“Jesus, Dash, I need more help from you.” But then I notice something unsettling. The car that first honked at me earlier? It’s behind me. Close behind me. “Dash? Is Harlowe in the car behind me?”

“I’m sorry, Emmaline, I don’t have that information.”

I’m sure of it, though. From my rearview mirror, I think I can see her silver hair gleaming from the back seat. She must have called a cab as soon as I stranded her, and she’s been following me ever since.

“Turn right at this stop sign. Stop first!” Dash barks.

“Nope,” I say through gritted teeth as I speed through several stop signs, following Dash’s directions and trying to lose Harlowe’s car. But no luck; she’s still there, right on my tail. I’m getting the hang of the pedals, even if I have no idea what any of the rest of the knobs and buttons do. I’m about to fly through a crosswalk when I spot a woman in all black, stepping right into my path across the wide white lines. I swing the wheel violently to the left, managing to avoid hitting her…

Then I hear a voice. Not Dash’s. A different voice. One that sounds far off. Distant. And yet, I can make it out clearly, every word. Like someone’s talking softly nearby.

What the hell does she think she’s doing?

“Dash?” I whisper, feeling like I’ve lost my mind. My eyes are glued to the road, and I’m relieved to see that I’m at the outskirts of the Darkwood campus. But I must be imagining things. Because that sounded like a female voice.

“Emmaline, this entire escapade has been highly inadvisable.”

“Spare me the lectures, Dash! It’s not like you’re responsible for me.” My eyes flit to my rearview mirror. Harlowe’s still following me!

She’s clearly never driven in her life. What’s wrong with her? Why’s she so worried about those friends of hers? What made her love clones so much, anyway?

My stomach drops as I steer the car up the brush and through the woods, the last mile until main campus. That sounds like…like Harlowe’s voice. But how…how am I hearing it?

“Dash, I’m not… Are my vitals… Are they normal?” I ask in a strained voice.

“You’re experiencing a spike in adrenaline,” he offers. “That’s obvious. Why?”

Because I’m hearing voices?! I want to shout.

At least she’ll never guess the pump house. That creepy old building is the last place anyone in their right mind would look…