Dammit. She'd hoped it was Josh's face she'd just crushed. But he was still after her-the lone attacker. She bolted into the stairwell, positioning herself just behind the door. He was right on her heels. The fizz was at a fever pitch now; her entire body was singing. Josh burst through the open doorway- "Hai!"

Jump kick. Never before had Gaia funneled so much power into a single move. Her sneaker ripped a b.l.o.o.d.y gash across Josh's face, right next to his nose. Surprisingly, he didn't make a sound. His gun went tumbling down the first flight of stairs, and his body followed. He struck the wall of the landing headfirst, then crumpled. His eyes fluttered and closed.

Gaia smiled grimly. It was time to finish him off.

She hurtled down the stairs in one leap, aiming her foot straight for Josh's solar plexus. But even as she was about to strike, she realized she'd underestimated him. He'd feigned unconsciousness. The moment before she connected, he ducked out of the way. His ability to ignore pain and injury was impressive, she had to admit. Her foot crashed into the wall. She had to take a second to regain her balance. Josh was already on the attack, striking her with his fists. Loki had trained him well. That was undeniable. But Tom (Loki himself?) had trained Gaia better. She blocked each punch of his quick combination- until she found an opening and drove her knee into his gut.

"Ugh," he croaked. Blood dribbled from his mouth.

Now you're weakening, she thought.

He doubled over long enough for Gaia to clasp her hands and drive both of her elbows to the back of his neck, sending him to the floor, chin first. He groaned again. She dropped beside him and lifted his head up by the back of his hair-then smacked it back down on the landing with full force. Blood splattered on her hand. His body went limp. He had conceded the battle.

Gaia swallowed, panting. Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Purple dots swam at the edge of her vision. She knew she didn't have much time before she blacked out. Sucking in her breath, she flipped Josh over and grabbed the front of his sweatshirt with both hands.

"Where's Sam?" she gasped, sweat dripping down her face.

Josh didn't answer. He merely gave her a b.l.o.o.d.y smile-still as smug as ever, even in his battered condition. His eyes started rolling back in his head.

"Answer me!" she barked. She shook him once, then slapped his face.

"I can't," he gurgled. He coughed up some more blood. And still he smiled.

"Where is Loki?" she demanded.

"Last I heard, he was going to pay a visit to your new boyfriend," he choked out.

Gaia dropped his shirt. She gaped at him. The dizziness swelled inside her head like some kind of deafening, out-of-tune orchestra. There was only one thing that could mean. But there was no way. There was no way they could have seen the kiss. They still had no idea she'd been at Ed's house... but maybe they did know. Maybe they'd known the whole time and they were just toying with her. Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. She couldn't look at Josh anymore. Without a second thought, she landed a swift blow to the pressure point between his neck and shoulder, knocking him out instantly. His torso collapsed sideways, his body sprawled out in a pool of his own blood on the stairwell.

Okay. She had to get to Ed's apartment. Now.

Now! she ordered herself.

She staggered to her feet. Her body was collapsing too fast. The purple dots turned to brown, consuming her vision. She fell to her knees beside Josh.

"No!" she groaned. "No!"

But by then, the brown had already turned to black.

"I KNOW YOU HAVE CLa.s.s," THE man said. "I won't take up much of your time."

Big, Fat Weakness Ed shrugged. He tried his best to mask his fear, which was pretty much impossible, seeing how he was trembling so much that his crutches rattled against the floor. "I'm... I'm really late for cla.s.s," he stammered, glancing at Heather. "We're really late for cla.s.s. Maybe we could talk later?"

The man's ice-blue eyes softened. "I promise it will only take a minute," he said.

"Ed, it's fine", Heather moaned. "MacGregor saw you. He won't care."

Shut the h.e.l.l up, Heather, Ed retorted silently. You have no idea what's going on here. Just go to cla.s.s.

"It's about Gaia Moore," the man said. "I'm her father, and, well... she's missing. I'm extremely worried, as you can imagine, and I need to find her. I need to find her right away. Have you seen her?"

Heather scowled at Ed. "More Gaia drama, huh? I should have figured as much," she grumbled. "I'm going to cla.s.s." She stalked down the hall and slammed the cla.s.sroom door behind her.

Ed hung his head.

"Please," the man begged. "I have to-"

"I haven't seen her," Ed interrupted, but he was unable to lift his eyes. He suddenly realized a big, fat weakness in his plan to hide Gaia. He was a terrible liar.

Sure enough, her father (if this even was her father) frowned. His nostrils flared. Clearly he saw right through Ed's lame act. "I see," he said crossly. "Well, I know you two are extremely close. And I have to be honest with you, I'm just... I'm very concerned for her. I think she may be in some real danger, and if you know anything Ed, anything that might help me find her-"

"I really should get to cla.s.s," Ed insisted. His voice quavered. If he didn't get the h.e.l.l out of here soon, he might end up doing something pretty drastic. Like peeing all over himself. Experimental surgery was less terrifying than this interrogation. And Ed should know.

"Okay. Okay, Ed." The man searched Ed's eyes carefully before speaking again. "What's a better time for you to talk?"

Ed shuddered. Now he was stuck. If he tried to dodge all future conversations, it would be a dead giveaway that he knew something. But to arrange a meeting with a possible murderer? Wasn't that pretty much the same thing as committing suicide?

There was no easy exit, though. Ed had asked Gaia to let him help her. He'd volunteered himself as her hero, and this was his first test. He had to agree. Whether this man could be trusted or not, whether he was even Gaia's father or not... it didn't matter. Ed had to meet him. If anything, Ed could use the meeting to throw him off of Gaia's trail. Unfortunately, he might also get killed. But hey, that could always buy Gaia a little extra time, right?

Too bad he could no longer laugh at his own jokes. None of them were funny, anyway. He sighed. "Okay. I have a free period after this one. I can talk to you then. I mean...if Gaia's in trouble, I want to help."

The man smiled. "Thank you, Ed. Meet me in Washington Square Park in forty-five minutes, at the fountain. I'll be waiting there. I can't thank you enough." He gave Ed a hard pat on the shoulder and disappeared down the stairs.

Ed glanced toward MacGregor's cla.s.sroom. Weird: The thought of p.i.s.sing off his English teacher by being late didn't really seem so important anymore. Not when MacGregor's period might very well be his last. Of course, the old Ed would have tempted death at the slightest provocation. He'd skate on any dare, and he'd take any jump. He thrived on risking intense bodily harm. It had been his primary reason for living. Until he'd actually almost died. Then he'd started to value life a lot more. For some reason, though, death just kept stalking him.

To: L From: J Date: March 8 File: 776244 Subject: Gaia Moore Subject spotted at Messenger's dorm. Four-man team was dismantled. Subject eluded capture. Please advise.

To: J From: L Date: March 8 File: 776244 Subject: Gaia Moore Of course the subject dismantled your team. You were all outmatched. Return to HQ. It will take far more than physical force to complete this phase of the operation. The Messenger may be gone, but the new plan is about to begin.

no logic

Never before had she wanted to hurt somebody- anybody- as badly as she did at this moment.

TOM'S EYES ROVED OVER THE LATE- morning Washington Square crowd: the drug dealers and their clientele, the hustlers, the performers, the students and truants...all the blissfully ignorant faces in the spring sunshine. None caught his attention. But chances were that he was still under surveillance. Any one of these young men or women-these children-could be in Loki's employ. That was part of Loki's genius, the key to his success. He sank to new levels of depravity to keep his enemies guessing.

The Torture And now Tom had sunk to that very level himself.

Not only was he dragging a child into this deadly game, but the child was disabled. He'd stopped second-guessing himself, though. He'd steeled his nerves to become impervious to the implications of his actions. He'd simply stopped caring. The circ.u.mstances had necessitated it.

Loki would be proud, Tom thought. Even his own thoughts were black, devoid of emotion. I'm becoming more like him every day.

Tom's eyes swept the crowd again, and he immediately hopped to his feet. There the boy was, hobbling toward him from the direction of Waverly Place. Tom hurried to intercept him, then pointed to a nearby bench.

"Thank you so much for meeting me, Ed," he breathed "It's no problem," Ed grunted. He leaned his crutches against the armrest, then plopped down beside him.

"You, know, Mr. Moore, I really don't-"

"Tom. Please, call me Tom."

Ed swallowed and forced a smile, then stared at his feet.

Tom studied his face. My G.o.d. This boy was terrified of him. His lips were trembling. He sat still, but every muscle in his body seemed to be poised to leap away at a moment's notice. His skin was growing paler by the second. Tom felt sick. But he forced himself to speak. There was no point in prolonging the torture. For either of them.

"Now, Ed, I don't want to be impolite. But you have to understand, I have very little time to find my daughter. So if you know something, anything, you need to tell me now. Please tell me what you know."

Ed shifted in his seat. "Look, I'm really sorry. I just don't know anything-"

"I think you're lying," Tom snapped. His frustration had reached the boiling point. He knew he couldn't waste any more time. He'd have to resort to an old standby, one of the most basic methods of interrogation: using a subject's fear against him. "I think you know something. And I think you're afraid to tell me."

"No," Ed croaked, clearing his throat vigorously. "No, I'm... I'm really sorry, Tom. I mean, you're scaring me here."

Good. That's good. Don't let the boy's fear soften your resolve.

"You should be scared," Tom stated point-blank. "Because if you don't know where she is, then she's probably already gone."

Ed remained silent. He shivered once, then closed his eyes.

"Talk to me!" Tom barked.

A few people glanced in their direction, then quickly looked away. Tom knew that raising his voice hadn't been a wise move. But then, he was beyond behaving wisely. Not when Gaia's life was at stake.

"Well, I know her uncle doesn't have her," Ed blurted out.

Tom's eyes widened-both with horror and hope. So Ed was aware of Loki. Which meant he must have talked to Gaia very, very recently.

"How do you know that?" Tom demanded.

Ed shook his head. "I... I..."

"This isn't a game, d.a.m.n it!" Tom hissed.

"But I don't know anything," Ed insisted. His voice grew strained. He was clearly on the verge of tears. "I just know she's okay, that's all. That's all I know."

"Did she call you?"

"Maybe. I-"

"Did she tell you where she was?"

"No. No, she just said that I shouldn't worry, and that-"

"Ed, you're lying. I can tell that you're lying. You're a terrible liar." Hope began to well inside him, as did the abhorrence of himself-at how he was being forced to treat this poor boy. "You know where she is, don't you?"

Ed turned away.

Tom clamped his hand onto Ed's chin, and wrenched his head back to face him. "You're still not understanding," Tom said harshly. "Now is the time when you tell me everything. Now. Not later."

"Let me go," Ed pleaded. His eyes darted toward the crowd.

A few excruciating seconds ticked by as Tom gripped Ed's stricken face in his hand. Then he let go. This had gone on long enough. He wouldn't stoop to his twin's level. Never. No matter what the circ.u.mstances. He could always tail Ed, following at a safe distance and allowing him to take the two of them straight to Gaia- if Ed indeed knew where she was. Knowing Gaia, she was probably already on the move. But it was worth a shot. He reached into his coat pocket.

"No!" Ed cried, flinching. He struggled to back away from Tom-until he saw exactly what it was that Tom had pulled out.

It was a silver CD case.

Ed peered at the label, almost hyperventilating. "Clofaze?" he murmured. "What's that? I don't get it."

"Just give her the CD," Tom said quietly. "There's a note tucked inside as well. It's everything she needs to know. Tell her that there will be no more secrets. Tell her I pray she can forgive me. And tell her I love her."

"But..." Ed's head jerked up. He gaped at Tom.

"Tell her," Tom whispered. He didn't wait for Ed to answer. He simply thrust the CD into Ed's uncomprehending grasp and jumped from the bench, vanishing into the crowd before Ed could refuse his requests. It was time to get lost. And then to be found.

GAIA WAS CALLING FOR HIM EVEN before she'd slammed the front door shut.

Poisonous Smoke "Ed? Ed, are you home?"

She raced through every room in the apartment, screaming his name-even though she was well aware that this behavior was totally irrational. If he'd been there, he would have answered. It was past noon. Which meant that he was missing. She was too late. Loki already had him. First Sam, now Ed. Her heart pounded. She had known this would happen. She'd predicted it.

"Ed!"

Nothing. Of course nothing. The apartment was empty. When she circled back to the front hall, she finally stopped. Her hands were bruised and aching. Her throat was raw and her limbs had become so weak that they felt detached from her body. But, as always, when fear should have been raging, her mind became a still pond. She had to rethink her strategy. At least she'd managed to escape from Josh and the others. Josh had still been pa.s.sed out cold in the stairwell when she'd left him, stewing in a pool of his own blood. He'd be hurting when he regained consciousness. That gave her some pleasure- There was a rustling at the front door.

Gaia immediately ducked down and scurried to the side of the door as the key slipped into the lock. Ed? Her hopes soared, but she was also poised for a more likely arrival: that of Loki himself. She raised her arms.

"Gaia?"

It was Ed. He stumbled into the foyer, nearly tripping over his crutches. Gaia's arms dropped to her sides. Her body sagged back against the wall. She almost felt like laughing. Well, either that or bursting into tears.

"Gaia?" Ed screamed.

"Here," she groaned faintly.

Ed whirled around. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, as if to make sure he wasn't hallucinating- then shook his head. Gaia nodded. She smiled shakily. There was no need to speak. She understood exactly how he felt. Without a word, he tossed his bag and crutches to the floor and shambled over to her. She put her arms around him, allowing him to use her for support. He buried his head in her shoulder, sniffling-and she suddenly realized that they were standing in the reverse of position that had led to the- Stop it! She thrust those thoughts aside. Ed needed comfort. She wouldn't allow the embrace to end over some misguided anxiety, over idiotic attempts to guess if he were thinking the same thing.

Ed squeezed her tightly.

Gaia felt a slight shiver, but warmth was building inside her. She didn't understand it. The sense of imminent death had become the norm-something she experienced every day, no different than hunger or thirst or fatigue. But now for some reason that feeling faded whenever she was with Ed. And it was troubling, because there was no logic to it. Their lives had never been more thoroughly screwed than at this moment. Yet still she let him hug her.

Neither of them moved a muscle. Time seemed to expand, stretching thin, like a bubble. The moment was just as fragile. They had to protect this little bubble of time, to freeze it. Yes. Logic made no difference. Gaia was certain that they could hold everything else at bay as long as they didn't let go of each other, as long as they froze the moment for themselves. She'd promised herself there would not be another kiss. She wouldn't allow all that totally unexpected pa.s.sion to rear its ugly head again. But this simple moment of silence and stillness felt even more pa.s.sionate than their kiss had been. Too strong, even, for Gaia to rationalize it, or pull away from it....