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blood。 It’s a very bright color； a color you don’t have here。 It raised its pincers； and they swung toward
me。 I thought that was it； and I was forted a little that at least I would dietrying。
“And then the pincers hit the snow beside me。 I couldn’t believe it had missed！ I stared up at the huge；
hideous face； and I almost had to… well； not laugh。 Bears don’t laugh。 But that was the feeling。 Because
that ugly face was torn with confusion and surprise and chagrin。 No claw beast had ever worn such an
expression before。
“It had taken Harness Light a few minutes to bind himself to the claw beast—it was such a big area； he
really had to extend himself。 But then he was in control。 He was confused and slow—he didn’t have
much of a brain to work with； but it was enough that he knew I was his friend。
“I had to ride him to the crystal city—to hold the wound closed on his neck until we could reach a
I’d been staring ahead； toward the lights of the hospital and the figures of the souls crossing in front of
those lights； as I told the story。 Now I looked at Jared for the first time。 He was gaping at me； his eyes
wide and his mouth hanging open。
It reallywas one of my best stories。 I’d have to get Mel to promise that she’d tell it to Jamie when I
was…
“They’re probably finished unloading； don’t you think？” I said quickly。 “Let’s finish this and get back
home。”
He stared at me for one more moment； and then shook his head slowly。
“Yes； let’s finish this； Wanderer； Lives in the Stars； Rides the Beast。 Stealing a few unguarded crates
won’t present much of a challenge foryou； will it？”
CHAPTER 52
Separated
We brought our plunder in through the south vent； though this meant that the jeep would have to be
moved before dawn。 My main concern with using the bigger entrance was that the Seeker would hear the
motion our arrival was sure to cause。 I wasn’t sure if she had any idea of what I was going to do；
and I didn’t want to give her any reason to kill her host and herself。 The story Jeb had told me about one
of their captives—the man who had simply collapsed； leaving no external evidence on the outside of the
havoc wreaked inside his skull—haunted my thoughts。
The hospital was not empty。 As I squeezed myself through the last tight bubble of space out into the
main room； I found Doc preparing for the operation。 His desk was laid out； on it； a propane lantern—the
brightest illumination we had available—waited to be lit。 The scalpels glinted in the duller blue light of the
solar lamp。
I had known that Doc would agree to my terms； but seeing him thus occupied sent a wave of nervous
nausea through me。 Or maybe it was just the memory of that other day that sickened me； the day I’d
caught him with blood on his hands。
“You’re back；” he said with relief。 I realized that he’d been worried about us； just as everyone worried
when someone left the safety of the caves。
“We brought you a gift；” Jared said as he pushed himself free behind me。 He straightened up and
reached back for a box。 With a flourish； he held it up； displaying the label on the side。
“Heal！” Doc crowed。 “How much did you get？”
“Two cases。 And we’ve found a much better way to renew our stores than to have Wanda stabbing
herself。”
Doc did not laugh at Jared’s joke。 Instead he turned to stare at me piercingly。 We both must have been
thinking the same thing：Convenient； since Wanda won’t be around。
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。
Jared noticed the look and the tension。 He glanced at me； his expression impossible to read。
“Yes；” I answered。 “Ten of them。 It was all the car could hold。”
While I spoke； Jared yanked on the rope behind him。 With a clatter of loose rock； the second box of
Heal； followed by the tanks； tumbled onto the floor behind him。 The tanks clanked like metal； though they
were built of no element that existed on this planet。 I’d told him it was fine to treat the empty cryotanks
roughly； they were built to withstand much worse abuse than being tugged through a stone channel。 They
glinted on the floor now； looking shiny and pristine。
Doc picked one up； freeing it from the rope； and turned it around in his hands。
“Ten？” The number seemed to surprise him。 Did he think it too many？ Or not enough？ “Are they difficult
to use？”
“No。 Extremely easy。 I’ll show you how。”
Doc nodded； his eyes examining the alien construction。 I could feel Jared watching me； but I kept my
eyes on Doc。
“What did Jeb； Brandt； and Aaron say？” I asked。
Doc looked up； locked his eyes on mine。 “They’re… in agreement with your terms。”
I nodded； not convinced。 “I won’t show you unless I believe that。”
“That’s fair。”
Jared glared at us； confused and frustrated。
“What did you tell him？” Doc asked me； being cautious。
“Just that I was going to save the Seeker。” I turned to look in Jared’s general direction without meeting
his gaze。 “Doc has promised me that if I show him how to perform the separation； you will give the
released souls safe conduct to another life on another planet。 No killing。”
Jared nodded thoughtfully； his eyes flickering back to Doc。 “I can agree to those terms。 And I can make
sure the others follow through。 I assume you have a plan to get them off…planet？”
“It will be no more dangerous than what we did tonight。 Just the opposite—adding to the stack rather
than taking from it。”
“Okay。”
“Did you… have a time schedule in mind？” Doc asked。 He tried to sound nonchalant； but I could hear
the eagerness behind his voice。
He just wanted the answer that had eluded him for so long； I tried to tell myself。 It wasn’t that he was in
“I have to take the jeep back—can you wait？ I’d like to watch this。”
“Sure； Jared；” Doc agreed。
“Won’t take me long；” Jared promised as he shoved himself back into the vent。
That I was sure of。 It wouldn’t take enough time at all。
Doc and I did not speak until the sound of Jared’s scrambling exit had faded。
“You didn’t talk about… Melanie？” he asked softly。
I shook my head。 “I think he sees where this is going。 He must guess my plan。”
“But not all of it。 He won’t allow —”
“He won’t get a say；” I interrupted severely。 “All or nothing； Doc。”
Doc sighed。 After a moment of silence； he stretched and glanced toward the main exit。 “I’m going to go
talk to Jeb； get things ready。”
He reached for a bottle on the table。 The chloroform。 I was sure the souls had something better to use。 I
would have to try to find it for Doc； before I was gone。
“Who knows about this？”
“Still just Jeb； Aaron； and Brandt。 They all want to watch。”
This didn’t surprise me； Aaron and Brandt would be suspicious。 “Don’t tell anyone else。 Not tonight。”
Doc nodded； then he disappeared into the black corridor。
I went to sit against the wall； as far from the prepared cot as I could get。 I’d have my turn on top of it all
too soon。
Trying to think of something besides that grim f