I’ve been cowering in the kitchen doorway, listening to their conversation. But if they’re still looking for Jinx, that means they don’t have him. I don’t know where he is, either—so I have no reason to hide. I step out into the hallway and take Mom’s hand. She needs me to be strong with her. Slick is in my other hand. One of the security guards narrows his eyes as I pass, eyeing my unleashed baku, so I connect him as we step out into the hallway, swallowing down the bad feelings I had a moment ago.

Even though I know they won’t find anything, it makes me sick to see them enter our little apartment. A few doors open down the hall and then quickly shut again—neighbors wondering what an earth is going on, but also not wanting to get involved. Word spreads quickly in a building like this.

I’m sure they’ll have plenty to gossip about, what with Mom and I backed up against the striped wallpaper in the hallway, guarded by panthers and looking like criminals. Mom has never been so close to a security baku, but it’s not that long since I ran away from one. Not that long since I saw one attempt to sink its teeth into my friend’s arm. So much for bakus not being able to harm people.

Mom’s grip tightens around mine as we hear them move from room to room. Every so often we hear a man shout “clear,” and the security team captain sounds more and more frustrated when they don’t find anything. There’s no evidence of Jinx in the apartment.

“You two.” The captain steps outside again and crooks his finger at Mom and me. “Come with us.” Reluctantly we follow him back into our living room. Mom tenses as she sees what a mess they’ve created.

I’m stunned at how fast things can change. How a home can turn from a safe haven into a prison—how a company can go from beloved to feared. All those things we thought would never happen to us are happening.

We’re told to sit down on the sofa. All four security guards are in front of us. “We have it on good authority that you have been seen with this stolen property.” His security baku projects a 3-D hologram of Jinx onto the table in front of me.

The hologram is so realistic, tears prick my eyes. My fingers itch to reach out and stroke him. But I try to remain calm. “That was my baku—and I didn’t steal him from Moncha Corp. I don’t know where he is. This is my baku now. Meet Slick.” I hold the little scarab beetle robot out in my hand to show him, but the guard doesn’t acknowledge it.