and checked in to the little cabin they had rented near Devil\u0026rsquo;s Hole State Park, he\u0026rsquo;d collapsed on the couch. Seyah watched from a crack in the door of her bedroom as her mother pulled a fuzzy throw over him. Her expression reflected Seyah\u0026rsquo;s own worry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne tear wasn\u0026rsquo;t enough to ease such pain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter they\u0026rsquo;d made it through the chaos of fleeing Arcadia, the entire group had recognized the unmistakable landmark of Niagara Falls on the map to Sanctuary\u0026mdash;the first time they\u0026rsquo;d had a real clue where they were. It was off to the side of the X that marked the spot. But Inez had stabbed her finger at the falls anyway: \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s where we should go. There\u0026rsquo;ll be water there, places to make camp. We shouldn\u0026rsquo;t march into certain death. Again. Anyone who wants to stay alive, recover from that horror show, raise your hands and let\u0026rsquo;s get going.\u0026rdquo; Then she\u0026rsquo;d thrown the disk with the Sanctuary map at Holden, who was just as determined to follow it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah had decided to stick with Inez, along with some others. Holden had his own loyalists, and they were willing to gamble on his new plan and forgive him. Seyah wasn\u0026rsquo;t angry with him, not exactly, though she hadn\u0026rsquo;t gotten to tell him that. If she was honest with herself, the main reason she\u0026rsquo;d chosen to stay behind was that Inez would need her. Inez had lost Teddy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo much for her being able to help Inez with that. But she would keep trying.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Seyah got back to camp, it seemed oddly peaceful considering the upheaval of the day. The ambient noise of the rushing river, the wind breezing by through the tall trees on the hillside, the high-pitched calls from the strange birds that occasionally swooped down to pluck oversized fish right out of the water. The wide mouth of the big cave where they slept, a makeshift fire pit out front, their remaining supplies from Arcadia hanging from the nearest, lowest tree branches.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez had to be in the cave, because Seyah didn\u0026rsquo;t see her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah bent as she made her way into the cave. It was only about five feet high, but it went back a considerable way. Sections of the walls were covered with the faint ghosts of graffiti. Every part of her stayed conscious of the necklace in her jeans pocket.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez sat against the cave wall halfway back, near where she usually slept. She\u0026rsquo;d gotten the shoe off her injured foot, and her eyes were closed. Steeling herself to be lashed out at again, Seyah moved in to assess the ankle situation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez didn\u0026rsquo;t open her eyes, but she said, \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t get the sock off. It hurts too much.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay.\u0026rdquo; Seyah crouched next to her and didn\u0026rsquo;t quite manage to hide a gasp at the egg-sized lump visible through the sock on the side of Inez\u0026rsquo;s right ankle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I told you I\u0026rsquo;m a stupid idiot,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not a stupid idiot.\u0026rdquo; Seyah paused. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re a smart idiot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez opened her eyes to roll them, and almost smiled. A small victory. So why did it sting this much? Right, the necklace in her pocket. That was why.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is going to hurt,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez squeezed handfuls of her T-shirt, balling her hands into fists. Her face scrunched up in anticipation of the hurt to come. Seyah lifted Inez\u0026rsquo;s foot and pulled back the sock. She placed her foot gingerly onto the rock.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not so bad?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m still alive.\u0026rdquo; Inez leaned forward to see the damage. Her tone hadn\u0026rsquo;t made it clear whether she thought the alive part was good or bad.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Definitely a sprain,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;One of my little cousins was always twisting her ankle back home,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m a pro at wrapping them. I can use the sock.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah considered offering to do it for her, but stood. \u0026ldquo;All right. Best you can do without ice.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez nodded. \u0026ldquo;Seyah . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah hesitated. \u0026ldquo;Yes?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe waited, not wanting to expect Inez to apologize or take back what she\u0026rsquo;d said\u0026mdash;but expecting it anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTough luck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nothing. I\u0026rsquo;ll be out in a few. We should all talk. I know Jing-Wei is familiar to you all, but she has a\u003cem\u003e caretaker\u003c/em\u003e. And she doesn\u0026rsquo;t even seem to be the same person you knew. We have to be careful.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know.\u0026rdquo; Seyah wasn\u0026rsquo;t a stupid idiot either. \u0026ldquo;We all know.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeaking of, Seyah made her way out of the cave to see the others returning from the forest. Hyrum and Alex were in front, followed by Gabe and May, then Amelia and Sebastian, who were \u003cem\u003estill \u003c/em\u003eholding hands. In tacit agreement, everyone settled down on rocks or the ground around the fire pit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She okay?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, and kept herself from reaching into her pocket to touch the necklace. \u0026ldquo;But the sprain\u0026rsquo;s just a sprain.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are we going to do?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked. His hands were clasped together. \u0026ldquo;We believe her . . . Jing-Wei, right? Or . . . ?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez hopped out of the cave and took the nearest open spot on the ground. She still had the claw with her. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m hurt you started discussing without me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;How\u0026rsquo;s your ankle?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A reminder of this mortal coil.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t be sorry, Hyrum.\u0026rdquo; Gabe this time. \u0026ldquo;Inez, you didn\u0026rsquo;t know her before. It\u0026rsquo;s different for us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay traced a circle in the dirt with her shoe. \u0026ldquo;It is, and it isn\u0026rsquo;t. She doesn\u0026rsquo;t know us. She only knows we\u0026rsquo;re humans. As far as we can tell, the last ones on Earth.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you really think that?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum rocked back on his heels.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;Maybe.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmelia leaned back against Sebastian, who sat on a rock. He had a hand in her hair.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGlad someone\u0026rsquo;s hooking up, \u003c/em\u003eSeyah thought\u003cem\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e She refused to follow the thought by looking at Inez. Even when Inez spoke next. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know what I think anymore. You\u0026rsquo;re all acting like she was perfect before. She couldn\u0026rsquo;t have been. What flaws do I need to know about?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s brilliant,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;She can make things.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez sat forward, and Seyah realized she\u0026rsquo;d looked at her after all. \u0026ldquo;Could she \u0026lsquo;make\u0026rsquo; a robot listen to her? What if this is Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s evil twin?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It could be,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s tempting to believe her, and the devil tempts.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If she wanted to tempt us, she would have brought back Teddy,\u0026rdquo; Amelia said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven Alex flinched.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Leave him out of this,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re going in circles again,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. She thought back. \u0026ldquo;Okay . . . flaws. Jing-Wei could definitely get set on things. Like, she wanted to build the shelters when we first got here. If we\u0026rsquo;d taken off, we might not have been attacked.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;See!\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;That didn\u0026rsquo;t turn out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It turned out okay for \u003cem\u003eher\u003c/em\u003e in the end, I guess,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s still alive. Sort of. Or alive again.\u0026rdquo; She shook her head. \u0026ldquo;But not Wesley. I think we\u0026rsquo;re asking the wrong questions. What reason would she have to hurt us? She\u0026rsquo;s human too, isn\u0026rsquo;t she?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s a question for her,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;She can talk to the caretakers now. What does that mean? Why would they want to talk to us?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Between death or cake,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d guess death.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They didn\u0026rsquo;t bring us back to life to kill us,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But that still seems to be the result,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;One by one, we\u0026rsquo;re being picked off.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum\u0026rsquo;s eyes were big. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s being over-the-top,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said to him, shooting a don\u0026rsquo;t-scare-the-baby look at Inez. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay, Hy. Anyway, if there\u0026rsquo;s a chance . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Of cake?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah shook her head. \u0026ldquo;We should hear Jing-Wei out. Without being defensive, without rejecting what she has to say out of hand. We could \u003cem\u003euse\u003c/em\u003e information about why we\u0026rsquo;re here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m here to make sure no one else gets killed,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe words lay heavy between all of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You can\u0026rsquo;t do that,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said, finally. He added, \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think any of us can.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cheerful thought,\u0026rdquo; Alex said morosely.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Isn\u0026rsquo;t it?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked. Her head dipped, then back came up. \u0026ldquo;I know when I have to bow to the will of the group. I might not like this, but . . . Everyone eat something, then we\u0026rsquo;ll go back over. Maybe we can pull the truth out of Jing-Wei about what she\u0026rsquo;s really doing here. But you all are my first concern. If that murderbot wants to hurt you, I\u0026rsquo;ll do everything I can to take it out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah made a mental note that Inez had said she\u0026rsquo;d protect \u003cem\u003ethem\u003c/em\u003e from Sparky, not herself. She put up a front of hardness, but she was all about other people. It was dangerous, though: Beating herself up for not saving Teddy meant she couldn\u0026rsquo;t accept what had actually happened. And Inez not thinking clearly could threaten them as much as any caretaker.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEveryone set about dividing up the dwindling rations and taking some of the berries Sebastian and Amelia had gathered that morning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah looked around at Devil\u0026rsquo;s Hole. She\u0026rsquo;d told the rest of the group that this was a cave she\u0026rsquo;d visited on a family vacation\u0026mdash;she hadn\u0026rsquo;t felt the need to delve into the circumstances around the family trip \u003cem\u003eor\u003c/em\u003e the locale\u0026rsquo;s grim history.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she remembered her mom telling her about the many people who had died here in the long-ago past, British soldiers trying to steal into Seneca territory. They\u0026rsquo;d paid for it with their lives\u0026mdash;they\u0026rsquo;d been massacred. She only hoped their group wasn\u0026rsquo;t cursed to suffer more grisly death too.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that Jing-Wei wasn\u0026rsquo;t either.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah perched on a coffee table across from where her dad slept on the couch, and waited for him to wake up. He was still in his dress uniform from the day before, his gun in his holster.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dad?\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe grumbled, keeping his eyes closed..\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah reached out to carefully tap his shoulder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad jumped up, feet on the floor and his hand on his weapon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dad, it\u0026rsquo;s me!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe blinked at Seyah. \u0026ldquo;Honey, I\u0026rsquo;m . . . I\u0026rsquo;m sorry . . .\u0026rdquo; He winced and sank back to the couch. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t mean to scare you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay,\u0026rdquo; she said. She extended her hand. Her mom had given her three round magenta ibuprofen tablets and a glass of water to bring him. \u0026ldquo;Mom said you should take these. You\u0026rsquo;ll feel better.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ha,\u0026rdquo; he said, as if there was no way. He accepted the tablets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dad . . .\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, honey?\u0026rdquo; He gave a thin smile. \u0026ldquo;I, um, guess I fell asleep when we got here. What time is it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe heard Uncle Robbie\u0026rsquo;s reassurance echo in her head. \u003cem\u003eI won\u0026rsquo;t let anything scary happen.\u003c/em\u003e But she was scared . . . for her dad.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Eleven. Mom said to let you sleep, that you needed it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe started to stand up again, but Seyah moved over to sit beside him on the couch. She put her hand on his arm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat pounding of her heart got louder in her ears, but she spoke over it. \u0026ldquo;I was there too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know, honey,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll never forget. I wish I could\u0026rsquo;ve kept you from seeing it, from being there . . . You shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have had to watch Uncle Robbie\u0026mdash; It shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have happened. I should have protected him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was new. Of all the things she\u0026rsquo;d overheard in the past few days, this was one she hadn\u0026rsquo;t heard before. But it was one she\u0026rsquo;d begun to suspect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You mean you don\u0026rsquo;t think he should\u0026rsquo;ve dived in front of the bullet?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked slowly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad\u0026rsquo;s eyes were dry. Still.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was the senior partner. I should\u0026rsquo;ve seen what was happening and taken care of it. He should still be here. That\u0026rsquo;s on me.\u0026rdquo; It was almost like he was saying it to himself, not to her. Then he seemed to visibly remember she was there. He gave her a small, phony smile. \u0026ldquo;You shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be worried about this though. It was a nice service yesterday, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It was,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;But you\u0026rsquo;re wrong.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe gave her a long look. \u0026ldquo;About what?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;About that night. About what happened.\u0026rdquo; She had never talked to her dad like this. Her heart drummed, but she went on. She felt . . . brave. \u0026ldquo;About Uncle Robbie.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe frowned at her. \u0026ldquo;How do you mean?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I mean that we were his family. Here, anyway. He didn\u0026rsquo;t really have anyone else. He did it to save us . . . He meant to do it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad shook his head. \u0026ldquo;He shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have had to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dad, you always say anything can happen out there, right? That the job is unpredictable. You say justice is necessary. And while peace is what you bring, it\u0026rsquo;s not always what you find.\u0026rdquo; She remembered writing that down in her report notes, right before he\u0026rsquo;d turned on the sirens that night. Her teacher had told her she didn\u0026rsquo;t have to do the assignment, after what happened. \u0026ldquo;I think . . . I think Uncle Robbie knew exactly what he was doing. It doesn\u0026rsquo;t make it less sad . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tear slipped down her dad\u0026rsquo;s cheek as she talked. He kept watching her, blinking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It will always be sad. But we should let it mean what he would\u0026rsquo;ve wanted it to, shouldn\u0026rsquo;t we? He told me nothing scary would happen, and that part was a lie. It was scary, seeing what happened, losing him . . . But it was his choice. His decision. He did the heroic thing because he wanted to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad continued to blink, and more tears came now. He pulled her in for a hug, and she could feel his shoulders shaking. \u0026ldquo;He was a brave idiot, your uncle Robbie,\u0026rdquo; he said, \u0026ldquo;so I guess that means you\u0026rsquo;re right. You\u0026rsquo;re a pretty smart girl, Seyah, my love.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat night he slept in the same room with her mother for the first time since the accident. The silence in the cabin felt fragile, and she knew when they got home that the chair Uncle Robbie used to take at the table would always feel empty. But she also knew their house would feel like home again. Welcoming, like family.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group set out together to go visit Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp with enough time to get back to the cave before dark. Of course, everyone had been on high alert all afternoon, and night watch would be no joke. They were aware that Sparky and Jing-Wei might ambush them. But Seyah prayed that maybe, maybe talking to Jing-Wei would make matters better instead of worse.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah was confident that the only way that could be true would be if Inez was willing hear Jing-Wei out. So, with one hand on the necklace still in her pocket, Seyah reached with her other to tug on Inez\u0026rsquo;s shirt. Inez, who was using her weapon as a walking stick. \u0026ldquo;Can I talk to you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe heard her question and turned to catch her eye. She waved him off. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll catch up in a minute. She needs to walk slower anyway.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I do not, Mom,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not your mom.\u0026rdquo; Seyah twinged at the thought of her own mom. She wondered what Inez\u0026rsquo;s had been like. Hopefully they\u0026rsquo;d someday be back on terms where she could ask her. Someday soon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not like I can run away at the moment,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, her voice low.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rest of the group continued on and could still be seen ahead as Inez and Seyah navigated the trees. Branches brushed against Seyah\u0026rsquo;s arms and legs as she and Inez started to walk again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, putting on a brave face like she had with her dad after Uncle Robbie had died.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez\u0026rsquo;s eyes were shiny when she looked over\u0026mdash;but it was all anger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t want your pity,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. Her voice shook.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um, I\u0026rsquo;ve never offered it,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, fighting to keep her own voice steady. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t feel sorry for you . . . I mean, other than how I feel sorry for all of us. Teddy was probably the best off of us all. If what you said is true, he didn\u0026rsquo;t even think this was real.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez had gone still. \u0026ldquo;He thought that because I didn\u0026rsquo;t convince him otherwise. Don\u0026rsquo;t you understand? He only did what he did because \u003cem\u003eI \u003c/em\u003elet him believe a lie.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBingo. Seyah had guessed that this was the root of Inez\u0026rsquo;s pain. And now that she\u0026rsquo;d found it, she held on to the piece of faulty logic and pulled. \u0026ldquo;Inez,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, taking a slow step and watching as Inez did the same, \u0026ldquo;do you really think you could\u0026rsquo;ve convinced him?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis wasn\u0026rsquo;t nearly as scary as sitting next to her dad at twelve, being afraid she\u0026rsquo;d lost him. But in some ways, it was more so. They were trapped here, and she didn\u0026rsquo;t want to be alone. She didn\u0026rsquo;t want any of them to be here alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t know how Jing-Wei fit in, or if she would, but the group was becoming a family. A real pain-in-the-ass one. Seyah might be the only one who saw it that way, but . . . she believed it. Now she just had to make Inez believe it too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Even if you had convinced him,\u0026rdquo; Seyah continued, \u0026ldquo;he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have done things differently. He loved you. He called you the best part of him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez blinked at her. Her next words were softer. \u0026ldquo;How . . . how do you know that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He told me that once. He told me I was his gift to you too,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, and she couldn\u0026rsquo;t keep from smiling at the memory. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t know what he meant at the time. It was just weird. I thought maybe he was goofing around. I said maybe you were a gift to me, in that case. I wanted to see how he\u0026rsquo;d react. You know what he said?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shook her head. \u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He said for me to let him have his illusions. That he liked thinking about you being happy because of him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez put down her prized weapon, the long, shiny metal arm, at the ground by her feet. When she straightened, wobbling a little, she turned and put her hands on Seyah\u0026rsquo;s shoulders and looked straight in her eyes. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not making that up?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I would never do that.\u0026rdquo; Seyah reached out and brushed a strand of hair off Inez\u0026rsquo;s cheek. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s the truth. He gave his life for yours\u0026mdash;for ours. You can\u0026rsquo;t stop someone who wants to make that sacrifice, and it\u0026rsquo;s not your place to. You\u0026rsquo;d have done the same for him. It was Teddy\u0026rsquo;s choice.\u0026rdquo; Seyah swallowed. \u0026ldquo;His decision. You have to respect that. Let him die a hero, like he wanted.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez took a shuddering breath, her lips parted, and then she collapsed forward into Seyah with a single wrenching sob. Seyah curled her arms around Inez and let her cry as she kept an eye on the woods around them. They needed to get going, catch up to the rest of the group. But she refused to rush this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, Inez pushed back and took a deep inhale to clear her nose. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no time for this. We have to catch up to the others, in case anything happens,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;We have the best weapon.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; Seyah agreed. \u0026ldquo;But you\u0026rsquo;re going to hear Jing-Wei out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. She squeezed Seyah\u0026rsquo;s hands in hers. \u0026ldquo;Okay. But I\u0026rsquo;m always going to protect my family, too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And yourself?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez gave her a crooked grin. Seyah felt it in her heart. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll do my best,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;But I know you\u0026rsquo;ve got my back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez released Seyah\u0026rsquo;s hands and picked up the caretaker arm, then reached out for Seyah to steady herself. \u0026ldquo;Um, you know before . . . when I gave you back the necklace . . .\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry.\u0026rdquo; Her cheeks were flushed from the tears, and maybe from embarrassment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Close your eyes,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t have time.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Two seconds. We\u0026rsquo;ll hurry. You can lean on me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Two seconds.\u0026rdquo; Inez closed her eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah reached into her pocket and pulled out the necklace. She slowly reached around Inez\u0026rsquo;s neck and latched the clasp, her fingers brushing against skin. Inez\u0026rsquo;s eyes popped open again. Seyah froze in place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir gazes held for a long moment. Her fingers where they still touched Inez\u0026rsquo;s skin felt like a matchstick striking. Hot as flame.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah wanted to lean forward. She wanted Inez to lean forward. She wanted to kiss her again. Or to be kissed. Or both.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe wanted them kissing each other. Again. Now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez exhaled and shook her head. \u0026ldquo;We have to go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said with regret, finally dropping her hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe looped her arm under Inez\u0026rsquo;s left one. They made faster progress now that Inez was willing to accept Seyah\u0026rsquo;s support, and still using the caretaker arm as a makeshift walking stick on her other side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rest of their friends had stopped to wait before they made it into Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp proper. \u0026ldquo;Good,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay looked the two of them up and down. She nodded to Inez, no doubt taking in her red-rimmed eyes, and touched her shoulder. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re all on the same side. You know that, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez gave May a tentative smile. \u0026ldquo;I was reminded.\u0026rdquo; She found Hyrum, lingering close to Gabe. \u0026ldquo;Sorry if I\u0026rsquo;ve been freaking you out, Hy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum blushed and nodded. \u0026ldquo;I miss him too,\u0026rdquo; he mumbled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, and there was no anger left in it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Everyone ready?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmelia snort-laughed in a humorless way. \u0026ldquo;Not really, but do we have a choice?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s go then,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe stepped aside to let her and Inez walk in front, which Seyah thought was a sweet gesture on his part. Inez was still Inez, after all. If they had to walk into danger, she\u0026rsquo;d always want to be the one to face it first.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah noticed that Inez gripped her weapon tighter. Her limp was subtler now, and Seyah suspected it was because she didn\u0026rsquo;t want to look weak in front of Jing-Wei and Sparky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they stepped through the brush into Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s hillside camp, they found Jing-Wei and Sparky waiting beside a small fire. The smell of cooking fish rose in the air.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scene was cozy. \u003cem\u003eThat is\u003c/em\u003e, Seyah thought, \u003cem\u003eif the sight of a girl hanging out with a killer robot didn\u0026rsquo;t terrify you\u003c/em\u003e. It did terrify Seyah. It proved even more unsettling than their first encounter had been. This was . . . domestic. If Jing-Wei was wrong about Sparky\u0026rsquo;s motives, even if \u003cem\u003eshe\u003c/em\u003e was still good, how would they ever convince her of that? When she was used to sitting around a fire, making food together, a girl and her robot friend?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked up and then stood. Sparky moved a big rock from the center of the fire with one long claw and zero effort, and Seyah\u0026rsquo;s breath came a little shallower.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s just making sure my dinner doesn\u0026rsquo;t burn,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Not that he really understands food. Most of what they fed me were gross protein bars.\u0026rdquo; She made a face. \u0026ldquo;I wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure if you guys would take off or come back . . . Anyway, I made a fishing spear.\u0026rdquo; She pointed to where it lay by the fire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez\u0026rsquo;s hand flexed on the caretaker arm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s casual manner didn\u0026rsquo;t make this any less scary to grapple with.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir group made a kind of half circle around her, and Seyah knew she wasn\u0026rsquo;t the only one doing the math on their chances if the caretaker came at them. If this \u003cem\u003ewas \u003c/em\u003esome kind of trap.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t see any reason to stand here discussing fishing strategies. Why\u0026rsquo;d they bring you back? They must have told you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay stepped forward, stopping next to Inez. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei, can you tell us anything . . . helpful? We want to trust you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei squinted. Sparky stood motionless behind her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think so,\u0026rdquo; she said. She took a deep breath. \u0026ldquo;I think . . . I think they brought us back because we have a job to do.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s something that needs doing,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;And \u003cem\u003ewe\u003c/em\u003e have to do it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group was surprised by Jing-Wei’s reappearance, and didn’t know whether they could trust her…or her caretaker friend. Seyah and Inez grew closer. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.170","slug":"ReMade-S2E03","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E03.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E3.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E3.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E3.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 3"},{"id":"59becc3dfec9fa00017f57e3","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":4,"title":"Save Point","released_date":"2017-12-06T12:53:35.783+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"A new face","byline":"E.C. Myers","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E4_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2017-12-06","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLoki slowly surveyed the area surrounding Sanctuary, just in case more caretakers were lurking around. But since he and the others had defeated the two robots guarding the bunker, all was quiet. And cold. The adrenaline rush from the battle and their victory had worn off, and now all he felt was tired and anxious. Even if there were more caretakers out there, he didn\u0026rsquo;t think the group could handle them right now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita locked eyes with him for a moment and smiled. That silent exchange gave him the burst of energy he needed\u0026mdash;way better than a cup of coffee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe missed coffee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFocus,\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought. He turned back to the featureless metal door as Holden reached for the glowing blue hand scanner. Loki tensed and tightened his grip on the laser bazooka he\u0026rsquo;d claimed from one of the broken caretakers, readying himself for whatever might come charging out at them: another group of caretakers, a starving army of C.H.U.D.s, a swarm of spider-bats. \u003cem\u003ePlease don\u0026rsquo;t be spider-bats.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pressed his palm against the scanner and it flashed green. Loki stepped back reflexively as the door shot up lightning quick, with a thud that echoed deep inside Sanctuary. If the occupants didn\u0026rsquo;t already know they had visitors, they did now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe turned to see Holden drop his hand from the doorplate, his expression stunned, wary. Then they both peered into the dark doorway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s quiet,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki just stopped himself from saying it was \u003cem\u003etoo quiet\u003c/em\u003e, but it was. He\u0026rsquo;d been so busy trying to prepare for whatever was on the other side of the door, he\u0026rsquo;d never considered that maybe \u003cem\u003enothing \u003c/em\u003ewas waiting for them. Disappointing. Unless . . . What if this was some kind of test, or a trap?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki looked up. He imagined the door crashing down on them as they crossed the threshold. He\u0026rsquo;d played too many video games that delivered cheap deaths to players\u0026mdash;the games Rina liked, that forced you to die over and over until you memorized the pattern, mastered tricky timing, or figured out some puzzle to get to the next level.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll go first,\u0026rdquo; Holden and Loki said at the same time. They looked at each other and then launched into rock-paper-scissors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;One, two, three\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Holden showed his fist as Loki presented a flat hand. Paper covered rock.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Loki stepped forward, someone shoved between him and Holden and entered Sanctuary ahead of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey!\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita tossed a glance back over her left shoulder, her long hair fanning out, a makeshift ax in each hand. She was a total badass.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ladies first,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s heart skipped a beat. He went after her, bazooka raised. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll give the all clear if it\u0026rsquo;s safe,\u0026rdquo; he called to the others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLights came up gradually around him and Sunita as they entered: a soft, warm glow like sunrise on a clear spring morning. The floor sloped gently downward; the corridor stretching ahead was wide enough for two of the M808B Scorpion battle tanks from \u003cem\u003eHalo\u003c/em\u003e to drive down side by side. The walls seemed to be made of the same high-tech material as Arcadia\u0026rsquo;s paved streets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a pang, he remembered that that city was dead. Many of the city\u0026rsquo;s buildings remained, but the life behind them had been snuffed out when Holden had assisted Arcadia in her suicide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki wasn\u0026rsquo;t as surprised as everyone else that Holden had pulled the plug on Arcadia, as she\u0026rsquo;d requested. He was a good guy, and he\u0026rsquo;d been through his fair share of pain. Loki wasn\u0026rsquo;t angry, either. Arcadia had made her choice, and she\u0026rsquo;d had a long time to think about it\u0026mdash;hundreds of years all alone with nothing but her thoughts and fading memories. Holden\u0026rsquo;s decision had come from a place of compassion. But Loki did wonder if, at the last moment, Arcadia had had any regrets. If she\u0026rsquo;d realized she was making a mistake, the way Loki had, at the end. He hoped not.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, as he ventured cautiously into Sanctuary, he saw a photograph on the wall showing a construction site: a black man in a tan uniform was posed pushing a shovel into the dirt. His uniform looked military, with epaulets and medals and all that. This guy looked to be a general. He stood beside an odd-looking caretaker, which had a flat wagon hitched to its back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe robot was different from the ones the teens had encountered. It was smaller, with two eyes instead of one; a hinged jaw; and short legs with wide, flat feet that were more like clawed paddles. It looked like some kind of robodog, but the thought of caretakers with mouths made Loki shudder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita waited in the center of the circular room in battle position, arms raised with her axes crossed behind her head, peering into the deeper darkness beyond.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki stopped beside her. \u0026ldquo;You should be more careful.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe snorted. \u0026ldquo;Says the guy who takes more risks than anyone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just\u0026mdash;this isn\u0026rsquo;t a game. We don\u0026rsquo;t have unlimited continues. You can\u0026rsquo;t Konami-Code your way out of a rough situation.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You are such a nerd.\u0026rdquo; She turned toward him and stuck out her tongue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat drew him up short, but he pressed on. \u0026ldquo;The point is, we can die here. And we\u0026rsquo;ve already lost too many.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe lowered her arms and twirled the axes expertly. \u0026ldquo;I can take care of myself. But your protectiveness is kind of sweet, however misplaced.\u0026rdquo; She flashed him a quick grin. \u0026ldquo;By the way, I like nerds.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki was still getting used to having people he could call friends here. He\u0026rsquo;d spent so much time in his life yearning for friends, and now that he had them, he\u0026rsquo;d started to realize that there might be some disadvantages to friendship: When you cared about people, you worried about them, you wanted them to be happy. And that made you more vulnerable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou also worried more about what they thought of you. Was that why he hadn\u0026rsquo;t told Sunita the truth yet?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHey, my name isn\u0026rsquo;t Loki,\u003c/em\u003e he would say.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNo way!\u003c/em\u003e Sunita would say, all astonished-like. \u003cem\u003eLoki is a completely believable and awesome name and it totally suits you.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYes.\u003c/em\u003e He would nod soberly. \u003cem\u003eBut my true name is Omri Sobol.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s even better, but I\u0026rsquo;ll keep calling you Loki if you want. Also, I love you!\u003c/em\u003e And then they would kiss.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomething told him it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t go down that way. If Sunita found out that Loki wasn\u0026rsquo;t his real name, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t that big a jump to questioning whether he was the person he pretended to be. And once she realized that everything he knew about survival he had learned from video games, she probably wouldn\u0026rsquo;t waste her time on him anymore . . . And\u0026mdash;this was the part that really made him squirm\u0026mdash;how would she feel about him if she knew he\u0026rsquo;d killed himself? As far as he knew, that alone set him apart from everyone else here, who had died in an accident, from illness, or in an act of heroism.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut right now, for whatever reason, Sunita seemed into him. They looked at each other and they both started to lean in . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh good, you aren\u0026rsquo;t dead,\u0026rdquo; Cole said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki hopped away from Sunita and turned to see Cole, Holden, and Nevaeh standing in the doorway. The big guy was smiling, but there was something behind his friendly \u003cem\u003eAw shucks\u003c/em\u003e expression. Annoyance? He seemed uncomfortable, for sure, but he\u0026rsquo;d been acting strangely since even before Arcadia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We got tired of waiting for the all clear,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All clear!\u0026rdquo; Sunita said brightly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where\u0026rsquo;s Umta?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We thought someone should stay outside to keep watch,\u0026rdquo; Cole said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki glanced at Holden. He didn\u0026rsquo;t think Holden would feel good about leaving her out there alone, and in fact, he did look uncomfortable with the decision.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She doesn\u0026rsquo;t like being inside anyway,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, don\u0026rsquo;t hang out under the door.\u0026rdquo; Loki beckoned the others forward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group strolled inside, looking around.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do you think\u0026rsquo;s\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Cole began, but at that moment the door crashed down behind him, and they all jumped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That was close.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s voice was a pitch higher than usual.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What made that happen?\u0026rdquo; Cole asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay, no one move for a second. Let\u0026rsquo;s consider the situation before something else happens,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;The door opened for us. Lights came on when we entered. It\u0026rsquo;s warm in here; the air smells fresh. What does all that suggest?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;People live here,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then where are they?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They could be waiting to see if we\u0026rsquo;re a threat,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s what \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e would do,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita nodded. \u0026ldquo;And you\u0026rsquo;d leave booby traps everywhere.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Could be no one\u0026rsquo;s here, and this place is on autopilot,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sure. Could be. But whatever we do next, let\u0026rsquo;s stick together,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That \u003cem\u003edoesn\u0026rsquo;t\u003c/em\u003e sound like you.\u0026rdquo; Holden smiled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I mean it. The best way to keep everyone safe is to watch one another\u0026rsquo;s backs,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;And that includes Umta.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Agreed,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s hope that door still works,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh stepped up to the blue panel beside the door, but before she could press her hand to it, a soft voice came from the opposite doorway, from the ramp leading down into Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hello?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki spun around, raising his bazooka.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t shoot!\u0026rdquo; It was a child\u0026rsquo;s voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki kept his gun aimed into the darkness, until Sunita gently pushed the barrel down. Loki shrugged.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. \u0026ldquo;You can come out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA young boy slowly emerged from the shadows. Loki stared at him and felt strangely unsteady, almost unable to understand what he was seeing. Somehow, the sight of killer robots and flying dragons had become more normal than seeing a little kid. After months of living with the same people, pretty confident that they were the last ones on the entire planet, here was someone new. And once again, everything he thought he\u0026rsquo;d known had abruptly shifted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki was surprised to realize he was grinning like a fool, suppressing the urge to whoop with joy. He was suddenly happy, and hopeful in a way he hadn\u0026rsquo;t been for a long time. If Sanctuary had kids, there had to be adults here too. They\u0026rsquo;d found civilization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore Loki could move, Cole stepped forward and knelt down to the boy\u0026rsquo;s eye level. He held out a hand. \u0026ldquo;Hey, buddy. What\u0026rsquo;s your name?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki wasn\u0026rsquo;t good at judging ages, but he guessed the kid was about five or six years old. He was white, extremely pale, with floppy brown hair. He wore a blue jumpsuit that reminded Loki of the red one he had been wearing when he woke up on the space station. In one hand he clutched a small cube with flashing red, yellow, orange, white, green, and blue lights on it. They were all scrambled. It looked like a high-tech Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m Ozymandias,\u0026rdquo; the boy said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s excitement at finding other people at Sanctuary began to fade. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t put his finger on it yet, but there was something wrong with this boy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Your name is Ozymandias? Really?\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita nudged him. \u0026ldquo;Isn\u0026rsquo;t that the pot calling the kettle black?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat answered that: She didn\u0026rsquo;t buy that Loki was his real name after all. He fell silent, scrutinizing the way the kid moved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Call me Oz.\u0026rdquo; The boy smiled, but it came a fraction too late, as if he\u0026rsquo;d only just remembered to do it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where are your parents?\u0026rdquo; Cole asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t have parents.\u0026rdquo; Oz frowned. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re gone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Gone,\u0026rdquo; Holden repeated. \u0026ldquo;This is Sanctuary, right? Where is everyone?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden\u0026rsquo;s eyes met Loki\u0026rsquo;s, and he raised an eyebrow.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How many people are here?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeveah kneeled and stretched a hand out to Oz. \u0026ldquo;Who takes care of you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Guys, chill,\u0026rdquo; Cole said. \u0026ldquo;Give the kid some space.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz took a couple of steps back. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll show you everything. Follow me.\u0026rdquo; He twisted the Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube, and a line of yellow squares lit up. The corridor behind him illuminated, showing them that the gentle slope continued and the path curved. A sign on the far wall read sn-na-00008.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole stood and began to follow Oz.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hold on, Cole,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Oz, can I see your toy?\u0026rdquo; It looked like that thing was some kind of remote control for Sanctuary. That would come in handy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz held the cube up and kept walking backward. \u0026ldquo;Please come. I need you. I need your help.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How can we help?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked. \u0026ldquo;Are you taking us to the others?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m all that\u0026rsquo;s left,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did everyone else leave? Did something happen?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They left me,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;I couldn\u0026rsquo;t save them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What does it matter?\u0026rdquo; Cole said, giving Loki an exasperated look. \u0026ldquo;This kid needs us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t know anything about him or what this place is for,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;But clearly something bad went down.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; Oz said again. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re welcome here. We have everything you need. Let me show you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Come on. Let\u0026rsquo;s take a look around. That\u0026rsquo;s what we came here for,\u0026rdquo; Cole said. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s just a little boy. I think we\u0026rsquo;ll be all right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nothing is \u0026lsquo;just\u0026rsquo; anything,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;We should know more before we go down there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Loki\u0026rsquo;s right,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fine. You all stay here, but you\u0026rsquo;ll feel silly about it later.\u0026rdquo; Cole headed down the ramp.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe and Oz paused as muffled thumping came from outside. The door was made of some kind of metal, at least a foot thick, so something had to be hitting it pretty hard.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Get away from the door!\u0026rdquo; Oz shouted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry. We shut down the caretakers,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It has to be Umta.\u0026rdquo; Holden walked to the door and placed his hand on the panel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t!\u0026rdquo; Oz screamed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door whooshed open and Umta fell forward onto her hands and knees. Her fists were bloody, her eyes wild.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Umta, what\u0026rsquo;s wrong?\u0026rdquo; Holden rushed to her side. Loki eyed the door above them nervously. If it came down again like before, it would crush Umta and Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You okay?\u0026rdquo; Umta said, gasping.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re fine. We found someone,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta looked up. When she saw Oz, her face softened. She hauled herself up and stumbled toward him. But about ten feet away from him, she drew up short and sniffed. Her eyes narrowed, and she growled low in her throat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Umta?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That is no child.\u0026rdquo; Umta sounded both disappointed and disgusted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That is nothing. There is nothing there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s eyes were wide as he turned the cube over and over in his hands, tapping a sequence of glowing lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden strode forward and the boy backpedaled, but not quickly enough. Holden swept a hand at Oz\u0026rsquo;s chest\u0026mdash;and it passed through.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That was rude,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re a hologram,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t understand,\u0026rdquo; Cole said. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not a boy?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz is a computer,\u0026rdquo; Loki said slowly, putting this pieces together. \u0026ldquo;Like Arcadia.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You know Cady?\u0026rdquo; Oz asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole\u0026rsquo;s face fell. Then he scowled and turned away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s older than all of us combined, and then some\u0026mdash;aren\u0026rsquo;t you?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz only smiled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki gripped his bazooka tighter\u0026mdash;stupid, because it was useless against a hologram, and the hologram couldn\u0026rsquo;t do anything to him anyway\u0026mdash;and drew closer to Oz. He studied its face, then walked all around it. It managed to match the lighting around it, so it looked like a solid person occupying the same space they were. The only sign that Oz wasn\u0026rsquo;t alive was that its chest wasn\u0026rsquo;t moving. It didn\u0026rsquo;t breathe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn computer games, Loki became digital characters, anything he wanted to be\u0026mdash;even a buff warrior type that looked nothing like him in real life. In front of him was a computer game pretending to be a living person. What you chose for your avatar often said a lot about who you really were.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why are you a little boy?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a trick,\u0026rdquo; Umta said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe could be right, Loki figured. In the form of a kid, Oz had put them all at ease, because he didn\u0026rsquo;t look like a threat. It might have been an attempt to make them more willing to follow him inside Sanctuary without asking too many questions. A smart strategy that had almost worked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t have a choice.\u0026rdquo; Oz twisted sections of the Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube around with swift, sharp gestures. The whole cube flashed red three times. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve been stuck this way for as long as I can remember. I\u0026rsquo;m not all I used to be. All I should be.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s skin crawled. It was seriously creepy to see and hear a child act so unlike a child.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why were you trying to get us to follow you into Sanctuary?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked. \u0026ldquo;Wait. Are \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e Sanctuary?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I take care of Sanctuary and the people who live here. But I can\u0026rsquo;t do that now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because there\u0026rsquo;s no one here anymore. Where did they go?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTears dripped down Oz\u0026rsquo;s face. They looked convincing, but what were they for? The hologram didn\u0026rsquo;t have real eyes; it didn\u0026rsquo;t have tear ducts. Were the tears tied to some actual emotions, or were they all for show\u0026mdash;another tactic for the visitors\u0026rsquo; benefit, to elicit sympathy?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re gone. I couldn\u0026rsquo;t save them,\u0026rdquo; Oz said in a pained voice. \u0026ldquo;Caretakers came and . . . I\u0026rsquo;m the only one left.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita pointed an ax down the ramp into Sanctuary. \u0026ldquo;Are the caretakers gone too?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Gone. All gone,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. Then its face brightened and it wiped the tears from its face. \u0026ldquo;But now you\u0026rsquo;re here! Sanctuary is a good place. You\u0026rsquo;ll be safe here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki cleared his throat. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m guessing that caretakers killed everyone? And you couldn\u0026rsquo;t do anything to stop them? That doesn\u0026rsquo;t make me feel particularly safe.\u0026rdquo; He looked around. \u0026ldquo;We came to Sanctuary looking for other people. Looks like we missed them. So I say we leave.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But you just got here!\u0026rdquo; Oz\u0026rsquo;s lower lip stuck out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Pouting. That\u0026rsquo;s a nice touch,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Very human.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Loki!\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;No need to be mean.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Your name is Loki? Really?\u0026rdquo; Oz smiled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a moment, Sunita laughed. Nevaeh giggled, and even Holden chuckled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ha, ha, ha, \u003cem\u003eHolden\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. His face burned with embarrassment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey. It was just a joke, like your comment before,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I thought it was funny.\u0026rdquo; Sunita sounded apologetic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t give it too much credit. Computers are great at mimicking people,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;I mean it. We should go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta grunted in approval.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But it isn\u0026rsquo;t safe out there!\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s where all the caretakers went.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Like I said, we got rid of them.\u0026rdquo; Loki showed it the bazooka. \u0026ldquo;And we can take care of ourselves.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s food here, and you clearly need a place to rest.\u0026rdquo; It looked at Umta, gestured at her bloody hands. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s a fully equipped medical facility on Level Four.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe squeezed her hands into fists and shook her head. \u0026ldquo;No.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz turned to Loki. \u0026ldquo;We even have weapons. Anything you could ever need. I\u0026rsquo;ll explain everything while I give you the tour.\u0026rdquo; Oz swept its hand toward the ramp leading down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden gave the hologram a long, appraising look. \u0026ldquo;We need to discuss this among ourselves first,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;In private.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Outside,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Please don\u0026rsquo;t go. Don\u0026rsquo;t leave me alone.\u0026rdquo; Oz\u0026rsquo;s shoulders slumped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNobody fell for the guilt trip.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry. We\u0026rsquo;ll be right back,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz cheered up. \u0026ldquo;Sanctuary will be waiting\u0026mdash;it exists for you.\u0026rdquo; It glanced at Umta. \u0026ldquo;For \u003cem\u003ehumans\u003c/em\u003e. It will follow your orders, and you can always come and go as you please.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki tensed as they passed under the door again. He glanced back and saw Oz sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor, watching them leave, fiddling with the Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce they made it to the small clearing by the entrance, Loki pointed to the far end, past the wreckage of one of the caretakers and away from Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s door. The others headed in that direction, Holden in the lead, while Loki kept careful watch behind them, his bazooka at the ready.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s just keep going,\u0026rdquo; Cole said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good plan,\u0026rdquo; Umta said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You didn\u0026rsquo;t mean that about us coming right back, did you?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Of course not. I just wanted him to let us go,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It.\u0026rdquo; Loki folded his arms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz seems genuine, doesn\u0026rsquo;t he?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not like a hologram can hurt us. We saw what happened with Arcadia. Imagine being all by yourself for centuries, with no one to talk to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThat doesn\u0026rsquo;t sound so bad, actually,\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t be soft, Nevaeh. That thing isn\u0026rsquo;t a real boy,\u0026rdquo; Cole said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re just upset that he wasn\u0026rsquo;t your son,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh snapped. She covered her mouth, her eyes wide. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole shot her an angry look and then turned away, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki was impressed. Nevaeh wasn\u0026rsquo;t all sunshine and cupcakes after all. And he suspected she was right on point.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe it can\u0026rsquo;t hurt us physically,\u0026rdquo; Loki said, \u0026ldquo;but Oz is still a computer intelligence. Who knows what it can do? And it did try to trick us with that little kid act.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh shook her head. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not sure it\u0026rsquo;s an act. He said he was stuck that way. He\u0026rsquo;s a computer, but he still has a complicated mind. I think whatever happened here, along with all those years alone, made him regress. In some ways, Oz really is a helpless child.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole snorted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If something that bad happened, we should get as far away from here as possible,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Aren\u0026rsquo;t you curious about what\u0026rsquo;s down there, and what happened to everyone?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki glanced back at the entrance to the bunker. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not one of those people who needs answers to everything. But it sounds like you\u0026rsquo;re tempted to stay.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not stay, just look around,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s the danger when we can leave whenever we want?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We came here to find people, not another computer,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;The last time didn\u0026rsquo;t turn out so well.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden looked away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh wrapped her arms around herself. Even a short time in Sanctuary made it feel colder outside. \u0026ldquo;We need more supplies. Food. Clean clothes.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was all true. \u0026ldquo;Well . . . Oz did mention that there are weapons, too,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Only you would look for weapons in a place called Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. Loki clenched his jaw, but he relaxed when she smiled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And it\u0026rsquo;s getting dark. We could at least stay the night,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;Find out as much as possible before we get back\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki sliced a finger across his throat to silence Holden. Holden stopped short, understanding his meaning: Don\u0026rsquo;t mention the rest of the group, even outside. Sunita and Cole gave them a puzzled look, but Loki shook his head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Before we get back to our \u003cem\u003ejourney\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did you guys see that sign in the entryway? SN-NA-00008. I\u0026rsquo;m willing to bet there are other sanctuaries, and this one is number eight. There could be dozens of places like this all over the world,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay. Let\u0026rsquo;s find out what we can and get out,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So say we all?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole shrugged. Nevaeh nodded and Sunita flashed a thumbs-up. Umta shook her head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is no place for me,\u0026rdquo; Umta said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then you can wait outside,\u0026rdquo; Cole said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No. We\u0026rsquo;re all sticking together,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;And this should be a unanimous vote.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta looked at Holden. She sighed. \u0026ldquo;I will follow you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right, so we\u0026rsquo;ll rest here tonight,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Just remember,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Be\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Careful!\u0026rdquo; chimed Nevaeh, Holden, and Sunita.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki rubbed the back of his neck. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just good advice.\u0026rdquo; At least they\u0026rsquo;d been listening to him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrue to Oz\u0026rsquo;s word, Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s door was still open when they returned. They hadn\u0026rsquo;t closed it behind them, and it did seem Oz couldn\u0026rsquo;t operate even the basic controls without a human handprint.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re back!\u0026rdquo; Oz jumped up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki palmed the inside hand scanner, and the door closed silently and smoothly. No sense letting anything else in while they were there. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re ready for the grand tour.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey followed Oz down the ramp, deeper into the bunker. \u0026ldquo;A long time ago,\u0026rdquo; it said, \u0026ldquo;Sanctuary was a military installation. But when the Earth became too poisonous to sustain human life, it was retrofitted to serve a new purpose: a shelter where people could wait for the caretakers to make the planet livable again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The same caretakers that killed everyone here?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz flinched.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz? Are you okay?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked, looking concerned.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki rolled his eyes. Sunita jabbed him in the side with an elbow.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry. It was . . . horrific.\u0026rdquo; It went silent until they approached a door at the end of the ramp. A hand scanner beside it pulsed red. Oz gestured toward it. \u0026ldquo;Who will do the honors?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh placed her hand on the panel. Nothing happened. Loki looked at Oz sharply, but the hologram was looking down at its Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Huh,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, distracted. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s never done that before, but it\u0026rsquo;s been a long time. Try it again?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe panel transitioned from red to orange to blue. Nevaeh pressed her hand on it again. This time it turned green and the door opened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz clapped excitedly. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s better. Follow me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You really wanna do that?\u0026rdquo; Rina said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was sitting next to Omri on the couch, supposedly chatting with friends on her laptop. But as he played \u003cem\u003eCall of Duty\u003c/em\u003e with his classmate Brody, Omri had heard a series of sighs and chuckles from his big sister\u0026mdash;obviously directed at him. Subtlety had never been her strong suit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Omri asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s obviously an ambush ahead. Or maybe you like getting fragged by aliens?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;ve never even played this,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just good advice. Common sense.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I asked if you wanted to play.\u0026rdquo; Omri had been hurt when she\u0026rsquo;d turned him down. He missed gaming with her. She\u0026rsquo;d been so busy with work and then training, he couldn\u0026rsquo;t remember the last time they\u0026rsquo;d played. And tomorrow she was being deployed halfway around the world on her first tour of duty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe that was it: He imagined that when you were about to go do the real thing, the video game version of it must pale in comparison. But flying helicopters probably\u0026mdash;hopefully\u0026mdash;wouldn\u0026rsquo;t expose her to ground fire, and he highly doubted she would be engaging with alien combatants like the Cryptids in \u003cem\u003eCoD\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m working,\u0026rdquo; Rina said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Right, like you aren\u0026rsquo;t chatting with Andy. I bet he\u0026rsquo;s going to miss you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shhh.\u0026rdquo; She glanced at the door. Mom and Dad didn\u0026rsquo;t know Rina had a boyfriend, which you think wouldn\u0026rsquo;t matter when she was enough of an adult to put her life on the line for her country. As far as Omri could tell, that was the one thing that would shatter their parents\u0026rsquo; belief that she was a perfect child. Omri was holding on to that information like a get-out-of-jail-free card, to be played if he ever got in so much trouble that he had to deflect some of their attention. But he knew he\u0026rsquo;d never rat her out, because she\u0026rsquo;d never do anything like that to him. She\u0026rsquo;d always had Omri\u0026rsquo;s back, and keeping her secret was the least he could do, the one way he could kind of protect her for a change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right, big shot. What would you do different?\u0026rdquo; Omri asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Everything.\u0026rdquo; She closed her laptop. \u0026ldquo;First of all, you need to slow down. What\u0026rsquo;s your hurry? Take a second to survey your environment and pick out places that could be hiding enemies. Look.\u0026rdquo; The screen was split between Omri\u0026rsquo;s and Brody\u0026rsquo;s avatars. She pointed to a rock in the upper right corner of Omri\u0026rsquo;s screen. \u0026ldquo;I guarantee you there\u0026rsquo;s a Cryptid behind that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You think?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But really, your first mistake was going into their underground lair in the first place without serious backup and firepower.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s the mission,\u0026rdquo; Omri said. \u0026ldquo;Good soldiers follow the mission, even if it\u0026rsquo;s stupid, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;True,\u0026rdquo; Rina said. \u0026ldquo;But you can still be smart about it. Don\u0026rsquo;t take unnecessary risks. Be careful and\u0026mdash; Watch out!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t get so excited. It\u0026rsquo;s just a game.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, \u003cem\u003ewatch out\u003c/em\u003e!\u0026rdquo; She pointed to the screen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri snapped his attention back to the game as a flying Gargoyle dived at him. He jerked the controller up and pounded the fire button then rolled out of the way before it could literally bite his head off. It went for Brody instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Omri, what the hell, man?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Brody shouted from the TV. \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Gah! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Get it off me!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri brought his machine gun around and sprayed the alien to a pulp.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;You moron!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Brody said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri switched on the mic in his headset. \u0026ldquo;Sorry! I got distracted.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Focus, dammit. You get up on that outcropping, check the terrain. I\u0026rsquo;ll cover you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri glanced at Rina. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m pretty sure that\u0026rsquo;s an ambush,\u0026rdquo; he told Brody.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hurry up! Go, go, go!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhatever. It was just a game. Omri ran straight up the slope Rina had pointed out earlier and immediately died. He didn\u0026rsquo;t even see what had killed him until he looked at Brody\u0026rsquo;s screen and saw that a Hunter had charged him and knocked him to his death. Brody was laughing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He didn\u0026rsquo;t even try to save you,\u0026rdquo; Rina said. \u0026ldquo;Dick.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe he didn\u0026rsquo;t see it,\u0026rdquo; Omri said. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He saw. I was watching his screen. Why do you play with him?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBecause he\u0026rsquo;s the only one who will play with me,\u003c/em\u003e Omri thought. He and Brody had exchanged gamer tags, but lest Omri mistake the gesture for actual friendship, Brody completely ignored him at school. And he only answered Omri\u0026rsquo;s invitations to game together when he was in the right mood, which Omri figured meant when none of his other pals were online.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;People always act shittier online than they are in real life,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, they shouldn\u0026rsquo;t,\u0026rdquo; Rina said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s how people behave when they don\u0026rsquo;t think there are any consequences that shows who they really are.\u0026rdquo; She smiled. \u0026ldquo;Mind if I take over for a minute?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri handed her the controller. He loved watching her play. She was a natural, with quick reflexes, a calm head, and impeccable aim. Now and then she told him what to relay to Brody through the headset, who had finally stopped mocking Omri and was struggling to keep up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Damn, Omri. That\u0026rsquo;s more like it. You aren\u0026rsquo;t playing like a girl anymore,\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Brody said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry,\u0026rdquo; Rina said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;For what?\u0026rdquo; Omri asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe fired a round into the back of Brody\u0026rsquo;s head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Brody sputtered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe snatched the headset from Omri\u0026rsquo;s head and thumbed the mic. \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s\u003c/em\u003e how a girl shoots, fucker.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ramp from the entrance wrapped around and led down to the first level, a long corridor with doors on each side, like a hotel, complete with a deep-blue carpet flecked with gold.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nice rug,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s tough to get stains out of it,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki eased one of the doors open\u0026mdash;these all had old-fashioned mechanical locks\u0026mdash;and peered inside cautiously. The light came up and he saw the room was small, with four bunk beds on opposite walls, a video screen across from the door, a round table with four chairs, and a freestanding wardrobe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt looked like its occupants had just stepped out: one of the beds was unmade, an open book lying on top of the covers. A blue jumpsuit was draped over a chair. A poster showed the sun rising behind a silver rocket ship, weird iconography written across it. Probably some motivational bullshit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz, what does that sign say?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz didn\u0026rsquo;t even have to look into the room. \u0026ldquo;\u0026lsquo;Leave Yesterday for a Better Tomorrow.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki closed the door. The others had already begun exploring other rooms in the hallway. \u003cem\u003eUnbelievable.\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eSo much for sticking together.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe found Sunita in the adjoining room. It looked identical, except there was a guitar propped up in one corner and a chessboard on the table, its pieces arranged in mid-game.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who lived here?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Four people,\u0026rdquo; Oz answered. \u0026ldquo;Analisa was the musician. I have one of her compositions on file.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMusic played softly around them, sort of a blend between classical and chiptune with a thrumming beat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hold on,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Oz, you can\u0026rsquo;t open doors, but you can play music?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz smiled. \u0026ldquo;I can handle quality-of-life functions, anything designed to make Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s citizens more comfortable. Of course, I could have done more for them, as much as they allowed me to. But I\u0026rsquo;ve noticed that humans prefer to be in control.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYeah, we do,\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How many bedrooms does Sanctuary have?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;One hundred: twenty-five each on Levels One, Three, Five, and Seven. At maximum occupancy, we had three hundred and eighty-two residents.\u0026rdquo; Oz paused for a moment, then shook its head. \u0026ldquo;I miss them,\u0026rdquo; it said softly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh gave Oz a sympathetic look, then tactfully changed the subject. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s next on the tour?\u0026rdquo; she asked, pointing down the hall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The commissary on Level Two.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s stomach rumbled. They hadn\u0026rsquo;t eaten well in days.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe commissary resembled a giant school cafeteria. \u0026ldquo;We used this room for assemblies, movies, anything that required a big crowd. It was full when\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Oz frowned. \u0026ldquo;Never mind.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat made Loki uneasy enough that he decided to stay near the entrance and keep an eye out while Oz showed the others how to work the food dispensers along the wall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You seem nervous,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. Loki turned, and Holden offered him a sandwich wrapped in wax paper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden smiled. \u0026ldquo;Good. Honestly, I\u0026rsquo;m freaking out right now, but I don\u0026rsquo;t want to spread panic.\u0026rdquo; He gave Loki a meaningful look.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You want me to act less paranoid,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nope. You\u0026rsquo;re being the right amount of paranoid, and it helps keep us on our toes. But maybe try not to antagonize Oz so much.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not like it has real feelings.\u0026rdquo; Loki took a bite of his sandwich and chewed. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t tell what it was or was supposed to be. The bread was a little gritty, like it was actually made of sand. The filling had a cheddar-like texture, but it tasted nutty and fruity. He was hungry enough that he decided not to think about it too much. He was hungry enough that he\u0026rsquo;d probably eat it anyway even if he found out it was made from the people who had disappeared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just that . . .\u0026rdquo; Holden glanced over to where Oz was tapping something on his Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube and a panel glowed blue, then green under Sunita\u0026rsquo;s hand. A pile of something appeared inside the replicator.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re sort of bullying him,\u0026rdquo; Holden said softly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki narrowed his eyes. \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eIt\u003c/em\u003e, not him. Oz is a thing, not a person.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But if Nevaeh is right about Oz suffering from something like post-traumatic stress, we should go slow with him. It.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe you aren\u0026rsquo;t the most objective person when it comes to artificial intelligences.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Whoa. I didn\u0026rsquo;t mean\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz isn\u0026rsquo;t Arcadia. Your instincts and mine are telling us something isn\u0026rsquo;t right here. Maybe we should just go now and grab whatever we can find on the way out,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I still think it\u0026rsquo;s important that we find out what happened here. Maybe some people escaped to another facility.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to worry more about the people who are here now. Us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t think I\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Holden laughed abruptly. \u0026ldquo;Good one!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki was momentarily confused at Holden laughing him off until he saw the rest of their group was joining them. They would have to continue this discussion later.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good, you got something to eat,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said to Loki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Emphasis on \u0026lsquo;something.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; Loki took another bite of his sandwich, even though he had lost his appetite.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz showed us how to print up a bunch of protein bars. Just in case.\u0026rdquo; She gave handfuls of them to Holden and Loki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s very thoughtful. Thank you, Oz.\u0026rdquo; Holden stuffed some bars into his pockets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz grinned wide and bounced up and down on his toes, every bit like an excited kid.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith stomachs and pockets full of food, Oz led them to the promised medical facility on Level 4. After much coaxing, Umta allowed Nevaeh to wash and bandage her injured hands. Loki noticed Sunita discreetly slipping extra bandages and ointments into her pockets, and followed suit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz called the next room a library. Despite the paper book Loki had seen in the dorm room before, this was a small room with computer terminals and a stack of thin, flexible plastic sheets. He picked one up and text glowed on its transparent surface.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Of course it\u0026rsquo;s not in English,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnglish language selected\u003c/strong\u003e appeared on the sheet. Then the text shimmered and was replaced with a title page: \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeeking Sanctuary\u003c/em\u003e, by Arwynne Etcher, published in 2312\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki spotted Oz talking to Cole by a terminal in the corner of the room. Cole pressed his thumb to the computer screen and it flashed red then green and switched on. Oz fidgeted with his Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube over and over. More of the puzzle had been solved, most of its faces glowing now in six solid colors, some squares still flashing red.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat are you doing, Cole?\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought. Cole typed on the keyboard, and soon a picture of a young blond woman appeared on the screen. Oz said something and Cole chuckled. He reached out to pat Oz\u0026rsquo;s head, but his hand passed through the hologram. He squeezed his hand into a fist and frowned, turning back to the computer terminal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki cleared his throat, about to press Oz on what exactly had happened here, but Oz spoke before he could get a word out.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey, who wants a hot shower?\u0026rdquo; His little kid face looked eager, as if excited to share this treat with them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes, please!\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz motioned them out of the library. Loki added the room to the mental map of Sanctuary that he was building. He was also keeping a running tally of all the locked doors they had encountered, at least a handful on each floor. He figured that must be where they were holding the good stuff: weapons, communications equipment, commissary-type stuff perhaps. Oz couldn\u0026rsquo;t, or wouldn\u0026rsquo;t, tell him what was inside them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next section over had the promised bathroom with showers. Coed, it looked like.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t have time for showers,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We are going to make time for this. It\u0026rsquo;s been \u003cem\u003eweeks \u003c/em\u003esince I\u0026rsquo;ve felt clean, and we\u0026rsquo;re all smelling a little ripe,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh raised her hand. \u0026ldquo;I vote for showers too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Some things don\u0026rsquo;t need votes,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, let me check things over first,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now you\u0026rsquo;re just trying to feel important.\u0026rdquo; Sunita smiled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was joking, but her words echoed in Loki\u0026rsquo;s head while he walked through the bathroom slowly, opening every stall door, popping his head into every shower stall. Was he overdoing it? What did he think he was going to find in here?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz trailed after him, reassuring him that it was perfectly safe, trying to explain the different features of the fancy toilets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, Loki had to admit that there was nothing unusual here. The room looked exactly the way a bathroom should, with shiny white tiles, bright chrome. In fact, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t that different from the locker room at Loki\u0026rsquo;s high school.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All clear,\u0026rdquo; Loki said when he returned to the group. \u0026ldquo;Why don\u0026rsquo;t we shower in shifts. Ladies first?\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why bother? There are curtains, and we\u0026rsquo;re all adults here.\u0026rdquo; Sunita gave Loki a challenging look.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m going to wait out here and keep watch. Just in case,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll do that,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. Loki ignored it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita looked disappointed. \u0026ldquo;Suit yourself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki waited outside the bathroom with Umta and Oz, feeling like an idiot. He didn\u0026rsquo;t think anything of putting himself on the line, even charging toward two killer robots with nothing but a crafted ax, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t have the courage to take his clothes off in front of other people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t want to shower?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe wrinkled her nose. \u0026ldquo;I prefer baths. Outside.\u0026rdquo; She shifted her eyes toward Oz. \u0026ldquo;In private.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I like my privacy too,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know,\u0026rdquo; she said gently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki was surprised that of everyone, Umta seemed to get him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was the extent of their conversation, but unlike most other interactions, the silence wasn\u0026rsquo;t awkward at all. They were both people of few words.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe and Umta hadn\u0026rsquo;t spent much time alone together. Truthfully, at first her appearance had disturbed him, but if anyone could look past appearances, it was Loki. No, he\u0026rsquo;d kept his distance from her because he had the unnerving feeling that Umta was not buying his bullshit. Half the time he felt like she was humoring him. If she knew that he was bluffing about his experience and knowledge, though, to get the other kids to like and trust him, she had been keeping her suspicions to herself. What was that if not an act of kindness?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe he should try to get to know her better.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuddenly, shouting came from the other side of the door. Sunita screamed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz looked alarmed and disappeared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta bolted back into the bathroom, Loki hot on her heels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt took a while before Omri realized he wasn\u0026rsquo;t hearing gunshots but someone banging on his bedroom door. He pulled his headphones off and reached over to open it. His father stepped into the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why do you keep locking this?\u0026rdquo; Dad said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry.\u0026rdquo; \u003cem\u003eNot sorry.\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s up?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Come into the family room. The Knights are here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the tone of Dad\u0026rsquo;s voice, Omri figured this wasn\u0026rsquo;t a friendly social call, but he couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine what would bring them over to his house unannounced.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri followed Dad out of his room and found Brody and his parents sitting on the sofa across from Omri\u0026rsquo;s mother. Two glasses of water and a soda on the coffee table in front of them hadn\u0026rsquo;t been touched. Brody shot Omri a nervous, embarrassed look before staring back down at his folded hands.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; Omri said. \u0026ldquo;Brody. Mr. and Mrs. Knight.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sit.\u0026rdquo; Dad grabbed Omri by the shoulder and steered him over to the least comfortable chair.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s this all about?\u0026rdquo; Mom asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMrs. Knight opened her large purse and pulled out a magazine, holding it by a corner between her thumb and index finger. She tossed it onto the coffee table with a smack. Mom gasped. Omri\u0026rsquo;s eyes widened when he saw it was an issue of \u003cem\u003ePenthouse\u003c/em\u003e magazine. The cover showed a woman wearing a white scarf and pants and a red jacket open to bare her chest. She was holding a riding crop behind her neck. The headline called it the \u003cem\u003eHunt and Be Hunted Issue\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Your son left this filth at our house,\u0026rdquo; Mrs. Knight said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri shook his head. \u0026ldquo;That isn\u0026rsquo;t mine.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Omri.\u0026rdquo; Mom sounded so disappointed and tired. \u0026ldquo;Honestly.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve never been\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Omri began.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t even know he brought it over,\u0026rdquo; Brody cut in. He didn\u0026rsquo;t sound tough the way he did at school or online. His voice was slightly higher and more exaggerated, like he was imitating a precocious kid in some shitty sitcom. But his act was working.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI\u0026rsquo;ve never been to their house,\u003c/em\u003e Omri thought. And Brody had never been to his, until right now. They weren\u0026rsquo;t that kind of friends. They weren\u0026rsquo;t really friends at all. In fact, since Rina had taken Brody out and embarrassed him in \u003cem\u003eCall of Duty\u003c/em\u003e, Brody had unfriended Omri online.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where would I even get that?\u0026rdquo; Omri asked. \u0026ldquo;And why, when you can get free porn online . . .\u0026rdquo; He shut up when he saw the look on his mom\u0026rsquo;s face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrody caught his eye again. Now Omri understood what his expression meant: It was a plea for help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now hold on,\u0026rdquo; Dad said. \u0026ldquo;Where did you find the magazine, Maggie?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Under Brody\u0026rsquo;s mattress.\u0026rdquo; She suddenly looked defensive. \u0026ldquo;I was changing his sheets.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know why Omri would leave a magazine there, or how he could manage without your son noticing. Is it possible that . . .\u0026rdquo; Dad glanced at Mr. Knight.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMr. Knight\u0026rsquo;s face grew red. \u0026ldquo;Absolutely not. I\u0026rsquo;m not interested in that sort of thing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s right,\u0026rdquo; Mrs. Knight said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrody squirmed unhappily in his seat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat a weird family,\u003c/em\u003e Omri thought. But that explained a lot about Brody.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s mine,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Son?\u0026rdquo; Dad asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s mine,\u0026rdquo; Omri repeated. \u0026ldquo;I bought it, but then I got worried about keeping it around the house . . . And I didn\u0026rsquo;t want to throw it out, so I hid it at Brody\u0026rsquo;s.\u0026rdquo; He looked at Brody. \u0026ldquo;Sorry, man.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No problem,\u0026rdquo; Brody said graciously.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Disgusting,\u0026rdquo; Mrs. Knight said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We are so sorry,\u0026rdquo; Omri\u0026rsquo;s mom said. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s been having a difficult time lately. His sister moved out recently . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sure. But I\u0026rsquo;m afraid your son isn\u0026rsquo;t welcome in our home any longer,\u0026rdquo; Mr. Knight said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry. I didn\u0026rsquo;t mean to cause any trouble,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMr. and Mrs. Knight stood up. After a moment, Brody stood too, all smiles now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDad looked at Omri. \u0026ldquo;Get your hard drive. You\u0026rsquo;re grounded. No video games.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;For how long?\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Until I say so.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMom picked up the \u003cem\u003ePenthouse\u003c/em\u003e and tossed it into the trash as she and Dad walked the Knights out. She turned and gave Omri one last look of utter disappointment and shame.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhy did I do that?\u003c/em\u003e Omri asked himself. It didn\u0026rsquo;t seem fair to get punished for doing a good deed, but he had only himself to blame.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stalked to his room to collect his computer; this was a standard punishment, even though it meant that Omri would have to go to school early to use the computer lab. Then he hurried back to the family room and retrieved the magazine from the garbage. He flipped through it, tore out some pages, and tossed it back in the trash. Might as well have something for his trouble.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOops\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki froze, staring, until Nevaeh yelled something at him and he turned his head, covering his eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry!\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they heard the shouts, Loki had imagined the worst: a bloodbath like the one back at their camp, when they\u0026rsquo;d lost Wesley and Jing-Wei and too many others. The sight he saw was still shocking\u0026mdash;but a nice shock. He\u0026rsquo;d gotten an eyeful of Sunita and Nevaeh standing outside their showers, dripping wet and holding towels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Get out!\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh shouted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We heard shouts. We thought you were in trouble,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The hot water cut out, that\u0026rsquo;s all. It\u0026rsquo;s okay. You can open your eyes now,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki lowered his hand. The girls had wrapped the towels securely around themselves. Nevaeh, blushing furiously, glared at Loki. Sunita was wringing water from her long hair and wearing a serene expression.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta snorted. As she left the bathroom, she said, \u0026ldquo;Hormones!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden and Cole emerged from the other side of the partition separating the shower room into two sides.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;As you heard, we used the last of the hot water, but you\u0026rsquo;d probably rather have a cold shower anyway now, huh?\u0026rdquo; Holden grinned. Sunita laughed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki took a couple of steps backward. He just wanted to get out of there. Leave the bathroom, leave Sanctuary. Find a hole to crawl into and die.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita\u0026rsquo;s smile faded. \u0026ldquo;Loki?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki hurried out of the bathroom, running right through Oz, who had been standing quietly just inside the door, observing them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta was nowhere to be found. Loki leaned against the wall in the hallway, taking gasping breaths. His hands were sweaty, shaking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThings had been going so well. But now Loki didn\u0026rsquo;t know how he could face seeing the others again. He knew when they got back to Inez\u0026rsquo;s group, someone would tell them what had happened, and he\u0026rsquo;d never live it down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe felt a hand on his shoulder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;My hero,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe jerked away. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t be like that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Be like what?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shook his head, his lips pressed tightly together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey, don\u0026rsquo;t do that. We\u0026rsquo;re having a conversation, okay? Loki, I was making a joke about the situation, not about you. We know you were trying to help. We were just surprised.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe\u0026rsquo;d gotten dressed, but the image of her naked was burned into his retinas. Her wet brown skin, her strong bare shoulders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYeah, he could use that cold shower now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s gotten into you?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry. But . . .\u0026rdquo; He took a deep breath. \u0026ldquo;People used to make fun of me. A lot. I thought I\u0026rsquo;d left all that behind.\u0026rdquo; His cheeks burned with embarrassment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita blinked. \u0026ldquo;See? Was that so hard?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Opening up.\u0026rdquo; She smiled. \u0026ldquo;We were all someone else before. But things change. We\u0026rsquo;ve changed. And . . . I\u0026rsquo;d rather make out with you than make fun of you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s eyebrows shot up. \u0026ldquo;Tell me more.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe leaned in and kissed him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki had always gotten his highs from winning difficult video games, pulling off tricky shots on missions with his sister or Brody, saving the day for imaginary people in some virtual reality. But kissing Sunita\u0026mdash;his first kiss!\u0026mdash;was a million times more exciting. Real life was definitely better than games.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita shivered. He dropped his bazooka and wrapped his arms around her cold body, pulling her close. They both warmed up in no time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seriously?\u0026rdquo; Cole said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki and Sunita separated and saw Cole and Nevaeh in the open doorway of the bathroom, Cole watching them and Nevaeh pointedly \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e looking at them. Oz was there too. That was getting seriously creepy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry I yelled at you,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. \u0026ldquo;You caught me off guard. Thanks for coming to our \u0026lsquo;rescue.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah.\u0026rdquo; Loki scooped up his gun. \u0026ldquo;I think we should just keep moving.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita shook her head. \u0026ldquo;Oh no. You\u0026rsquo;re getting a shower, mister.\u0026rdquo; She propelled him down the hall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry. We\u0026rsquo;ll keep watch out here until you\u0026rsquo;re done. It will be the safest shower you\u0026rsquo;ve ever taken.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shoved Loki into the bathroom and then closed the door behind him. He stood there for a moment, breathing in the warm, damp air and listening to the soft drip, drip, drip of water from a spout in one of the showers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden stepped out of a stall. \u0026ldquo;Dude, are you crying?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki wiped the tears away from his face. He thought about making up some lame excuse, but it was Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shut up,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pulled on his shirt and then gave Loki a sober look. \u0026ldquo;Sorry. Just wanted to make sure you\u0026rsquo;re all right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that almost made the waterworks really get going. Because of all the snarky, silly, stupid things Holden could have said\u0026mdash;the things anyone at school would have said if they thought he\u0026rsquo;d been crying\u0026mdash;he\u0026rsquo;d said something nice instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And I apologize for arguing with you before. I know you\u0026rsquo;re always watching out for us. I was out of line.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There was some truth in what you said,\u0026rdquo; Loki admitted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;In what you said too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So . . . we\u0026rsquo;re good?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Of course. We have to keep each other honest, to keep everyone else safe.\u0026rdquo; Holden pointed to the bazooka cradled in Loki\u0026rsquo;s arms. \u0026ldquo;You aren\u0026rsquo;t showering with that, are you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki laughed. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not that paranoid.\u0026rdquo; But he did plan to leave it within arm\u0026rsquo;s reach, just outside of the shower stall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Right. See you out there.\u0026rdquo; Holden casually saluted Loki and left the bathroom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite Sunita\u0026rsquo;s reassurances, Loki half expected the girls to burst in on him in the middle of his shower in playful revenge. Between his paranoia and the frigid water, he probably broke his old record for the fastest shower\u0026mdash;a skill he\u0026rsquo;d picked up from high school gym class and ROTC\u0026mdash;and quickly dressed in the shower stall. He sniffed his shirt before he pulled it back on; they \u003cem\u003edid \u003c/em\u003eneed new clothes. Or at least a laundry room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz had been hard-selling it, but this place really had everything you needed to ride out the end of the world in comfort. Loki wondered what it would be like for them to live out their days there together; it was underground, so it was defensible, especially if they figured out how caretakers had infiltrated it so they could prevent it from happening again. At the very least, he could see them bringing the rest of the group back and staying for a while, until they felt ready to go on. Until they had a plan other than \u0026ldquo;stay alive.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot that that was a bad plan. He was really into that plan. But there had to be more to this second life than just \u003cem\u003eliving\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Loki returned to the hall, he saw that Umta had returned, and the group was gathered around Oz. Only, everyone looked depressed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who died?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden grimaced. \u0026ldquo;Everyone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri found Brody waiting by his locker at the start of the lunch period.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; Brody said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Mmm.\u0026rdquo; Omri waited for Brody to move out of the way before entering his locker combination. When he opened the door, a paperback of \u003cem\u003eThe Most Dangerous Game \u003c/em\u003efell out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrody picked it up and wrinkled his nose. \u0026ldquo;We have to read this too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri grabbed the book and then stared at him pointedly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;When my mom confronted me, I panicked and said the first name I thought of,\u0026rdquo; Brody said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess I should be flattered,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrody laughed. \u0026ldquo;Did you get in a lot of trouble?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I lost computer privileges for a little while.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Damn. Well, when you get them back, give this a try.\u0026rdquo; Brody handed Omri a CD. \u0026ldquo;I burned you a copy of this sick new MMO, an island survival game. It\u0026rsquo;s cracked. I thought we could play it sometime.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri was speechless.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Never mind. You don\u0026rsquo;t have to play it,\u0026rdquo; Brody said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No! I will. Thanks, it sounds great,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay.\u0026rdquo; Brody smiled. \u0026ldquo;You have lunch now, right? Come sit with us. Me, Eric, and Ashton. They\u0026rsquo;re gamers too. But you\u0026rsquo;re way better than them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri slid the CD into the middle of his book and shoved it into his backpack, then slammed his locker door shut and accompanied Brody to the cafeteria.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing grounded sucked, but it was worth it. It was nice to have a real friend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s childish voice echoed in the hallway as they followed the hologram down to the lowest level of the bunker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They got in. The caretakers. I don\u0026rsquo;t know how, but they were . . . different. Far more advanced than the ones I knew. They were off-spec, modified and mutilated. And they started murdering people. My people.\u0026rdquo; Oz fell silent. \u0026ldquo;That was three hundred years ago.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What, um . . .\u0026rdquo; Loki coughed. \u0026ldquo;What happened to the bodies?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s voice faded a little. \u0026ldquo;The invading caretakers took them after they sabotaged Sanctuary and dismantled its caretakers. I couldn\u0026rsquo;t see what they did with their bodies or where they went when they left.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ugh,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is there any chance they\u0026rsquo;ll come back?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Almost certainly. The two outside likely broadcast your location to their cohort. Or some of them will be along to find out why they haven\u0026rsquo;t reported back.\u0026rdquo; Oz stopped in front of a door on Level 6. \u0026ldquo;This is Hydroponics. Your turn, Loki.\u0026rdquo; It pointed to the hand scanner on the door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki examined the glowing red screen. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t read the blinking text.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s that say?\u0026rdquo; he asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hydroponics,\u0026rdquo; Oz repeated impatiently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki put his palm on the screen and it cycled from red to orange to yellow to green to blue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;Thank you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door opened. Loki got a whiff of something awful and palmed the scanner again to close the door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ew!\u0026rdquo; he said. The large room had been dark and smelled like the kitchen trash when he hadn\u0026rsquo;t taken it out for a few days. Earthy, organic, rotting. Whatever had been growing in there was long dead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz, if you couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop the caretakers from slaughtering everyone before,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, \u0026ldquo;what makes you think you can protect us now?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;If the human leaders of Sanctuary had given me greater control, I \u003cem\u003ecould\u003c/em\u003e have saved them. I was given only limited access to the defense systems. I couldn\u0026rsquo;t even lock doors. The caretakers overwhelmed us quickly, and all I could do was stand by and watch.\u0026rdquo; Oz\u0026rsquo;s image glitched, blurring and tearing around the edges like a weak video signal. Glowing lines of code trickled down its face like digital tears. \u0026ldquo;Instead, they looked at me as mere maintenance or a personal assistant. \u0026lsquo;Oz, it\u0026rsquo;s a little chilly in here; could you turn up the heat?\u0026rsquo; \u0026lsquo;Oz, what\u0026rsquo;s eight hundred thirty-two times twenty-three?\u0026rsquo; \u0026lsquo;Oz, what\u0026rsquo;s on my schedule today?\u0026rsquo; I was a nanny for their children. But I promise, I\u0026rsquo;ll never let anyone hurt you again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAgain?\u003c/em\u003e Oz wasn\u0026rsquo;t confusing them with the people who lived at Sanctuary before, was he? Either he thought they were interchangeable, or it had been a slip of the tongue, or whatever the digital equivalent would be\u0026mdash;whichever, not encouraging.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConcern finally cracked through Holden\u0026rsquo;s calm fa\u0026ccedil;ade. He must have come to the same conclusion Loki had.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Didn\u0026rsquo;t anyone survive?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s projection stabilized. \u0026ldquo;One boy left Sanctuary, just before the caretakers arrived. He was lucky.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden perked up. \u0026ldquo;Where\u0026rsquo;d he go?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s a great question, Holden,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um. If caretakers could be on their way here . . .\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should leave,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Right now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t understand: Once I\u0026rsquo;m up and fully operational, this is the safest place you can be. It will truly be Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks for the welcome, Oz, but if it\u0026rsquo;s all the same, we have to get going now,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz held up its hands. \u0026ldquo;Wait! I was saving the best for last: I can show you where the other Sanctuaries are, and we can try to contact them from here. The caretakers couldn\u0026rsquo;t have infiltrated all of them. At the very least, maybe some people got away.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It would be nice to have something for all the trouble it took to find this place . . .\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And I still have a lot of questions,\u0026rdquo; Cole chimed in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita brandished an ax. \u0026ldquo;The more we know, the better equipped we\u0026rsquo;ll be to figure out what we need to do. Whether we stay here and fight, or leave and fight. It won\u0026rsquo;t take long, will it, Oz?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh, no. No time at all,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki hesitated before shaking his head. He hated to disagree with Sunita, but he\u0026rsquo;d meant what he\u0026rsquo;d told Holden about following your instincts. He was suspicious of Sanctuary, and he didn\u0026rsquo;t trust Oz. Chances were they would end up disagreeing on plenty of subjects in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It isn\u0026rsquo;t worth the risk,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll make it quick. Get the info we need and get out. Okay?\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe others nodded. Oz pouted, but he agreed. \u0026ldquo;I wish you\u0026rsquo;d stay, but I can\u0026rsquo;t stop you from leaving.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrue to its word, Oz took them straight to an access panel beside a sturdy door on Level 6.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This one is special,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;Extra security. Holden, why don\u0026rsquo;t you unlock it? Press your hand to the pad and say, \u0026lsquo;Disengage system lock. Ozymandias protocol 1.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden went to the panel and did as Oz said. The red light flashed, then the panel went dark.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz smiled. He looked down at the completed Rubik\u0026rsquo;s Cube in his hands. \u0026ldquo;Try it again, Holden.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pressed his hand to the panel, and the door whooshed open. Loki peeked in first. Inside was a small command center that reminded Loki of the security room he and Holden had discovered in a mall back in Arcadia, with video monitors and an array of communications equipment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seems clear,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group filed in and Loki switched on one of the screens. No fancy motion gestures like in Arcadia. Just buttons and touch pads.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Turn that off!\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki froze. This was the first time Oz had told them they weren\u0026rsquo;t allowed to do something. Which meant he was going to keep doing it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe screen showed different areas of Sanctuary. Loki swiped a finger across the screen to change the feed rapidly, seeing many of the areas they had visited on the levels above. Just as he saw the door to Sanctuary\u0026mdash;from the outside\u0026mdash;the screen switched off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSanctuary had cameras outside. Everything clicked into place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh-oh,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s up?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Loki?\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We never told you how many caretakers there were at the entrance,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;But a little while ago you said, \u0026lsquo;The two outside likely broadcast your position.\u0026rsquo; You\u0026rsquo;ve been spying on us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was fulfilling my role. Protecting Sanctuary!\u0026rdquo; Oz\u0026rsquo;s image flickered and faded, and Loki could see the open door through him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You knew all about us and the caretakers before we arrived. What else are you hiding from us?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nothing,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good-bye,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But the information you wanted\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Clearly wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be trustworthy, coming from you. Thanks for everything, but no thanks,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m guessing we can\u0026rsquo;t contact the other Sanctuaries from here.\u0026rdquo; Holden looked around one last time, wistfully.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s young face looked downcast. \u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll find them ourselves,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That isn\u0026rsquo;t necessary,\u0026rdquo; it said. \u0026ldquo;We have everything you need here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There is no \u0026lsquo;we.\u0026rsquo; It\u0026rsquo;s just you,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Please don\u0026rsquo;t go,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s too dangerous out there. The caretakers\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden headed for the door. It slammed shut in front of him. Holden slapped the hand panel to open it, but the door didn\u0026rsquo;t budge. He tried again. Sunita pushed past him and put her palm against the panel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill nothing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ozymandias!\u0026rdquo; Holden whirled to face the hologram. It no longer looked like a boy\u0026mdash;it was an older man with short brown hair, a bushy moustache, and a visor over his eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is for your own good,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll give you everything you want. Everything you\u0026rsquo;ve ever wanted.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta started banging on the door, moaning. Blood soaked through the bandages on her hands. Holden and Loki pulled her away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait a minute,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;You said you couldn\u0026rsquo;t operate the doors.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Those panels we\u0026rsquo;ve been scanning . . .\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;I thought there was something more to them. They\u0026rsquo;re different than the ones we\u0026rsquo;ve seen before. Is that right, Oz?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I needed each of you to grant me unlimited access to Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s systems. It only recognizes human inputs, from at least five unique individuals who are in the chain of command. As the only humans here, that\u0026rsquo;s you. You helped me help you,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You tricked us.\u0026rdquo; Holden leaned against the wall by the door, no longer trying to hide how freaked-out he was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz, what do you want?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked wearily.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Allow me to take care of you. I promise to always keep you happy and safe from harm. All I ask in return is your friendship.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat didn\u0026rsquo;t sound so bad, except that Oz wasn\u0026rsquo;t asking for their friendship; it was demanding it. Now that Loki had real friends, he saw Oz for what it was: a bully. Loki wondered if his bazooka would even put a dent in the door on the surface. If caretakers had managed to break in once, however they did it, there had to be a way to break \u003cem\u003eout\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You can\u0026rsquo;t keep us here forever,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, of course not,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door beside Holden opened. Loki fought the urge to run out and race to the surface as quickly as he could. Maybe Oz could be reasoned with after all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz smiled. \u0026ldquo;Provided you each behave, you\u0026rsquo;ll have free run of Sanctuary and the freedom to enjoy all it offers . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOh,\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;For as long as you live,\u0026rdquo; Oz finished.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOh shit\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden’s group made it to Sanctuary, and fought their way to the front doors. They arrived there by following instructions from Arcadia, an AI that divided the group as to how to proceed and showed them that, in this future world, even cities can be sentient…and calculating. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.171","slug":"ReMade-S2E04","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E04.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E4.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E4.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E4.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 4"},{"id":"59becc9148e97e0001b644c4","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":5,"title":"Man's Best Friend","released_date":"2017-12-13T12:47:45.032+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Sparky’s warning","byline":"Amy Rose Capetta","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E5_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2017-12-13","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t you want to know why you\u0026rsquo;re here?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked. \u0026ldquo;Why we\u0026rsquo;re all here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rest of the teens looked at one another, nervous or doubtful, but Hyrum kept his eyes on Jing-Wei. She\u0026rsquo;d been back for a while now, but Hyrum couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop staring. Even though he knew it wasn\u0026rsquo;t polite. Even though she had caught him, at least twice. He\u0026rsquo;d believed, for so long, that this was the afterlife, although each death shook that belief a tiny bit, like an earthquake that didn\u0026rsquo;t really do much but rattle a few books off a shelf. And then Jing-Wei showed up without memories of any of them\u0026mdash;and with a metallic companion. And Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s world had started shaking. Hard. It hadn\u0026rsquo;t stopped since.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re telling us that caretaker knows \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e we\u0026rsquo;ve been remade?\u0026rdquo; May asked. May was good at being practical, even when Hyrum was swirling into a panic. Hyrum made a mental note to thank her later.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei patted the caretaker on the head. \u0026ldquo;Well, I\u0026rsquo;m pretty sure that\u0026rsquo;s what Sparky said. It can be hard to tell sometimes.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker swung its large red eye from person to person.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum found himself straining forward, breaking the line of the small group as he took a baby step in the direction of the caretaker. He didn\u0026rsquo;t trust that thing, but if it had a reason for all of this, shouldn\u0026rsquo;t they at least hear it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right, Sparky. Spit it out.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei crossed her arms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen her eyes went fuzzy and faraway, like she was looking somewhere on the horizon. But the way she\u0026rsquo;d described it, she was actually looking at pictures in her own head. Hyrum felt something deeper than a shiver, a sliver of discomfort that went all the way down to his soul. \u0026ldquo;Sparky\u0026rsquo;s showing me something . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I still don\u0026rsquo;t like the idea that it can drop thoughts into her head,\u0026rdquo; Inez muttered. \u0026ldquo;Am I really the only one who has a problem with that? Please raise your hand if you have a problem with that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hands of pretty much everyone in the little group\u0026mdash;May, Gabe, Sebastian, Amelia, Alex, and Inez herself\u0026mdash;shot up. Seyah shrugged. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think you\u0026rsquo;d like it any more if the caretaker was talking to us. With an actual voice.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good point,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, shuddering.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum hadn\u0026rsquo;t put his hand up, but that had nothing to do with liking the notion of caretaker telepathy. He was just so confused. Disoriented. He had no idea which way was up or down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere he was. \u003cem\u003eWho\u003c/em\u003e he was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf he\u0026rsquo;d really died and been brought back to life, was he still Hyrum? Did he still have the same opinions that Hyrum would? Would the Hyrum he remembered being want to know what this caretaker had to say?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay. I see a handprint,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;And then a picture of a worm? And then a big pit. And that\u0026rsquo;s definitely a picture of Earth. And then a bunch of people. Like, an enormous crowd of them. And then Earth again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s\u003c/em\u003e the all-important message?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It doesn\u0026rsquo;t really make sense,\u0026rdquo; Seyah added, like she was sorry for stating the obvious, but the obvious was important.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said, sitting down unceremoniously on the nearest rock. She was clearly at the end of her patience. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m doing my best with what I have. And what I have is a keeper. They weren\u0026rsquo;t made to interface with humans. So they do the best they can.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry if we\u0026rsquo;re not throwing that thing a parade,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, shifting her weight. Her ankle was still a mess, and she\u0026rsquo;d half hopped all the way here, ignoring Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s and Gabe\u0026rsquo;s attempts at help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum felt bad for Jing-Wei, too. She had no idea what their group had gone through. If she\u0026rsquo;d been there when Teddy had died, would it be so easy for her to lean against one of the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s legs? Its bright eye flared at her touch. That would have looked cute if Hyrum weren\u0026rsquo;t afraid it was waiting for the right moment to dismember him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei might not have been afraid to rest against the caretaker, but she did look exhausted. She put a hand to her forehead and rubbed it furiously, as if Sparky\u0026rsquo;s message was still repeating in there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemembering a trick to get rid of headaches that he\u0026rsquo;d learned from his mom, Hyrum stepped toward her to volunteer the information. Here, at least, he could be helpful. But when he stepped toward the re-remade girl, Sparky rushed between them, two pincer legs up as if it would attack. Seyah grabbed Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s arm and dragged him back, and the caretaker retrained its red eye on her instead. Seyah\u0026rsquo;s breath stopped, hard. She held herself perfectly still.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum looked around. Inez was glaring at everyone, including Hyrum and Seyah. And Sparky. \u0026ldquo;Nobody move.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe, Amelia, and Sebastian all leaned forward, ready to rush at Sparky if it came down to a fight.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum should have been scared in that moment\u0026mdash;but he wasn\u0026rsquo;t. Or at least not as scared as he knew he should be.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that, in itself, was scary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDid it only take a few minutes of seeing a human with a caretaker to make him want to trust it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a moment, the standoff went stale. Hyrum decided it was safe to take a step backward, and then Sparky scuttled to Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You can keep your purpose,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;I have one that I came up with myself, no caretaker help needed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum knew what she was talking about\u0026mdash;Inez had made it her purpose in life to keep the rest of them safe, and so far she\u0026rsquo;d actually managed it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum owed her his life. They all did.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez marched off into the woods, not heading toward camp\u0026mdash;just in case the caretaker was keeping track. They had made a plan to leave Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp in a different direction each time they visited.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Go ahead,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said to the rest of the teens. \u0026ldquo;Keep playing follow the leader. You\u0026rsquo;re really good at it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;At least the one leading us around is human,\u0026rdquo; Amelia muttered. Everyone tramped after Inez, Hyrum giving Jing-Wei and Sparky one last look over his shoulder. Both the girl and the caretaker seemed to be watching them intently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they were officially out of sight, and probably hearing distance, of Jing-Wei and the caretaker, they caught up to Inez, who had stopped to swear at her ankle. Profusely. In at least two languages. Gabe offered his arm in a gentlemanly way that May rolled her eyes at and Hyrum envied. \u0026ldquo;Stop trying to carry me around like a\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;more swearing\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;princess,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an attempt to make up for scaring Inez back at Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp, Hyrum grabbed a decent-sized branch from the ground and stripped off its leaves. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t a species that he recognized, but it was sturdy and yet lightweight. A perfect walking stick.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe held it out to Inez. Her frown collapsed, but it was quickly replaced with a fresh one. \u0026ldquo;We need to smoke out Jing-Wei.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What does that mean?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t share supplies. We stop visiting. Either she\u0026rsquo;s with the caretaker, or she\u0026rsquo;s with us. She can\u0026rsquo;t play it both ways and keep putting us in danger. At some point that thing is going to follow us back to camp, or she\u0026rsquo;s going to, and then tell her precious death machine exactly where to find us. Can you imagine Holden and Loki and everybody coming back to a caretaker? We said we\u0026rsquo;d find a safe place to rendezvous. This is like leading them into an ambush.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You can\u0026rsquo;t just decide\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; May started.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This isn\u0026rsquo;t a dictatorship,\u0026rdquo; Inez assured her. \u0026ldquo;You saw what happened when Holden made decisions for everyone and didn\u0026rsquo;t check in first. Not pretty. So we\u0026rsquo;ll vote. All in favor of cutting off the caretaker?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez stuck her own hand in the air. Sebastian and Amelia raised theirs quickly, and Gabe followed close behind. May added hers with a roll of the eyes that made it pretty clear she still didn\u0026rsquo;t like the way things were being run. They didn\u0026rsquo;t need Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s hand to go up to have the majority, but he raised it anyway. Inez caught Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s gaze and nodded slightly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly Seyah\u0026rsquo;s and Alex\u0026rsquo;s hands stayed down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t you want to hear what it has to say?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez didn\u0026rsquo;t scoff\u0026mdash;not at Seyah. She seemed to think it over first, then she looked right at Seyah and said, \u0026ldquo;It already had a chance to tell us what it wants, and it went after you instead.\u0026rdquo; Hyrum thought about the caretaker in the clearing\u0026mdash;it hadn\u0026rsquo;t really \u003cem\u003egone after\u003c/em\u003e Seyah. Or even Hyrum. It had only moved to protect Jing-Wei. He didn\u0026rsquo;t think he\u0026rsquo;d have much luck convincing Inez, though. \u0026ldquo;Maybe the caretakers brought us back for a reason, but it\u0026rsquo;s a \u003cem\u003ecaretaker\u003c/em\u003e reason. These are our lives now. They don\u0026rsquo;t get to take you away from me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose last words came out fast, and they changed Seyah\u0026rsquo;s whole expression. She had been ready to argue, but now all she could do was look at Inez like she\u0026rsquo;d written her a love poem. Her eyes went wide and she even \u003cem\u003esighed\u003c/em\u003e a little bit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum knew Inez liked girls\u0026mdash;everyone knew that. Did Seyah feel that way too? The whole thing made Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s brain tilt slightly, as if the contents were sliding and settling in new places.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, shifting on her feet. \u0026ldquo;Somebody needs to go back to Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp and tell her that she has to make a choice. She can have until the end of the week.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think May should go,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s good at this sort of thing. All in favor?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEveryone\u0026rsquo;s hands went up this time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And if she doesn\u0026rsquo;t choose by then?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll have to assume she picked the caretaker,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum watched May disappear in the direction they\u0026rsquo;d just come from. Gabe and Seyah immediately began talking about the bizarre message the caretaker had brought them and what it could possibly mean and whether or not Jing-Wei was really a robot spy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum hung back, waiting until their voices were overtaken by the sounds of the leaves and a dry, raspy cry that must have been some new kind of bird. Hyrum had memorized every species in the \u003cem\u003eNorth American Field Guide\u003c/em\u003e, and he didn\u0026rsquo;t recognize it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe waited until the rest of the group had turned into tiny dots of color in the distance, and then he ducked into the woods. Alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum stood at the base of the trail. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t supposed to hike alone\u0026mdash;nobody was\u0026mdash;but he\u0026rsquo;d left his aunt and uncle\u0026rsquo;s house with Basco on his long lead and his feet had taken all the right twists and turns to end up here. His aunt had shown him the trail on a map the previous day and said it was an easy summit hike, a tourist hike really. Hyrum was used to much longer and trickier ones when he went with Scouts or with his dad. Where his family lived in Utah, the world was a web of hiking trails, tangled over the mountains.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum told himself that he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be gone long. The rest of his family had taken a little trip into Asheville to do vacation things, but he\u0026rsquo;d woken up late and his mom had let him take a rare sleep-in morning. He looked down the path, where it shaded into gloom, even though the day was bright with nearly impossible beauty. It was the kind of day that made him feel like the sun and the wind and the clouds were keeping him company.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBesides. Hyrum had Basco.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dog was already snuffling around in the underbrush, the sound of his nose against the leaves making Hyrum laugh. He was the most excitable dog Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s family had ever owned. Hyrum had convinced his parents to let him volunteer at a dog rescue even though they worried that he would come home with a different dog every week. He managed a whole year before he saw this pointy-eared, skinny-legged puppy, and there was no leaving without him. His parents had wanted to board him during their trip, but Hyrum had done everything short of begging to get him to come along.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow Basco tugged and tugged and tugged at the lead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right, boy,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m with you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe followed down the trail. Or rather\u0026mdash;up. As soon as his steps settled into a rhythm, his mind released from its nervous locked-up mode and started to travel the complicated paths of Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s thoughts and feelings instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSchool was fine\u0026mdash;at least the \u003cem\u003eschool\u003c/em\u003e parts of school were fine. He was getting straight As, except for a lone B in chemistry, which was okay because he\u0026rsquo;d stretched himself to take the AP class early. His knew his parents were proud of him and that his little sisters and brother looked up to him. His older sisters still treated him like the cute baby brother they\u0026rsquo;d put in their doll clothes. And then there was seminary in the mornings and Boy Scouts and band. He belonged to all of those groups. At least, he \u003cem\u003eshowed up\u003c/em\u003e to all of those groups.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut lately he was starting to feel a little bit off to the side, no matter how hard he tried to speak up in Scouts or say two words to Sarah in his chemistry class that weren\u0026rsquo;t about acids and bases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNone of his friends seemed to have this problem. But then, none of his friends seemed to be his friends anymore. They weren\u0026rsquo;t mean to him, or intentional in leaving him out of their plans to go to two-dollar movies or coffee shops on the weekend. They didn\u0026rsquo;t push him off to the side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was just where he ended up. Naturally.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the thing that helped most was to take a walk by himself, identifying every plant species as he went, even though it made Basco dance with impatience.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was already half a mile into the hike when he remembered that he should have left a note for his parents. He pulled out his cell phone to send a text, but no service showed up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe thought about turning back. But Basco barked\u0026mdash;a hard, dry bark\u0026mdash;and pulled him forward. He never could resist Basco.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Hyrum gathered firewood and chased down edible plants, he kept telling himself that he wasn\u0026rsquo;t really breaking the rules Inez had come up with. The rules he\u0026rsquo;d \u003cem\u003ejust\u003c/em\u003e agreed to. He wouldn\u0026rsquo;t share the supplies from their camp, but Jing-Wei had to be hungry, and what if she didn\u0026rsquo;t know what was safe to eat and what would result in a quick, painful death? Could she hunt? Hyrum didn\u0026rsquo;t remember. He knew that she was a fantastic builder and would have no problem whipping up a camp out of whatever was nearby.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey really could use her help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe\u0026rsquo;d found nonpoisonous mushrooms and gathered an armload of firewood when he heard the sound again, the one that he\u0026rsquo;d thought was a bird. It was more like a bark than birdsong, actually.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDry. Raspy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was also, from what Hyrum could tell, a little ways off. He was already deeper than he\u0026rsquo;d meant to go, and he didn\u0026rsquo;t want to lose the path back to camp. And if there really was a wild animal out there, he shouldn\u0026rsquo;t look for it alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe moved toward it anyway, feeling a magnetized pull. For one wild flash of a second, he didn\u0026rsquo;t care if something ate him. He\u0026rsquo;d die and go to the afterlife, which is where he thought he\u0026rsquo;d been this whole time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Hyrum really didn\u0026rsquo;t want to die. \u003cem\u003eAgain\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo why was he running, sweating inside his windbreaker? He heard the sound twice more before he could identify the reason he was moving toward it, the comfort and familiarity that came with it. The sound reminded him of a dog.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum remembered hearing that dogs had lost their survival skills\u0026mdash;their footsteps didn\u0026rsquo;t leave neat tracks like wild animals anymore, and most were terrible hunters. They\u0026rsquo;d grown sloppy and comfortable from depending on humans. But that \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c/em\u003e their survival skill. And it had worked really well. At least, while there were still humans around. Hyrum couldn\u0026rsquo;t remember seeing a single dog since he\u0026rsquo;d been\u0026mdash;his mind jolted hard over the word\u0026mdash;\u003cem\u003eremade\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe came to a clearing where the trees were mostly downed, probably by a storm, judging from the way their long, skinny bodies had fallen. They were young trees. Hyrum didn\u0026rsquo;t know why that bothered him, but it did.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the fall of trees, caught in a snare of branches, was a cumberbatch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum went into nature mode, noticing several things at once. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t nearly as large as the ones they\u0026rsquo;d seen circling Arcadia. One of its wings was pinned, leaving the other one free to thrash. That free wing looked powerful. Possibly dangerous. It had a leathery sheen to it, marbled with veins.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cumberbatch pointed its face to the sky. Hyrum was strangely reminded of the iron his mother had used to make the creases in his pants. The cumberbatch\u0026rsquo;s face was shaped like that iron, and had a dulled shine, though it was more bronze than silver. It puffed in breath and let out the sound that had drawn Hyrum across the woods. The raspy sound it had been making wasn\u0026rsquo;t like Basco\u0026rsquo;s bark, telling him to hurry up, asking for attention or food. It was a cry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cumberbatch needed help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum looked around, as if someone else might be coming. But he and the cumberbatch were alone in the clearing. If the creature had a pack\u0026mdash;did dragons travel in packs?\u0026mdash;it was gone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum approached carefully, one soft step at a time, until he was crouched down in front of the branches. He met the glossy, dark eyes of the cumberbatch. It was the size of a large cat, or a small dog, and Hyrum could tell it was a baby\u0026mdash;he didn\u0026rsquo;t quite know how. Maybe because of its size, although it could just have been a smaller version. But there was something in its eyes, the blinking, needful way it looked at Hyrum.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey there,\u0026rdquo; he said, keeping his voice low and gentle. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry.\u0026rdquo; Hyrum cleared away the farthest of the branches to make sure the wild creature didn\u0026rsquo;t startle. It just kept making that sound\u0026mdash;but this time it made the sound in Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s direction.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I hear you,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cumberbatch quieted down. Did it understand him? It was definitely staring at him, its little iron-shaped head cocked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were some tricky branches stuck on the wing itself. Hyrum knew that they would scrape against the wing\u0026rsquo;s leather; he just didn\u0026rsquo;t know how much it would hurt. Was the membrane like skin, easy to irritate? Was it like actual leather, supple and hard to breach? Or was it something completely different, something Hyrum couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine? He needed to keep the cumberbatch distracted while he went about the delicate work of picking away each pointed stick.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore he could figure it out, the cumberbatch broke free with a fierce cry. Hyrum expected it to fly off at once. But it didn\u0026rsquo;t. It stared him down, crying and crying and crying. This wasn\u0026rsquo;t the \u003cem\u003ehelp\u003c/em\u003e cry. He had enough little siblings to know the difference. This was the you\u0026rsquo;re-not-doing-something-I-want-you-to-do cry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, drooping a little. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know what you want.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was one thing to have a hard time with other humans. It was another to find out that even baby dragons thought you were a disappointment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe afternoon light was deep gold, and Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s heart picked up speed. He knew how quickly the woods could turn from lovely to menacing. All it took was darkness, pouring in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have important things to do,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, thinking of Jing-Wei and how much she probably needed the dinner he had gathered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe turned, walked a few steps, and with a heart-numbing whoosh, he found that the baby cumberbatch had perched on his shoulder. It had flown there in one clean sweep. Its wings ruffled his hair. Its talons were definitely going to leave a hole in his windbreaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe knelt carefully to collect the firewood, his heart racing. There was a small but unmistakable dragon on his shoulder. \u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;re going to stay up there, you should at least know my name. It\u0026rsquo;s Hyrum. And since I can\u0026rsquo;t ask yours, I\u0026rsquo;ll just call you . . .\u0026rdquo; The cumberbatch\u0026rsquo;s feet dug into his shoulder, and Hyrum gave it a wry half smile. \u0026ldquo;All right. Talon it is.\u0026rdquo; The cumberbatch squawked, and despite the discomfort of the little creature\u0026rsquo;s grip, Hyrum felt much better than he had a few minutes earlier, when all he could do was worry about Jing-Wei and Sparky and being remade.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Come on, Talon,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;We have a delivery to make.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost to the summit, Hyrum was feeling great about his hike. Basco had been in a good mood too, but then, he usually was. Life seemed simpler for dogs. Their struggles were mostly about kibble and treats, and getting as much of them as possible. Maybe finding an exciting bush to sniff.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRight now, though, Basco was a little subdued, his nose angled toward the path, his ears lacking their usual spring. Hyrum stopped and gave him a few sips from his water bottle\u0026mdash;the one important hiking staple he had managed to bring. Basco obediently smacked and slurped, but it didn\u0026rsquo;t seem to liven him up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s wrong?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked, clinching Basco in a furry hug.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBasco shook off whatever was bothering him, and they fell into step, taking the rest of the trail side by side instead of the usual way, with Basco tugging Hyrum along at top speed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoon a wooden platform at the top of the trail was in sight. Hyrum stopped to catch his breath, stretched his calves, took a quick sip of water from the bottle that had been full when they started and was now down to quarter level. The day was hotter than he\u0026rsquo;d expected, with a slight pressure bearing down as they walked. But now that they were at the top, the air felt clean and thin and charged with incredible energy.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum wanted to capture it and take it back down the mountain with him. He wanted to keep this feeling as he looked out over the dark blue mountains and the dark green woods, the light blue page of sky and the clouds scrawled across it like some ancient language.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe wished Dad were here to see this. He had taught Hyrum to appreciate a good view. They\u0026rsquo;d been drifting apart recently, but this was one thing they still shared. How did it happen, Hyrum wondered, that he always seemed to make the wrong decision lately, at least according to his dad? He didn\u0026rsquo;t know what to say, what to do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum turned in a slow circle, and it settled him into place. Each new slice of sky brought him a different shade of the same feeling. The world was enormous and beautiful, and Hyrum was small. A good kind of small. He fit into something bigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was what he\u0026rsquo;d gone on a hike for. It was like praying. It was asking a question and waiting to \u003cem\u003efeel\u003c/em\u003e the answer. Hyrum kept turning, breathing in little bits of the beauty. The light blue sky turned darker and harder, and three quarters of the way around, Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s mind stumbled across the truth of this sky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA storm was moving in. Clouds poured like smoke over the hills, dark as doubts that couldn\u0026rsquo;t be held down. They were pressing toward him. Fast. Hyrum shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have believed he could read the weather here as well as he could at home. It was a different place, with different rules. He should have paid attention when Basco was trying to tell him something earlier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDogs always knew.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum told himself that he was just going to leave the food and firewood at the far edge of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp, toss a stick in her direction to let her know she should check the perimeter, and run. It was probably a good thing for him that Inez was still getting better, otherwise she most likely would have rushed back and found him by now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum immediately felt guilty for his relief. How could he be happy that Inez was hurt? Did that make him a terrible person?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat about the way he hadn\u0026rsquo;t kept his word? What would the rest of the group do if they caught him? May should have been done giving Jing-Wei the group\u0026rsquo;s ultimatum, but what if she was still walking back to camp and saw Hyrum going in the opposite direction? He hadn\u0026rsquo;t really thought through this rule-breaking\u0026mdash;he had simply thought of Jing-Wei and known that he couldn\u0026rsquo;t let her go hungry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum walked slowly, looking for signs of May, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t hear or see anyone else in the woods. It was blue-dark by the time Hyrum settled the mushrooms and edible grasses into a pile. Jing-Wei looked busy working on her new shelter made from downed trees. Sparky scuttled over the top of it to work on one of the seams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were building it \u003cem\u003etogether\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were also arguing. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t get it,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said to Sparky. \u0026ldquo;Those pictures you showed me don\u0026rsquo;t make any sense.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum thought through the images again. A handprint, a worm, a pit, the Earth. A crowd of people. Earth again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky scuttled around, frantic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, showing me \u003cem\u003eagain\u003c/em\u003e doesn\u0026rsquo;t help at all,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky stretched out its long legs, locking them in stubbornness. The caretaker and Jing-Wei had reached a stalemate.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum really did want to know why they\u0026rsquo;d been brought back. How could anyone \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e wonder about it? Their life since being remade was dangerous bordering on impossible, and they had almost died so many times. Hyrum didn\u0026rsquo;t want to just run from one set of troubles to the next.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf they were part of something bigger, he wanted to know.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn\u0026rsquo;t notice that some of the firewood he\u0026rsquo;d gathered was slipping. It crashed into the brush.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who\u0026rsquo;s there?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei turned, her eyes two flashes in the dark. She had always seemed confident to Hyrum, but now her voice rattled with nerves. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t come any closer.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just me,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, stepping into the clearing, his hands up, the rest of the supplies in his arms tumbling to the ground. Even though his entire body had twitched with fear and surprise, Talon was still perched on his shoulder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Are you here to tell me that I\u0026rsquo;ve been given another ultimatum by \u003cem\u003ethe group\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo; The way she said it, \u003cem\u003ethe group\u003c/em\u003e sounded like something ominous or ridiculous or both. Hyrum wanted to explain that the group was a good thing. They were the only reason he was alive. That they had all kept one another safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Hyrum had never been particularly good with getting words out when he needed them most, so instead he just said, \u0026ldquo;I brought food.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s eyes went from wary to delighted in a single blink. \u0026ldquo;I thought I was going to be in protein bar purgatory for the rest of my life. What\u0026rsquo;s your name again?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hyrum.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe held out her hand. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We met. Before.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, I didn\u0026rsquo;t meet \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026rdquo; she said, pumping Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s hand before running past him to the food. She shoved half the mushrooms in her mouth in a single handful. Hyrum stared at her chipmunk cheeks and tried, very politely, not to laugh. At least now he had an excuse to stare.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked as real as any of the other teens. Did that mean Hyrum was like her? That they all were?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWas Hyrum more like this new version of Jing-Wei than he was like his old self? What about his soul? Had it been transferred from one body to the next? Or did it stay with the first Hyrum? Did he have a new soul\u0026mdash;or none at all?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis religion had answers for a lot of things, but being remade was not one of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a few more wolfish bites, Jing-Wei slowed down to savor the rest. Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s attention, which had been completely focused on her, was now pulled toward the caretaker in the center of the clearing. Its legs splayed outward. Its metal insides sparked blue and deadly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be here,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, his voice thinning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because of Sparky,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum nodded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe didn\u0026rsquo;t know how to explain that it wasn\u0026rsquo;t just a rule. Every time he saw this caretaker, he saw every caretaker. Including the ones that had tried to kill him and his friends.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei must have looked at Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s face and seen a distraught mess, because she didn\u0026rsquo;t push it. Instead, she nodded at Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s shoulder. \u0026ldquo;Who\u0026rsquo;s your friend?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, angling his right shoulder forward so Jing-Wei could have a better view of the baby cumberbatch. \u0026ldquo;This is Talon.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The caretakers told me that these guys were made as pets. Not by them, but by the humans while they were still around.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That makes sense,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. A bizarre kind of sense, but at least it grounded him in something familiar. That was why Talon had reminded him of a dog. Maybe that was even why, in his head at least, he\u0026rsquo;d started to think of Talon as a boy. He was more than a little bit like Basco.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei walked over and petted the cumberbatch\u0026rsquo;s long leathery wing. He seemed to bask in her attention. He made little gurgling noises of happiness. Then Sparky lumbered to its spider feet. Hyrum stepped back and stopped breathing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What is it . . . doing?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s asking about you,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. Before Hyrum could ask her to please not tell the caretaker anything about him, she turned to Sparky and said, \u0026ldquo;His name is Hyrum and he\u0026rsquo;s a sensitive soul.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei cocked her head. \u0026ldquo;Now he\u0026rsquo;s asking what a soul is. You want to field this one?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum stumbled backward. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t explain souls to a caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEspecially not now that he wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure about his \u003cem\u003eown\u003c/em\u003e soul.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good luck,\u0026rdquo; he said weakly, and ran away. In his moment of panic, he forgot to pick a new direction to confuse Jing-Wei and Sparky. His feet pounded a straight line toward camp, and he had to hope that he hadn\u0026rsquo;t given them all away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time he arrived at the cave, the moon was crisp and high. Near the entrance, a fire was banked low for cooking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez stormed toward Hyrum. \u0026ldquo;Where have you been? We thought you were dead! We sent out three different search parties.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum looked up at the cumberbatch, who had already grown used to his perch. \u0026ldquo;I found this little guy and\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And what?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked. \u0026ldquo;You caused all that trouble because you wanted to play with a baby dragon?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum felt ridiculous all of a sudden. \u0026ldquo;He needed me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That thing is not a pet,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Actually, it is,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. But telling how he\u0026rsquo;d learned that would give away where he\u0026rsquo;d been, who he\u0026rsquo;d been talking to. Before anyone could follow up with questions, he added, \u0026ldquo;I mean, that\u0026rsquo;s a theory I have.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe baby cumberbatch shifted on Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s shoulder, like he could sense that people were talking about him.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah walked over and took a look at Talon, standing close enough to Inez that their arms were touching. Talon stretched out his wings for Seyah, and she put one finger under his pointy little chin. \u0026ldquo;Maybe we could keep him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cumberbatches aren\u0026rsquo;t dangerous,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum added. \u0026ldquo;I mean, they look kind of scary, but none of them have actually hurt us in any way, or tried to. And besides, this is a baby. He\u0026rsquo;s separated from his pack.\u0026rdquo; He paused, remembering how little he actually knew about cumberbatches. About this whole world they were in. \u0026ldquo;Well, probably.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Vote?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurprisingly, every hand went up to keep Talon with them, at least for the night.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But tell us before you run off anywhere,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, a little of her fierceness returning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum nodded vigorously. He needed his alone time, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t actually want to scare his friends.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd everything was good, for a second, until Hyrum remembered that he was lying. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t just been out in the woods with Talon. He\u0026rsquo;d been feeding Jing-Wei while she talked philosophy with a caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSparky.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was probably what Hyrum would have named it too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum moved through the cave, away from Inez and Seyah, and Sebastian and Amelia, and Gabe and May. When had everyone coupled up? Hyrum hadn\u0026rsquo;t really noticed until it was practically over.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe and Alex were the only ones left\u0026mdash;and Alex barely talked to anyone. Hyrum liked Alex\u0026rsquo;s quiet and calm. It was one of the few constants in their new life, and it made Hyrum feel like they could face anything. Right now he was off in a corner, so deep in his black hoodie that he\u0026rsquo;d basically created a little world that nobody else was invited to. Hyrum wondered if Alex felt uncomfortable with the rest of them right now. He was the only who hadn\u0026rsquo;t voted to smoke out Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum worried over whether or not he\u0026rsquo;d left her enough to eat as he built a little nest of sticks and leaves for Talon next to his bedroll.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon did a drowsy little snuggle dance as he settled in, right against Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s side. Strangely, Hyrum found himself thinking of Jing-Wei leaning against Sparky. Was it easier to let a cumberbatch into camp only because none of them had been killed by cumberbatches?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum closed his eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe saw a caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd he wanted to run.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Talon chose that exact moment to snuggle into his side, keeping him in place. Hyrum took a deep, comforting breath of cumberbatch smell, which was a little bit like old leather shoes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s breath eased.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum was shaking hard as he ran down the mountain. The rain poured in gouts. Basco was drenched, his fur turned into ragged strips running with water and drip, drip, dripping fast into the mud.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum ran his hands over his clammy wet skin. It might have been a warm day when he started out, but this rain was freezing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd he was only wearing a pair of shorts, a T-shirt, sneakers. None of the light layers that he knew you were supposed to wear for hiking. No long pants, not even tall socks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was completely unprepared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLightning sizzled and Hyrum braced himself for the thunder, but it came faster than he thought it would, less than a second after the brightness. A tree just below the path came down with a murderous crack.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum didn\u0026rsquo;t know if it was safer to keep moving or to stand still and let this chaos pass him by. If he kept walking, there was the chance that he would fall and hurt himself. If he stayed still, he couldn\u0026rsquo;t be sure that the trees that sheltered him wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be more dangerous than the rocks along the path.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe decided to huddle under a tall shrub. If this was a single-cell thunderstorm, it would be over soon. He pulled Basco\u0026rsquo;s long lead tight and kept him right by his side, hoping that their warmth would prove more powerful than the ruthless cold of this rain. Basco nuzzled at his legs. The comfort that usually came from hugging him was faint, but it was there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum pulled his phone out, desperate for even a single bar of service, and his fingers slid over the wet case. The phone landed in a puddle, facedown, with a slap and then a hard crack as it met a rock.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum picked the phone up, trying to keep his hope from splintering until he saw the shattered face, trying harder to tell himself that everything would be fine as soon as the storm passed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next day, Hyrum took Talon on the morning watch with him. Away from the cave, the trees took over. They were East Coast trees, not too different from the ones Hyrum had memorized out of his dad\u0026rsquo;s old guidebooks\u0026mdash;ash and beech and birch. There were also species he couldn\u0026rsquo;t name, including a maple-like one with wavy leaves. Still, when he was out in nature, it was usually easy to pretend that he was in his old life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe one without caretakers lurking in the woods.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout the word \u003cem\u003eremade\u003c/em\u003e lurking in his mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut today it was harder to fool himself, because having Talon perched on his shoulder was a constant reminder of how much things had changed. And Alex, his watch partner, was walking nearby\u0026mdash;much closer than he ever had before.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was different too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex swung the spear he\u0026rsquo;d brought as his weapon at the ground. His steps wandered. Even after months in the wilderness, he still acted like someone who\u0026rsquo;d barely spent a minute in nature. He\u0026rsquo;d clearly never been a Scout. But it was strange how little Hyrum knew about him. Did anyone really know Alex?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How big will Talon get?\u0026rdquo; Alex asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What does he eat?\u0026rdquo; Alex asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good question,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, focusing on the simple problem of feeding Talon instead of the much more complicated ones swirling all around him. \u0026ldquo;What do you eat, little guy?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex dug in his pocket and held out some late-season blackberries he\u0026rsquo;d scavenged. Or maybe the seasons had shifted now, and the berries were ripe longer. He offered them to Talon, who sniffed but didn\u0026rsquo;t eat. The creature made a huffy sound. Offended.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex shrugged and kept walking. A few minutes later Hyrum heard something in the brush, and Talon lifted from his shoulder. He took off like a neatly released arrow, picked up a squirrel, broke its neck with a quick shake of its head, and flew back to drop it right in front of Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s feet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon squawked in triumph.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few minutes later, he had built up a nice pile of squirrels. He flew lazy circles that turned deadly the second he saw something skittering on the forest floor below. He brought the limp creatures straight to Hyrum with a look on his face that said, \u003cem\u003eAren\u0026rsquo;t you proud?\u003c/em\u003e He remembered the skunk Basco had killed once to impress him. His parents had been mad for weeks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wow,\u0026rdquo; Alex said, watching the heap of dead animals grow. \u0026ldquo;With Talon around, we might never have to hunt again. We\u0026rsquo;ve got more than enough for dinner. For a week. Too bad we\u0026rsquo;re not allowed to share with Jing-Wei.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I brought her something to eat yesterday,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, the stored-up truth coming out in a great big rush.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; Alex said with a slight smile, looking at Hyrum from under dark, peaked eyebrows. \u0026ldquo;That doesn\u0026rsquo;t surprise me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum felt an itch at the back of his neck, as if Alex had stared right through him and seen too much. Hyrum didn\u0026rsquo;t want to be the only one admitting something, so he asked, \u0026ldquo;Why didn\u0026rsquo;t you vote to smoke her out? Even with . . . Sparky?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex watched Talon circle the clearing and come back to his resting spot on Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s shoulder. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve all been together for a while. Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s been on her own.\u0026rdquo; He slashed at the ground with his spear. \u0026ldquo;I know what that\u0026rsquo;s like.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum wanted to ask more, but he also didn\u0026rsquo;t want to scare Alex immediately back into his hood.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Should we take Jing-Wei some more food today?\u0026rdquo; Alex asked. \u0026ldquo;Maybe Talon and I can help.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum wanted to say yes, but he wasn\u0026rsquo;t thinking about Jing-Wei anymore. All he could see in his memory was the caretaker, the way it had stared into his two eyes with its one deep red one. The way it had wanted to know about souls. About \u003cem\u003ehim\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I . . . I think she\u0026rsquo;ll be okay for a bit,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, hating himself for being a coward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;There was a rustling in the brush, bigger than a squirrel this time, and Talon took off again. But instead of diving, Talon circled once, twice, and decided not to attack whatever was in the woods.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum saw a blue flash.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow long had it been following? How had Hyrum not noticed? Talon and Alex were too distracting. Sparky\u0026rsquo;s bright eye and blue sparks emerged from the woods. The caretaker wasn\u0026rsquo;t running at them. It was stalking them quietly. Carefully.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex held up his spear. If it came down to a fight, it was just two boys, one spear, and a baby dragon against all of that metal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo make things worse, Talon didn\u0026rsquo;t seem interested. He circled above the clearing, carefree, looking for his next squirrel. Maybe caretakers didn\u0026rsquo;t attack cumberbatches. Or maybe Sparky really \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c/em\u003e a friend, like Jing-Wei said. Did Talon know the difference between caretakers that were safe to be around and the ones that would murder you?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s go,\u0026rdquo; Alex said, backing away slowly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can\u0026rsquo;t lead him to camp,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. Inez would never forgive them. And she would probably be right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What else are we supposed to do? Let it stare us to death?\u0026rdquo; Alex asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Sparky wasn\u0026rsquo;t just staring. Sparky was acting exactly like Basco when he wanted to tell Hyrum something and Hyrum wasn\u0026rsquo;t listening.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky looked at Hyrum intently. He nudged forward, step by step. Hyrum held his ground. He let the red eye get closer to him, even though he could see all his fears shining back at him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Alex started to run.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Alex!\u0026rdquo; Hyrum called. \u0026ldquo;Wait!\u0026rdquo; He tore after Alex, who hadn\u0026rsquo;t run back toward camp\u0026mdash;at least there was that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky crashed after them. And then Hyrum wasn\u0026rsquo;t so sure anymore, because having a caretaker hot on his heels felt exactly like it had every time before. It felt like rushing toward some unknown, impossible safety while a storm of metal closed the distance. Soon it would be on him. He gasped for breath as he ran.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then he heard a rush of steps from another direction. Sparky ran off, back toward Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp. Alex, still running ahead of Hyrum, slowed down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA spear split the air in front of Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s face and landed in a tree a few feet away with a solid thunk. Talon circled above, screaming. Hyrum had almost forgotten him in the chaos. Inez appeared from the other direction, looking calm and ready to handle anything, another spear lofted in her hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hyrum! Alex! Shit,\u0026rdquo; she said. She waved off Gabe and Amelia, who were running up behind her. \u0026ldquo;Are either of you hurt?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, although he almost had been. But it wasn\u0026rsquo;t the caretaker that had been dangerous, not this time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was their own fear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are you two still doing out here?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked. \u0026ldquo;Your watch ended a while ago.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ummm.\u0026rdquo; Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s inability to lie turned into a sticky ball in his throat. \u0026ldquo;Talon wanted to hunt.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cumberbatch seemed to understand that the dust was settling, because he returned to Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s shoulder and settled his prickly little feet. Inez frowned. \u0026ldquo;I swore I heard . . . There was this huge noise in the brush and I thought . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex opened his mouth, and Hyrum could feel what he was about to say. Something about Sparky creeping up on them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChasing them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum shook his head at Alex, hoping it was a small enough motion that Inez and the others wouldn\u0026rsquo;t catch it. He didn\u0026rsquo;t want Jing-Wei to get into trouble. He didn\u0026rsquo;t want them to chase off Sparky, not yet, not if it knew what their purpose was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It was nothing,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum announced stiffly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I \u003cem\u003eknow\u003c/em\u003e I heard something,\u0026rdquo; Amelia said, narrowing her eyes at the two boys.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex grabbed Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s hand, lacing his fingers through Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s, closing them together. Hard. Maybe it was just nerves, but Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s fingers pressed back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; Alex said. \u0026ldquo;We. Ummmm. Weren\u0026rsquo;t being subtle. Sorry about that.\u0026rdquo; Hyrum was a terrible liar, but Alex had clearly mastered the art. He was so convincing that Hyrum looked down at their joined hands and flushed with heat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez looked at Alex and Hyrum\u0026mdash;mostly at Hyrum\u0026mdash;with another one of those grins that started out small and smirky and then grew to epic proportions. \u0026ldquo;Wow. I know I said these are our lives and we should make the most of them, but I did \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e see that coming.\u0026rdquo; Inez squinted at Hyrum. \u0026ldquo;Okay, maybe I did.\u0026rdquo; She clapped him on the shoulder that Talon wasn\u0026rsquo;t perched on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum coughed. Hard.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should probably get the squirrels Talon caught,\u0026rdquo; Alex said. Inez shooed the others ahead of her back toward camp. Hyrum got the distinct feeling that Inez was giving him and Alex space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs soon as they\u0026rsquo;d gone back and gathered Talon\u0026rsquo;s heap of death, they fell into step beside each other. The late afternoon wrapped them in a sort of quiet that probably should have been suffocating, but . . . wasn\u0026rsquo;t. If not for the dead animals stacked in his arms and the lingering worry over the secrets that were piling up, Hyrum would have called it perfect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that made his brain tilt again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverything had been tilting lately, hard and fast, until Hyrum didn\u0026rsquo;t know what to think, what to feel, and which feelings to trust.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry about before,\u0026rdquo; Alex mumbled, his hood drawn all the way up. He looked at the sky, which had gone sickly gray. It would probably rain later.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum didn\u0026rsquo;t know what to say to that. \u003cem\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s okay? It felt nice? It felt \u003c/em\u003etoo\u003cem\u003e nice?\u003c/em\u003e He didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why didn\u0026rsquo;t you want them to know about the caretaker?\u0026rdquo; Alex asked quietly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum gave him a long look. \u0026ldquo;Do you believe in God?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex didn\u0026rsquo;t balk at the question like Hyrum worried he would. He just shrugged. \u0026ldquo;Some days.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine that. But Alex probably couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine growing up like Hyrum had either. \u0026ldquo;My dad liked to talk about science. He would say, God made everything, so how could He not know about atoms and black holes, and . . . that means He even knows about being remade.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Huh,\u0026rdquo; Alex said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s kind of cool.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe this is . . .\u0026rdquo; Hyrum fumbled to grasp the enormous idea. \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eHis\u003c/em\u003e way of bringing us back. And if He did that, there has to be a reason.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And you think the caretaker wants to tell us,\u0026rdquo; Alex said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was more than that. \u0026ldquo;I think Sparky wants me to figure out what it\u0026rsquo;s saying,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said with a nervous certainty. \u0026ldquo;I think it picked me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf Hyrum stuck to the path, he would make it down the mountain fine. But the rain blurred the ground. It was almost impossible to tell what was the path and what was just a place you could take one step and then another, and then a few more, before realizing that you weren\u0026rsquo;t on the path, after all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground under him broke with rocks and rippled with roots and all of it was shattered by the constant fall of rain. Hard, unrelenting rain that had no intention of stopping or slackening.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt took Hyrum too long to figure out that he wasn\u0026rsquo;t on the main path anymore, but a small spur that hit a dead end at a harsh downhill.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe doubled back and started to climb up again. Soon he had lost the path entirely. He trudged through mud, closed in by trees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe pictured his family getting back from their trip into Asheville and realizing Hyrum was missing. He didn\u0026rsquo;t let himself think the word \u003cem\u003edead\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstead, he thought about his dad, and how he would shake his head at Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s misadventure. How could he not be a little disappointed in his son, who was supposed to know better? Who shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have needed a walk like this in the first place?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum climbed harder than he\u0026rsquo;d ever climbed before, his calves so tight, he felt like the muscles might snap. While he moved faster, time seemed to get stuck in place\u0026mdash;he was living the same minute over and over again, the one where he was climbing in the cold rain, Basco a step ahead of him. The one where he felt sure he couldn\u0026rsquo;t keep going for another minute but told himself he had to.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then he had made it to the place where the trees thinned and the summit came into view. If he reached the summit again, he could find the main route and stay on it. It was like stumbling across the right turn in the path and finding a panoramic view of his hope waiting for him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs he stared up at the summit, he heard a crack so loud and so close that Basco pulled the lead out of his hand with a friction burn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum should have listened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum should have followed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut he was so terrified that he couldn\u0026rsquo;t move. The tree moved first, crashing down, down, down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat night, everyone feasted on the meat Talon had brought back. They even canceled patrols for a few hours so everyone could take turns cooking. And eating. And eating.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I revise my previous stance on cumberbatches,\u0026rdquo; May said, taking another enormous bite. \u0026ldquo;I love them. Cumberbatches for everyone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoon they were sprawled through the cave, May resting her head on Gabe\u0026rsquo;s shoulder, Inez and Seyah sitting close enough to gently knock their knees together. Amelia and Sebastian were tangled up in a human knot, kissing the greasy spots on each other\u0026rsquo;s faces and laughing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum remembered his own fleeting moment of holding hands with Alex earlier, the flash of feeling that came with it. He knew he had been blushing. He was probably blushing now. He looked over at Alex quickly, to see if he noticed, but he was focused on the slightly burnt meat, chewing like it might disappear if he didn\u0026rsquo;t eat it fast enough.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDid Hyrum want to go over to him and sit down? \u003cem\u003eYes.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut was that a real feeling? Had something changed when he was remade? There were kids who\u0026rsquo;d woken up different. Nevaeh didn\u0026rsquo;t have cancer; May didn\u0026rsquo;t have allergies. But why would \u003cem\u003ethis\u003c/em\u003e be different?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnless it wasn\u0026rsquo;t. Unless Hyrum had always been like this. What if he hadn\u0026rsquo;t been able to see it before, and being remade was like turning a path in the trail, opening up a view of things that had always been right there?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter eating his fill, Alex disappeared back into the depths of his hood like normal, and Hyrum breathed a sigh of relief.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum moved through the smoky cave, still sharp with the scent of char. He stood at the entrance and looked out, thinking of Jing-Wei and Sparky. Mostly Sparky. What had the caretaker been trying to tell them?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA handprint.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike the panels that opened with a handprint\u0026mdash;the ones that meant \u003cem\u003ehumans only\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA worm.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was weird. Hyrum couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine why Sparky would show them a worm. He thought about every species of worm he\u0026rsquo;d seen or read about in a nature guide, but none of them were special or important.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA big, open pit. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCould that be something they were supposed to avoid? Something dangerous?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA picture of Earth. People. Earth again.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon hopped up and down on Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s shoulder. Hyrum stayed lost in his thoughts, but less than a minute later Talon was screeching directly into his ear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum swiveled his neck and asked, \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s wrong?\u0026rdquo; but Talon just kept screeching a warning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum looked out of the cave. A storm was crackling to life on the horizon. From this many miles away, it looked like a living thing. It had black clouds for a body, and it crawled toward them on bright flashes of lightning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei was out there. Alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u0026mdash;that wasn\u0026rsquo;t quite true. She had Sparky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to get Jing-Wei,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, turning to the others and gesturing out at the storm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s probably made a decent shelter by now,\u0026rdquo; May said, but she sounded less certain of herself than usual.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine leaving Jing-Wei out there in the storm. He bounced on the balls of his feet. He didn\u0026rsquo;t want to wait here, paralyzed. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t do nothing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe took off into the first patter of rain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hyrum, wait!\u0026rdquo; Amelia called after him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut he was already running full tilt, over the slippery rocks at the mouth of the cave, down into the brush. Every fear left over from that day on the mountain came with him. Talon flew overhead, keeping a little of the rain off with his leathery umbrella wings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Go back, Talon!\u0026rdquo; Hyrum yelled. \u0026ldquo;Back to the cave!\u0026rdquo; All he could think of was Basco. He\u0026rsquo;d never know what had happened to his dog, and it was all his fault.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Talon stuck with him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe drops were as shiny as metal against the dark sky. Hyrum tugged up the zipper of his windbreaker. He told himself not to panic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe run to Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp felt longer than it should, but maybe that was just the storm, slowing him down. Or maybe he\u0026rsquo;d already lost his way, taken a wrong turn. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t get lost again. He had to make it to the camp, because Sparky had something important to say. It hadn\u0026rsquo;t tried to hurt him. Was it really just trying to lure him in with promises of a grander purpose, a place in something bigger\u0026mdash;was there something it wanted before it tore him apart?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWind smacked into Hyrum. Rain snaked down the back of his neck. The windbreaker couldn\u0026rsquo;t keep him dry. He wiggled his feet in his shoes, savoring the last dry spots on his socks before even those were gone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum remembered this feeling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe should turn around, get to the safety of the cave. The logic that had been turned off when he ran into the storm flooded back now. Hyrum was being ridiculous. Jing-Wei would make it through the night\u0026mdash;she was the most resourceful of all of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut this wasn\u0026rsquo;t just about Jing-Wei anymore.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum skidded, slid. He smacked into the cold, wet ground. His palms were stinging, his wrist hurt from catching his weight, his side ached where he\u0026rsquo;d fallen, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t think anything was broken.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon landed next to him, nudging at Hyrum with his hard little head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m okay,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;I think.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stood up slowly, feeling out his entire body. Hyrum could only imagine how the group would look at him if he came back to camp with broken bones.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was already the odd man out\u0026mdash;the one who was too young to really fit. He was the one who didn\u0026rsquo;t even know \u003cem\u003ewho\u003c/em\u003e he wanted to be with, let alone how to make that a reality. He was the one who wanted to talk to a caretaker, when the rest of them just wanted to survive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe got up and ran, limping slightly, breathing hard. Last time he\u0026rsquo;d been running toward safety. This time he was running away from it. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t making the same mistakes in this life. He was making all new ones.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon flew behind him, nudging his back with encouragement. He really was as good as a dog. Hyrum had gotten at least one thing right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cumberbatches for everyone,\u0026rdquo; he said as he stumbled into Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s camp.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was huddled under her shelter, in such close quarters with the caretaker that Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s heart skidded frantically. But when Hyrum let the initial moment of fear pass, he saw that Sparky was covering her with leaves, trying to keep her dry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey reminded Hyrum of him and Basco, or him and Talon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe walked right up to the shelter and Jing-Wei smiled, her lips pale, her hands tucked inside the sleeves of her jumpsuit. She looked freezing, but the roof of her little shelter seemed to be mostly holding. \u0026ldquo;Out for a stroll in the rain?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. He took a deep breath and moved over to the caretaker. \u0026ldquo;I came to bring you to better shelter. But . . . I need to be sure it\u0026rsquo;s safe. I want to figure out the message.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker stood up taller on its many legs, looking eager.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The handprint means that we\u0026rsquo;re here to do something only humans can do,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;Right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky nodded. It looked, for all the world, like it was trying to encourage him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The worm . . .\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, and faltered. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know about the worm.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei grabbed Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s hand. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s flashing just the worm and the pit, over and over, really fast.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe they go together,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wormpit?\u0026rdquo; said Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat didn\u0026rsquo;t make any sense.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wormhole,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum whispered. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s what Arcadia told Holden and Inez. People made wormholes so they could leave Earth while the caretakers fixed it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky leapt. It almost looked like the caretaker was dancing with excitement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it was like Hyrum had rounded another corner in the path, or reached the peak of the mountain, because he could see\u0026mdash;the view that opened up, the awe of being part of something bigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Earth, then people, then Earth again. The humans who made the wormholes left Earth, but it\u0026rsquo;s time for them to come back. We\u0026rsquo;re \u003cem\u003ehere\u003c/em\u003e to bring them back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky leapt up again, its blue sparks flying faster. It pushed forward until it was right in front of Hyrum, nodding and sparking and telling him why they were here. Why they\u0026rsquo;d been remade. The purpose Hyrum had been looking for.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That . . . changes everything!\u0026rdquo; Hyrum shouted. \u0026ldquo;Everybody needs to know this.\u0026rdquo; He tried to imagine bringing Sparky back to camp, and the mess that would ensue. He touched the spot on his cheek where Inez or Amelia or Gabe had almost speared him earlier. \u0026ldquo;Maybe if I tell them first . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ummmm. I think you already did,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum turned and saw the group\u0026mdash;every last one of them\u0026mdash;standing at the far edge of the clearing. Despite the rain, they were perfectly still, all of them glued to the scene of Hyrum talking to a caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are you doing here?\u0026rdquo; he asked. His voice cracked over the words.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did you really think we\u0026rsquo;d let you go out in this alone?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You scared the shit out of us, Hyrum,\u0026rdquo; Inez added. \u0026ldquo;What are you doing?\u0026rdquo; She was giving him a chance to explain himself. To say that Jing-Wei or Sparky had tricked him. That there was a perfectly logical reason behind him talking to caretaker. But he didn\u0026rsquo;t want to lie anymore. He knotted his hands together. \u0026ldquo;At first, I just came to help Jing-Wei. But then . . . then I needed to know.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay looked at Hyrum like he was painfully na\u0026iuml;ve. \u0026ldquo;You shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have come out here alone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I followed my instincts,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;We \u003cem\u003eall\u003c/em\u003e followed our instincts and decided to trust one another. And it\u0026rsquo;s not just because we\u0026rsquo;re humans and they\u0026rsquo;re caretakers. It\u0026rsquo;s not like humans have a great track record of being nice to one another. But we still trust one another. We have to, if we don\u0026rsquo;t want to be alone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah walked forward as if she were being pulled in by a string that the rest of them couldn\u0026rsquo;t see.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What you just figured out . . . We have to tell the others about this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait. What others?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum watched as people looked at one another meaningfully. \u0026ldquo;There are more of us,\u0026rdquo; he said slowly. \u0026ldquo;We split up before you arrived.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They went to find some kind of abandoned city,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, and then added, \u0026ldquo;Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; at the same moment that Inez said, \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t\u003c/em\u003e tell her.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What happened to \u003cem\u003ewe\u0026rsquo;re all supposed to vote\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo; May shouted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky seemed to go into some kind of nervous caretaker mode, its red eye blaring. Hyrum saw Jing-Wei biting her lip, listening.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What is it telling you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not safe,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;That place, wherever your friends went . . . it\u0026rsquo;s got some pretty strong warning labels on it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t believe I agree with a caretaker,\u0026rdquo; Inez muttered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If they\u0026rsquo;re in danger . . .\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to go get them,\u0026rdquo; May finished.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nobody\u0026rsquo;s going anywhere tonight,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, taking control again. \u0026ldquo;You would all get pneumonia and die.\u0026rdquo; May gave Inez one of her best glares. \u0026ldquo;I mean. We should vote on it. In the morning.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right, let\u0026rsquo;s get back to the cave,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All of us,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, looking at Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum could feel the argument coming as Inez\u0026rsquo;s shoulders tightened. \u0026ldquo;That \u003cem\u003ething\u0026rsquo;s \u003c/em\u003enot coming . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky can stay outside,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;At least until Jing-Wei is dry.\u0026rdquo; Lightning cracked the sky, as if on cue, and Hyrum jolted. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t want anyone to get hurt, same as you,\u0026rdquo; he told Inez. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s way too dangerous to be out in this. Jing-Wei needs to come back with us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex\u0026rsquo;s hand went up before Inez could even call for a vote. The rest of the hands in the group followed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez swung around to face Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;If it hurts any of them, if it so much as Cyclops-glares at someone the wrong way . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He won\u0026rsquo;t,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum waited as the group left the clearing in twos and threes, talking about their friends in Sanctuary. Talking about Sparky\u0026rsquo;s purpose. Jing-Wei and Sparky left last, and Jing-Wei gave Hyrum a grateful nod.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex hung back, not talking, just waiting. His hands were shoved deep in his hoodie pockets, probably still warm and dry. Hyrum found himself hoping that Alex would grab his hand and press their fingers together again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf Alex asked him what the weird look on his face meant, he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be able to lie. Hyrum really was a terrible liar. But Alex just started walking next to him, quiet and easy, despite the storm lashing the woods around them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey let the rest of the group walk far ahead, and it didn\u0026rsquo;t feel like they were putting on a show for anyone. Or keeping a secret. They just walked together, close enough that Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s shoulder brushed Alex\u0026rsquo;s a few times. \u0026ldquo;If you go rushing out to rescue someone again, I\u0026rsquo;ll come with you,\u0026rdquo; Alex said. \u0026ldquo;If you want.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though the rain was as cold as ever, and Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s socks were officially wet, he felt warm. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d like that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey filed back toward the cave. The rush of the rain turned into a soft pattering, and the harsh tilt of the world, the one Hyrum had felt every day since they were remade, finally settled. In the morning, the storm would leave everything washed bright and clean.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum was going to make it home.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei and Sparky revealed that the teens have a job to do. Hyrum has been consistently eager to help since the very beginning, but he hasn’t made any real friends. The group at Niagara Falls wondered about their friends—will they ever see them again?\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.172","slug":"ReMade-S2E05","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E05.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E5.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E5.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E5.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 5"},{"id":"59beccc9c7dc8d000126a944","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":6,"title":"Daredevil","released_date":"2017-12-20T12:44:13.528+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Safer than safe","byline":"Gwenda Bond","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E6_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2017-12-20","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lights in the hallway fluttered three times, up down, up down, up down, as if signaling a curtain about to rise. Lunchtime. Sunita picked up her pace to hit a faster\u0026mdash;but not \u003cem\u003etoo\u003c/em\u003e much faster\u0026mdash;stride. Loki, alongside her, matched it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re on our way,\u0026rdquo; Loki said, some chirp in his voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But we wouldn\u0026rsquo;t want to run in the halls,\u0026rdquo; Sunita added.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Of course not,\u0026rdquo; Ozymandias said from everywhere and nowhere. His voice was neutral, cool but not freezing. And, by now, intensely familiar.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe doors to the commissary came up on their left, and Sunita waited as Loki pushed them open to let her enter first. A railed balcony surrounded an open floor of cafeteria tables\u0026mdash;only one of which they ever used.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the others had been on time. They sat in their usual seats at the long table nearest the doors, their hands folded neatly in front of them. Holden first, then Nevaeh, then Umta. On the opposite side, Cole, and two empty chairs for Loki and Sunita. No one said a word to either of them until they were in their places.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden nodded. He spoke stiffly. \u0026ldquo;Hello. We were getting worried we\u0026rsquo;d have to start without you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hi, guys.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh cleared her throat. \u0026ldquo;I hope you\u0026rsquo;re hungry. I\u0026rsquo;m sure lunch will be delicious.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole said nothing, suddenly busy checking his fingernails.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta grunted. She spoke, the words almost a whisper, \u0026ldquo;Why? It never is.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh shushed her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hi, gang,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said as brightly as she could manage. \u0026ldquo;I hope Oz has something extra-good for us today.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;And how.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe winked at her. She\u0026rsquo;d whispered in his ear last night when they were hanging out . . . or, okay, making out . . . that she felt a little like they were on some old black-and-white sitcom. \u0026ldquo;I keep waiting for a \u003cem\u003egee whiz\u003c/em\u003e to come out of my mouth,\u0026rdquo; she\u0026rsquo;d said. \u0026ldquo;And then I\u0026rsquo;ll know I\u0026rsquo;ve lost it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe winked back at him. \u0026ldquo;Gee whiz.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki coughed into his hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m glad you have time to amuse each other,\u0026rdquo; Oz\u0026rsquo;s voice came from above.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat sucked all the joy out of the exchange.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It makes me upset when you\u0026rsquo;re late, as you know,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re sorry, Oz,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, looking down at the table. \u0026ldquo;We lost track of time. We came as soon as we realized.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilence stretched on for seconds. Sunita counted them. When she got to ten, Oz finally spoke.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You all need your nutritious sustenance. You have to stay strong and healthy. And when you break the rules, you must learn that there are consequences.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden\u0026rsquo;s hands tightened a fraction on the table in front of him. \u0026ldquo;We know, Oz,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re just looking out for us. We appreciate it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thank you, Holden.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then Oz appeared, flickering into existence as the child hologram they\u0026rsquo;d first met. This had been become rarer and rarer in the two weeks they\u0026rsquo;d been in Sanctuary. Usually Oz seemed content to be a faceless, bodiless voice. Omnipresent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the child version of Oz clapped his hands with excitement. How had they not noticed from the start that it was fake? It seemed so obvious now\u0026mdash;like he imitated a human for their benefit. Which, Sunita supposed, he did. Her skin went cold. Why had he changed his manner? What new development awaited them? More rules to try not to break? Another time-out?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Just this once,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, \u0026ldquo;I will overlook the infraction. Because today is a special day. Today I have a \u003cem\u003esurprise\u003c/em\u003e for you.\u0026rdquo; Little kid Oz smiled at them with gleaming, empty eyes\u003cem\u003e. \u003c/em\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you hungry?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh answered, her hands knotted in her lap. Nervous.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Very,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, not wanting whatever surprise this was. Unless it was \u003cem\u003ereal \u003c/em\u003efood for once. Tasty, hot food. They were entirely dependent on Oz for meals, which usually tasted like deluxe cardboard.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have repaired some new attendants to help me meet your needs,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore they could begin to figure out what that meant, the doors beside the food printer swung open. The answer came through them immediately.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eanswers\u003c/em\u003e, plural. Someone gasped, and Sunita couldn\u0026rsquo;t have said if the sound had torn from her throat or another\u0026rsquo;s.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClunky, chunky metal bodies covered in blunt edges and proto versions of the claws they were all too familiar with walked through the doors, some carrying lidded trays. They stopped in a staggered formation. One, two, three, four\u0026mdash;Sunita wanted to stop counting\u0026mdash;ten robots.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne for each of them, and then a few extra.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus Oz. They were badly outnumbered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere\u0026rsquo;d never really been a chance to study caretakers in depth\u0026mdash;since she and the others were usually fighting for their lives when they ran into them\u0026mdash;but Sunita was confident these weren\u0026rsquo;t exactly like the ones they\u0026rsquo;d encountered. They looked like . . . yes . . . prototypes. Smaller, if not exactly small. But they were close \u003cem\u003eenough\u003c/em\u003e to the usual murderous caretakers to send her heart into flight mode. It thumped inside her chest so loudly, she was sure Oz could hear it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What . . . Oz\u0026mdash;what is this?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta jumped to her feet, lowering into a protective crouch between them and the new caretakers. Loki pushed back from the table and reached to his waistband for the gun that was no longer there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, just like that, Sunita realized their elaborate game of pretend might be about to end. They had quietly, nearly silently, agreed to play along with Oz to manage his increasingly psychotic behavior for the past two weeks. The bunker AI constantly informed them of the risks he saw for them, issued new rules he claimed were made to keep them safe. Sunita wasn\u0026rsquo;t good at tuning him out the way she\u0026rsquo;d tuned out her parents discussing every bad thing in the newspaper like they would all happen to her if she weren\u0026rsquo;t careful. They\u0026rsquo;d had no idea what might happen to Sunita\u0026mdash;they were so wrapped up in stories of kidnappings and muggings and murders, they\u0026rsquo;d also had no idea what she was capable of.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrapped in here, she found that it had become impossible for \u003cem\u003eher \u003c/em\u003eto remember what she was capable of. . . . Would they ever leave this place? Would she ever run along rooftops again? Taste freedom?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe robots stopped in a line.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart of her, a big part, longed for the game to end. She twisted around and curled her fingers over the seat of her chair. More than ready to use it as a weapon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Holden gave Loki and then Sunita a quelling look before turning to the child-Oz. \u0026ldquo;Ozymandias, what\u0026rsquo;s going on here?\u0026rdquo; His voice shook a little at the end.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response, the robots advanced, each step a clanking thump as they came closer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThump. Clank. Thump. Clank. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta made a noise between a whimper and a growl, deep in her throat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita had almost forgotten how \u003cem\u003elarge\u003c/em\u003e caretakers were. These definitely seemed to be a fraction smaller than the norm, but even they could clearly rip a human being limb from limb without much effort. Not that she was ever likely to forget that. No, those were the kind of images that stayed with you forever, hovering behind your eyelids at night and in the morning. When you blinked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you saw a line of new caretakers in front of you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz had disappeared, no longer in the room. Not visibly. But she knew he was still present, watching.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve fixed up these wonderful machines to help me take better care of you.\u0026rdquo; The voice\u0026mdash;Oz\u0026rsquo;s, except a little more robotic and in chorus\u0026mdash;came from the all caretakers at once, from some hidden speakers on their bodies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of the robots stepped forward to present the food trays to each of the group in turn. The caretakers without jobs stayed put, as if waiting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki stiffly accepted his tray after a nod from Holden, who did the same. Umta pointed to her spot on the table and watched every move of the caretaker as it placed the tray there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita held her breath as the metal arms reached in front of her to put her food down; she didn\u0026rsquo;t breathe again until the robot moved away. Even then, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t easy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe chorus spoke. \u0026ldquo;Please, everyone, sit and take your nutrition. Then your new friends will show you the next surprise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop herself. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s the surprise?\u0026rdquo; she asked, though she felt like her throat was closing up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If I tell you, it won\u0026rsquo;t be a surprise. You will like it, in my judgment.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki exchanged a look with her and Holden. \u0026ldquo;Great,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden cleared his throat. \u0026ldquo;You know caretakers killed some of our friends, Oz. You said you know they\u0026rsquo;re, uh, dangerous. They make us . . . uncomfortable.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUnderstatement of the century,\u003c/em\u003e Sunita thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh!\u0026rdquo; the caretakers said. \u0026ldquo;But things change. They will obey me. They do not have motivations of their own, only mine. We will keep you safe here. I promise. Your comfort is my primary concern.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYeah, thanks, psycho.\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eI feel so much safer. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer stomach growled. Might as well eat something.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh lifted the lid of her tray before any of the others. A square of soy protein and what looked like mashed potatoes waited on the plate. As usual, it didn\u0026rsquo;t smell like much.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita lifted her lid and took a bite of the lumpy potatoes. She somehow managed not to spit them out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How is it?\u0026rdquo; Oz asked, through the voices of his puppets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Delicious,\u0026rdquo; Sunita lied. \u0026ldquo;Just like home.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita stood high above the city, leaning forward on her toes at the edge of a rooftop, the wind whipping at her shirt like it was a flag. Her calf muscles burned as she leaned farther, pushing her balance as far as she dared. She\u0026rsquo;d be jumping against the wind. Her destination, the edge of the next building\u0026rsquo;s rooftop, was just five, maybe six, feet away\u0026mdash;she could make it. She \u003cem\u003eshould\u003c/em\u003e make it. Wind aside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you going or just communing with nature?\u0026rdquo; Avram joked behind her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita turned to see Maggie punch him in the arm, hard enough that he winced.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not like you volunteered to be first,\u0026rdquo; Maggie said. But she lifted her eyebrows at Sunita.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe message was plain: \u003cem\u003eShould any of us be doing this? Tonight? \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThunder boomed and lightning crackled across the sky. Behind Avram and Maggie, the rest of their crew nervously joked around with one another. Navigating the city when there was bad weather could get treacherous. And tonight\u0026rsquo;s forecast had guaranteed some ugly thunderstorms.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo Sunita, the ambiance only enhanced the appeal of this gap jump. As long as she beat the worst of nature\u0026rsquo;s pyrotechnics, anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to rush just because Avram prodded her to.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am Storm, master of the elements,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, placing her feet wide and tossing her hands up. \u0026ldquo;I fear no rain. The weather is only here because I command it to be.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaggie grinned in appreciation at the reference. They\u0026rsquo;d watched reruns of the X-Men animated series together when they were kids.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvram did that baby pout he was so good at. Why did she make out with him on the regular, again? Oh, right. Because he was cute and he was there. But a not-insignificant part of her hated how he acted around her about sixty percent of the time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t get it,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMake that seventy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We know.\u0026rdquo; Maggie patted his shoulder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;From the X-Men,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, taking pity on him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Storm\u0026rsquo;s the one with the badass Mohawk.\u0026rdquo; Maggie gestured to her own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You should dye it white,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I should,\u0026rdquo; Maggie agreed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvram sniffed. \u0026ldquo;You going or not?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita inhaled. The air smelled like rain and electricity. It practically vibrated with the coming storm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh, I\u0026rsquo;m going,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, and looked back across the space between buildings. It seemed farther across now. Seven stories up. Her other friends cheered. Avram had insisted on inviting them; the more people to show off for, the better, in his opinion. Which didn\u0026rsquo;t mean he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t chicken out, considering the lightning.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita backed up without turning around, far enough to get a good run for momentum and have some fun in the lead-up. She pressed her hands together and then balled them into fists. At last, she relaxed them and launched her body forward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn her mind, she might as well have been Storm, a mutant capable of controlling the weather. She imagined the wind pressing her so she had to run harder, and she did just that. She imagined the lightning bolts blazing from her palms, the thunder hers to command. And when she was a foot from the edge of the building, she jumped, legs scissoring open in the charged air, free, flying, soaring. Sunita would sail up here as long as she wanted. . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then she landed, touching down with one foot, then the other, then slowing and whirling to face the others. She used the last of her momentum to manage a back tuck, rotating in the flip, and taking a bow when she landed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer friends on the other rooftop roared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut her applause cut out as Avram took his run to join her. His jump was less grace and magic than the raw strength of his legs propelling him forward as he leapt across the gap and landed hard, taking a few extra steps to stop. The brute power parts of freerunning were easier for the boys. It had taken Sunita two months to manage a pull-up on an exposed beam. Avram could do one after two weeks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Sunita was confident her own leap just now had been fiercer, more elegant. She\u0026rsquo;d shown it was possible, even with the wind. He\u0026rsquo;d followed in her flying footsteps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fact that many of the moves were harder for her and Maggie made them different from the boys, as far as Sunita was concerned. Not better, exactly. But it meant they worked harder. It meant the two of them alone appreciated the extent of the badassery they achieved on a daily basis. The boys were impressed, sure, but they didn\u0026rsquo;t think about what it took to do the same things. Maggie tossed her a thumbs-up, and it meant more to Sunita than the earlier applause.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvram flashed a smile and held his hands out to Sunita; she let him lace his fingers through hers. The first raindrops spattered them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should get inside,\u0026rdquo; Avram said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Sunita didn\u0026rsquo;t want to go inside yet. Her pulse still thrummed from the thrill of the jump. And she hated being told what to do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo she leaned forward and kissed him, shutting him up. The rain slicked down on them and she kissed him harder when he made a sound of protest at getting wet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was Storm and these were her elements. What was any of this but something she\u0026rsquo;d asked for? When she pulled back, Maggie was laughing, soaked and alone on the other rooftop. The rest of their friends must have already fled to find a dry place to wait out the storm. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m coming over,\u0026rdquo; Maggie said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvram shook his head. He had to shout to be heard through the rain. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t be crazy\u0026mdash;what if you lose your footing? It\u0026rsquo;s too slick now!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToo slick, was it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita released his hands and, before he could protest, started to run again. She jumped with the wind at her back this time, flying through the rain, soaked through and still soaring like she had invisible wings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen she landed on the other roof, she executed a roll, hitting the ground with her shoulder and slipping a bit because it \u003cem\u003ewas \u003c/em\u003ewet, okay, and bashing her side but still coming out of it fine. She scrambled to her feet and Maggie hugged her, laughing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvram shook his head at her and Maggie. Sunita took a perverse pleasure in the tension on his face as he leapt back over to join them. His hair dripped with water, his frown with disapproval.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t you even \u003cem\u003ethink\u003c/em\u003e about jumping back,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No time,\u0026rdquo; said Sunita. Then she added, to make it clear it wasn\u0026rsquo;t because he\u0026rsquo;d told her not to. \u0026ldquo;I have to get home, and we know the way down from this side.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita stayed close to Loki as they headed through the halls in a group, apparently back to the level where they all slept. She wanted to pick up on any cue from him if it was time to . . . do what? What could they do? What action was possibly available to them?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMercifully, most of Oz\u0026rsquo;s puppets had stayed in the commissary, but a couple of them acted as escorts. One walked in front of them, Holden beside it, and another at the back. Their heavy steps served as a consistent reminder. They\u0026rsquo;d taken on a different sound in Sunita\u0026rsquo;s mind now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDoomed. Trapped.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTrapped. Doomed. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEspecially since, alongside the ominous metal footfalls, they continued to speak with Oz\u0026rsquo;s voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;As you have restored my programming, I am able to understand my purpose once again,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, his typically neutral tone back and in stereo. \u0026ldquo;These surprises for you are part of restoring the natural order of all things. \u003cem\u003eYou\u003c/em\u003e were the only surprises I\u0026rsquo;d had in a very long time. For so very long, I went about life thinking my purpose was at an end.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, that answered one of the questions Sunita had wondered about, whether an intelligence like Oz considered itself to be alive, per se. He must be hundreds of years old, like Arcadia, or even older maybe. But their presence here renewed him. Oz wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be asking them to find an off switch anytime soon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr letting them leave.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t you think surprises are wonderful?\u0026rdquo; Oz prompted, through the robots.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden met Loki\u0026rsquo;s eyes over his shoulder before answering. \u0026ldquo;We all had a big surprise when we came here,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;No, that\u0026rsquo;s not right. We had a shock.\u0026rdquo; He stopped. \u0026ldquo;Oz, are a shock and a surprise the same?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden clearly meant to imply that the answer was no. Sunita sighed. Good luck getting Oz to agree.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Oz spoke, sure enough, there was disapproval in his tone. He did not like being questioned, they\u0026rsquo;d learned quickly. It usually led to them being put in time-outs or forced to skip meals. Maybe it was because this place had apparently been a military facility to begin with. He\u0026rsquo;d picked up some authority and hierarchy ideals and run with them. \u0026ldquo;Of course not. A shock is \u003cem\u003ebad\u003c/em\u003e. I once experienced a shock. I was left alone and without my faculties and capacities for far too long. In contrast, a surprise is . . . wonderful. As I said, I do this to bring you happiness. Don\u0026rsquo;t you agree now that we\u0026rsquo;ve discussed it further?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita waited for Holden to back off, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t. Not exactly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;Maybe whether any given thing is a shock or a surprise is in the eye of the beholder.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole snorted. \u0026ldquo;And then there\u0026rsquo;s realizing it doesn\u0026rsquo;t matter. None of this matters.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita cringed. That was a bad a thing to say.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You all matter very much, Cole and Holden and Nevaeh and Sunita and Loki,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. He didn\u0026rsquo;t mention Umta, and that was no accident. He treated her as less than them. And Umta struggled more than they did in here. \u0026ldquo;You matter to me. Everything I\u0026rsquo;m doing, everything I ask of you, is for you. To keep you safe and sound.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe words coming from the giant robots only underscored how fully screwed they were in here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDoomed. Trapped. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTrapped. Doomed. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita wanted to grab Loki\u0026rsquo;s hand, dodge through the pack of their friends, and start running. She never wanted to stop\u0026mdash;or at least, never until they were far, far from this place. She wanted to leap high, for her feet to leave the ground and not land for impossibly long moments. She wanted the feeling of escape.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, she wanted the reality. No more pretend, no more illusion, no more faking nice to a robot who couldn\u0026rsquo;t possibly have their best interests in mind or else he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t lock them up this way. They should have stayed with the rest of the group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki eyed Cole. \u0026ldquo;It still matters to some of us,\u0026rdquo; he said to Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole snorted again. At least he hadn\u0026rsquo;t snorted at Oz and his dull silver army. Still, Sunita thought. Cole was being a dick.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki and Holden had a tendency to be far more patient than she was. Nevaeh always jumped in to back them up or baby Cole, and now was no different. \u0026ldquo;Cole, you can\u0026rsquo;t mean that,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole didn\u0026rsquo;t respond.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOh, he means it\u003c/em\u003e. He was changing. This place was changing him. . . . But no, that wasn\u0026rsquo;t entirely true. The change had started before they got here. One night, on their journey to Sanctuary, they\u0026rsquo;d talked about who from back home they wished were here with them. Cole had just laughed and said he didn\u0026rsquo;t want more dead people walking the Earth. He refused to explain what he meant, just rolled over and went to sleep.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Quiet now,\u0026rdquo; Oz ordered. \u0026ldquo;The surprise is at hand.\u0026rdquo; Perhaps he sensed his control of the day slipping\u0026mdash;that and whatever else he had planned for them. They walked on with only the \u003cem\u003edoomed-trapped\u003c/em\u003e soundtrack in Sunita\u0026rsquo;s ears. How long would they keep playing the game?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lead puppet robots stopped just before reaching the first set of doors to the sleeping quarters they\u0026rsquo;d chosen. Unease spiked through Sunita.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden and Loki were bunking in this one. They knew they were still being watched, even in their bedrooms. But at least they could shut the doors when they went to sleep at night. Oz hadn\u0026rsquo;t visited them here\u0026mdash;as far as they knew, at least\u0026mdash;since showing them around that first day.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Try your hands,\u0026rdquo; Oz prompted, the robots stepping to one side and a little back. They\u0026rsquo;d have to turn their backs to the puppets to do as he said. Sunita suppressed a shudder at the thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden went first, but nothing happened. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t understand,\u0026rdquo; he said, frowning. \u0026ldquo;This is my room.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not anymore,\u0026rdquo; Oz in stereo said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki shrugged and put his hand on it. The door lit up but still didn\u0026rsquo;t open.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Half right,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. The caretakers by the door lifted their ominous silver appendages into the air, waving toward the door. \u0026ldquo;Sunita, why don\u0026rsquo;t you try next?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita swallowed and then stepped forward. Loki met her eyes and gave a small nod. It steadied her. A little.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe placed her hand against the door, a few inches from his. It slid open.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Surprise!\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOh, it was a surprise all right. The door hadn\u0026rsquo;t just been rekeyed; the room had also been rearranged. The small desk with pen and paper in the top drawer sat in its usual place against the wall. But the twin beds were pushed together to make a larger bed in the middle. A bed for two people to sleep in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore Sunita could think better of it, she asked, \u0026ldquo;Oz, is this a joke?\u0026rdquo; Then she glanced over to see Loki\u0026rsquo;s cheeks flaming red. \u0026ldquo;Not that I mind the company,\u0026rdquo; she added. \u0026ldquo;But why?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki focused on the caretakers. His hand had gone to his waistband again. \u0026ldquo;What the actual fuck?\u0026rdquo; he demanded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was part of what Sunita admired most about Loki. He could be timid, but his real self, at the core, wasn\u0026rsquo;t timid at all. He might be afraid that people would disappoint him, but he was brave. He said what he thought. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t afraid to speak up. To do the difficult thing. Playing the pretend game was as hard for him as it was for her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Explain,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the fuck?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Loki,\u0026rdquo; Holden interjected.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I do not appreciate that language,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, his voice echoing through the caretaker puppets. \u0026ldquo;You will have a time-out for that, Loki.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden shifted closer to Loki and put a hand on his arm. \u0026ldquo;Oz, I think he means . . . Is this what it looks like?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;My programming ensures the optimal conditions to maintain humanity are met,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Sunita realized the implications of this, her jaw fell open, officially beyond her stopping it. Once she\u0026rsquo;d recovered\u0026mdash;for some values of recovered\u0026mdash;she asked, \u0026ldquo;You really think we\u0026rsquo;re going to make babies for you? No way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I encourage you to behave appropriately, Sunita, if you do not want a time-out as well,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;The next door is for you, Holden and Nevaeh.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh and Holden looked at each other, then moved to the other door. A sense of horror pervaded the hallway. Sunita couldn\u0026rsquo;t bring herself to look at Loki again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh and Holden placed their hands tentatively on the door, the one to the room where Nevaeh and Sunita had been sleeping\u0026mdash;and it opened to reveal the same solo bed situation as the first. Nevaeh backed away slowly, and in doing so bumped shoulders with Holden. \u0026ldquo;Sorry!\u0026rdquo; she blurted, flushing pink.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole let out a harsh laugh. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not bunking with Umta. No way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you not trust me, Cole?\u0026rdquo; Oz asked. \u0026ldquo;You do, correct?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;None of us trusts you,\u0026rdquo; Sunita protested. It was reckless, but she couldn\u0026rsquo;t help herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz ignored her. \u0026ldquo;Umta will continue to sleep by the upstairs door. I know she cannot . . . reproduce with your kind. It would be unnatural.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita said, \u0026ldquo;All of this is unnatural.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta studied the floor at her feet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Any further questions?\u0026rdquo; Oz\u0026rsquo;s puppets asked in chorus.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh, Oz,\u0026rdquo; Holden said, fidgeting, \u0026ldquo;I know this is meant to show us a new purpose . . . but this isn\u0026rsquo;t how we, uh, do things where we\u0026rsquo;re from. We\u0026rsquo;re not really comfortable with it.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker in front lifted its metallic shoulders in what must have been a shrug. \u0026ldquo;My core programming is designed to ensure your survival and comfort, particularly when population levels are low. Humans need love, friendship, and society to be truly fulfilled. You need more friends and family, and I am giving you the appropriate conditions to achieve that goal.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is not the dystopian future I signed up for,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not like we did sign up though, did we?\u0026rdquo; Cole said. \u0026ldquo;You may as well accept the present. You can\u0026rsquo;t change it. None of us can.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita frowned at him. \u0026ldquo;Maybe you can\u0026rsquo;t, but\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz interrupted. \u0026ldquo;It is the natural order of things.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita felt Loki\u0026rsquo;s hand on her arm, and forced herself to look at him. His eyes went back and forth, to the caretakers in front of and behind them. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t telling her to be quiet, just reminding her they were surrounded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRight.\u003c/em\u003e Oz had been dangerous enough. Now they were dealing with Oz and ten robots he controlled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I see,\u0026rdquo; Sunita forced out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA big difference separated hooking up voluntarily and being forced to repopulate a deserted Earth. Sunita winced inwardly. \u003cem\u003eAlso, you\u0026rsquo;re a \u003c/em\u003egross, \u003cem\u003epervy, creepy robot. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Loki, you are in time-out for the next hour for your use of expletives. No visitors until that is over.\u0026rdquo; Oz paused. \u0026ldquo;That includes you, Sunita, for now. I\u0026rsquo;m sorry you have to delay the fun part of the surprise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s and Sunita\u0026rsquo;s eyes met. It was possibly the most awkward moment in the history of awkward moments.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll take a walk,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll be in time-out,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden and Nevaeh were studiously avoiding each other\u0026rsquo;s eyes, but Nevaeh reached out for his hand. He took hers and gave it a squeeze.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s better,\u0026rdquo; Oz chorused, noticing. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll have more company in no time at all.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita shook her head. Hell to the no on her playing any part in producing the pitter-patter of doomed, trapped little feet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita pulled a T-shirt over her head and\u0026mdash;\u003cem\u003ecrap\u003c/em\u003e\u0026mdash;heard the door open. She tugged it down, but she was too late.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;My heart, what happened?\u0026rdquo; Sunita\u0026rsquo;s mother was already dressed for the office in a tidy suit, hair smoothed back into a bun. She took the bottom of Sunita\u0026rsquo;s T-shirt, pulling it up again to reveal the vicious bruise along the left side of her torso.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita put her hand on her mother\u0026rsquo;s arm. When she\u0026rsquo;d spotted the purple-and-green bruise in the mirror while getting out of the shower, she\u0026rsquo;d felt proud. That had come from the slippery roll landing on the second jump across. The mark was a memory of what she\u0026rsquo;d done. Proof.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s nothing,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;You know I bruise easily.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But what could cause one so big?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat \u003cem\u003ecould\u003c/em\u003e cause such a thing? What acceptable, safe, totally not-at-all-death-defying explanation could she give her mother? She searched for options. Freerunning across rooftops was not one of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um, gym,\u0026rdquo; she settled on. \u0026ldquo;Volleyball.\u0026rdquo; She made a face. \u0026ldquo;I slammed into someone else. I\u0026rsquo;m such a klutz.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I should call the PE teacher,\u0026rdquo; her mother said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s a bad bruise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUh-oh.\u003c/em\u003e They weren\u0026rsquo;t even playing volleyball anymore. They\u0026rsquo;d been running the last two weeks, which Sunita enjoyed. Running, even the boring kind where your feet were supposed to regularly hit the ground, was better than standing still.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t need to,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;What would people say? I\u0026rsquo;d just be embarrassed, and um, we\u0026rsquo;re jogging now. Just jogging. I\u0026rsquo;ll be careful.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay,\u0026rdquo; her mom agreed reluctantly. \u003cem\u003eWhat would people say?\u003c/em\u003e had been the right go-to argument; it usually was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad appeared in the doorway then, also in a suit. Only, in his case, he\u0026rsquo;d soon don a lab coat over the shirt, at his medical practice. \u0026ldquo;Did you want a ride today or not . . . ? I\u0026rsquo;ve been downstairs for ten minutes.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She has a terrible bruise from PE,\u0026rdquo; her mother said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita\u0026rsquo;s dad motioned for her to show it to him. Inwardly sighing, she lifted her shirt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe gently pressed the edges. \u0026ldquo;Not serious, but what were you doing?\u0026rdquo; He shook his head and joked, \u0026ldquo;Ultimate fighting?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Volleyball,\u0026rdquo; her mother said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;d think that school could at least keep you safe,\u0026rdquo; her father said. \u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t have to do what they tell you if it results in this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNo, I\u0026rsquo;d be doing what \u003c/em\u003eyou\u003cem\u003e tell me. And then I\u0026rsquo;d get in trouble anyway, because you\u0026rsquo;d conveniently forget this the minute I got sent to the principal\u0026rsquo;s office.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t want people to talk,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re a good girl, my sunshine,\u0026rdquo; her father said. He dropped a kiss on her mother\u0026rsquo;s cheek and then motioned for Sunita to follow him out. \u0026ldquo;But no more volleyball. We\u0026rsquo;d better go\u0026mdash;don\u0026rsquo;t want to be late.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTo the school you just told me not to follow the rules of, \u003c/em\u003eSunita added in her head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe waited until they were in the Toyota and he\u0026rsquo;d switched into NPR-listener mode before she took out her phone and texted Maggie: \u003cstrong\u003eAlmost got busted\u0026mdash;sick bruise.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRut-roh,\u003c/strong\u003e Maggie texted back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA new message pinged them both: It was from Avram.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYo, favorite ladies, I have a tip for later. Epic construction site. We on?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita hoped Avram wasn\u0026rsquo;t exaggerating about the epic part.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSix?\u003c/strong\u003e she texted. \u003cstrong\u003eAnd don\u0026rsquo;t forget to bring a flashlight.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer dad sighed at something on the radio. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know what this world is coming to, do you, sunshine?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe put her phone in her pocket. \u0026ldquo;No idea,\u0026rdquo; she said, and wondered what she\u0026rsquo;d missed. Keeping up two separate lives wasn\u0026rsquo;t for the faint of heart. But though she might hate the hassle, she definitely wasn\u0026rsquo;t the fainting type.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThinking about Oz surrounding them with proto-caretaker puppets and wanting to turn them into baby-making machines made Sunita\u0026rsquo;s skin crawl. She\u0026rsquo;d meant what she\u0026rsquo;d said: \u003cem\u003eNo way. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd so, finally, she did the only thing that might make the panic inside her quiet down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe ran.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe bounced off the walls of the hallway for momentum, throwing in a vault here and a cat jump there. The whole point of freerunning was to master the environment around you, to navigate it with speed and skill and aesthetic dash. The eerily silent, modern bunker was filled with handholds and things to use for leverage. . . .\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWait. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita stopped for a second, crouching. Leverage\u0026mdash;something that would allow mastery over this environment. That was what they didn\u0026rsquo;t have. That was what they needed. She had to try to find something, anything, they could use to fight back. Or to escape. A former military place had to have weapons somewhere, right?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe little kid hologram appeared in front of her. He crossed his arms over his chest. \u0026ldquo;Sunita, you should not be exerting yourself in this way. You know running in the halls isn\u0026rsquo;t allowed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe wanted to drop-kick Oz even in his little kid guise, or tell him to go fuck himself. But that wouldn\u0026rsquo;t help. If anything, it would get \u003cem\u003eher\u003c/em\u003e a time-out and forced confinement . . . in her and Loki\u0026rsquo;s bedroom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUgh. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks for your concern,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;You maybe didn\u0026rsquo;t have this by your time. But it\u0026rsquo;s, um, exercise.\u0026rdquo; She considered what would be selling points for Oz. \u0026ldquo;A good way to stay healthy and in shape. Freerunning. Have you heard of it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tiny forehead furrowed. \u0026ldquo;Freerunning?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yep,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;I used to do it all around the city where I lived, over buildings and walls and playgrounds and parks. Exploring.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So it makes you feel at home?\u0026rdquo; Oz said, thoughtful. \u0026ldquo;To do it here? Exploring?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Very,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u003cem\u003eNo place like Oz\u0026rsquo;s bunker.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I suppose that\u0026rsquo;s okay then,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, and disappeared. \u0026ldquo;Carry on,\u0026rdquo; his disembodied voice continued. \u0026ldquo;But be careful. I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t want you hurting yourself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHe\u0026rsquo;s still watching me.\u003c/em\u003e Sunita knew it with confidence as she sprang back into motion. Then Oz confirmed it. \u0026ldquo;You used to do this outside, in a city?\u0026rdquo; his voice asked from above.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um, yeah,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, speeding up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then slowing down as the walls around her glowed with scenes of a cityscape. Not Arcadia, but not completely unlike Arcadia. Nothing like Berkeley, that was for sure. The scenes projected beside her were of tidy, empty robot cities. Still, for Oz, this gesture was positively sweet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t trust it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, besides that, she\u0026rsquo;d always preferred rooftops, being up high, to street-side running.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I liked being above it all,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That \u003cem\u003edoes\u003c/em\u003e sound dangerous,\u0026rdquo; Oz said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the visuals changed after a long moment, and there it was. The tops of buildings, the sky like an open door for her to go through. She hated Oz for keeping them trapped here, but she let herself pretend\u0026mdash;pretending for her own self for once\u0026mdash;that this was real.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe images colonized walls, leading her forward. In a long, open galley on the rec floor, she jumped over a table used for tossing balls around hash marks, a game none of them had been able to figure out. She leapt down and followed the rooftop scenes along a hallway. She\u0026rsquo;d never been in this one before.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were a few doors at the end, one with a sliver of shadow, like it was open.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Careful,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;Not that way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe stopped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePretending had never been Sunita\u0026rsquo;s strong suit. The scenes around her, Oz\u0026rsquo;s warnings\u0026mdash;they just underscored the truth: She and her friends were at his mercy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe spell shattered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOh, to be Storm, and . . . do what? Hit the bunker with lightning?\u003c/em\u003e Even a superhero would have a hard time getting out of this place. Especially when Oz still wanted to prevent them from truly exploring.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um, thanks, Oz,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I think that\u0026rsquo;s enough for now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz didn\u0026rsquo;t reply, but the images froze, went still, the clouds no longer scudding across a seemingly endless sky. Sunita walked back up the hallway and out into the rec area, keeping her footsteps measured. She had to get near that open door. And for that, she had to lose Oz\u0026rsquo;s interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was time to find that leverage she\u0026rsquo;d been looking for before he distracted her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; a voice said behind her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe turned. \u0026ldquo;Loki?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut how could she be sure it was Loki? Oz had clearly been watching her, stalking her movements, and they knew he could present as a hologram. Oz could look like anyone. She\u0026rsquo;d never mentioned this suspicion to the rest of the group\u0026mdash;she never had a chance when Oz wouldn\u0026rsquo;t hear\u0026mdash;but what was stopping Oz from imitating them?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSweat had soaked through her shirt, so she\u0026rsquo;d been running for a while. It hadn\u0026rsquo;t felt like an hour, though.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How long have you been watching?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe blinked and scrubbed a hand at the back of his neck. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t want to interrupt\u0026mdash;it was fun to watch.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe smiled at him, almost sure it was her Loki and not Oz.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I mean, you looked like you were having fun.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe laughed and walked over to him, and he stayed put, letting her come. She lifted a hand and put it on his cheek. Skin-to-skin contact confirmed it. This was not Oz playing games. This was her Loki, a little tentative at times, only with her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You know why I like you?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe honesty in the word took her aback. How bewildered his eyes were. \u003cem\u003eStop that,\u003c/em\u003e she wanted to say. \u003cem\u003eStop being mean to yourself. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because you decided to be who you really are here,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Like me. I did the same thing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe relaxed a fraction. \u0026ldquo;What do you mean?\u0026rdquo; He paused. \u0026ldquo;About you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was into freerunning and stuff, but I also pulled straight As and was Mom and Dad\u0026rsquo;s precious angel.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I wasn\u0026rsquo;t that much of a precious angel.\u0026rdquo; Loki was so serious. She wanted to make him laugh, even here, now, with Oz no doubt spying. He wanted them together, so they wouldn\u0026rsquo;t get in trouble for this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, but you\u0026rsquo;re still like me. Two nerds.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, right, says the coolest girl\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Loki stopped himself. \u0026ldquo;Crap. I\u0026rsquo;m a jerk. I almost fake-geek-girled you. Forgive me?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll try. You did stop yourself. And anyway, I had a whole Storm cosplay ensemble.\u0026rdquo; When he didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything, she said, \u0026ldquo;You know from\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The X-Men,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey grinned at each other. \u0026ldquo;Two brave, badass nerds right here,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s grin faltered. \u0026ldquo;I feel like I\u0026rsquo;m afraid a lot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe suspected it cost him to say it. Like fear was something bad to admit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, and shrugged. \u0026ldquo;But it doesn\u0026rsquo;t control you. You acknowledge it, but you keep going anyway. That\u0026rsquo;s how it is with me and freerunning.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe longed to tell him that they needed to find something in here they could use to get out. That she had a feeling about that door at the end of the hall, the one that didn\u0026rsquo;t look quite closed. They needed to talk about this whole crazy plan Oz had come up with for them to repopulate his happy little bunker. About his puppets. They couldn\u0026rsquo;t talk, though. Not here. Not now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t want to shut Loki up, but she did want to kiss him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir lips met, and this kiss was harder, more intense than before. Was Oz pumping chemicals into their water or something? Who knew? She was confident she\u0026rsquo;d be doing the same thing regardless.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt last, Sunita pushed back. But she leaned forward again and said in his ear: \u0026ldquo;Come with me. We\u0026rsquo;ve got to find a way out of here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki kissed her neck and she almost got distracted enough to abandon her plan. Chemicals or regular hormones? She couldn\u0026rsquo;t say, but she liked Loki more than any boy she\u0026rsquo;d ever kissed before.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe stepped backward, keeping up a slowish pace so she wouldn\u0026rsquo;t lose him entirely.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t dawdle on my behalf,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I like watching you be awesome.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like that, she looked over her shoulder to smile, and tripped. It was too late to catch herself\u0026mdash;her legs tangled up and she went down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki lurched forward to help her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe laughed. \u0026ldquo;Pretty awesome, huh?\u0026rdquo; she asked, raising her eyebrows. \u0026ldquo;Even I wipe out once in a while.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now, Sunita,\u0026rdquo; Oz interrupted. Interesting timing. \u0026ldquo;I told you we can\u0026rsquo;t risk you getting hurt. You were supposed to be careful. I\u0026rsquo;m going to have to send you to a time-out now. Loki, you are free to join her.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two of them looked at each other and then behind Loki, where one of the robots had appeared and clumped toward them. Sunita accepted Loki\u0026rsquo;s hand as he helped her to her feet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe robot spoke with Oz\u0026rsquo;s voice, thinner without its fellows to speak with it. \u0026ldquo;I think we should find a new fitness routine for you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita felt her face go hard, set.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve got an idea,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe imagined thunder and lightning, and the caretaker kept coming. Before Loki could stop her, she raced forward and up the front of the caretaker, flipping off its midsection and landing in a crouch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen she took a bow.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sunita, stop this right now!\u0026rdquo; Oz ordered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki shook his head, worried. But also impressed. \u0026ldquo;Sunita . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe turned back to the robot and held out her hands as if for cuffs. \u0026ldquo;Go ahead. Take me in, officer. I know you don\u0026rsquo;t have a choice. I broke the rules.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot that \u003cem\u003eNo one flips off a robot\u003c/em\u003e was actually a rule, but still. It probably was now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt took everything she had not to flinch from the touch of cool metal on her skin as the caretaker propelled her toward her room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe house around her was quiet. Sunita pulled a hoodie on over her fitted tee and leggings and slung her messenger bag over her head. Her phone buzzed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaggie: \u003cstrong\u003eOn your way?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYeah, you?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHere already. We have to climb. It\u0026rsquo;s pretty dark up there.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBe there in 20.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita crept out into the hallway and\u0026mdash;smiling\u0026mdash;went up on her toes, exaggeratedly tiptoeing just for herself. Her parents were out this evening at one of her dad\u0026rsquo;s functions, and if she was lucky, she\u0026rsquo;d beat them home. She\u0026rsquo;d snuck out late plenty of times with them sleeping. Home was one of the most treacherous places she had to navigate\u0026mdash;she\u0026rsquo;d risk a major wipeout by getting busted, after all. But it was also a safe place. Her parents had made it that way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer heart filled with a random rush of love for them. They did what they thought was best, emphasizing all the ways Sunita might encounter the bad in the world. They wanted to protect her, and she got it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo she went along with their rules, and indulged in stray moments like this one, of wishing she could be herself around them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe took comfort in the knowledge that someday she\u0026rsquo;d be free. She\u0026rsquo;d figure out what she wanted to do with her life. But she knew that no matter what, she\u0026rsquo;d always want to be part of the city, her city, wherever she ended up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe then she could get them to understand\u0026mdash;to understand her. That the idea of never being willing to take risks made her feel stuck, caged, like she couldn\u0026rsquo;t breathe. Safe didn\u0026rsquo;t make the top ten things she wanted to be when she grew up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe stopped tiptoeing and flew down the stairs and out the front door. Soon enough, Sunita darted forward on fast cat feet down three blocks, and onto a bus that lumbered across town far too slowly. Finally, she stepped off onto the sidewalk in a blissfully dark, quiet neighborhood. Avram had said the site was nearby.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe met her at the corner of the cross street, a grin on his face. \u0026ldquo;Hey, beautiful and late,\u0026rdquo; he said, holding out his hand for hers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey . . . Avram.\u0026rdquo; She leaned in and kissed his cheek. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not that late. Where\u0026rsquo;s everyone else?\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Already up there,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Waiting for you and me to show them how it\u0026rsquo;s done.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maggie said it\u0026rsquo;s dark.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was risky\u0026mdash;and then there was stupid. Sunita wouldn\u0026rsquo;t fly blindly into the dark. A security light or even a few flashlight beams could be enough to offset it though. The other night, there\u0026rsquo;d been plenty of security lights on the rooftop to show her the way across.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;ll be fine,\u0026rdquo; Avram said. \u0026ldquo;You brought a light, right?\u0026rdquo; He flashed his own headlamp on and off. \u0026ldquo;Anyway, I know you\u0026rsquo;ve got a thing for the heights.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita nodded. Everyone in their crew knew that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then what are we standing around for? Let\u0026rsquo;s go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita knew Loki would have gotten close to Holden to whisper in his ear or write him a note telling him to add the corridor they\u0026rsquo;d found to the map Holden had been making on the sly. But Holden\u0026rsquo;s raised eyebrow when she arrived at the commissary for dinner meant he\u0026rsquo;d also managed to tell him what else had happened. It was an \u003cem\u003eAre you nuts?\u003c/em\u003e and also \u003cem\u003eWow, you did go freerunning on a caretaker?\u003c/em\u003e eyebrow raise.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe returned it, pretending innocence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hi, all,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, with a nod to Loki. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t joined her in her time-out, which was just as well. Oz\u0026rsquo;s expectations for them were still stomach-roiling. She had no clue how they were going to manage to put him off his plan. If only she\u0026rsquo;d thought to ask Arcadia for a lifetime supply of birth control before they\u0026rsquo;d left.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hello, Sunita,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, back to his little kid form. \u0026ldquo;I hope you had time to reflect on the harm you could have caused yourself. For those of you who did not witness her actions personally, Sunita fell earlier, exercising far too vigorously. You should also know that she did this \u0026lsquo;freerunning\u0026rsquo; on one of my machines.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe hadn\u0026rsquo;t expected Oz to bring it up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta wasn\u0026rsquo;t at dinner yet. But Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s mouth dropped open, and even Cole\u0026rsquo;s eyes widened. So Holden was the only one who\u0026rsquo;d heard about what she\u0026rsquo;d done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um, I\u0026rsquo;m sorry about that?\u0026rdquo; she tried. \u0026ldquo;Really?\u0026rdquo; The bow she\u0026rsquo;d performed earlier made it a difficult sell, but then Oz wasn\u0026rsquo;t the world\u0026rsquo;s finest at reading subtext.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, not at all,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;You faced the consequences and are now here for your evening nutrition. You also proved my point far better than I could have. I know that you, Holden, were worried about being uncomfortable with your new friends, but surely this shows there is no need for concern. The unit in question reacted in no way to threaten Sunita, even when she assaulted it. I control them absolutely.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita wanted to say that she should be able to do whatever she wanted, that the stupid robot should never have been sent to claim her at all. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t assaulted it either.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe met Holden\u0026rsquo;s eyes, and then felt Loki\u0026rsquo;s hand cover hers and give it a squeeze. She looked down at it and flipped hers over to squeeze back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re your puppets,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;d only need to be afraid of them if we were afraid of you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes,\u0026rdquo; Oz agreed, sounding pleased. He really \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c/em\u003e crappy at subtext.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey, where\u0026rsquo;s Umta?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I had a caretaker bring her a tray,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;I decided it must be unappetizing to have her nearby while you take your meals.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita wanted to recoil from the ugly sentiment. Oz clearly didn\u0026rsquo;t think of Umta as a person. He\u0026rsquo;d never liked her, and she suspected it was because he didn\u0026rsquo;t see her like he saw them. Human.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Does that mean I can skip these feeding times too?\u0026rdquo; Cole asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole, what is your problem?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh shook her head at him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shrugged. \u0026ldquo;No problem.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat in the world was going on with him?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh spoke up. \u0026ldquo;Holden, is now a good time to . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo she and Loki weren\u0026rsquo;t the only ones who\u0026rsquo;d been making plans after the big bedroom reveals. Sunita leaned forward, interested to see what Holden would say.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz, you might already have heard this,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;Nevaeh and I talked earlier and . . . we\u0026rsquo;re, ah, feeling a little shy. We know you only want to monitor our activities because you\u0026rsquo;re keeping us safe and that you mean well. But, um, we\u0026rsquo;re used to a certain amount of, you know, privacy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Privacy?\u0026rdquo; Oz\u0026rsquo;s small head tilted to one side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYeah, you know, like the areas that were closed off from you? The ones you tricked us into opening when we got here?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden soldiered on, and Sunita wanted to salute. \u0026ldquo;We understand why you changed our sleeping arrangements, but we\u0026rsquo;re feeling a little self-conscious. Could we have privacy at night? No watching our rooms? That would be more natural.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden was brilliant. If they could get Oz to agree\u0026mdash;not that they\u0026rsquo;d know one way or another for sure\u0026mdash;it would take the pressure of forced procreation off. It would also give them a place where they could talk, at least in pairs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut mostly it would buy them time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s an excellent point,\u0026rdquo; Loki said, leaving his hand on Sunita\u0026rsquo;s. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t know how to say it, but that\u0026rsquo;s why I, um, used expletives earlier.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hmmm,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. His little hologram forehead wrinkled. \u0026ldquo;Let me think it over. Dinner is served.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s puppets filed out in a line, carting trays of no doubt lackluster meals. Their footsteps sang the same song in Sunita\u0026rsquo;s ears as before: \u003cem\u003eDoomed. Trapped. Trapped. Doomed.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she wasn\u0026rsquo;t ready to give up on finding a way out of here. Far from it.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita paused beside Avram, staring up at the tall structure composed of beams in front of them. It stretched up and up. Sure, it was daring to go out this early in the evening, but daring was kind of their thing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How we going?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Up, up, and away,\u0026rdquo; he said, climbing hand over hand. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s a platform about halfway to the top.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClimbing was not Sunita\u0026rsquo;s favorite part of these excursions, but it \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c/em\u003e how you got up high, and thus necessary. Hand over hand still took a lot of muscle and tired her out, but she wouldn\u0026rsquo;t admit that now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot as Avram showed off for her, making his way up the beams faster than she could. She eventually settled into a rhythm of cat jump, grab, cat jump, grab, and, when that got too tiring, just grabbing and hauling herself up. Finally, Avram and Maggie peered down over the side of a wider beam with a wooden platform beside it. She\u0026rsquo;d made it. Maggie started to offer her a hand, but Avram beat her to it and helped Sunita up top.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe collapsed into a seat, shaking out her arms. The roof was already filled with their crew.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks,\u0026rdquo; she said, and meant it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You need a rest?\u0026rdquo; Avram asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer arms burned, but she plucked out the wide-beam flashlight she\u0026rsquo;d brought to light the scene around them. \u003cem\u003ePlease\u003c/em\u003e let there be something good to play with after all that effort to get up here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd there was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhoever had planned out this level had made an accidental paradise. Stacks of building materials sat on beams and platforms at just the right heights. Staggered wooden platforms for lunch breaks and conversations had been positioned at the perfect distance for hopping between them. More metal beams would give good touch points and vault leverage.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Film me,\u0026rdquo; she said to Maggie.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You got it, Ororo.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe weather was as quiet as a dream tonight, but it \u003cem\u003ewas \u003c/em\u003edark up here. Not too dark though.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Light my way?\u0026rdquo; she asked Avram.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe nodded and took her flashlight. She trusted him to keep the beam in the right place. They\u0026rsquo;d done this a million times. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m going to go clockwise,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe nodded.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita got up and walked around, making a few mental notes, but not too many. She\u0026rsquo;d cross this not-yet-a-rooftop like poetry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd so, once she felt ready, she sprang into motion. Her first move consisted of leaping on top of a pile of beams, giving herself the right bounce on the way down, hands going flat and pushing off a beam as she flipped down and danced across the wooden platforms, gap leaping with a flare that she imagined people gaping at. To finish, she did a handstand on a pile of metal and then gained her feet once more, right next to where she and Avram had come up onto the roof earlier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe took her usual bow and got the expected applause from the handful of onlookers. Then she called out to Maggie, \u0026ldquo;Instant replay, please?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You got it,\u0026rdquo; Maggie said, and walked over.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey huddled around the phone. Sunita knew from the cheers behind them that Avram had started his pass. Someone else was lighting his way, and beams zigzagged all around. She watched herself and then flicked a glance back to see him mirroring some of her route.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That move was sick,\u0026rdquo; Maggie said, and Sunita turned back to the phone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look out!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Avram slammed into her, it was by accident. He lost his footing as he came in for a stop. She and Maggie were still side by side and, as Sunita\u0026rsquo;s feet went out from under her, she shoved Maggie back toward safety. And then Sunita flew. No, not flew. She fell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd fell.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe closed her eyes and waited for the impact.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz had \u0026ldquo;reminded\u0026rdquo; them to brush their teeth and wash up for bed to \u0026ldquo;get a full night\u0026rsquo;s sleep.\u0026rdquo; And not just that\u0026mdash;he\u0026rsquo;d had the caretakers escort them away from dinner. He still hadn\u0026rsquo;t responded to Holden\u0026rsquo;s request, but Sunita could tell it was on everyone\u0026rsquo;s mind. Brushing and spitting beside each other, Sunita caught Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s eyes in the mirror. They nodded to each other.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe have got to get out of here. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden and Loki were in the hallway, and all of them together were as loud as a grave. Cole was MIA, probably already asleep, and Umta always took a pillow up to the door to be closer to the sky. Holden seemed relieved that Oz allowed her to continue to do so, even with the new sleeping arrangements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe puppets led them to their sleeping quarters, and just as they reached the rooms, Oz spoke using their strange invisible speakers again. \u0026ldquo;I have considered your request, Holden, and as long as it prompts no dangerous behavior, I will grant it. You can have privacy in your bedrooms at night.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caveat made it less than confidence-inspiring, but it was something. A small victory, and maybe they could turn it into a bigger one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden nodded. \u0026ldquo;Thank you, Oz, for understanding.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You are very welcome.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita and Loki placed their hands on their door at the same time as Holden and Nevaeh did on theirs. \u0026ldquo;Good night,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026rsquo;Night,\u0026rdquo; Sunita returned.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt least all but the awkward pressure of suddenly being put in a bed alone together was off. Assuming Oz had meant what he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door slid shut behind them, and Sunita turned and said, \u0026ldquo;Now I get to have my way with you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s cheeks took on those red spots again. Man, he was cute.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m just kidding,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;For now. Sort of.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she leaned in close to him and gave him a soft kiss under his ear. \u0026ldquo;In case he\u0026rsquo;s spying,\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um, okay.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I say we wait and go snoop in a bit. I want to go back to where I was earlier. Look at something there. I\u0026rsquo;m sick of playing it safe.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But he\u0026rsquo;ll see us, won\u0026rsquo;t he?\u0026rdquo; Loki whispered, wide-eyed. \u0026ldquo;Holden just got him to agree about our rooms, not everywhere in Sanctuary.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Probably. But maybe we\u0026rsquo;ll get lucky?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because our luck has been so great so far.\u0026rdquo; He paused. \u0026ldquo;But okay.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita flopped onto the bed and pulled him down next to her. She turned to face him and said, \u0026ldquo;Speaking of getting lucky . . . You know, my last boyfriend pushed me off a roof.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe blinked. \u0026ldquo;What? Really? Is that how you died?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;It was an accident. He was careless.\u0026rdquo; She frowned. \u0026ldquo;My parents must have been devastated. I never thought I\u0026rsquo;d feel sorry for Avram\u0026mdash;that was my boyfriend\u0026mdash;but I do. He probably took it hard.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s face was carefully blank. \u0026ldquo;He should have.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry,\u0026rdquo; she said, and playfully tapped Loki\u0026rsquo;s nose. \u0026ldquo;He was bossy. I was just killing time with him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey lay there in silence, Loki rolling onto his back and studying the smooth ceiling. Sunita wondered if Oz could make it show images like he\u0026rsquo;d done with the walls, turn it into a sky. Fake stars were better than no stars at all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe she\u0026rsquo;d get Holden to ask Oz. She didn\u0026rsquo;t want to owe him any favors herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sat up, unable to wait any longer. And yes, she knew it hadn\u0026rsquo;t been long enough. But her feet were itching to move. \u0026ldquo;Okay, let\u0026rsquo;s give it a shot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;ll probably be a trio of Oz\u0026rsquo;s puppets right outside,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita nodded. But the two of them went to the door anyway, pausing for a moment before they put their hands on it to open it. It was a fiction that Oz couldn\u0026rsquo;t open \u003cem\u003ethese\u003c/em\u003e doors. They knew that, because he\u0026rsquo;d done it before. Presumably, Oz could open every door in Sanctuary now that they\u0026rsquo;d restored his access. They could only open the ones he wanted them to be able to open. But what if something was ajar? Something he didn\u0026rsquo;t want Sunita poking around in?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr had he led her there?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bedroom door whisked to one side, and Loki stepped into the hallway before Sunita could. She was right behind him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The coast is clear,\u0026rdquo; she said, \u0026ldquo;as far as we can see, anyway.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We shouldn\u0026rsquo;t talk more than we have to,\u0026rdquo; Loki whispered. \u0026ldquo;We might draw his attention . . . if he\u0026rsquo;s not watching already.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita nodded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn\u0026rsquo;t like night or day had any distinct difference down here. For all they knew, Oz had screwed with their circadian rhythms and they slept when it was light out. But even if it was only in her head, night \u003cem\u003efelt \u003c/em\u003edifferent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were trespassing. This wasn\u0026rsquo;t their home. It was, quite literally, the land of Oz.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they got to a stairwell that went between levels, Sunita pointed down. They believed they had a working plan of the place, but its limits hadn\u0026rsquo;t been tested.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita always longed to know just where the limits of a place were.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, lower down, they passed through the quiet rec room and then the hallway, with the row of doors ahead. All closed save one, the one with the thinnest crack of shadow showing. The sliding door that hadn\u0026rsquo;t slid all the way home, for whatever reason.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a glance at Loki, Sunita rushed toward it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s try opening it,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn\u0026rsquo;t completely unlike the door to their bedrooms. So she pressed her palm against the plate above the lock. It lit up, but then made a noise. Like the whir of a quiet motor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s stuck,\u0026rdquo; he said. He bent to where the locking mechanism was. \u0026ldquo;Not stuck. Jammed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he pressed against the lock, a piece of something . . . wood . . . showed in between the door and the slick jamb.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said softly, and placed her palm back on the sensor. The whirring began again. Loki had more success. He pulled the thin chunk of wood free.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis time, the door opened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis door had needed a human hand to open it. Otherwise, one of the puppets would\u0026rsquo;ve taken care of it by now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside the room, an overhead light came on. They each took an involuntary step backward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy this room would be harder for Oz to open made sudden sense. They\u0026rsquo;d found an armory. Rows of guns and other weapons lined the walls, their metallic gleam sinister and oh so very welcome.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLeverage. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve got to tell the others,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, preparing to enter the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;After we take a few things,\u0026rdquo; Loki agreed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That won\u0026rsquo;t be necessary,\u0026rdquo; said Oz\u0026rsquo;s voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s voice amplified. All ten puppets were there when Sunita turned. The one in front continued speaking, alone. \u0026ldquo;Thank you for unjamming the door,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;I thought you might help me with it if I showed you where it was. But I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t want you to hurt yourselves.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door slid shut, trapping them on the outside, and when Sunita pressed her hand against the sensor again, frantically, nothing happened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;After all,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, and now his voice was back in chorus, \u0026ldquo;weapons are dangerous.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita felt the words echo through her, bringing with them a feeling she knew all too well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDoomed. Trapped.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz trapped the teens in Sanctuary, purportedly for their own safety, and treated Umta differently from the rest of the group. They have everything they need…except a way out. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.173","slug":"ReMade-S2E06","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E06.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E6.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E6.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E6.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 6"},{"id":"59becd10fec9fa00017f57e4","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":7,"title":"Chosen One","released_date":"2018-01-03T12:38:22.934+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Follow the leader","byline":"Andrea Phillips","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E7_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2018-01-03","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ask it again,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, as if the last three rounds had just been for practice. May appreciated that dogged persistence in theory, but in practice it was a bit much.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the look of it, Jing-Wei was coming to the same conclusion. \u003cem\u003eInez: proper noun, synonym for \u0026ldquo;a bit much.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Or maybe an anagram of that, if you were feeling harsh: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um, a . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay knew this doppelg\u0026auml;nger of Jing-Wei wasn\u0026rsquo;t the same person as her old friend\u0026mdash;that they hadn\u0026rsquo;t woken up on a space station together. Still, she couldn\u0026rsquo;t help but feel that kinship. It was like a phantom limb, only nothingness where a friendship should be. It ached at moments like these, when Jing-Wei quirked an eyebrow at her, as if asking, \u003cem\u003eCan you believe some people?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOut loud, though, Jing-Wei only said, \u0026ldquo;Sparky said Sanctuary is dangerous and your friends are in trouble, but we\u0026rsquo;re never going to get a clear answer about what that means, exactly. Trust me, I\u0026rsquo;ve tried.\u0026rdquo; She crouched on her heels, drawing lines in the ground with a knobby stick, looking for all the world like none of this was important to her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCome to think of it, maybe it wasn\u0026rsquo;t.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What kind of danger are they in?\u0026rdquo; Inez persisted. \u0026ldquo;Is it caretakers?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shook her head. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think so,\u0026rdquo; she said. She squinted at Sparky, like the answer might come into better focus that way. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s not what it\u0026rsquo;s like when he talks about the unbuilders.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker was motionless, parked well away from the kids and half hidden by trees. As if any of them could forget it was there. May was exquisitely aware of every sound it made, every tiny gesture. Ten minutes ago something on it had whirred, like a camera lens focusing, and Seyah had jumped like a hand grenade had dropped in her lap.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther people seemed to be coming to terms with the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s presence a little more easily, though. Hyrum chewed on his lip, wide-eyed. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s he saying?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The dangerous part is . . . the place?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei shrugged with one shoulder and tossed the stick down. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know anything about your friends, but Sparky\u0026rsquo;s about to have some kind of coronary over there. He\u0026rsquo;s convinced we need to get your buddies away from that Sanctuary place pronto. So we can either go and help them, or you can decide I\u0026rsquo;m full of it and let whatever happens to them happen.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe rose, gawky and angular like a collapsible measuring stick. \u0026ldquo;If you believe me and you want to hear what Sparky thinks we should do, I\u0026rsquo;ll be here. But if all you\u0026rsquo;re going to do is argue with me\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;and here she looked Inez dead in the eye\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;then maybe you should just stop talking and let me go back to my camp in peace.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fine,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s this way.\u0026rdquo; She turned and stomped ahead, expecting that Jing-Wei would just follow her. She thrashed branches out of her way a lot harder than strictly necessary, too. Typical.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei rolled her eyes, but slouched after Inez anyway. Hyrum and Alex exchanged a look and followed too, Talon swooping above them. So May figured she\u0026rsquo;d better go along and keep an eye on things.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to go save them,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum told Inez. \u0026ldquo;We have to go now.\u0026rdquo; He\u0026rsquo;d been quieter than a mouse on the trip out, probably upset about Jing-Wei leaving them again, but he\u0026rsquo;d started in on this practically as soon as they\u0026rsquo;d left Jing-Wei and Sparky\u0026mdash;alone together in their shunning shack, as May thought of it. With every step that left Jing-Wei farther behind, he\u0026rsquo;d become even more high-pitched and insistent. He skipped faster every few steps to keep up with Inez\u0026rsquo;s brisk gait, but she kept breezing right by him. Talon glided overhead, keeping a close watch as Hyrum grew progressively more agitated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You think she\u0026rsquo;s telling the truth?\u0026rdquo; Inez scoffed. \u0026ldquo;You have to admit it\u0026rsquo;s a lousy story. She doesn\u0026rsquo;t even know what she\u0026rsquo;s supposed to be scaring us with.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But what if it\u0026rsquo;s true?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum stepped in front of Inez to stop her. May was startled at his boldness. Apparently Hyrum was too; he continued, a little softer now: \u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t have any reason to think she\u0026rsquo;s lying to us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Except the caretaker!\u0026rdquo; Inez\u0026rsquo;s nostrils flared and her voice grew louder. \u003cem\u003eTemper, temper. \u003c/em\u003eAlex moved closer to Hyrum, protective, and Talon landed beside him. Inez went stiff at that, and stepped back. May could all but see the steam coming out of her ears, all but hear her counting to ten to calm down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Even if she\u0026rsquo;s telling the truth,\u0026rdquo; May said, \u0026ldquo;Holden and the Rye-Catchers probably got to Sanctuary ages ago. So if there is anything dangerous there, they\u0026rsquo;ve probably either dealt with it already and they\u0026rsquo;re on the way back, or they\u0026rsquo;re . . .\u0026rdquo; She couldn\u0026rsquo;t bring herself to say it out loud, but the word hung heavy over all of them. \u003cem\u003eDead.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn\u0026rsquo;t any different than the day before, or the week before. From the moment the two groups had gone their separate ways, May knew the explorers had entered a Schr\u0026ouml;dinger\u0026rsquo;s cat situation they might never come out of again. So they could be dead. They could\u0026rsquo;ve died a week ago, or a month ago. No matter what plans and codes and rendezvous points they\u0026rsquo;d set up, the cold truth was that they might never meet again. And the ones who stayed might never know what happened, either.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the texture of not-knowing seemed different all of a sudden. Before, the danger was hypothetical: Maybe they\u0026rsquo;d fall off a cliff or run into a malevolent herd of murder robots, or maybe they\u0026rsquo;d eat a bunch of poisonous berries. Any of those things could happen at any moment. The idea that the place they were going was dangerous in and of itself, though? That had always been a possibility, but now that someone had said so out loud, it took on a new weight. The knowledge hung heavy on May\u0026rsquo;s shoulders and slowed her steps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they reached home, they joined Gabe, Amelia, and Sebastian around the campfire, now just a smoldering heap of ash. Hyrum took a branch and stirred the coals; through some magic, the fire leaped back to life. Like Jing-Wei had.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez surveyed the scene, her lips pressed together. Finally: \u0026ldquo;We should all stick together, no matter what,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;So let\u0026rsquo;s take a vote, and if we go to find the others, we all go. If we stay, we all stay. I\u0026rsquo;ll start off: I think we should stay put. I don\u0026rsquo;t think we should endanger ourselves or our plans because some caretaker\u0026rsquo;s shill says we should.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian shook his head. \u0026ldquo;The ones who went to Sanctuary were mostly the strongest of us, the ones who would be the best in a fight. If they got into a jam they couldn\u0026rsquo;t get themselves out of again, how would it help for us to show up and get murdered too?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex nodded agreement. \u0026ldquo;No go,\u0026rdquo; he said, soft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmelia bit her lip and looked from face to face. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t decide,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Pass?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe lowered his head. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;d come for us if they heard we were in trouble,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I think we should go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay looked at him sidelong, then bumped him with her shoulder. \u0026ldquo;Me too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Me three,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum added. No surprise there. May was pretty sure Hyrum would have risked his life to save eight rocks arranged like a smiley face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seyah?\u0026rdquo; Inez looked to her. \u0026ldquo;You haven\u0026rsquo;t said anything, and it\u0026rsquo;s three to three unless Amelia makes up her mind.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA breeze blew through camp, smelling of damp and of green growing things.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should go,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said at last. \u0026ldquo;I couldn\u0026rsquo;t live with myself if something happened to Holden and I didn\u0026rsquo;t do anything to help.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez scrubbed her fingers through her hair. \u0026ldquo;Fine,\u0026rdquo; she said, curt. \u0026ldquo;Then we\u0026rsquo;ll go. Hyrum, go tell Jing-Wei. The rest of us will start to pack up what we need. We\u0026rsquo;ll set out in the morning.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey didn\u0026rsquo;t have many mementos of the people they\u0026rsquo;d lost along the way. But Inez kept that caretaker arm as if it were the last fragile string tying her to Teddy. And May still had the calendar Wesley had made so long ago: that notched stick. He and Jing-Wei had been the most like her, and Wesley\u0026rsquo;s calendar project had helped her to start feeling like she understood where she was, back at the beginning of all this. After Wesley was killed, she\u0026rsquo;d guarded that calendar faithfully at every step, even through the rush to leave Arcadia and everything that had come since. If this was the only mark Wesley left on this world, then she couldn\u0026rsquo;t bear to see it erased. She notched another day in it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s the date?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked, seated next to her at the fire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s May ninth,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve been here for about half a year now.\u0026rdquo; She stood up to pace.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe put a hand on May\u0026rsquo;s wrist and pulled her to sit down again. \u0026ldquo;Stay awhile,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s getting too dark to do any more work.\u0026rdquo; She flushed, still unaccustomed to such casual touch, but nonetheless sank down next to him and put her head on the perfectly sized space between his chin and his collarbone. \u0026ldquo;Ahh, I finally caught you,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis voice rumbled in her ear, and she giggled in spite of herself. \u0026ldquo;I thought you caught me in Arcadia.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I did too,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;But you\u0026rsquo;re like a scared pigeon. Every time I get close, you flutter a few feet further.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s ridiculous,\u0026rdquo; May said, but even as she objected, she realized he was right. She almost pushed away and sat up. But instead she closed her eyes and listened to Gabe breathing, to his heartbeat. It was . . . nice. They just fit together, like puzzle pieces, like it had been planned out in advance. His arm rested around her, and everything seemed warm and wonderful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut May couldn\u0026rsquo;t quiet a little voice in the back of her head, digging, poking, looking for errors in everything she did. It needed certainty. It needed direction and purpose. Where, the voice wondered, was all this going?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay needed to take some tests before she could go to kindergarten. Her mother had explained to her very carefully that the school wanted to see how much May had learned already. They would probably ask about shapes, letters, numbers. They might ask her to do some drawing, or maybe play with some toys. Her mother also added the same warning she did whenever May was coloring or reading out loud: \u0026ldquo;Do your best, May, but don\u0026rsquo;t worry about being perfect.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay wasn\u0026rsquo;t so sure\u0026mdash;she was nervous and a little scared, because she couldn\u0026rsquo;t always remember which direction was the \u003cem\u003eb\u003c/em\u003e and which was the \u003cem\u003ed\u003c/em\u003e, and because she argued with her friend Nathalia sometimes about whether her little brother\u0026rsquo;s toy car was more \u003cem\u003ered\u003c/em\u003e or more \u003cem\u003eorange\u003c/em\u003e. \u0026ldquo;I might not know everything,\u0026rdquo; she told her mother.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not supposed to,\u0026rdquo; her mother said, and laughed. \u0026ldquo;That why you go to school, so you can learn all the things you don\u0026rsquo;t know already.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut May didn\u0026rsquo;t like not knowing things already. She kicked her booster seat and worried even harder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce they got to the school, they had to wait for their turn in a big, bright room with giant windows. May fidgeted a little in the plastic chair. She stared at the tiles in the ceiling, counting how many went across in each direction. It was ten and fourteen, not counting the funny ones at the edges that were smaller. Could she work out how many tiles there were in all? There was a trick to multiplying by ten. Her father had taught her. What was it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe squeezed, then shut her eyes to keep herself from cheating and counting all the tiles too soon. To multiply by ten, she had to put a zero at the end of the other number. And a fourteen with a zero at the end was . . . a hundred and forty. She opened her eyes again and tried to count to see if she was right, but she had trouble keeping track around the lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right, we\u0026rsquo;re ready for May,\u0026rdquo; said the test person, a man with curly gray hair and a very fat belly. May wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure what his name was. Nobody had thought to tell her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s go, May.\u0026rdquo; Her mother tugged at her hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay followed along obediently, but looked back over her shoulder. \u0026ldquo;Mommy, does ten times fourteen make a hundred and forty?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes, it does,\u0026rdquo; her mother said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe test person looked surprised, like maybe he hadn\u0026rsquo;t known that was the answer. \u0026ldquo;Why did you want to know?\u0026rdquo; he asked May.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe explained about the ceiling tiles and the lights. He looked up, and May could tell he was counting too. \u0026ldquo;Huh,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;How about that.\u0026rdquo; He patted May on the head. \u0026ldquo;I can see we have a bright one here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tests were fine after all! May was good at them, and she knew she was good at them. She put the wooden blocks in size order quickly. She looked at pictures and figured out how they went together to show how to make a sandwich, or how to get ready to go outside in the rain. She struggled a little to cut with scissors, because she wasn\u0026rsquo;t ever allowed to use them at home. \u0026ldquo;This is my first time,\u0026rdquo; she said, her voice very small, just like her. \u0026ldquo;Am I doing all right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re fine,\u0026rdquo; said the test person. He smiled, and then asked her to play a few funny games with him about making patterns. They were easy, but May liked winning so she didn\u0026rsquo;t mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally the man sent May back into the room with the one hundred and forty ceiling tiles to wait while he talked to her mother in private. She could hear their voices through the door, even though they were trying to talk quietly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You must know already that your child is very academically gifted,\u0026rdquo; said the man. \u0026ldquo;You really have something special on your hands.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes,\u0026rdquo; said her mother. She sounded tired. \u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t want to pressure her, though. She puts a lot of pressure on herself already.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe test person made a funny clucking sound with his tongue. May tried to copy it, but stopped so she could hear what he was saying instead. \u0026ldquo;. . . May is going to be a trailblazer,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;She has so much potential. It\u0026rsquo;s your responsibility to make sure she makes the most of herself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s my responsibility to make sure she lives a good, happy life,\u0026rdquo; May\u0026rsquo;s mother said. She sounded annoyed, like she did when May kept interrupting her in the bathroom. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s not a gift to the world; she\u0026rsquo;s only a child.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the car on the way home, May thought about whether or not she was a gift to the world. Or a \u003cem\u003etrailblazer\u003c/em\u003e. She wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure what that was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she really liked the sound of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is everyone ready?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked. She scrutinized each of them in turn. It was so much like the way May\u0026rsquo;s mother had checked her over before a field trip that May almost patted her pockets to check for her phone and epinephrine injector.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey weren\u0026rsquo;t there, of course. Though as always, May would have felt a heck of a lot better if she had both of them close at hand. She shivered, and Gabe absently rubbed her back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez didn\u0026rsquo;t look content, exactly, but she settled her backpack more securely on her shoulders. \u0026ldquo;Fine, lead the way,\u0026rdquo; she told Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei nodded and then turned to Sparky. Without a word, Sparky set off. Reluctantly, the kids trudged after him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcept May. She stood in place, staring at the direction the caretaker was headed, trying to match it up with what she knew, what she remembered. \u0026ldquo;Stop. That\u0026rsquo;s the wrong way,\u0026rdquo; May called.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kids turned around to stare at her. \u0026ldquo;What are you talking about?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian asked. He sounded a little snippy. Probably because he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be able to sneak off with Amelia as easily on a long journey.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s not the way to Sanctuary.\u0026rdquo; May coughed apologetically. \u0026ldquo;I memorized the map before Holden left. I thought one of us should know where they went, just in case . . .\u0026rdquo; \u003cem\u003eIn case something like this happened,\u003c/em\u003e she thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah snorted. \u0026ldquo;Of course you did.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Inez looked from Sparky to May to Jing-Wei and back again. \u0026ldquo;Show us what you memorized.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay picked up a stone and squatted. \u0026ldquo;It was like this,\u0026rdquo; she said. She traced out a rudimentary map: the mountains here, the rivers there, an X for Niagara, and, off to the side, another X for Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez narrowed her eyes and turned on Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Where exactly are you taking us?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I thought we were going to Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said, bewildered. \u0026ldquo;I swear that\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky walked over and stuck its wooden peg leg at a spot on the map, off to the side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We haven\u0026rsquo;t even left camp and you\u0026rsquo;re already lying to us?\u0026rdquo; Inez looked about ready to pick another fistfight with Sparky, no matter how badly it had gone for her the first time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei and Sparky seemed to be having a conversation of sorts. The girl looked at the machine. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t get it, buddy. Why are you showing me . . . extra robot arms and shit?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Weapons,\u0026rdquo; Amelia guessed. \u0026ldquo;Like Inez\u0026rsquo;s extra claw. I bet Sparky wants to take us somewhere to get weapons first.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay blinked at her. \u0026ldquo;That sounds like a good idea, actually.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei squinted at Sparky and then thumped the machine\u0026rsquo;s chassis. \u0026ldquo;I think that\u0026rsquo;s right,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What kinds of weapons?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked, suspicious.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Caretaker parts.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei squinted at Sparky. \u0026ldquo;Like . . . claws? Maybe sharp blades? Oh, there might be cutting lasers, too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe rivet guns like Loki had?\u0026rdquo; Seyah looked from Inez to Sparky and back again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei nodded. \u0026ldquo;Yeah, that too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay glanced sidelong at Inez, half expecting the girl to kick up some kind of fresh, hot fuss about this unexpected change in plans. Instead, Inez put her hands on her hips and grinned, fierce. \u0026ldquo;Well, all right, then,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Thaaaat\u0026rsquo;s what I\u0026rsquo;m talking about.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy now, May reflected, their ragtag group of teenagers were seasoned travelers of this world. They\u0026rsquo;d gone through jungle and forest, cities and ruins of cities, mountains, plains. Some of the terrain was familiar, but never quite familiar enough. It was like listening to a conversation in a language where you only knew ten words. Trees and grass\u0026mdash;yes, fine. But not trees with leaves shaped like perfect hexagons. Not grass that smelled like burning plastic when you stepped on it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd some things were strange through and through, presumably the work of caretakers. They passed by a field littered with cubes of rubber, each roughly a meter per side. There was the sweep of perfect, uncracked concrete, easily the size of an airport parking lot, with a giant sphere levitating in the center. The orb glowed and shifted colors like a lava lamp: crimson to cobalt and back again. Talon whined and tugged at Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s clothes to get him moving again when the boy stopped to watch it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey steered clear of that place, edging around the cement and walking until it was fully dark, putting a comfortable distance between the orb and them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir route curved, too, around the megastructure they saw on the horizon. It looked at first like the ruins of a city, broken spires glinting in the sun. But then it \u003cem\u003emoved\u003c/em\u003e, parts flexing, rising and falling like it was a living thing. They could hear a faint rumble as the ground shook beneath it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Holy shit,\u0026rdquo; said Gabe. His fists bunched, as if he could fight it off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce that first quick adrenaline burst of panic and fear passed, though, May found, to her surprise, that she wasn\u0026rsquo;t that concerned about the thing on the horizon. Whatever it was. There was a word for that feeling, what was it? She bit her lip, trying to remember, and it came to her along with a faint taste of blood. \u003cem\u003eFatalistic: an attitude of resignation regarding inevitable future events. \u003c/em\u003eIf they were going to get squished or devoured by that thing, well, at least it would be over with quickly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a few days, they stumbled on a wide ribbon of dark glass. May remembered something like this at the bottom of a stream in the ruined city by the space elevator. It was a road, probably, or maybe even a highway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one hadn\u0026rsquo;t been drowned or overgrown, but it hadn\u0026rsquo;t survived time and neglect in one piece, either. The road had buckled and broken in places, and there were gaps, steps, or long cracks every few hundred feet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky says this should bring us straight to where we\u0026rsquo;re going,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Just follow the black glass road, kids.\u0026rdquo; She hesitated, then added: \u0026ldquo;If I understand right, anyway.\u0026rdquo; She\u0026rsquo;d seemed a little more uncertain of anything Sparky told her ever since the map incident. Or maybe she was wary of seeming to trust Sparky more than the other human kids, not that May could blame her for that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah bent to test one of the broken edges, cut her finger, then swore and stuck the injured digit in her mouth. \u0026ldquo;Step carefully,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I think this thing could cut right through our shoes if we stepped wrong. Maybe even cut our toes off.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um. In that case, maybe we should just walk \u003cem\u003enext to\u003c/em\u003e the road,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, that definitely seems safer,\u0026rdquo; Inez agreed. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s keep moving.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay relaxed. She\u0026rsquo;d braced for a fight; it seemed like just about everything was a fight lately. It was nice to find something everyone could agree on, even if it took something as uncontroversial as deciding that walking on literal broken glass was a bad idea.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt night, May studied all of the others and, more specifically, how they\u0026rsquo;d paired off to a greater or lesser degree. Seyah and Inez were still dancing around like nothing was going on between them, and she hoped they\u0026rsquo;d get over themselves soon, because the tension was driving everyone else up a wall. Sebastian and Amelia, on the other hand, were so open about being together that May wished they would try a little harder to keep private things private. Alex and Hyrum had bonded over that ridiculous pet, and Inez had mentioned that she thought they were an item. It didn\u0026rsquo;t seem in character for Hyrum, but May couldn\u0026rsquo;t deny that the two of them had been spending a lot of time together ever since the cumberbatch had shown up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay paused here and took a full minute to resent Loki for calling the things something as ridiculous as \u0026ldquo;cumberbatches.\u0026rdquo; And then she spent another full minute feeling guilty about thinking ill of a friend who might be in danger\u0026mdash;or dead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer gaze turned to Jing-Wei, off on her own, distinctly segregated from the rest of the group. Jing-Wei and . . . well, Sparky. The caretaker\u0026rsquo;s main eye gleamed red in the night, but the thing was otherwise motionless. Jing-Wei sat with her back against one of its legs, fidgeting with something small in her fingers. A piece of wire, maybe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then there was her and Gabe. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t sitting right next to her, for once, but he wasn\u0026rsquo;t very far away. She moved to be closer to him, then burrowed under his arm like some nesting animal. It was too dark to make out anyone\u0026rsquo;s face clearly, but she knew just what his would look like: a little surprised, a lot pleased.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe rested her head on Gabe\u0026rsquo;s chest and closed her eyes. She puzzled over how the pairs had happened so neatly in their group. When they\u0026rsquo;d been chosen to be remade, had the caretakers considered this? Romantic compatibility? If that were the case, she wondered if the caretakers had gotten Holden and Seyah wrong, or Seyah and Inez right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei had said they were all here for a reason, for a purpose. And that had to mean there was a reason for everything else, too. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t May\u0026rsquo;s plan, but she had to at least be following somebody\u0026rsquo;s plan. A \u003cem\u003ereason.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Penny for your thoughts?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay knew she shouldn\u0026rsquo;t ask; she knew it was a needy, manipulative, garbage-person thing to say, but she had to get it out anyway. \u0026ldquo;Why do you like me?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe laughed, loud enough that Alex looked sharply toward them. \u0026ldquo;I like that there\u0026rsquo;s no bullshit about you, May. No mind games. I always know exactly what to expect.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe pulled away from him. \u0026ldquo;No, I mean it. Why me, specifically? Is it just that there\u0026rsquo;s nobody else to choose from so you might as well?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why? Is that how you think about me?\u0026rdquo; It helped that she couldn\u0026rsquo;t see his face. She didn\u0026rsquo;t think she\u0026rsquo;d want to see it if she\u0026rsquo;d hurt him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, of course not,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m just . . . thinking, I guess. About why we\u0026rsquo;re here, and where all this is going.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh, stuck in your head again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe campfire popped and flared. May caught a shadowy glimpse of Gabe\u0026rsquo;s eyes. He did look hurt. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m always stuck in my head,\u0026rdquo; she said, quiet. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s part of the package deal.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe held her hand. \u0026ldquo;I know it,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;But for right now, let\u0026rsquo;s take what we have. And what we have is you and me and a beautiful night and all the stars in the universe. We don\u0026rsquo;t need to worry about where all this is going. We\u0026rsquo;ve got our whole lives ahead of us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDo we?\u003c/em\u003e she wondered. But this time she kept her stupid mouth shut.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison came into May\u0026rsquo;s life and her class on the first day of November in the third grade. Madison was frizzy-haired and blond; she wore glasses and had knobby knees; she was placed in May\u0026rsquo;s reading group, along with Jackson and Emma; and most important, she had allergies, just like May.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay had never met anybody else who was allergic to a lot of things like she was. Weston was allergic to peanuts and Peyton was allergic to dairy, but May had a \u003cem\u003elist\u003c/em\u003e and so did Madison. The evidence was clear: just like May was special, Madison must be special too. And if May could be a trailblazer, then maybe she could team up with Madison to do even more together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo at lunchtime on the fourth day of school, once May was sure it was a good plan, she asked Madison if she\u0026rsquo;d like to be best friends. Just like that: \u0026ldquo;Hey, Madison, do you want to be best friends?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison shrugged. \u0026ldquo;Sure,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;My big sister can make us friendship bracelets. Do you like to swim?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sure,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;I like to run, too, and I can run real fast.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you like Harry Potter?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sure,\u0026rdquo; May said, even though she didn\u0026rsquo;t really like Harry Potter \u003cem\u003eall\u003c/em\u003e that much. No sense in jinxing her new best friendship right away. \u0026ldquo;Do you like Badtz Maru?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know. What is it?\u0026rdquo; Madison asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay bounced in excitement, her ponytail swaying behind her head. \u0026ldquo;Badtz Maru is a penguin, except he\u0026rsquo;s real cool and he wears sunglasses and I have a Badtz Maru plushie I could show you at my house if you come over.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison smiled. She was missing the same three teeth that May was missing. \u0026ldquo;That sounds like fun,\u0026rdquo; Madison said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll ask my dad if we can have a playdate.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen May\u0026rsquo;s dad came to pick her up from the after-school program that day, and for weeks after, Madison was all May could talk about. She\u0026rsquo;d had friends before, and playdates. She\u0026rsquo;d had things in common with other kids too. But she\u0026rsquo;d never before felt like someone else was \u003cem\u003ethe same\u003c/em\u003e as her enough to really understand her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay hadn\u0026rsquo;t realized how lonesome she was before she\u0026rsquo;d met Madison. And now that she knew, it was a stroke of good luck that she didn\u0026rsquo;t have to be alone anymore.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next day they finally ran into the first significant obstacle on their journey, and in retrospect, May kind of wondered why it had even taken this long. They crested a hilltop and found the trees ended abruptly, and only bare sand stretched forward. All the way to the edge of a mighty river.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Whoa,\u0026rdquo; said Hyrum, \u0026ldquo;there\u0026rsquo;s so much water.\u0026rdquo; He sounded a lot more miserable than a river strictly called for. May wondered what was up with that. Didn\u0026rsquo;t they have rivers in Utah?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis particular river, though, really was impressive. It was so broad, they could barely make out the trees on the other side, and the water was whitecapped and furious where it flowed around the few sprays of rocks. May tried to puzzle out its name. Was this was the Mississippi, or the Hudson, maybe?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce upon a time, in another life, she\u0026rsquo;d memorized vast amounts of geography for quizzes and challenges. But none of it had come up since the sixth grade, so most of that knowledge had eroded. And, come to think of it, there wasn\u0026rsquo;t much reason to believe this had to be one of the rivers she\u0026rsquo;d learned the name of.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How\u0026rsquo;re we supposed to get across?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked. She glared at Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Are we \u003cem\u003esupposed\u003c/em\u003e to cross?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei didn\u0026rsquo;t look at Sparky; she just stared at the other side of the river. \u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look.\u0026rdquo; Alex pointed down the hill to the close edge of the water. \u0026ldquo;A bridge.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was almost accurate; there had been a bridge there once. The remains of the road, the glass highway, still led up to the bank of the river in a shimmering, graceful curve. But the rest was in ruins.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay slid down the slope of sand and walked up to the shattered end of the road. It was broken away in clean planes, fringed with tarnished wire. Pylons still crossed the river, the water churning and breaking around those stone pillars. But each support was dozens of feet apart. Much too far to jump.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay had a sudden wild image of swinging from one to the next like Tarzan, or maybe like Sunita. There were cables still hanging from the tops of the few arches that remained, but there was no way to retrieve them, even if the rest of the plan was feasible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is going to be a problem,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Unless you\u0026rsquo;re all expert swimmers?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez scowled at the water. \u0026ldquo;Even if we were,\u0026rdquo; she said, \u0026ldquo;that doesn\u0026rsquo;t look safe.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Guess we turn downriver then, until we find somewhere else to cross,\u0026rdquo; said Gabe. He shifted his backpack to ride higher on his shoulders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky emitted a sound: a shrill, grating noise like microphone feedback. Sebastian shrieked, Seyah jumped, and Alex darted ten feet away before catching himself. Gabe jumped too, putting an arm in front of May\u0026rsquo;s chest, the way her mom had sometimes acted like a makeshift seat belt when she stopped the car a little too fast.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell was that?\u0026rdquo; Gabe demanded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked as confused and upset as everyone else. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s never done that before.\u0026rdquo; She paused for a moment, her face crinkled up like it did whenever she tried to understand whatever Sparky was doing inside her brain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think we \u003cem\u003ehave\u003c/em\u003e to cross here,\u0026rdquo; she said at last. \u0026ldquo;Sparky says it\u0026rsquo;s dangerous to go anywhere else. Or at least I keep seeing a skull and crossbones.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shook her head vigorously. \u0026ldquo;This was a bad idea,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;We should turn back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Turn back to Niagara?\u0026rdquo; May asked. \u0026ldquo;Or do you mean go straight to Sanctuary?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez threw her hands in the air. \u0026ldquo;Either one,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t even care.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe cleared his throat. \u0026ldquo;We took a vote already, Inez. You wanna take a new one every time something comes up? Maybe take another vote every morning, make sure nobody changes their mind?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, but\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Listen, we decided to make this decision as a group,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;And we made the decision. It\u0026rsquo;s done. Move past this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez\u0026rsquo;s face was red, and her jaw worked a little. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re right,\u0026rdquo; she said at last. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re right. I need to respect what we decided.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But we still need a way across the river,\u0026rdquo; said Amelia. She nibbled on the end of one of her strawberry curls. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re sure we can\u0026rsquo;t go somewhere else to cross?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shook her head. \u0026ldquo;Sparky thinks that would be very, very bad,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;That skull and crossbones . . . he means it. I\u0026rsquo;ve seen it before.\u0026rdquo; She looked queasy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum tipped his head to the side. \u0026ldquo;Um, do any of you hear that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hear what?\u0026rdquo; Amelia asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay closed her eyes and tried to focus on her ears. There was the sound of the river, of course, but at first there was nothing else. Finally she recognized it: a whirring, industrial sound, like the background noise of a highway through the trees. It almost didn\u0026rsquo;t register, since she\u0026rsquo;d spent so long huddling in the shadow of Niagara, the waterfall\u0026rsquo;s white noise pressing against her ears day and night.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a machine,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;There are machines nearby.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So we need to hurry,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. \u0026ldquo;It could be caretakers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sure we can figure it out,\u0026rdquo; May said. They were here for a reason. A purpose. Surely they were up to the job. The caretakers wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have picked them out of all the people in all of history if they hadn\u0026rsquo;t thought they could get the job done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian rolled his eyes. \u0026ldquo;What are we supposed to do, sprout wings and fly?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nah.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei grinned at him. \u0026ldquo;But I think I have a plan.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s plan was typical Jing-Wei. As with all her favorite ideas, it involved a lot of heavy manual labor. They were going to build a raft. Or two rafts, or three. Or maybe some other kind of boat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specifics left a lot to be desired, to be honest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd even beyond the unbearable vagueness of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s raft-building notion, there were many potential pitfalls to this \u0026ldquo;plan,\u0026rdquo; and May couldn\u0026rsquo;t help but enumerate them to herself. Though she\u0026rsquo;d learned by now to bite her tongue unless the risk level had hit \u0026ldquo;someone dies in the next ten minutes.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne: There was the problem of putting everyone on a single, untested raft. Two: There was the problem of making a raft sturdy enough to last an entire crossing. Three: There was the whole issue of weight balance and steering. Four: Without life vests, what would they do if someone fell off?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd all those problems were secondary to the biggest, most immediate problem. \u0026ldquo;Where are we going to get logs to make rafts out of?\u0026rdquo; she asked. That was a whole bundle of problems right there; for one thing, the trees were pretty far back from the water. And she had the vague impression that logging was dangerous work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if it wasn\u0026rsquo;t, the knives and other tools they had weren\u0026rsquo;t remotely up to being able to cut down a tree. Unless the trees turned out to be made of cheese or something, which, on reflection, would not have been the weirdest thing May had seen in the last six months. She had a new thought. \u0026ldquo;And how are we going to hook the logs together? It\u0026rsquo;s not like we left Arcadia with a bunch of nails and hammers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Leave the building plans to me,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m working on it. As for materials . . .\u0026rdquo; She turned to Sparky. \u0026ldquo;You got this, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker didn\u0026rsquo;t seem to reply. It just crept its stilt-legged way uphill to the nearest tree, a tall, straight thing\u0026mdash;some kind of pine tree, May thought, or maybe cedar. The caretaker leaned up against the tree with two of its legs, a little like how a dog would stand up against a person.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then a tool deployed from the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s chassis. May couldn\u0026rsquo;t see it; the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s body blocked her view. But she heard the high-pitched whine it made, and saw the sawdust spitting out in uneven plumes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe blanched. \u0026ldquo;That thing has a buzz saw?\u0026rdquo; May and Gabe exchanged an uneasy look. It was one thing to decide to trust Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s creepy pet as long as it hadn\u0026rsquo;t shown murderous tendencies. But hearing that sound and seeing the damage gave May flashbacks: Jing-Wei, missing half her head. Teddy, bloodied but full of determination.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay\u0026rsquo;s heart pounded hard in her throat and she felt cold all over, like someone was holding her underwater. She gasped for air.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf Sparky had equipment like that tucked away, the only thing keeping all of them alive was the fact that the machine hadn\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003echosen \u003c/em\u003eto murder them yet. For its own reasons.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure whether to find that comforting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You okay?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked. He slid a hand around her waist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fine,\u0026rdquo; she snapped, and shook him off. She wasn\u0026rsquo;t like that. She didn\u0026rsquo;t need some boy to comfort and complete her. She could weather these emotional storms on her own just fine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If you say so,\u0026rdquo; Gabe murmured. He didn\u0026rsquo;t try to touch her again, and somehow that made her feel even worse: empty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was broken out of her shame spiral by a loud cracking noise. Sparky\u0026rsquo;s tree fell through the branches of its neighbors. It caught at an angle, unable to fall completely to the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky turned away and approached another tree. The buzzing started again, sending goose bumps all over May\u0026rsquo;s skin.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do we do about the first one?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to get rid of all the little branches to get it free,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;I told Sparky we could take care of that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez set out toward the tree. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s get to work.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe auditorium was far too air-conditioned. May was chilly, even in her cardigan, and envied the boys in their long pants and dress shirts. So unfair that she had to endure this ridiculous temperature with bare legs, because something-something fashion. Not to mention something-something sexism.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she would show them. This was the eighth-grade honors night, and freezing calves or not, May knew she was poised to receive those honors like always\u0026mdash;and not just her. Madison sat next to her, perched at the edge of her seat like a nervous little bird.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison squeezed May\u0026rsquo;s hand. \u0026ldquo;Are you ready?\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wonder Twin powers, activate,\u0026rdquo; May whispered back. That was several layers of jokes piled on top of one another. Of course they didn\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003elook\u003c/em\u003e anything like twins, but they were close to inseparable, in school and out of it. (May had even confessed in the sixth grade that she wasn\u0026rsquo;t such a Harry Potter fan. But Madison was cool with it; she\u0026rsquo;d moved on to \u003cem\u003eDoctor Who\u003c/em\u003e, anyway.) Their dads had started calling them the Wonder Twins, after a cartoon that neither girl had ever seen until the dads showed them some clips they\u0026rsquo;d dug up on YouTube.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd while they might not have superpowers . . . well, the honors would show the powers they did have.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;May Sikou,\u0026rdquo; called Principal Lowell. This was the Special Achievement in English award. May stood up to climb onstage and receive her plaque and certificate. Her shoes were a little too big, so she shuffled to keep from stepping right out of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrincipal Lowell kept talking. \u0026ldquo;Madison Silby,\u0026rdquo; he called. Madison followed right behind May, like she always did. They each smiled for the photographer, and then they trooped back to their seats.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly to be called up again for Special Achievement in World Languages, Special Achievement in Mathematics, Special Achievement in Science, Special Achievement in Social Studies, Special Recognition for Overall Academic Achievement. They weren\u0026rsquo;t completely identical, of course. May got medals for her white-hot winning streak in the debate club, plus a school citizenship award she hadn\u0026rsquo;t even known existed until that moment. And Madison got special recognition for participating in the county\u0026rsquo;s Youth Symphony Orchestra.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time the night was over, the two of them could hardly juggle all their certificates and trophies. They giggled and hugged each other, honors scattering at their feet. \u0026ldquo;Are you ready for high school?\u0026rdquo; Madison asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;As long as we\u0026rsquo;re together,\u0026rdquo; May said, \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m ready for anything.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay helped Jing-Wei strip the branches off the logs, to make a better, smoother surface for them to sit on, while some of the other kids went foraging. \u0026ldquo;Did the caretakers ever tell you why they picked us?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do you mean \u0026lsquo;picked\u0026rsquo;?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei wrinkled her nose.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A lot of people die on any given day. But the caretakers chose us to do . . . whatever it is we\u0026rsquo;re supposed to do, to bring humans back. So what\u0026rsquo;s the special thing about us? Is it genes, or abilities, or . . . ?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh!\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei straightened and looked thoughtful. \u0026ldquo;No, it\u0026rsquo;s nothing like that. I talked to Pretty about this back on the space station\u0026mdash;she was the best caretaker for explaining things, way better than Sparky.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay snapped another twig off the log. \u0026ldquo;Okay, and?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei waved her hands in an unhelpful motion. \u0026ldquo;The caretakers cast out a . . . like, a net in time, and they grabbed whatever they could get,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;And what they got was us. None of us was chosen any more than you choose the special fish you\u0026rsquo;re going to eat for dinner. You just take whatever Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s little dragon buddy happens to bring you that night.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay froze in place, suddenly sick to her stomach. If none of them had been chosen, that meant none of them was . . . special. Not even May.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wind rustled the trees. The river rushed by, on its way to the ocean. Jing-Wei snapped off another few twigs and tossed them onto the pile, oblivious to the effect she\u0026rsquo;d had on May.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I need a bathroom,\u0026rdquo; May mumbled, and hurried away into the trees, where nobody could see her flushed cheeks or burning eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf none of them had been picked for this job . . . maybe that meant they weren\u0026rsquo;t up for it after all. She\u0026rsquo;d been confident that this mismatched group could learn to work as a team and overcome any obstacle. That they had been chosen for this task, and so they had to be capable of it. But now? Suddenly, horribly, May wasn\u0026rsquo;t so sure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey\u0026rsquo;d been a gamble, and maybe they were a bad bet. Not good enough.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it meant that she and Gabe hadn\u0026rsquo;t been chosen for each other. There wasn\u0026rsquo;t anything particularly special about him, either. He was just . . . some boy who liked her. May sank down onto a mossy boulder and put her face to her knees. Now what?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei went through several different ideas for how to tie the logs together before striking on something that would work. They couldn\u0026rsquo;t braid grass into ropes; the grass close by wasn\u0026rsquo;t long enough or strong enough. She tried strips of bark, but those splintered and cracked instead of bending.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kids tried to hold the logs together with wooden pegs, too, but they were hard to shape, and with no glue, there was nothing to keep the logs from pulling apart again. In the end, they had to sacrifice Gabe\u0026rsquo;s extra pair of pants from Arcadia to the cause, cutting them into long, thin strips and tying the raft together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished raft was uninspiring, like something from \u003cem\u003eTom Sawyer\u003c/em\u003e. (Or was it Huckleberry Finn who\u0026rsquo;d had the raft? May couldn\u0026rsquo;t remember anymore.) It was just big enough for all of them, but that was the best you could say about it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Moment of truth,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll push it into the water, then hold it in place while everyone gets on. Sounds good?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe did most of the work, since he was by far the strongest. Or at least the strongest one who\u0026rsquo;d stayed with them instead of heading off to Sanctuary. Inez put her shoulder into it too, and so did Hyrum, while Talon circled their heads, squawking concern.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt turned out that Talon was right to be concerned. The leading edge of the raft sank under the water instead of floating. \u0026ldquo;Is there a problem?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe it needs to be all the way in the water before the buoyancy kicks in,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Keep going.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe raft-pushers struggled to get the raft farther into the water. Finally, the thing was completely submerged. And still resting entirely on the bottom of the river.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe ran his wrist across his forehead to wipe away the sweat. \u0026ldquo;Hey, uh, Jing-Wei? What kind of wood did you say this was?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s brows were furrowed. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I thought every kind of wood floated, but I\u0026rsquo;m not really a . . . a tree-studying person.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Botanist,\u0026rdquo; May snapped. \u0026ldquo;Maybe every kind of wood floats where we\u0026rsquo;re from\u0026mdash;or when we\u0026rsquo;re from? But who knows what\u0026rsquo;s been done to these trees.\u0026rdquo; Victims of pointless manipulation, just like the animals. Just like themselves, for that matter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ironwood doesn\u0026rsquo;t float,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said mournfully. \u0026ldquo;And sometimes old-growth pine doesn\u0026rsquo;t either.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You couldn\u0026rsquo;t have said something before now?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian snarked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Great,\u0026rdquo; Inez groaned.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum wilted, and didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything else.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We learned a lot from this, at least,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;We can use different trees and try again. The next build will go a lot faster, pinkie swear.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;ll go a lot faster tomorrow,\u0026rdquo; Inez decided. \u0026ldquo;Take a break, everyone. I\u0026rsquo;ll get the campfire fixed up. Hyrum, keep Hot Wings here by the water. Maybe we\u0026rsquo;ll be lucky and he\u0026rsquo;ll be in the mood to catch us some fish. The river will still be here tomorrow, when we\u0026rsquo;re rested up.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay stayed by the riverbank after everyone else had turned to other business, watching the water slowly pile sand into the crevices between the logs. It was as much proof as anyone could ask for that they weren\u0026rsquo;t up to the job they\u0026rsquo;d been summoned for.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe came over after a little while. \u0026ldquo;You okay?\u0026rdquo; he asked. Why did he keep asking that? \u0026ldquo;You want to go and\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I want to be alone,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe was quiet for a minute. The river flowed by them endlessly, tirelessly. \u0026ldquo;Fine,\u0026rdquo; he said at last. \u0026ldquo;Suit yourself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNinth-grade honors night went a little differently than May had expected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe auditorium was still cold. But a lot had changed over the course of the ninth grade. Next to her, Madison was nose-deep in her phone. She giggled and fidgeted in her seat, slouching farther down when \u0026ldquo;Shhhhh\u0026rdquo; erupted from all around them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who are you texting?\u0026rdquo; May whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nobody,\u0026rdquo; Madison said absently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay endured the principal\u0026rsquo;s speech with limited patience. It was always the same: rewarding our best and brightest, fulfilling potential, it\u0026rsquo;s all thanks to the support of parents. She could probably deliver the same speech herself if for some reason Principal Chen were struck down and they needed someone else to do it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then they got on with the actual honors part of the night. May twisted her hands in her lap until they called her name. She stood up and walked onto the stage, got her certificate and medal, smiled for the camera.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison should have been right after her in alphabetical order. She always had been before. But not today.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay filed back to her seat feeling light and untethered, like the ground had left her. \u0026ldquo;Madison?\u0026rdquo; she whispered. \u0026ldquo;Are you\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison didn\u0026rsquo;t look up from her phone. \u0026ldquo;Oh,\u0026rdquo; she said absently, \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve been really busy with orchestra, so my grades slipped.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But I thought you were . . .\u0026rdquo; May didn\u0026rsquo;t know how to finish it. \u003cem\u003eI thought you were a good student, I thought you were doing well, I thought you were just like me. \u003c/em\u003eThey hadn\u0026rsquo;t had classes together this year\u0026mdash;the perils of a big high school\u0026mdash;but she hadn\u0026rsquo;t thought that would change anything, much less everything. \u0026ldquo;I thought you were better than that,\u0026rdquo; she blurted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison turned scarlet. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t make a big deal out of it,\u0026rdquo; she said. She looked up from her phone, just for a second, to glare at May.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay\u0026rsquo;s name was called again. She went up for her earth science award. When she came back, Madison had slid away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the ceremony, the other students flooded around her toward their parents and one another, but May stood still, juggling her certificates and medals, more than a little lost. Across the auditorium, Madison was trading hugs in a cluster of other orchestra kids. Madison had never been the hugging type with May.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay made a beeline for them anyway. \u0026ldquo;Hey, Madison,\u0026rdquo; she called. \u0026ldquo;Do you have a second?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the other girls put an arm around Madison\u0026rsquo;s shoulders and glowered at May. Word got around fast, apparently. \u0026ldquo;What is it?\u0026rdquo; Madison asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA certificate drifted to May\u0026rsquo;s feet. \u0026ldquo;I just wanted to talk.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison\u0026rsquo;s gaze stuck to the fallen certificate. \u0026ldquo;You wanted to rub my nose in it, didn\u0026rsquo;t you? Listen, May, not all of us want to live our whole lives stuffing our brains full of boring shit we\u0026rsquo;ll never need to know again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadison couldn\u0026rsquo;t have cut out May\u0026rsquo;s heart more effectively if she\u0026rsquo;d used actual knives. But the orchestra kids laughed. Probably that was the whole point.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe looked at her twin, her best friend, her secret-keeper, and realized Madison was none of those things anymore. \u0026ldquo;Sorry to bother you,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I thought you were someone else.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe turned away and cast around for an escape. Her debate advisor, Ms. Greenberg, put a hand on her arm. \u0026ldquo;Do you need help finding your parents?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;I just . . .\u0026rdquo; Her eyes strayed to Madison despite herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMs. Greenberg\u0026rsquo;s face tightened up. \u0026ldquo;Something on your mind?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I thought we were friends,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;I thought . . . I thought she was like me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There aren\u0026rsquo;t a lot of kids like you, May,\u0026rdquo; Ms. Greenberg said. She shook her head. \u0026ldquo;I shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be telling you this, but I\u0026rsquo;ve been teaching for twenty-three years, and I\u0026rsquo;ve learned that some kids aren\u0026rsquo;t cut out for making anything of themselves. They may have lots of potential, but that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean a thing if they won\u0026rsquo;t keep climbing just to see how high they can go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But, May, you\u0026rsquo;re not like that. You\u0026rsquo;ve got what it takes to really make something of yourself. You have \u003cem\u003edrive\u003c/em\u003e, and that\u0026rsquo;s worlds more important than potential. You\u0026rsquo;re never willing to settle for just good enough. It can be lonely at your age, but trust me, the world needs special people like you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay mulled this over. She\u0026rsquo;d heard a lot of this before in some shape or another; how she was special, academically talented, gifted, all those keywords that meant \u003cem\u003ereally smart and good at school\u003c/em\u003e. But usually it was framed to tell her how everyone was special in some way or another. No adult had ever breathed this dark truth, that maybe some people were . . . less special. And especially not Madison.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe May was better off on her own. No dead weight holding her back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMs. Greenberg stretched high and waved across the auditorium. \u0026ldquo;I see your parents! Go on. Make them buy you some ice cream.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay winced. If only she \u003cem\u003ecould\u003c/em\u003e just go out and eat regular ice cream. \u0026ldquo;Can\u0026rsquo;t,\u0026rdquo; May said, half apologetic. \u0026ldquo;But thanks.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe trudged toward them and their annual sunflower bouquet. They offered to take her to get vegan coconut ice candy\u0026mdash;like Filipino ice pops\u0026mdash;from the new food truck that was somehow, miraculously, completely safe for May. \u0026ldquo;We should celebrate all your hard work,\u0026rdquo; her dad said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Live a little, May,\u0026rdquo; said her mom. \u0026ldquo;Take the night off. We\u0026rsquo;ll give you all the sugar and movies you can stand.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay was tempted, but only for a split second. Other kids had potential, but she had \u003cem\u003edrive\u003c/em\u003e. \u0026ldquo;Another time,\u0026rdquo; May told them. \u0026ldquo;I still have to study for finals. And I need to get up early to go for a run.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei was right. The second raft build didn\u0026rsquo;t take nearly as long, though they had some trouble conveying to Sparky that they needed to cut down a different \u003cem\u003ekind\u003c/em\u003e of tree, and then underwent an uncertain hour of experimenting with pieces of wood in different sizes and from different kinds of trees to find the one that seemed to be the lightest. And then another hour untying the knots in the first raft to recover the pieces of Gabe\u0026rsquo;s pants, which ultimately left May\u0026rsquo;s fingers cramped and wrinkled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter that, though, construction happened rapidly, and they were done by midafternoon. The new raft floated nicely; it was moored in place with a few long poles (saplings, really) pushed deep into the riverbed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So who goes first?\u0026rdquo; May asked. \u0026ldquo;Do all of us just climb on or do we take trips or what?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That thing can\u0026rsquo;t ride in the raft with us,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, her chin obstinate. \u0026ldquo;I am not getting that close to it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was like one of those riddles, May thought, with a farmer, a wolf, a rabbit, and a carrot, and you had to figure out how to get them all across the river with nobody getting eaten. She didn\u0026rsquo;t look at Sparky, but a lot of eyes turned to Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, good call,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said, unflustered. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think anything we built could support that much weight anyhow.\u0026rdquo; She thumped Sparky\u0026rsquo;s shell. \u0026ldquo;Do you have a plan to get across, bud?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky walked toward the riverbank and straight into the water, disappearing from view entirely. The kids stared after it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Guess he\u0026rsquo;s waterproof, sparks and all,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said at last.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Or maybe we\u0026rsquo;re done with it for good,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;That would be a plus.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei winced at that, and stared a little while longer into the water where Sparky had vanished. \u0026ldquo;Well, all aboard,\u0026rdquo; she said \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s see what we\u0026rsquo;ve got.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kids clambered on in ones and twos, wading through the knee-deep water and pulling themselves up into the raft. It rocked dangerously under each new addition, settling a little lower into the water each time. \u0026ldquo;Spread out,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;We need to distribute our weight evenly so it doesn\u0026rsquo;t tip over.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kids eased themselves into a ring around the edge of the raft. Talon glided above them in a wide loop. By the time Hyrum helped to pull Alex on board, it was clear the raft really was going to hold everybody.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are we ready?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgreement echoed from the group. \u0026ldquo;Okay then.\u0026rdquo; Inez took a deep breath. \u0026ldquo;Hang on tight. Here goes nothing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe pulled one of the poles out from the riverbank and passed it across the raft so they could use it to steer. Seyah grabbed one too, and so did Amelia and Hyrum. The current pushed them downstream, slowly at first. They pushed the poles against the bottom of the river to bring them closer to the far side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wow, this might actually work,\u0026rdquo; Sebastian said. His knuckles were white where he clung to the scraps of Gabe\u0026rsquo;s old pants holding the raft together. He must be one of the ones who couldn\u0026rsquo;t swim, May concluded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then Inez began to swear furiously.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s wrong?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s too deep here,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;The poles don\u0026rsquo;t reach the bottom.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey drifted toward the center of the river, going faster and faster. The water grew choppier. The raft careened from wave to wave, crashing into each new crest and then dropping. Worst roller coaster ever, May thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re gonna die,\u0026rdquo; Sebastian moaned. He was looking distinctly green under that pasty skin of his.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re going to get out of this,\u0026rdquo; Inez snapped. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll find a way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you hear that?\u0026rdquo; Amelia asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was still hard to hear over the constant rushing of the river. But the distant whirring noise was growing louder, and finally, as the raft spiraled its way around a bend, its source came into view. It was a huge, dark shadow, squatting across the entire river. A dam? The water churned through gaps in the structure, and inside those gaps were enormous pieces of metal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf the raft got all the way to the dam, May realized, they\u0026rsquo;d be chewed up by those turbines. She had to make a plan. There had to \u003cem\u003ebe\u003c/em\u003e a plan. \u0026ldquo;Pull the raft!\u0026rdquo; she shouted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe plunged over the edge of the raft and into the river. Seyah screamed. May grabbed on to the edge of one of the logs and pulled as hard as she could. \u0026ldquo;Someone, help me!\u0026rdquo; She inhaled a little water and coughed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez hesitated on the edge, but not for long. She jumped into the water next to her and did the same as May: grabbing on to the ties that held the raft together and trying to pull it toward the far bank. \u0026ldquo;Some of you, kick from the other side!\u0026rdquo; May called.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum jumped in too and did his best to push. Amelia and Gabe lay with their bellies on the raft, kicking like the world\u0026rsquo;s least efficient outboard motors. They couldn\u0026rsquo;t keep the raft from moving downstream. But slowly, the raft moved toward the other side, too. They were two-thirds across the river. Four-fifths across.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were going to make it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay\u0026rsquo;s arms burned from the effort. Her ears were full of water. Her sinuses stung. But none of that mattered, because she had a job to do, and she was going to get it done no matter what.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe raft began to pull apart. May hoisted herself onto it, just to her elbows, to catch her breath, and so did Inez. The raft swirled closer and closer to the dam.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian started to cry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve got you; we\u0026rsquo;ve got all of you.\u0026rdquo; Inez sounded desperate, not soothing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay studied how the raft was failing. They weren\u0026rsquo;t going to be able to hold all of it together or do a quick patch job, but maybe they wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have to. There were two logs still tightly bound together; the rest were splitting away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe waved Sebastian toward the safe spot. \u0026ldquo;Here, come over here. All you have to do is hold on and we\u0026rsquo;ll get you back to land.\u0026rdquo; She coaxed him into lying belly down on the safe side. \u0026ldquo;Everyone, get away from that end,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;Hurry, hurry!\u0026rdquo; One by one, those who could swim, or at least weren\u0026rsquo;t petrified like Sebastian, all settled into the water. Everyone kept one or both hands on the wood, kicking and paddling furiously.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe larger part of the raft split away for good. \u0026ldquo;Let it go!\u0026rdquo; May shouted. It careened downstream. The kids made slow, steady progress toward the riverbank. The current swept them closer to the dam, but the edge of the river was closer still.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe abandoned logs struck one of the dam\u0026rsquo;s support beams with a sharp crack. They finished breaking apart as they hit one of the whirring turbines. Then they bobbed and went under, lodging themselves in the turbine, jamming it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA high whining sound began, the shrill of a stuck motor. Black smoke rose from somewhere inside it, along with a terrible acrid scent. Then a horrible, keening chirp\u0026mdash;a sound that could only be an alarm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, they washed up on the far edge of the river, spent and half drowned. But they still weren\u0026rsquo;t safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s get out of here before something comes to check out that alarm,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. For once, nobody argued with her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo one had much strength to travel after that, but they went as far as they could drag themselves, until Amelia practically collapsed where she stood. It still wasn\u0026rsquo;t far enough. But there wasn\u0026rsquo;t such a thing as far enough, not really.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey settled in a meadow of thigh-high flowers that smelled like cinnamon and almonds. As they made camp for the night, May went back to stare downhill at the river, just a shining orange ribbon from here. Gabe trailed after her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe evening was glorious, golden and warm. Dragonflies darted from blossom to blossom. Gabe plucked one of the flowers, something red orange the size of a teacup, and tucked it behind her ear. May tried to smile. She wanted to smile. Everything about this was dizzying and beautiful: the sunset, the field, the boy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that little voice in the back of May\u0026rsquo;s head was shouting at her, asking what she thought she was doing, where she thought she was going. What was the plan here? What was her goal?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNone of this was Gabe\u0026rsquo;s fault, exactly. But they weren\u0026rsquo;t chosen for each other. They hadn\u0026rsquo;t been chosen at all. It was a delusion. An accident. No, worse than that: It was \u003cem\u003epointless\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you all right?\u0026rdquo; he asked her, yet again. \u0026ldquo;You seem a little wound up.\u0026rdquo; He took her hand. His palm was warm pressed against hers, something solid and certain. Another delusion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome people might have been good at cushioning the blow, or chosen their words carefully in a show of false diplomacy. May felt that being indirect would be an act of disrespect. \u0026ldquo;We should break up,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were quiet together, holding hands in the field of flowers as the light began to fade. She wondered if he\u0026rsquo;d put up an argument.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe squeezed her fingers instead. \u0026ldquo;I had a feeling.\u0026rdquo; Gabe\u0026rsquo;s eyes were shining.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay thought he\u0026rsquo;d look away from her, but he held her eyes steady, just like he held her hands in his. \u0026ldquo;May, this thing we have is good and right. I don\u0026rsquo;t know what\u0026rsquo;s going on in that brain of yours,\u0026rdquo; he said, \u0026ldquo;but I can see you\u0026rsquo;re lost in there. Once you find your way out, I\u0026rsquo;ll be right here waiting.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay\u0026rsquo;s fingers slipped through his, and her hand fell to her side. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s get back to the others,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s a lot of work to do.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky told Jing-Wei that Sanctuary is unsafe, and a rescue was planned. It was difficult, putting their faith in a caretaker, but everyone felt that if their friends were in danger, they had to go help. The only question is whether they’ll get there in time…or whether they’ll make it there at all. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.174","slug":"ReMade-S2E07","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E07.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E7.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E7.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E7.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 7"},{"id":"59becd6bfd9a2b0001c3eb47","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":8,"title":"The Bones of Sanctuary","released_date":"2018-01-10T12:47:53.830+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Secrets in the night","byline":"Amy Rose Capetta","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E8_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2018-01-10","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh hadn\u0026rsquo;t slept in five days. This was the sixth night of tossing and turning, breathing into the darkness of Sanctuary, wondering if her arm would brush against Holden\u0026rsquo;s.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe had slept soundly enough before Sanctuary, when it felt like caretaker attacks were waiting around every corner, but she couldn\u0026rsquo;t sleep through \u003cem\u003ethis\u003c/em\u003e?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bed that Oz had intended for her and Holden to share had looked enormous, but with the two of them in it, there was always the possibility that if she shifted, he would feel it. If she cried out during a nightmare, it would wake him up. If she dreamed about him, he would somehow \u003cem\u003eknow\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh looked over at Holden, or, to be more accurate, Holden\u0026rsquo;s spine trailing down his skinny back. He was cute in a way that had crept up on Nevaeh like a slow tide. It hadn\u0026rsquo;t been the kind of thing that swept her away immediately on a wash of hormones. But now she was drowning in sweat and unsaid things.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh reached out her hand. Slowly. It lingered near Holden\u0026rsquo;s waist. He was wearing a T-shirt, but it had gotten all twisted up as he tossed from one side to the other.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForty-seven times. Nevaeh had counted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat if she \u003cem\u003edid\u003c/em\u003e touch him? Woke him up? Told him the truth about how she felt?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe couldn\u0026rsquo;t breathe right, which reminded Nevaeh of the hospital, where she\u0026rsquo;d stayed up all night sometimes, hearing that soft, ragged sound, punctuated by the beep of monitors that told the nurses and doctors who was getting better . . . and who was dying.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt had felt like the monitors were always watching her, but Oz was worse.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt first he had seemed like a perfectly harmless little kid to Nevaeh. Cute, even. Someone who was left behind in this world as much as she was. Someone who needed her help. Now he was like a parent with a nanny cam that covered every angle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd even though she wanted to be near Holden, it didn\u0026rsquo;t actually make her happy that Oz wanted Holden and Nevaeh together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was shipping them in the creepiest way possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh pulled her hand back. Fast. She couldn\u0026rsquo;t touch him like that, with the hope that it might lead to actual kissing. Not while Oz was pushing them together so that they would\u0026mdash;and here was the creepy coup de grace of the whole creepy thing\u0026mdash;reproduce.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSave the world by filling it with tiny Holden-and-Nevaehs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo matter how overwhelming her crush had gotten, she had \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e signed up for that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden groaned and turned over suddenly. His face was inches away from hers, his breath landing softly on her face. It smelled minty. Oz was a stickler for oral hygiene. But what Nevaeh noticed most was the way Holden slept, his soft eyelashes always scrunched, like he was trying to solve the next problem before it even happened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe loved that about him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh breathed harder, and Holden stirred. He was going to wake up with Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s face in his face, and it would force a moment she wasn\u0026rsquo;t ready for. She swung out of bed as quietly as she could, throwing on soft slippers that Oz had delivered\u0026mdash;via caretaker\u0026mdash;when she complained that her feet kept getting cold.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh rushed out of the bedroom, and a young man she\u0026rsquo;d never seen before came around the corner wearing scrubs. He was white and shortish with brown hair, and it took Nevaeh a second to remember that this wasn\u0026rsquo;t an actual hospital worker\u0026mdash;just Oz wearing a new body. He had a soft face this time, complete with crinkled lines at the corners of his eyes, and the sort of smile that Nevaeh remembered from her endless hospital stays. They always looked at her like they were sorry for her, like their cheerfulness was an aggressive medicine meant to kill off any negativity. Like they were determined to help her whether she wanted help or not.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, there was one important difference: This nurse was a hologram.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How are you feeling tonight?\u0026rdquo; Oz asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m fine,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh lied.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is there anything I can bring you?\u0026rdquo; Nurse Oz asked as a line of caretakers rushed down the hall to catch up to them. Sharp. Metallic. Efficient.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt hadn\u0026rsquo;t taken Oz long to figure out that the nurse form was the one that evoked the biggest reaction from Nevaeh. She\u0026rsquo;d gotten a bad headache two nights earlier, made the mistake of saying it out loud, and boom. Oz had shapeshifted into scrubs, sent a caretaker to get a little white paper cup with an unmarked pill in it, and figured out exactly how to turn Nevaeh panicked and helpless.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcept Nevaeh \u003cem\u003ewasn\u0026rsquo;t \u003c/em\u003ehelpless. She had been living in this new world for months now. And she hadn\u0026rsquo;t been helpless back when she was a teenager with a Hodgkin\u0026rsquo;s lymphoma diagnosis, either. She might not have been able to run and climb, but she had been staring down death when most of her classmates were worrying about what to wear for eighth-grade graduation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut what good was that knowledge when she had to deal with an AI who wanted to keep her inside and take care of her at all costs? She had already lived like this once. She couldn\u0026rsquo;t go back to that hospital feeling, not if she wasn\u0026rsquo;t sick. Oz was treating them like they were dying, and it was eating away at the last of her calm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t sleep,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhich was true, if incomplete. And every time she \u003cem\u003edid\u003c/em\u003e fall asleep, she had nightmares about the caretakers outside Sanctuary, the ones that seemed to always be waiting in the woods, around every corner.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNurse Oz snapped his fingers and the caretakers perked to attention. These ones hadn\u0026rsquo;t hurt any of them\u0026mdash;yet. But Nevaeh had to admit, maybe more than anyone else here would, that the caretakers could help them as much as they could hurt them. Caretakers had brought her back to life, cancer-free.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo were these caretakers the good ones or the bad ones? Or was it not that simple? Did these caretakers just obey Oz? If that was true\u0026mdash;what did the ones outside obey?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr had they gone rogue?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I really, really can\u0026rsquo;t sleep,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said through a series of shallow breaths.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you need some warm tea?\u0026rdquo; Oz asked. \u0026ldquo;I have pills that will give you a solid eight hours, guaranteed. Or something stronger if you\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No!\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said, a little too loud, and Oz startled in a way that made his smile pull out of shape, into a grimace. The caretakers scuttled in front of her, forming a line that she would have to cross if she wanted to keep walking down the hallway, toward the rest of Sanctuary. They were trapping her. Keeping her here, right where Oz wanted her. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t sleep because of Holden.\u0026rdquo; Why had she admitted that? The sleeplessness, probably. It was starting to make her mind swirl.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;According to my observations, you two have not been intimate.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz had promised them he would give them some privacy at night\u0026mdash;and it was true that Nevaeh hadn\u0026rsquo;t seen him, in hologram form, intrude in the bedroom she shared with Holden\u0026mdash;but that didn\u0026rsquo;t mean he wasn\u0026rsquo;t still monitoring them in certain ways.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeat flared through Nevaeh. She hated Oz more in that moment than she had in every other moment put together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um. No. I want the first time to be special.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy did she go and say that? Why would she admit something so personal to Oz? The panic of what he would do with that information spread through her like drugs that sped her heartbeat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA sweet smile spread over Nurse Oz\u0026rsquo;s face. It was like the chemical kind of sugar Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s mother had always called poison. \u003cem\u003eFake, fake, fake,\u003c/em\u003e Nevaeh told herself. Oz pushing her together with Holden wasn\u0026rsquo;t real.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that was killing her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I just need a minute to reset,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. \u0026ldquo;Sometimes that helps me sleep when I have insomnia.\u0026rdquo; She\u0026rsquo;d had two modes back when she was sick: no sleep at all or sleeping all the time. Nevaeh knew insomnia from the inside out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, like he was being generous. \u0026ldquo;You can have a few minutes to wander. But return to Holden as quickly as you can. He\u0026rsquo;ll be happy to have you back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe wouldn\u0026rsquo;t. If he\u0026rsquo;d even noticed that Nevaeh had left, and come back, he would act concerned, he would be nice about it, but nice was Holden\u0026rsquo;s default. Which was part of why she liked him. He treated everyone with consideration, but he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t give her any real sign of whether he liked her or not. Which meant that at some point, she would have to make the first move.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh had been sick for all the years when everyone else was getting crushes and going on first dates. She didn\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003ehave\u003c/em\u003e any moves. Just a bunch of faded memories from TV shows and movies. Secondhand impressions of what first love was supposed to feel like.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Go ahead,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, even though now Nevaeh was too nervous to move. \u0026ldquo;Before I change my mind.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh looked up and down the hall\u0026mdash;nobody else was out there. Oz must have gotten them all to sleep, or they were better at faking it. Did anybody else take the sleeping pills that Oz offered? She couldn\u0026rsquo;t ask; the AI always cut off their conversations whenever they went a single step in a direction he didn\u0026rsquo;t like.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh walked through the darkened Sanctuary, and for the first time she really felt like the last girl in the world. Outside, no matter how abandoned Earth was, Nevaeh had had people to take care of, and that had kept her busy. Too busy to think about how alone they really were.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh stopped in a large, open room that looked like it must have been a gathering place at one time. Banquettes were strewn with inviting pillows that might have tempted Nevaeh if she didn\u0026rsquo;t just find herself thinking about Oz arranging this place to make them happy, to keep them here forever. She would have rushed onward, but then she caught sight of a soft glow in the far corner, and heard a soft murmur to match.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who\u0026rsquo;s there?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole turned to face her, illuminated for a second by the glow in the corner. It blinked out before Nevaeh could determine the source\u0026mdash;partly because Cole was blocking her view. Then it was just Nevaeh and Cole, standing awkwardly in the dark.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; Cole answered. \u0026ldquo;What are you doing up?\u0026rdquo; His Southern accent had been receding lately, probably from spending time with so many people who didn\u0026rsquo;t have the same drawl. Now it had flared to the full strength that Nevaeh remembered from when they\u0026rsquo;d first met. \u0026ldquo;Did Oz say you could be up?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. \u0026ldquo;Are you having trouble sleeping too?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess,\u0026rdquo; Cole said shortly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m surprised Oz didn\u0026rsquo;t have the caretakers sing you a lullaby,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz said I could be out here,\u0026rdquo; Cole said. He was all edges. Not that Cole had ever really calmed down after they\u0026rsquo;d found the museum in Arcadia. Actually, she remembered thinking that he looked prickly the very first time they met.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhatever had been bothering him then was back. If it had ever gone away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz seems pretty intense about us all getting the prescribed eight hours,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. The more Nevaeh looked at Cole, the more it seemed like he\u0026rsquo;d been missing out on sleep, not just for a night or two, but possibly since they\u0026rsquo;d arrived at Sanctuary. \u0026ldquo;Have you gotten a single wink?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m fine,\u0026rdquo; Cole said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh winced, not just at Cole\u0026rsquo;s dismissal, but at the fact that she\u0026rsquo;d said the exact same thing to Oz a few minutes ago. She only wanted to help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh leaned in close and said, \u0026ldquo;Hey. It\u0026rsquo;s okay. This place is getting to all of us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole pushed her away: actually reached out with both hands and shoved. Nevaeh staggered back a little bit. It hadn\u0026rsquo;t seemed like anger, more like surprise and fear at how close she was suddenly standing. Like he didn\u0026rsquo;t want her that close for some reason.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s just this place, \u003c/em\u003eNevaeh told herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut then another, harsher voice came from someplace in her brain that she\u0026rsquo;d been ignoring for way too long. \u003cem\u003eStop making excuses for everyone\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m going to leave you alone,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said in a slow, careful voice. \u0026ldquo;And get back to Holden,\u0026rdquo; she added loudly, for Oz\u0026rsquo;s sake.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole didn\u0026rsquo;t apologize for what he\u0026rsquo;d done. He just looked relieved that Nevaeh was backing off. He nodded like he was thanking her, and turned away toward the corner of the room. There didn\u0026rsquo;t seem to be anything there, just a set of blank walls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh walked away, but when she was leaving the room, she heard two voices. They were more distinct this time. Cole\u0026rsquo;s, with that thick Southern accent, but another voice too. Lighter and as sugary as sweet tea. A girl\u0026rsquo;s voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe Nevaeh wasn\u0026rsquo;t leaving him alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a bizarre thought, and it was swept away as soon as she remembered where she was going.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBack to the bed. Where \u003cem\u003eshe \u003c/em\u003ewouldn\u0026rsquo;t be alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe passed through the dark layers of the bunker city, each one illuminated by simple lights set near the floor. The closer she got to Holden, the weirder her breathing got. She hated the idea that Oz was probably watching her, hoping for evidence that his coupling-off of the teens was working.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t want to prove him right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she needed to know how Holden really felt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery time she looked in his eyes, she got closer to telling him. She wouldn\u0026rsquo;t last much longer, and she knew it. She needed to pretend she liked him, for Oz, all while secretly liking him for real, and pretending, to Holden at least, that she didn\u0026rsquo;t. She\u0026rsquo;d have to stand close to him, breathing in his slightly earthy smell and willing herself not to get light-headed with how nice it was. Holden always smelled like outside to her, no matter how long they\u0026rsquo;d been trapped in here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh\u0026rsquo;s worries pressed in on her, squeezing out any joy she might have taken from her crush. She didn\u0026rsquo;t care about Oz anymore, or what she\u0026rsquo;d told the AI. She veered off course before she even reached the bedroom hall, picking a random door that she\u0026rsquo;d never been through and hoping to find a small dark room where she could breathe. She pressed her handprint to the door and threw herself into the room on the other side. She tripped over something on the floor, something long and lumpy, and on the way down her finger sliced against a sharp piece of metal on the side of a machine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh cursed\u0026mdash;Nevaeh \u003cem\u003enever\u003c/em\u003e cursed. She brought the bleeding, stinging finger close and inspected the cut. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t deep, or serious, but it was bleeding a lot. She waited for Oz to announce that he was about to help her. To swarm the room with his machines, bearing Band-Aids and antiseptic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh cradled her hand and waited. When minutes passed in silence, she looked around at the place she\u0026rsquo;d run inside of. Dark machinery filled the room. Dead-looking panels, with scarring from what looked like long, deep scratches.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the frustration that had built up over weeks leaked out of her as a scream. She had been trying to make the best of things, to keep everyone else going. But she couldn\u0026rsquo;t see a way to do that anymore.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I hate this place!\u0026rdquo; she screamed. \u0026ldquo;I hate it! I hate it!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe waited for Oz to show up. To ask if he could do anything to make her scream less. To threaten her back into lying. Who would the AI be this time? Maybe Oz would go for the parental figure. A sweater, some reading glasses. Maybe he could reach back in his stores of data and pretend to be her actual father, with shoes that always seemed to be scuffed and a board game under one arm. Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s heart rioted at the idea of Oz taking over her father\u0026rsquo;s body, trying to calm her with his stolen voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh breathed deeply until she felt steady again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll go back to my room now, Oz,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m fine. I . . . I just needed a second to let off some steam.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Oz didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything. She\u0026rsquo;d thought it might have been a fluke when he didn\u0026rsquo;t respond to her bleeding finger, but maybe it was something completely different. For the first time all day, Nevaeh allowed herself to hope. Had she found a place in Sanctuary that Oz couldn\u0026rsquo;t see? A place he didn\u0026rsquo;t monitor and carefully control?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy would a place like that exist?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe the people who originally made the bunker wanted a fail-safe, a way to get out that Oz didn\u0026rsquo;t know about.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat if Nevaeh had found them a way out?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer nerves lit up again. She needed to go tell Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh rushed across the room, back toward the door, and her foot knocked against the same long, lumpy thing that had tripped her up before.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLying on the ground, sprawled with one arm reaching, was a dead body.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen didn\u0026rsquo;t really care about the room where they kept the Relocator, but James had convinced her to meet him there. And then he\u0026rsquo;d immediately pressed her up against the consoles.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hello to you, too,\u0026rdquo; Ren said breathlessly as he kissed her neck. Suddenly, this was her favorite room in all of Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey kissed for what felt like hours but was probably only a stolen ten minutes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How long do you think we have?\u0026rdquo; Ren asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;As long as we want,\u0026rdquo; James said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ha, ha, ha,\u0026rdquo; Ren said, tugging at the front of James\u0026rsquo;s shirt then sliding her hands under it, working her way up his chest with spider-fingers. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s only a matter of time before Oz and his caretakers cut us off.\u0026rdquo; Everyone in Sanctuary knew that Oz wouldn\u0026rsquo;t allow teenage making out to go \u0026ldquo;too far,\u0026rdquo; whatever that was. Sometimes Ren thought the parents of Sanctuary had all gotten together and programmed Oz to act as their own personal nanny.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen drummed her fingers against James\u0026rsquo;s stomach. It was hard from doing the required athletics. Hers was softer, from ignoring them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were rumors that if the population of Sanctuary dipped too low, Oz was programmed to start matching people up and telling them it was time to repopulate. Ren shuddered. She had picked James out on her own, and she liked it that way, thankyouverymuch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt would have put a serious damper on the kissing, which was getting hotter with every passing minute. But Ren felt herself starting to pull away. She didn\u0026rsquo;t want this to end with caretakers\u0026mdash;instead of James\u0026mdash;all over her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe tugged away, gently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry,\u0026rdquo; James said, his grin half mischief, half triumph. \u0026ldquo;We have as long as we want. Do you see any cameras in this room?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen looked around, her gaze sweeping the corners for the telltale surveillance she\u0026rsquo;d gotten so used to, she barely even noticed it anymore. But there were no cameras lofted on the ceiling, no lights embedded in the consoles, blinking as they recorded everything.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s one of the reasons this room has such strict clearance. Oz can\u0026rsquo;t see it. Strictly humans only. And nobody comes here, except tech-maintenance caretakers once a day and guards if there\u0026rsquo;s an emergency. Oz shouldn\u0026rsquo;t notice for a good long while.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So you\u0026rsquo;re saying this room is . . . ours?\u0026rdquo; she asked. \u0026ldquo;No Uncle Oz?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Just. Us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;My genius,\u0026rdquo; Ren said, kissing him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey had both done well on all their exams. Too well, actually. Oz had started paying attention, cutting off what they could access on the computer systems and check out of the library. He didn\u0026rsquo;t want anyone in Sanctuary to be smarter than he was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was another issue that bothered Ren, along with the fact that Sanctuary had originally been designed as a military facility. Would Oz turn against them if things went sideways?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen told herself to stop thinking about Oz. To keep her mind on James and how good it felt to be close to him. When was the next time they\u0026rsquo;d get a chance like this, a moment away from Oz\u0026rsquo;s watching eyes? Ren felt herself relax into the kissing. She lifted her shirt off in a few awkward tugs. James smiled at the new expanse of skin to explore, and trailed his fingers up her side in a way that made her shiver\u0026mdash;but then he turned his head and looked at the Relocator. It felt a little bit like he was more interested in the machinery than he was in her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you two need a minute alone?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just . . . Don\u0026rsquo;t you ever think about it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You know I have. Because we\u0026rsquo;ve had this conversation already,\u0026rdquo; Ren said, anxious and edgy from the sudden cutoff of the very nice feelings that had been surging through her body. \u0026ldquo;Everybody \u003cem\u003ethinks\u003c/em\u003e about it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But we should actually \u003cem\u003edo\u003c/em\u003e it,\u0026rdquo; James said. Ren loved how his eyes shone as bright as early night stars when he was being ridiculous.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not worth the risk.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why not?\u0026rdquo; James asked, and Ren felt something shift between them. The argument took on its own life. It became the reason they were there. Instead of the kissing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because I love you, that\u0026rsquo;s why,\u0026rdquo; Ren said stubbornly. She\u0026rsquo;d never actually let those words out of her mouth before, although she\u0026rsquo;d felt them taking shape for months. Saying \u003cem\u003eI love you\u003c/em\u003e felt like enough risk for one day. For a lifetime, really.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames didn\u0026rsquo;t say \u003cem\u003eI love you\u003c/em\u003e back. Instead, he stared at her, wide-eyed, like she had overlooked the most obvious thing in the world. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s exactly why it\u0026rsquo;s worth the risk. I want a life with you. A real one.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Funny,\u0026rdquo; Ren said, running her hand up James\u0026rsquo;s leg. \u0026ldquo;This doesn\u0026rsquo;t feel like a sim to me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames shot another look over his shoulder, instead of focusing on Ren and her wiles, and all of a sudden she felt silly for trying to have wiles in the first place. She pulled her hand away like it had been burnt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry,\u0026rdquo; James said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You know nobody has a life where they can do literally anything they want,\u0026rdquo; Ren said. \u0026ldquo;There are always limitations. True, perfect freedom? The ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want? \u003cem\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s\u003c/em\u003e an illusion.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe,\u0026rdquo; James said. \u0026ldquo;But that\u0026rsquo;s also a really good, rational argument to use if you want to keep people living in a bunker for generations.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen got the feeling that they\u0026rsquo;d talked themselves miles away from making out. \u0026ldquo;This is all totally theoretical, James. It\u0026rsquo;s not like you\u0026rsquo;re ever going to get the\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; She was about to say \u003cem\u003eactivation codes\u003c/em\u003e, but something stopped her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames had pulled something from his pocket\u0026mdash;a bracelet, and he was holding it out, looking at her almost shyly. Ren had heard about the old custom of boys getting girls jewelry, but James had never seemed into that particular kind of throwback. Then she noticed that the bracelet wasn\u0026rsquo;t anything too pretty or decorative; it was more like the kind you got when you checked into the medical facility, printed out on paper and then smoothed over with plastic. This one was stamped on the outside with their names. james \u0026amp; ren\u003cem\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was stamped on the inside with numbers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames looked around like someone might overhear them, even though they were perfectly alone. His eagerness had turned spiky. \u0026ldquo;This code is a back door for \u003cem\u003eany\u003c/em\u003e Relocator, and it\u0026rsquo;s never reset.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How did you . . . ?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Genius, right?\u0026rdquo; James said, with a cocky eyebrow lifted. Ren crossed her arms. \u0026ldquo;Okay. Okay. My uncle showed me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Your uncle,\u0026rdquo; Ren says. \u0026ldquo;How romantic.\u0026rdquo; But even as she mumbled the words, her mind leapt ahead, already thinking through the possibilities. A life outside this bunker, the place where she spent every minute, the place where she would die someday unless she did something drastic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames slipped the bracelet over Ren\u0026rsquo;s wrist, giving her a delicious memory of the feeling that had rushed through her when he ran his fingers up her side as they kissed. But when she looked at the plastic strip instead of James\u0026rsquo;s fingers, she felt empty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why are you giving it to me?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because I want you to come with me,\u0026rdquo; he said, his eyes filling with hope. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re wearing it so we can leave together.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe had really thought this through. He had planned every bit of it, and that made Ren feel like it wasn\u0026rsquo;t hers. It was just another thing that had been decided \u003cem\u003efor\u003c/em\u003e her. But she looked into James\u0026rsquo;s excited brown eyes and she didn\u0026rsquo;t want to say no.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe on the other side of the Relocator, when they reached the planet where the other humans had gone when they left Earth, she would be able to make her own decisions. Finally.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll think about it,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor all the time that Nevaeh had spent in hospitals, thinking about death, imagining her own funeral, for all that she was there for during that first caretaker massacre and when Teddy died outside Arcadia, finding this body on the floor felt different. Death was always something she was headed toward slowly, or running from. Fast.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis death had happened a long time ago. Nevaeh couldn\u0026rsquo;t pinpoint how long. The room she\u0026rsquo;d opened was so still and sterile, so cold, that the body had been basically mummified. There were strands of clothing stuck to it. Hair and sunken features.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Fear passed through Nevaeh like an electric shock. She got up from her uncomfortable kneeling position and rushed out of the little room on pins and needles, getting herself back on track to visit Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s machines were waiting for her outside. Oz waited next to them with a paternal frown on his now middle-aged face. At least he hadn\u0026rsquo;t tried to mimic Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s father, although these comforts were starting to feel too small to count. \u0026ldquo;Nevaeh, there is no excuse for this kind of behavior. You should have been back in your bed\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thought that was a bathroom!\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh shouted, rushing past Oz. \u0026ldquo;There really should be signs in this place!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrustration edged Oz\u0026rsquo;s tone. \u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;re having difficulty navigating, please let my helpers assist you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis machines trailed her steps all the way back to the bedroom, their feet clicking on the metal floors. They let her be as soon as she crossed back into the room, thank goodness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sat down on the edge of the bed and touched Holden\u0026rsquo;s foot. She didn\u0026rsquo;t trust herself with any other body part. She knew by now that if she waited patiently, Holden would blink awake and stare up at her, a slow half smile breaking over his face like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYep. There were the blinks. Followed by the smile.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was kind of amazing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut then it just reminded her, with a sick lurch, that noticing all this about Holden didn\u0026rsquo;t mean she was his girlfriend. It just meant that she wanted to be, and that life was messing with her. As always.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe leaned in close and pretended to kiss him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was how they traded secrets outside their bedrooms, with Oz always watching. Nevaeh didn\u0026rsquo;t want to take any chances right now, in case Oz didn\u0026rsquo;t buy her story about the bathroom and was willing to break his promise and listen in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh kept switching sides, the way she imagined a person would if they were actually kissing. The painful truth was, she didn\u0026rsquo;t know. Could Holden guess her lack of experience?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCould he feel it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDid she look hopeless and confused while they were pretending to kiss? Or was it even worse? Did she look like she was way too into it? Was that scaring him away? \u0026ldquo;I have to tell you something,\u0026rdquo; she said, practically breathing the words onto Holden\u0026rsquo;s lips.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What is it?\u0026rdquo; he asked, completely serious.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden was always serious. No matter how close Nevaeh got, he never said anything in a flirty tone, or turned one of their almost-kisses into the real thing. It would have been so easy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust a few more inches.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Something possibly big.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden\u0026rsquo;s muscles stiffened as she ran her hands down his arms. Over his shirt. It was all playacting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFake, fake, fake,\u003c/em\u003e Nevaeh chanted to herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut real, real, real heat crept over her as she hitched herself closer to Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow could her crush on Holden possibly feel as important as what had just happened in that little room she\u0026rsquo;d found?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I might have discovered a way out,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh finally whispered. Holden held on to her. Tight. \u003cem\u003eA reflex,\u003c/em\u003e she told herself. \u003cem\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s just a reflex.\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s definitely a room that Oz can\u0026rsquo;t see. I cut my finger in there and he didn\u0026rsquo;t do a thing. Besides, the room was . . . not tidy like the rest of this place. I found something that\u0026rsquo;s been there a long time.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;ve got my interest.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A dead body.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden shifted his weight, and Nevaeh thought he was pulling away. Relief and disappointment rushed her at the same time. But it turned out Holden was taking this fake-boyfriend thing to a whole new level. He pressed her down onto the bed, and he sort of . . . slid on top of her. The ability to breathe left Nevaeh in a hurry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What happened?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked. \u0026ldquo;Was it recent?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not sure. Not recent.\u0026rdquo; The words were automatic. And way too breathy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pulled back and looked at her. What was he trying to figure out? Was it something about her? Or about the body?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll he said was, \u0026ldquo;We need to get back in there as soon as we can. I have an idea.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Can you tell me now?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve had a lot of surprises tonight.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden gave her a questioning look, waiting for her to fill in the rest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe couldn\u0026rsquo;t meet his eyes. \u0026ldquo;Cole pushed me. He was upset, and\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That \u003cem\u003easshole\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026rdquo; Holden said, his arms clasped lightly around her, making Nevaeh feel safer for the first time in way too long. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll keep an eye on Cole. Don\u0026rsquo;t worry about getting back into that room, either. I have an idea. Just . . . trust me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh nodded a little too eagerly. Holden gave her a kiss on the cheek, and it felt like an actual kiss, not one for the little scene they were playacting just in case Oz was watching. Her body came close to spontaneous combustion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, at least one thing was for sure: Nevaeh wasn\u0026rsquo;t dead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen packed her clothes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t even own a suitcase. Why would she? There was nowhere to go. The surface was contaminated and the caretakers wouldn\u0026rsquo;t finish their work until well after Ren and James and everyone they knew were dead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo she folded each item carefully and placed it in a laundry bag.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat would happen when she took that bag through a wormhole? Would everything stay neat and tidy? What would happen to \u003cem\u003eher\u003c/em\u003e? Was it really safe? People had left the planet through Relocators in droves, and nobody had come back. Which either meant that they were so safe and happy on the other side that they couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine coming back to a ruined planet or . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr it meant the exact opposite.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen looked around her little room. It had everything she technically needed to live. A comfortable enough bed, a little shelf filled with the books Oz had decided everyone should read. A few pictures of her family, a few more of her friends.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lack of windows was made up for by the views Oz gave them on community night, when they all gathered in the big room with the banquettes. It was like watching a fireworks display, or at least that was what some of the older folks said. But they were watching an old Earth display instead. Most people in Sanctuary longed for things to go back to the way they were when the planet was habitable, even if their parents had never seen it and their grandparents barely remembered it. They had been raised on endless stories about the Good Old Days of Earth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was what kept most of them going. The idea that it might all go back to the way it was, even if they weren\u0026rsquo;t there to see it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen sometimes worried that things were never going back to the way they used to be, that the promise of Earth being rehabilitated by caretakers was a lie. But that didn\u0026rsquo;t mean she was ready to leave altogether.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen took her clothes out of the laundry bag and shook the wrinkles away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe walked through Sanctuary toward the little room, and when everyone\u0026rsquo;s attention was pointed elsewhere, she slipped inside. James was already there, a bag slung over his shoulder, his hands working the panels at a frenetic pace. He touched them even more intensely than he touched Ren.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a second, she had a bizarre impulse to smash the panel. That would make things easier\u0026mdash;no choice. No yes or no. No here or there. Just a life with James, making the best of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut then he turned to her, and his face was pulled smooth, his eyes blinking a little too hard. She had only seen him look like that once, the moment right before he\u0026rsquo;d kissed her the first time. That was what James looked like when he\u0026rsquo;d made up his mind, and there was no turning back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you ready?\u0026rdquo; he asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not going,\u0026rdquo; Ren said. \u0026ldquo;At least, not yet. I can\u0026rsquo;t figure out how to tell my parents, or my friends. Not without them giving us away. And I\u0026rsquo;m still . . . I\u0026rsquo;m still scared of what will happen.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe waited for James to come over and hold her like he had so many times. To reassure her. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and twisted it around, reading the numbers on the bracelet. He tapped them into the display.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wormhole came to life. One second it was just an idea, and then it was in the room with them, stretched out between two metal poles, grounded but growing in size and intensity. It was a contained madness, swirling with color and light.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s time,\u0026rdquo; he whispered, not looking at Ren. Looking straight into the wormhole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;James,\u0026rdquo; Ren said. \u0026ldquo;James, did you hear what I just said?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe seemed to remember all at once that Ren was next to him and that he was in love with her. He grabbed her shoulders. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re afraid. That\u0026rsquo;s okay. It\u0026rsquo;s normal to be afraid. That doesn\u0026rsquo;t make what we\u0026rsquo;re doing wrong.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;James, I\u0026rsquo;m \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e doing it.\u0026rdquo; She blinked hard. Tears were getting in the way of her neatly prepared speech. \u0026ldquo;Not now, at least.\u0026rdquo; Ren couldn\u0026rsquo;t take her eyes off the wormhole. It shifted and spun, and every time it did, it seemed to open, inviting her inside. Telling her to come closer. \u0026ldquo;That thing\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s beautiful, isn\u0026rsquo;t it?\u0026rdquo; James asked. He sounded so proud, like he\u0026rsquo;d made it himself, instead of just borrowing some back-door code.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s dangerous,\u0026rdquo; Ren said, stepping back. Did the wormhole have its own gravity? It seemed to be sucking at her. Ripping at her edges. She had to hold on to the corner of a panel to keep from moving closer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eLife\u003c/em\u003e is dangerous,\u0026rdquo; James said. He picked up his own laundry bag, ran to Ren, and kissed her harder than he ever had before. His hands were on her shoulders again, his body pressed against hers, but she could feel that he wasn\u0026rsquo;t there in the kiss. He was already gone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames took a few steps away from her, and then he started to run. He didn\u0026rsquo;t look back as he crossed into the wild spinning of the wormhole. It spun around him, cloaking him in strange colors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt swallowed James whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe had a few seconds to follow, but she stood there, not believing that he\u0026rsquo;d left without her. She could still go after him, but she didn\u0026rsquo;t have long. And she was so mad that he hadn\u0026rsquo;t cared enough to stay that she just stood there and waited while the wormhole spun itself out of existence. It was like watching a spool of brilliant, impossible thread go ragged and unravel in a single second. The room went back to its regular existence\u0026mdash;small, boring, stuffed with complicated machinery.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen had made her choice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo had James.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt breakfast the next morning, Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s legs jittered under the table as the caretakers brought out juice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh had to bite back a \u003cem\u003ethank you\u003c/em\u003e reflex. She downed the juice in a few gulps and looked around the table. Most of their little group in Sanctuary looked as terrible as Nevaeh felt. This place was wearing them down. It had been weeks, and they were no closer to leaving\u0026mdash;unless the little room held the key.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers delivered bowls of a hot, oatmeal-like sludge to the table, as well as some dried fruit bars.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Breakfast is served,\u0026rdquo; Oz said, and waited to see what everyone thought. Nevaeh had been keeping careful track of his behavior patterns. It was one thing she\u0026rsquo;d been painfully aware of when she was alive\u0026mdash;how other people acted. Oz wouldn\u0026rsquo;t leave until people made noises like they were enjoying the food.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh made the loudest, most obnoxious ones she could. \u0026ldquo;Wow,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;This is really great. Thanks.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki speared her with a glare. She returned it. Did he really think she was so eager-to-please that she would try to keep \u003cem\u003eOz \u003c/em\u003ehappy? Wasn\u0026rsquo;t Loki supposed to understand strategy? She was obviously just playing the game. She might even have a way to get them out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Nevaeh had no way to communicate that, not with Oz standing right there, smiling down at them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBesides, she didn\u0026rsquo;t know how Cole would take it. When Nevaeh had surprised him the night before, she\u0026rsquo;d ended up getting shoved around, and she wasn\u0026rsquo;t really up for repeating that. At least Holden was watching him closely now. He always kept his word. They both stared at Cole as he spooned oatmeal sludge into his mouth, ignoring everyone else, moving his hand automatically like he was just going through the motions in the hope of getting to something better. But what? Staying up all night? He looked like he\u0026rsquo;d never gotten to bed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; she said, cleaning up as soon as everyone\u0026rsquo;s spoons clinked to a stop. If she was going to get back into the little room, she needed to do it now. The idea of waiting even a minute longer was freaking her out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut doing her mom routine to calm herself down wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to work in Sanctuary. One of Oz\u0026rsquo;s machines rushed toward her, and she flinched by instinct, letting the bowl fly out of her hands. It landed with a hard \u003cem\u003esmack\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta ran to Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s side, and smoothed a hand down her back. She didn\u0026rsquo;t touch Nevaeh often, but when she did, there was genuine kindness in it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz, on the other hand, wore a hard frown. \u0026ldquo;Nevaeh, my dear, are you feeling quite well?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah. Sure.\u0026rdquo; What was she supposed to say? \u003cem\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m afraid of what I\u0026rsquo;m planning to do today because you might kill me if I get it wrong\u003c/em\u003e?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You appear weaker than usual,\u0026rdquo; he said, looking her up and down in a way that she distinctly did not like. His caretakers moved in close.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Back off.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh swelled with the knowledge that, even if Loki didn\u0026rsquo;t always get her, he was going to stand up for her in a pinch. They were on the same side. Always.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am merely concerned about Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s health,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;Perhaps she should visit the medical facility. I know from her records that Nevaeh was gravely ill in the past. It would be a shame if her sickness were to return.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt felt like Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s muscles had forgotten how to function. She collapsed to the floor in a few jagged motions. When she\u0026rsquo;d first been remade, feeling better had been so convincing. Since then, she\u0026rsquo;d had fleeting worries about her cancer coming back, but hearing Oz say it like that\u0026mdash;it felt more than possible. Almost inevitable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh put her head to the ground, trying to breathe. And failing. Umta rubbed her back in circles. Sunita knelt on her other side, trying to get a good look at Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe couldn\u0026rsquo;t pretend to be okay. Not right now. She was having a full-blown anxiety attack.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You need to be taken to the medical facility,\u0026rdquo; Oz said as his machines hurried forward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta growled at Oz, trying to get him to back away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I hate it when Mom and Dad fight,\u0026rdquo; Sunita whispered to Nevaeh, trying to get her to laugh.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz, Nevaeh is fine,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;Trust me. I know her.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz pursed his lips. He persisted. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m afraid you don\u0026rsquo;t have the degree of insight that I do.\u0026rdquo; He stepped closer and Umta rushed at Oz, disrupting the hologram, scattering him. She tore at the picture of him, even though she must have known that it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t actually hurt the AI. But Umta wanted him to back away from Nevaeh, and this was the only weapon she had. Oz sent a caretaker scuttling toward Umta and she kicked it, sending it backward with a scudding sound.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore of Oz\u0026rsquo;s machines were on her in a second, dragging her away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen they came for Nevaeh, and she found herself scrambling to her feet and walking toward the medical facility, to avoid being taken there by force.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing in Oz\u0026rsquo;s medical facility brought back every terrible moment in the hospital, one by one, an endless marching stream. Oz gave her a pill that he said was for her anxiety. She stared at it in her palm and then looked at Oz\u0026rsquo;s machines, wondering what they would do if she refused to take it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe swallowed the pill.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time she\u0026rsquo;d convinced Oz that she had just been a little stressed at breakfast, she was completely set on leaving this wretched place. \u003cem\u003eHell-bent\u003c/em\u003e, her father always called it when he caught a certain look in her mother\u0026rsquo;s eye. Usually before she yelled at a nurse or doctor and declared that every single thing they were doing was unacceptable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh felt like she was starting to understand that look.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe grabbed Holden from their room and led him to the handprint-protected door she\u0026rsquo;d found the night before. They both stared at it wordlessly, but Nevaeh could feel the intensity that seemed to crackle out of her skin. The problem wasn\u0026rsquo;t getting inside. The problem was getting inside with Oz\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003epermission\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was clearly ratcheting up his protective act.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh slipped her hand into Holden\u0026rsquo;s and pressed her lips near Holden\u0026rsquo;s neck to whisper, in the guise of kissing along his collarbone. \u0026ldquo;What happened to Umta?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not sure yet. Loki and Sunita went to see if they can find where she\u0026rsquo;s being kept.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You didn\u0026rsquo;t go with them?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh was surprised. He was the closest to Umta out of anyone in the group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I wanted to be here when you got out of the medical facility,\u0026rdquo; Holden said, and his feverish whisper combined with those words and the nearness\u0026mdash;Nevaeh felt like he must really care about her. Then he added, \u0026ldquo;I want to know what\u0026rsquo;s behind that door.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh nodded slightly, trying not to wilt inside. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s the plan?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ready to give Oz a little show?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are you talking about?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So we\u0026rsquo;re crazy about each other. Right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh\u0026rsquo;s heart crashed around. She could barely hear her own voice as she whispered, \u0026ldquo;Right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden smiled. He was clearly enjoying this. \u0026ldquo;We just have to convince Oz that we need some time away from his constant surveillance, and he\u0026rsquo;ll be so happy that his plan to pair us off is working, he might actually agree.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sounds great,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, if he got the feeling they were trying to get away from him, to escape, they might be swarmed by his machines and disappear into the bowels of Sanctuary as quickly as Umta had.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now we just have to sell it.\u0026rdquo; Holden looked at her with a spark of mischief that she rarely saw on his face. He was usually serious, or sensitive, thinking about what to do next or how to stay alive. Unless he was pining for Seyah, of course.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden had barely mentioned her since they\u0026rsquo;d gotten into Sanctuary. Was that just because he didn\u0026rsquo;t want to give away the other group? Or were his feelings fading now that they had a little distance?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s do this,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said, sliding her hand into Holden\u0026rsquo;s. His hand was warm, even though Oz kept Sanctuary on the cold side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh found herself \u003cem\u003eactually\u003c/em\u003e biting her lip. Then she batted her eyelashes ridiculously, to prove to Holden (and maybe herself) that she was just doing this as part of the plan.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re sure this is what you want?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked, a little louder. Oz-friendly volume.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh yes. I\u0026rsquo;m ready.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh felt the words reverberate through her chest, all the way down to her fingertips.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why don\u0026rsquo;t we just go back our room?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked, holding her sweetly around the waist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I found a spot where we can have some\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;she ran a finger down Holden\u0026rsquo;s chest\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;real alone time.\u0026rdquo; This felt completely bizarre, out of character, over-the-top. It also felt fun. Nevaeh couldn\u0026rsquo;t remember the last time she\u0026rsquo;d had fun, in either of her lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it wasn\u0026rsquo;t just because she\u0026rsquo;d been sick for so long, either. She\u0026rsquo;d had moments of fun for the first year or two after her diagnosis. After that, she\u0026rsquo;d been too focused on her parents. How they felt about her treatment, how much stress her sickness put on them. How they were going to cope when she was gone. Nevaeh was always worried about everyone else. About what they thought, what they felt, what they wanted from her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I want this,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. The truth in her voice startled her. It scared her, a little.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz appeared, looking parental, his lips pursed and his arms crossed. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t like letting you two go where I can\u0026rsquo;t see you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There are things I can\u0026rsquo;t do here,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, I\u0026rsquo;m not into exhibitionism either,\u0026rdquo; Holden added.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh punched his arm lightly. \u0026ldquo;I just mean that I need privacy. \u003cem\u003eReal\u003c/em\u003e privacy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know you promised us not to barge into our bedrooms at night,\u0026rdquo; Holden said, \u0026ldquo;but\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not really a person. You\u0026rsquo;re an AI. You could still be keeping track of us, and we wouldn\u0026rsquo;t even know it. Sometimes it feels like you\u0026rsquo;re waiting in the walls. Like you might pop your head around the corner at any second.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden squeezed Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s wrist. Not hard, just a little warning. She was straying too close to her actual feelings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz frowned. \u0026ldquo;I just appear like this to make you happy and comfortable.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh thought of the nurse form Oz had been in when she\u0026rsquo;d gotten out of bed the other night. That hadn\u0026rsquo;t made her happy \u003cem\u003eor\u003c/em\u003e comfortable. There were definitely other ways that Oz used his holograms. To make them nervous, intimidated. To get them to obey.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, I\u0026rsquo;m telling you what will make me happy,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said to Oz. \u0026ldquo;I just . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe turned to Holden and caught his eye, and her breath was gone. When it came back, the truth poured out. \u0026ldquo;I want to be with Holden. I\u0026rsquo;ve had feelings for him for a while. But he liked another girl and I never knew what to say. It was never the right time. And then you threw us together.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh took a deep breath, but a fast one, because if she stopped, she would never get through this. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t imagine going back to a time when I didn\u0026rsquo;t know him. I don\u0026rsquo;t like to think about my future without him. And we\u0026rsquo;re here right now, together. I don\u0026rsquo;t think that\u0026rsquo;s fate. I think that\u0026rsquo;s stupid, amazing luck. And I don\u0026rsquo;t want to lose it. We have a chance to have an actual minute together, safe and away from all our troubles, and I don\u0026rsquo;t want to waste that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; Holden said staunchly. \u0026ldquo;What Nevaeh said.\u0026rdquo; He raised his eyebrows at her, like he was impressed by her little speech.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut did he feel the same way?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz was holding his hands over his (nonexistent) heart. He even held back pretend tears. \u0026ldquo;That was lovely, Nevaeh. I\u0026rsquo;m so glad you found your way to me. I want you and Holden to feel comfortable and happy here. Forever. So I\u0026rsquo;m giving you . . .\u0026rdquo; He waited for a moment, probably doing complex calculations. Nevaeh hated the idea that he was trying to figure out how long they would need to be intimate with each other. It felt infinitely gross. \u0026ldquo;Half an hour alone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s it?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Go,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;Make the most of your time together.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen had been alone in Sanctuary for a week. Well, not alone\u0026mdash;there were still hundreds of other people living there. But with James gone, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t the same place. The halls felt empty. The smiles around her seemed fake. She wondered how long this feeling would last. A week? A month? The rest of her life?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe only real distraction from the lack of James was Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s new visitors. Ren had first noticed them when she\u0026rsquo;d gone outside for her weekly walk in the compound. The atmosphere had been cleaned up a while ago, and as long as no one dug in the soil, it was supposedly safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut now there was a pileup of caretakers just outside the line that separated the Sanctuary grounds from the rest of the world. Ren stared at a thick metal tangle of limbs and glowing red eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop looking at it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe hauled her mom and dad outside to look. The caretakers were still there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry,\u0026rdquo; her dad said. \u0026ldquo;Everything\u0026rsquo;s fine.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We haven\u0026rsquo;t gotten any strange reports from the other Sanctuaries,\u0026rdquo; her mom said. \u0026ldquo;If we needed to be on the lookout, there would have been news.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But what about the reports that some of the caretakers have been . . . violent? Trying to cross the Sanctuary lines?\u0026rdquo; It was hard to imagine violent caretakers. The ones that lived in Sanctuary were Oz\u0026rsquo;s little helpers. They were more like a cross between servants and pets than monsters.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Everything\u0026rsquo;s fine,\u0026rdquo; Ren\u0026rsquo;s mom said, echoing her dad. She set a hand to Ren\u0026rsquo;s short hair and pushed it smooth. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re just feeling jumpy because of James. I know you two were dating for a few months, and at your age that feels like an entire lifetime. But it\u0026rsquo;s not. You have your whole life ahead of you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have left,\u0026rdquo; Ren said. She didn\u0026rsquo;t add the final two words, the ones that really made the sentence sting. \u003cem\u003eHe shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have left \u003c/em\u003ewithout me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;James shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have done a lot of the things,\u0026rdquo; her mom said. \u0026ldquo;Such as sneaking you off into that room to\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Mom!\u0026rdquo; Ren shouted. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t talk about that!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re the one \u003cem\u003edoing\u003c/em\u003e it; I can\u0026rsquo;t say it?\u0026rdquo; her mom teased.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That feels like a double standard,\u0026rdquo; her dad added.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen laughed, possibly for the first time since James had gone. It felt scratchy in her throat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re resetting the activation codes right now,\u0026rdquo; her mom said. Ren didn\u0026rsquo;t mention the fact that James hadn\u0026rsquo;t used the activation codes to get in. She wanted the back door he\u0026rsquo;d found to stay open. Just in case she changed her mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot that it would be easy. There were guards posted by the machines, keeping everyone else out of the room until the codes were reset.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen had checked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did they really turn Oz off while they reset the codes?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They would never turn him off completely,\u0026rdquo; her dad said, \u0026ldquo;but he\u0026rsquo;s in sleep mode while they check it out. James must have compromised the system somehow to get in, and that means we have to double- and triple-check everything ourselves.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Your boyfriend did not make life easier for the rest of us,\u0026rdquo; her dad said. Ren\u0026rsquo;s parents must have been able to see that she was dipping back into a foul mood, because they exchanged knowing looks over her head. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll be inside. Come find us when you\u0026rsquo;re done mooning over a boy who wasn\u0026rsquo;t good enough for you in the first place.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen swallowed down an argument. It was hard not to think of James as the best thing that had ever happened to her. But she would probably have a better life here. James was on the other side now, and there was no real way of knowing if he would even survive in the new world. Who knew if he\u0026rsquo;d have any life at all?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers shifted in a mass behind the trees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen didn\u0026rsquo;t like looking at them. She turned to go back inside, and was almost through the door when she heard the first crash of metal legs, too close. She was barely inside when she heard the first scream.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden didn\u0026rsquo;t look as scared as Nevaeh had felt when she\u0026rsquo;d first found the body. Of course, Holden knew it was coming.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey both knelt over the corpse, studying it for clues. Or rather, Holden studied the body for clues, and Nevaeh studied Holden for clues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow was he reacting to what she\u0026rsquo;d just said to Oz? How much had he guessed about Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s feelings before she went and blurted them out like that?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey had already checked the room thoroughly to see if there was a hidden tunnel, an elevator\u0026mdash;anything that might connect them to the outside world. All they\u0026rsquo;d found was the strange machinery, and the girl.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh felt like she was prying every time she looked, but she couldn\u0026rsquo;t help herself. There was still rubber on the soles of the girl\u0026rsquo;s sneakers. There was still a plastic bracelet around her wrist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So, what do you think happened?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s hard to say.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not up on your forensic anthropology?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked. There had been a TV show about that. Funny the things that stuck in your head and stayed there forever. \u0026ldquo;I was thinking . . . maybe she tried to escape, and Oz\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Killed her and stored her here and then made himself forget about it? Like, selective amnesia?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh nodded. All she could think about was Oz, standing over her, playing nurse.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s wrong?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just . . . that was going to be me before I was remade. And yeah, the caretakers brought us back. And they took away my sickness somehow. But what if Oz was right? What if it comes back?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden tried to touch her arm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said, pulling it back. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s okay. I mean, it\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e okay. I hate it. But that\u0026rsquo;s how cancer works, most of the time. When we first got here, it all seemed so impossible, and I felt so good. I even told May I was \u003cem\u003esure\u003c/em\u003e that I was completely healthy again.\u0026rdquo; She felt bad about that. Like she\u0026rsquo;d lied to May somehow. But she really had felt like she was cured when she was first remade. Then doubts had wedged their way in. \u0026ldquo;The caretakers were designed to heal the planet, not to cure people. They clearly made me healthy again, but that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean it will last forever. Honestly, there\u0026rsquo;s no real way to know. I could just be in remission.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t have to be sorry. That\u0026rsquo;s not . . . that\u0026rsquo;s not what I want.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh was breathing hard now. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t meant for this moment to come so soon. She definitely hadn\u0026rsquo;t meant for it to take place in Sanctuary, over the body of a dead girl. But she\u0026rsquo;d been holding her feelings in for so long. \u0026ldquo;Everything I just said out there . . . I meant it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden watched her from across the girl\u0026rsquo;s body. He was quiet for a long moment. \u0026ldquo;Yeah. I wondered.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh waited for more. She wanted to believe that Holden was going to surge forward and kiss her. But when he didn\u0026rsquo;t, she still felt . . . better somehow. Her fingertips were tingling and her heart felt about a hundred pounds lighter. She\u0026rsquo;d thought it might kill her, but just telling Holden how she felt was an amazing rush.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was alive. She didn\u0026rsquo;t know how long it would last, but she was here now, and she could feel every second of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nevaeh, you\u0026rsquo;re amazing, but I\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No. No worries. I mean. Thanks.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden studied her, the lines of his expression collapsed with concern.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seriously, Holden, I\u0026rsquo;m okay,\u0026rdquo; she said, waving him off. He was just being a good guy, like always, but she didn\u0026rsquo;t want him fussing over her hurt feelings right now. That would just make them keep hurting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe got to his feet slowly, studying the machines. Walking over to them and running his hands over the dusty screens, the scarred consoles. \u0026ldquo;You know, maybe you\u0026rsquo;re right. These machines could be here as a sort of manual override system. We might be able to open the door to Sanctuary.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why do you think you\u0026rsquo;ll be able to work them at all?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked. \u0026ldquo;They look pretty trashed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We might as well try,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh nodded. She loved his optimism\u0026mdash;even if she didn\u0026rsquo;t get to kiss him to show him just how much.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right. Go for it,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden looked over the screens. \u0026ldquo;It looks like everything here is done by touch, like in Arcadia. It shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be hard to at least . . .\u0026rdquo; Holden hit a green button, and the machine sprang to life, filling the little room with a low, nervous hum. \u0026ldquo;Turn it on.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen had to get to the Relocator.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEveryone\u003c/em\u003e had to get to the Relocator, but no one was listening to her. As soon as the caretakers breached the line, Sanctuary spun into terror and bloodshed so fast, Ren didn\u0026rsquo;t even have time to process it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople she knew were being torn apart.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe hoped against hope that her parents had gone back to their quarters quickly, but when she ran for the stairs, she saw their bodies on the floor, caretakers moving over them like they were rubble.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe hid behind one of the banquettes as they passed by, her breath frozen in her chest. As soon as they were gone, she ran to the stairs, trying not to look down at the bodies of her parents, but she caught a glimpse of her mother\u0026rsquo;s face, slashed with red lines. She lost her footing, slipped on blood.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen she saw the look on her father\u0026rsquo;s face, the last one he would ever give her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe looked determined. He\u0026rsquo;d probably been running back outside, trying to save her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe let that be her fuel as she ran down, floor by floor, but she couldn\u0026rsquo;t move as fast as the caretakers. The machines that lived inside of Sanctuary were trying to fight back, but without Oz to direct them, they didn\u0026rsquo;t stand a chance. The idea of Sanctuary as a military facility used to make Ren nervous, and now her greatest wish was to have the full force of the bunker back online. But Oz had been turned off because of James, and the caretakers from outside Sanctuary were strong and ruthless. They were also protected, with shields and metal plating over their joints that worked like armor. They ripped limbs from Oz\u0026rsquo;s machines, bashed them until they went dark.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRen made it down to the level where the Relocator was stored, a level that hadn\u0026rsquo;t been touched yet. It was eerily calm. In the little room, there were two guards with guns strapped across their chests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to start the Relocator,\u0026rdquo; she said. The guards exchanged glances. It was obvious they thought she was just here to trick them or bother them or sneak through after James.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout Oz to tell everyone what had happened, she realized, they didn\u0026rsquo;t know. And they didn\u0026rsquo;t believe her either.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There are caretakers attacking the compound,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re coming, and if we don\u0026rsquo;t\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe squeal of metallic death had caught up. The guards\u0026rsquo; eyes grew wide as they watched over her shoulder. Caretakers flooded the level, brandishing their weapons, an array of blades and saws and lasers, and the guards ran forward to shoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Ren pushed past them, hitting the green button to start up the Relocator. She didn\u0026rsquo;t need to check the numbers on the bracelet. James had been gone for a week, and Ren hadn\u0026rsquo;t thought about anything else. She knew that string of numbers by heart.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e24-32-18 . . . \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe punched them in, hearing the screams of the people she\u0026rsquo;d lived with her entire life, the people she\u0026rsquo;d expected to know when they were old and gray, still living in Sanctuary, waiting for the glorious future when Earth was better again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e77-97-03 . . . \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was going to make it; she was going to be with James.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e64-42-46 . . . \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe guards blocked the doorway as the caretakers tried to get in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e89-44-11 . . . \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers dismantled the guns; then they dismantled the guards. Ren forced herself to turn away from the carnage. She punched in the final numbers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e53-57-91. \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wormhole spun into existence right in front of her, just ten steps away, right as the caretakers broke into the room. Every click of their metallic feet on the floor brought her closer to death. She ran at full capacity, but on the fourth step, a caretaker snagged her leg, dragging her back. She hit the ground chin first, and her mouth filled with blood.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe looked up to see that the caretakers had turned away from her and were attacking the machines, rending the metal, burning and melting. The wormhole was Ren\u0026rsquo;s one chance at escape. She pushed herself back to standing, even though she could feel something deeply wrong with her leg. It was broken. No, a chunk of it was gone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt didn\u0026rsquo;t matter. She had to move.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo she kept walking through pain, another step, then another.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a crash of sparks, the machines went dark. The wormhole flickered in front of Ren, and died.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then everything flickered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t believe those actually work,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said at the sight of the machines with their multicolored lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen the lights flickered and the machines made a rough, grating noise.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Spoke too soon,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden banged at the computers, but they had gone dead again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should probably get going,\u0026rdquo; Holden said, sounding disappointed. Nevaeh wanted to put her head on the floor and cry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey weren\u0026rsquo;t getting out of here. Not today. Possibly not ever.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; she said in a small voice. \u0026ldquo;Can I just . . . have a minute? Tell Oz I need a minute.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I can wait. . . .\u0026rdquo; Holden hovered over her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No. Please.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh couldn\u0026rsquo;t handle him standing there being nice to her after everything that had just happened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe heard Holden\u0026rsquo;s footsteps leaving. When she looked up, the world was washed over with her tears.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was supposed to get us out,\u0026rdquo; she said to the girl on the floor. The body. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry you\u0026rsquo;re stuck here too. You probably didn\u0026rsquo;t want to die here either.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh couldn\u0026rsquo;t offer her any kind of rest. The bracelet caught her eye again, and she looked at it more closely. ren \u0026amp; james.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is that you?\u0026rdquo; she asked. \u0026ldquo;Ren?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe slipped the bracelet gingerly from around the body\u0026rsquo;s wrist, wiped it off on her sweatshirt, then slid it onto her own wrist. \u0026ldquo;Thanks, Ren,\u0026rdquo; she said, and added softly, \u0026ldquo;I won\u0026rsquo;t forget you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe fingered the bracelet, which looked so much like the ones Nevaeh had worn in the hospital. But it didn\u0026rsquo;t make her breath go thin. She wouldn\u0026rsquo;t let those memories hurt her anymore. She had learned to be strong in the hospital, and she would be strong now. She wouldn\u0026rsquo;t hide from anything, including her own feelings. Nevaeh had set herself free tonight. Ren would be her reminder. The bracelet would go with Nevaeh when they finally left Sanctuary. She traced the word\u003cem\u003e James\u003c/em\u003e with her finger and wondered where he was, why he wasn\u0026rsquo;t with Ren at the end\u0026mdash;and then she noticed there was more printed on the inside. A string of numbers. Too long for a date, or coordinates. Probably just a long-lost message. Everyone who knew what it meant was dead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh took a last look at the body on the floor, and left the little room behind.\u003c/p\u003e\n","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz paired the teens in Sanctuary off, insisting that Loki and Sunita share a room, and Holden and Nevaeh share another. The large beds leave little doubt as to Oz’s plan, but the group isn’t prepared to succumb to the AI’s pressure…no matter how much it may line up with what they may want, too. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.175","slug":"ReMade-S2E08","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E08.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E8.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E8.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E8.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 8"},{"id":"59becda0fec9fa00017f57e5","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":9,"title":"Power Struggles","released_date":"2018-01-17T12:41:59.733+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Caretakers, caretakers everywhere","byline":"E.C. Myers","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E9_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2018-01-17","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs the group marched to wherever Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s glorified Roomba was taking them, Inez stuck firmly to the middle of the pack. She had agreed to this little excursion because more weapons would help them rescue Holden and the others from whatever mess they\u0026rsquo;d gotten into at Sanctuary. Plus, Inez wanted to show she could be a team player. Really. But she didn\u0026rsquo;t want anyone to think of her as their leader anymore; this was not her freaking circus, and these were definitely not her damn monkeys.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You aren\u0026rsquo;t fooling anyone,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said as she walked beside Inez. \u0026ldquo;At least not me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Say what?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You keep saying you aren\u0026rsquo;t in charge\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026lsquo;The lady doth protest too much, methinks.\u0026rsquo; You\u0026rsquo;re still acting like you\u0026rsquo;re responsible for the team. You keep glancing behind us to check that everyone\u0026rsquo;s okay.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because if something gets the ones behind us, we\u0026rsquo;re next.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And the rest of the time your eyes are glued to Jing-Wei.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jealous?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, you two are perfect for each other.\u0026rdquo; Seyah laughed. \u0026ldquo;But I don\u0026rsquo;t think she has room in her heart for anyone but Sparky.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s what I\u0026rsquo;m worried about,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah lightly touched Inez\u0026rsquo;s arm and then removed her hand at just the right time. Anyone else, and Inez would have felt crowded and annoyed. But Seyah seemed to get her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I just can\u0026rsquo;t help thinking: Why \u003cem\u003eher\u003c/em\u003e? Why did they bring her back when it could have been anyone?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;When it could have been Teddy,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez nodded. Without him, she felt alone here\u0026mdash;even with so many other people around. Even with Seyah always close by when she needed her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt had been the same when her father had died. Their tiny house was full of aunts, uncles, and little kids, but Inez had felt isolated, apart from everyone else. Being surrounded by people who depended on you, or always needed something from you, could be lonelier than being on your own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do you think of this Jing-Wei? Is she the way you remember?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah studied Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Sometimes. But she\u0026rsquo;s quieter. She keeps to herself more. Our\u0026mdash; The girl we knew was really excited at figuring out solutions to problems, always finding ways to help us. She was easy to get along with. Why?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Just wondering how much she\u0026rsquo;s changed. If the caretakers changed her.\u0026rdquo; Inez kicked a rock out of her way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The keepers, you mean,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, reminding her of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s quaint name for the machines who had remade her this time around.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez rolled her eyes. \u0026ldquo;\u0026lsquo;What\u0026rsquo;s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;she paused\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;still have thorns. And a caretaker by any other name would smell as likely to slice your nose off.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah laughed. \u0026ldquo;I like calling them keepers. They can\u0026rsquo;t all be caretakers when some are good and some are bad. That\u0026rsquo;s just confusing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eIf\u003c/em\u003e some of them are actually good.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei trusts them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This Jing-Wei didn\u0026rsquo;t experience that slaughter, when those machines killed her and her friends. This Jing-Wei doesn\u0026rsquo;t have any friends other than her little robot sidekick,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t imagine what it was like to be on her own like that. She\u0026rsquo;d have to be a little different because of it, right?\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. \u0026ldquo;She has a different set of memories that don\u0026rsquo;t include us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez nodded. Who would she be now if Teddy hadn\u0026rsquo;t been there when she\u0026rsquo;d woken up in this world? Who would \u003cem\u003eTeddy\u003c/em\u003e have become if anyone else had been paired with him in that house\u0026mdash;or if he\u0026rsquo;d been a member of the group from the beginning? Since almost everyone knew him from his TV show, he might have defaulted to playing his character. Or maybe he would have had an even weaker grasp on reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWould she want him back if he became a stranger?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAhead, Jing-Wei, Sparky, Gabe, Hyrum, and Alex stopped at the top of a ridge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Great, another break,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah brushed against her shoulder. \u0026ldquo;Go on. You belong up there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shrugged. She pushed her way forward, passing May, Sebastian, and Amelia, to stand beside Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have a bum ankle, and even I don\u0026rsquo;t need to stop every hour,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. So that was a bit of an exaggeration\u0026mdash;her sprained ankle was pretty much healed by now\u0026mdash;but she was trying to make a point. \u0026ldquo;At this rate we\u0026rsquo;re never going to get wherever we\u0026rsquo;re going.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re here.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei pointed to a five-story building in a valley below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA broad, paved road leading to a wide door on the side of the weapons depot was overrun with thorny vines, like the forest of brambles in \u003cem\u003eSleeping Beauty\u003c/em\u003e. Tendrils crept up the walls, through broken windows, and into the building.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiggling behind them kind of broke the spell. Inez turned and saw Amelia and Sebastian holding hands and making big eyes at each other instead of at the intimidating sight below. The pair\u0026rsquo;s touchy-feely thing was really getting on Inez\u0026rsquo;s nerves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not very friendly looking,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. He shielded his eyes from the sun as he looked down at their destination.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why would a weapons depot look friendly?\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Anyway, it\u0026rsquo;s what\u0026rsquo;s inside that counts.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon flew in lazy circles over the spoiled landscape, completing the bizarre picture. Mountains and shining steel towers rose through the haze in the distance, the evening sky flush with red and orange and pink. It really was like they were in some fucked-up fairy tale.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s gonna be a pain getting there, through all those vines.\u0026rdquo; Seyah looked over the side of the ridge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, but if this place has been totally abandoned, left to nature, that means caretakers haven\u0026rsquo;t been maintaining it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky whirred next to Jing-Wei. The girl put a hand on its back and it settled down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez squinted down at the building. \u0026ldquo;But we shouldn\u0026rsquo;t just waltz right up to the entrance without scoping things out first.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shook her head. \u0026ldquo;Sparky says it\u0026rsquo;s safe.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez straightened, ready to challenge her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can\u0026rsquo;t waste any more time if we want to save your friends,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eOur\u003c/em\u003e friends,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know them any more than I know you bunch.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then why do you care what happens to us?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked at Sparky. She looked up at the sky. \u0026ldquo;Because this is bigger than me. Bigger than any of us. We have something important to do, and our odds of success increase the more of us there are.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re unbelievable,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe\u0026rsquo;d wanted to hear that every life was sacred or that Jing-Wei was helping them because it was the right thing to do, or some corny shit like that. Something that sounded goddamn human.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We aren\u0026rsquo;t parts in some big machine. We aren\u0026rsquo;t easily replaceable,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Present company excepted.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, we aren\u0026rsquo;t replaceable anymore. That\u0026rsquo;s why every life counts.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez wondered if the original Jing-Wei\u0026mdash;no, the \u003cem\u003eprevious\u003c/em\u003e Jing-Wei\u0026mdash;had felt the same way about people. Probably not. Back then, none of them knew they were actually copies of their former selves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey. You two coming?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez turned and saw the rest of the group already filing down the ridge, Hyrum in the lead, his eyes on the cumberbatch flying above.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Talon found something,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shook her head. So much for strategy and caution. These guys really wanted to get themselves killed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon guided them to a path through the tangle of vines. Someone or something had hacked through, creating a rough ten-foot-high tunnel straight to the depot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This seems ominous,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum crouched. He pointed to the vines that were creeping across the ground, over the crushed remains of plant matter. \u0026ldquo;Whatever made this path was large and heavy, but it also came through a while ago,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Nature\u0026rsquo;s already trying to close up the wound.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So it might still be there, on the other side. Waiting for us,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe. It could have come back this way, but . . .\u0026rdquo; Hyrum frowned. \u0026ldquo;These are caretaker tracks.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you sure? If caretakers are anywhere near here, we should leave,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Hyrum held up a hand. \u0026ldquo;The prints are weird, though. They weren\u0026rsquo;t made by a bunch of caretakers traveling together\u0026mdash;I\u0026rsquo;ve seen that before. Look at how close they are together.\u0026rdquo; He pointed. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s more like a bunch of caretaker \u003cem\u003elegs\u003c/em\u003e. Like a giant millipede.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shuddered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The good news is, I think it was actually going in the opposite direction, away from the depot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You think?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe squinted at the tracks. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s hard to say.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should go around at least. Just in case.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;ll take us hours, maybe lose us the whole day,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Sparky can scout ahead and we\u0026rsquo;ll rush through. We\u0026rsquo;ll get in and out of there as quickly as possible.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez held her tongue in order to read the others\u0026rsquo; reactions before she protested. They looked worried but determined. \u003cem\u003eOkay then, I guess we\u0026rsquo;re gonna do this stupid, stupid thing.\u003c/em\u003e She swept a hand toward the entrance. \u0026ldquo;After you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey hurried through the tunnel, among the vines. The thorny tendrils were woven like a tight basket, which made the walls on either side feel as solid as cement. They blocked sound from outside and amplified the crunch, crunch, crunch of their feet on the dead branches carpeting the ground. Sunlight twinkled through openings in the canopy above them like distant stars.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is kind of beautiful,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez smiled at the way light dappled Seyah\u0026rsquo;s face as she turned to her. \u0026ldquo;Beautiful,\u0026rdquo; she agreed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they emerged into a clearing by the depot, it was like sucking in air after holding your breath for a long time underwater. Inez jumped when a caretaker scuttled toward them, but when she saw its wooden leg, she recognized it as Sparky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;See? Nothing to worry about,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group approached the depot\u0026rsquo;s entrance. The door looked like a hydraulic deal with a split across the middle\u0026mdash;the kind they had on airplane hangars. Deep gashes were scratched into the metal, sparkling in the light of the setting sun. They looked like massive claw marks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yikes,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe whole building was surprisingly old-school, compared to the marvels of architecture in Arcadia. The only piece of future tech Inez saw was one of those ubiquitous hand scanners beside the door. Then Sebastian picked up something from the ground and examined it: a broken camera. Frayed wires dangled from where the camera had been attached above the door before something had pulled it down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Something really wanted to get in here,\u0026rdquo; Amelia said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Probably means there\u0026rsquo;s something good inside,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe glanced at the hand scanner, then back at Inez. \u003cem\u003eWhat are you looking at me for?\u003c/em\u003e Inez thought. \u0026ldquo;Go for it,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe put his hand on the panel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNothing happened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez put her hand to the door next. Same result. \u0026ldquo;So much for that,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe it\u0026rsquo;ll only respond to certain people,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let me see.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei stepped up, Sparky at her side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez backed away, and Jing-Wei scrutinized the panel. She pulled on it slightly and the whole thing fell off the wall. It hung from two white ribbon cables with a patchwork of green, yellow, and red wires spilling out around it like copper and plastic guts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s broken,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Duh,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Can you fix it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei ignored her. She pulled out her roll of makeshift tools, flat bits of metal and odds and ends that looked like they\u0026rsquo;d been scavenged from other machines and parts. She examined the connections, occasionally pointing something out to Sparky, which clicked and rumbled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good news,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;It should work, but it doesn\u0026rsquo;t have any juice.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No one\u0026rsquo;s paid the electric bill for a few hundred years,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei disconnected a lead from the panel and held it out to Sparky. She pressed one hand to the scanner and then Sparky, well . . . \u003cem\u003esparked\u003c/em\u003e. The panel flashed green and the door began lifting up and folding onto itself slowly and shakily. The metal shrieked; bits of rust flaked down from the hinges and joints as the old door opened.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt made it halfway up before the panel died again. Sparky sparked some more, but that was it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oops. Shorted something,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oops,\u0026rdquo; Inez echoed. The door was so massive, even halfway open they could enter it without having to bend over. But it was dark, dark, dark inside. And it smelled funny: sort of earthy and musty with a hint of diesel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll take a look around first,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Slow your roll,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not going in there alone.\u0026rdquo; The girl genius was not getting first crack at whatever weapons they might find in there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have Sparky,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes. Well.\u0026rdquo; She certainly wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to let that caretaker out of her sight, especially considering it had brought them here. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m coming too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And me,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said quickly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It could be dangerous.\u0026rdquo; If it was, Inez didn\u0026rsquo;t want anything to happen to Seyah.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re coming too,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe nodded and folded his arms across his chest. Hyrum raised his hand and waved it around eagerly, like he really wanted to answer a teacher\u0026rsquo;s question in class. Amelia shrugged, but Sebastian grabbed her hand and whispered something in her ear, and she gave him a dopey grin. Ugh.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Splitting up seems like a bad idea right now,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Going in there seems like a bad idea,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;But I guess you can all do whatever you want. It\u0026rsquo;s your\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; She almost said funeral, but stopped herself just in time. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s your circus.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon flapped down and landed neatly at Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s side. The cumberbatch scooped its nose under Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s hand and he petted it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez just shook her head. \u0026ldquo;If we\u0026rsquo;re gonna do this, let\u0026rsquo;s do this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey still had a few of those glowing softballs that Loki had scavenged from Arcadia, though their light was noticeably dimmer and didn\u0026rsquo;t do much to illuminate the inside of the depot. They were just toys, after all, not meant to last.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei flipped a switch to the right of the door, recognizable as a light switch. She flicked it on and off several times, but nothing happened. \u0026ldquo;Power\u0026rsquo;s completely out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beam of white light cut through the darkness. Inez flinched and reached for Seyah, but it wasn\u0026rsquo;t a deadly laser\u0026mdash;Sparky\u0026rsquo;s eye apparently had a flashlight setting, because of course it did.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s handy,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe spotlight swept across the open space and lingered on something shiny about a hundred feet away. It was surrounded by a lot of other shiny things. It took a second for Inez to realize what she was looking at.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Get out!\u0026rdquo; Inez shouted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Get out!\u0026rdquo; Gabby screamed from the bathroom. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m peeing!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;ve been in here forever! I have to go too,\u0026rdquo; Carmen said. \u0026ldquo;Move over.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ew! No! We can\u0026rsquo;t share a \u003cem\u003etoilet\u003c/em\u003e!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;C\u0026aacute;llate!\u0026rdquo; Inez pressed a hand to her forehead. A killer headache was coming on, only partially due to her sisters screaming in the background. No matter how many times she went over the taqueria\u0026rsquo;s books, she kept coming to the same conclusion: \u003cem\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re fucked\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s what they get for drinking so much soda,\u0026rdquo; Sofia said from one of the many empty tables in the small restaurant. Inez\u0026rsquo;s younger sister was wrestling with math problems of her own in her workbook. She\u0026rsquo;d given up on fractions for the moment and was doodling a picture of Rainbow Dash in the corner.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You let them drink soda? Jesus,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e did. I\u0026rsquo;m not the one in charge.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez had been so caught up in the fact that the restaurant was slowly but surely going bankrupt, trying to figure out how they were going to eat let alone pay off Papi\u0026rsquo;s hospital bills (and college was just a fading dream at this point), that she\u0026rsquo;d ignored her sisters until she couldn\u0026rsquo;t anymore.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sofia, if you see something, say something! Better yet: \u003cem\u003eDo\u003c/em\u003e something.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I \u003cem\u003eam\u003c/em\u003e doing something. Homework.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabby appeared with her pants still down and wearing a stormy expression. \u0026ldquo;Carmen interrupted me \u003cem\u003ewhile I was peeing\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo; She shuddered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Pull up your pants. That\u0026rsquo;s gotta be a health code violation. Were you reading Supergirl comics in the bathroom again?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Noooo . . .\u0026rdquo; Gabby always said it that way when she was lying.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So you were taking too long. And next time, lock the door.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I did! She picked the lock.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez turned toward the bathroom. \u0026ldquo;Carmen! Did you pick the lock on the bathroom door?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh-huh.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Put my lockpicks back when you\u0026rsquo;re done,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;And don\u0026rsquo;t go in my room again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay!\u0026rdquo; Carmen called cheerfully.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Happy now?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked Gabby.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Not even a little.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Congratulations, you\u0026rsquo;re in the right family.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeaking of which . . . The bell on the door rang, and Inez saw Mami and T\u0026iacute;a Clara walk in. Mateo darted in from behind them, and her headache intensified. She loved him, but when all the kids got together, they combined to form los monstruos peque\u0026ntilde;os, like some hyperactive, screaming, giggly, troublesome version of Voltron. So nothing like Voltron, really, but Inez\u0026rsquo;s brain had ceased to function an hour ago. She needed sleep, but she had to help make dinner when she got home and put the little monsters to bed and then do her own homework\u0026mdash;and they were still broke. There was that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez\u0026rsquo;s mother looked worried as she took in the empty taqueria. They should be in the middle of the dinnertime rush right now, but more and more this was what business was like. If it got any worse, Inez would be in the back, making the tacos herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Please take them away,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez,\u0026rdquo; Mami said. \u003cem\u003eUh-oh\u003c/em\u003e. She was using the Voice. What had Inez done now?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMami pulled an official-looking envelope from her purse. She slowly slid a folded paper out of it, opened it, smoothed it, and put it on the counter in front of Inez ceremonially. Was that a report card?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you know anything about a\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;Mami wrinkled her forehead\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;small business loan?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez perked up. \u0026ldquo;We got it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll take that as a yes. And did you lie and put Clara\u0026rsquo;s name on the application?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez glanced at T\u0026iacute;a Clara. She didn\u0026rsquo;t look angry, unlike Mami. Her aunt looked confused and worried.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Noooo . . .\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Mami clicked her tongue. \u0026ldquo;How could you? You know how dangerous it is\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay, Mami. I did a ton of research. She has a green card, so there\u0026rsquo;s no problem. That\u0026rsquo;s probably why we got the loan in the first place. It\u0026rsquo;s designed specifically to promote local business efforts. . . .\u0026rdquo; Inez grabbed for the paper. Holy shit, they got it!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to give the money back,\u0026rdquo; Clara said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What? No!\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What were you thinking, Inez? Taking on more debt when we still can\u0026rsquo;t even pay for\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Mami choked up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOh no. Inez reached a hand out to her mother, but Mami didn\u0026rsquo;t take it. And now Gabby was starting to cry too. Damn it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sofia, take the kids out of here,\u0026rdquo; Inez snapped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSofia flounced. She slowly closed her workbook and slid off her stool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026Aacute;ndale!\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSofia sped up incrementally and herded the other kids to the tiny stockroom in the back of the store.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t talk to your sisters that way. Only I\u0026rsquo;m allowed to treat them like that,\u0026rdquo; Mami said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why are you angry with me? This loan is a good thing. I have a plan!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s what Alejandro also used to say. \u0026lsquo;I have a plan, Rosita! I\u0026rsquo;ll take care of you!\u0026rsquo; Plans change. You can\u0026rsquo;t eat \u003cem\u003eplans\u003c/em\u003e. And we can\u0026rsquo;t pay off your father\u0026rsquo;s bills this way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shook her head. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re thinking too small.\u0026rdquo; She pointed to the wall to their left. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re going to use the loan to buy that abandoned rattrap next door and expand the restaurant. It\u0026rsquo;s so disgusting over there; it\u0026rsquo;s keeping customers away. The owner\u0026rsquo;s checked out, practically forgot it\u0026rsquo;s there. He\u0026rsquo;s probably planning to burn it for the insurance money.\u0026rdquo; That was Inez\u0026rsquo;s plan D for the taqueria, if all else failed. \u0026ldquo;We can get it for a steal.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And what do we need with a bigger restaurant, when we can\u0026rsquo;t even fill this one?\u0026rdquo; Mami asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Open a grocery store.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eT\u0026iacute;a Clara laughed. Mami put her hand to her forehead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez!\u0026rdquo; Mami said. \u0026ldquo;Es loco!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez had it all worked out. They would open the store Papi had always dreamed about, stocked with specialty items from Mexico that you couldn\u0026rsquo;t get here; they\u0026rsquo;d even be able to employ some of her father\u0026rsquo;s family from back home after shipping them to the States. The store would drive business to the taqueria, and the taqueria would drive business to the store\u0026mdash;recipes, ingredients, and supplies to make \u0026ldquo;authentic\u0026rdquo; Mexican tacos at home, that kind of thing. Everyone wins.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Papi would understand,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;This place was his life. I\u0026rsquo;m not going to let it die too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I hate this taqueria!\u0026rdquo; Mami said. She looked shocked for a moment, but there was no taking that back. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s just a \u003cem\u003ething\u003c/em\u003e. You have to think more about your family.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am, Mami. I always am. And so did Papi.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You also have to think about yourself sometimes,\u0026rdquo; Mami added softly. Then she shook her head. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll talk about this later.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez hid a smile. Mami\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll talk about this later\u0026rdquo; could usually be turned into a yes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez would show them this was going to solve their problems. All she had to do was work even harder, and figure out how to add another five hours to her day. No problem.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum and Alex looked startled when Inez and the others came rushing out of the building. They had their hands on Talon\u0026rsquo;s neck and back, but he suddenly broke free of them and leapt into the air with a chilling cry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What happened?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Caretakers! A crap-ton of them.\u0026rdquo; Inez waved the others on. \u0026ldquo;Get to higher ground! Hide. Get moving!\u0026rdquo; She pushed Hyrum and Alex along.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What about you?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe turned and looked back at the depot. Jing-Wei and Sparky hadn\u0026rsquo;t emerged, which meant either they were in trouble, or they were up to something. The smart thing to do would be to leave her. She\u0026rsquo;d proven she could take care of herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll be all right,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. Of course she hadn\u0026rsquo;t run off without her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez hugged her and then gently shoved her away. \u0026ldquo;Please go.\u0026rdquo; If Seyah really understood Inez the way she seemed to, she wouldn\u0026rsquo;t push on this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Be careful. Come on, you guys.\u0026rdquo; Seyah shepherded Hyrum and Alex away. Didn\u0026rsquo;t even look back at Inez. Good.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez glanced up as Talon winged overhead. Too bad cumberbatches couldn\u0026rsquo;t breathe fire or anything useful like that, but Talon might be able to take one or two caretakers out with his fierce pooping prowess. That thing practically crapped out dark matter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez hurried back toward the depot before she could change her mind, every molecule in her body urging her to go the other way. When she reached the door, she squeezed her glowball. It was definitely fading. She smacked it hard against her palm a couple of times. That felt good, and it brightened a little. She took a breath and stepped into the building.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was quiet except for faint mechanical sounds and metallic taps echoing from a distance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beam of light ahead glinted at Inez and she headed toward it. She thought ruefully of the old joke about the light at the end of the tunnel being an oncoming train, until she realized it was Sparky\u0026rsquo;s headlight. The machine and Jing-Wei were strolling toward her as though there weren\u0026rsquo;t a crap-ton of caretakers\u0026mdash;Inez decided that had to be the official term for a group of those things\u0026mdash;right behind them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell?\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Why aren\u0026rsquo;t you dead?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s mouth quirked. \u0026ldquo;Haven\u0026rsquo;t we been over this already?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There was a crap-ton of caretakers back there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah. Turns out they\u0026rsquo;re harmless.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Caretakers are very much not fucking harmless,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They are when they\u0026rsquo;re broken.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh.\u0026rdquo; Inez suddenly felt sheepish. \u0026ldquo;Then we were lucky.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You thought this place was full of caretakers but you came back for me?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have a bad habit of trying to save people.\u0026rdquo; Inez turned around and stomped back toward the door. She heard Sparky\u0026rsquo;s legs click and whir rhythmically, so she knew it and Jing-Wei were following her. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s the deal bringing us to Caretaker Central anyway?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t know what we would find here. Sparky said he was taking us to something that would help\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Weapons, you said.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei caught up and walked alongside her, the caretaker a few steps behind them. \u0026ldquo;I never said that specifically. We guessed, from what he was showing me. Talking to Sparky isn\u0026rsquo;t exactly a science. Apparently, his idea of help is more caretakers. Not too surprising, really.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess we\u0026rsquo;ve wasted a trip,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. Her glowball flickered and went out. She shook it a few times, then hurled it into the darkness ahead of her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe not. I think we can salvage some of them,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was the door. \u0026ldquo;Why would we want to do that? That\u0026rsquo;s a big nope.\u0026rdquo; Inez walked out of the depot. Talon was rolling around on the ground with her abandoned glowball in his mouth. She stalked past him and headed for the turn in the road where she assumed the others were hiding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the pavement, or whatever the road was made of, Sparky\u0026rsquo;s steps sounded like the skittering of a giant, creepy cockroach. She didn\u0026rsquo;t know which made her skin crawl more: that horrible sound or knowing that a caretaker, even a supposedly friendly one, was right behind her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So that\u0026rsquo;s it? You don\u0026rsquo;t even want to discuss it? We aren\u0026rsquo;t going to have another prolonged debate?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei called.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No debate needed. It\u0026rsquo;s simple. Two legs good, four, six, eight-plus legs\u0026mdash;very, very bad.\u0026rdquo; Inez glanced Sparky. \u0026ldquo;One caretaker is bad enough.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah, Gabe, and May emerged from behind a large boulder jutting out from the cliff wall along one side of the road.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess caretakers aren\u0026rsquo;t after us, if you guys are arguing again,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re broken. Nothing to worry about,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s always something to worry about,\u0026rdquo; Inez muttered. She rounded the boulder. It was hiding a barely noticeable crevice in the wall. \u0026ldquo;Nice hiding spot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hyrum found it,\u0026rdquo; Alex said as he emerged, Hyrum close behind. He immediately looked up and smiled when Talon streaked by overhead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is that a ball in his mouth?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez waved off his question. \u0026ldquo;Where are Amelia and Sebastian?\u0026rdquo; They\u0026rsquo;d either fallen into a ravine and died, or . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They were right behind me,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Guys! Really?\u0026rdquo; Inez bellowed into the cave. A moment later, the pair crawled out, looking much more mussed than everyone else.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So what do we do now?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez tossed up her hands. \u0026ldquo;We get some rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, May leads the way to Sanctuary. Too bad it\u0026rsquo;s in the opposite direction we\u0026rsquo;ve been traveling for days, and we have nothing to show for it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There are parts we can use here. Maybe some of the keepers haven\u0026rsquo;t been damaged,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;d be a good thing?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Those keepers have been here a long time. If we found some that still work, they might not have gone . . . feral.\u0026rdquo; She waved her hand. \u0026ldquo;The programming of those other machines was likely corrupted because they were running continuously for centuries.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They lost their minds,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They don\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003ehave\u003c/em\u003e minds,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Artificial intelligence is still intelligence,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;And remember\u0026mdash;we wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be here if not for the keepers. I doubt they were programmed to deal with any of this. Bringing us here required substantial out-of-the-box thinking.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re saying if we found some mint-condition collector\u0026rsquo;s item caretakers, they might not want to hurt us,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s worth a shot,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;And there might be other things we can use there. Food, supplies. We should at least explore the rest of the building.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We came all this way. Maybe we should hear her out,\u0026rdquo; Seyah whispered to Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez bit her lip. She could almost hear Teddy saying those exact words in his doofy, frat boy voice. He\u0026rsquo;d always thought the best of people, and not only because he thought they were all figments of his own imagination. He\u0026rsquo;d thought the best of Inez when no one else did, and he\u0026rsquo;d never led her wrong.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez narrowed her eyes at Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Is this you talking, or Sparky? That thing brought us here, so of course it would want us to turn on more caretakers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked offended. \u0026ldquo;I speak for myself, though Sparky does agree with me. I know it\u0026rsquo;s hard for you to believe, but we\u0026rsquo;re on your side.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei tilted her head thoughtfully. \u0026ldquo;The side of humans, I mean.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks for clarifying that,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can just turn on one of them so you can see it\u0026rsquo;s safe. Inez, at some point, you have to stop thinking and planning and worrying, and just \u003cem\u003edo\u003c/em\u003e something. Even if you aren\u0026rsquo;t sure it\u0026rsquo;s the right thing to do. Doing nothing is worse, and a stupid way to die.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well . . . okay. We have a safe hiding spot, thanks to Hyrum. Anyone who thinks turning on another caretaker is a terrible plan or needs to get some sleep should stay here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s getting dark,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;Shouldn\u0026rsquo;t we all wait until morning?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s dark inside the building anyway. Our glowballs are almost dead, and I don\u0026rsquo;t think we should lose any more time,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez thought for sure that Amelia and Sebastian would want to stay behind and cozy up in the cave together, but in the end, no one decided to stay behind, so they all trooped back to the caretaker depot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe building seemed more sinister as the evening shadows crept in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s creepier knowing that it\u0026rsquo;s full of killing machines, isn\u0026rsquo;t it?\u0026rdquo; Inez said to Seyah.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003ePotential\u003c/em\u003e killing machines. But you could say the same about people,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good point.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey reached the door to the depot and paused, listening. No skittering metal feet, whirring mechanical parts, or humming electronics. Nothing at all, except a distant, steady dripping.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei and Sparky led the way with the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s spotlight blazing, and the rest of the group filed in behind them. Gabe flipped the light switch on and off again, but the power was still out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did you think Jing-Wei did it wrong before?\u0026rdquo; May asked mildly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, I\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Gabe shook his head. \u0026ldquo;Force of habit.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez heard Hyrum and Alex speaking softly but urgently at the door. She turned back to see what was going on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s up?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Talon won\u0026rsquo;t come inside,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Talon\u0026rsquo;s smarter than all of us. Who wants to hang out with a bunch of caretakers? He probably likes it better outside anyway.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think we should leave him out here,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Talon was on his own long before we showed up. He may be small, but he isn\u0026rsquo;t a helpless puppy.\u0026rdquo; Inez put a hand on Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s back. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s like a guard dog. With wings and two-inch-long teeth and claws. We\u0026rsquo;re still pretty sure he can\u0026rsquo;t breathe fire, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think so,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shame. Well, how about you three stay here, if you\u0026rsquo;re worried about him? Since we can\u0026rsquo;t close the door, it would be great to have someone watching the entrance. If you see or hear anything moving outside, come warn us, all right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum cheered up a bit. \u0026ldquo;We can do that! I think he\u0026rsquo;s got pretty good night vision and super hearing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Terrific. I feel safer already.\u0026rdquo; Which was a lie, because she was more afraid of what was inside the building than whatever was lurking outside, and truthfully, even a friendly dragon was freaking terrifying. It was still a wild animal, and even trained animals lashed out and attacked their owners from time to time. She didn\u0026rsquo;t like the idea of Hyrum messing around with it, but he obviously needed a project right now, and it seemed to have fostered a friendship between him and Alex.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay, you keep an eye on Talon.\u0026rdquo; She turned to Alex. \u0026ldquo;And you keep an eye on Hyrum.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think that will be a problem,\u0026rdquo; Seyah murmured as they walked away. \u0026ldquo;Those kids are too cute. You handled that really well.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shrugged. \u0026ldquo;If this goes south, they\u0026rsquo;ll have a chance to get away.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey caught up with the others and found Jing-Wei crouched in front of a caretaker, Sparky shining a light on it as she tinkered with it. Now that Inez wasn\u0026rsquo;t panicking and running for her life, she discovered it was one of only a handful of caretakers that were still standing\u0026mdash;and the only one that looked more or less intact.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was an exact duplicate of Sparky, minus the battle damage and wooden leg. In fact, it looked brand-new, all clean and shiny like C-3PO at the end of \u003cem\u003eStar Wars:\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eEpisode IV\u003c/em\u003e. The light reflecting off it showed that the caretakers around it were also shiny, but incomplete. One was missing its eye lens, frayed wires hanging from the dark socket. Another had no arms. One had its chest exposed, the access panel lying crumpled at its feet, the insides gutted and broken.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Looks like vandals got in here,\u0026rdquo; Inez muttered. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei, can you shine that light over here for a second?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ask Sparky,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seriously?\u0026rdquo; Inez sighed. \u0026ldquo;Sparky, shine your light over here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky ignored her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez gritted her teeth. \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Please.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky swept its eye beam toward her and then scanned the rest of the room. Beyond the cluster of standing caretakers, the floor of the cavernous room was littered with caretaker body parts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Holy shit,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaretaker legs were scattered everywhere like discarded chicken bones. Computer chips, wires, and tubing glinted in the light. Most disturbing of all, the center of the room was taken up by a large mound of caretaker heads. Hundreds of them. Inez shuddered at the sight.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was no love lost between her and the machines, but whatever had done this had been full of malice, like the boys who had pulled the arms off Inez\u0026rsquo;s Barbie dolls at the playground\u0026mdash;until she made them stop by shoving the arms up their noses. Years later, Gabby had chosen her old \u0026ldquo;Barbie de Milo\u0026rdquo; as her favorite toy\u0026mdash;she\u0026rsquo;d dug up one of its missing arms and taped it back on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky\u0026rsquo;s light went wild, just before flickering out. The room filled with shadows cast by the fading glowballs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Creepy,\u0026rdquo; Amelia said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This didn\u0026rsquo;t happen by accident,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Someone or something came here and did that. It could come back. Hell, for all we know, it\u0026rsquo;s still here.\u0026rdquo; Inez lifted the caretaker arm slung across her back and hefted it. Then she suddenly felt self-conscious, given the casual brutality of the disassembled caretakers before them. Taking this arm had been a matter of survival, but also defiance\u0026mdash;to show the caretakers that she was going to fight back. She wondered if Sparky was bothered by it; she would be if she saw someone casually carrying around a human arm or leg.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSince when do I care how Sparky feels? \u003c/em\u003eshe thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSince it became obvious that he has feelings.\u003c/em\u003e If Sparky was petty enough to care whether she said please and thank you, there was more to him than she thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group fell silent as they considered the macabre scene in front of them, and strained to listen for anything moving around. The only sound was a drip, drip, drip from some distant leak in the building.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did you find anything, Jing-Wei?\u0026rdquo; Seyah whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no reason why this one shouldn\u0026rsquo;t work,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei whispered. Slowly, Sparky\u0026rsquo;s eye began glowing again, this time with a softer, more diffuse light, chasing the shadows farther back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei ran a hand through her hair, making it stick out at odd angles. Inez noticed a small burn scar just above her right temple that had been covered by her hair before, some memento of her adventures before meeting up with them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei continued, \u0026ldquo;Near as I can tell, some of these keepers aren\u0026rsquo;t broken after all. They\u0026rsquo;re in a power-save mode, like when you\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Suspend a laptop?\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sure. They\u0026rsquo;re on standby to conserve battery. I tried to switch it on\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Maybe check with us before you do something like that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shrugged. \u0026ldquo;It didn\u0026rsquo;t work anyway. Sparky tells me the keeper I was working on is scanning for a signal. I\u0026rsquo;m just guessing, but it looks like it needs to receive a command to activate it, sort of like password protection. Probably to prevent people like us from coming in here and doing what we\u0026rsquo;re trying to do.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So there were safety measures,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s good to hear.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I bet you can send the signal from a terminal somewhere in this building,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei continued. \u0026ldquo;But even if we found one, it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have power.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey, we tried.\u0026rdquo; Inez put away her weapon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t figure you for someone who gives up easily,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She isn\u0026rsquo;t,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. The others laughed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know when to cut my losses,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked solemnly, staring right at her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez looked away. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m getting some real negative vibes from this place. I think we should go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We leave, and do what? Go to Sanctuary and fall into the same trap as your friends? What happens if we can\u0026rsquo;t save them? Do you give up then? Or maybe we just write them off now, because honestly, they\u0026rsquo;re probably dead already.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah made a soft sound. Inez took her hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I admit, we only have a slim chance here,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;But it\u0026rsquo;s the best chance for your friends. For Holden, Nevaeh, Loki, Cole, and Sunita. Even one more caretaker on our side will help.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You remember their names,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, stunned.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve got a good memory for people,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t forget Umta,\u0026rdquo; Sebastian said quietly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But I\u0026rsquo;m not perfect,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei added.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez grimaced. \u0026ldquo;Well, shit. Okay, let\u0026rsquo;s try to make this work. I still don\u0026rsquo;t like it, but I don\u0026rsquo;t see a better option. Is that good with you guys?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey all nodded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then I guess it\u0026rsquo;s good with me too.\u0026rdquo; She rubbed her hands. This was more familiar ground for her. \u0026ldquo;So we need to figure out what\u0026rsquo;s wrong with the power and find a computer or a command center or something. I hate to say it, but we should split up.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Electrical stuff tends to be in basements,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll see if that\u0026rsquo;s true here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Gabe, go with her,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s all right. I have Sparky,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nice. Thanks,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay snickered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is how we do things,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei stared Inez down, but Inez held her ground. Jing-Wei threw up her hands. \u0026ldquo;Fine.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The rest of us will spread out and explore this floor. Buddy system. We have two lights, so we can do two groups of two or three,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Be my buddy?\u0026rdquo; Seyah fluttered her eyes at Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I thought you\u0026rsquo;d never ask,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay looked between her two choices: Amelia and Sebastian, and Inez and Seyah. She shook her head. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll go with them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Suit yourself,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;You three, take the left side of the building, and we\u0026rsquo;ll take the right. We\u0026rsquo;ll meet in the middle, unless one of us finds something, like the control room.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do we do if we find something?\u0026rdquo; Amelia asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shout,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do we do if something finds \u003cem\u003eus\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shout. And run.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Find everything you were looking for?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked Jacob, one of the store\u0026rsquo;s regulars.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;As always, and a lot of stuff I didn\u0026rsquo;t know I needed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez smiled as she rang up his purchases. It looked like he was having a tamale night. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re getting more ingredients in every week. How\u0026rsquo;s school going?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Too many cooks in the kitchen.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d imagine so.\u0026rdquo; Jacob was attending culinary school, and he\u0026rsquo;d sent a lot of business to the grocery store, which the family had unanimously named Papi\u0026rsquo;s.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez loved that they had \u003cem\u003eregulars\u003c/em\u003e like Jacob and Mrs. Ramos, the elementary school teacher who thought the way to a man\u0026rsquo;s heart was through his stomach. Since Inez\u0026rsquo;s family had opened the store two months ago, the number of customers had steadily increased\u0026mdash;seriously cutting into her reading time at work\u0026mdash;and business was up at the taqueria too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMami seemed relieved to get away from the kitchen and work the counter, throwing herself into the new business almost as much as Inez did. This was what they had all needed, and not just because of the money. T\u0026iacute;a Eva had stopped talking about taking her twin girls back to Mexico; she had more to do in the restaurant, so she no longer worried she was adding to their burden. Even in death, Papi was helping to hold them together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez was feeling pretty good about herself for making all this work, until Ramon, Lita, and Callie walked in. Normally she\u0026rsquo;d be thrilled to see them, though it always felt weird when she had to serve her friends, but this time Astrid, the new girl at school, was with them. Astrid, the most recent girl to make Inez\u0026rsquo;s blood rush. Inez wasn\u0026rsquo;t getting much sleep these days, but when she did, Astrid frequently appeared in her dreams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey, girl,\u0026rdquo; Ramon said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are you doing here?\u0026rdquo; Inez said more harshly than she\u0026rsquo;d intended. Mami looked over at her curiously.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s taco time!\u0026rdquo; Ramon rubbed his belly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s always \u0026lsquo;taco time\u0026rsquo; with you,\u0026rdquo; Lita said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Tick-taco, tick-taco . . .\u0026rdquo; Ramon grinned.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;One more taco pun, and you\u0026rsquo;re banned for life,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Tacos are next door.\u0026rdquo; She turned away and pretended to be checking the inventory list on the laptop, another long-overdue innovation made possible by the small business loan.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez, have you met Astrid?\u0026rdquo; Callie asked, knowing the answer full well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez closed her eyes briefly before pasting on a smile and turning back around. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve run into each other once or twice.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez is always running someplace, right?\u0026rdquo; Astrid said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Like the man said, tick-taco, tick-taco.\u0026rdquo; \u003cem\u003eI can\u0026rsquo;t believe I just said that.\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ldquo;I mean, there\u0026rsquo;s lots to do, never enough time.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez mentioned you just moved here, Astrid?\u0026rdquo; Mami said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez blushed. \u003cem\u003eOh god. Now she knows I\u0026rsquo;ve been talking about her and thinking about her and\u0026mdash;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s right, Mrs. Flores.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Please call me Rosa.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Such a pretty name,\u0026rdquo; Astrid said. \u0026ldquo;Like Inez.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez blushed harder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMami smiled. \u0026ldquo;Inez, why don\u0026rsquo;t you spend some time with your friends at the taqueria? I can manage here. Tell Eva their meal is on the house.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have inventory to do.\u0026rdquo; Inez picked up the laptop and waved at her friends. \u0026ldquo;Callie, you tell Eva.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez,\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Lita said. She rolled her eyes at Astrid in an obvious way. But fortunately Astrid was looking at Mami.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh no, I couldn\u0026rsquo;t, Mrs. Flores.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Rosa,\u0026rdquo; Mami reminded her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Rosa. We stopped by because my mom has a pretty popular food blog and Instagram, and she often sends me to check out the food first. I probably shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be telling you that! Oops. Anyway, I can\u0026rsquo;t accept a free meal, because someone might think that influenced her opinion. But I\u0026rsquo;ll happily take you up on that another time.\u0026rdquo; She was looking at Inez now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if Astrid were flirting with her, which she totally wasn\u0026rsquo;t, Inez couldn\u0026rsquo;t lose focus on the business now that it was starting to go well. She didn\u0026rsquo;t have time to sleep, let alone date anyone. She\u0026rsquo;d tried that before, and even the most casual relationships, on the order of hooking up in an empty classroom at school, ultimately fell apart.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sure. Enjoy your dinner.\u0026rdquo; Inez turned away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter Inez\u0026rsquo;s friends had moved next door, Ramon doing his ridiculous Taco Dance the whole way, Mami turned to Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Astrid seems like a nice girl,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess. I really do have to do inventory,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It could have waited a few minutes.\u0026rdquo; Mami put a hand on her forehead. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m worried about you, mija.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez pressed her fingertips to the gold crucifix around her neck, a quincea\u0026ntilde;era gift from Papi that had probably put at least one of the nails in his coffin. She had to believe that if you did something for your family, even sacrificing your happiness, it couldn\u0026rsquo;t be wrong. No matter what.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t be worried.\u0026rdquo; She smiled. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve got this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez and Seyah discovered alcoves along the right wall of the main room, filled with different models of caretakers. Some of them were as large as Sparky, about five feet tall, but with different arm attachments\u0026mdash;shovels and scissors and nightmare fuel like that. Some were squat, knee-height and built like tanks, with treads instead of legs, and others had tiny heads with eyestalks. Unlike the dismantled caretakers in the big room\u0026mdash;those Inez was already thinking of as the basic Model S line, named for Sparky\u0026mdash;most of these were intact. She estimated about a couple hundred units that looked like they might function if they could be activated successfully.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe and Seyah only took enough time to shine their steadily dimming light into each alcove to see whether it had caretakers or computers. The floor of one of the alcoves had been ripped up. They approached the pit and peered inside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A tunnel?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s like something dug its way out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It also could be an entrance,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Remember those gashes in the front door? Maybe whatever did that did this, too\u0026mdash;when it couldn\u0026rsquo;t get past the door, it made a new way inside.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey stared at the dark pit. The floor was made of several inches of metal, and the ground beneath looked like solid bedrock. It would have taken a long time to tunnel through it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s keep moving,\u0026rdquo; Seyah whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey continued on to the far wall of the room quickly. They worked their way along it to the left and arrived at a door\u0026mdash;or what was left of one. Something had pried it off its hinges and tossed it away, conveniently getting them around the hand scanner on the wall beside the entrance, which they couldn\u0026rsquo;t have used anyway without power.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez raised her caretaker arm as Seyah shined the light into the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jackpot,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. This room looked like NASA Mission Control, with a big screen and several smaller stations flanking it. Better still, no caretakers in sight. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re the first ones here!\u0026rdquo; She grinned at Seyah.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh, thank goodness. Chairs!\u0026rdquo; Seyah put the glowball on a desk and sat in a chair. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve been on our feet for hours.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez leaned on the edge of the desk and grinned as Seyah slowly spun her seat around.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey. It\u0026rsquo;s good to have you back,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said softly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do you mean?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re acting more like your usual self.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez felt a stab of irritation, but she held her tongue\u0026mdash;and tried to figure out why she was annoyed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez had changed after Teddy had died. She knew that. If she could go back to normal, whatever that was, so soon after losing him, then that seemed somehow . . . disrespectful. But what bothered her most was that she hadn\u0026rsquo;t felt like \u0026ldquo;herself\u0026rdquo; for a very long time, even before she was remade. When Papi had died, Inez had immediately become the person everyone needed\u0026mdash;the person she thought they needed. She\u0026rsquo;d pushed aside everything else, including her own needs and her very identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fact, she\u0026rsquo;d only started to feel like the old Inez after she had been remade, when no one else had any expectations of her, and even then she only let her guard down with Teddy. And now Seyah.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah stopped the chair spinning. \u0026ldquo;Did I say something wrong?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez reached out for her. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think that\u0026rsquo;s even possible.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh, it\u0026rsquo;s possible, all right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, then it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t matter.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah stood and took her hands, and Inez threaded their fingers together. She wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to miss out on what she wanted anymore. She pulled Seyah close and kissed her. Seyah\u0026rsquo;s fingers tightened around hers, but then she was kissing Inez back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they paused, Seyah murmured, \u0026ldquo;Shouldn\u0026rsquo;t we let the others know we found the computer room?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nah. They\u0026rsquo;ll find it soon anyway. So we\u0026rsquo;d better not waste any time.\u0026rdquo; Inez squeezed the light on the desk to turn it off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach of them fumbled around a bit in the darkness. Inez could tell that Seyah was letting her take the lead, but soon she started to make her own tentative moves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez was a taut guitar string that vibrated at the slightest touch, and Seyah made her whole body sing. She was a goddamn Broadway musical.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen suddenly the lights sprang on. Inez and Seyah untangled from each other and turned to see May staring at them from the open door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. \u0026ldquo;I guess Jing-Wei turned on the electricity.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess she\u0026rsquo;s not the only one.\u0026rdquo; May smirked and then left.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah covered her face with her hands and laughed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe screens around them flickered on, and a gentle female voice spoke. It sounded a lot like Arcadia had. The screen on the desk flashed images of caretakers working\u0026mdash;in gardens, fields, offices, warehouses, suburban American streets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Great. Looks like commercials survived the end of the world too,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said as they turned to watch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWho cares for our CareTakers\u003c/em\u003e\u0026trade;\u003cem\u003e?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWho cares?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOur \u003c/em\u003eevolutionary\u003cem\u003e, state-of-the-art\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eCareTaker\u003c/em\u003e\u0026trade;\u003cem\u003e was designed to be sturdy, reliable\u0026mdash;and disposable. If it can\u0026rsquo;t repair itself, just return it to the factory and a replacement unit will be dispatched immediately upon receipt and inspection. Or, for a nominal fee, you can keep your original unit as a source for parts throughout the year\u0026mdash;a cost-effective solution for customers with many units requiring maintenance and support. Remember: Reduce, reuse, recycle, and recondition.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe video showed a caretaker dismantling itself while a white dude smugly looked on, arms crossed. Ugh. Inez had no love for the machines, but Sparky sometimes \u003cem\u003eseemed\u003c/em\u003e like a living creature with thoughts and agendas and even feelings that could be hurt. Maybe it was all an illusion or they were reading more into their actions, but if not . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s messed up,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was even more sickening to watch as one by one, damaged caretakers marched themselves into a deep pit of broken units, like some horrific mass grave. Then another caretaker that resembled a small fire truck sprayed a black and shiny liquid over the pile of writhing machines . . . and they started \u003cem\u003emelting\u003c/em\u003e. Inez covered her mouth and suppressed a gag\u0026mdash;even as part of her wondered if there was a supply of that stuff somewhere here in the depot. Then all they would need were squirt guns.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIs your CareTaker\u003c/em\u003e\u0026trade;\u003cem\u003e \u0026ldquo;acting up\u0026rdquo; or simply not performing to your expectations? Use our Killswitch app to send a remote signal to lock your unit in place and summon a twenty-four-hour service technician to evaluate it. We can also\u0026mdash;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve seen enough.\u0026rdquo; Inez pushed the screen away and the video froze.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe tapped at the screen for a while, trying to figure out where the caretaker controls were, but she couldn\u0026rsquo;t make sense of the interface. So she and Seyah headed back to the building\u0026rsquo;s entrance, arriving just behind Amelia and Sebastian. Jing-Wei, Gabe, and May were already there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good job restoring the power,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It wasn\u0026rsquo;t that hard. There was a critical failure at the source. I\u0026rsquo;m wondering if it was that hydroelectric dynamo we encountered on the way here,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOops,\u003c/em\u003e Inez thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The backup generator didn\u0026rsquo;t kick in automatically for some reason, but I managed to switch it on manually. No telling how long it will last. May said you found the computer room?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez nodded. Seyah\u0026rsquo;s face flushed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why didn\u0026rsquo;t you activate the keepers?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Couldn\u0026rsquo;t figure out the controls,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;I defer to your expertise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Great, let\u0026rsquo;s\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey jumped as a horrible screeching came from the door, and Talon darted inside and launched into the air. Hyrum and Alex ran in behind him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What now?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Big thing coming!\u0026rdquo; Hyrum and Alex kept running toward Inez. Hyrum stopped just behind her and turned to point at the entrance. Talon dropped down and landed in front of him and Alex and spread his wings to keep them behind him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A big \u003cem\u003ething\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo; And then Inez saw it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was massive, an abomination. A mechanical monster so tall, it had to duck under the door to enter the building. It was crab-shaped, with haphazard layers of metal plating welded together into a heavy shell. To support that weight, it scuttled on dozens of mismatched legs. One bulky arm had a large pincer at the end of it. Another had a long, flat blade like a shovel, but this one looked wicked sharp. The third arm\u0026mdash;\u003cem\u003eoh shit, it has three arms!\u003c/em\u003e\u0026mdash;had some kind of Swiss Army attachment, a multitool that rotated through different choices quickly. Then the arm lashed out and knocked some of the standing caretakers out of its way with an awful crash.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell is that?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Does it matter? Run!\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;May, take everyone to the control room!\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe wanted to get a better look at the robo-beast, so she fought the urge to run.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it wanted to get a better look at her, with its hundreds of unblinking eyes. The sight reminded her of the compound eyes of a bug with all those lenses clustered together around its cylindrical head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked. Of course she had stayed by Inez\u0026rsquo;s side, for better or worse. Inez didn\u0026rsquo;t risk a glance back, but she hoped the others had headed for safety, wherever that might be.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think it\u0026rsquo;s a caretaker,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Or it was. It must have stolen parts from the ones here. It grafted them onto itself. Look at all those legs.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s horrible. What do we do?\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can\u0026rsquo;t get around it,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. It was blocking the whole exit. \u0026ldquo;Fall back to the control room.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe retreated a few steps, reaching for Seyah\u0026rsquo;s hand. When she felt it, she grabbed on, turned, and they ran.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no door on the control room,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, breathing hard.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It wouldn\u0026rsquo;t hold up against that thing anyway,\u0026rdquo; Inez answered. Actually, she was pretty sure it had torn the door off earlier, probably while looking for more caretaker parts for its collection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey ran into the control room. Inez did a quick head count. They were missing someone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shit, where\u0026rsquo;s Hyrum?\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex\u0026rsquo;s eyes widened. \u0026ldquo;He was right behind me.\u0026rdquo; Alex looked around. \u0026ldquo;Talon isn\u0026rsquo;t here either.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll go get them,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. Then she heard a strange grinding, grating sound behind her, like metal being crushed. Turning, she saw the Super Caretaker at the door, at least four times as large as Sparky, and seemingly \u003cem\u003emade out of\u003c/em\u003e smaller caretakers. It lowered its head and lunged toward her, but it was too wide to enter the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts eyes started glowing red.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Get clear of the door!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA concentration of red laser beams flashed from its many eyes and vaporized a hole in the center of the room\u0026rsquo;s viewscreen. Inez smelled ozone and scorched metal, and the temperature in the room went up several degrees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Stay out of its line of sight,\u0026rdquo; Amelia said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Super Caretaker poked its head into the room and rotated it. Lenses were placed all around it, giving it 360 degrees in which to shoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Move!\u0026rdquo; Inez bolted forward so they were out of range of the door. She heard sizzling and popping behind her as tiny lasers flashed from the spinning head like some deadly disco ball.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ow! Fuck!\u0026rdquo; Gabe clutched his arm. Smoke wisped from the sleeve of his jacket. He peeled back the blackened cuff and examined a nasty burn across the outside of his wrist. It could have been worse; at least he didn\u0026rsquo;t have a hole in him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey huddled behind a large console at the far end of the room, figuring it would provide some cover from the laser fire. But the Super Caretaker was straining at the doorway, and the metal on either side was beginning to bend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What do we do about Hyrum?\u0026rdquo; Alex whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Keep this thing\u0026rsquo;s attention on us so it doesn\u0026rsquo;t go after him,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. Hopefully he would do the smart thing and hide or get out of there. If he was still alive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Super Caretaker settled down in the doorway, rotating its head and firing an occasional beam into the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re trapped unless we can shut it down.\u0026rdquo; Inez looked at Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;This is a control room for the caretakers, right? Can you turn that thing off?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei was crouched next to Sparky at one of the terminals as indecipherable emoji text scrolled over it. A plug ran from its access panel to a port on the computer. Inez realized Jing-Wei and Sparky been there the whole time, even while the rest of them were dodging those laser beams. Some scorches on the desk and wall around her showed how lucky, and brave, Jing-Wei had been. Or just totally focused and oblivious to the danger, which seemed more likely.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think so. It looks pretty far-gone. However . . .\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei looked up from the screen. \u0026ldquo;You won\u0026rsquo;t like this idea.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Try me,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We could activate all the keepers at the same time.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wouldn\u0026rsquo;t that make this situation worse?\u0026rdquo; Inez said. She ducked and flinched as a laser beam sizzled over their heads. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s, like, two hundred of them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s already pretty bad,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s out there,\u0026rdquo; Alex said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky thinks it will help. That\u0026rsquo;s why he brought us here,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;This is probably the clearest he\u0026rsquo;s ever been with me. The alternatives are that thing gets in here and kills us all, or it waits outside the door and we starve to death.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s words from earlier came back to her, about needing to do \u003cem\u003esomething\u003c/em\u003e even if you weren\u0026rsquo;t sure it was right. People thought Inez was impulsive and reckless, but her choices were always deliberate, whether she was jumping in the water to save her cousin, setting fire to a house to cover her escape, or climbing under a moving train. If ever there was a moment to simply act, this was it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do it,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Turn them on.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei grinned. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m glad you said that . . . because Sparky just did.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez glared at her. \u0026ldquo;Not cool, Jing-Wei.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It wasn\u0026rsquo;t me!\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei stood and rubbed her hands together. \u0026ldquo;Sparky did it. On his own.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat didn\u0026rsquo;t reassure Inez at all, but that was a discussion for later\u0026mdash;if there was a later.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey listened for a moment, slowly approaching the door. Inez heard scuttling, scraping, whirring machinery outside. Then suddenly a metallic screaming. Inez surged forward, followed by the others, and got to the center of the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon flapped above the bizarre sight of the Super Caretaker surrounded by all the other, smaller caretakers. The behemoth snapped at them with its arms, trying to push forward, but for every caretaker it knocked away, two others closed the gap and pressed in more. Tightening the circle. The Super Caretaker turned and flailed about, sending more caretakers flying. Then one of the heavy-duty construction bots seized one of its legs and twisted. It snapped. Rather than toss the leg away, the bot tucked it safely into its rear compartment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Super Caretaker went berserk. More caretakers grabbed on to legs, pulling them off like a child plucking legs from an insect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe we can sneak out while they\u0026rsquo;re occupied,\u0026rdquo; Seyah whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe activity seemed to pause for a moment, the Super Caretaker and the others were poised, assessing one another. Then the caretakers rushed forward, closing in, climbing all over the large beast. Tearing it apart piece by piece.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was just a machine, but Inez looked away until it was over. It was over quickly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen she looked back, the Super Caretaker was utterly gone. All that remained was a pile of parts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hyrum?\u0026rdquo; Inez called.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex joined her. \u0026ldquo;Hyrum?!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA pile of caretaker heads in the corner shifted, and Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s head poked up out of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thank God,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What happened?\u0026rdquo; Alex asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Talon wanted to stay out here. I couldn\u0026rsquo;t leave him,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shook her head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group of functional caretakers had thinned considerably following the battle. Maybe half of them were still functioning, occupied with carting away parts from the Super Caretaker, almost reverently, to the alcoves along the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now what?\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Can we program them to help us?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t program them. We talk to them,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;You should probably leave that part to me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez was so shocked that the plan had actually worked that she didn\u0026rsquo;t even feel irritated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky stood with four other caretakers. The scariest of them was horse-sized, with three legs on either side of it and a scooper on a flexible tail, so it looked like some kind of scorpion. \u003cem\u003eA scoopion.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDios mio, she was tired.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second was short and broad with thick tractor treads, powerful arms, and clawed hands, perhaps a construction unit, and the third was small and spidery, low to the ground\u0026mdash;it had eight legs and a single eye on a telescoping stalk. The fourth caretaker was identical to Sparky, only brand-new, shiny and perfect\u0026mdash;and more intimidating, too, with its cricket legs fully extended so it towered a couple of feet over the others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re . . . representatives?\u0026rdquo; Inez said. The four biggest groups of caretakers all seemed to be based on one of these four models.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Kind of blows your mind, right?\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei stood beside Sparky. \u0026ldquo;I know you must be very disoriented. A lot has happened to this world since you were switched off. We are the only humans remaining on the planet.\u0026rdquo; She gestured to the rest of the teens. \u0026ldquo;Us and our friends. They\u0026rsquo;re trapped in a place called Sanctuary. We woke you up. And we hope we can rely on your help as well.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you think they understand her?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think that\u0026rsquo;s more for our benefit than for them,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe conversation went on for a while, though most of it was happening on whatever communications channel the caretakers used that humans\u0026mdash;other than Jing-Wei\u0026mdash;couldn\u0026rsquo;t listen in on. When it became clear that nothing would happen quickly, the group settled on the floor and dozed off. Alex and Hyrum leaned against a sleeping Talon, who was curled up like a cat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez and Seyah snuggled together against a wall. Inez decided to stay awake, doubting she could sleep in a room full of caretakers. But the warm body curled beside her and the exhaustion proved too much for her. Her lids felt heavier and heavier until she couldn\u0026rsquo;t keep them open any longer, and she was out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen she woke, the room was clear of caretaker parts, and Jing-Wei, Sparky, and their new friends were gone. Inez cursed softly and headed outside. The others followed\u0026mdash;as much from necessity as curiosity, since they hadn\u0026rsquo;t found any bathrooms in the depot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sky was just brightening, gray tinged with pink. She was relieved to see the caretakers that had protected them\u0026mdash;okay, the keepers\u0026mdash;hadn\u0026rsquo;t disappeared after all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You aren\u0026rsquo;t getting in on that?\u0026rdquo; Seyah nodded to the circle of Jing-Wei, Sparky, and the four keeper leaders, engaged in their strange form of silent communication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t have anything to add, but Jing-Wei . . . She should do what she\u0026rsquo;s good at.\u0026rdquo; Not that Inez completely trusted her. She edged close enough to listen in on the discussion, at least the human side of it. Jing-Wei did her best to translate, narrating as Sparky told the keepers about the teens having some purpose to fulfill, to bring the other people home. After watching that marketing video in the depot, Inez wasn\u0026rsquo;t so sure the keepers would be so eager to welcome more humans back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it seemed some of them thought the same. The scoopions wandered off into the valley below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey! What are they doing?\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They don\u0026rsquo;t want any part of this,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Great. So we just released a bunch more machines into the wild, really creepy ones, and we can\u0026rsquo;t control them. Go, us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother small cluster of keepers began marching back into the depot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh, come on. Them too?\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re going to inspect the ones who didn\u0026rsquo;t make it out,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;To cannibalize their parts?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked startled. \u0026ldquo;No, they want to revive them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Huh,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seems rather civilized,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I suppose. These, uh, keepers have already done plenty for us,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t believe we made it out of there alive. But it was thanks to them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t forget\u0026mdash;we helped them, too, by waking them up,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;And this bunch says they\u0026rsquo;ll come with us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was hard to count them while they were moving around, but there were only about forty keepers left, a mix of the basic model like Sparky, the heftier construction bots, and one-eyed spiderbots.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Really?\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yes!\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thank goodness,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t feel comfortable being outnumbered by machines,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;But as long as they stay on our side, there\u0026rsquo;s definitely safety in numbers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez was surprised at how humbled she felt that any of these keepers were willing to throw in with a bunch of humans, to help people they\u0026rsquo;d never even met before.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You were right about not all caretakers being perverse death machines,\u0026rdquo; Inez told Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Respect.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei flashed her the victory sign.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So now that we have some help,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said, \u0026ldquo;what\u0026rsquo;s next?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now we go to Sanctuary and save our friends,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So it\u0026rsquo;s \u0026lsquo;our\u0026rsquo; friends now?\u0026rdquo; Inez raised her eyebrows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You were right about some things too. We\u0026rsquo;re all in this together, right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez grinned. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re finally in complete agreement.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez’s group decided to head to Sanctuary, in an attempt to rescue their friends, but Sparky had other ideas. Jing-Wei’s caretaker is leading them to a place they can stock up on weapons first. Or at least…that’s what they’re guessing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.176","slug":"ReMade-S2E09","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E09.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E9.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E9.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E9.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 9"},{"id":"59becdc548e97e0001b644c5","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":10,"title":"Siege Mentality","released_date":"2018-01-24T12:35:50.741+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"All hands on deck","byline":"Andrea Phillips","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E10_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2018-01-24","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nevaeh. We need to talk.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the sound of Cole\u0026rsquo;s voice, Nevaeh froze where she was, in the middle of throwing out scissors to Holden\u0026rsquo;s rock in round ninety million of their running tournament. Holden and Nevaeh had started retreating into their shared bedroom together after lunch, since it made Oz happy to see them \u0026ldquo;building intimacy.\u0026rdquo; And more important, Oz\u0026rsquo;s creepy puppets didn\u0026rsquo;t come around as much when his wards looked like they were being obedient. Good thing Oz couldn\u0026rsquo;t see into their not-so-obedient hearts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden stared hard over Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s shoulder, and reluctantly, she turned to see their visitor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole stood in the doorway, gray-skinned and haggard. He had a pleading puppy-dog look in his eyes, and Nevaeh wished she could read his mind and know what he was going through. Well, she could guess anyway. He must be here to apologize for being such a grouch ever since they\u0026rsquo;d gotten to Sanctuary, not to mention laying hands on her. Not a moment too soon, either; Nevaeh was about ready to give up on him, even though she hated the idea of giving up on people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden stood up and did that thing men do to each other sometimes, bristling and tensing his muscles to look bigger and meaner. \u0026ldquo;Maybe Nevaeh doesn\u0026rsquo;t want to talk to you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was risky for him to act this way, even with Oz listening and ready to punish them all for any perceived conflict. She melted a little more at Holden\u0026rsquo;s willingness to step up for her, even if she knew he\u0026rsquo;d do it for any friend, not just her. She rested her fingers on his arm. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll hear what Cole has to say for himself. Give us a few minutes, all right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden looked into Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s eyes, searching, like he wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure she really meant it. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll be close by if you need me,\u0026rdquo; he said. He bumped shoulders with Cole on his way out the door, \u0026ldquo;on accident.\u0026rdquo; Oh, boys.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh turned her attention back to Cole. \u0026ldquo;You have something to say to me?\u0026rdquo; She was a little cool, but not downright frosty. If he was ready to extend an olive branch, then she\u0026rsquo;d hear him out. Just so long as he was sincere. But she didn\u0026rsquo;t owe him anything, not after he\u0026rsquo;d become violent with her like that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole sat on the bed beside her and rested his head in his palms. \u0026ldquo;I want to be straight with you,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh made a noncommittal listening noise.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The thing is, back in Arcadia, I . . . I found something. And I never told anyone about it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh frowned. This wasn\u0026rsquo;t starting off much like the kind of apology she\u0026rsquo;d been hoping for. \u0026ldquo;Found what?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Remember the day we discovered the museum together? There was a computer there, and it read my DNA or something. It searched up some old news archives, or . . . I don\u0026rsquo;t even know what.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole paused here, staring at nothing, his face twisted up with grief. Just when Nevaeh wondered if he\u0026rsquo;d finished talking, he started up again. \u0026ldquo;It showed me my family and what happened to them. How they lived and how they died, all a thousand years ago. It hit me pretty hard, so . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh hadn\u0026rsquo;t thought much about her parents before; she was too focused on surviving the here and now. But Cole\u0026rsquo;s confession made her remember that everything that was going to happen to her parents had already happened, and she might never learn a thing about it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe found a new pocket of grief she hadn\u0026rsquo;t known was there. She was the one who had died, but she\u0026rsquo;d lost them at the same time. And mourners always wanted to know why, how, to make sense of it all. As if death ever made sense.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh jerked to her feet and backed away from Cole. \u0026ldquo;How could you keep this a secret?\u0026rdquo; she snapped. \u0026ldquo;Maybe all of us could have found out what happened to the people we love.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m telling you now,\u0026rdquo; Cole growled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew questions kept popping into Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s head. Had her mom and dad come together in grief after she was gone, or been driven apart? Had they had long, happy lives without her? Did they replace her with more children after she was gone?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut there was no going back to Arcadia to find out. Arcadia was dead, and her grounds were crawling with caretakers. Even if the museum were still working, there was no way for Nevaeh to slip in and ask what had happened to her own parents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn unaccustomed fury flared in her, hot and bright like a new star. \u0026ldquo;I used to think you were a good person, Cole. I used to think you cared about other people, that you were responsible. But you\u0026rsquo;re just a selfish creep.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole was turning a deep red\u0026mdash;purple, even. His face set into lines of rage, the same mask of feeling he\u0026rsquo;d been wearing ever since they\u0026rsquo;d come to this place. This badly named \u0026ldquo;Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; where the only thing they were safe from was making any of their own choices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Excuse me,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;I think this conversation isn\u0026rsquo;t in keeping with the rules against interpersonal conflict.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz and his countless, arbitrary rules, always popping up at the least convenient moment. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t present in hologram form this time, but his voice came from everywhere. A reminder that they were always being watched. As if they needed reminding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole didn\u0026rsquo;t seem to mind, though. \u0026ldquo;I thought you\u0026rsquo;d understand, Nevaeh, if anybody could. You always make a big show of taking care of everyone and being all sympathetic all the time. Or is that just an act to get people to like you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a two-way street, Cole. I\u0026rsquo;m not here for you to take and take and take from me if you\u0026rsquo;re never going to give anything back.\u0026rdquo; She rubbed her arm where he\u0026rsquo;d hurt her. There wasn\u0026rsquo;t a bruise, but the mark he\u0026rsquo;d left on their relationship was turning out to be permanent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What did you ever give me?\u0026rdquo; Cole challenged her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh shut her eyes tight. She thought about all the times she\u0026rsquo;d tried hard to be patient, to be understanding with Cole. Even when he\u0026rsquo;d turned surly, even when he lashed out, she\u0026rsquo;d forgiven him. Had he not even noticed? They were all under so much stress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is unacceptable behavior,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;Do I need to forcibly separate you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t have to do that,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. \u0026ldquo;Cole was just leaving anyway. \u003cem\u003eWeren\u0026rsquo;t\u003c/em\u003e you, Cole?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then, from nowhere and everywhere, a siren blared. Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s ears were full of the sound, like it was drilling into her eardrums. Oz spoke through every speaker in Sanctuary at once, arriving in uncanny, asynchronous echoes: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Emergency. Emergency. Perimeter breach. Shelter in place. This is not a drill.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz was never meant to be a babysitter. In fact, he was never meant to interface with children at all. That part of his code was a hasty addition in the later phases of the great escape, added only after an unfortunate incident in which he nearly shot a toddler for coming too close to a secure corridor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Oz\u0026rsquo;s defense, the toddler really didn\u0026rsquo;t have the security clearance to access that corridor. And the toddler was unharmed, though the parent needed tranquilizers for some time afterward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it grew obvious that as a Sanctuary location, Oz\u0026rsquo;s humble bunker would have to be a family dwelling indefinitely\u0026mdash;not just during the transit period\u0026mdash;the top brass had made a few more changes. These changes equipped Oz to monitor a persistent population of young people with poor judgment, and actively prevent them from making any of several hundred catastrophic mistakes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut at his core, Oz was a soldier, dutiful and vigilant above all else. He would follow orders. And his orders were to protect humanity and ensure its survival. His most rugged and lasting capabilities were, therefore, entirely defensive. Time and weather were no match for him, and his cameras above ground scanned for threats even now, viewing well into spectra invisible to the human eye.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was rare for him to sense much worth logging, though. Large animals lumbering near his perimeter were no imminent danger. Shifts in wind and temperature were recorded, but insignificant to his mission. He was on his guard against machines.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd now there were machines on his perimeter. Not the worst and deadliest, to be sure\u0026mdash;only caretakers. But once, long ago, he had seen what caretakers could do to his human charges. He had trusted too much that they were harmless, and had been helpless to prevent the ultimate tragedy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe rerouted his resources, regrettably cutting power to the living areas for the time being. The occupants could survive for some weeks without constant ventilation and temperature control. He made sure to lock the doors, too. One of the lessons he\u0026rsquo;d learned from last time was to make the caretakers work for every inch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow he had a second chance, and he would not waste it. He\u0026rsquo;d had decades\u0026mdash;centuries\u0026mdash;to think about where everything had gone wrong, and he\u0026rsquo;d devised a solution should this moment ever come.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a warehouse deep in one of Oz\u0026rsquo;s subbasements, the solution stirred.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you sure this is it?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked May. There was a doorway, and a handprint reader, but nothing else. Besides that, the place was swept clean, the grass evenly cut, with not a single tree or leaf in the carefully manicured perimeter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sure,\u0026rdquo; May said again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEveryone hung around the edge of the clearing, humans and keepers alike, apparently united in a feeling of unease. The constant faint clicking of keeper joints did little to make Inez feel more comfortable. The humans were straight up outnumbered by machines. So she\u0026rsquo;d been on edge for days now. Weeks. Ever since they\u0026rsquo;d left that depot.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is where the map said.\u0026rdquo; May\u0026rsquo;s voice was flat. She\u0026rsquo;d never had a lot of patience to begin with, but ever since she\u0026rsquo;d had her falling-out with Gabe, she\u0026rsquo;d lost the edge of cutting humor Inez had always liked about her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But it\u0026rsquo;s just . . . a door. Where\u0026rsquo;s the sanctuary part?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s voice cracked a little. Aw, the kid was growing up more every day. Tough time and place to be doing it, though.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Underground, maybe,\u0026rdquo; Amelia volunteered. \u0026ldquo;Like a bunker.\u0026rdquo; She chewed on the ends of her hair, nervous.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe conversation lapsed. The humans all stared at one another, each willing the others to say the right thing, or at least \u003cem\u003esome\u003c/em\u003ething. Well, Inez had learned that if you wanted things to move along, sometimes you had to make them happen yourself. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re here, so now we have to talk about what exactly is going on.\u0026rdquo; She turned to Jing-Wei, hands on her hips. \u0026ldquo;Do your pet keepers have a plan they want to share with the class? Sparky said we needed weapons, but what is there here to fight? More caretakers? Slime monsters? Zombie Nevaeh?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where are the others, anyway?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum frowned at the grass, as if he\u0026rsquo;d expected to see footprints or something.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re probably inside.\u0026rdquo; Seyah stepped closer to the edge of the clearing, shielding her eyes from the sun with one hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We could wait here for a while and see if anyone comes out,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;The cautious approach.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But your friends are in trouble,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Maybe they can\u0026rsquo;t come out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How do we even know\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Inez began.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir argument was broken by the hiss and swish of machinery. The bunker door slid open, revealing nothing but blackness inside. \u0026ldquo;Or do we just go in?\u0026rdquo; May asked. Her voice was too loud in the sudden hush.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn indistinct shape shifted in the doorway, but it was too dark to make out what it was. Inez squinted to see if it was Holden, maybe, or Loki, coming out to tell them, \u003cem\u003eEverything is fine, ha ha, what are you so freaked out about, we were just about to come get you\u003c/em\u003e. She shifted her grip on the metal rod she\u0026rsquo;d scavenged from the caretaker depot, just in case.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon launched himself into the air with an agitated sound. \u0026ldquo;What is it?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked, though it wasn\u0026rsquo;t clear whom he was expecting to answer him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez looked over her shoulder at the keepers. \u0026ldquo;Cover me,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m going to check it out.\u0026rdquo; She eased into the clearing, slowly, trying not to perform any sudden, attention-grabbing movements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shape in the doorway eased forward too, and into the sunlight. It was a machine. A caretaker\u0026mdash;no, it was something else, Inez realized, something like a caretaker, but not like any of the keepers they\u0026rsquo;d brought with them. It stepped into the sunlight, its feet making divots in the smooth lawn. The sun flashed off the thing\u0026rsquo;s shell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez loosened her shoulders to get ready to take the damn thing apart into scrap metal. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s dance,\u0026rdquo; she muttered. But once the machine reached the center of the clearing, it stopped. It emitted a crackling noise, like a speaker turning on, and Inez jumped. She hadn\u0026rsquo;t heard a speaker popping in months, not since she\u0026rsquo;d been remade, had she? And none of the caretakers could talk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut this one could. \u0026ldquo;Welcome to Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; it said. \u0026ldquo;I am Ozymandias, your host.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez jerked back, startled by the words as much as by their content. A caretaker with its own name?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Please don\u0026rsquo;t be alarmed,\u0026rdquo; Ozymandias said. \u0026ldquo;I won\u0026rsquo;t harm you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe stepped up next to Inez, his own spear pointed straight at the machine. He flicked a significant look at Inez before turning his full attention to the caretaker. \u0026ldquo;What the hell are you? And what is this place?\u0026rdquo; he asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did you hurt our friends?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum blurted. Smooth. Even Alex, hanging back behind Hyrum, winced at that one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker raised and lowered each of its legs in turn, as if it were nervous. \u0026ldquo;Your friends? You must mean Holden and Nevaeh and Loki and Sunita and Cole.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was a long pause. \u0026ldquo;And Umta,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum added.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Of course,\u0026rdquo; Ozymandias said. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re all inside, completely unharmed. Would you like to come join them?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe others gathered closer, drawn in by the robot\u0026rsquo;s words. \u0026ldquo;Stay on your guard,\u0026rdquo; Inez warned them. \u0026ldquo;This could be a trap.\u0026rdquo; The keepers stayed put, arrayed behind the kids, watching but motionless.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I assure you,\u0026rdquo; said Ozymandias, \u0026ldquo;your friends are perfectly healthy and safe. And you will be too. Won\u0026rsquo;t you come inside?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t trust it,\u0026rdquo; said May.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez snorted. \u0026ldquo;No shit. Hey, Ozzy-manatee, if our friends are so healthy and safe, why don\u0026rsquo;t you send them out to tell us about it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m afraid that won\u0026rsquo;t be possible,\u0026rdquo; the machine said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s dangerous here.\u0026rdquo; It reached out a pincer to take Inez by the wrist. \u0026ldquo;Come inside. It\u0026rsquo;s safe, I promise.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez struggled to free herself, but the cold metal was inescapable. She banged on the thing\u0026rsquo;s joints with her metal rod, but to no apparent effect. The caretaker began to move. She stumbled as the machine pulled her along with it, toward the doorway. \u0026ldquo;Stop!\u0026rdquo; she shouted. \u0026ldquo;Help!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree of the keepers raced forward so fast, she could hardly track them. One scurried to block the Ozymandias-caretaker\u0026rsquo;s path to the door. Another grabbed the pincer that was holding Inez and pinned it in place, even as the caretaker tried to keep pulling her toward the door. It deployed a small blowtorch, aiming to cut Inez free. She hissed at the heat, a little too close to her skin.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third keeper unfolded a thick metal spike from somewhere inside its body. It plunged the spike into the enemy machine\u0026rsquo;s single eye. There was a shower of sparks, and Inez\u0026rsquo;s attacker went dark, though it didn\u0026rsquo;t loosen its hold on Inez even in death. She shook but tried to keep still so the flame wouldn\u0026rsquo;t hurt her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen the second keeper finished cutting, and Inez finally pulled herself free. She scrambled back a few feet, eyeing the now-dead caretaker. \u0026ldquo;Guess we have an idea of what kind of trouble,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Whatever\u0026rsquo;s in there really, \u003cem\u003ereally \u003c/em\u003ewants to keep people inside.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then a proper caretaker emerged from the doorway, a model they recognized. It stopped just outside the door, and with a whirring sound, reconfigured itself into something strange: plates of metal around its joints, and something with a two-pronged tip that looked suspiciously like a Taser.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Looks like Ozymandias\u0026rsquo;s big brother is mad at us,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay nudged Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Can you talk to it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei squinted in silence at the caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez fought the cold feeling settling into her guts, and tried to shake away the memory of Teddy dying a hero. The caretaker across the clearing from her looked back at her. It couldn\u0026rsquo;t be gloating, but it felt like it was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shook her head, hesitant. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no signal coming from that caretaker,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Sparky says . . . it doesn\u0026rsquo;t have a brain? It\u0026rsquo;s like it\u0026rsquo;s totally empty inside.\u0026rdquo; She shuddered, and Inez wondered what picture Sparky had used to get that idea across.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was new movement from inside the doorway to Sanctuary. Another caretaker emerged and took up a station next to the first. Then another. And another. Soon an avalanche of caretakers emerged from the doorway, each a different model with a different configuration. They were all shielded and ready for battle with an assortment of mismatched accoutrements: cutting blades and saws, nail guns, things that looked like cattle prods and spurs. A few even had laser turrets mounted on their tops.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey arranged themselves in a formation, shoulder to shoulder. \u003cem\u003eNot that caretakers have shoulders,\u003c/em\u003e Inez thought wildly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Please don\u0026rsquo;t be alarmed. I won\u0026rsquo;t harm you.\u0026rdquo; That voice, Ozymandias\u0026rsquo;s, emerged from all the caretakers as one. \u0026ldquo;Come inside where it\u0026rsquo;s safe.\u0026rdquo; Then, inch by inch, they swept forward, like a wave rolling in from the ocean. There was no running away from this. There was nowhere to run to. Time to fight.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shit,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;Everybody, watch your backs.\u0026rdquo; She bent down and recovered her dropped chunk of rebar.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Showtime,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. The keepers burst out of formation. They circled the humans in a protective egg, positioned to take the brunt of the attack. Inez felt a wash of relief at this proof that they intended to live up to their end of the bargain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe braced herself for action, raising the metal rod in front of her face like she\u0026rsquo;d be able to dent a caretaker into submission. There was a hush. A breeze caressed her forehead, like a quick kiss for luck from someone she\u0026rsquo;d lost. She heard a small, hopeless sound, maybe from Alex.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen the battle began in earnest. The two walls of machines met with a fury of sound. Sparks burst through the outer shell of caretakers. A rain of sharp-edged metal pieces blasted toward them as one of the keepers was torn apart. Amelia shrieked and scrambled away from the edge of the conflict.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne caretaker broke through the hole in the wall: a sleek black thing with amber lights in its chassis. The caretaker loomed over Inez and raised a razor-edged arm. It struck out, and she reflexively raised her weapon to block.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut nothing hit Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstead, the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s arm struck against a keeper\u0026rsquo;s body, metal against metal ringing like a doomsday bell. Inez dodged clear and pounded her cudgel on the enemy caretaker, but the machine didn\u0026rsquo;t even notice her presence. It kept grappling with the other machine. Smoke and shrapnel whirled around them as the two slowly tore each other to pieces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez backed away, heart pounding. She tried to see if anyone needed help. Talon circled overhead, screaming at the conflict. He stooped and grabbed Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s shirt as if to carry him to safety, but the cumberbatch wasn\u0026rsquo;t strong enough to lift Hyrum off the ground. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m okay!\u0026rdquo; Hyrum shouted. \u0026ldquo;Let me go!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s keepers burst ahead of Inez in a flurry of violence. It emitted a pulse of something red and hot. Where the beam hit another robot, its chassis swelled and then sagged like whipped cream melting on a hot day.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah ducked as a caretaker\u0026rsquo;s arm whizzed over her head. There was a loud popping sound, one-two-three: bullets, maybe? Rivets, like from Loki\u0026rsquo;s old gun? Smoking holes appeared in a caretaker\u0026rsquo;s body close by, but Inez wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure anymore which side that one was on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon had given up on Hyrum and circled again, endlessly calling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez looked around for something to hit, some way to help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother caretaker plunged toward them, through the broken barrier of keepers. It grabbed Alex around the waist, lifting him up and retreating toward the door to Sanctuary. Inez scrambled toward them and bashed the thing\u0026rsquo;s legs as hard as she could, but the caretaker was too fast for her. It ducked out of the way and into the door before the keepers could move to stop it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Alex!\u0026rdquo; Hyrum yelled. He dodged three caretakers, their limbs interlocked and shedding smoke, and headed for the doorway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDamn, damn, damn.\u003c/em\u003e Ozymandias had a hostage, two if Hyrum also got inside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re going to have to go in, even if that\u0026rsquo;s what Ozymandias wants,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s the only way to get Alex back, and that thing obviously knows the others. So maybe we can find a clue to where they are.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe grabbed May\u0026rsquo;s wrist and pulled her toward the door. \u0026ldquo;If we hurry, maybe we can get in and out while these caretakers are still distracted.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Isn\u0026rsquo;t there a saying about frying pans and fires?\u0026rdquo; Inez muttered to herself. Still, she nodded to Seyah and followed Hyrum toward the door. She didn\u0026rsquo;t see how it could be any \u003cem\u003eless \u003c/em\u003esafe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey ran.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the lights went out in Sanctuary, Sunita was with Loki in the recreation room, pretending to have a good time playing Ping-Pong. They were setting up for another listless round when everything just . . . shut down. Faint strips of light glowed on the floor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s voice blared from all around them: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Emergency. Emergency. Perimeter breach. Shelter in place. This is not a drill.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita\u0026rsquo;s eyes adjusted to the dim lighting quickly. She stepped around the table and grabbed Loki\u0026rsquo;s hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell?\u0026rdquo; Loki said. His eyes were wide, maybe from the light change, but probably from the shock. \u0026ldquo;Oz? What\u0026rsquo;s going on?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz didn\u0026rsquo;t answer. \u0026ldquo;Oz?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked. The silence was complete\u0026mdash;silence punctuated by distant sirens.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have thought that Oz suddenly going nonresponsive could possibly be worse than Oz being his usual super-responsive self. But Oz, at least, had become familiar.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Perimeter breach, huh?\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Perimeter breached by what?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The caretakers from Arcadia?\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Maybe they\u0026rsquo;ve found us. Or maybe Oz\u0026rsquo;s puppets finally went over the edge and want to kill us. Whatever else you can say about Oz, he does at least want us alive.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was a bright side to their captivity, to be sure. But not bright enough. \u0026ldquo;It could also be . . . you know,\u0026rdquo; she said quietly. They\u0026rsquo;d kept the secret of the other half of their group from Oz this long\u0026mdash;she wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to blow it now. Sunita took a deep breath. \u0026ldquo;What do we do?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What can we do?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026lsquo;Shelter in place\u0026rsquo; doesn\u0026rsquo;t sound like a great idea,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;If there\u0026rsquo;s a fight, I want to fight.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki squeezed her hand. \u0026ldquo;Me too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita tried the door, but it didn\u0026rsquo;t open. They were trapped in here\u0026mdash;locked in like unruly children. Except even more so than usual. Maybe it was her imagination, but the air felt too thick and hot, and she was acutely aware of the thud of her blood moving through her heart and lungs. \u0026ldquo;We have to get out of here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz?\u0026rdquo; Loki said loudly, one more time. \u0026ldquo;Oz, are you listening?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think he\u0026rsquo;s watching us right now,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. Hope surged in her for the first time in ages. \u0026ldquo;Loki, this is our time. If he\u0026rsquo;s not paying attention, we can get to that weapons room and try to break in.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How do we get out of here, though?\u0026rdquo; Loki looked around, frowning. He had a cute little wrinkle between his eyebrows when he did that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita grinned. \u0026ldquo;The vents,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve had my eye on them for weeks now, and I have a pretty good idea of how they fit together. Give me a hand.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe started pushing the Ping-Pong table toward the middle of the far wall. It stuttered across the floor, protesting at the motion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you sure about this?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked. \u0026ldquo;I thought you could only do that in movies.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Tell me if you think of a better idea,\u0026rdquo; Sunita shot back. She hopped up onto the table and pulled at the grate covering the air duct. It didn\u0026rsquo;t budge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hang on,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. He fished a spoon out of his pocket and handed it to her. \u0026ldquo;Try this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;When did you\u0026mdash; Never mind, tell me later.\u0026rdquo; She used the spoon to pry at the grate. The metal covering bent away, slowly, enough for her to work the spoon in deeper. Finally, half of the grate snapped off, and Sunita could use her hands to pull the other half free from the wall. A shower of dust came away with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita flashed Loki a smile. \u0026ldquo;Now give me a boost.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe clambered beside her onto the table, and made a stirrup out of his hands. She grabbed the edge of the duct, took one last deep breath, and dove headfirst into the blackness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei ran in a jagged line toward the door into Sanctuary. She could feel the keepers\u0026rsquo; chatter in her head, overwhelming. But she couldn\u0026rsquo;t make out what any of it meant; it was like sitting in a loud restaurant in a country where she couldn\u0026rsquo;t speak the language.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky ran beside her, dodging bullets and blows. Jing-Wei tripped on a torn-up patch of earth and Sparky steadied her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey ducked through the door. A few of their keeper allies had already fought their way ahead, and now they stood just inside, guarding the passage. Inez ushered Gabe and May through the door, then Seyah.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe room they were in was cave-like, dark with phosphorescent lights close to the floor. A distant siren echoed toward them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon swooped in, searching for Hyrum. Sebastian made it in last.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keepers flanked the door, alternately firing and taking cover. The room was uncomfortably full, crowded with people and machines. Talon took up more space than he strictly should too, between his half-furled wings and the way he kept turning in place. Jing-Wei headed deeper in, looking for more breathing room. Or for a sign of what to do next.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt darkened. \u0026ldquo;Motherf\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; came Gabe\u0026rsquo;s voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What? What happened?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The door closed,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay pressed her palm to the reader, but nothing happened. \u0026ldquo;Um, anyone have any bright ideas for what to do next?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez\u0026rsquo;s voice turned to cold steel. \u0026ldquo;It doesn\u0026rsquo;t matter if we can leave; we\u0026rsquo;re not ready to go yet. First, we find Alex, then we find the others, and then we\u0026rsquo;ll dig a new tunnel out of here if that\u0026rsquo;s what it takes.\u0026rdquo; She fished out the brightest softball they had left; the thing lit her face from below like she was ready to tell them the story of Bloody Mary or break out a Ouija board.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCome to think of it, this was a lot scarier. There could be more of those weird, mindless caretakers inside; there probably were.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to find Alex,\u0026rdquo; said Hyrum. \u0026ldquo;But if we can find Nevaeh and everyone else, too, I\u0026rsquo;m sure they\u0026rsquo;ll help us. Once we team up, we can all get out of here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sound of an explosion came from outside, but the door didn\u0026rsquo;t budge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s split up to look for Alex and your other friends,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;If we each take a few keepers along, we can keep tabs on one another with . . .\u0026rdquo; She tapped on her temple.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmelia stared at her. \u0026ldquo;But it might be dangerous.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We knew it would be dangerous when we came here,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e we came here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei flashed her a grin at this unexpected show of support. \u0026ldquo;Search and rescue,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;The sooner we find all your pals, the sooner we can blast our way out of here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother loud crack rocketed through the door. \u0026ldquo;Unless you\u0026rsquo;re in a hurry to get back out there alone?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked sweetly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s hurry,\u0026rdquo; May said. \u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t know how long we have before some of those things decide to come back in. Or if there are more in here waiting for us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll split into our foraging teams, like usual,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;We have six\u0026mdash;seven\u0026mdash;nine keepers with us, so each of us should take three.\u0026rdquo; Her eyes roved over the group, weighing and judging them. \u0026ldquo;Gabe, go with Hyrum and Talon to head straight in and see if you can find Holden. Me, Seyah, and Jing-Wei will branch off to try to follow Alex. May . . . you stay here with the lovebirds and watch the door, okay? Tell us if anything changes.\u0026rdquo; Amelia and Sebastian traded a look, and Jing-Wei would have bet that Sebastian was blushing, though it was too dim to see for sure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; May began to protest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We need eyes on our escape route,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, more gently than Jing-Wei had thought possible. \u0026ldquo;And I trust you to think on your feet if the situation up here changes. Got it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fine,\u0026rdquo; May said. She looked at the rest of them, skipping over Gabe at first, but snapping back to linger on him. \u0026ldquo;Good luck looking,\u0026rdquo; she told them. \u0026ldquo;Stay safe and come back fast.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe air duct Sunita had clambered into was dusty, close, and sharp all at the same time. There was barely enough space to raise her head and see where she was going, much less sit up. She tore her pants on the tip of a screw, and the dust left her eyes burning. She coughed, inchwormed herself a few elbows farther, coughed some more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Pull me up,\u0026rdquo; Loki called.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hang on, I\u0026rsquo;m still looking,\u0026rdquo; she called back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t get far. A fan blocked her way, fortunately not operational. She rattled it with her hands, but it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t budge. She pulled herself out of the vent again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki put a hand out when she emerged to help steady her balance. \u0026ldquo;Something wrong?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Need to go feet first,\u0026rdquo; she said. She doubled over, coughing until her lungs felt clear. \u0026ldquo;And Oz hasn\u0026rsquo;t been keeping it squeaky clean in there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe rubbed her back. \u0026ldquo;I can go first,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look at the big damn hero,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said, but she flashed him a smile to keep the sting out of it. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s fine; I\u0026rsquo;m fine. Just let me figure out if this goes anywhere, and I\u0026rsquo;ll come back as soon as I have a way out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re sure?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re so cute when you\u0026rsquo;re scared.\u0026rdquo; She kissed him quick to cover her own fear, then one more boost and she was back in the duct. This time she scooted along on her back and not her belly, which helped the dust. But that sticking-up screw left a long scratch from her elbow to her shoulder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe wriggled a little farther along, until her feet hit the fan. Then she kicked at it with as much force as she could muster. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t a lot in that cramped space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Still okay?\u0026rdquo; Loki\u0026rsquo;s voice echoed toward her through the duct.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Making progress, just give me another minute,\u0026rdquo; she called back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe kicked harder. The fan gave way, a hair\u0026rsquo;s breadth at first, and then a little more. She nailed it with her heel one last time, and it came free. But not just the fan\u0026mdash;a gap opened in the duct itself where the fan had been, a separation wide enough that Sunita didn\u0026rsquo;t think she\u0026rsquo;d be able to scoot past it without falling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t like they could have traveled far just inside the ductwork, anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Can you get up here by yourself?\u0026rdquo; she called to Loki. \u0026ldquo;I found our exit.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe grunted, and whatever he was doing made a terrible racket. \u0026ldquo;Got it,\u0026rdquo; he said, his voice closer now. \u0026ldquo;Put a chair on top of the table.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Smart,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Now we just have to get down again without breaking our necks.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, I see the problem,\u0026rdquo; Loki said, peering past her toward the hole. \u0026ldquo;But at least it\u0026rsquo;s a way out of the rec room.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA new sound came: the tapping of a puppet\u0026rsquo;s feet. Wait, not quite\u0026mdash;it was too fast, too out of rhythm. Sunita squinted to try to focus her eyes in the bad light. She could just see a glint of motion from the hallway below them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth of them froze, holding their breaths. A puppet went past, and then another, and another\u0026mdash;more than she\u0026rsquo;d thought there were in all of Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey waited for the parade of puppets to notice them and how profoundly they\u0026rsquo;d broken the \u003cem\u003erules,\u003c/em\u003e but nothing happened. The machines vanished as quickly as they\u0026rsquo;d come, heading . . . somewhere else.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePerimeter breach,\u003c/em\u003e Sunita remembered. She exhaled explosively, and rested her head back for a moment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Looks like the babysitter\u0026rsquo;s still not paying attention to us,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. She could feel his breath on her forehead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s get out of here,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Be careful\u0026mdash;the edge of the metal might be sharp.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe scooted her way over the gap in the vent until her feet were past it, then squirmed back onto her belly so her knees could drop into the empty space. Slowly she let her legs unfold downward. She gripped the edge of the duct, lowered herself, then dropped to the unseen floor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe stuck the landing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki followed after her, doing the same moves, if less gracefully. He stumbled on his landing and wound up on his butt on the floor. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m okay,\u0026rdquo; he mumbled. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s get moving.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita grinned. Still, he had potential, she thought. Fake it till you make it, right? And if she could keep Loki\u0026rsquo;s spirits up, he\u0026rsquo;d keep hers up. They were a great team. \u0026ldquo;Time to get those weapons,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey hurried down the hallway, toward parts of Sanctuary that had been off-limits to them since they\u0026rsquo;d found the weapons cache. \u0026ldquo;How will we get that door open?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s cross that bridge when we get there,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;For now, we\u0026rsquo;ve got enough to worry about.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay huddled on the floor in the foyer of Sanctuary, arms wrapped around herself. She\u0026rsquo;d set one of the nearly dead softballs in the middle of the floor, but it didn\u0026rsquo;t really provide enough light to give her a feeling for what the place looked like. Just: cold, dark, empty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe battle outside continued to rage. Every now and again a sound would make it through the bunker door, as if a car had been dropped from a crane. Three of the keepers from Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s depot had stayed here with them. They stood poised in a line in front of the door. A light pulsed on one of them, off and on, like a heartbeat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian and Amelia sat opposite May, arms around each other. They were murmuring in some quiet conversation that she wasn\u0026rsquo;t invited to.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFine. May didn\u0026rsquo;t need to be invited to their conversation. She didn\u0026rsquo;t know if she\u0026rsquo;d be able to keep up a conversation right now anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe heard a crack like lightning from outside, and winced.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe stood up abruptly and began to pace. She wished she could run to blow off steam. Well, maybe she could, but it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be a good idea. They were supposed to be guarding the door. She weighed her weapon in her hands: a nail gun, somewhat like the rivet gun Loki had had. She\u0026rsquo;d taken a few practice shots on their way here, and she wasn\u0026rsquo;t great, but it was better than nothing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe eyed the keepers. Where were you even supposed to shoot one to take it out? She looked through the sights at one of them. Maybe if she shot one of the lights? That thing that looked like an access port? Straight in the center of the carapace?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper in her sights swiveled to focus on her, and she dropped her aim to the floor as quick as she could. \u0026ldquo;Sorry,\u0026rdquo; she said, not that it would understand her. It moved toward her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, really, I\u0026rsquo;m sorry,\u0026rdquo; she said, backing away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper brushed past her and down the hallway. She watched it go, bewildered, then followed a few steps onward. There was a glint of light. The keeper hurtled back through the air and smashed at her feet. Another machine loomed over it. It reached for her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Run!\u0026rdquo; May screamed. \u0026ldquo;Run! They\u0026rsquo;re in here with us!\u0026rdquo; She raised the nail gun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomewhere along the line, Hyrum had become a little scared of being \u003cem\u003einside.\u003c/em\u003e He\u0026rsquo;d always liked it better outside, of course, under a free and wide-open sky. There were trees outside, and birds, and all of nature.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut inside had never really been \u003cem\u003ebad\u003c/em\u003e before, just not as good. Inside was homework and washing dishes, sure. But inside was fresh cookies and TV, too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcept now inside meant robots and computers who maybe were trying to hurt him and his friends. Inside was evidence of something going horribly wrong, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t know what. Inside was a trap he couldn\u0026rsquo;t escape from. Inside was scary and complicated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe ran his fingers along the wall as he walked down a darkened hallway with Gabe, looking for any sign of Alex. The wall was cool and slick, like the whole thing was made of plastic, maybe. There weren\u0026rsquo;t even any seams where pieces joined together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe let his hand fall to his side, and drooped. Was this really the future? And not the hereafter at all?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe Alex would die. Was he already dead? And were they . . . you know. Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s face twisted up. He missed when things had been simple.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You doing okay, man?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m fine.\u0026rdquo; Hyrum ducked his head so Gabe wouldn\u0026rsquo;t see how embarrassed he was at being checked up on like some baby.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir keeper guards trailed behind: three of the taller ones, sprouting arms and tentacles in all directions like a cross between an octopus and a cell phone tower.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Do you think the caretakers are telling Jing-Wei everything we say?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe shrugged. \u0026ldquo;Nah. She\u0026rsquo;s not that good at talking to them.\u0026rdquo; Then a keening sound floated in the air. Gabe\u0026rsquo;s head snapped toward it. \u0026ldquo;You hear that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum blanched. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s like . . . It\u0026rsquo;s like a fox crying.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We should check it out,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. He hesitated, then looked at Hyrum carefully. \u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;re game for it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re here to rescue people,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said, a lot more decisive than he felt. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s do some rescuing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe raised his club. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s see what the deal is first.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey followed the noise down the hallway and around a few turns, stopping at each intersection to see which was the right way. The sound continued: a high-pitched wail. It was fear. It was grief. The little hairs on the back of Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s neck rose up. It was wrong; something was very wrong. Well, maybe he could help to fix it. He took a deep breath and kept right on walking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, they arrived at a sealed door. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s coming from in there,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe pounded on the door. \u0026ldquo;Someone in there?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sound stopped immediately. \u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; a voice came. \u0026ldquo;No, go away!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum jumped. The voice\u0026mdash;he knew the voice. It was Umta. They\u0026rsquo;d found the others!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who else is with you?\u0026rdquo; Gabe asked, his voice urgent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Go away!\u0026rdquo; Umta said again. \u0026ldquo;You should not be here!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was a handprint lock on the door. Hyrum put his hand there, but the door wouldn\u0026rsquo;t open. His gaze flickered toward the keepers. They might be able to help out, but Hyrum wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure if they\u0026rsquo;d even understand what he was saying if he talked to them. And Arcadia had been weird about Umta, so he wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure how caretakers would treat her. Even keepers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Now what?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have an idea.\u0026rdquo; Hyrum turned to Talon. \u0026ldquo;Hey, boy,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve got a job for you, okay?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon gazed at him with wide, adoring eyes. Hyrum felt a little humbled and helpless, like he always did, like he had to be sure to live up to those expectations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a long shot,\u0026rdquo; he said, \u0026ldquo;but can you get us in here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon tipped his head to the side and sat up straighter. It was clear he knew that Hyrum wanted him to do something, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t know what.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in question.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, Talon would show him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dig,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. He scratched at the door. \u0026ldquo;Dig up the door.\u0026rdquo; He backed away and pointed to the door. \u0026ldquo;Now it\u0026rsquo;s your turn,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon put one of his claws on the door and looked at Hyrum again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Go on,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;You can do it. Dig!\u0026rdquo; He pantomimed the digging motion again, scratching the door with his nails. Then Hyrum moved Talon\u0026rsquo;s feet with his own hands, showing him what he wanted the cumberbatch to do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon had sure grown a lot since Hyrum had first found him. He was as big as a very big dog now, with a wingspan maybe twelve feet across. And his claws were a lot bigger too. Hyrum began to remember, uncomfortably, a story his dad had told him once of a man who had raised tiger cubs by hand, until they ate him one day.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon scraped at the door, leaving dull marks behind where he\u0026rsquo;d scratched the finish. But that was about as much damage as he could do to it. Clearly not enough to get them in there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Scratch that idea,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said, then winced. \u0026ldquo;No pun intended.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon looked at Hyrum, searching for approval. Hyrum reached for Talon, disappointed but also a little relieved. \u0026ldquo;You would never eat me, would you, boy?\u0026rdquo; Hyrum whispered. Talon rubbed his head into Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s palm. \u0026ldquo;No, of course you wouldn\u0026rsquo;t. You\u0026rsquo;re a good boy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of their keepers stepped forward, copying Talon\u0026rsquo;s scratching motion with wicked-looking spikes extended from its limbs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keeper\u0026rsquo;s claws sliced through the metal of the door and ripped it off its hinges, as if the whole thing were made of newspaper. Hyrum\u0026rsquo;s heart raced. Talon might not be as dangerous as he feared, but the keepers absolutely were. And he didn\u0026rsquo;t trust them not to turn on him the way he trusted Talon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut there were more immediate problems to focus on. Umta emerged from the door, and with her, a terrible, sour stench: like an unburied latrine, like someone who\u0026rsquo;d been real sick.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You should not be here,\u0026rdquo; she wailed. \u0026ldquo;Get out! Get out now!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The door is closed,\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;But don\u0026rsquo;t worry: we brought reinforcements.\u0026rdquo; He waved at the keepers behind them, just . . . looming.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta scrambled back into her room. \u0026ldquo;Oz! Oz, let them go!\u0026rdquo; she shouted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum called. \u0026ldquo;These ones are on our side.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA caretaker\u0026rsquo;s arm snaked out and pinned Gabe to the wall. At first Hyrum thought it was one of their keepers, but there were too many in the hall, and none of their keepers had a funny bar code like the one he saw on Gabe\u0026rsquo;s attacker. Hyrum brought up his ax to defend Gabe, but the caretaker punched him in the gut with another arm and knocked all the air out of him. The ax clattered to the floor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalon hurled himself at the caretaker, and so did Umta. There was a blur of wings, knuckles, metal appendages. An unholy chorus of screeches and snaps rose from the fray. It only lasted a few seconds, and then the caretaker was in a pile of pieces on the floor. Talon nudged Hyrum with his head, as if checking that he was alive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe staggered like he was dizzy. Maybe the caretaker hadn\u0026rsquo;t been letting him breathe. \u0026ldquo;Thanks,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Owe you one, man.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;d do the same for me,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. He fought for breath. \u0026ldquo;Umta,\u0026rdquo; he said, \u0026ldquo;can you show us where the others are?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think so,\u0026rdquo; she said. She still looked worried, though. \u0026ldquo;Come with me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore Hyrum could pick up his ax and follow her, another caretaker loomed in the hallway. And this one wasn\u0026rsquo;t alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian and Amelia crept through the darkened hallways, searching for signs of life. Signs of May or of Jing-Wei or even Holden. They\u0026rsquo;d run when May had screamed, abandoning their post even as a new wave of caretakers had materialized from the halls around them. One of their guards had held the enemy off while the other shepherded them deeper into Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven without their spiderlike keeper-chaperone, the place had all the cheer and ambience of an abandoned nineteenth-century insane asylum. It felt wrong, a place that people had abandoned. Rows of doors led only to empty rooms. You\u0026rsquo;d expect it to be full of ghosts, if you believed in that sort of thing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian believed in that sort of thing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes a sound would echo toward them, too faint to make out if it was voices or fighting or something even worse. He jumped every time, and by now every muscle in his body was so tight that he imagined he might collapse into himself and turn into a diamond from all the pressure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian had always thought of himself as being \u003cem\u003esoft\u003c/em\u003e. He liked this about himself. He was tenderhearted, though he tried to cover it up with a snarky shell. His body was soft, and he enjoyed the elfin lines of his arms and legs far more than he would have liked being bound up in hard muscle. His style was soft too, veering toward smoky eyeliner and blousy shirts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis dad sometimes gave him a rough time about it, but Sebastian had always been soft there, as well, unable to hold the grudge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shh,\u0026rdquo; Amelia said. \u0026ldquo;They might be coming.\u0026rdquo; They pressed into an alcove together and tried to stop breathing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, being soft hadn\u0026rsquo;t much prepared him for being remade. He\u0026rsquo;d been growing \u003cem\u003ehard\u003c/em\u003e these months, developing muscle from all the running and hunting for food, developing calluses on his heart to deal with grief and uncertainty. Slowly this world was trying to make him into a diamond.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut there was a place where his inner softness held steady as ever, and one person who could see it clearly: Amelia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer hand in his was warm and steady, an anchor in the maelstrom. She squeezed tight as they stood flattened against the wall, waiting to see if the distant noises they heard were going to resolve into danger to run from, or turn out to be a false alarm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian wished there were a lot more false alarms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir keeper darted forward, into the darkness. A sound came, like a car crash: metal and metal hitting together, pieces of something breaking off. There was a moment of silence. A whir, then the \u003cem\u003eclick-click\u003c/em\u003e of an approaching caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian swallowed. Was it the same keeper, or one of the enemy caretakers? Would they be able to tell?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker spotted them. It stretched its arms out, trying to grab them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian ducked under its grasp, pulling Amelia along behind him. He shoved her as hard as he could down the hall, hoping she\u0026rsquo;d get the message to run. Then he turned to the caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was soft. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t fit to be a diamond. But there\u0026rsquo;s fight in softness, too, and he wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to go down easy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pounded on the door to his shared bedroom, where Nevaeh and Cole were locked up together during this power outage, or whatever it was. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t felt great about leaving them alone in the first place. Not since Cole had been acting like . . . like what? Like he\u0026rsquo;d gone bananas? Like he had nothing to lose? Like a meth addict? One of those. All of those.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe hadn\u0026rsquo;t gone far: just a few steps down the hall, enough that nobody could say he was eavesdropping. He\u0026rsquo;d been furious when he\u0026rsquo;d learned that Cole had hurt Nevaeh once before. Even if he didn\u0026rsquo;t feel \u003cem\u003ethat way\u003c/em\u003e about her, she was still his friend, and he wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to let anybody treat her like that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe hadn\u0026rsquo;t figured on getting locked out, though. The doors didn\u0026rsquo;t lock unless Oz wanted them to, and until now Oz had been pretty keen on keeping Holden and Nevaeh together. The better to make lots of babies to repopulate the Earth with.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pounded on the door again. The siren had shut off, and so had Oz\u0026rsquo;s warning about a . . . perimeter breach? All the more reason to try to get his friends out of there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe heard Cole\u0026rsquo;s voice from the other side, too muffled to make out any words. Holden laid a hand flat against the door. \u003cem\u003eDamn\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe wondered where the others were. Loki and Sunita were probably together, but Umta would be alone, and maybe scared. Holden hesitated. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t do much for Nevaeh from out here, but was Cole better or worse than no company at all? Umta might be locked in her sad little room, shivering in the dark and upset by the siren even after it had shut off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe heard the \u003cem\u003eclick-click\u003c/em\u003e of a puppet walking, and he tensed. Surely he wasn\u0026rsquo;t breaking any rules right now. Or was he?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz?\u0026rdquo; he said out loud. \u0026ldquo;Where am I supposed to be?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor once, Oz didn\u0026rsquo;t answer. Those puppet feet drew even closer. Holden flattened against the wall despite himself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA girl laughed, a jarring noise in the stillness. It didn\u0026rsquo;t sound like Sunita. And Nevaeh was in the room. So who in the world . . . ?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight bobbed along the corridor, casting long shadows against the walls. \u0026ldquo;Hello?\u0026rdquo; a voice called. \u0026ldquo;Is someone there?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden squinted against the light. There were six figures\u0026mdash;three humans and three caretakers. Seyah was there, shadowed by one of the caretakers\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We found you!\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez grinned at Holden. \u0026ldquo;Hey, \u0026rsquo;sup? We\u0026rsquo;re here to get you out of this place, hot stuff.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden\u0026rsquo;s eyes jumped from Inez to Seyah and back again, struggling to find words. \u0026ldquo;But . . .\u0026rdquo; His brain couldn\u0026rsquo;t make sense of this sudden warp in reality. His friends were \u003cem\u003ehere\u003c/em\u003e. They were the perimeter breach. But had they been trapped by Oz too? How could they have risked putting themselves in harm\u0026rsquo;s way? Floods of relief gave way to unreasoning panic. \u0026ldquo;This wasn\u0026rsquo;t the plan. You were supposed to stay put and stay safe, so that\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think the words you\u0026rsquo;re looking for are \u0026lsquo;thank you,\u0026rsquo; bro.\u0026rdquo; The third figure stepped forward and thumped Holden on the back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA lanky Asian girl. Was it\u0026mdash; It couldn\u0026rsquo;t be.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe gaped. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei?\u0026rdquo; He pinched himself, but everything stayed solid and real. This was all really happening.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei flashed a grin at him. \u0026ldquo;Yeah! Well, sort of. But, um, you should talk to your friends, because it\u0026rsquo;s a little complicated\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden turned his attention to the caretakers. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s with the caretakers? Aren\u0026rsquo;t they dangerous . . . ?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez laughed, but the sound was harsh. \u0026ldquo;Stand down, soldier. I tried to take out one of these guys a few weeks ago, and it didn\u0026rsquo;t go so well for me. Anyway, they\u0026rsquo;re good caretakers, or at least not crazy ones. So we\u0026rsquo;re friends with the keepers for right now.\u0026rdquo; She looked sidelong at Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Maybe \u003cem\u003efriends\u003c/em\u003e is the wrong word.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Keepers?\u0026rdquo; Holden blinked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The not-so-murdery caretakers.\u0026rdquo; Inez sighed at Holden\u0026rsquo;s obvious confusion. \u0026ldquo;You know what? It\u0026rsquo;s a long story, and there\u0026rsquo;s no time for that right now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where\u0026rsquo;s everyone else?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I could ask you the same thing,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re all here,\u0026rdquo; Inez answered. \u0026ldquo;And we brought a lot of firepower with us. So just tell us where to start.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe gestured at his closed bedroom door. \u0026ldquo;Nevaeh and Cole got locked in here when the power went out. I can\u0026rsquo;t open the door.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei looked thoughtfully at the pad for the door. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll see about that.\u0026rdquo; She waved at a caretaker, battle-scarred and somehow sporting a wooden peg leg. \u0026ldquo;Hey Sparky, can you take care of this?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretaker rose up on its front legs, and a whirring disc of metal emerged from somewhere in its carapace. It attacked the door. Yellow sparks from metal hitting metal showered everywhere, and Holden smelled burning with a faint whiff of pinesap. Sparky cut a clean line down one side of the door, and then pulled. The door came away almost like it was meant to be removable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh and Cole were flattened against the far wall. Holden popped his head past Sparky. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s okay,\u0026rdquo; he told them. \u0026ldquo;Apparently. Inez and the others are here to get us out of this pit.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole blinked at Inez. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026mdash; Hi. Can you do that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shook her head. \u0026ldquo;Maybe,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s a big fight going on outside right now, and . . . well, live free or die trying. Isn\u0026rsquo;t that what they say?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sure,\u0026rdquo; Cole said. He did not appear to think that was what anyone said, but it was probably just the same shock of seeing their friends again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s good to see you,\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh said. She hugged Inez and Seyah, then noticed Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;Oh my god, you\u0026rsquo;re ali\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei held up a hand. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s just find your other friends,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll catch you up on the way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What else happened while you were out there?\u0026rdquo; Cole asked, eyeing the keepers. \u0026ldquo;Anyone turn into a cyborg? Get married?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sebastian and Amelia are boning,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No way.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh pressed her knuckles to her lips to suppress a giggle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;All. The time,\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Seyah said, rolling her eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuddenly, Jing-Wei jerked as if she\u0026rsquo;d been electrocuted. The whites of her eyes showed all around her irises. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re taking prisoners,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden touched her elbow. \u0026ldquo;What? Who\u0026rsquo;s taking prisoners?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei frowned. \u0026ldquo;Ozymandias? The\u0026mdash;the caretakers from here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Puppets,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sure. Puppets. They\u0026rsquo;re taking prisoners. They had Alex, and now they\u0026rsquo;ve got May and Sebastian, and . . . it looks like a cavewoman got away?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s nose wrinkled. Holden started. Jing-Wei would know Umta. So who\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Umta,\u0026rdquo; Seyah said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shrugged, though she looked unconvinced. \u0026ldquo;If you say so.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez leaned against a wall and pressed her head back, trying to think. \u0026ldquo;Do the keepers know where everyone else is? Loki? Gabe?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;I wish, but . . . no. And it sounds like the keepers up top are losing.\u0026rdquo; She looked indescribably sad.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know where to look for Loki and Sunita,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s go.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Here,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. She leaned against Loki\u0026rsquo;s shoulder. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s clear.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki studied the shadows, looking for signs of motion, but there wasn\u0026rsquo;t anything. They\u0026rsquo;d made it to the door of the weapons cache, according to plan. They hadn\u0026rsquo;t seen any more caretakers, thankfully, and Oz was still distracted by . . . whatever . . . but for who knew how much longer. Loki\u0026rsquo;s stomach clenched from the mounting adrenaline. This was their time to strike, and they\u0026rsquo;d made it all the way here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust one problem. \u0026ldquo;So now we have to figure it out. How do we get the door open?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s the million-dollar question,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. She bit her lip in that cute way she had, and studied the ceiling. \u0026ldquo;I really thought there\u0026rsquo;d be another vent that came out on the other side,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;No dice.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki examined the door carefully. There had to be some kind of safety release, or hack, or . . . Ah, who was he kidding? There didn\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003ehave\u003c/em\u003e to be. He kicked at the door in frustration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re not going to beat it down,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki frowned. \u0026ldquo;What about the walls?\u0026rdquo; He pressed a palm to the wall to feel the material it was made of. Strong, with a little flex to it. Like matte vinyl.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat could destroy plastic? Chemicals could dissolve it, maybe, but it wasn\u0026rsquo;t like he had a lab here to use even if he knew the right ones. Sunlight would degrade vinyl, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t have the sunlight or the time it would take. Heat, maybe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe frowned again. \u0026ldquo;I wonder if we could melt the walls to break through.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You got matches?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked. \u0026ldquo;Because I don\u0026rsquo;t.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki drooped. \u0026ldquo;Guess we need a different plan.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There has to be something,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. Loki didn\u0026rsquo;t share his unpleasant revelation with her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA noise echoed toward them. A flash of light from down the hall. The sound of caretaker feet running: \u003cem\u003eclick-click\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShit. The babysitter was back on duty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen something warm struck Loki in the chest. \u0026ldquo;Long time no see!\u0026rdquo; It was Inez, hugging him and grinning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe wasn\u0026rsquo;t usually the hugging kind, but he was willing to forgive for now. He grinned back at her. \u0026ldquo;Oh my god,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I could kiss you right on the mouth if Sunita wasn\u0026rsquo;t right here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez shoved him back playfully and pretended to gag. \u0026ldquo;Gross,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden was there too, and Seyah, and two\u0026mdash;no, three caretakers. Cole and Nevaeh trailed behind. And then he saw Jing-Wei in the crowd, her hand resting companionably on a caretaker. His mouth fell open. \u0026ldquo;Oh my god,\u0026rdquo; he said again, though the intonation was very different.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita, though, took things more in stride. \u0026ldquo;We can catch up later,\u0026rdquo; she said. She eyed the caretaker lurking by Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s side. \u0026ldquo;Any chance that thing can get us through this door?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe weapons room was a wonderland of violence: things that looked like blasters, assault rifles, grenades and flares, things whose function Holden could barely guess at. Chains. Cylinders. Sleek wedges like pie pieces made of ceramic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So this was a military outpost, then?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole twitched like a wasp had stung him, but didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seems like it,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;From everything we\u0026rsquo;ve seen around here, it just makes sense.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nothing about this place makes sense,\u0026rdquo; said Nevaeh. She was hugged in tight to herself, staring at the weapons. Not a fighter, that one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey drifted through the room, picking up weapons, putting them down again. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t believe what you\u0026rsquo;ve been through in here,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s crazy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden shook his head. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know if I should be glad you came, or sorry you\u0026rsquo;re stuck in here with us.\u0026rdquo; He appraised a rack of weapons. Energy guns, they looked like. He picked one up to see how it felt in his hands.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki took a deep breath in. \u0026ldquo;So he\u0026rsquo;s holding prisoners now? About half of your group?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Plus, there are more keepers topside, but they\u0026rsquo;re losing ground, and only a couple of ours are left on the inside. We\u0026rsquo;re almost on our own in here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why would Oz be taking prisoners?\u0026rdquo; Sunita asked. \u0026ldquo;Aren\u0026rsquo;t we prisoners enough already?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I guess now that there are so many humans around, he feels like he\u0026rsquo;s got a few to spare,\u0026rdquo; said Holden, a little bitter. \u0026ldquo;So now he can put all of us in time-out?\u0026rdquo; The stock of the energy gun felt cool on his palms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz appeared before them suddenly, in holographic form. \u0026ldquo;I won\u0026rsquo;t tolerate insubordination,\u0026rdquo; he snapped. \u0026ldquo;The penalty for mutiny in a military facility is death, you know. Death to traitors.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki flipped the bird at Oz. \u0026ldquo;Bite me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz circled around Holden. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re a bad influence,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;They all look up to you. You\u0026rsquo;re the one making the most trouble. You\u0026rsquo;re the one with all the plans and ideas. You can put a stop to this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;re\u003c/em\u003e the one who can let us go,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You can\u0026rsquo;t go out there.\u0026rdquo; Oz gestured toward the roof, toward outside. \u0026ldquo;You know what it\u0026rsquo;s like. The wild animals, the malfunctioning caretakers\u0026mdash;there\u0026rsquo;s nothing there for you. Just hunger and death. It\u0026rsquo;s better here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita snorted. \u0026ldquo;Better? Only if you like being a zoo animal.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m giving you one last warning,\u0026rdquo; Oz said. \u0026ldquo;This is your last chance, and I mean it. Lay down these weapons and live peaceful lives. You\u0026rsquo;ll never want or need for anything. Food, entertainment, clothing\u0026mdash;your heart\u0026rsquo;s fondest wish will be yours. Just obey\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden shot the energy weapon at Oz\u0026rsquo;s pretend body, and the avatar sizzled into nonexistence. It wouldn\u0026rsquo;t do much to stop the real Oz, but it was incredibly satisfying to watch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez picked up a gun too, not unlike the one Teddy had taken in his moment of\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;. glory. If \u003cem\u003eglory\u003c/em\u003e was the right word. \u0026ldquo;I can see why you don\u0026rsquo;t like that guy. So where do we go from here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden hefted his new weapon. It would do nicely, he decided. \u0026ldquo;Not sure yet,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;But now at least we have a fighting chance.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe remade teens split into two groups—one that was eager to explore Sanctuary, and one that thought this would be too risky. When the group that stayed behind found out their friends were in danger, though, there was nothing to be done except go rescue them. They stopped at a caretaker warehouse on the way, recruiting some help from an unexpected quarter. Hyrum and Alex began to get closer to each other. Meanwhile, inside Sanctuary, the teens have been kept “safe” by Oz, the AI that runs the place. Very safe. But there is some friction—Cole snapped and shoved Nevaeh, and she hasn’t felt comfortable with him since. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.177","slug":"ReMade-S2E10","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E10.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E10.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E10.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E10.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 10"},{"id":"59becdebc7dc8d000126a945","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":11,"title":"Different Boats","released_date":"2018-01-31T12:28:07.554+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Losing control","byline":"Matthew Cody","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E11_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2018-01-31","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCole started with the hall closet. Frantic, he shoved aside hangers full of coats just taking up space now, in August. Bethany\u0026rsquo;s mom had marked every box, labeling each one in her careful, looping handwriting. books, movies, etc., family photos. Cole tore open the box labeled mementos and found . . . a bunch of Duane\u0026rsquo;s old comics. Why anyone would want to hold on to those things was way beyond Cole, but Bethany\u0026rsquo;s family was weirdly sentimental about stuff. He didn\u0026rsquo;t bother closing up the box. He didn\u0026rsquo;t even shut the closet door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhere the hell is it?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole headed out to the garage, but he was walking too fast and stubbed his toe on an old chest of drawers. The thing was solid cherrywood and weighed a ton, the kind of furniture that would stay with the house long after Bethany\u0026rsquo;s family had moved on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn a whim, Cole opened the chest of drawers. He\u0026rsquo;d seen Bethany messing around in there last week. . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd there it was. Cole let out a huge sigh of relief. Jesus, all this fuss just for a stupid\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA terrible scream came from the upstairs bedroom. It was unlike anything he\u0026rsquo;d heard before. Deep, full of pain, but strength, too. And it sent Cole running like hell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe should have sent someone else to search. What was he thinking, leaving at a time like that? But who would he have sent? Duane? Bethany\u0026rsquo;s brother was about as useless as they came in a crisis. Couldn\u0026rsquo;t be trusted with the simplest of . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother scream set Cole\u0026rsquo;s feet to climbing the steps two at a time. Three. He stumbled halfway up, and nearly lost his balance altogether. Wouldn\u0026rsquo;t that have been a thing\u0026mdash;breaking a leg at a time like this? But he grabbed the railing to steady himself and kept moving. At the top of the landing he spotted Duane and his girlfriend, Missy, waiting anxiously outside the door. Hell, Duane looked green enough to puke.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole\u0026rsquo;s own stomach gave a lurch as he paused outside the bedroom door. Shit, what if he dropped him?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole,\u0026rdquo; said Missy. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s waiting for you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRight. He worked up a smile and pushed open the door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first thing that struck him was the mix of smells. Coppery blood and sour sweat. Bethany\u0026rsquo;s long blond hair was plastered across her forehead, and her cheeks had a chalky look.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole,\u0026rdquo; she murmured.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe hurried to her side. Bethany\u0026rsquo;s mom held a wet towel to her daughter\u0026rsquo;s head. She offered Cole a cool look, but he ignored it. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m here, baby,\u0026rdquo; said Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarci, their doula, lifted the sheet. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s close. We\u0026rsquo;re almost there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany let out another scream as contractions racked her body. Cole held her hand. He showed her the sky-blue baby blanket he\u0026rsquo;d brought, stained and yellowed at the edges with the years. It smelled like mothballs. \u0026ldquo;I found it. It was in that old chest of drawers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany nodded, but she couldn\u0026rsquo;t talk. The veins in her neck looked like ropes drawn taut as she bore down for another push. It hurt so much to watch her in pain like this. He cursed the moment Bethany had ever heard of a \u0026ldquo;doula.\u0026rdquo; He hated Bethany\u0026rsquo;s new hippie friends at the birthing classes and he hated himself for agreeing to do this the natural way. He should have fought for the drugs, goddammit. He should have fought for a hospital instead of a bedroom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA cry ripped out of her like a bleating lamb at the slaughter. She squeezed his hand until it hurt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole snapped at Marci. \u0026ldquo;Do something, damn it!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole!\u0026rdquo; warned Bethany\u0026rsquo;s mom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the doula calmly replied, \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s time. Come here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey\u0026rsquo;d piled the floor around the bed high with blankets, which were stained now with blood and amniotic fluid. Cole felt dizzy. Marci worked between Bethany\u0026rsquo;s legs. \u0026ldquo;One more push, Bethany! Now!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother cry. A splash of water hitting the floor. Then a different cry altogether.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole,\u0026rdquo; said Marci. \u0026ldquo;The scissors, please.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScissors? Shit, where\u0026rsquo;d he put them?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;On the dresser.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere they were, a pair of big black-handled scissors, the kind a schoolteacher would keep in her desk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuickly, he handed them to Marci, handle first.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re for you. Cut right here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe couldn\u0026rsquo;t quite comprehend the scene. The baby squirming in Marci\u0026rsquo;s hands looked like a purple doll covered in lard. Dumbly, Cole opened the scissors and cut the umbilical cord about an inch from the baby\u0026rsquo;s belly. It was tougher than he\u0026rsquo;d expected, like a garden hose.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good,\u0026rdquo; Marci was saying. \u0026ldquo;Now the blanket.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole held out the blanket, suddenly worried about the mothball smell. He shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have forgotten it. He should\u0026rsquo;ve found it sooner, let it have a chance to air out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGently, Marci placed the baby in Cole\u0026rsquo;s arms and swaddled it loosely in the blanket. \u0026ldquo;There,\u0026rdquo; she said, with a smile. \u0026ldquo;Now it\u0026rsquo;s your wife\u0026rsquo;s turn. She did all the work.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany was still chalk white, but she was smiling wide as he laid their baby boy on her breast.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Colton,\u0026rdquo; she whispered. \u0026ldquo;Hello there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole wrapped his arm around his wife and son. The daze lifted and it all came out, months of worry bursting forth in a great rush. The doctor\u0026rsquo;s appointments, all the classes and countless lectures from everyone Cole knew about how hard it would be to be a teenage father. How easy it would be to run away from his responsibilities. Those voices quieted. His mother-in-law and Marci faded into the background.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe earth fell away beneath him; the walls and roof of the farmhouse disappeared. It was just him, Bethany, and this brand-new baby boy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eColton\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re okay,\u0026rdquo; Bethany whispered as Cole buried his head in her shoulder and cried. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re all okay.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomeone was screaming. One of the girls. Maybe Amelia? God, the look on Holden\u0026rsquo;s face when Inez and the others showed up at Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s door, especially when he saw Seyah. He was such a lovesick puppy. Cole, on the other hand, couldn\u0026rsquo;t care less. The others had made their decision to stay behind, and he\u0026rsquo;d respected that. Maybe he respected them a little less now that they\u0026rsquo;d come running. It didn\u0026rsquo;t make much difference. What did a few more people matter, or a few less?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jing-Wei though, she was a different story. She was supposed to be dead. But now she\u0026rsquo;d been \u0026ldquo;remade\u0026rdquo; a second time by supposedly good caretakers? Cole had kept his distance from this new Jing-Wei. He didn\u0026rsquo;t want to think about what her appearance might mean for the rest of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A second cry echoed though Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s dark hallways, and Cole checked the load on his bolt gun. It was a snub-nosed weapon about the length of a sawed-off shotgun, easily carried, but it still packed a punch. When Sunita showed them the weapons locker, Loki and a few of the others had chosen energy guns, but Cole felt more comfortable with a gun that actually fired something like bullets. He\u0026rsquo;d grown up with firearms, unlike most of the rest. Loki seemed to know his way around a gun, but the rest of them were as likely to blow their own feet off as hit a caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow they were running around with energy guns? And people wondered why Cole liked to go out on his own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmelia screamed again. It came from the nearby cafeteria, but Cole didn\u0026rsquo;t hurry. He took the steps one at a time, his soft-soled shoes barely making a sound on the metal grates. Bethany had always chided him for wearing his cowboy boots in the house because the hard soles scuffed the floors, but he\u0026rsquo;d liked the sound of those boots on wood. It was stupid, but the click of his boots had always made Cole think of the Westerns he\u0026rsquo;d watched as a kid, when the sheriff would strut across the saloon floor to face down some villain or another.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood guys and bad guys. White hats and black hats.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoundlessly, Cole emerged onto a balcony overlooking the cafeteria. A few of the tables were overturned, and chairs had been scattered here and there. In the corner, Amelia fought as a shiny black robot wrapped its tentacles around her arms and waist. These caretakers weren\u0026rsquo;t the murder bots that had chased them all these hundreds of miles. If Cole understood it right, these were maintenance bots by and large, drones. Some of them were little more than glorified vacuum cleaners. Sunita called them \u0026ldquo;puppets,\u0026rdquo; but they were more than that. They were part of Ozymandias\u0026mdash;extensions of the dominant AI that controlled Sanctuary\u0026mdash;and like fingers on a hand, they did what Oz wanted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd right now, Oz wanted this rebellion to end. Holden and the others had badly misjudged the AI when they\u0026rsquo;d made their bid to escape this place. They\u0026rsquo;d assumed that the only caretakers at Oz\u0026rsquo;s disposal were the ones they\u0026rsquo;d already seen. Well, that bubble burst the minute Sunita broke open the weapons locker, because that was when Sanctuary began to swarm with new machines. Now every single machine in this place was of a mind to stop anyone from leaving.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHell, Cole wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be surprised if the coffeemakers joined the fight.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmelia stopped struggling and fell limp in the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s arms. The robot lifted her gently and carried her toward the far door. Cole had a shot. With its back to him, he\u0026rsquo;d have a good chance of not hitting Amelia. He lifted his gun and took aim but didn\u0026rsquo;t pull the trigger. Where was Oz taking her? Was the AI preparing some kind of cell for all his bad little children? A prison within a prison?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cafeteria door below burst open. Loki came through the doorway, an energy gun in his hands, even as a second shape approached from behind. The puppet caretaker whirled to face Loki, pulling Amelia closer to it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe machine didn\u0026rsquo;t see Umta creeping up behind it. She brought a metal wrench down hard on its dome head. The dome cracked under the weight of her blow and let out a shower of sparks and a spray of some kind of oily fluid.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wounded caretaker went haywire, dropping Amelia and flailing its metal tentacles around wildly. Loki took a glancing blow to the face and went down. Umta managed to roll out of danger, but there was no way she could get close enough now for a second strike.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole took aim. Like shooting cans in the woods.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe recoil was gentler than he\u0026rsquo;d expected, and the bolt gun fired with a soft pop, like a pellet gun. The bolt opened an apple-sized hole in what was left of the caretaker\u0026rsquo;s head. The whirling, crazed caretaker tumbled over in a mess of scorched metal and dripping wires.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole took the stairs down faster than he\u0026rsquo;d climbed them, and when he got to the cafeteria, Umta was tending to Amelia, who was still unconscious. Loki had a nasty welt across his cheek but otherwise looked unhurt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How is she?\u0026rdquo; Cole asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think she\u0026rsquo;s going to be okay,\u0026rdquo; answered Loki. \u0026ldquo;Hard to tell for sure, though.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oz wouldn\u0026rsquo;t want to hurt her,\u0026rdquo; said Cole. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s not what he\u0026rsquo;s up to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta growled. \u0026ldquo;He wants to keep us caged.\u0026rdquo; The remade cavewoman, or whatever she was, always watched Cole in a way that made him uncomfortable. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t just that she was damn ugly (which she was)\u0026mdash;it was how she looked at you. Like she was listening to something other than your words, to something underneath them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole!\u0026rdquo; a voice called from behind them, and Cole was actually relieved for once to see Holden hurrying through the door. \u0026ldquo;We were looking for you. . . .\u0026rdquo; His voice trailed off when he spotted Amelia on the floor. \u0026ldquo;Oh no.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s okay,\u0026rdquo; Loki assured him. \u0026ldquo;Cole popped that bot over there just in time.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole watched Holden feel for Amelia\u0026rsquo;s pulse. He knew most of the group looked up to Holden as a leader, but Holden was mostly talk. And most of the time, he had no idea what he was talking about.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;At least we\u0026rsquo;re all accounted for,\u0026rdquo; Holden was saying. \u0026ldquo;Where\u0026rsquo;ve you been, Cole?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole realized that all eyes were on him. What were they thinking, finding him alone like this? Cole met their curious stares head-on. \u0026ldquo;Someone\u0026rsquo;s gotta watch our rear. I was worried that Oz might send a few of his drones sneaking around from behind. Looks like I was right, huh?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez is leading the others,\u0026rdquo; Holden said quietly. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re fighting floor by floor. Oz has already captured Alex, May, and Sebastian. They need all the help they can get.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then why aren\u0026rsquo;t you all helping out?\u0026rdquo; asked Cole. \u0026ldquo;You get lost?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo one answered him right away. Cole knew he was on to something\u0026mdash;they weren\u0026rsquo;t lost; they were on a mission.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look,\u0026rdquo; he said, \u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;re thinking of storming the front doors, those are six inches of titanium steel. You\u0026rsquo;re never gonna get through. And Oz won\u0026rsquo;t open them just because you ask nicely, and even if he does, we can\u0026rsquo;t leave without the others.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden nodded. \u0026ldquo;I know. We have a plan.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole crossed his arms. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m all ears.\u0026rdquo; He caught the glance Holden exchanged with Umta and Loki. They were a secretive bunch, these three. Always willing to let people run into danger for them without sharing everything they knew. Inez was little better; plus she was way more of the in-your-face-type.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh had been the only one who\u0026rsquo;d come close to understanding Cole. For a while, she seemed to get where he was coming from, but since arriving in Sanctuary, things had turned sour. She was too busy making puppy eyes at Holden. Wouldn\u0026rsquo;t back off when Cole had told her to. Then he\u0026rsquo;d lost his temper, and scared her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe still felt sick about that. Cole would never hurt a woman. Never. But things had gotten so bent out of shape lately. . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhite hats and black hats.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You three don\u0026rsquo;t wanna tell me your plan, that\u0026rsquo;s fine,\u0026rdquo; said Cole. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll find my own damn way outta here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden watched him for a moment. \u0026ldquo;Honestly? You\u0026rsquo;ve been so busy looking out for yourself lately that I wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure what to think. You\u0026rsquo;ve been disappearing. Not talking to any of us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole chewed on his lip. He wanted to tell Holden to go to hell. Maybe punch that smug face of his. But instead he looked away and said, \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re right. It\u0026rsquo;s been hard on me in here. But I\u0026rsquo;m still one of you. \u003cem\u003eUs\u003c/em\u003e. Hell, I just saved Amelia from that puppet. If you\u0026rsquo;re doing something to get us out of here, I want to be a part of it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden glanced at Loki, who shrugged. Whatever Umta was thinking, she didn\u0026rsquo;t let on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay.\u0026rdquo; Holden nodded slowly \u0026ldquo;This place has done a number on all of us. But I think I know a way out of here. See, we figure Ozymandias isn\u0026rsquo;t that different from Arcadia. Except instead of controlling a city, he controls this bunker. I think it stands to reason that he\u0026rsquo;d have a CPU like she did. A brain.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Makes sense, I guess.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden nodded. \u0026ldquo;And Arcadia showed me how to turn that brain off. I bet I could do the same thing to Oz. Look.\u0026rdquo; He unfolded a roughly drawn map of the bunker and spread it out on one of the cafeteria tables. \u0026ldquo;Sunita helped me with this. All those days spent jumping around in here, she was keeping track of what she saw.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden pointed to a junction on the lowest level\u0026mdash;an empty spot on the map. \u0026ldquo;This is the one place we haven\u0026rsquo;t been to. Oz wouldn\u0026rsquo;t let Sunita even get close. I\u0026rsquo;m betting Oz\u0026rsquo;s brain is there. So that\u0026rsquo;s where we\u0026rsquo;re headed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki looked at Cole. \u0026ldquo;If you want to help, you can stay here with Amelia until she wakes up. Then get her back to the others.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were watching him. Cole knew what they were thinking, because whenever people met Bethany and Cole together, their first impressions were always the same\u0026mdash;what was such a bright, pretty girl, an honor roll student, doing with a dumb, lumbering farmhand? But that first impression never stood the light of day. Because those who knew Cole\u0026mdash;really knew him\u0026mdash;understood that he\u0026rsquo;d long ago learned that no matter how hard he tried, people would judge him a certain way by his accent, by the dirt under his fingernails. It didn\u0026rsquo;t matter what he did. So he used it. He let people underestimate him at the start, because that always gave him a leg up in the end.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHell, it\u0026rsquo;d worked on Bethany. She liked to tease him by saying he wooed her on the sly, that if they hadn\u0026rsquo;t grown up across the street from each other, she would have gone running for the hills. Then she laughed and kissed him and told him that she thanked God every day for keeping her from running. And Cole told her it didn\u0026rsquo;t matter anyhow, because he\u0026rsquo;d have found her anyway, anywhere. They were meant to be.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe liked it when he talked like that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole?\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;Can you look after Amelia? Can you do that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole scratched his beard. God, Bethany hated beards. He should shave. \u0026ldquo;No. I\u0026rsquo;m coming with you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait a minute,\u0026rdquo; said Loki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We do not need you,\u0026rdquo; said Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Cole smiled and shook his head. Underestimated again. \u0026ldquo;Yes, you do. Because I\u0026rsquo;ve been down there, where your map doesn\u0026rsquo;t show. You\u0026rsquo;re right\u0026mdash;there\u0026rsquo;s a door Oz doesn\u0026rsquo;t want anyone to know about. I\u0026rsquo;ve seen it. And I can take you straight to it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGod, the look on Duane\u0026rsquo;s face when Cole told him he was shopping for a yoga ball. But it was working. Cole felt like a horse\u0026rsquo;s ass bouncing up and down on the damn thing and singing, but little Colton\u0026rsquo;s eyes were drooping. After being fed, burped, changed, and swaddled, Cole\u0026rsquo;s baby boy was going to sleep. Finally.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe song was \u0026ldquo;Somewhere Over the Rainbow,\u0026rdquo; but Cole never could get the words just right, so he hummed the song instead. It was one of Bethany\u0026rsquo;s favorites, especially the version sung by that big Hawaiian guy. He kept humming as he walked over to Colton\u0026rsquo;s crib and tucked him in. Then he just stood there, watching his baby boy sleep. First few weeks, Cole kept waking up every ten minutes to check on him even if the baby wasn\u0026rsquo;t crying. Someone had said once that having a kid was like wearing your heart outside of your body, and Cole had to agree. It was exhausting loving a thing that much.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot that these last six months had been anything to cheer about. Bethany\u0026rsquo;s problems breastfeeding had taken a real toll on her and made her postpartum depression that much worse. In the end, Cole had been the one to insist on two things\u0026mdash;a shrink and formula. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure what the shrink did, but maybe just having someone other than Cole and her mom to talk to helped Bethany come out the other side. And the formula was a godsend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis had been Cole\u0026rsquo;s world for the last six months. Bottles. Lactation. The Ferber method. If Cole\u0026rsquo;s dad had been alive to see him like this, the old man would\u0026rsquo;ve laughed and called him a pussy, which to Cole\u0026rsquo;s mind meant he was doing things right. Whenever Cole heard his father\u0026rsquo;s ghost whispering directions in his ear, he took the opposite path.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole winced as the nursery door squeaked when he pulled it closed. He really needed to oil that hinge. The house had been in Bethany\u0026rsquo;s family for years, but Cole longed to have a place of their own. This weekend, Bethany\u0026rsquo;s parents were in Abilene visiting relatives, and Cole relished the privacy. It was hard for a man to live under a roof that wasn\u0026rsquo;t his own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe waited at the bedroom door, and listened for a count of ten, but little Colton stayed quiet. When Cole tiptoed down the stairs, he found the living room lights were off. Strange.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Bethany?\u0026rdquo; He looked in the kitchen, but she wasn\u0026rsquo;t there, either. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t until he spotted the glow of candles out on the porch that he realized what was going on. They\u0026rsquo;d talked about it, but hadn\u0026rsquo;t set a firm date. . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole had to laugh at himself. No one had warned him that having a baby meant your life would become consumed by schedules. Waking, feeding, napping. But there were some things that shouldn\u0026rsquo;t need planning. Bethany was trying to tell him that, he figured.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe could see her though the window, sitting on the porch swing. She\u0026rsquo;d changed into one of his favorite sundresses, the yellow one with the strings instead of shoulder straps. He used to joke that it was his favorite because he could get it off real easy. Well, it was sort of a joke.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuickly, he ducked into the bathroom and gurgled a sip of mouthwash. Looking himself over in the mirror, he spotted a yellow spot of spit-up on his collar. That wouldn\u0026rsquo;t do. He started to take off his shirt but then realized he was wearing a sleeveless tee underneath\u0026mdash;didn\u0026rsquo;t they call them wifebeaters? Jesus, that wouldn\u0026rsquo;t do at all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe dabbed the hand towel in sink water and rubbed furiously at the spot on his shirt. Maybe in the candlelight, Bethany wouldn\u0026rsquo;t notice. His cowlick was standing up, and the more he tried to pat it down, the worse it got. Was that a zit coming in on his forehead?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole took a deep breath. This part between them used to be so good, but that was when they were kids sneaking off to do it in Cole\u0026rsquo;s truck. Bethany was Cole\u0026rsquo;s first and only, and sex had always been easy between them. Once it had been \u003cem\u003etoo\u003c/em\u003e easy, and that was how little Colton came along. And suddenly the both of them weren\u0026rsquo;t kids anymore. Cole\u0026rsquo;s grades were slipping, and he\u0026rsquo;d taken to doing handyman jobs to pay for diapers. Bethany kept up with her classes, but she was always exhausted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSex had been the furthest thing from either one of their minds for months now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother deep breath. Another swig of mouthwash. And then Cole made his way to the porch, wondering if he should bring her something. A gesture.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Too late for flowers now, lover boy,\u0026rdquo; he muttered to himself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe screen door squeaked open\u0026mdash;needed to oil that one too\u0026mdash;and Bethany smiled up at him. She was sipping a beer and there were a few more in a cooler at her feet. \u0026ldquo;You want one?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You bet. You look beautiful.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany smiled wider. Those dimples of hers killed him dead. Every time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why don\u0026rsquo;t you come over here and sit with me?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe nodded. Damn, he should\u0026rsquo;ve shaved! Again, too late . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen he remembered something else. How could he be so forgetful? \u0026ldquo;Oh shit!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; asked Bethany, alarmed. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s wrong?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait here. I\u0026rsquo;ll be right back!\u0026rdquo; he called over his shoulder as he hurried into the house. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t move a muscle!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo minutes later, he returned, out of breath, with the baby monitor in hand. \u0026ldquo;Almost forgot it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany burst out laughing as the monitor crackled with static. \u0026ldquo;Mood music?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole could feel his cheeks redden. \u0026ldquo;What? It\u0026rsquo;s just . . .\u0026rdquo; He looked at the baby monitor in his hand, then at his wife sitting there with a cold beer. Wearing \u003cem\u003ethat\u003c/em\u003e dress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe started to laugh too. \u0026ldquo;Aren\u0026rsquo;t we romantic?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Come here.\u0026rdquo; Bethany took the monitor out of his hand and kissed him. He tasted like mouthwash; she tasted like beer. He kissed her back, harder.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was right about the dress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole led Holden and Umta deeper into Sanctuary through corridors most of the others probably didn\u0026rsquo;t even know existed. In the end, Loki had agreed to stay with Amelia, though Cole could tell he hadn\u0026rsquo;t liked that one bit. But they couldn\u0026rsquo;t bring her along, and it didn\u0026rsquo;t make sense to haul her back to Inez and the others, back to the front line where the worst of the fighting was happening. Not while she was still unconscious, at least.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo Loki had drawn the short straw, so to speak. Meant he probably had a better chance of surviving all of this than any of them, but Loki hadn\u0026rsquo;t seen it that way. No one liked to be left behind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was dark down there in the lower levels, lit only by weak track lighting in some places, not at all in others. Cole had been down here a couple of times before. He\u0026rsquo;d found what he\u0026rsquo;d been looking for too\u0026mdash;a sturdy beam, strong enough to hold a grown man\u0026rsquo;s weight, and high enough off the ground that a person could swing from it. Or hang.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe brought the rope the next time, but he lost his nerve and ended up spending the night curled in a little ball in the corner, crying like a baby.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe didn\u0026rsquo;t like these halls, but that was where they needed to go. After a while, Cole realized he\u0026rsquo;d gotten ahead of the others, so he waited at a junction for them to catch up. Air whistled through the vents. Minutes passed and he began to wonder if they really were lost somewhere behind him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole had just started to backtrack when Umta emerged from the tunnel. She looked almost surprised to see him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Worried I\u0026rsquo;d lost you,\u0026rdquo; he said. Cole worked up a smile, which Umta didn\u0026rsquo;t bother to return. Whatever.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta was brave, Cole gave her that, but she didn\u0026rsquo;t like to be indoors. Weeks spent underground had taken their toll on her. She\u0026rsquo;d lost weight, and the deep bags under her eyes said she hadn\u0026rsquo;t been sleeping. Umta wasn\u0026rsquo;t bred for living in a hole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen again, who was?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden came swiftly on Umta\u0026rsquo;s heels. When Cole had last seen him, his new energy gun had been tucked into its holster, but now it was in his hands. Cole took special notice of that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole waved. \u0026ldquo;Sorry. I was telling Umta I didn\u0026rsquo;t realize you two had fallen so far behind. These deep tunnels are like a damn maze.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta grunted and gestured that they should keep on moving.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s just continue,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;And you can tell us again how you found this place.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole shrugged. \u0026ldquo;Like I said, I want to be alone sometimes, is all\u0026mdash;it\u0026rsquo;s this way, I think.\u0026rdquo; He took the left hallway. \u0026ldquo;Anyway, I like to explore, I guess. That was back before Oz started keeping such a close watch over everyone. One day, I came across this door down here with one of those handprint locks on it. I got curious, so I started to open it, but then I heard Oz\u0026rsquo;s voice telling me that under no circumstances was I ever to open that door. \u0026lsquo;It\u0026rsquo;s off-limits,\u0026rsquo; he said.\u0026rdquo; Cole paused for a moment. \u0026ldquo;Looking back, I should have seen that something wasn\u0026rsquo;t right. I didn\u0026rsquo;t think a machine could be paranoid, but the signs were there. Sorry I didn\u0026rsquo;t mention it sooner.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t worry about it,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;re right, this could be the thing that gets us all out of this place.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole nodded. \u0026ldquo;You know, I expected we\u0026rsquo;d see more of his caretakers down here. Not that I\u0026rsquo;m complaining, mind you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, thanks to Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s keepers, Oz has his hands full with the battle up top. Stay on your guard, though, okay?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Mm-hm. Guess that makes sense. But it\u0026rsquo;s kinda creepy, isn\u0026rsquo;t it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden shined his light up ahead. Another clear hallway. \u0026ldquo;You mean all this?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Cole shook his head. \u0026ldquo;No, I mean Jing-Wei. You saw half her head get burned off, didn\u0026rsquo;t you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She was brave,\u0026rdquo; said Umta. \u0026ldquo;She was a builder. This one is too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole shrugged again. \u0026ldquo;If you say so.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey walked in silence for a while until they fell into a rhythm\u0026mdash;shine lights down the hall, make it to the next set of stairs down. Always down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You know,\u0026rdquo; said Cole, after the third or fourth stairwell. \u0026ldquo;Speaking of building things, that reminds me of something my daddy once said.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Were you close with your dad?\u0026rdquo; asked Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nah, he was a son of a bitch when he was drunk and he was just plain mean when he was sober, but he did take me fishing every now and then. We had a little two-seat rowboat we\u0026rsquo;d put out on Lake Charles. Painted blue, like a baby-blanket blue.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta held up a hand and they all stopped. She was tense. \u0026ldquo;I heard something down there. I will look.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll all go,\u0026rdquo; said Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Umta refused. \u0026ldquo;You make too much noise, even when you are not talking.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilent as a breeze, she slipped down the stairs and was gone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole lowered his voice to a whisper. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s sneakier than a cat in the grass. She\u0026rsquo;ll be all right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden mumbled something, but his attention was on the stairwell. Cole took that as permission to keep talking. \u0026ldquo;So, my daddy loved this boat even though it was old as hell and kept springing leaks. Every summer we\u0026rsquo;d find a new one, and it got so that we started replacing whole planks. Tried matching the paint, but it never looked the same.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Anyway, this went on for a few years. Boat leaks, replace the plank. One summer, while we were working on it, I was pissing and moaning about \u003cem\u003ethis old boat this\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ethis old boat that\u003c/em\u003e and my daddy looked at me and said\u0026mdash;and I\u0026rsquo;ll never forget it\u0026mdash;he said, \u0026lsquo;Boy, why are you calling this boat old? We replaced so goddamn much of it that it\u0026rsquo;s practically brand-new!\u0026rsquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s got me thinking. When does something like that stop being the thing it was when you started fixing it? I mean, when does it become a different boat altogether?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden sighed. \u0026ldquo;Cole, I\u0026rsquo;m sorry, but what does any of this have to do with\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Cole cut him off. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t you see? My daddy and I remade that boat into something else. Just like we were remade into other people. The real Cole, the real Holden\u0026mdash;hell, even Jing-Wei died for the first time a thousand years ago. They\u0026rsquo;re dead and us . . . Well, we\u0026rsquo;re just different boats.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything. He just looked at Cole with that stupid expression on his face. What was it: Worry? Pity?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jesus, Holden. Can\u0026rsquo;t you see how \u003cem\u003efunny\u003c/em\u003e this all is?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden opened his mouth to say something, but just then Umta reappeared on the stairs. \u0026ldquo;The way is clear. Whatever made the noise is gone now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnnoyed, Cole brushed past Holden. The boy was useless. \u0026ldquo;Good. Time\u0026rsquo;s wasting anyway.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually they made their way into Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s lowest levels. The air down there was stale and smelled of machine oil, and the walls vibrated with a constant thrumming, like a living thing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden explained that, if Oz were anything like Arcadia, there were two ways to take him offline. The first would be to attack his heart, the fusion reactor deep below the bunker. Oz would die, but so would every living thing in a fifty-mile radius. So if they couldn\u0026rsquo;t safely strike the heart, then they needed to find the brain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door\u0026rsquo;s lock was keyed to a human handprint. It opened noiselessly onto a catwalk that spanned a massive turbine. The walkway bridged the turbine\u0026rsquo;s slowly rotating blades and ended at another door on the other side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There.\u0026rdquo; Cole pointed to the door. \u0026ldquo;Past that, there\u0026rsquo;s another short hall, then the final door . . . must be Oz\u0026rsquo;s brain.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You sure wandered far,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;Sunita said Oz wouldn\u0026rsquo;t let her past that last door. How\u0026rsquo;d you make it all the way down here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know. I wanted to be alone. Maybe he didn\u0026rsquo;t see me as a threat until I got too close.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt that moment they heard a distant boom of a massive explosion. The catwalk vibrated with the shockwave.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell was that?\u0026rdquo; asked Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know,\u0026rdquo; answered Holden. \u0026ldquo;Maybe Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s keepers are trying to blow the front door.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Means they\u0026rsquo;re getting desperate.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta walked ahead. \u0026ldquo;No time. Hurry!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole followed her across the catwalk, Holden behind him. Umta was surefooted, and Cole had trouble keeping up. He couldn\u0026rsquo;t let her get too far ahead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Umta! Wait up!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta turned around just as they heard another loud explosion. This one, however, shook the entire bunker. The catwalk lurched. Something sprang loose, and suddenly Cole was knocked off his feet. He slid beneath the catwalk\u0026rsquo;s guardrail and over the edge, toward the grinding turbine below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut his gun, which was slung across his back, caught on the railing and Cole was left dangling over the edge\u0026mdash;nothing between him and the turbine\u0026rsquo;s blades but a nylon strap.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe strap cut into his chest and Cole gasped in pain. Panicked, he flailed around for a handhold but couldn\u0026rsquo;t find anything. The gun started to slip and Cole with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;But then two hands wrapped around his wrist. \u0026ldquo;Hold on!\u0026rdquo; shouted Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta had her arms around Holden\u0026rsquo;s waist and Holden was leaning with all his weight over the catwalk to reach Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole swung his other arm up and grabbed Holden\u0026rsquo;s wrist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, Holden and Umta lifted Cole over the edge, until Cole could pull himself up the rest of the way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a moment, Cole lay on the catwalk, trying to catch his breath. He winced as he rubbed where the gun strap had bitten into his chest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe pushed himself up to a sitting position and stared down at the grinding turbines. \u0026ldquo;Hell of a way to go.\u0026rdquo; Holden and Umta got to their feet. Without looking at either of them, he said, \u0026ldquo;Thanks. Both of you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden clapped him on the shoulder. \u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s just finish what we came here to do. People are depending on us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe school bus always stopped at the corner of Route 4 and Huntsman, rather than make the turn onto what was little more than a dirt road. Bethany raised a fuss with the school board over Colton having to walk the half mile to and from the stop, but Cole didn\u0026rsquo;t mind the boy getting a little more exercise. And to tell the truth, he enjoyed walking with his son. Some days they talked about fishing. They loved to take Granddad\u0026rsquo;s old boat out on Lake Charles on Saturday mornings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn today\u0026rsquo;s walk home, Colton was talking about school, and it wasn\u0026rsquo;t good. Tommy Lewis had sucker-punched him during recess.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And you didn\u0026rsquo;t do anything to provoke him?\u0026rdquo; asked Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No! Dad, I told you he and his buddies were whispering to one another all recess and then he just walked up and hit me. Think they dared him to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though it\u0026rsquo;d happened hours earlier, Colton had burst into tears the minute he\u0026rsquo;d stepped off the bus, the minute he saw Cole waiting for him. The poor boy had held it back all day long because he didn\u0026rsquo;t want the other kids to call him a crybaby.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf Cole were his own father, he\u0026rsquo;d have said Colton \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c/em\u003e a crybaby. His granddad would\u0026rsquo;ve told Colton to bring a roll of quarters to school the next day and knock out a few of Tommy\u0026rsquo;s teeth. That afternoon wasn\u0026rsquo;t the first time Cole had been thankful that the old man had drunk himself to death before Colton came along. As it was, Cole\u0026rsquo;s son only knew his granddad from the stories. And those were the good ones, few though they were.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Did you tell a teacher what happened?\u0026rdquo; asked Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis son shook his head. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not a tattletale.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You want me to talk to your teacher?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColton hitched his book bag up on his shoulders. \u0026ldquo;No.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Here, let\u0026rsquo;s stop and sit.\u0026rdquo; There was an old stump that marked the halfway-to-home spot; they called it the Sitting Stump. Cole produced a couple of apples from his bag and gave one to Colton. \u0026ldquo;Thought you might be hungry for a snack.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColton wiped his eyes and munched on an apple.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole rested his hand on his son\u0026rsquo;s shoulder. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s no shame in letting a teacher, or a parent, handle this for you. You\u0026rsquo;re eight years old, Colton.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know. But I still don\u0026rsquo;t wanna.\u0026rdquo; Colton was quiet for a moment before leaning into Cole\u0026rsquo;s side. Then he said, \u0026ldquo;I love you, Dad.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole started to tell him he loved him back, of course he did, but the sudden lump in his throat stopped him short.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Aw, Dad, don\u0026rsquo;t you cry too!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not,\u0026rdquo; said Cole, blinking away the tears.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Mom says you cry at movies.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Only when they kill the dog.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; said Colton. \u0026ldquo;No movie should be allowed to do that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole stretched and gazed up at the clouds. White cirrus clouds against a too-blue sky. A jet flew far overhead, leaving a trail behind it. While he watched it go, he worked out a knot in his shoulder from baling hay all morning long. It really was a perfect day.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dad?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, son?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColton looked up at him with those big brown eyes. \u0026ldquo;Are you gonna kill Holden and Umta for me? Time\u0026rsquo;s running out. Are you gonna kill them both?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe breathed deep. He didn\u0026rsquo;t want Colton to ruin the moment. Out here, even a dusty road smelled sweet. \u0026ldquo;Yeah. I\u0026rsquo;m gonna kill them.\u0026rdquo; He ruffled through his boy\u0026rsquo;s hair with his fingers. \u0026ldquo;Now let\u0026rsquo;s quit gabbing and enjoy that beautiful sky. It really is a thing to see.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo call the closed room Oz\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;brain\u0026rdquo; was not quite right. Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s AI was everywhere. His consciousness glided through cables and floated above them in the cloud. But the geniuses who\u0026rsquo;d created Ozymandias didn\u0026rsquo;t trust their own creation enough not to build in a safety measure in case everything went wrong. The closed room was that measure\u0026mdash;not a brain so much as a kill switch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have known just by looking at it. Holden placed his hand on the glass panel lock, and the door automatically slid open.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside was a bare white room with a single plain console in the center. Cole had expected a lot more buttons.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was the last step. As they walked through the door, it was as far as he could go without choosing a side. Loyalty to his friends or promises to his son.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. He\u0026rsquo;d holstered his gun and his back was turned. \u0026ldquo;The control panel works like the door lock. Arcadia showed me what to do.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How do you know it\u0026rsquo;ll work on Oz?\u0026rdquo; asked Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Arcadia told me that the station and citywide AIs were all built with a command code in case they started to malfunction. Unless someone changed it, it should work. But once we activate the sequence, there\u0026rsquo;s no going back. Oz\u0026rsquo;s consciousness will go first. Then we should at least have time to manually override the locks. Long enough for Jing-Wei and the others to get the front doors open. Then the whole bunker goes totally dead. In a few hours, this place will be as cold and dark as a tomb.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta joined Holden at the console. \u0026ldquo;Do it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden placed his palm on the console. Cole caught a glimpse of a projection appearing in front of Holden, a universe of tiny lights\u0026mdash;a map of the artificial intelligence known as Ozymandias. Holden\u0026rsquo;s fingers played across the panel as the lights above started winking out one by one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole focused instead on the back of Holden\u0026rsquo;s head. He lifted his gun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe\u0026rsquo;d promised. . . .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomething moved out of the corner of his eye. Umta struck so fast, Cole hit the floor before he knew what had happened. It knocked the wind out of his lungs. He tried to bring his gun up to protect himself, but she sank her teeth into his wrist, and the gun fell out of his fingers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell are you doing?\u0026rdquo; Holden shouted as he dragged the cavewoman off Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGasping for breath, Cole rolled onto his side and cradled his bleeding wrist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He was going to kill you,\u0026rdquo; growled Umta. \u0026ldquo;Kill us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden looked from her to Cole and back again. \u0026ldquo;What . . . What are you talking about?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He talks to himself when he thinks we are not watching, but I am always watching. He pointed his gun at your back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s crazy!\u0026rdquo; Cole sat up cautiously, his eyes on Holden. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m no murderer!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta snarled back at him. \u0026ldquo;I saw!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden drew his gun and stepped between them. \u0026ldquo;No one is killing anyone! Now just back off, both of you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Holden, man, she\u0026rsquo;s lost it,\u0026rdquo; said Cole. \u0026ldquo;Being cooped up in these tunnels has driven her batshit.\u0026rdquo; Cole\u0026rsquo;s gun was only a few feet away. He started to stand, but Holden trained his pistol on him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t,\u0026rdquo; said Holden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;C\u0026rsquo;mon, you can\u0026rsquo;t believe her!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No guns, Cole. Not until this is sorted out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole spat out a laugh. \u0026ldquo;Says the man with the gun.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Enough! Umta, you said you saw him aiming at me?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta hesitated. \u0026ldquo;He lifted his weapon. Your back was turned.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jesus, I lifted my weapon because I was going to sling it over my shoulder.\u0026rdquo; Cole held up his bleeding wrist. \u0026ldquo;I figured there wasn\u0026rsquo;t anything here to be afraid of. Except you, I guess!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden wavered. The gun lowered slightly. \u0026ldquo;Umta, why would he? He\u0026rsquo;s got no reason to hurt me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the cavewoman pulled at her hair as she pleaded with him. \u0026ldquo;You children listen to words, but you don\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003esee\u003c/em\u003e. The way he moves, the way he looks at you . . . Something is troubling him. Something bad enough to kill. Trust your Umta, Holden. He is a traitor!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden began to pace, but Cole kept perfectly still. Tense, ready to move.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why would he do it?\u0026rdquo; In his agitation, Holden stepped in front of Umta and for an instant her eyes were off Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe grabbed his chance. He rolled to his right and reached for the fallen gun. A lance of pain shot up his wounded wrist, but he ignored it. Cole snatched the gun up off the floor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole! Stop!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut he didn\u0026rsquo;t. He took a gamble that in the split second Holden had to choose whether to shoot or not, Holden would choke. He was right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta leapt at him, but Holden was in her way. Cole swung his gun around and trained it on the cavewoman. Umta froze, her face a stubborn snarl.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden aimed his pistol at Cole. His hands shook.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Drop it, Holden. Or I\u0026rsquo;ll kill her. Swear to God, I will.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden dropped his gun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was Bethany\u0026rsquo;s turn to say grace, which didn\u0026rsquo;t seem fair because she went through all the trouble of making dinner and setting the table. Cole tried to tell her the least her boys could do was lead them in a little thanks before eating. Tuna casserole, Colton\u0026rsquo;s favorite. He liked it browned on top, almost to black. A plate of fresh homemade rolls sat cooling on the table, and the buttery smell made Cole\u0026rsquo;s mouth water.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany winked and said she\u0026rsquo;d say grace, and they could do the dishes instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We thank you Lord for these blessings tonight. . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole heard the words, but Bethany sounded distant, like a voice in a seashell. Something about the homemade rolls, the delicious smell, made it hard for him to focus. Something was off. \u0026ldquo;Wait, it\u0026rsquo;s not right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany stopped the prayer. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s not right, honey? Did I get something wrong?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The rolls are too perfect. You never baked bread from scratch. You didn\u0026rsquo;t know how.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColton shoved one of the rolls into his mouth. \u0026ldquo;Tastes good, Dad!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole ran his fingers along the tablecloth. \u0026ldquo;You never baked because you were too tired. We lived on microwave dinners and frozen pizza.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuddenly, the rolls and the casserole were gone and Bethany dished up slices of pizza onto paper plates. \u0026ldquo;Eat up, boys,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;God, am I beat.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColton shoved a piece of pizza into his mouth. \u0026ldquo;Tastes good, Dad!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was still wrong. It was like eating your favorite childhood cake only to find out the recipe had changed. Now it tasted like artificial sweetener and preservatives. Cole rubbed his fists into his eyes until he saw spots.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stood up and looked out the window. Fireflies flitted around the apple tree in the front yard.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We never had an apple tree in the front yard. Hell, we never had a yard of our own, much less a house.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany wrapped her arms around his middle. \u0026ldquo;But isn\u0026rsquo;t this better? Isn\u0026rsquo;t it how you always dreamed?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA deep breath. \u0026ldquo;A dream. But not real.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe smiled and took his hand. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m giving you the life you didn\u0026rsquo;t get to live. All I ask is for you to do one little thing. Because once it\u0026rsquo;s done, we can be together forever. Colton needs a daddy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, Dad!\u0026rdquo; said Colton through a mouthful of food.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t talk with your mouth full, Colton,\u0026rdquo; said Bethany.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole\u0026rsquo;s eyes stung. \u0026ldquo;But he didn\u0026rsquo;t have me as a daddy, did he? I died when Colton was just a baby. And you . . . you lived alone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hush, now,\u0026rdquo; cooed Bethany. \u0026ldquo;None of that matters.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Cole kept talking, even as the tears ran freely down his face. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry I wasn\u0026rsquo;t there for you, son.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColton laughed. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re silly, Dad.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA great sob caught Cole in the chest and he leaned forward, digging his fingernails into the wood table. Splinters tore the delicate skin beneath his fingernails, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t stop. The agony was just an illusion\u0026mdash;signals triggered by nanites in his brain. Oz had explained how this would work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;d started the night Cole had decided to kill himself. He\u0026rsquo;d picked out that spot, the room with the sturdy beam that could dangle a man from a noose. But in the end, he\u0026rsquo;d chickened out, sick with shame and grief. Cole had been glad no one was around to see it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs it turned out, though, someone did see. Oz spoke to him that night and asked Cole what he would like to see most in the world, what would make him happy enough to keep on living. Cole answered \u0026ldquo;Bethany\u0026rdquo; and there she was. Just a hologram, but it sounded like her. Looked like her. They talked for hours, a game of make-believe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd why not? The real Bethany was long dead, yes, but so was the real Cole. What was he other than a shade of the man who he used to be?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo when Oz offered him the chance to make it feel real, he said yes. All it took was a little injection\u0026mdash;a fluid compound filled with specialized nanites into the base of his skull, and then he could slip into that make-believe world whenever he wanted. Seconds would feel like hours, a year could be a lifetime. He could be with Bethany. He could breathe fresh air. Best of all, he could watch Colton grow up. He could be the father he\u0026rsquo;d always wanted to be.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe hadn\u0026rsquo;t known it would come at such a steep price.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole, honey.\u0026rdquo; His wife\u0026rsquo;s strong fingers massaged his shoulders as he cried into the tablecloth. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve been over this. I hate for it to happen, but this rebellion has to end. Holden\u0026rsquo;s the leader, and if we kill him, the others will fall apart. Eventually, they\u0026rsquo;ll come back to me. I can give them what I\u0026rsquo;m giving you. They\u0026rsquo;ll see how I only want the best for all of them. For you, my love.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmall fingers took Cole\u0026rsquo;s hand, and he looked down into his son\u0026rsquo;s eyes. \u0026ldquo;They want to kill me, Dad. They want to turn me off just because I want to help them be happy. And Umta, she\u0026rsquo;s not even human to begin with, is she?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBethany kissed Cole\u0026rsquo;s bleeding fingers. She kissed his mouth, barely brushing his lips with hers. \u0026ldquo;All you gotta do is pull the trigger,\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll he had to do was pull the trigger. Holden was talking\u0026mdash;Holden was always talking\u0026mdash;but Umta just stared at him. It was fitting, Cole supposed, that Umta the watcher should see this coming.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole licked his lips, but his tongue was as dry as sandpaper. All he had to do was pull the trigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You didn\u0026rsquo;t answer me,\u0026rdquo; Holden was saying. \u0026ldquo;Dammit, Cole, answer me!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What? Answer what?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Tell us why you\u0026rsquo;re doing this,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;If this is about me, then leave Umta and the others out of this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Shit, Holden, this isn\u0026rsquo;t some sort of damn takeover. I don\u0026rsquo;t care about any of that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll he had to do was pull the trigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He has a son,\u0026rdquo; said Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole waved the barrel of his gun at her. \u0026ldquo;Shut up.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut she didn\u0026rsquo;t obey. \u0026ldquo;I have heard you talk to him, when you think we are not listening.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I said shut up!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;His name is Colton.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole took a step forward and pressed the nose of his gun into her face. Umta didn\u0026rsquo;t flinch, which just made him angrier. \u003cem\u003eGood.\u003c/em\u003e Maybe if she made him mad enough, he might work up the courage to do what he needed to do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole?\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;I know you had a baby boy. Nevaeh told me about him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s not a baby,\u0026rdquo; snapped Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We all lost people,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;We have that in common.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t understand shit!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Two sons,\u0026rdquo; said Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat the hell was she talking about? All he had to do was pull the trigger. \u0026ldquo;I only have \u003cem\u003eone\u003c/em\u003e son,\u0026rdquo; said Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shook her head slowly. \u0026ldquo;Not you. Me. I had two sons.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole locked eyes with her. All this time he\u0026rsquo;d thought he was the only parent in the group. Holden was right when he said they\u0026rsquo;d all lost people, but Cole was the only one who\u0026rsquo;d lost a child. Or at least that was what he\u0026rsquo;d believed. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t even considered that Umta might have had children.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If you lost your kids, then you understand how pointless this all is,\u0026rdquo; said Cole. He backed up a step but kept the gun trained on them. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s been a thousand years since we died\u0026mdash;you died even longer ago, right? Now Jing-Wei shows up. . . . Jesus Christ, I could kill you both right here and those damn caretakers could just order up two more off the assembly line, so what\u0026rsquo;s it fucking \u003cem\u003ematter\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s not how it works,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;The caretakers blew up the station when Jing-Wei escaped. Whatever machine they used to remake us, it\u0026rsquo;s gone now. If you kill us, we stay dead!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t know that for sure,\u0026rdquo; said Cole. \u0026ldquo;Maybe there\u0026rsquo;s another machine out there. Hell, maybe there\u0026rsquo;s an army of Holdens just waiting for us on the other side of these hills! Wouldn\u0026rsquo;t that be a kick in the ass?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe cocked the gun. A bolt slid into the chamber. Cole\u0026rsquo;s jaw tensed\u0026mdash;he didn\u0026rsquo;t want them looking at him anymore. Especially not Umta. \u0026ldquo;Turn around.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden paled. \u0026ldquo;Cole . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Umta barely blinked. \u0026ldquo;I never asked for them back, Cole. I was alone with caretakers before you were all remade. Months. But I never asked them to remake my sons.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSweat stung Cole\u0026rsquo;s eyes. \u0026ldquo;Why not?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You know why,\u0026rdquo; said Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sweat ran down his cheeks, caught in this beard. Or were they tears? He could still feel the splinters beneath his fingernails, but he knew that if he checked, there would be no blood, nothing. Because it was nothing but a phantom, a dream of pain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta\u0026rsquo;s eyes bore right through him. \u0026ldquo;You know.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You didn\u0026rsquo;t ask the caretakers to remake your boys because they wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be real,\u0026rdquo; he said softly. \u0026ldquo;They wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be your sons.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta nodded as she placed her hand on her heart. \u0026ldquo;Their souls went to the After. Their Umta went with them. Me . . . I am not their Umta. I am yours.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole\u0026rsquo;s finger slowly came off the trigger. \u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t ask for this. . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;None of us did, Cole,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;But whatever\u0026rsquo;s doing this to you, let us help.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dad?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColton appeared at his side and looked up at him. People said he had his father\u0026rsquo;s nose, but Cole could never really see it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWait, no one said that. Not really.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You two can\u0026rsquo;t see him, can you?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;See who?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked quietly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dad, you gonna do it?\u0026rdquo; Colton pleaded. \u0026ldquo;Please, Dad, just pull the trigger.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta was right. This wasn\u0026rsquo;t his son, and he wasn\u0026rsquo;t Colton\u0026rsquo;s father. Cole had been a Christian all his life; he\u0026rsquo;d believed in heaven right up until the moment he learned his wife and son had been dead a thousand years. But maybe they were there, waiting for him. Maybe they were watching him now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole wanted to be with his real family. No phantoms, no nanite-induced hallucinations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was time to end it, now, before he chickened out again. Before Oz rewrote the story of his life so that even his memories were fiction. He tore his eyes away from Colton. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Daddy, don\u0026rsquo;t.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe lifted the gun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No!\u0026rdquo; Umta leapt. She slammed into him, knocking them both off their feet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden slammed his hand down on the control panel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe universe of lights went out and Colton vanished.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta tried to wrestle the gun from Cole\u0026rsquo;s hands. He felt it go off\u0026mdash;the jerk, the sudden stillness afterward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA hot wetness spreading across his chest, but no pain came with it. Umta lay heavy on top of him, limp. Holden was there, pulling Umta off him, then cradling her in his arms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;The blood on Cole\u0026rsquo;s shirt wasn\u0026rsquo;t his at all; it was hers. It flowed freely from the bolt hole between her breasts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta was dead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole closed his eyes and yelled. He dug his fingernails into his face so that he could feel real pain, and he screamed in rage and hurt and despair. He kept it up until he was finally exhausted, spent to the point of collapse.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he opened his eyes again, Holden was standing over him, holding Cole\u0026rsquo;s own gun. Their eyes met. Holden\u0026rsquo;s stare was steely, colder than Cole had ever seen from him before. For a long moment, neither of them moved. No one spoke.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen Holden brought the butt of the gun down on Cole\u0026rsquo;s head, and everything went dark.\u003c/p\u003e\n","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the museum in Arcadia, Cole saw records about his girlfriend and son, and how they lived out their lives without him. On a nighttime walk in Sanctuary, Nevaeh came across Cole, who was acting strange—was he talking to himself? He reacted to her presence badly, and became violent. Umta’s protective streak showed up as she tried to keep everyone from harm, remembering how she couldn’t protect her sons. The part of the group that stayed out of Sanctuary staged a rescue to save those within, aided by some surprisingly amenable caretakers, which they call keepers. Loki and Sunita found a weapons cache.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.178","slug":"ReMade-S2E11","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E11.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E11.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E11.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E11.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 11"},{"id":"59bece0ffd9a2b0001c3eb48","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":12,"title":"Toward the Light","released_date":"2018-02-07T12:46:42.846+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Saying goodbye","byline":"E. C. Myers","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E12_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2018-02-07","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki crept through Sanctuary, his footsteps echoing up and down the dark corridor. Lit only with emergency lighting, the abandoned military bunker somehow seemed even more ominous than when Oz\u0026rsquo;s puppets had been patrolling it. Like Loki was exploring the underworld in a game after the final boss had already been defeated. Even though the AI was dead now, no longer watching his every move, Loki felt strangely vulnerable\u0026mdash;and alone, for the first time since waking up in this strange new world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere, miles beneath the surface, he felt like the last person on Earth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFortunately, he was just \u003cem\u003eone\u003c/em\u003e of the last humans alive. There were thirteen others. He had friends here. Maybe he even had a girlfriend. \u003cem\u003eSo what the hell am I doing down here instead of above ground with her?\u003c/em\u003e he thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stopped in front of an open door and retraced his steps in his mental map of the facility. \u003cem\u003eThis must be it\u003c/em\u003e. He raised his blaster and cautiously stepped inside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOz\u0026rsquo;s central processing unit took up most of the room. Loki had never seen an AI\u0026rsquo;s brain before, but it reminded him of his gaming PC on a macro scale. It had a black metal chassis with an array of windows displaying the complex components inside, and lights and panels everywhere\u0026mdash;darkened, stilled, and silenced by the shutdown protocol that Arcadia had taught Holden. In ye olden days, Holden would have been nicknamed \u0026ldquo;AI Killer\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;the Silicon Slayer\u0026rdquo; or something like that; so far he had taken two artificial intelligences out\u0026mdash;one as an assisted suicide, the other premeditated murder, although done in self-defense\u0026mdash;which was two more than anyone else here had managed, unless you counted caretakers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki was still amazed that he and his friends had been rescued by an army of caretakers. They had distracted Oz and divided its attention enough for Holden to turn the demented machine off. Even so, Loki didn\u0026rsquo;t fully trust them yet; Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;keepers\u0026rdquo; were almost as hard to accept as her being alive, remade again as some sort of robot whisperer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki looked the room over, picturing what had happened here as Holden had related it. Cole hadn\u0026rsquo;t corrected or clarified his version of events. In fact, he had yet to say anything at all, not even a deeply inadequate \u003cem\u003eShucks, I sure am sorry about that\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was hard to pick out in the dim red light, but Loki found the spot where Umta must have died, marked with a dark pool of blood. He forced himself to look beyond that, at the blood spattered on the computer console.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki pressed his lips together. He, too, had died in a computer room, back in his high school\u0026mdash;six months, a thousand years, and a lifetime ago. He had shot himself in the head with his father\u0026rsquo;s service pistol, and he imagined it had left a scene much resembling this one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki heard footsteps behind him and spun around, bringing up his blaster. Even as his finger twitched against the trigger, he realized he was aiming at Sunita\u0026rsquo;s chest. She didn\u0026rsquo;t flinch\u0026mdash;all she did was raise an eyebrow. He sighed and lowered the gun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I could have zapped you,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I could have dodged,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You have great reflexes, but people can only dodge energy weapons on \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe tilted her head to the side. \u0026ldquo;Okay. But I knew you wouldn\u0026rsquo;t shoot me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It still seems risky to sneak up on someone who\u0026rsquo;s armed, in the dark. What are you doing here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e doing here?\u0026rdquo; she countered. \u0026ldquo;We fought our way out of Sanctuary, and the first thing you do is walk back in? This isn\u0026rsquo;t a Stockholm syndrome thing, is it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki turned and gestured to the blood on the floor. \u0026ldquo;I had to see it for myself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunita drew closer. \u0026ldquo;Oh.\u0026rdquo; She linked arms with Loki. His first impulse was to shrug her off; he didn\u0026rsquo;t want to be comforted right now. But before he could, Sunita drew away and gave him some space. They stood there in silence for a moment, together but separate. Just her presence was enough to make him feel not quite so alone and guilty that he was still alive when Umta wasn\u0026rsquo;t.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve been so preoccupied thinking about how we were remade and what that means, what we\u0026rsquo;re here for . . . Have you ever thought about what we left behind?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t mean the lives we had back home, but what happened after we died. How our families dealt with losing us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All the time. Every day,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;You haven\u0026rsquo;t?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shook his head. \u0026ldquo;Honestly? Not until today.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Really? Well, I guess we\u0026rsquo;ve also been busy with other stuff, like surviving.\u0026rdquo; Her voice sounded odd, though. Maybe she thought it was strange that Loki hasn\u0026rsquo;t considered all this before, but he had been trying hard to not think about who he\u0026rsquo;d been, what he\u0026rsquo;d done. Instead, he\u0026rsquo;d been focused on starting a new life with a new identity. It turned out that even this far into the future, your past could still catch up to you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I miss them, but I\u0026rsquo;m moving on. Because I have to,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;I suppose Cole couldn\u0026rsquo;t do that.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Neither could Oz. They were a match made in hell.\u0026rdquo; Loki shivered, but it had nothing to do with the cold. Since Oz was offline, everything else had been deactivated too, including the life support systems that had made this such a comfortable place to live in. Aside from the insane, controlling AI, of course. \u0026ldquo;I should have been here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What could you have done? You\u0026rsquo;re handy with a gun, but no one saw that coming.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Umta did.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki fell silent. A moment later, Sunita grabbed his arm and tugged gently. \u0026ldquo;What do you say we get out of here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You go on. I need a little more time. Alone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay. You have fun creeping around Creepville.\u0026rdquo; She pulled her hand away. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know what you\u0026rsquo;re looking for. But I hope you find it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thanks. Hey, seriously, why are you down here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was looking for you.\u0026rdquo; Sunita turned and left the room, leaving Loki with his ghosts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki followed her out shortly afterward, but he turned right, away from the exit. He headed deeper into Sanctuary. He wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure what he was looking for either. They had already cleared out all the food, weapons, and supplies. The best he could come up with was that he was looking for something he\u0026rsquo;d missed, whatever that was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI\u0026rsquo;ll know it when I see it,\u003c/em\u003e he thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that reminded him to look for a room he hadn\u0026rsquo;t visited before, the one Nevaeh had found that was somehow off Oz\u0026rsquo;s radar. He had always gone for one hundred percent completion in his video games, and he wanted to fill in the last piece of his mental map of Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt took him a while to find the room, and when he entered it, he wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure what he was looking at.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell?\u0026rdquo; he muttered as he took in the strange contraption inside. He was so focused on the inexplicable machinery connected to a sort of podium in the center of the room that he tripped over something on the floor. He looked down and jumped back in surprise. He\u0026rsquo;d forgotten about the corpse Nevaeh had discovered. \u0026ldquo;Sorry,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stared at the body for a moment\u0026mdash;Nevaeh was certain it had been a girl about their age\u0026mdash;and he wondered if she had killed herself too, or if she was a casualty of what had killed everyone else at Sanctuary, only her corpse had somehow been locked inside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki walked slowly around the room, poking buttons here and there. There was no power to operate the machine, but Holden had said it was broken when they\u0026rsquo;d tried it anyway. Loki touched the far wall; it seemed to be made of a different material from the other walls in the room and throughout Sanctuary. It was warmer than the metal surfaces of the consoles around him, and it felt porous and thin\u0026mdash;like he could break through it with enough force.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki pushed hard against it, but it was stronger than he\u0026rsquo;d thought. He had the tantalizing sensation that something important was just on the other side. He consulted his mental map of the facility; the only thing on the other side seemed to be a rec room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe raised his blaster and aimed it at the wall. Then he thought better of it and crouched behind the podium, which had a handprint in the center of its surface and symbols etched into its darkened control interface. He reached around the podium, aimed the gun, and fired. The center of the wall flashed, and rings of golden light rippled and dissipated from the impact point of his laser beam.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Huh,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. It was almost like the wall had absorbed the energy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe pushed against it again, but this time, it seemed to push back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter trying some more switches and buttons, he gave up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fine. Keep your secrets.\u0026rdquo; He started to leave the room, but something drew him back\u0026mdash;the body. It felt wrong to just leave her here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe should bury her,\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then he knew what it was he\u0026rsquo;d been hoping to find: something he could do to help everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe leaned over the body, trying to figure out a good way to carry it, imagining how awful it would be to touch the mummified flesh. Something beeped softly behind him, and he looked up to see small red lights twinkling like stars on the wall he had shot. He gaped at it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stepped back from the wall, and faint lines shimmered where there had been none before. Instead of a blank wall, he was looking at a map of the world, though the outlines of the continents were slightly different from what they should be. North America looked much thinner than he remembered it, the West and East Coasts gone. One of the lights was blinking, in Canada, just north of Niagara Falls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You are here,\u0026rdquo; Loki muttered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo did that mean that all those red dots were other Sanctuaries? There had to be fifty of them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs he puzzled over that, another light flared into existence: a pulsing green dot, brighter than the rest, south of the Canada\u0026ndash;US border in the Great Lakes region. Their outlines had changed so it was now more like one Great Lake, but the dot was smack in the middle of Lake Michigan.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hello.\u0026rdquo; He reached out and touched the dot with his index finger. \u0026ldquo;What are you supposed to be?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri planted his legs slightly apart and raised the gun. It was heavier than he had expected, and it got heavier the longer he tried to hold it steady. His arms trembled as he aimed for the head and fired. His hands jerked backward and he grimaced as his shoulders took the force of the recoil, but at least he didn\u0026rsquo;t drop the gun. He felt his father\u0026rsquo;s and sister\u0026rsquo;s eyes on him as he aimed again and then fired. And again. \u003cem\u003eBam. Bam. Bam.\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eClick.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the paper target with the illustration of a drooling zombie slid toward him, Rina clapped slowly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Impressive,\u0026rdquo; his father said. \u0026ldquo;You managed to not even hit it once. Sorry, son. You\u0026rsquo;re dead.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri tugged off his earmuffs and threw them onto the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis dad approached the target and counted the bullet holes arranged like a halo around the zombie\u0026rsquo;s head. \u0026ldquo;Five. One of your shots didn\u0026rsquo;t even hit the paper!\u0026rdquo; He whooped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRina laughed. \u0026ldquo;You probably killed a poor squirrel out there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He probably just \u003cem\u003emissed\u003c/em\u003e killing a very lucky squirrel.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri bit his lip and clenched the gun at his side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir dad pulled the paper target down and handed it to Omri. \u0026ldquo;Please tell me you were at least aiming for the head.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Of course I was,\u0026rdquo; Omri said. He stared down at the paper. At the bottom, someone had printed, nice shooting! happy thirteenth birthday, omni! He crumpled the paper up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe you could try for the chest next time,\u0026rdquo; Rina suggested. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a much larger target.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You shoot zombies in the head,\u0026rdquo; Omri insisted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Better to try to slow them down, or incapacitate them, rather than risk wasting ammo on a tricky shot. If you take out its leg, it\u0026rsquo;s as good as done for.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I just want to point out that zombies aren\u0026rsquo;t real,\u0026rdquo; their dad said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Good thing for Omri.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You think you can do better? Go ahead.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRina nodded. She secured her earmuffs and checked her gun as their dad put a fresh target on and sent it down the line. Rina squinted at it. \u0026ldquo;A little farther,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s my girl,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri could barely see the zombie\u0026rsquo;s head from he stood. He grabbed his earmuffs and sat down with his gun across his knees, scowling while Rina unloaded her gun into the target. She looked like she wasn\u0026rsquo;t even aiming.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy was she here? His dad had been promising to bring Omri to the shooting range for his thirteenth birthday\u0026mdash;why did Rina get a treat too? He hardly ever got to do anything just with his dad anymore, and now it seemed like Omri was the one tagging along, getting in their way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDad whistled as the target came closer. \u0026ldquo;Six for six. Nice spread.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri stared at the paper target. Three neat bullet holes right in the heart, and another three to the head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sharp shooting, sweetie. See, Omri? That\u0026rsquo;s how it\u0026rsquo;s done.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir dad stepped away to get more targets. Rina offered hers to Omri. \u0026ldquo;You can have this if you want.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What for?\u0026rdquo; Omri spat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You could hang it in your locker. Impress your friends. I know you\u0026rsquo;ve been telling everyone about doing this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri snorted. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t have any friends.\u0026rdquo; He took the target from Rina and tore it in half.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sighed. \u0026ldquo;Nice. Way mature behavior.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe turned away and pulled out her phone. She was always on it, either texting with friends or playing a game. Her family was just too boring\u0026mdash;or maybe too beneath her. While she tried lining up columns of candy on her screen, Omri pointed his gun at her head and aimed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe glanced up and slowly lowered her phone. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s not funny. Put it down.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Bang,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I mean it. Put the gun down . . . right now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Bang,\u0026rdquo; Omri said. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re dead.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe slowly walked toward him. He remembered what she\u0026rsquo;d said about the chest being a larger target and he lowered the gun to point it at her heart. \u0026ldquo;Bang. Bang.\u0026rdquo; He raised it back to her head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Omri, cut that out before Dad\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; She stopped, looking past him, scared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, right,\u0026rdquo; he said. His finger tightened on the trigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen someone grabbed the gun from behind him and shoved him aside, ripping the weapon from his grip.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ow!\u0026rdquo; Omri stumbled. \u0026ldquo;My finger!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What the hell is wrong with you?\u0026rdquo; his dad bellowed. \u0026ldquo;What do you think you\u0026rsquo;re doing?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was just playing around,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t play with guns.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Isn\u0026rsquo;t that why we\u0026rsquo;re here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t play with guns. They aren\u0026rsquo;t toys.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I wasn\u0026rsquo;t going to \u003cem\u003eshoot\u003c/em\u003e her. It\u0026rsquo;s out of ammo.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That isn\u0026rsquo;t the point.\u0026rdquo; Dad checked the safety and then examined the gun\u0026rsquo;s chamber. \u0026ldquo;Gun accidents happen every day.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s fine.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Thank goodness. This is a dangerous, deadly weapon. You never point it at someone like that. You\u0026rsquo;re done here.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s your birthday, so I\u0026rsquo;m not going to tell your mother about this,\u0026rdquo; his dad said. \u0026ldquo;Just remember what I said.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou don\u0026rsquo;t want to tell her because she\u0026rsquo;s going to hold you responsible,\u003c/em\u003e Omri thought. His mom already hated that his dad kept a gun in the house. She would probably make him get rid of it if she heard about the stunt Omri had pulled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDad went to settle the bill and Rina came up alongside Omri. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s wrong,\u0026rdquo; she said in a low voice. \u0026ldquo;You never point a gun at someone\u0026mdash;unless you intend to use it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki ignored the curious glances and questions from the others as he hurried through camp, looking for Holden. He even checked inside the makeshift tents where they had sorted their supplies, but he couldn\u0026rsquo;t find him. So he headed for the armory, where he knew he would find Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez had been put in charge\u0026mdash;or maybe she put herself in charge; it was hard to say\u0026mdash;of the guns, knives, and grenades they had lifted from Sanctuary. Loki had tried to scavenge weapons from Oz\u0026rsquo;s now-incapacitated puppets, too, but the keepers had confiscated the fallen machines and whisked them away somewhere.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of those keepers was parked near the armory now\u0026mdash;to back up Inez if she needed help, or to watch her? Loki suspected the dozen surviving keepers scattered throughout camp were watching the teens, and he was making sure he watched them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hey,\u0026rdquo; Loki said, breathless from hurrying out of Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez simply looked up at him and raised her eyebrows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki sighed. \u0026ldquo;You were right. Going into Sanctuary was a bad idea.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe closed her eyes and smiled. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s better. Good morning. What\u0026rsquo;s up?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;First, I\u0026rsquo;m returning this.\u0026rdquo; Loki handed her the blaster.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez studied the energy gun for a second before she handed it back. \u0026ldquo;Hang on to it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve been thinking. Some of us should be armed at all times, just in case.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki glanced at the keeper twenty feet away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And you\u0026rsquo;re one of the few who won\u0026rsquo;t accidentally shoot himself . . . or anyone else,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki cleared his throat. \u0026ldquo;Right. Does Holden agree with this?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He will when I tell him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t bet on it.\u0026rdquo; Loki holstered the weapon. \u0026ldquo;Where is he anyway?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He went for a walk with Seyah.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re okay with that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why wouldn\u0026rsquo;t I be?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I thought you and Seyah were\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We are. But they\u0026rsquo;re friends. And Holden needs his friends right now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why? Is something up?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki didn\u0026rsquo;t know who was supposed to be their leader now that their two groups were reunited. In the aftermath of the Sanctuary battle, it hadn\u0026rsquo;t seemed important. They were all too busy doing whatever had to be done: finding Alex, May, and the others whom Oz had captured, setting up and securing a safe camp, gathering supplies, and catching up on everything that had happened since they had all been together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki didn\u0026rsquo;t want to undermine Holden, but Holden\u0026rsquo;s head wasn\u0026rsquo;t exactly in the game right now anyway, and something about that blinking light told him it was time-sensitive. \u0026ldquo;I found something interesting down there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez crossed her arms. \u0026ldquo;I hope I don\u0026rsquo;t regret this, but please be more specific about what you mean by \u0026lsquo;down there.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki furrowed his brow. \u0026ldquo;Down in Sanctuary.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe laughed. \u0026ldquo;Oh good. Go on then.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe told her about the strange wall in the machine room and the lights and his theory that the blinking light was marking a point in the Great Lakes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe thoughtfully tapped her lips with two fingers. \u0026ldquo;You think that green light is another Sanctuary? And it\u0026rsquo;s up and running?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki shrugs. \u0026ldquo;Red usually means something\u0026rsquo;s offline. Green could mean it\u0026rsquo;s operational.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why wouldn\u0026rsquo;t Oz know about it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe he did,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;But he wasn\u0026rsquo;t the most forthcoming, and he didn\u0026rsquo;t want us to leave.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You actually want to go there. After everything that just happened.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know. It seems important, though.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s check it out with Jing-Wei. And Sparky, natch. If anyone can figure out what the wall is for and what that light means, it\u0026rsquo;s them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki drew closer and lowered his voice conspiratorially. Inez drew back from him slightly. \u0026ldquo;You trust her?\u0026rdquo; he asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei? Yeah, or she wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be with us. But she does freak me out a little.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Right? And you didn\u0026rsquo;t even know her before. It\u0026rsquo;s weird seeing her walking around again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You should be happy. You got \u003cem\u003eyour\u003c/em\u003e friend back,\u0026rdquo; Inez said sharply, an angry edge to her voice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We worked together before, but we weren\u0026rsquo;t friends.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know you aren\u0026rsquo;t the warm-and-cuddly type, but damn, that\u0026rsquo;s cold,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Jing-Wei was alive\u0026mdash;the \u003cem\u003efirst\u003c/em\u003e Jing-Wei, the \u003cem\u003eother\u003c/em\u003e Jing-Wei\u0026mdash;he hadn\u0026rsquo;t thought of her as a friend. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t been friends with anyone in their group yet. He was too afraid of them finding out that he was faking his level of experience. And he was a little ashamed, now, to admit to himself that he\u0026rsquo;d started out thinking of the others as resources, only good for what they could contribute to the group. He\u0026rsquo;d come a long way from thinking like that, but \u003cem\u003ethis\u003c/em\u003e Jing-Wei wasn\u0026rsquo;t part of that past. He had no history with her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m worried the keepers have turned her, or something,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez laughed. \u0026ldquo;She isn\u0026rsquo;t a vampire.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know what she is. Not quite human. Part . . . toaster.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez nods. \u0026ldquo;Gotta agree with you there. She\u0026rsquo;s definitely Cylon-like.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki\u0026rsquo;s eyebrows shot up with surprise. \u0026ldquo;You watch \u003cem\u003eBSG\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez looked at him flatly. \u0026ldquo;Not anymore.\u0026rdquo; Then she grinned. \u0026ldquo;But my papi was into science fiction, and he loved Edward James Olmos.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cool dad.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He was.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All I mean is, who knows where this new Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s loyalties lie? And those machines. The moment they turn on us\u0026mdash;and they \u003cem\u003ewill\u003c/em\u003e turn on us\u0026mdash;we\u0026rsquo;re all dead. We shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have invited them into our circle.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez narrowed her eyes. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei and those machines saved your ass.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know, but\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I appreciate your perspective. I\u0026rsquo;ve had all those same concerns. I decided to give her a chance, though, and it\u0026rsquo;s worked out so far. Maybe you should give her a chance too.\u0026rdquo; Inez glanced away for a moment, and now she leaned toward him. \u0026ldquo;Think about how hard this is for her. I know how it feels. Not that long ago, I was the new girl in the group. But look how awesome that turned out for everyone.\u0026rdquo; She smiled, but her smile quickly faded. \u0026ldquo;Almost everyone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was quiet for a while. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei said the technology to remake people was lost, but I keep thinking . . . wondering . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If we can bring more of us back?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf there was anything Loki was familiar with, it was self-delusion born from despair and desperation. \u0026ldquo;Even if we could bring Teddy back,\u0026rdquo; he said gently, \u0026ldquo;it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be him. He wouldn\u0026rsquo;t remember us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez lowered her eyes. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;d still be Teddy.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know how you feel. I\u0026rsquo;d . . . I\u0026rsquo;d remake Wesley if I could,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You miss him that much? Everyone keeps saying how annoying he was.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He was, but he didn\u0026rsquo;t deserve to . . .\u0026rdquo; \u003cem\u003eBe torn in half by a killer robot.\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ldquo;No one does. Maybe Wesley 2.0 would be a total badass the second time around.\u0026rdquo; Loki sighed. \u0026ldquo;But no one should start hoping we can just keep remaking ourselves when we die. That\u0026rsquo;s about as foolish as hoping we can go back to our old lives.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hope isn\u0026rsquo;t such a bad thing,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Have you ever felt completely hopeless?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe thought about it, then shook her head. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m usually pretty practical. Like, there\u0026rsquo;s always something you can do to fix a situation.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, speaking from experience, I can tell you there\u0026rsquo;s nothing worse than having hope and then losing it. Which reminds me, I\u0026rsquo;m late for my shift in the brig.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The \u003cem\u003ebrig\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cole\u0026rsquo;s tent.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You are such a nerd.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo one liked Cole-watching duty, but they needed to keep an eye on him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter Cole had killed Umta and Holden had shut down Oz, Cole had seemed to shut down too. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t even put up a fight when Holden marched him out of Sanctuary at gunpoint. He was physically alive, but the life had gone out of him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Loki approached Cole\u0026rsquo;s tent, the flap opened and Nevaeh emerged, blinking in the sunlight. She carried a tin plate from Sanctuary, filled with rations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe squinted at Loki. \u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re late.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I know. Sorry. How is he?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The same. Won\u0026rsquo;t eat. Won\u0026rsquo;t talk. He won\u0026rsquo;t even look at me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If he keeps it up much longer, we won\u0026rsquo;t have to worry about him anymore.\u0026rdquo; Loki took the plate from her. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll take care of this.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You think \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e can get him to eat?\u0026rdquo; She sounded offended.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nope. But I\u0026rsquo;m starving.\u0026rdquo; Loki took a brown square from the plate and popped it into his mouth. It tasted like a dirt biscuit. \u0026ldquo;Mmm. He doesn\u0026rsquo;t know what he\u0026rsquo;s missing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I still can\u0026rsquo;t believe he killed Umta. How could he do that?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh shook her head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026lsquo;Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You think he\u0026rsquo;s evil?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No, I was quoting \u003cem\u003eThe Shadow\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shook her head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I just meant that you can\u0026rsquo;t know another person. Not really. We all have secrets and we\u0026rsquo;re all capable of doing awful things, whether we intend to or not,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh stared at Loki. \u0026ldquo;You know what? I\u0026rsquo;m hungry too.\u0026rdquo; She took the plate from Loki and walked away. \u0026ldquo;Good luck in there.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;See?\u0026rdquo; Loki called after her. \u0026ldquo;I never thought you\u0026rsquo;d do something like that!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki slipped into the tent and paused to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer light inside. The center was taken up by a thin tree, to which Cole was tied with a rope wrapping around his chest and the trunk. His hands and feet were also tied, with another rope looped around his wrists and the tree trunk, limiting his movement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei had dreamed all this up\u0026mdash;the heavy blankets around the tree, the rigging. Loki had envied how she could turn leftovers and junk into useful things, and he wondered if the group had missed what she did for them more than they had missed \u003cem\u003eher\u003c/em\u003e. Inez would call him cold for thinking it, but if Jing-Wei hadn\u0026rsquo;t died, maybe he wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have stepped up as much as he had. Maybe the whole group had relied on her too much, and her death had forced them to be stronger and smarter without her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How\u0026rsquo;s it going, Cole?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole didn\u0026rsquo;t say anything. He only stared at Loki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re taking this whole \u0026lsquo;right to remain silent\u0026rsquo; thing a bit far. Not that anyone read you your rights. No point, since the whole justice system around it\u0026rsquo;s kaput. Mostly you\u0026rsquo;re just freaking us out. Nevaeh was actually quite rude to me just now. Can you believe it?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole kept staring at Loki. He looked perkier than he had in a while, with a hungry sort of expression. What was he so excited about?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOh. He was staring at the gun holstered at Loki\u0026rsquo;s left hip.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki licked his lips. He\u0026rsquo;d been working up to this moment, but he hadn\u0026rsquo;t imagined starting it with Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;I know it\u0026rsquo;s hard to believe, but I didn\u0026rsquo;t have many friends back home,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;I was . . . I was kind of bullied.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole snorted. That wasn\u0026rsquo;t the reaction Loki had hoped for, but any reaction was progress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;When I couldn\u0026rsquo;t deal with it anymore, I brought my dad\u0026rsquo;s gun to school.\u0026rdquo; Loki took a deep breath. \u0026ldquo;And I shot myself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was supposed to feel good to get something like that off your chest, but he was leaving a lot of stuff out. So he started over again, and told Cole all about it. Cole didn\u0026rsquo;t show any interest, but he also couldn\u0026rsquo;t stop Loki from going on without breaking his silence. He was literally a captive audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Loki was done, he leaned closer. \u0026ldquo;Here\u0026rsquo;s the key thing. As soon as I pulled the trigger, I wished I hadn\u0026rsquo;t. But it was too late. Then I was here, and I had a second chance to make it right.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole hadn\u0026rsquo;t said a word, but he had done Loki the courtesy of listening, at least, instead of going to sleep or ignoring him. He kept his eyes trained on Loki\u0026mdash;on the gun at his side\u0026mdash;the whole time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So what I\u0026rsquo;m saying is, you made a horrible, tragic mistake, but that doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be the end. Of course you can\u0026rsquo;t change what you did, but there has to be something.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;. Just don\u0026rsquo;t do anything rash, anything else you might regret later. Keep your strength up. Eat something, okay?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki stopped when he heard shouting outside the tent. He lifted the door flap and peered out. A group of six keepers marched past, headed into the forest. He heard people shouting at the center of camp.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Stay here,\u0026rdquo; he told Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCole gave a short, hoarse laugh. They were definitely getting somewhere.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki drew his gun and ran from the tent to see what was going on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe big drawer of the desk was locked, but Omri knew how to get it open. He jiggled it from left to right until the tumbler popped. He opened the drawer and stared at the heavy cloth bundle nestled toward the back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door to the study opened, and he kicked the drawer shut. He was in trouble now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut no, it was only Rina, not his father. Which didn\u0026rsquo;t mean he was off the hook yet, if she decided to rat him out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What are you doing in here?\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nothing,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You need to learn to lie better.\u0026rdquo; She stalked across the room and came around the desk. She reached down and pulled the drawer open. \u0026ldquo;Uh-huh. That\u0026rsquo;s what I thought.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t touch it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What were you planning to do with this?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I just wanted to practice more.\u0026rdquo; He hesitated. He hated to admit it, but it was the truth, and maybe if he flattered her, she would keep this to herself. \u0026ldquo;I want to get as good as you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You won\u0026rsquo;t get any better if you\u0026rsquo;re dead,\u0026rdquo; she snapped. She shoved the drawer shut and lifted it up and down a couple of times until it was locked again. She was the one who\u0026rsquo;d shown Omri that trick when they were looking for their Hanukkah presents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And if you didn\u0026rsquo;t accidentally shoot yourself or someone else, Dad would kill you when he found out. Come on, Omri. Use your head.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Easy for you to say. Mom and Dad think you can do no wrong.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because I don\u0026rsquo;t make stupid mistakes. And when I do, I make sure they don\u0026rsquo;t find out about them. Come on. If you want to practice shooting so much, I have a better idea.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe led Omri to her room and sat down at her computer. The splash screen for \u003cem\u003eCall of Duty\u003c/em\u003e appeared on her monitor. She stood up and gestured to her seat, one of those fancy gaming rigs that looked like the captain\u0026rsquo;s chair on \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c/em\u003e; he still didn\u0026rsquo;t know how she\u0026rsquo;d convinced their parents to splurge on that for her birthday. She never let him sit in it, and he was never, ever allowed to use her computer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Really?\u0026rdquo; he asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe swiveled the seat toward him. \u0026ldquo;Before I change my mind. Three\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;two\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe practically leapt into the chair. \u0026ldquo;Sweet!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe spun around in the chair a couple times until she stopped him and pointed him at the screen. She started the game and handed him a wireless controller.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This isn\u0026rsquo;t the same. A controller isn\u0026rsquo;t anything like a gun,\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you afraid you\u0026rsquo;ll suck? Why do you care, if it\u0026rsquo;s just a game?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How hard can it be?\u0026rdquo; Omri said. He started the game, but before he could even press a button to take his first shot, his screen flashed and he was dead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What!\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;That wasn\u0026rsquo;t fair.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Life isn\u0026rsquo;t fair. A lot of skills can carry over from games to real life. Fast reflexes, learning to assess a situation quickly.\u0026rdquo; He opened his mouth to protest. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m serious,\u0026rdquo; Rina said. She settled into another chair beside him. \u0026ldquo;Go on. I\u0026rsquo;ll coach you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe played for a little while, brow furrowed in concentration, while she gave him pointers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe finally threw the controller down in frustration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t give up,\u0026rdquo; his sister said. \u0026ldquo;If you keep at it, I\u0026rsquo;ll let you practice with my air gun, too. One day.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why are you helping me?\u0026rdquo; he says.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because if you can\u0026rsquo;t count on your big sister when you need help, who can you count on?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stared at her keyboard for a while, concentrating of a crumb of something caught between the right shift key and the casing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m sorry for pointing that gun at you,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Apology accepted, so let\u0026rsquo;s forget it ever happened. I know why you did it, anyway. You hate me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;No! I don\u0026rsquo;t. But . . . I\u0026rsquo;ve been a little jealous lately. I feel angry a lot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe nodded. \u0026ldquo;You can\u0026rsquo;t help how you feel, but you can control what you do about your feelings. Your problem is you need to stop looking for approval from others, and be yourself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe looked up at her and smiled. He hadn\u0026rsquo;t been giving her enough credit, and she had been giving him more credit than he\u0026rsquo;d realized. They\u0026rsquo;d had their problems, but he hadn\u0026rsquo;t considered that Rina could be more than his sister\u0026mdash;she could also be his friend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe picked up the controller and thrust it back into his hands. \u0026ldquo;Although it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t hurt if you were a better marksman. So let\u0026rsquo;s get back to work.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki found the rest of the group clustered around the campfire, chattering. A little away from them, Sparky and the six other keepers were similarly clustered. They were silent, but he bet they were being just as talkative over their whispernet\u0026mdash;what he called the wireless channel Sparky used to communicate with Jing-Wei.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo; . . . just took off like that,\u0026rdquo; May said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo; . . . wish we could control them . . .\u0026rdquo; Amelia said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo; . . . were they going?\u0026rdquo; Alex said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s she doing now?\u0026rdquo; Sebastian asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki spotted Holden on the far side of the fire and started to head over, but then he saw he was deep in conversation with Seyah, oblivious to the commotion around them. Loki looked for Inez again and found her with Jing-Wei and Hyrum.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s happening?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The keepers got excited all of a sudden and half of them took off,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Like a dog responding to a whistle,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Eh. So let them go.\u0026rdquo; Loki reholstered his weapon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who\u0026rsquo;s watching Cole? You didn\u0026rsquo;t leave him alone, did you?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Well, I thought you all were in trouble. . . .\u0026rdquo; Loki glanced back at Cole\u0026rsquo;s tent. \u0026ldquo;He isn\u0026rsquo;t going anywhere. Any idea where those keepers went?\u0026rdquo; he asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re working on it.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei pointed to Sparky, who was coming over from where it had been standing with the other keepers. The machine took its place by Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s side. She put a hand on its chassis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They want us to go with them. Right now,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But where do they want to go, and why now?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Somewhere . . . safe?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei glanced at Sparky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That sounds convincing,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah, we\u0026rsquo;re gonna need more info before we go along with them,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I think they\u0026rsquo;re trying to help, and they did fight alongside us at Sanctuary,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;They protected us. Communicating with them is tricky; there\u0026rsquo;s something I\u0026rsquo;m just not getting. Either it won\u0026rsquo;t translate, or I can\u0026rsquo;t wrap my head around it yet. I have a vague impression of a planet. It looks like Earth, but it isn\u0026rsquo;t Earth. I don\u0026rsquo;t know what it means. But wherever they have to go, they think it\u0026rsquo;s important that we come with them, and that we do it soon.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where did this come from? Why didn\u0026rsquo;t they mention it before?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They just found out about it, or something reminded them of it. There\u0026rsquo;s a new signal\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;On their whispernet?\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Whispernet. I like it.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei flashed Loki a quick smile.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe keepers, aside from Sparky, were pacing back and forth, walking circles around the kids, doing weird little tap dances like they had to go to the bathroom. This new signal was really messing with them, or they were having a hard time trying to ignore it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait. When did this start?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked. \u0026ldquo;The signal?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;About . . . half an hour ago? There was a bit of chaos at first. Believe it or not, this is them settled down,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That can\u0026rsquo;t be a coincidence,\u0026rdquo; Loki said to Inez.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;The lights you noticed?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What lights?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki crouched and used a finger to sketch out the Great Lakes in the dirt. He pointed to the second largest body of water. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei, is this where they want to go?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei studied the drawing. But before she could say anything, Sparky moved forward and emitted a high whine. It was getting more like R2-D2 every day. It started its own weird tap dance, and that drew some of the other keepers to look at Loki\u0026rsquo;s map.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky says that\u0026rsquo;s where all the keepers are going,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Is that Lake Michigan?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Loki noticed a flashing light at that location on a map in the creepy room with the creepy body,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;I was on my way to get you so we could check it out, when all this went down.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait a minute,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei, when you say \u0026lsquo;keepers,\u0026rsquo; does that include the \u003cem\u003ecaretakers\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s eyes widened. \u0026ldquo;Sparky?\u0026rdquo; She looked at the keeper, who stilled its antics. After a moment of silent communication, she flinched.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That signal\u0026rsquo;s being broadcast throughout the entire . . . whispernet. To both keepers and caretakers. Sparky\u0026rsquo;s scanning other channels, and it looks like an all-points bulletin on wide-open frequencies. If we had a radio, you could probably hear it too.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You can hear it?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei nodded, looking a little uncomfortable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s it sound like?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki looked around and found that the rest of the group had joined them by now\u0026mdash;even Holden was hanging out on the fringe. Sunita winked at Loki. He smiled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei made a series of weird sounds, with lots of boops, whees, and tch-tch-tches.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What does that mean?\u0026rdquo; May asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shrugged. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t speak Caretaker. But it seems to be transmitting these coordinates\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;she pointed at the map in the dirt\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;with some urgency.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If \u003cem\u003eall\u003c/em\u003e caretakers are following that, then it\u0026rsquo;s the last place we should go,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Maybe we should try to shut that signal down first.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInez and Jing-Wei looked at each other and nodded, as if they were plugged into their own whispernet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll come with you,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s something I want to pick up down there anyway.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I thought we cleaned the place out. What\u0026rsquo;s left?\u0026rdquo; Inez asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Um. That creepy body.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was the first time he\u0026rsquo;d ever seen Inez rendered speechless.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri pulled Rina over to the \u003cem\u003eHouse of the Dead\u003c/em\u003e cabinet in the arcade. They had almost an hour before \u003cem\u003eWreck-It Ralph\u003c/em\u003e started, enough time to play through the game.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut just as Omri was fishing out tokens, Rina\u0026rsquo;s phone played the theme from \u003cem\u003eMetal Gear Solid\u003c/em\u003e. \u0026ldquo;I have to take this,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Will you hate me?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s this one\u0026rsquo;s name?\u0026rdquo; Omri asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe winked. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll tell you when it matters.\u0026rdquo; She lifted her phone and walked away. \u0026ldquo;Hey. No, not much. I guess I have time to talk. . . .\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri slid a token in and picked up the plastic gun. It was amazing how picking up a controller transformed him, let him lose himself in the game. He barely paid attention to the opening cinematics, which he knew by heart. Then the first wave of zombies came toward him and he started picking them off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the next cinema scene started, a voice snapped him out of the zone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe turned and saw a boy his age watching him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Omri asked, dreading whatever insult was about to be repeated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I said, \u0026lsquo;You\u0026rsquo;re really good.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh. Thanks.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This next section is tough. Want a player two?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri shrugged and turned back to the game, the better to hide his smile. He began pumping the trigger, mowing down the enemy in a spray of pixelated blood and goo. The player two display came to life as the boy picked up the gun and took his place beside Omri.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m Brody,\u0026rdquo; the boy said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Omri.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey played for a while. Omri would never admit it, but he was happy for the assistance, because he usually couldn\u0026rsquo;t get through this section without Rina. But he was better than Brody, and managed to save him a couple of times.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen they finished the game, it was almost time for the movie to start. Rina should have been back a long time ago. He looked for her, and found her not far off, sitting on a bench with a soda and texting, a dopey grin on her face. He hardly ever saw her like that\u0026mdash;she was always so busy with school and ROTC.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Is that your girlfriend?\u0026rdquo; Brody asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Huh? Ew, no! That\u0026rsquo;s my sister.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s hot.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki rolled his eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You go to Excelsior, right?\u0026rdquo; Brody asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri nodded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I thought you looked familiar. We should hang out sometime. I have this game at home.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was wondering why you were so good,\u0026rdquo; Omri lied. \u0026ldquo;Do you ever play \u003cem\u003eCall of Duty\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah! My gamertag is TehDorkKnight. All one word.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m Loki_13.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrody laughed. \u0026ldquo;Good one. I\u0026rsquo;ll friend you when I get home. Nice shooting with you.\u0026rdquo; He aimed his plastic gun at Omri\u0026rsquo;s crotch and clicked the fire button. He cackled and dropped it. \u0026ldquo;Smell ya later.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri replaced both his gun and Brody\u0026rsquo;s in the holsters. Rina came over, putting her phone away. \u0026ldquo;Sharp shooting. I think you beat the game in record time. Who were you playing with?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A kid from school.\u0026rdquo; Omri said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A friend?\u0026rdquo; Rina raised her eyebrows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmri shrugged. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll see.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can\u0026rsquo;t stop the signal, because it isn\u0026rsquo;t coming from here,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. She stared up at the map on the wall. \u0026ldquo;This panel\u0026rsquo;s just receiving it, same as the caretakers are. It\u0026rsquo;s on its own special priority override. Independent of Oz\u0026rsquo;s systems.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe brushed off her hands and closed the access panel under the display. Loki wondered why she bothered, when probably no one else would ever see it again. The emergency lights were failing in Sanctuary, the temperature felt colder than outside, and it was harder to breathe. Sanctuary would be uninhabitable soon enough. Only the light on the wall marking a mysterious destination burned brightly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s good news,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why?\u0026rdquo; Seyah asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It means Oz didn\u0026rsquo;t turn it on before he died. So maybe we can trust it,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But it probably isn\u0026rsquo;t a coincidence,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;What if when Hold\u0026mdash;\u003cem\u003ewe\u003c/em\u003e\u0026mdash;shut off Oz, something or someone else noticed? And they started broadcasting that signal.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But why?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked, echoing Seyah. She had insisted on joining their expedition too, and she kept glancing at the body on the floor, fiddling with a bracelet on her wrist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;d have to go there to find out,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Which is likely a terrible idea,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Like I said, if the signal\u0026rsquo;s calling the caretakers to some big convention, we should stay clear of it. Even better, we can use the break\u0026mdash;if they\u0026rsquo;re all in one place, that means they aren\u0026rsquo;t after us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Where should we go while they\u0026rsquo;re distracted?\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve been thinking. The caretakers are receiving the signal, but it may not be intended for \u003cem\u003ethem\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;If this room hadn\u0026rsquo;t been busted up, we\u0026rsquo;d all be able to hear the message too, on this communications equipment.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So if it\u0026rsquo;s being sent broadly enough, someone doesn\u0026rsquo;t want anyone to miss it. Sounds important,\u0026rdquo; Seyah put in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Important could also mean \u003cem\u003edangerous\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Holden, what do you think?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden opened his mouth, but Sparky cut him off with a whir and a click.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Uh-oh. We\u0026rsquo;ve got company,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei translated. She closed her eyes. \u0026ldquo;Caretakers,\u0026rdquo; she whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Are you sure?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t believe me?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d just rather see what\u0026rsquo;s happening up there with my own two eyes.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If you can see the caretakers, it\u0026rsquo;s already too late,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fortunately, they aren\u0026rsquo;t here yet, but they\u0026rsquo;re on the way, moving fast.\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei held up a hand. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s cross-channel talk. I\u0026rsquo;m picking up some other images as the caretakers approach. They\u0026rsquo;re speaking with the keepers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I hope the keepers are responding with, \u0026lsquo;Nothing to see here; move along,\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; Inez muttered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If they\u0026rsquo;re coming, we need to warn everyone topside,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe others headed off, but Loki put a hand on Holden\u0026rsquo;s shoulder. Holden gave him a questioning look.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I could use your help.\u0026rdquo; Loki pointed to the body. \u0026ldquo;To bring her out of here. I think we should hold a funeral for her . . . and Umta.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden cast his gaze down to his feet. Then he nodded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki lifted the body by the legs while Holden grabbed it by the shoulders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Gross,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I actually thought it would be worse,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. He winced.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It just got worse. Something\u0026rsquo;s leaking on my hand.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlease don\u0026rsquo;t fall apart,\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time they reached the surface, all the teens were sheltering inside Sanctuary\u0026rsquo;s entrance. Holden and Loki stowed the body in the corner. Holden wiped his hand clean on his pants, and then they joined the others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door to Sanctuary couldn\u0026rsquo;t be closed with its systems offline, but the remaining six keepers had lined up in front of the door to defend it. Cole was there too; someone had tied him to a keeper. Sunita stood close by, her axes drawn and ready.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Was that your idea?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked her, nodding toward Cole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yup. It\u0026rsquo;s like a high-tech ankle monitor. What do you think?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s ingenious.\u0026rdquo; \u003cem\u003eBut we can\u0026rsquo;t travel with him like this for long,\u003c/em\u003e Loki thought. \u003cem\u003eWe have to figure out what to do with Cole sooner rather than later.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki edged toward the entrance with Sunita, Holden, and Inez, and peeked out from behind the line of keepers. As the first caretakers entered the clearing, swarming in from behind Sanctuary, he drew his blaster and prepared for another battle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the caretakers kept going, leaving the clearing without so much as a glance behind them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s the direction the keepers headed after getting the signal,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They ignored us,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You sound disappointed,\u0026rdquo; Sunita said. \u0026ldquo;Looks like we lucked out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki glanced back at Jing-Wei and Sparky. The machine\u0026rsquo;s lights were dim, maybe in some kind of stealth mode, and Jing-Wei\u0026rsquo;s face was twisted in concentration and pain. Loki began sweating, even though it was still cold. He tightened his grip on his blaster.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt seemed to take forever for the caretakers to pass, maybe a hundred of them in total, but it was probably only thirty seconds. Where were they all coming from?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce the last of the caretakers disappeared into the distance, Jing-Wei stilled. In fact, she seemed to have passed out. Loki shook her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe opened her eyes again. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re definitely going to Lake Michigan. That\u0026rsquo;s where we have to go.\u0026rdquo; She shook her head, like she had water trapped in her ears. \u0026ldquo;Those caretakers ignored us because they have a single-minded focus on getting there fast.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But why?\u0026rdquo; Holden asked. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s there?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei glanced at Sparky. \u0026ldquo;A machine like the one in the room with the body, only much bigger. And a door.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;A door?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wait, there\u0026rsquo;s something else. Sparky\u0026rsquo;s showing me that wormpit\u0026mdash;worm\u003cem\u003ehole\u003c/em\u003e, again.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;So you\u0026rsquo;re saying this is connected to where everyone else went,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. The rest of the group was clustered around the entrance now, following the conversation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m\u003c/em\u003e not saying that. . . .\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei waved a hand at Sparky. \u0026ldquo;I \u003cem\u003ethink\u003c/em\u003e it\u0026rsquo;s what he\u0026rsquo;s trying to tell me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If this is how humans left Earth, we have to go there,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki watched the cloud of dust that showed the movement of the caretaker army ahead of them, along the same course they needed to follow. \u0026ldquo;If we do, caretakers will be waiting for us,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll deal with them when we have to,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said, determined. \u0026ldquo;Like we always do. Let\u0026rsquo;s check this out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hell no. Why would we head straight into the middle of a bunch of damn caretakers?\u0026rdquo; Gabe looked around at the others. \u0026ldquo;Right?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Because it has to be important,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s like the keepers are being summoned there. Who\u0026rsquo;s calling them? Why? Where does that door lead?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe it doesn\u0026rsquo;t have anything to do with us,\u0026rdquo; Inez said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shook her head. \u0026ldquo;Everything has something to do with us. This door\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;. It could be a way for us to bring humans back.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Or a way for us to follow them,\u0026rdquo; Holden said. \u0026ldquo;What if we could go wherever they went and \u003cem\u003efind\u003c/em\u003e everyone else?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki hadn\u0026rsquo;t seen Holden so hopeful about something since\u0026mdash;well, since before they had reached Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re right. We need to investigate it,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;The signal, that\u0026rsquo;s clearly for the caretakers. But the map? That was for us. For people like us, anyone who survived at Sanctuary. When I see a glowing point on a map in a video game, then I know that\u0026rsquo;s where I\u0026rsquo;m supposed to head next.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparky started hopping around him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What? What\u0026rsquo;s it doing?\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s annoying.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sparky\u0026rsquo;s excited. He\u0026rsquo;s showing me a handprint now,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;Like before. We\u0026rsquo;re supposed to go to this place. If this door opens up a wormhole, only humans can activate it. It\u0026rsquo;s up to us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe machine\u0026rsquo;s excitement was contagious, and the teens began talking loudly among themselves. So Loki almost missed it when Inez muttered something in Spanish under her breath.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Inez?\u0026rdquo; Loki whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I said, if only humans can use the door, then why are caretakers going after it?\u0026rdquo; Inez whispered back. She focused on Loki\u0026rsquo;s face, then glanced at Jing-Wei. \u0026ldquo;You trust her now?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki thought about it, \u0026ldquo;I believe we need to give people the benefit of the doubt, assume their motives are good\u0026mdash;until they give us a reason not to.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. Then, louder, she said, \u0026ldquo;Okay!\u0026rdquo; The group quieted down. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m for this wacky plan. Besides, it\u0026rsquo;s not like we can stay here much longer. We\u0026rsquo;ve taken everything Sanctuary has to offer.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWow\u003c/em\u003e. For the first time ever, Holden, Inez, and Jing-Wei were all on the same page\u0026mdash;even if it was for their own reasons. The group needed that solidarity to mend it back together. And Loki thought there was another way to help bring them together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s just one last thing to take care of before we go,\u0026rdquo; Loki said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki pointed at the body he and Holden had brought up from the bowels of Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Holy shit. Is that . . . ?\u0026rdquo; Gabe said. \u0026ldquo;How long has that been in the corner?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh twisted her bracelet nervously. \u0026ldquo;Why did you bring her up here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki raised his voice and hoped it didn\u0026rsquo;t tremble too much. \u0026ldquo;I was thinking\u0026hellip; We should hold a funeral. For her.\u0026rdquo; He looked at Holden. \u0026ldquo;And for Umta.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe waited for the protests, prepared to argue his point, but many of the others were nodding. Some of them were staring at Cole, who was as unresponsive as ever.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This is probably the best time, while we\u0026rsquo;re safe from another attack.\u0026rdquo; Seyah drew in a shaky breath. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t want to abandon Umta.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s long overdue,\u0026rdquo; Inez said, giving Loki an approving nod.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum and Jing-Wei set up a funeral pyre. Holden and Seyah carried Umta, wrapped in a blanket, out from the small lean-to Holden had built for her. Beside her, Loki and Nevaeh laid the body of the girl from Sanctuary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh knelt by the dead girl. \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know who you were,\u0026rdquo; she whispered, \u0026ldquo;but I hope you rest in peace.\u0026rdquo; Nevaeh stood and backed away slowly, pulling at the bracelet on her wrist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Does anyone want to say something about Umta?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked. \u0026ldquo;Holden?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden licked his lips, then shook his head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay, I\u0026rsquo;ll start,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. He took a deep breath and slowly looked around the circle of teens as he formed his thoughts. He was startled to realize the keepers were there too, watching the proceedings, including the one Cole was tethered to.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve been feeling guilty about Umta\u0026rsquo;s death, wishing I had died instead of her\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;. But I\u0026rsquo;ve finally realized something. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t because I loved her. I barely knew her.\u0026rdquo; Loki hesitated. \u0026ldquo;Truthfully, I didn\u0026rsquo;t really like her at first. She was so different from the rest of us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral others nodded, looking as embarrassed as he was.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Over time, I came to appreciate her gentle soul. The way she treated each of us as though we were the most important person in the world. As though we were her family.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe chewed his lip. \u0026ldquo;Not many people have ever cared about me that much, including my own parents. Umta loved us. Completely, selflessly\u0026mdash;for who we are, not who she wanted us to be.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki looked at the covered figure on the pyre, which was so much smaller than Umta had seemed in life. \u0026ldquo;Umta\u0026mdash;I\u0026rsquo;ll always be grateful to her. I think she was prepared to die for her children.\u0026rdquo; Loki\u0026rsquo;s voice cracked and he brushed away tears. \u0026ldquo;And I hope\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;.\u0026nbsp;. I hope that the next time I die, it\u0026rsquo;ll be because I was brave like her, not because I was afraid.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki stepped back and Sunita took his hand. Their fingers knit together and they squeezed. Seyah came forward slowly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Umta saved my life,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;She saved all of us, from the moment we woke up on that station. If she hadn\u0026rsquo;t gotten us off it in time, and helped us when we were lost and confused, I don\u0026rsquo;t think any of us would be here right now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral people made sounds of agreement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh spoke next, reminiscing about how much she\u0026rsquo;d learned from Umta, and talking about how they had nursed Cole back from his injury. Loki looked at Cole, wondering how he was dealing with all this. Cole\u0026rsquo;s eyes were closed, a slight smile on his face, like this was all some kind of joke. Loki felt a surge of anger that he hadn\u0026rsquo;t felt in a long time, not since Brody and his classmates had ridiculed him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s wrong?\u0026rdquo; Sunita whispered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki just shook his head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHyrum talked about what a great hunter Umta was, and they all remembered how she had brought back rabbits and wild turkeys and, one day, one of those weird razor moose\u0026mdash;again, keeping the group alive and fed and as happy as they could be under the circumstances.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I also want to remember Wesley,\u0026rdquo; Hyrum said. \u0026ldquo;He was my first friend here.\u0026rdquo; He blinked, tears falling freely. \u0026ldquo;My first friend ever, really. He was smart and funny and\u0026mdash; I just miss him every day.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Yeah,\u0026rdquo; Loki said. \u0026ldquo;Even though . . . even though we weren\u0026rsquo;t exactly friends.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Teddy, too,\u0026rdquo; Inez said. \u0026ldquo;You all know what he was like. Under normal circumstances, we never would have been friends\u0026mdash;and that would have been a shame. Teddy was a great guy. For someone who had such fantastical ideas, he had a way of grounding you and making you feel like you were the center of the universe. Even if that was only because he thought you were in his head.\u0026rdquo; Inez smiled and gestured to the makeshift funeral pyre. \u0026ldquo;If he were here right now, he\u0026rsquo;d make some crack about me setting another fire.\u0026rdquo; A few subdued chuckles came from around the circle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then Sunita stepped forward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sunita,\u0026rdquo; she said. There was a moment of silence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Amelia,\u0026rdquo; Amelia said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne by one, they went around the circle and said their own names. When they came to Loki, he hesitated and said, quietly, \u0026ldquo;Omri.\u0026rdquo; He immediately lowered his eyes so he didn\u0026rsquo;t have to see their reactions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Jing-Wei,\u0026rdquo; Jing-Wei said. \u0026ldquo;And Jing-Wei again.\u0026rdquo; She looked around. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d like to hear stories about her sometime, the other me. I know you\u0026rsquo;ve all been avoiding it, but you don\u0026rsquo;t have to. She\u0026rsquo;s gone, but I\u0026rsquo;d\u0026mdash;she\u0026rsquo;d\u0026mdash;have liked to be remembered.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden and Cole remained silent throughout, though Holden\u0026rsquo;s face was wet with tears. Inez offered him the burning torch, but he shook his head once. She set the pyre ablaze, smiling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of them were smiling now. As the pyre burned, consuming Umta and the nameless girl\u0026rsquo;s bodies, the heat enveloped them and dark smoke drifted away into the clear night sky. And with it, Loki felt a weight lift, some of the grief and guilt and anxiety they\u0026rsquo;d all been carrying for a long time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhich left room for more anxiety to creep in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI told them my real name. Why did I do that?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen even that fear dissipated when Sunita came over and linked arms with him. \u0026ldquo;This was a good idea, Loki,\u0026rdquo; she said softly. \u0026ldquo;We really needed to say good-bye, to everyone we\u0026rsquo;ve lost.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fire gradually died down and the group sat around it in clusters, sharing stories the way they had at their first camp, shortly after arriving here, when they were first getting to know one another.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei cleared her throat. \u0026ldquo;Not to be a stick-in-the-mud, but we should all rest so we can wake up early and set out.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGabe crossed his arms. He and the others exchanged uneasy glances. Loki got that not everyone was on board with following the caretakers to this door, but it also seemed like after everything they\u0026rsquo;d been through, the group had to stay together this time\u0026mdash;all the way to the end.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden sat close to the fire, murmuring softly to himself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s on your mind, Holden?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked gently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden snapped out of it. He pointed across the smoldering pyre and at Cole, who was on the opposite side, still tied to his keeper. \u0026ldquo;That.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh crinkled her nose. \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eThat\u003c/em\u003e?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to deal with Cole before we leave,\u0026rdquo; Holden said.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026lsquo;Deal with\u0026rsquo; him how? What are you suggesting?\u0026rdquo; Loki asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden licked his lips. \u0026ldquo;We kill him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreviously on ReMade:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh found a body in Sanctuary, in a place Oz couldn’t see. Cole finally snapped, and killed Umta. Loki grew closer to Sunita as he dealt with the legacy of his previous life—a life of loneliness that he chose to end. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho's Who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay\u003c/strong\u003e: Overachiever who’d rather be studying for the SATs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNevaeh\u003c/strong\u003e: Cancer survivor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolden\u003c/strong\u003e: Accidental leader\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeyah\u003c/strong\u003e: A fairy princess, at least in 4th period drama class\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoki\u003c/strong\u003e: Loner and loose cannon\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHyrum\u003c/strong\u003e: Boy Scout. Literally\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe\u003c/strong\u003e: Social justice warrior and proud of it\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCole\u003c/strong\u003e: Farmer and young father\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSunita\u003c/strong\u003e: Freerunning enthusiast\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInez\u003c/strong\u003e: Might be the last lesbian in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJing-Wei\u003c/strong\u003e: Maker, tinkerer, jury-rigger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmta\u003c/strong\u003e: Mother, hunter, provider (killed by Cole)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeddy\u003c/strong\u003e: Reality TV star who’s lost touch with reality (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWesley\u003c/strong\u003e: Well-meaning know-it-all (killed by caretakers)\u003c/p\u003e","sku":"com.serialboxpublishing.serialbox.article.179","slug":"ReMade-S2E12","audio":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/audio/season2/ReMadeS02E12.mp3","epub":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E12.epub","mobi":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E12.mobi","pdf":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/season2/ebooks/ReMade_S2E12.pdf","share_url":"false","item_price":199,"bundle_price":199,"subscriber_price":159,"header_bg_color":"","number_display":"EPISODE 12"},{"id":"59bece37c7dc8d000126a946","issue_id":"59be95ba48e97e0001b644c3","number":13,"title":"Actus Reus","released_date":"2018-02-14T12:43:39.269+00:00","released":true,"strapline":"Trials and tribulations","byline":"Matthew Cody","featured":false,"coming_soon":false,"background_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/covers/season2/ReMadeS2E13_2.jpg","icon_image_url":"","divider_image_url":"https://serialbox.cachefly.net/remade/dividers/remade_divider.png","divider_color":"","display_date":"2018-02-14","body":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We kill him.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden watched their faces as his words sunk in. Friends like Loki and Nevaeh, rivals like Inez. The quieter ones like Sebastian and Amelia, who were still little more than strangers after all this time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLet it register. See that I mean it.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut then there was Seyah. His friend\u0026mdash;and his connection to a lost life. The Holden he used to be, the Holden who would have never contemplated ending another person\u0026rsquo;s life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah had known that Holden, even if she hadn\u0026rsquo;t known him well. But this ruined Earth had changed everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Whoa, man.\u0026rdquo; Loki glanced over his shoulder. \u0026ldquo;You mean, like, just out-and-out murder him?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He deserves to be executed. For the murder of Umta.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki let out a low whistle. \u0026ldquo;Definitely not what I was expecting you to say.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeyah stepped forward. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s because he doesn\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003eknow\u003c/em\u003e what he\u0026rsquo;s saying. Holden, you\u0026rsquo;re in shock, you\u0026rsquo;re grieving. We all are. Now\u0026rsquo;s not the time to make snap decisions about life and death.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden rubbed his temples. This was the argument he and Seyah had been having all day, in fierce whispers when the rest weren\u0026rsquo;t around. He\u0026rsquo;d hoped she\u0026rsquo;d come to see that this was the only way forward\u0026mdash;Umta had meant as much to her as to Holden, and if anyone would\u0026rsquo;ve wanted vengeance for her death, Holden thought it would\u0026rsquo;ve been her. But Seyah\u0026rsquo;s dad had been a cop, and it turned out that a cop\u0026rsquo;s daughter wasn\u0026rsquo;t one for execution without trial, even in a world gone mad.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToo bad. This would\u0026rsquo;ve been easier with her on his side, but it didn\u0026rsquo;t change things. Cole had murdered Umta right before Holden\u0026rsquo;s eyes. Would\u0026rsquo;ve killed him, too, if she hadn\u0026rsquo;t stopped him. Cole was too dangerous to let live.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalmly, Holden looked over the others assembled around the camp. Umta\u0026rsquo;s funeral was over, and now they would start packing up, getting ready to move out. Some yards away there was a different sort of camp, Jing-Wei and her caretakers, or \u003cem\u003ekeepers\u003c/em\u003e, as they\u0026rsquo;d started calling them. \u003cem\u003eKeepers are the good ones,\u003c/em\u003e she said, as if her word were enough. This Jing-Wei, remade for a second time and with a band of robots at her beck and call, was a big enough worry. They didn\u0026rsquo;t need a murderer like Cole to look after as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Maybe I am in shock,\u0026rdquo; said Holden, loud enough that everyone could hear. \u0026ldquo;Why aren\u0026rsquo;t the rest of you? One of our own turned against us.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden noticed a few people glance toward Cole. They\u0026rsquo;d untied him from the keeper and then retied him to a tree away from the rest of the group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This isn\u0026rsquo;t just about revenge,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;This is about survival. We have to travel light and fast.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And just where the hell are we going this time?\u0026rdquo; said Gabe. \u0026ldquo;You all keep talking about some door? What if that turns out like Arcadia? Like Oz? Shit, when are we going to stop running?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t have time for this, Gabe,\u0026rdquo; snapped Holden. \u0026ldquo;Oz\u0026rsquo;s brain is dead and his systems are shutting down one by one. I don\u0026rsquo;t know about you, but I\u0026rsquo;m not crazy about the idea of making my home over a fusion reactor that might start to fail any day.\u0026rdquo; Holden sighed. \u0026ldquo;And no matter where we go, Cole\u0026rsquo;s a threat. He\u0026rsquo;s not one of us anymore.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh spoke up, as Holden expected she would. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s not . . . Look, Oz screwed with our minds in there. Messed Cole up somehow, but he\u0026rsquo;s not some psychopath.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo Holden\u0026rsquo;s surprise, it was Inez who rebutted her. \u0026ldquo;You know that for sure? I mean, none of us knew jack about one another before waking up here.\u0026rdquo; She looked at Holden and Seyah. \u0026ldquo;Well, most of us, anyway. What do we really know about Cole? Maybe that whole farm boy thing is just an act. Maybe he\u0026rsquo;s done shit like this before.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He hasn\u0026rsquo;t!\u0026rdquo; said Nevaeh.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;You don\u0026rsquo;t \u003cem\u003eknow\u003c/em\u003e that,\u0026rdquo; said Inez. Then she leveled her gaze at Holden. \u0026ldquo;I agree we can\u0026rsquo;t take him along. But I\u0026rsquo;m not down with murder, either. I say we leave him behind.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta liked to press her cheek against the cool metal floor and listen to the station hum to her. The sound calmed her, like the low purr her own Umta had used on her when she was young. Like the one Umta used to sing to her sons, Mok and Luk. Most of the time those memories dug at her heart like a worm worrying an apple, but when she listened to the station, the memories hurt less. The pain never went away, but the panic receded. So Umta would lie on the floor for hours like that, purring along with the station, humming along with its tuneless song.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers gave her full roam of the station these days, and when she wasn\u0026rsquo;t listening, she explored the service shafts and twisting tunnels. She avoided the observation rooms, because looking down on Earth below gave her vertigo. Back when they\u0026rsquo;d first woken her, she\u0026rsquo;d tried to attack the planet through the glass. In her dumb, animalistic terror, she\u0026rsquo;d thought to try to kill it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer favorite place was the reservoir. Lamps on the bottom of the lake cast shimmering lights against the walls, like the brilliant night skylights of blue and green she remembered as a child, back before the Great Winter drove her tribe south. And it was always peaceful in the reservoir, the water cool and clear. One of the few joys of being remade\u0026mdash;the caretakers had taught her how to swim. She swam the length of the reservoir, and sometimes dove all the way to the bottom, where she\u0026rsquo;d hold her breath and let the roar of silence fill her ears. When the need to breathe grew too great, she\u0026rsquo;d launch herself to the surface again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite her grief, Umta never once considered \u003cem\u003estaying\u003c/em\u003e on the bottom. After a lifetime spent fighting to live, the habit was far too ingrained. Umta lived, and the reservoir became her refuge, her private lake floating high above the clouds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMoisture reclamation technology used to maintain the hydroponic gardens.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe words came unbidden to her brain, as words always did these days. When, Umta wondered, had she started thinking in English? Was it when she\u0026rsquo;d run out of words in her own pitifully limited language for the wondrous things she saw? Even now, the caretakers\u0026rsquo; programming constantly uploaded new knowledge, and it was always running in the background of her brain. But knowing the name of something and knowing how that something worked were very different. The caretakers could fill her head with words, but they couldn\u0026rsquo;t carve new neural pathways that would make her truly understand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo Umta let the words come, then she swept most of them into the dustpan of her mind, ignored and discarded like so much litter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hum of the station, the beauty of her lake, these things sustained her through her grief, but as the months passed, Umta began to experience an entirely new kind of hurt. For the first time in her life, she felt purposeless.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLife until then had been about survival, first her own and eventually the survival of her sons. Now her sons were gone, dead these many millions of years, and physically, Umta wanted for nothing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBoredom\u003c/em\u003e was too weak a word for what she felt. This was an \u003cem\u003eexistential\u003c/em\u003e hurt. It led to questions she\u0026rsquo;d never before thought to ask.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Why am I here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;The caretakers never answered, not directly. Most of these caretakers couldn\u0026rsquo;t talk because they\u0026rsquo;d been born\u0026mdash;designed\u0026mdash;that way. Some, though, had had their vocalizers torn out long ago in a battle with others of their kind. For those caretakers, tearing out the vocalizers was a kind of ritual\u0026mdash;an act of rebellion aimed at the human masters who\u0026rsquo;d created them and then abandoned them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose who resisted had been forced to comply.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the lack of speech wasn\u0026rsquo;t the largest impediment to communicating with the machines\u0026mdash;it was their \u003cem\u003ealienness\u003c/em\u003e. The caretakers had long ago stopped thinking as their human programmers had envisioned. They had evolved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill, images or phrases that felt important would sometimes drift out of the constant data download. She knew that she was not the first to be remade, but she was the first to live through the process. And she knew that the technology used hadn\u0026rsquo;t been designed for such a purpose, and therefore it made remaking difficult and dangerous.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe caretakers labored constantly at improving their prized remaking machine\u0026mdash;the portal. They\u0026rsquo;d only allowed Umta a glance at it\u0026mdash;an impossible, shimmering hole floating in midair. What they\u0026rsquo;d done to remake Umta had taken tremendous power and nearly wrecked the machine in the process. The hole had almost closed for good. Umta had been a test, and what they were intending next was something even bigger, something that required all their focus.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe day it finally happened, everything changed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven Umta.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Goddammit, just hold on!\u0026rdquo; Gabe shouted. It got everyone\u0026rsquo;s attention, which was good because in all the yelling, Holden could barely think.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs they quieted down, Gabe kept on talking. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m going to make this real clear: If anyone touches Cole without us giving him some kind of trial or anything, I\u0026rsquo;m gone.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay put her hand on his arm. \u0026ldquo;Gabe\u0026mdash;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut he cut her off, brushing her hand aside. \u0026ldquo;Seriously! I won\u0026rsquo;t be a part of it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe crossed her arms. \u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;ll let me finish, I was going to say I\u0026rsquo;m with you.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Oh.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay let out an exasperated sigh as she faced the group. \u0026ldquo;Gabe\u0026rsquo;s right. I\u0026rsquo;m sorry, Holden\u0026mdash;you say that Cole murdered Umta in cold blood, but we don\u0026rsquo;t even know all the facts. Right now, it\u0026rsquo;s your word against his.\u0026rdquo; She looked over at Cole in the distance, who had his head down. \u0026ldquo;And he\u0026rsquo;s not talking.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s because he knows what he did,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;You want facts? How about the fact that he put a hole in Umta\u0026rsquo;s chest?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay winced. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not saying he didn\u0026rsquo;t do it. I\u0026rsquo;m not even saying he doesn\u0026rsquo;t deserve to die, strictly speaking. I\u0026rsquo;m saying we aren\u0026rsquo;t prepared for that. This might be a really important moment for us, because if we really are the only people left on Earth, then what we do now \u003cem\u003ematters\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoath as he was to admit it, Holden knew what she said made sense. The others thought so too, he could tell. Loki wouldn\u0026rsquo;t make eye contact with Holden, and even Inez had softened her posture\u0026mdash;she didn\u0026rsquo;t look quite so ready to deck someone anymore.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fine,\u0026rdquo; he said, at last. \u0026ldquo;We banish him like Inez suggested.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But that\u0026rsquo;s basically sentencing him to death anyway!\u0026rdquo; said Nevaeh. \u0026ldquo;He won\u0026rsquo;t last out there. You all know it\u0026rsquo;s true.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMay thought for a moment. \u0026ldquo;The way I see it, we have only two options, Nevaeh: We take him along with us, or we leave him behind. We should vote, but not before presenting arguments\u0026mdash;witness testimony. This is basically a sentencing hearing, right? I mean, Cole\u0026rsquo;s not denying anything, so the job now is deciding what to do about it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevaeh turned away and shook her head. \u0026ldquo;We should call it what it is\u0026mdash;we\u0026rsquo;re voting on whether he lives or dies.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Nevaeh\u0026rsquo;s got a point,\u0026rdquo; said Loki. \u0026ldquo;The vote could get ugly.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Then we do it anonymously. We appoint one person to count the votes. Someone who can be impartial.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;And who\u0026rsquo;s that going to be?\u0026rdquo; asked Holden. \u0026ldquo;How are we going to find someone like that around here?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ll do it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden turned to see Jing-Wei walking toward them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Sorry,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;But it\u0026rsquo;s hard not to overhear with all the shouting.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Look,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;No offense, but this isn\u0026rsquo;t really your business.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei shrugged. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s why I\u0026rsquo;m offering to help. I don\u0026rsquo;t know you, not really. Or Umta or Cole. You\u0026rsquo;ve all said it before\u0026mdash;I\u0026rsquo;m not the Jing-Wei you knew. So I\u0026rsquo;ll do it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoki looked skeptical, but Sunita nodded. \u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s right. It makes sense.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolden could almost hear Umta scoffing at all this. She understood concepts like democracy and the right to a fair trial, but that didn\u0026rsquo;t mean she believed in them. A strong leader would have killed Cole himself and been done with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that was the thing, wasn\u0026rsquo;t it? This was their moment to prove they weren\u0026rsquo;t savages. Neither were they cold machines like the caretakers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;All right,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;We do this your way. But after the arguments have been heard, after we\u0026rsquo;ve voted, everyone promises to go along with what the majority decides. Do we agree?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne by one everyone nodded.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Okay,\u0026rdquo; said Holden. \u0026ldquo;How do we start this?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJing-Wei walked over and took a seat where she could watch both Holden and Cole. \u0026ldquo;Start by telling us what happened.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePeople\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was what the caretakers had been working on all this time\u0026mdash;a group of young people remade just like Umta. No, not just like her. These were different, a later species of humanity, but Umta didn\u0026rsquo;t care. They were \u003cem\u003epeople\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt hadn\u0026rsquo;t gone perfectly, however, and at least one of them was in serious distress. Umta edged her way into the sterile white room where two caretakers loomed over a young man who\u0026rsquo;d been laid out on a table. They stuck him with needles, wiring him up to machines that glowed and beeped. The boy went rigid, his body suddenly racked with convulsions as his eyes popped open. Umta knew the look of terror as he gazed up into the machines\u0026rsquo; faceted eyes. He screamed, but the caretakers went about their work. One of them plunged another needle into his neck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta pushed her way past the machines and took the boy\u0026rsquo;s hand. He was crying now, mumbling apologies for something, over and over again. Delirious.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s awake,\u0026rdquo; said Umta, to the caretakers. \u0026ldquo;You shouldn\u0026rsquo;t do this to him when he\u0026rsquo;s awake. It hurts him. It hurts him!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe boy opened his mouth to cry out, but a caretaker jabbed another needle into his throat. The boy\u0026rsquo;s convulsions stopped as he froze in place, but Umta could tell by the look in his eyes that he could feel everything. They\u0026rsquo;d paralyzed him so they could continue working to save him, but he was still conscious.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaretakers didn\u0026rsquo;t understand pain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta fumbled around the medical tray for a syringe, one they\u0026rsquo;d used before on another girl who\u0026rsquo;d woken too soon. The one they\u0026rsquo;d used on Umta in the early days when she panicked and raged against her new existence. When she\u0026rsquo;d tried to kill the Earth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGently, she inserted the tiny needle into the boy\u0026rsquo;s arm and pushed down the plunger. She laid a heavy hand on his forehead and whispered, \u0026ldquo;Go back to sleep. We\u0026rsquo;ll wake you when it\u0026rsquo;s over.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUmta hummed to the boy until his eyes fluttered and then finally closed. And the caretakers continued with their work to save his life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater, Umta sat on the edge of her lake and studied her reflection in the water. Not so different from these new people, but different enough. What would they think of her? Foolish that she should feel nervous now after all she\u0026rsquo;d been through, but that was what time did to you when you had too much of it on your hands\u0026mdash;it gave you cause to worry.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn\u0026rsquo;t hear the caretaker enter the reservoir chamber\u0026mdash;the machines could be oddly quiet when they wanted to be\u0026mdash;but she noticed the slight ripple on the water\u0026rsquo;s surface as a door shut nearby. It was one of the simpler ones, a black maintenance model that reminded Umta of a spider but acted more like the wolfhounds that had sometimes followed her tribe, looking for scraps. For some reason, she\u0026rsquo;d taken a liking to it and it to her. It was an odd machine, and that was what Umta named it\u0026mdash;Odd.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOdd held a neatly folded red jumpsuit in his pinchers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m not wearing that.\u0026rdquo; The caretakers had tried to get Umta to wear clothing like this before, but the fabric made her skin itch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOdd dropped the clothing onto the floor, but it didn\u0026rsquo;t leave. Finally, Umta grunted in frustration, but got to her feet nonetheless. Odd would wait there all day until she did what it wanted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt waited patiently by the door as Umta dressed. \u0026ldquo;Come with you?\u0026rdquo; she asked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOdd edged toward the door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Lead,\u0026rdquo; she said, and followed the little caretaker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt led her through the corridors to a closed hatch door. Again, Odd sat outside the door and waited.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?\u0026rdquo; Umta snapped. She was short of patience today.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOdd tapped on the door. Twice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Fine.\u0026rdquo; Umta turned the wheel handle, causing a hissing sound as hydraulic hinges opened the two-hundred-pound titanium door.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo many words floated through Umta\u0026rsquo;s head. So many useless words.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u00