everyone know that this corridor is off…limits。 No one’s got any reason for being here except Jared； and if
I catch someone skulking around； I’m asking questions second。 You got that？ Move。 Now。” He jabbed
the gun at Kyle again。
I was amazed that the three assassins immediately stalked back up the hallway； not even pausing to give
me or Jeb a parting grimace。
I deeply wanted to believe that the gun in Jeb’s hands was a bluff。
From the first time I’d seen him； Jeb had shown every outward appearance of kindness。 He had not
touched me once in violence； he had not even looked at me with recognizable hostility。 Now it seemed
that he was one of only two people here who meant me no harm。 Jared might have fought to keep me
alive； but it was plain that he was intensely conflicted about that decision。 I sensed that he could change
his mind at any time。 From his expression； it was clear that part of him wanted this over with—especially
now that Jeb had put the decision on his shoulders。 While I made this analysis； Jared glowered at me with
disgust in every line of his expression。
However； as much as I wanted to believe that Jeb was bluffing； while I watched the three men disappear
into the darkness away from me； it was obvious there was no way he could be。 Under the front he
Desperate times；Melanie whispered。We can’t afford to be kind in the world you’ve created。 We’re
fugitives； an endangered species。 Every choice is life…or…death。
Shh。 I don’t have time for a debate。 I need to focus。
Jared was facing Jeb now； one hand held out in front of him； palm up； fingers curled limply。 Now that the
others were gone； their bodies slumped into a looser stance。 Jeb was even grinning under his thick beard；
as though he’d enjoyed the standoff at gunpoint。 Strange human。
“Please don’t put this on me； Jeb；” Jared said。 “Kyle is right about one thing—Ican’t make a rational
decision。”
“No one said you had to decide this second。 She’s not going anywhere。” Jeb glanced down at me； still
grinning。 The eye closest to me—the one Jared couldn’t see—closed quickly and opened again。 A wink。
“Not after all the trouble she took to get here。 You’ve got plenty of time to think it through。”
“There’s nothing to think through。 Melanieis dead。 But I can’t—I can’t—Jeb； I can’t just…” Jared
couldn’t seem to finish the sentence。
Tell him。
I’m not ready to die right this second。
“Don’t think about it； then；” Jeb told him。 “Maybe you’ll figure something out later。 Give it some time。”
“What are we going todo with it？ We can’t keep watch on it round the clock。”
Jeb shook his head。 “That’sexactly what we’re going to have to do for a while。 Things will calm down。
Even Kyle can’t preserve a murderous rage for more than a few weeks。”
“A fewweeks？ We can’t afford to play guard down here for a fewweeks。 We have other things —”
“I know； I know。” Jeb sighed。 “I’ll figure something out。”
“And that’s only half the problem。” Jared looked at me again； a vein in his forehead pulsed。 “Where do
we keep it？ It’s not like we have a cell block。”
Jeb smiled down at me。 “You’re not going to give us any trouble； now； are you？”
I stared at him mutely。
“Jeb；” Jared muttered； upset。
“Oh； don’t worry about her。 First of all； we’ll keep an eye on her。 Secondly； she’d never be able to find
her way out of here—she’d wander around lost until she ran into somebody。 Which leads us to number
three： she’s not that stupid。” He raised one thick white eyebrow at me。 “You’re not going to go looking
for Kyle or the rest of them； are you？ I don’t think any of them are very fond of you。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“I wish you wouldn’t talk to it like that；” Jared muttered。
“I was raised in a politer time； kid。 I can’t help myself。” Jeb put one hand on Jared’s arm； patting lightly。
“Look； you’ve had a full night。 Let me take the next watch here。 Get some sleep。”
Jared seemed about to object； but then he looked at me again and his expression hardened。
“Whatever you want； Jeb。 And… I don’t—I won’t accept responsibility for this thing。 Kill it if you think
that’s best。”
I flinched。
Jared scowled at my reaction； then turned his back abruptly and walked the same way the others had
gone。 Jeb watched him go。 While he was distracted； I crept back into my hole。
I heard Jeb settle slowly to the ground beside the opening。 He sighed and stretched； popping a few
joints。 After a few minutes； he started whistling quietly。 It was a cheery tune。
I curled myself around my bent knees； pressing my back into the farthest recess of the little cell。 Tremors
started at the small of my back and ran up and down my spine。 My hands shook； and my teeth chattered
softly together； despite the soggy heat。
“Might as well lie down and get some sleep；” Jeb said； whether to me or to himself； I wasn’t sure。
“Tomorrow’s bound to be a tough one。”
The shivers passed after a time—maybe half an hour。 When they were gone； I felt exhausted。 I decided
to take Jeb’s advice。 Though the floor felt even more unfortable than before； I was unconscious in
seconds。
The smell of food woke me。 This time Iwas groggy and disoriented when I opened my eyes。 An
instinctive sense of panic had my hands trembling again before I was fully conscious。
The same tray sat on the ground beside me； identical offerings on it。 I could both see and hear Jeb。 He
sat in front of the cave in profile； looking straight ahead down the long round corridor and whistling softly。
Driven by my fierce thirst； I sat up and grabbed the open bottle of water。
“Morning；” Jeb said； nodding in my direction。
I froze； my hand on the bottle； until he turned his head and started whistling again。
Only now； not quite so desperately thirsty as before； did I notice the odd； unpleasant aftertaste to the
water。 It matched the acrid taste of the air； but it was slightly stronger。 The tang lingered in my mouth；
inescapable。
I ate quickly； this time saving the soup for last。 My stomach reacted more happily today； accepting the
food with better grace。 It barely gurgled。
My body had other needs； though； now that the loudest ones had been sated。 I looked around my dark；
I rocked back and forth； debating。 My hips ached from curving to the bowled shape of the cave。
“Ahem；” Jeb said。
He was looking at me again； his face a deeper color under the white hair than usual。
“You’ve been stuck in here for a while；” he said。 “You need to… get out？”
I nodded。
“Don’t mind a walk myself。” His voice was cheerful。 He sprang to his feet with surprising agility。
I crawled to the edge of my hole； staring out at him cautiously。
“I’ll show you our little washroom；” he continued。 “Now； you should know that we’re going to have to
go through… kind of the main plaza； so to speak。 Don’t worry。 I think everyone will have gotten the
message by now。” Unconsciously； he stroked the length of his gun。
I tried to swallow。 My bladder was so full it was a constant pain； impossible to ignore。 But to parade
right through the middle of the hive of angry killers？ Couldn’t he just bring me a bucket？
He measured the panic in my eyes—watched the way I automatically shrank back farther into the
hole—and his lips pursed in speculation。 Then he turned and started walking down the dark hall。 “Follow
me；” he called back； not looking to see if I obeyed。
I had one vivid flash of Kyle finding me here alone； and was after Jeb before a second passed；
scrambling awkwardly through the opening and then hobbling along on my stiff legs as fast as I could to
catch up。 It felt both horrible and wonderful to stand straight again—the pain was sharp； but the relief
was greater。
I was close behind him when we reached the end of the hall； darkness loomed through the tall broken
oval of the exit。 I hesitated； looking back at the small lamp he’d left on the floor。 It was the only light in
the dark cave。 Was I supposed to bring it？
He heard me stop and turned to peer at me over his shoulder。 I nodded toward the light； then looked
back at him。
“Leave it。 I know my way。” He held out his free hand to me。 “I’ll guide you。”
I stared at the hand for a long moment； and then； feeling the urgency in my bladder； I slowly put my hand
on his palm； barely touching it—the way I would have touched a snake if for some reason I was ever
forced to。
Jeb led me through the blackness with sure； quick steps。 The long tunnel was followed by a series of
bewildering twists in opposing directions。 As we rounded yet another sharp V in the path； I knew I was
hopelessly turned around。 I was sure this was on purpose； and the reason Jeb had left the lamp behind。
He wouldn’t want me knowing too much about how to find my way out of this labyrinth。
We turned another corner； and the first light reached us。 Ahead； a tall； narrow crevice glowed with light
from another room。 This light was not artificial like the little lamp by my cave。 It was too white； too pure。
We couldn’t move through the narrow fracture in the rock side by side。 Jeb went first； towing me close
behind。 Once through—and able to see again—I pulled my hand out of Jeb’s light grip。 He didn’t react in
any way except to put his newly freed hand back on the gun。
We were in a short tunnel； and a brighter light shone through a rough arched doorway。 The walls were
the same holey purple rock。
I could hear voices now。 They were low； less urgent than the last time I’d heard the babble of a human
crowd。 No one was expecting us today。 I could only imagine what the response would be to my
appearance with Jeb。 My palms were cold and wet； my breath came in shallow gasps。 I leaned as close
as I could to Jeb without actually touching him。
“Easy；” he murmured； not turning。 “They’re more afraid of you than you are of them。”
I doubted that。 And even if there were any way that it could be true； fear turned into hatred and violence
in the human heart。
“I won’t let anybody hurt you；” Jeb mumbled as he reached the archway。 “Anyway； might as well get
used to this。”
I wanted to ask what that meant； but he stepped through into the next room。 I crept in after him； half a
step behind； keeping myself hidden by his body as much as possible。 The only thing harder than moving
myself forward into that room was the thought of falling behind Jeb and being caught alone here。
Sudden silence greeted our entrance。
We were in the gigantic； bright cavern again； the one they’d first brought me to。 How long ago was that？
I had no idea。 The ceiling was still too bright for me to make out exactly how it was lit。 I hadn’t noticed
before； but the walls were not unbroken—dozens of irregular gaps opened to adjoining tunnels。 Some of
the openings were huge； others barely large enough for a man to fit through stooped over； some were
natural crevices； others were； if not man…made； at least enhanced by someone’s