I tried it Crystal’s way, waiting around for a note to slide under my dressing-room door with a riddle that would lead to a meeting place—he must have known I was in Savannah from what the Myrna-bot was posting to my Networks—but nothing showed up. To keep myself from wondering if he was over me, I threw myself into my role, spending every waking moment studying the script, memorizing my lines. Acting took me by surprise. I loved being on set. Despite being nervous at first, as soon as the cameras rolled, I became my character and my nerves evaporated. It was freeing not being me anymore, and I couldn’t wait for all the characters I’d get to play in the future. The DNA scans were right. I was a natural. And I was hooked.

Still, I was dying to know what was happening at home. It took some convincing—Crystal was way more protective of me than my own mother ever was—but she eventually agreed to let me borrow her umbrella.

“Are you sure I can’t go with you?” Crystal asked, dipping her brush into a little gold jar and dabbing the cold cream under my right eye.

“Positive. I have a paper map that shows where the library is and the quarters you gave me. Once I get there, I’m sure someone will help me access the Network, and maybe the quarters will be enough to get them to send Adam a message for me. I’ll be fine,” I said. “Besides, tonight is your last scene. You can’t miss it.”

“I know.” She sighed, dotting glue over my eye and adhering gold beads. “I just hate having you out there alone. If you waited until tomorrow, I could go with you.”

“But I have a big scene tomorrow. I go out alone in L.A. all the time, and it’s much scarier than Savannah—I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I guess.” Standing back, she scanned my face, admiring her handiwork. “But in L.A., you can be tracked. No Savannah cameras will recognize this girl. You could disappear.” She turned my chair to face the mirror. “Disconnect looks good on you, don’t you think?”

My lips parted in awe as I stared at my reflection. A gold sequin fan arched over my right eye, and three thick, gold teardrops dripped over my cheek beneath it. Above the corner of my mouth, a rhinestone beauty mark sparkled, and my lips were drawn in with red glitter on one side, black on the other. “Wow.” I exhaled, blood thundering in my veins. I felt like I was back hiding under my parents’ dining room table, like an imposter on the verge of getting caught. And I liked it. “It’s incredible.”

Standing, I kissed her cheek.