Then he felt something close around his upper arm. He looked up, and there was another guard there, a Nexus jammer around his throat, a large gun slung around his shoulder. The man’s lips were moving furiously. He was screaming at Kade, but whatever he was saying was drowned out by the fearsome ringing.

And then the guard was yanking, frantically hauling on Kade. Pain exploded in Kade’s guts, but the man was dragging him, dragging him away.

Kade pushed at the man’s mind but there was only static. The shielding was too strong. The man half-pulled half-dragged Kade over a pile of rubble. Ahead he could see more security men, see them herding groups of children. A group in front disappeared into a doorway, dropping down. Then a second group. The last group of kids…

One of them turned to look at him, a girl. He could feel her in his mind. Older than the rest. Different. The one who’d waved to him. And with her, more children, special children, but terrified, confused, unable to think or act.

He reached out to the oldest in desperation.

You have to stop them! he sent her.

She responded with recognition. She did know him. She’d seen him in memories. In Sam’s memories.

You can do it! he sent her. With your mind!

No… she replied. They’re too strong!

Work together! he told her. All of you!

Sarai sobbed in horror as the guard dragged her away. Explosions boomed around her. The courtyard was full of rubble. The other children were terrified. And Sam… they’d felt Shiva invade her, felt what he’d made her do…

Then she felt a mind reach out to her. A mind she’d seen in Sam’s thoughts. Kade.

You have to stop them! he told her. Work together!

But it was so hard. There was so much chaos and the little ones were screaming and crying and so afraid and the guards were pulling at them. There was no way. No way at all.

But Sam! Sam had come for them! She had to do it!

Sarai closed her eyes, let the guard drag her, ceased her resistance. She took a long slow breath, felt every little bit of it fill up her lungs, beamed that sensation out to her brothers and sisters, begged them to respond.

She breathed it out like Sam had shown her and let the others feel her need, the need they all shared, underneath that breath, intertwined with that breath.

Her feet moved of their own accord as the guard dragged her and she took another breath and she felt Mali there with her, breathing, their minds falling in together.

She exhaled and Kit was with them now.