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He was anxious。 This knowledge made my palms sweaty； but I tried to keep the panic from my voice。
“I’m so sorry；” I apologized in a loud whisper。 I glanced at Jared； as if checking to see whether our
words had woken him。 “I think… well； I think I might have fallen asleep。 I didn’t realize I was so tired。”
I tried to smile remorsefully。 I could tell I sounded stiff； like the too…careful actors on the television。
The Seeker’s eyes traced their route again； this time lingering on Jared。 My heart jumped painfully
against the inside of my ribs。 I pinched the pill tighter。
“It was irresponsible for me to drive for so long without sleep；” I said quickly； trying again to smile a
little。 “I thought we could make it to Phoenix before I would need rest。 I’m very sorry。”
“What’s your name； miss？”
His voice was not harsh； but neither was it warm。 He kept it low； though； following my cue。
“Leaves Above；” I said； using the name from the last hotel。 Would he want to check my story？ I might
need someplace to refer him to。
“Upside…down Flower？” he guessed。 His eyes flickered around their course。
“Yes； I was。”
“My partner； too。 Were you on the island？”
“No；” I said quickly。 “The mainland。 Between the great rivers。”
He nodded； perhaps a little disappointed。
“No！” he interrupted me in a louder voice。
I jumped； startled； and the little pill slipped from my fingers。 It dropped to the metal floor with a faintly
audibleclink。 I felt the blood drain from my face as though a plug had been pulled。
“Didn’t mean to startle you；” he apologized quickly； his eyes repeating their restless circle。 “But you
shouldn’t linger here。”
“Why？” I managed to whisper。 My fingers twitched anxiously at the empty air。
“There was a… disappearance recently。”
“I don’t understand。 A disappearance？”
“It could have been an accident… but there might be…” He hesitated； unwilling to say the word。
“Humans may be in this area。”
“Humans？” I squeaked； too loud。 He heard the fear in my voice and interpreted it the only way he could。
“There’s no proof of that； Leaves Above。 No sightings or anything。 Don’t be anxious。 But youshould
proceed on to Phoenix without unnecessary delay。”
“Of course。 Or maybe Tucson？ That would be closer。”
“There’s no danger。 You can continue with your plans。”
“If you’re sure； Seeker…”
“I’m quite sure。 Just don’t go wandering off into the desert； Flower。” He smiled。 The expression warmed
his face； making it kind。 Just like all the other souls I’d dealt with。 He wasn’t anxiousabout me； butfor
me。 He wasn’t listening for lies。 And he probably wouldn’t recognize them if he was。 Just another soul。
“I wasn’t planning on it。” I smiled back at him。 “I’ll be more careful。 I know I couldn’t fall asleep now。” I
glanced at the desert out Jared’s window with a wary expression； so the Seeker would think that fear
was making me alert。 My expression tensed into a taut mask as I caught sight of a pair of lights reflected
in the side mirror。
Jared’s spine stiffened at the same time； but he held his pose。 It looked too tight。
My eyes darted back to the Seeker’s face。
“I can help with that；” he said； still smiling but looking down now as he fumbled to remove something
from his pocket。
He hadn’t seen the change in my face。 I tried to control the muscles in my cheeks； to make them relax；
but I couldn’t concentrate hard enough to make it happen。
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。
“You should not use this often；” the Seeker went on； searching the other pocket now。 “It’s not harmful；
of course； or the Healers wouldn’t have us give it out。 But if you use it frequently； itwill alter your sleep
cycles。… Ah； here it is。 Awake。”
The lights slowed as they approached。
Just drive by；I begged in my head。Don’t stop； don’t stop； don’t stop。
Let it be Kyle at the wheel；Melanie added； thinking the words like a prayer。
Don’t stop。 Just drive。 Don’t stop。 Just drive。
“Miss？”
I blinked； trying to focus。 “Um； Awake？”
“Just inhale this； Leaves Above。”
He had a thin white aerosol can in his hand。 He sprayed a puff of mist into the air in front of my face。 I
leaned forward obediently and took a sniff； my eyes darting to the mirror at the same time。
“It’s grapefruit scented；” the Seeker said。 “Nice； don’t you think？”
“Very nice。” My brain was suddenly sharp； focused。
The big moving truck slowed and then idled on the road be…hind us。
No！Mel and I shouted together。 I searched the dark floor for one half second； hoping against hope that
the little pill would be visible。 I couldn’t even make out my feet。
The Seeker glanced absently at the truck and then waved it forward。
I looked back at the truck； too； a forced smile on my face。 I couldn’t see who was driving。 My eyes
reflected the headlights； shot out faint beams of their own。
The truck hesitated。
The Seeker waved again； more broadly this time。 “Go ahead；” he muttered to himself。
Drive！ Drive！ Drive！
Beside me； Jared’s hand was clenched in a fist。
Slowly； the big truck shuddered into first gear and then inched forward through the space between the
Seeker’s vehicle and ours。 The Seeker’s spotlight outlined two silhouettes； two black profiles； both
facing straight forward。 The one in the driver’s seat had a crooked nose。
Mel and I both exhaled in relief。
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”
“Alert；” I told the Seeker。
“It will wear off in about four hours。”
“Thank you。”
The Seeker chuckled。 “Thankyou； Leaves Above。 When we saw you racing down the road； we thought
we might have humans on our hands。 I was sweating； but not from the heat！”
I shuddered。
“Don’t worry。 You’ll be perfectly fine。 If you’d like； we can follow you to Phoenix。”
“I’m just fine。 You don’t need to trouble yourself。”
“It was nice to meet you。 I’ll be pleased when my shift is over； so that I can go home and tell my partner
I met another green…first Flower。 She’ll be so excited。”
“Um… tell her； ‘Brightest sun； longest day’ for me；” I said； giving him the Earthly translation of the
mon greeting and farewell on the Flower Planet。
“Certainly。 Have a pleasant journey。”
“And you have a pleasant night。”
He stepped back； and the spotlight hit my eyes again。 I blinked furiously。
“Cut it； Hank；” the Seeker said； shading his eyes as he turned to walk toward the car。 The night turned
black again； and I forced another smile toward the invisible Seeker named Hank。
I started the engine with shaking hands。
The Seekers were faster。 The little black car with the incongruous light bar atop it purred to life。 It
executed a sharp U…turn； and then the taillights were all I could see。 They disappeared quickly into the
night。
I pulled back onto the road。 My heart pumped the blood through my veins in hard little bursts。 I could
feel the fierce pulse throbbing through to my fingertips。
“They’re gone；” I whispered t