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trying not to jostle Walter； so that Ian could arrange the cot under it。 Then he grabbed me up just as
easily and set me on the cot beside Walter。 Walter’s eyes never fluttered。 I gasped quietly； caught off
guard by the casual way Ian was able to put his hands on me—as though I were human。
Ian jerked his chin toward Walter’s hand clasped around mine。 “Do you think you can sleep like that？”
“Yes； I’m sure I can。”
“Sleep well； then。” He smiled at me； then turned and lifted Jamie from the other cot。 “Let’s go； kid；” he
muttered； carrying the boy with no more effort than if he were an infant。 Ian’s quiet footsteps faded into
the distance until I couldn’t hear them anymore。
Doc yawned and went to sit behind the desk he’d constructed out of wooden crates and an aluminum
door； taking the dim lamp with him。 Walter’s face was too dark to see； and that made me nervous。 It
was like he was already gone。 I took fort in his fingers； still curled stiffly around mine。
Doc began to shuffle through some papers； humming almost inaudibly to himself。 I drifted off to the
sound of the gentle rustling。
Walter recognized me in the morning。
He didn’t wake until Ian showed up to escort me back； the cornfield was due to be cleared of the old
stalks。 I promised Doc I would bring him breakfast before I got to work。 The very last thing I did was to
carefully loosen my numb fingers； freeing them from Walter’s grasp。
His eyes opened。 “Wanda；” he whispered。
“Walter？” I wasn’t sure how long he would know me； or if he would remember last night。 His hand
clutched at the empty air； so I gave him my left； the one that wasn’t dead。
“You came to see me。 That was nice。 I know… with the others back… must be hard… for you… Your
face…”
He seemed to be having a difficult time making his lips form the words； and his eyes went in and out of
focus。 How like him； that his first words to me would be full of concern。
“Everything’s fine； Walter。 How are you feeling？”
“Ah —” He groaned quietly。 “Not so… Doc？”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“Got any more liquor？” he gasped。
“Of course。”
Doc was already prepared。 He held the mouth of a thick glass bottle to Walter’s slack lips and carefully
poured the dark brown liquid in slow drips into his mouth。 Walter winced as each sip burned down his
throat。 Some of it trickled out the side of his mouth and onto his pillow。 The smell stung my nose。
“Better？” Doc asked after a long moment of slow pouring。
Walter grunted。 It didn’t sound like assent。 His eyes closed。
“More？” Doc asked。
Walter grimaced and then moaned。
Doc cursed under his breath。 “Where’s Jared？” he muttered。
I stiffened at the name。 Melanie stirred and then drifted again。
Walter’s face sagged。 His head rolled back on his neck。
“Walter？” I whispered。
“The pain’s too much for him to stay conscious。 Let him be；” Doc said。
My throat felt swollen。 “What can I do？”
Doc’s voice was desolate。 “About as much as I can。 Which is nothing。 I’m useless。”
“Don’t be like that； Doc；” I heard Ian murmur。 “This isn’t your fault。 The world doesn’t work the way it
used to。 No one expects more of you。”
My shoulders hunched inward。 No； their world didn’t work the same way anymore。
A finger tapped my arm。 “Let’s go；” Ian whispered。
I nodded and started to pull my hand free again。
Walter’s eyes rolled open； unseeing。 “Gladdie？ Are you here？” he implored。
“Um… I’m here；” I said uncertainly； letting his fingers lock around mine。
Ian shrugged。 “I’ll get you both some food；” he whispered； and then he left。
I waited anxiously for him to return； unnerved by Walter’s misconception。 Walter murmured Gladys’s
name over and over； but he didn’t seem to need anything from me； for which I was grateful。 After a
while； half an hour maybe； I began listening for Ian’s footsteps in the tunnel； wondering what could be
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 getti