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We whirled； twisting onto our knees。 What we saw made our heart falter and our awareness splinter
apart。
There were eight humans half…circled around where I knelt under the tree。 There was no question they
were humans； all of them。 I’d never seen faces contorted into such expressions—not on my kind。 These
lips twisted with hatred； pulled back over clenched teeth like wild animals。 These brows pulled low over
eyes that burned with fury。
Six men and two women； some of them very big； most of them bigger than me。 I felt the blood drain
from my face as I realized why they held their hands so oddly—gripped tightly in front of them； each
balancing an object。 They held weapons。 Some held blades—a few short ones like those I had kept in
my kitchen； and some longer； one huge and menacing。 This knife had no purpose in a kitchen。 Melanie
supplied the name： amachete。
Others held long bars； some metal； some wooden。 Clubs。
I recognized Uncle Jeb in their midst。 Held loosely in his hands was an object I’d never seen in person；
only in Melanie’s memories； like the big knife。 It was a rifle。
I saw horror； but Melanie saw all this with wonder； her mind boggling at their numbers。 Eight human
survivors。 She’d thought Jeb was alone or； in the best case scenario； with only two others。 To see so
many of her kind alive filled her with joy。
You’re an idiot；I told her。Look at them。 See them。
I forced her to see it from my perspective： to see the threatening shapes inside the dirty jeans and light
cotton shirts； brown with dust。 They might have been human—as she thought of the word—once； but at
this moment they were something else。 They were barbarians； monsters。 They hung over us； slavering for
blood。
There was a death sentence in every pair of eyes。
Melanie saw all this and； though grudgingly； she had to admit that I was right。 At this moment； her
beloved humans were at their worst—like the newspaper stories we’d seen in the abandoned shack。 We
were looking at killers。
We should have been wiser； we should have died yesterday。
A shiver passed through me at the thought。 I’d skimmed through the histories of human atrocities。 I’d
had no stomach for them。 Perhaps I should have concentrated better。 I knew there were reasons why
humans let their enemies live； for a little while。 Things they wanted from their minds or their bodies…
Of course it sprang into my head immediately—the one secret they would want from me。 The one I
could never； never tell them。 No matter what they did to me。 I would have to kill myself first。
I did not let Melanie see the secret I protected。 I used her own defenses against her and threw up a wall
in my head to hide behind while I thought of the information for the first time since implantation。 There
had been no reason to think of it before。
Melanie was hardly even curious on the other side of the wall； she made no effort to break through it。
There were much more immediate concerns than the fact that she had not been the only one keeping
information in reserve。
Did it matter that I protected my secret from her？ I wasn’t as strong as Melanie； I had no doubt she
could endure torture。 How much pain could I stand before I gave them anything they wanted？
My stomach heaved。 Suicide was a repugnant option—worse because it would be murder； too。 Melanie
would be part of either torture or death。 I would wait for that until I had absolutely no other choice。
No； they can’t。 Uncle Jeb would never let them hurt me。
Uncle Jeb doesn’t know you’re here；I reminded her。
Tell him！
I focused on the old man’s face。 The thick white beard kept me from seeing the set of his mouth； but his
eyes did not seem to burn like the others’。 From the corner of my eye； I could see a few of the men shift
their gaze from me to him。 They were waiting for him to answer the question that had alerted me to their
presence。 Uncle Jeb stared at me； ignoring them。
I can’t tell him； Melanie。 He won’t believe me。 And if they think I’m lying to them； they’ll think
I’m a Seeker。 They must have experience enough to know that only a Seeker would e out here
with a lie； a story designed for infiltration。
Melanie recognized the truth of my thought at once。 The very wordSeeker made her recoil with hatred；
and she knew these strangers would have the same reaction。
It doesn’t matter anyway。 I’m a soul—that’s enough for them。
The one with the machete—the biggest man there； black…haired with oddly fair skin and vivid blue
eyes—made a sound of disgust and spit on the ground。 He took a step forward； slowly raising the long
blade。
Better fast than slow。 Better that it was this brutal hand and not mine that killed us。 Better that I didn’t
die a creature of violence； accountable for Melanie’s blood as well as my own。
“Why？ You said you made sure。 It’s one of them。”
I recognized the voice—he was the same one who’d asked Jeb why he’d given me water。
“Well； yes； she surely is。 But it’s a little plicated。”
“How？” A different man asked the question。 He stood next to the big； dark…haired Kyle； and they
looked so much alike that they had to be brothers。
“See； this here is my niece； too。”
“Not anymore she’s not；” Kyle said flatly。 He spit again and took another deliberate step in my
direction； knife ready。 I could see from the way his shoulders leaned into the action that words would not
stop him again。 I closed my eyes。
There were two sharp metallic clicks； and someone gasped。 My eyes flew open again。
“I said hold it； Kyle。” Uncle Jeb’s voice was still relaxed； but the long rifle was gripped tightly in his
hands now； and the barrels were pointed at Kyle’s back。 Kyle was frozen just steps from me； his
machete hung motionless in the air above his shoulder。
“Jeb；” the brother said； horrified； “what are you doing？”
“Step away from the girl； Kyle。”
Kyle turned his back to us； whirling on Jeb in fury。 “It’s not agirl； Jeb！”
Jeb shrugged； the gun stayed steady in his hands； pointed at Kyle。 “There are thin