His voice startled me out of my stupor. I glanced over my shoulder to find the others watching me with varying levels of concern and suspicion. There wasn’t much room for doubt in their expressions. Imani and Reed hoped I’d take the lead, Mia, Alexei, and Jasper questioned my stability, and Rune, well . . . she was every bit as hurt and angry as I’d known she would be. At least part of it, I knew, was because I’d lied to her. But maybe some of it was because I’d shot her . . . whatever Matt was to her. Maybe Cage’s instincts weren’t so far gone. Regardless, standing and staring with tear-filled eyes at a teddy bear wasn’t going to gain me any goodwill.

I nodded, forcing a confidence I didn’t feel. “Sorry. I was just thinking. Let’s move.”

Cage pulled me along with him, slightly ahead of the others. Still in that quiet voice, he said, “All that stuff back there? That’s a good sign. If there’d been a hull breach on this level, nothing would be in its proper place like that. It’d be sucked into space, or at least thrown around.”

I nodded, accepting the wisdom of his words. His touch on my arm sent warmth arcing through me. “I know. But where are they? All the people who live here? Where are they?” Panic clawed its way into my voice, and I resolutely shoved it down.

An idea struck me. “Matt’s power. Maybe I can use it. Maybe I can sense them.”

Cage hesitated, then shrugged. “Worth a try.”

I closed my eyes. How did I go about this? Anytime I’d used someone else’s ability, it had been almost instinctual. I braced my feet against the floor, clenched my teeth, and reached out the way I would if I were trying to understand a language. I listened with my ears and my mind and my heart and searched for anything, any little anomaly that might mean life.

At last I gave up in frustration. “Nothing.”

“That doesn’t mean much. Remember, the aliens always messed with Matt’s ability.”

“Then we’re trapped,” I replied, my voice rising an octave. “All these people. There’s no way to help them.”

Cage shook his head. “They could be anywhere. In a shelter, maybe. We don’t know Obsidian’s emergency procedures.” His gaze traveled to the stun gun in my shaking hand and he asked, a little too casually, “Did you want me to take that?”

My head snapped up, steel spiking my spine. “I’m capable of handling a stun gun, Cage. Or did you think I . . . ?” I trailed off, catching the barely suppressed grin. “You’re a jerk.”

“Yeah, well, at least that’s you again,” he said, no longer trying to hide his smile.

I elbowed him in the ribs, but in only a few weeks, Cage had come to know me all too well. The challenge to my competence reawakened my drive, suppressing even my fear of the . . . of whatever stalked this station. I refused to think the word “aliens.” Not yet. Hopefully not ever.