As any of us can be. Your grandmother was with me. They placed her in my helicopter, but they wouldn’t even let us talk. They’ve already ushered her out, but I’ve been told to stay put. She kept telling them that she needed to speak with you.

I’ll find her. I promise I will not allow any of you to be harmed—

Don’t do that. Don’t say that, William. No one knows what could happen next. You’ve successfully convinced them to fear us, which I suppose buys us a bit of time. If you’re going to promise … just say that you’ll be careful. If what we saw in that dream is out there … whatever it is …

I know. Watch over the others.

There was another pause.

Just come back.

William looked out the door. Two minutes were up.

He took Lily’s hand, the soldiers scrambling. They formed a perimeter around them as he and the girl stepped out on the rocky earth.

They’d landed behind the military blockade he’d seen from above. The activity around them—the rushing soldiers, the men and women in suits huddled around laptops—came to an abrupt standstill.

The general stood under a tent among a crowd of camouflage and black. At seeing William emerge, he strode over.

“Let’s go over the ground rules—”

“All due respect, General, you aren’t making any rules. I have to find the girl. That’s all. And I must see my grandmother. Now.”

“I know you think you have us by the balls—”

“I don’t, sir. We all have the same end game.”

The man leaned in. “Do we? Because my understanding is that you’re the one triggering all of this. And you’ve successfully gathered all of them in the United States to you. How are we to know for sure that you fully control of your own actions? Or is something else pulling your strings? And I’m just pouring a can of gasoline on a burning house.”

William mimicked the gesture, stopping just an inch from his face. “Because it’s my family–-all the people I love—who have suffered for generations to get to this point. You could put your whole damn army in front of me and I’d find a way through.”

The general stared at him for a moment more, and then motioned for him to follow. He reached into his pocket to bring out a phone, quickly dialing and barking orders to bring Lynn Roseworth to the perimeter. Once he hung up, his turned to William. “We need to formulate a plan here. How do you intend to stop the girl out there?”

“I have to find her first. And make physical contact. Like I did with the others, I should be able to contain her abilities.”

As they walked, the crowds parted. They passed through several tents, all with the same reaction.