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two； three times apiece。 Must be a treat for him to get some new stories。 Sure is for me。 You’re a good
storyteller。”
I kept my eyes down； but I felt myself softening； losing my guard a bit。 Like anyone inside these
emotional bodies； I was a sucker for flattery。
“Everyone here thinks you hunted us out to turn us over to the Seekers。”
The word sent a shock jolting through me。 My jaw stiffened and my teeth cut my tongue。 I tasted blood。
“What other reason could there be？” he went on； oblivious to my reaction or ignoring it。 “But they’re just
trapped in fixed notions； I think。 I’m the only one with questions。… I mean； what kind of a plan was that；
to wander off into the desert without any way to get back？” He chuckled。 “Wandering—guess that’s
your specialty； eh； Wanda？”
He leaned toward me and nudged me with one elbow。 Wide with uncertainty； my eyes flickered to the
floor； to his face； and back to the floor。 He laughed again。
“That trek was just a few steps shy of a successful suicide； in my opinion。 Definitely not a Seeker’s MO；
if you know what I mean。 I’ve tried to reason it out。 Use logic； right？ So； if you didn’t have backup；
which I’ve seen no sign of； and you had no way to get back； then you must’ve had a different goal。 You
haven’t been real talkative since you got here； ’cept with the kid just now； but I’ve listened to what you
have said。 Kind of seems to me like the reason you almost died out there was ’cause you were hell…bent
on finding that kid and Jared。”
I closed my eyes。
“But if you’re not acting…”
He paused for a moment。
“Spent a lot of time watching your kind。 I was always waiting for them to change； you know； when they
didn’t have to act like us anymore； because there was no one to actfor。 I kept on watching and waiting；
but they just kept on actin’ like humans。 Staying with their bodies’ families； going out for picnics in good
weather； plantin’ flowers and paintin’ pictures and all the rest of it。 I’ve been wondering if you all aren’t
turning sort of human。 If we don’t have some real influence； in the end。”
He waited； giving me a chance to respond。 I didn’t。
“Saw something a few years ago that stuck with me。 Old man and woman； well； the bodies of an old
man and an old woman。 Been together so long that the skin on their fingers grew in ridges around their
wedding rings。 They were holding hands； and he kissed her on her cheek； and she blushed under all those
wrinkles。 Occurred to me that you have all the same feelings we have； because you’re really us； not just
hands in a puppet。”
“Yes；” I whispered。 “We have all the same feelings。 Human feelings。 Hope； and pain； and love。”
“So； if you aren’t acting… well； then I’d swear to it that you loved them both。You do。 Wanda； not just
Mel’s body。”
I put my head down on my arms。 The gesture was tantamount to an admission； but I didn’t care。 I
couldn’t hold it up anymore。
“So that’s you。 But I wonder about my niece； too。 What it was like for her； what it would be like for me。
When they put somebody inside your head； are you just… gone？ Erased？ Like being dead？ Or is it like
being asleep？ Are you aware of the outside control？ Is it aware of you？ Are you trapped there；
screaming inside？”
I sat very still； trying to keep my face smooth。
“Plainly； your memories and behaviors； all that is left behind。 But your consciousness… Seems like some
people wouldn’t go down without a fight。 Hell； I know I would try to stay—never been one to take no
for an answer； anyone will tell you that。 I’m a fighter。 All of us who are left are fighters。 And； you know； I
woulda pegged Mel for a fighter； too。”
He didn’t move his eyes from the ceiling； but I looked at the floor—stared at it； memorizing the patterns
in the purple gray dust。
“Yeah； I’ve wondered about that a lot。”
I could feel his eyes on me now； though my head was still down。 I didn’t move； except to breathe slowly
in and out。 It took a great deal of effort to keep that slow rhythm smooth。 I had to swallow； the blood
was still flowing in my mouth。
He’s both。
Well； maybe this means we don’t have to keep quiet anymore。 He knows。She was hopeful。 She’d
been very quiet lately； absent almost half the time。 It wasn’t as easy for her to concentrate when she was
relatively happy。 She’d won her big fight。 She’d gotten us here。 Her secrets were no longer in jeopardy；
Jared and Jamie could never be betrayed by her memories。
With the fight taken out of her； it was harder for her to find the will to speak； even to me。 I could see
how the idea of discovery—of having the other humans recognize her existence—invigorated her。
Jeb knows； yes。 Does that really change anything？
She thought about the way the other humans looked at Jeb。Right。 She sighed。But I think Jamie… well；
he doesn’t know or guess； but I think he feelsthe truth。
You might be right。 I guess we’ll see if that does him or us any good； in the end。
Jeb could only manage to keep quiet for a few seconds； and then he was off again； interrupting us。
“Pretty interesting stuff。 Not as muchbang！ bang！ as the movies I used to like。 But still pretty interesting。
I’d like to hear more about those spider thingies。 I’m real curious… real curious； for sure。”
I took a deep breath and raised my head。 “What do you want to know？”
He smiled at me warmly； his eyes crinkling into half moons。 “Three brains； right？”
I nodded。
“How many eyes？”
“Twelve—one at each juncture of the leg and the body。 We didn’t have lids； just a lot of fibers—like
steel wool eyelashes—to protect them。”
He nodded； his eyes bright。 “Were they furry； like tarantulas？”
“No。 Sort of… armored—scaled； like a reptile or a fish。”
I slouched against the wall； settling myself in for a long conversation。
Jeb didn’t disappoint on that count。 I lost track of how many questions he asked me。 He wanted
details—the Spiders’ looks； their behaviors； and how they’d handled Earth。 He didn’t flinch away from
the invasion details； on the contrary； he almost seemed to enjoy that part more than the rest。 His
questions came fast on the heels of my answers； and his grins were frequent。 When he was satisfied
about the Spiders； hours later； he wanted to know more about the Flowers。
“You didn’t half explain that one；” he reminded me。
So I told him about that most beautiful and placid of planets。 Almost every time I stopped to breathe； he
interrupted me with a new question。 He liked to guess the answers before I could speak and didn’t seem
a pterodactyl！”
“No； we used sunlight for food； like most plants here。”
“Well； that’s not as much fun as my idea。”
Sometimes I found myself laughing with him。
We were just moving on to the Dragons when Jamie showed up with dinner for three。
“Hi； Wanderer；” he said； a little embarrassed。
“Hi； Jamie；” I answered； a little shy； not sure if he would regret the closeness we’d shared。 I was； after
all； the bad guy。
But he sat down right next to me； between