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“Why didn’t you tell me？” Jamie demanded back。
Jeb went silent。
“Was that Jared’s idea？” Jamie pressed。
Jeb sighed。 “Okay； so you know。 What good does that do you； eh？ We only wanted to —”
“To protect me？” he interrupted； surly。
When did he get so bitter？ Was it my fault？ Of course it was。
Melanie began sobbing in my head。 It was distracting； loud—it made Jeb and Jamie’s voices sound
farther away。
“Fine； Jamie。 So you don’t need protecting。 What do you want？”
This quick capitulation seemed to throw Jamie off。 His eyes darted between Jeb’s face and mine while
he struggled to e up with a request。
“I—I want to talk with her… with it；” he finally said。 His voice was higher when he was unsure。
“She doesn’t say much；” Jeb told him； “but you’re wele to try； kid。”
Jeb pried my fingers off his arm。 When he was free； he turned his back to the nearest wall； leaning into it
as he eased himself to the floor。 He settled in there； fidgeting until he found a fortable position。 The
gun stayed balanced in the cradle of his lap。 Jeb’s head lolled back against the wall； and his eyes closed。
In seconds； he looked like he was asleep。
I stood where he’d left me； trying to keep my eyes off Jamie’s face and failing。
Jamie was surprised again by Jeb’s easy acquiescence。 He watched the old man recline on the floor with
wide eyes that made him look younger。 After a few minutes of perfect stillness from Jeb； Jamie looked
back up at me； and his eyes tightened。
The way he stared at me—angry； trying hard to be brave and grown…up； but also showing the fear and
pain so clearly in his dark eyes—had Melanie sobbing louder and my knees shaking。 Rather than take a
chance with another collapse； I moved slowly to the tunnel wall across from Jeb and slid down to the
floor。 I curled up around my bent legs； trying to be as small as possible。
Jamie watched me with cautious eyes and then took four slow steps forward until he stood over me。 His
glance flitted to Jeb； who hadn’t moved or opened his eyes； and then Jamie knelt down at my side。 His
face was suddenly intense； and it made him look more adult than any expression yet。 My heart throbbed
for the sad man in the little boy’s face。
“You’re not Melanie；” he said in a low voice。
I shrugged。 I didn’t know what my face looked like； but I could imagine。
“Who did this to you？” he pressed。 With a hesitant finger； he almost touched the side of my neck。 I held
still； feeling no urge to cringe away fromthis hand。
“Aunt Maggie； Jared； and Ian；” Jeb listed off in a bored voice。 We both jumped at the sound。 Jeb hadn’t
moved； and his eyes were still closed。 He looked so peaceful； as if he had answered Jamie’s question in
his sleep。
Jamie waited for a moment； then turned back to me with the same intense expression。
“You’re not Melanie； but you know all her memories and stuff； right？”
I nodded again。
“Do you know who I am？”
I tried to swallow the words； but they slipped through my lips。 “You’re Jamie。” I couldn’t help how my
voice wrapped around the name like a caress。
He blinked； startled that I had broken my silence。 Then he nodded。 “Right；” he whispered back。
We both looked at Jeb； who remained still； and back at each other。
“Then you remember what happened to her？” he asked。
I winced； and then nodded slowly。
“I want to know；” he whispered。
I shook my head。
“I want to know；” Jamie repeated。 His lips trembled。 “I’m not a kid。 Tell me。”
“It’s not… pleasant；” I breathed； unable to stop myself。 It was very hard to deny this boy what he
wanted。
His straight black eyebrows pulled together and up in the middle over his wide eyes。 “Please；” he
whispered。
I glanced at Jeb。 I thought that maybe he was peeking from between his lashes now； but I couldn’t be
My voice was soft as breathing。 “Someone saw her go into a place that was off…limits。 They knew
something was wrong。 They called the Seekers。”
He flinched at the title。
“The Seekers tried to get her to surrender。 She ran from them。 When they had her cornered； she jumped
into an open elevator shaft。”
I recoiled from the memory of pain； and Jamie’s face went white under his tan。
“She didn’t die？” he whispered。
“No。 We have very skilled Healers。 They mended her quickly。 Then they put me in her。 They hoped I
would be able to tell them how she had survived so long。” I had not meant to say so much； my mouth
snapped shut。 Jamie didn’t seem to notice my slip； but Jeb’s eyes opened slowly and fixed on my face。
No other part of him moved； and Jamie didn’t see the change。
“Why didn’t you let her die？” he asked。 He had to swallow hard； a sob was threatening in his voice。 This
was all the more painful to hear because it was not the sound a child makes； frightened of the unknown；
but the fully prehending agony of an adult。 It was so hard not to reach out and put my hand on his
cheek。 I wanted to hug him to me and beg him not to be sad。 I curled my hands into fists and tried to
concentrate on his question。 Jeb’s eyes flickered to my hands and back to my face。
“I wasn’t in on the decision；” I murmured。 “I was still in a hibernation tank in deep space when that
happened。”
Jamie blinked again in surprise。 My answer was nothing he’d expected； and I could see him struggling
with some new emotion。 I glanced at Jeb； his eyes were bright with curiosity。
The same curiosity； though more wary； won out with Jamie。 “Where were you ing from？” he asked。
In spite of myself； I smiled at his unwilling interest。 “Far away。 Another planet。”
“What was —” he started to ask； but he was interrupted by another question。
“What the hell？” Jared shouted at us； frozen with fury in the act of rounding the corner at the end of the
tunnel。 “Damn it； Jeb！ We agreed not to —”
Jamie wrenched himself upright。 “Jeb didn’t bring me here。 Butyou should have。”
Jeb sighed and got slowly to his feet。 As he did so； the gun rolled from his lap onto the floor。 It stopped
only a few inches from me。