“This isn’t the first time,” Lena said softly. “You were mumbling in your sleep a week ago, too.”

“How long since you saw your shrink?” asked Deb. “That’s still standard procedure for Porters, right?”

“I canceled my last few sessions with Dr. Karim.”

“Why?” Lena didn’t bother to hide her anger.

I couldn’t blame her. In addition to the normal mental and emotional dangers that came with my job, I’d also gone through a bout of serious depression the year before, hurting both Lena and Nidhi in the process. I had things more or less under control these days, but ignoring a condition like that was a good way to let it sneak back into your head and start wrecking the place. “I needed to sort something out, first.”

“And you didn’t say anything about this to me?”

I stared out the window, watching the grassy hills in the distance. “It’s not possession,” I repeated. “There’s only one voice.”

“What does it want from you?” asked Lena.

I snorted and banged my head lightly against the window. “I don’t think he wants anything. It’s what I want from him.”

Deb whistled and shook her head. “You’re running around searching for conspiracies and taking on the damn Coast Guard with another mind hitching a ride on your cerebellum?”

“I’m in control.”

Lena didn’t speak, but I could feel her frustration radiating through the car. As for Deb, she simply tossed back another chunk of worm like she was a kid munching popcorn at the movies.

“I’ve been talking to Gutenberg.”

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Second Star to the Right

Isaac,

Looks like we’ll be on the run again soon. They’re making up some bullshit about truancy and Dad being an unfit parent, but it’s just an excuse. Dad wants to head north into Canada. I’d rather go somewhere warm. Mexico, maybe. It doesn’t feel like there’s anyplace that’s really safe for people like us. People are getting snatched up all over the world to be recruited or studied or locked away where we won’t scare anyone.

I’m sure the men in black suits will be showing up to ask if you know where I am. Tell them Dad and I ran away to Neverland.

Give Smudge an M&M for me!

-Jeneta

This message was sent using a temporary DisposiMail.net email address. The email address and this message were both deleted from our servers immediately after being sent. Any replies to this email address will be deleted unread.

Chapter 11

“How long has it been since you read a book purely for pleasure? Without worrying about its magical potential, or because one of the Regional Masters asked you to update its entry in the Porter catalog?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”