He shot to his feet, but before he took a single step, he jerked upright, eyes going wide as a stun gun blast rippled through him. I spun to find Imani, arm extended. “That’s enough out of you,” she snarled as Liam dropped to the floor. “It was on stun,” she added unnecessarily. His chest rose and fell visibly.

I’d be lying if I said I wasted a moment worrying about him. I turned on Dad instead. “You keep saying you’re different from Mom,” I said, forcing my voice to be calm and steady. I’d thought I’d lost any hope of reaching Dad, but now I could see the father I knew again, the kindness and good humor and logic. Maybe my last chance hadn’t vanished after all. “Dad, please. If you love me at all, listen. We have to find another way.”

He hesitated. “Omnistellar—”

“Forget Omnistellar!” The words were almost a shout. I clenched my fists and lowered my voice. “This isn’t about them. It’s about you and me, and whether you trust me. Dad, I’ve come this far. I’ve escaped these things and the bounty hunters and every obstacle you’ve thrown in my way. I think I’ve earned at least the chance to prove myself.”

Once more he hesitated. “Kenzie,” he whispered. He glanced at the others behind me, and a familiar bewilderment suffused his expression. I understood. It was the same expression I’d worn when I first questioned Omnistellar. Hope exploded in my chest. I was reaching him. If I could just have a few more minutes, show him that the anomalies weren’t dangerous criminals, I knew I could convince him of the truth. We could escape together. I just needed to hold his attention a little while longer.

But I never got the chance.

With a shriek of rending metal, a claw ripped through the door behind him. It raked through the triple-reinforced, shielded metal like it was nothing, disintegrating it in two swipes. Mia and Hallam opened fire, but the alien was too fast. It lunged through the door, screaming and trembling with effort.

And launched itself at my father.

My mouth opened in a silent scream as the world slowed down around me. I felt like I was moving in slow motion as I lunged for my father. I had time to register every movement, every nuance of his facial expression: the shock, the horror, the fear, all of it dissolving into pain as the monster stabbed its claws into Dad. They tore through his body. I reached for him, searching for someone’s power, anyone’s power, some way to stop this thing.

And then the world jerked back to normal speed. The alien swiveled Dad into the line of fire. His body jerked as bullets and laser blasts raked it, and I screamed, running for him.

I only made it a few steps before Cage tackled me to the floor. I fought against him, clawing at his face until he caught my wrists and pinned me. “Kenzie, stop!” he shouted. “It’s too late!”