Corbin nodded. “That’s Victor all right. He gets in your head, uses the power of suggestion . . . It’s very difficult to get him of your mind once he’s inside.”

“Do you think he’s going to do that to us?” Michaela asked, fear cracking her voice. “Make us kill ourselves?”

“He wants us all dead, that’s for sure,” Corbin said. “He’s been tormenting me for months—Sarah Beth too. The Watchers are a big threat to him and his plans. I think tonight is his attempt to get rid of us and St. George’s once and for all.”

“Then we need to hide,” Josh said, “and wait it out until the Shepherds come.”

“I tried to reach out to Uncle Jed and tell him we need help, but he didn’t answer,” Sarah Beth said. “That’s not like him.”

“We can’t count on the Shepherds coming,” Corbin said, worry lines creasing her forehead. “They’re busy and spread out all over the country trying to stop the Dark Ones. We’re on our own.”

“In that case, we definitely need to go down to the Center. It’s way safer down there than it is up here,” Michaela said.

“Why are you guys up here and not in the Bullpen anyway?” Sarah Beth asked. “They’ve got steel doors down there. Nobody could break in, not even Victor.”

“We were up here praying and locating when the power went out,” Corbin said. “We’ve been stuck up here ever since.”

“Then how did the elevator work for me?” Sarah Beth said.

“I . . . I don’t know,” Corbin said, screwing up her face and looking back and forth between Josh and Michaela. “You needed it and I sent it.”

“The power must be back on!” Josh said, his face lighting up with hope. “Let’s go.”

Corbin shook her head. “Josh, look around. There’s no lights anywhere. The power is still off for the whole campus.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense! Are you suggesting the power came back just . . . just long enough for Sarah Beth to ride the elevator up?” he stammered, frustration and fear seeping through into this voice.

Corbin shrugged. “I’m not suggesting anything . . . all I know is what happened. The elevator worked for Sarah Beth when she needed it to, but it definitely doesn’t have power now.”

“It’s like a miracle,” Michaela said.

“I didn’t say that,” Corbin came back.

You didn’t have to, Sarah Beth thought. What other explanation could there be ?

Corbin looked at her and smiled and she smiled back as they shared their thoughts. The older girl’s confidence and courage buoyed her own, and despite the risk, Sarah Beth knew what they needed to do.

“I hate to say it, guys, but it looks like it’s up to us to save our friends,” she said.