“Here,” William said, taking the chain with the flash drive off his neck. “Take it. Should we ever get to Nanna, it needs to come from you.”

Steven accepted it, putting it around his neck. He held the flash drive in his hand. “Just don’t forget it, if something happens to me. I haven’t taken my meds for a day or so now.”

“Jane is a doctor. Maybe she can help.”

“How far away are we now?”

William could feel her, just as he could sense exactly where Lily was sitting in the back seat.

“I need to turn there. Wait, wait. It looks flooded. I’ll find another way around. You OK Lily?” He looked over his shoulder.

She nodded, perspiration on her forehead.

“I know it’s hot. Want to lay down?” William asked.

“That’s OK.”

She had to be hungry, and they were down to the last of the chips and peanuts they’d bought at the gas station in Alabama.

“We’ll find some food and a place to rest once we hit the road. A place with air-conditioning,” William promised.

“William, there’s something else,” Steven said. “Are you prepared … if Jane refuses to come with us…?”

“To force her to come? I hope to avoid that.”

“You realize you may not have that chance. You have no idea how far your control over her reaches. I don’t think she will come willingly. You saw how she grilled us. You’re asking someone who believes only in science to believe science fiction.”

“There.” William pointed, his headlights flashing on another shotgun. “The one with the white trim.”

The house, like all the others, was completely dark. Jane’s Honda was parked in the drive.

He pulled up, aware he was blocking her in. William took Lily by the hand as they exited the car. When she started to drag her feet in weariness, he lifted her till they got to the door.

They knocked. After a few moments, they heard a muffled reply from inside. William opened the door.

“Jane?”

They walked in, the humidity of the room almost overwhelming. He set Lily down, hating to use what was left of the phone battery for light. Holding it out, he saw a glimpse of Jane lying on the couch, apparently asleep.

The light revealed the two men standing over her, dressed in black suits.

He felt the injection in his neck. Steven grunted while Lily cried out.

William whirled around with the light, the movement causing such dizziness he almost fell.

Before he hit the ground, he swore he saw, just for a moment, the face of his Aunt Kate standing in the corner, watching, with her hands covering her mouth.

FOURTEEN

He was so groggy at first that it was difficult even opening his eyes. Even when he could focus enough to sit up, he immediately had to lie back down, the nausea so strong he feared he might vomit.