It was really happening; the blue time was swallowing everyone.

Then she felt a far-off twinge, a familiar mind cutting through the confused babble of normal humans and the mutterings of awakening slithers.

Cowgirl…

Rex was calling.

She smiled at first, but as she focused on the distant beacon of thought, Melissa tasted the emotions animating his cry. He was anxious, begging for her to respond, needing something….

“Oh, crap,” she said.

“What?” Jessica called. “Is she okay?”

Melissa shook her head. “Still no Beth. It’s Rex. He needs us to get downtown.”

Jonathan frowned. “Sure, but not until we—”

“It feels like he needs us now. Something’s gone wrong!”

“Forget it,” Jessica hissed.

“Listen, just because your sister—”

“No way, Melissa,” Flyboy said. “We can’t leave Jenks undefended just because you’ve got a feeling. They’re right in the path of the invasion here. We have to light these things before we head into Bixby.”

“So let’s light them,” she said. “He needs us!”

“Not until I find Beth.” Jessica grasped Jonathan’s arm with a white-knuckled grip.

Melissa realized that arguing wouldn’t get her anywhere. The taste of the flame-bringer’s mind was set. “Okay,” she said. “You and I can stay here until I taste your little sister. Then I’ll go get her while you light up the fireworks.”

Jessica crossed her arms. “We’ll both go get her.”

“Whatever. But Flyboy, you have to head downtown now. You can get there in five minutes if you go alone.”

“But why?” Jonathan asked.

“Because Rex needs us!” Melissa shook her head. “I don’t know exactly why; he’s too far away for me to taste his mind that clearly. Just go and see what he needs.”

Jonathan looked at Jessica, and Melissa tasted the sickly sweet coupleness passing between them. “I’m not leaving you,” he said.

Jessica frowned, and Melissa tasted a twinge of her guilt that their plans were revolving around her as usual. “But maybe Rex—”

“We said we’d stick together tonight!” he cried.

Melissa groaned inwardly, wondering how long this discussion was going to last.

Jessica took his hand. “Listen, Jonathan. You promised me you’d do what Rex said, remember?”

“Yeah, but not—”

“Just go. I’ll be fine. I’m the flame-bringer.”

For a moment Melissa felt the alternatives evenly balanced within Jonathan, like a coin on its edge. But then Jessica squeezed his hand, her expression set and unblinking, and he nodded.

“Okay. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

He kissed her, and the electric taste of their contact swept through Melissa’s mind. And then he was gone, leaping out of the rip and over the trees, zooming toward downtown.

Jessica turned to her and said coldly, “Is Beth inside yet?”

“Listen, Jess, about your parents…”

“I don’t care. Just look for my sister, please.”

Melissa nodded, tipping back her head to taste the growing area within the rip. She tried to ignore the stirrings deep in the desert, the salty taste of anticipation, of ancient hungers ready to be sated at last.