I threw caution to the wind. “This is Kenzie Cord, Omnistellar security clearance 3524-89A,” I said, although I was sure they’d have blanked my code. Maybe it would catch someone’s attention. “If anyone can hear me, please respond. I have an emergency situation.”

No answer. I slammed my fist into the wall in frustration. “This is Kenzie Cord. I’m a wanted criminal and I’m holding your commanding officer at gunpoint. If someone doesn’t answer me this second, I’ll pull the trigger.”

Silence.

I sank to my knees, monitoring my father’s chest as it rose and fell. Either comms had failed throughout the ship, an unheard-of situation for Omnistellar, or . . .

Or there was no one to answer them.

I sat another minute with my legs curled beneath me, staring at Dad, running through options in my head and rejecting them. I had no idea where anyone was, if anyone was left, no idea if I was alone or if aliens had overrun the ship or if my friends were alive.

The rush from the pills I’d taken earlier had worn off. I wished for another dose. One more, ten more, I didn’t care at this point. I needed something to get me through this situation. Dad’s blood coated my hands. They’d been wet with Mom’s once before, with Rita’s before that. I’d soaked my hands in Matt’s blood, in Tyler’s, in Mia’s and Cage’s.

It seemed like ever since the aliens had shown up, the people I was closest to kept winding up dead. That didn’t bode well for my friends.

I didn’t know how long I sat there, but eventually I realized I had to do something. I went through Dad’s pockets again, hoping for a weapon. No such luck. Either he’d been suspicious enough to disarm himself before coming to visit, or someone had insisted. In spite of myself, I hoped it was the latter.

I considered pulling him under the table to hide him, but I wasn’t sure how badly he was injured, or if I’d hurt him worse by moving him. I reached for the lights but stopped myself. The aliens didn’t rely on sight. We did. If a medical or security team happened along, I wanted him found; if it was something else, darkness wouldn’t shield him.

I did lock the door behind me, though, scanning Dad’s omnicard to do so.

I found myself in a familiar Omnistellar corridor. Doors lined the walls, leading, I guessed, to more conference rooms and offices. At least that would be the case if this ship functioned anything like Omnistellar’s usual design. I went in the opposite direction and rounded a corner. Only two doors graced this corridor, one on either side: ENGINEERING and COMMAND LEVEL 1.

Steadying myself, I scanned Dad’s omnicard and entered the command center.

Half of me expected to find myself facing a horde of startled Omnistellar pilots and ship’s crew in a split-second face-off before they drew their weapons. The other half expected to find nothing at all, more empty stillness—just like Obsidian.