Ruddy opened his eyes. He struggled to make sense of his surroundings, but everything was spinning. He was sprawled out on a cot in a small, windowless room with a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. He could hear distant voices from the other side of the door. There was a stench coming from …

  Ugh, that’s me, he thought. I need a shower.

  Finally, you’re awake.

  Teri? Ruddy said. Is that you?

  Other Terry.

  What about Teri and Xeke? Are they hurt? What’s going on? Where are we?

  Slow down, Terry said. We’re in a town called New Burtchville. It’s run by New Frontier separatists. The woman in charge, Amelia, is a mentalist—and she’s a real piece of work. She wasn’t gentle when she took you down, and they’ve been drugging us. Xeke and Teri are alive but Teri is so sedated I can barely access her powers. Without them, I’m blind. I managed to keep Amelia out of your heads—mostly—but there’s not much else I can do. I’ve been waiting for one of you to wake up.

  Ruddy shook his head to clear it. What about Corey?

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  I’m not sure. Teri’s not linked to him and I can’t risk trying to contact him in front of Amelia.

  A familiar presence awakened in Ruddy’s mind.

  Xeke? he said. Holy shit, are you okay? I thought you were going to die back there.

  Back where? Xeke said. What are you talking about?

  Ruddy brought Xeke up to date on the explosion and their capture.

  Wow, I don’t remember a thing, Xeke said.

  I’m not surprised, Ruddy said. You were pretty messed up.

  So, what now? Xeke said.

  Uh ... I was kind of hoping you had a plan, Ruddy said.

  I just woke up!

  Teri could handle Amelia and get us out of here, Terry said. Problem is, it looks like Amelia knows that too. She knows an awful lot about us somehow. She’s keeping Teri in a drug-induced coma.

  How are you even talking to us if she’s in coma? Xeke said. That doesn’t seem possible.

  I would agree with you except that I’m obviously here, Terry said. I think the part of Teri that’s linked to you is where I am. Part of me, anyway. I don’t know how you expect me to explain it. I’m not supposed to exist in the first place.

  So what do they want from us? Ruddy said.

  I don’t know, Terry said. Amelia’s got some sort of plan involving you two but I can’t risk digging any deeper.

  Ruddy looked around the small room. I can bust out of here in two seconds, easy.

  No, Xeke said. They have Teri, and probably Corey too. We need more information before we do anything.

  Aghh, Ruddy said. There must be something we can do.

  Patience, Xeke said. Let’s lay low and learn what we can. As soon as we have a chance, we’ll take it.