taking him so long。
And then I did hear something； but it wasn’t footsteps。
“What is that？” I asked Doc in a whisper； Walter was quiet again； maybe unconscious。 I didn’t want to
disturb him。
Doc turned to look at me； cocking his head to the side at the same time to listen。
The noise was a funny thrumming； a fast； soft beat。 I thought I heard it get just a little louder； but then it
seemed quieter again。
“That’s weird；” Doc said。 “It almost sounds like…” He paused； his forehead furrowing in concentration
as the unfamiliar sound faded。
We were listening intently； so we heard the footsteps when they were still far away。 They did not match
the expected； even pace of Ian’s return。 He was running—no； sprinting。
Doc reacted immediately to the sound of trouble。 He jogged quickly out to meet Ian。 I wished I could
see what was wrong； too； but I didn’t want to upset Walter by trying to free my hand again。 I listened
hard instead。
“Brandt？” I heard Doc say in surprise。
“Where is it？Where is it？ ” the other man demanded breathlessly。 The running footsteps only paused for
a second； then started up again； not quite as fast。
“What are you talking about？” Doc asked； calling back this way。
“The parasite！” Brandt hissed impatiently； anxiously； as he burst through the arched entry。
Brandt was not a big man like Kyle or Ian； he was probably only a few inches taller than me； but he was
thick and solid as a rhinoceros。 His eyes swept the room； his piercing gaze focused on my face for half a
second； then took in Walter’s oblivious form； and then raced around the room only to end up on me
again。
Doc caught up with Brandt then； his long fingers gripping Brandt’s shoulder just as the broader man took
the first step in my direction。
“What are you doing？” Doc asked； his voice the closest to a growl I’d ever heard it。
Before Brandt answered； the odd sound returned； going from soft to screaming loud to soft again with a
suddenness that had us all frozen。 The beats thudded right on top of one another； shaking the air when
they were at their loudest。
“Is that—is that a helicopter？” Doc asked； whispering。
“Yes；” Brandt whispered back。 “It’s the Seeker—the one from before； the one who was looking forit。 ”
He jerked his chin at me。
No。 Not now。 Please。
What is herproblem？ Mel snarled in my head。Why can’t she leave us alone？
We can’t let her hurt them！
But how do we stop her？
I don’t know。 This is all my fault！
Mine； too； Wanda。 Ours。
“Are you sure？” Doc asked。
“Kyle got a clear view through the binoculars while it was hovering。 Same one he saw before。”
“Is it lookinghere？ ” Doc’s voice was suddenly horrified。 He half spun； eyes flashing toward the exit。
“Where’s Sharon？”
Brandt shook his head。 “It’s just running sweeps。 Starts at Picacho； then fans out in spokes。 Doesn’t
look like it’s focusing on anything close。 Circled around a few times where we dumped the car。”
“Sharon？” Doc asked again。
“She’s with the kids and Lucina。 They’re fine。 The boys are getting things packed in case we have to roll
tonight； but Jeb says it’s not likely。”
Doc exhaled； then paced over to his desk。 He slouched against it； looking as if he’d just run a long race。
“So it’s nothing new； really；” he murmured。
“Naw。 Just have to lay low for a few days；” Brandt reassured him。 His eyes were flickering around the
room again； settling on me every other second。 “Do you have any rope handy？” he asked。 He pulled up
the edge of the sheet on an empty cot； examining it。
“Rope？” Doc echoed blankly。
“For the parasite。 Kyle sent me out here to secure it。”
My muscles contracted involuntarily； my hand gripped Walter’s fingers too tightly； and he whimpered。 I
tried to force it to relax while I kept my eyes on Brandt’s hard face。 He was waiting for Doc； expectant。
“You’re here tosecure Wanda？” Doc said； his voice hard again。 “And what makes you think that’s
necessary？”
“e on； Doc。 Don’t be stupid。 You’ve got some big vents in here； and a lot of reflective metal。”
Brandt gestured to a file cabinet against the far wall。 “You let your attention wander for half a minute； and
it’ll be flashing signals to that Seeker。”
“See？” Brandt said。 “Guessed its plan in one。”
I wanted to bury myself under a boulder to hide from the bulging； relentless eyes of my Seeker； yet he
imagined I wanted to guide her in。 Bring her here to kill Jamie； Jared； Jeb； Ian… I felt like gagging。
“You can go； Brandt；” Doc said in an icy tone。 “I will keep an eye on Wanda。”
Brandt raised one eyebrow。 “What happened to you guys？ To you and Ian and Trudy and the rest？ It’s
like you’re all hypnotized。 If your eyes weren’t right； I’d have to wonder…”
“Go ahead and wonder all you want； Brandt。 But get out while you’re doing it。”
Brandt shook his head。 “I’ve got a job to do。”
Doc walked toward Brandt； stopping when he was between Brandt and me。 He folded his arms across
his chest。
“You’re not going to touch her。”
The throbbing helicopter blades sounded in the distance。 We were all very still； not breathing； until they
faded。
Brandt shook his head when it was quiet again。 He didn’t speak； he just went to the desk and picked up
Doc’s chair。 He carried it to the wall by the file cabinet； slammed it to the ground； and then sat down
hard； making the metal legs squeal against the stone。 He leaned forward； his hands on his knees； and
stared at me。 A vulture waiting for a dying hare to stop moving。
Doc’s jaw tightened； making a little popping noise。
“Gladys；” Walter muttered； surfacing from his dazed sleep。 “You’re here。”
Too nervous to speak with Brandt watching； I just patted his hand。 His clouded eyes searched my face；
seeing features that weren’t there。
“It hurts； Gladdie。 It hurts a lot。”
“I know；” I whispered。 “Doc？”
He was already there； the brandy in hand。 “Open up； Walter。”
The sound of the helicopter thumped quietly； far away but still much too close。 Doc flinched； and a few
drops of brandy splattered on my arm。
It was a horrible day。 The worst of my life on this planet； even including my first day in the caves and the
last hot； dry day in the desert； hours from death。
The helicopter circled and circled。 Sometimes more than an hour would pass； and I would think it was
finally over。 Then the sound would e back； and I would see the Seeker’s obstinate face in my head；
Brandt never took his suspicious stare off of me。 I could always feel it； though I rarely looked at him。 It
got a little better when Ian came back with both breakfast and lunch。 He was all dirty from packing in
case of an evacuation—whatever that meant。 Did they have anywhere to go？ Ian scowled so hard he
looked like Kyle when Brandt explained in clipped phrases why he was there。 Then Ian dragged another
empty cot beside mine； so that he could sit in Brandt’s line of sight and block his view。
The helicopter； Brandt’s distrustful watch； these were not really so bad。 On an ordinary day—if there
was really such a thing anymore—either one of these might have seemed agonizing。 Today； they were
nothing。
By noon； Doc had given Walter the last of the brandy。 It seemed like only minutes later that Walter was
writhing； moaning； and gasping for breath。 His fingers bruised and chafed mine； but if I ever pulled away；
his moans turned to shrill screams。 I ducked out once to use the latrine； Brandt followed me； which made
Ian feel like he had to e； too。 By the time we got back—after nearly running the whole
way—Walter’s screams no longer sounded human。 Doc’s face was hollow with echoed agony。 Walter
quieted after I spoke to him for a moment； letting him think his wife was near。 It was an easy lie； a kind
one。 Brandt made little noises of irritation； but I knew that he was wrong to be upset。 Nothing mattered
beside Walter’s pain。
The whimpers and the writhing continued； though； and Brandt paced back and forth at the other end of
the room； trying to be as far from the sound as possible。
Jamie came looking for me； bringing food enough for four； when the light was growing orangey
overhead。 I wouldn’t let him stay； I made Ian take him back to the kitchen to eat； made Ian promise to
watch him all night so he wouldn’t sneak back here。 Walter couldn’t help shrieking when his twisting
moved his broken leg； and the sound of it was nearly unbearable。 Jamie shouldn’t have this night burned
into his memory the way it would surely be burned into Doc’s and mine。 Perhaps Brandt’s as well；
though he did what he could to ignore Walter； plugging his ears and humming a dissonant tune。
Doc did not try to distance himself from Walter’s hideous suffering； instead； he suffered with him。
Walter’s cries carved deep lines in Doc’s face； like claws raking his skin。
It was strange to see such depths of passion in a human； particularly Doc。 I couldn’t look at him the
same way after watching him live Walter’s pain。 So great was his passion； he seemed to bleed
internally with it。 As I watched； it became impossible to believe that Doc was a cruel person； the man
simply could not be a torturer。 I tried to remember what had been said to found my conjectures—had
anyone made the accusation outright？ I didn’t think so。 I must have jumped to false conclusions in my
terror。
I doubted I could ever mistrust Doc again after this nightmarish day。 However； I would always find his
hospital a horrible place。
When the last of the daylight disappeared； so did the helicopter。 We sat in the darkness； not daring to
turn on even the dim blue light。 It took a few hours before any of us would believe the hunt was over。
Brandt was the first to accept it； he’d had enough of the hospital； too。
“Makes sense for it to give up；” he muttered； edging out the exit。 “Nothing to see at night。 I’ll just take
Doc didn’t respond； didn’t even look at the sullen man as he left。
“Make it stop； Gladdie； make i