He’d spent much of the flight thinking about his biological grandfather. What he’d endured in his life, the sacrifice, the scrutiny. How all he wanted in the end was to tell his grandmother the truth about her family. And to help William. Without Dr. Steven Richards, he wouldn’t even be alive at this moment.

I’m sorry, Steven. I’m sorry I didn’t get to thank you.

They’d flown at a relentless pace, stopping only to refuel. The general had traveled with him and Lily, constantly questioning them. William had been completely forthcoming about everything, explaining that all he knew to do was to try and find Lily’s twin, Ava, in the national park. As had happened with the immigrant, whose name he now knew to be Juan, he hoped he could sense Lily’s sister when he got close enough to her.

A chill ran through him, thinking of Lily alone in the darkness of these ravines, wandering beneath the mesas and buttes. He considered entering the dream to try and find Lily’s sister, but after the last disastrous attempt, in which Jane had barely rescued him, he feared he would not escape its grasp again. Whatever it was, there within the stone.

He looked out the window again as they began to land, the true size and vastness of the sprawling rock formations coming into a clearer view. Out there, somewhere, was another little girl identical to Lily.

It had never been Lily’s eyes he’d seen in the stone. It was her twin who continued to emit the diseases when Lily came in search of him. Only when Lily at last found him did he inadvertently wake the weapon inside her in order to protect himself.

Lily had sobbed in explaining the guilt she felt that she had somehow gotten free of the mountain and could not rescue her sister. That by finding William, she hoped he could help her free her sister.

He remembered her words at the fountain. We have to go there! It’s my fault what happened to her …

As the Black Hawk came to a landing along with the others upon the stone he could feel them all: Jane, Ryan, Juan. Nanna, too.

The door was thrust open, and William scooted to the edge of his seat, prompting Lily to do the same. The soldiers reacted by raising their firearms.

“Tell them,” William yelled to the general above the sound the blades of the helicopter outside. “Tell them we go where we please.”

General Wolve clenched his jaw. “I need ten minutes, Mr. Chance, to be debriefed—”

“You’ve been in constant communication this entire flight. You have two minutes.”

The general tore out the door, and William remained on the edge of the seat. He closed his eyes.

Jane.

There was a brief pause.

I’m here, William.

Are you alright?