I clutched Podkayne of Mars against my chest so tight that the corner of its spine dug painfully into the palm of my hand. But the pain just prodded me forward, into the foothills.

Emil’s map indicated the entrance should be around here, but I’d never been to this part of town before. What if Emil was wrong? What if he’d set me up? Or what if GSAF had learned of the cave’s existence, and sealed it the same way they did the crater? What if there were suits waiting just inside, ready to take me away and make sure that I was never heard from again?

Then I saw it—a shadow in the darkness. Under a narrow ledge, half-covered in overgrowth and bramble, there was a gash in the hillside.

The buzzing sound of the drone grew closer. It was almost on top of me. There was no time to reconsider.

I dove into the crevice. The rock walls pressed against me. I barely managed to fit in the space between them. Desperately, I wrenched my body forward as hard as I could and squeezed into the cave beyond.

It was far darker in here than it had been outside. Even without the lights of the city to guide me, the starlight had been better than the pitch blackness of the caverns in the hillside. I’d have killed for my palmtop then. How was I supposed to light my way without it?

I sat in the darkness for several long minutes, listening. The drone passed overhead. The buzz of its blades grew loud, then faded, like it was moving away.

Then there was nothing but the sound of my own breathing and my heart beating in my ears.

They’re gone. Breathe, Isaak.

The silence let the thoughts flood in. My mom was going to kill me, if I ever saw her again. I wondered what would happen to Henry, and to Tamara. Henry was probably as done for as I was—most of my texts were from him. But maybe they wouldn’t connect Tamara, after all. Maybe she’d be safe. Please, let her be safe.

I focused on the muffled sensations of the cave. Soft drips of water echoed faintly in the distance. Cold air moved gently against my face, and I realized that I could hear wind moving through the tunnels of the cavern. Just how long were these tunnels, anyway? Emil’s map had shown them stretching into the mountainside, but I hadn’t looked at it carefully enough to see where they’d ended. Maybe there was an exit, somewhere else in the hills.

I could only pray that I’d find my way out before GSAF found their way in.