“That’s the first intelligent thing I’ve heard you say,” Dr. Ambrose told him, sitting down on the bed next to him. “And don’t forget, I did warn you about Gabriel. He didn’t handle losing his brother well. Not that anyone would, but Colonel Charles thought you might be able to help Gabriel with his grief, because of your father. I’m pretty sure he didn’t think that you’d inspire his son to almost destroy humanity instead, but we all have our blind spots.”

Fort sighed. “I didn’t know he was Colonel Charles’s son, or stepson. He never told me. I saw all the special treatment, but I didn’t make the connection.”

“Next time I’ll put up a blinking neon sign or something,” Dr. Ambrose said, patting his shin. “How else do you think he would have gotten permission to use the book of Healing after classes? Not to mention that he and his mother have been staying here for months, over in the government-family section of the facility.” She shook her head. “They brought a bunch of VIPs down here to keep them safe once the first attack happened, just in case. Probably didn’t help Gabriel to get over things, being surrounded by soldiers and having those skeletons on display.”

“He was studying the Summoning book,” Fort told her. “He almost learned how to make a portal himself. If he had—”

“In some ways, we’re all lucky you stole it,” Dr. Ambrose said as the noises outside increased. Something was definitely happening. “Plus, even if you took him along with you, another fine choice you made, at least you were around to pull him back. Otherwise we’d all be knee-deep in Old Ones right now.”

This was all too much to process, and Fort had much bigger questions on his mind anyway. “How’s my father doing?” he asked. “Has he woken up yet?”

Dr. Ambrose shook her head and nodded at the curtain around Fort’s bed. “No, and I’m not sure when he will. His body is in great shape for a man his age, so he should be awake. I took an EEG, but it didn’t explain anything.”

Fort’s dream of Sierra came back to him. “But you saw something odd in the EKJ, didn’t you?”

“EEG. Electroencephalogram. Measures electrical activity in the brain. And yes, I did see something unusual in his readings, but nothing to concern yourself with.” She raised an eyebrow. “But how did you know that?”

“Just a guess, since he didn’t wake up,” Fort lied. “But you think he will? He’s going to be okay?”

Dr. Ambrose started to speak, then paused. “Yes, I do, Forsythe,” she said. “I think he’ll be fine. But I can’t say when he’ll wake up, or why he hasn’t yet.”