Melanie sighed, and lowered herself onto a stool next to the cot Rangan was lying on. “Look. The call that went out. You were described as a terrorist. They said you’d escaped DHS custody. That you were armed and extremely dangerous. Approach with extreme caution. Apprehend or stop at all costs. This is a small town, Rangan. They don’t get calls like that. Especially not when they’re already stretched thin, trying to keep people safe during a hurricane. Owen thought he was saving lives.”

Rangan stared at her. “Owen? You know him?”

Melanie stared back. “I grew up here. My mom’s a cop. I know all the cops in this county.”

Rangan looked down. Let loose by that bastard Holtzman. Rescued by a church pastor who thought the hurricane was a gift from God. Stitched back together by a friend of the cop who’d shot him.

I don’t have any fucking clue about anything anymore, he realized.

He looked back up at Melanie, found her looking down at her hands. “I’m sorry,” he said gently. “I hope your friend comes out OK. I guess I’ve just uhh… had a bad few months with authority.”

Melanie looked up, and smiled sadly at him. “I know. I’ve watched some of the video. I’m sorry for what you went through.”

Her eyes held his for long seconds. Then she stood.

“I’ve got to go. I’m only here because they shut down Georgetown, but since I’m here I’m helping the EMTs patch people up after Zoe. There’re more people who need me.”

Rangan nodded at that. “It was nice to meet you, Melanie.”

She nodded, packing up things, collecting them in a medical bag.

“It was nice to meet you too, Rangan.” She paused for just a moment, then walked away.

At the door, her hand on the knob, she turned, “Owen’s gonna make it, by the way. He’ll need some new skin grown, but he’ll recover.” She met his eyes. “I’m glad you got those kids out.”

Then she smiled. “Speaking of which, I think you’ve got some friends who’ve been waiting to say ‘hi’.”

She opened the door and thoughts hit him, a barrage of thoughts, enthusiastic, friendly, eager, and chaotic, rushing in to greet him.

The boys crowded around his cot, Bobby and Pedro and Tim and Jason and Tyrone, and all of them. Their minds were buzzing with joy and excited, bombarding him with images and ideas and questions and information faster than he could follow.

…we’re going to CUBA…

…CUBA CUBA CUBA…

…lots of other kids with NEXUS…

…and this new APP can show you MAPS and PICTURES in your HEAD…

…hurricanes come from HOT OCEANS…

…and you can talk like <this>…

…ALFONSO’S BACK…