>>When you wake up tomorrow, block the bottom of your leash with duct tape so he can’t connect. Charge him from the outlet from now on. As long as he doesn’t have access to your mind, it will be okay.

I nod, relieved I won’t be kicked out of a second school—this time for not having a baku at all. Then the weight of everything I’ve just learned threatens to crush me.

But Jinx…how do you know all this?

>>I’m still able to access the private Moncha databases, like the ones I used to get you into Profectus in the first place. I was also able to wipe any mention of my location from Slick’s data banks and the backup in the cloud.

Whoa, I say, somehow unable to adequately express my awe at Jinx’s capabilities.

>>Yes, whoa. But I can’t stop the update from rolling out on my own. Now that he’s done beta-testing, the next phase will be to roll it out to all level one and two bakus.

My eyes open wide. But that’s millions of people! When will that be?

Jinx shakes his head.

>>I don’t know. Hopefully it won’t come to that. But the problem is Eric Smith. We’re going to have to get Monica back in charge if we’re going to have any chance of stopping Eric Smith before he can implement the next phase. We have to get her out of that creepy basement place. If we go there tonight, I can unlock the security door and…

I blink and can’t help but interrupt him. But Jinx…we can’t.

>>Why not?

He bristles his metallic fur.

Tobias was just there. He streamed to me directly from the basement at Moncha HQ. Monica isn’t there anymore.

He freezes. At first, I wonder if he’s had some kind of short circuit, because he’s not even moving a tiny filament of fur on his body.

After a few seconds, he responds.

>>What do you mean she’s not there?

I saw it on the livestream. They’ve torn the whole thing down.

>>They must have moved her.

But where?

>>I…I don’t know.

Jinx sounds totally confused. He keeps freezing in his movements, which I take to mean he’s accessing data at such a fast rate, his electronics almost can’t keep up. His next words confirm my suspicion.

>>I’m running through all the data I can mine from the Moncha cloud, but I can’t find mention of anywhere they might have taken her.

Jinx hisses again.

>>I thought it was a solid plan.

What are we going to do? How am I supposed to go up against someone like Eric Smith? He’s got all the resources on the planet, and he’s already starting to manipulate people’s behavior. I can’t compete with that. All I have is…