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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
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  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Adam loved that Elle called this place our house.

He had begun to think that when she left, the heart he thought he no longer possessed would shatter into a cosmos of loneliness.

“You’re the cook,” Elle said. “What shall we fix Rune for breakfast?”

47

IN THE BRIGHT, newly washed morning, in a corner of the control center, DeAnna squared off with Daniel and Liam and angrily whispered, “I’m the one who realized we had extra crawl time. I’m keeping it!”

Liam turned the red color of frustration. “That’s not fair, Daniel. I realized Elladora had disappeared almost as soon as DeAnna did. I thought we should give her a chance to show her face before I—”

DeAnna pointed a finger in Liam’s face. “Loser!”

“You’ve got no more right to that crawl time than anyone on this vessel.”

“Let’s shout it out to everyone and see how fast those times fill up.” DeAnna raised her voice. “I thought we were whispering about this for a reason.”

“Keep your voices down,” Daniel said. “You know if anyone else aboard finds out there’s open crawl times, you’re going to get bumped.”

The three of them squared off, stepped back and pretended to be civilized people when in fact they were researchers fighting for their places in the scientific world.

“Anybody hear how Stephen Penderghast is doing?” Liam paced away.

“He’s still alive. He’s rich. You can bet he’s had every expensive drug that every top doctor in the country could give him.” Daniel was patently bitter.

“I don’t care how many doctors he’s got. I saw him leaving the ship,” Liam said. “I’ll bet he’s already dead and they’re lying about it until they can get his affairs settled—and kick us off the ship.”

Gloom descended on the small group.

“Did you hear Elladora’s mother called the captain?” DeAnna said.

“You’re kidding.” Liam was agog.

“Mommy said she hadn’t heard from her for days and wanted him to find her,” DeAnna reported.

“And?” Daniel waited.

“He said he wasn’t a babysitter and that when her daughter wanted to call her, she would.” DeAnna wore a wary expression, as if she wondered what would happen if she disappeared.

“Seems a little cold,” Daniel said.

“Elladora’s mother has been calling every day since. Captain won’t take her calls.” DeAnna turned on Liam. “Have you seen Elladora?”

“No.” He started backing toward the galley. “Haven’t seen her. Barely know her.”

Daniel stood his ground. “I haven’t seen her, either.”

Liam fled. Apparently his crawl time wasn’t as important as staying away from conflict.

“Has anyone?” DeAnna asked.

“I went to her cabin to check on her.” Daniel looked sideways at DeAnna. “The cleaners were in there wiping it down, every surface as if they wanted to erase all trace of her.”