My vision blurred. I saw Babs collapse, and Kiyoko cried out in pain, obviously damaged. The cool precision with which she’d shot Lena and Smudge was utterly lacking when she dropped to one knee, raised her trembling arms, and put a bullet into my chest.

MEMO

To: All New Millennium Personnel

From: Babs Palmer, Director of Security

Subject: Internal Security Breach

Effective immediately, Isaac Vainio has been terminated from his position as Director of Research at New Millennium.

Several days ago, an internal investigation carried out in cooperation with the FBI and DHS discovered evidence that Isaac had been working with the group known as Vanguard, and had actively participated in at least two Vanguard attacks. He has been taken into custody for questioning.

Talulah Polk is also suspected to have ties with Vanguard, working through Isaac. She is currently a fugitive, having fled New Millennium at approximately 10:30 Monday morning. If you have any information on her whereabouts, please contact security immediately.

All research projects are to be placed on hold, and the remaining research staff will report directly to Russell Potts. Their only duty is to assist the FBI, DHS, and New Millennium security with the ongoing investigation into this matter.

I cannot overemphasize the damage this incident does to New Millennium’s reputation and our ability to perform our mission. The future of New Millennium depends on your cooperation.

Chapter 16

“Hello? Gutenberg? Anyone?”

THE WORLD WAS A kind of technicolor static, spheres of yellow and red floating across an infinite canvas the color of a flooded river back home. It was a bit like the afterimages you get when you rub your eyes after staring at a bright light, but when I tried to blink to clear my vision, nothing happened.

‹Isaac?›

I could have been dreaming. Or possibly dead, though that seemed improbable. There was a familiarity to all of this, reminiscent of having my mind ripped from my body. It was annoying how many times that had happened to me. Separating mind from flesh was surprisingly easy, though reuniting the two could be a bit of a trick. But if my body was gone, why did the air smell like burnt popcorn?

‹Sorry. Hold on . . . is that better?›

The smell ended with the suddenness of a guillotine. My vision changed as well. I could see blurry points of blue and green and white, all sparkling like Christmas decorations through a frosted window.

‹Is that Christmas thing an actual memory, Isaac? Or are we just seeing random misfires from the visual centers of the brain?›

‹Talulah? What’s going on? Are Lena and Smudge all right? Where are Lex and her parents?›

‹One question at a time. Lena’s fine. Smudge is limping, but he seems to be getting along. I healed them both the best I could.›