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  "We're running out of time." I pushed back from the dining room table, which had become command central. "And I don't know how I'm going to get all of you, or me for that matter, onto an airplane unnoticed..." I trailed off as I noticed them all staring at me.

  He said to meet him where this began, but Texas is where it began only for you, Caelan said.

  My eyes flicked to the windows at the end of the dining room, in the direction of the Awakening Chamber–that is where everything had started, at least from Nevan's perspective. "You mean he's coming here?"

  Caelan nodded.

  "Why'd he give us so much time then?" He does not know where we are, so he cannot accurately predict our travel time, Namere said.

  "Good thing you weren't hiding out in Hawaii," I muttered.

  "So we have the advantage of surprise is what you're telling me?" Yes, although we do not know Nevan's location or when he will arrive here either, Namere said. It is likely he planned his communication with you to allow him first arrival, Thane said.

  "Then we better get moving," I said. But a clothes change was necessary for them before heading out. Half-hour later, the four of them trooped down the stairs to meet me in the lounge. Under heavy exterior coats still unzipped, 202

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  they wore tight black leather pants and a form-fitting jacket. I found myself staring at Caelan, who'd dressed like the rest of them for the first time since I'd known him. The change somehow made him seem more alien. He caught my eye, but I looked away. I wasn't ready to deal with him just yet.

  Once we got outside, they closed their coats and fell into formation around me. Asha and Caelan in front of me, and Thane and Namere behind.

  Wait a minute, I said. They stopped, and I darted to the front to face Asha. If Nevan's supposed to believe I'm running the show here, then I would be in the front.

  You would be in the middle to protect your safety because you are the weakest of us, she paused, turning her head in Caelan's direction, in theory, at least.

  I ignored that jab for the moment, though it infuriated me every time she made reference to his new weakened state like it was my fault. Maybe part of it was, but I hadn't even been given the information to make the decision...whatever. I'm telling you that if I were in charge–

  What difference does this make? Thane sounded impatient to move on.

  If we go in there like you're calling the shots, doing things I would never do, then he's going to know you're running things, not me.

  All the better to surprise him with your gift, Asha said. Yeah, except then there's no point in keeping my br...Scott alive, I pointed out.

  I knew Asha was dying to push past me, but she'd made a deal. Now she'd have to find a way to live with it. I was. Very well, if you insist on leading. She remained next to Caelan and gestured for me to move ahead. I stared into the dark woods ahead of me, my stomach clenched tight. Suddenly the idea of leading this charge didn't seem like such a great one, but I 203

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  couldn't take it back now.

  I started forward. At some signal from Asha that I didn't quite catch, Namere moved up to the front, though still behind me, and lit fire from her hand in a large burst, illuminating the night and banishing shadows from our path.

  That's not really necessary is it? I asked. The moonlight is enough–

  Caelan stumbled over something the rest of us had missed. God, help me. I looked up at the sky to keep from looking back to check on Caelan. I knew if I did, I wouldn't be able to go forward.

  The woods closed around us and even then, the light from the fire wasn't enough to make it feel safe. I couldn't help but feel that we were being watched. It was paranoia, I suppose, but how does that old saying go? Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not...

  An Observer stepped out from behind one of the trees, about five feet in front of us.

  I sucked in a breath. I thought you said Nevan worked alone, that he didn't involve anyone else.

  Block your thoughts, Zara. He might be able to hear you, Caelan said.

  He has never involved any other up to this point. It was a reasonable conclusion that he would come alone, Thane said. But he has never pursued us before, always the other way, Namere reminded us.

  Zara, block your thoughts until we know his capabilities, Caelan interrupted again.

  I don't know how, I shouted.

  Y ou are aware that we do not travel alone or even in pairs, Asha said.

  I know, I know. There are probably another three around here somewhere, right? The supposed research teams were usually 204

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  four Observers or more. I looked around, searching the woods for further signs of activity and caught a glimpse of silver eyes reflecting the moonlight. Panic set my nerves on a fine trembling edge. My hands began to shake. Let's get out of here now. Do you think he will let us? Asha sounded amused. I hesitated, my adrenaline pumping, preparing for flight. But she had a point.

  No. He'll signal to the others and to Nevan, who will kill Scott if he's still alive, and then these guys out here will finish us off. I felt the weight of the truth settle on my shoulders. Oh, lead on, human, you're doing so well, Asha said. Shut up, I said.

  Zara, I can no longer hear anyone but you, Caelan said. He still sounded relatively calm, but the tension was there in his voice, just barely hidden, like a metal spring poking up through a mattress.

  I turned to face him. He was pale and unsteady on his feet. I felt blood trickle down from my nose onto my chin. I wiped at it–the rapid-fire conversation must also be using Caelan's energy. Everything's okay, Caelan. They're just arguing over what I've done wrong now.

  Hurry up, human, you don't have much time. Asha gripped Caelan's arm to help him keep his balance.

  Oh, God, please don't do this to me. But God didn't choose to respond, at least not directly.

  I approached the new alien with caution. He was tall, of course, but slimmer than any in Caelan's group. His reddish brown hair was slicked back from his forehead, making his silver and green eyes even more striking. But something about him, an aura of superiority, made me think he was like Asha, the leader of whatever pack was prowling the woods at this moment. So what exactly does one say in this situation? I wondered. I was tempted, just out of sheer perversity to say, take me to your 205

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  leader. But no one would get the joke and plus, he might actually do what I asked and right now, I was looking to stall, stall, stall, until we could come up with a new plan. Of course, we couldn't put it off indefinitely. I looked down at my hand and the blood smeared there–worse consequences might result.

  "So, hey, how are you?" My voice sounded odd to me after speaking inside my head for so long. "Nevan told me to meet him around here. He has my...he has Scott, and I'm here to get him back." Might as well be upfront about the goals–you know, manage the expectation that he was going to get his ass kicked. I hoped.

  No response from the stranger, except his eyes losing focus and his eyelids blinking rapidly.

  What's the deal with him? I asked to Asha or Caelan or anyone in that group who was listening. The oven's on, but nothing's cooking.

  There was confusion for a second at the image I'd chosen, but they got it eventually.

  We have encountered many behaving in a similar manner, Namere said.

  I looked to Caelan. "This is what you meant by their behavior seeming controlled."

  He nodded.

  "All right, Slick, what's your deal? Do you just stand here and look pretty or are you meant to do something?" I was sick of standing around and waiting for our doom. It was getting old. Again, no response.

  "Listen, I'm not sure of the proper protocol for this, but here are the facts: Nevan has Scott and I'm pretty sure he's still alive." This was true. In the last few minutes I'd become aware of noise inside my head, not thoughts, not speaking, but bits of sound, like a radio station being tu
ned in and out quickly. Given what Caelan had said about hearing human thoughts–it sounded like chaos, 206

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  which was why they spent so much time tuning us out–I thought that noise meant there was a good chance Scott was around here and still alive. I'd have to get closer to find out for certain.

  "And I'm not leaving without him. So, here are your choices: one, bring Scott to me, two, go tell Nevan I'm coming in or three, get the hell out of my way."

  Slick started his blinking routine again and for a second, I thought that was all he was going to do, but then he turned on heel and headed in the direction of the Awakening Chamber. Are we supposed to follow him? I asked the others. Before any of them had time to send an answer to me, we were surrounded. The remaining three, two females and one male, of Slick's group closed in around us and started to move us forward by keeping us in the middle of them.

  I turned to face Asha. It was the only way I knew to make sure she knew I was talking to her. In addition to not being able to block my thoughts–thankfully this other group didn't seem to be able to hear our conversations–I also didn't know how to single out somebody for private communication. Truly, this was not the best time to be discovering my limitations. Now what? I asked. Now you ask me? Asha sounded amused, but not in a particularly happy way. Now, we follow them. It's a trap.

  How clever of you to realize that.

  So we can't go willingly.

  It is our only choice for now.

  Why not just fight them? Thane said you guys could beat them.

  Because they are equal to us and Caelan's power, though increased through you, will not last long enough to challenge this group and then Nevan.

  I swallowed hard. She was saying Caelan would die. And possibly you as well. Asha maintained her grip on 207

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  Caelan, helping him keep up with the rest of us. So you must make your choice, out here against them or inside against Nevan. Wait, Zara, until we are against Nevan. Caelan sounded weary, even in my head.

  I looked up at him, startled, hoping for a second that he had recovered some of his power from me, so that he could now hear. But he shook his head. He must have guessed Asha's response from hearing my side of the argument.

  If you fight now, he said, the effort may be lost before the true battle has begun.

  All right, I said, then I guess we wait. We walked on for a few seconds in silence. Then I had to ask, even knowing Caelan could hear me. What happens if we have to fight all of them inside?

  Asha surprised me by speaking aloud. "Then it will be over very quickly."

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  Chapter 19

  I wanted to run. Some part of my brain kept insisting that if we all made a break for it at the same time, then maybe we could get away.

  But it wasn't likely, certainly not likely enough to try it. Maybe if everyone was well... I quashed that thought and moved back by Caelan, taking Asha's position by his side. She headed toward the front.

  He leaned on me more than he ever had before. I took care to make sure my arm didn't cause his coat to rise up and let the cold air touch him even more, though he wasn't shivering, which worried me because he should have been. It was like he didn't have the energy to resist the cold.

  I wrapped my arm tighter around him, stepping only when he stepped. "I'm sorry," I said after a long moment of silence. "I should never have started...that between us." He should have told me what might happen, but I should have left well enough alone in the first place.

  "You didn't know."

  "No, but you did. Why did you let it happen?" I asked, my voice breaking.

  "You must concentrate on what must be done," Caelan said. He was so pale that the line of his cheek was only a gray smudge in the whiteness of his face.

  "I thought you didn't want this. You said we were manipulating destiny."

  He gave a faint smile. "It seems that destiny is familiar with your machinations, Zara. Based on what I have seen so far, I believe this is the final confrontation with Nevan and you have led us to him."

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  "Caelan, I don't know if I can do this." I made a valiant effort to keep my voice steady. Now that he seemed to be back on my side, self-doubt nearly swamped me. "I don't know what I'm doing and with this power you've given me, you...people could get hurt. Just take it back and we'll figure out some other way."

  "It does not work in that manner. A reversal may not be possible and even if it was, I would not do it."

  "You can't just offer yourself up like this," I cried out. Then I lowered my voice. "You heard what Asha said. You could die if this goes too far. If I use too much power against these guys and Nevan, there will be nothing left for you." He looked down at me then with such calm on his face, such peace. "You are the one always telling me there are more important things than the prophecy. If this is truly the culmination of my vision, then I do not believe my life to be one of them." Tears blurred my vision and my breath came out in hard little puffs of white smoke. "You're going to make me do it."

  "It is the only way."

  "That's not true," I shouted. This time, I didn't care who heard me.

  "If you spare me, we will all die. But if you use what I have given you, it will be enough."

  "But not for everyone, not for you."

  "No, not for me."

  "Don't do this," I pleaded with him. Then, inspiration struck.

  "You can't do this because then your vision would be wrong. You said you didn't know how it was all going to go down, but that in the end, I would be standing in triumph with you. With you. You saw it."

  If anything, this revelation only seemed to bring him more certainty. "I never saw myself in the vision."

  "What?" Fear spilled through me, turning my insides into ice.

  "I never saw myself there with you and the others. Until these 210

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  last moments, I assumed it was because I was the one viewing the moment, viewing all of you together. But perhaps not."

  "No." I straightened up, filled with renewed purpose.

  "No?"

  "No, it's not going to happen that way. It doesn't have to." I wiped my face. "And I won't let it." He touched my face. "Zara, you cannot change what will happen by refusing to accept–"

  "Stop it, right now." I pushed his hand away. "You will not say goodbye to me because this is not over. I will not let it happen that way."

  "Zara," he said.

  "No." Then I tucked my head down and concentrated on moving forward through the snow, just repeating to myself, I won't let it happen, I won't let it happen.

  The abandoned barn was in sight much quicker than I'd anticipated–isn't that always the way? Let me tell you, just like that bad report card in the mail, the possibility of a painful and bloody death for you and yours always arrives before you expect it.

  For some reason, the barn looked less ramshackle at night. The places that had appeared to be holes didn't let light through and the boards–I touched one as we went through the door–weren't splintery to the touch. They only looked that way. The whole place was a freaking illusion. I don't know why I hadn't seen through it when I was here before, but it could only mean that the Observers had built not only the chamber below but this structure as well. Some technology, a computer program or something, must have been in place to keep the appearance up. Probably the same thing that was responsible for keeping the lights and the heat on below.

  I turned my head to ask Caelan but found his eyes closed. Dread tore through me. He was still standing, so I knew it wasn't 211

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  the end, not yet.

  "I am conserving energy," he said so softly that I could barely hear him.

  I'd been trying to do the same, but I had trouble because I wasn't always aware of using power unless my nose was bleeding. We stopped in a huddle near the opening to
the chamber below. Slick had shoved aside the wooden beam and opened the metal trapdoor. Then he stood there, waiting, staring at us expectantly.

  "You guys must have some very stimulating discussions. Given a little time, I think you could graduate from blank stares to grunts and single word sentences, like uggh and good." I turned to Asha and the others. How is it that nobody noticed this before?

  I've seen other Observers on TV, and they don't act like this. You've seen Council members on your television. They seem to be the only ones to react in a manner similar to ours. The others are like this, Asha said.

  "But he's practically catatonic." I watched as Slick's eyes rolled back in his head again, and his eyelids fluttered up and down. "This can't be the way the rest of you are." Yes, Namere answered me this time.

  Is this what would happen to you if Nevan got what he wanted?

  We believe so, yes, Namere said, fear threading through her voice.

  They'd be walking vegetables, just like these guys. I imagined Caelan's eyes empty, Namere's face blank, Thane without his permanent scowl, and Asha missing the sneer that always lurked just beneath the surface. I shuddered.

  Slick's eyes snapped open, and he was staring straight at me. Something was brewing inside his brain, and I was pretty sure I didn't want to know what. He came at me, slowly enough that I could back away, taking Caelan stumbling with me. 212

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  "Stay back," I warned. "Just tell me what you want." He ignored me and his group left their posts at the perimeter of us and closed in on me.

  Hands locked down on me and tried to separate me from Caelan.

  "No." I threw an elbow out at the nearest offending party, a female. One second she was there, grasping at me, and the next, she was gone, across the room, lying in the shadows on the barn floor, her head turned at a funny angle.

  Stop, Zara. Do not fight them. You will end this now before we are ready, Asha said.

  They might hurt him. He can't defend himself. I blocked another attempt from Slick's drones. They were less certain this time.