Vending machines were the only food option, and Stephanie, more so than everyone else, was fine with the menu. Since he wasn't busy, Connor took it upon himself to provide everyone's meals. Gotta show initiative, Connor thought, especially in front of his boss. As he began pressing keys for ramen, cold sandwiches in plastic bags, and soda, it occurred to him again that he'd been to Mars. Getting food from the hallway by the cafeteria amounts to beans for his typical workday. But maybe Stephanie will notice.

"Hey!"

A startled Connor fumbled the packaged food as he turned to Teresa and Joules, who stood by her side.

"Here," she bent her knees to float closer to the floor and began grabbing the packaged goods off the ground. "A lot of Slim Jims."

"Not for me, and thanks," he said.

And with her hands full, she straightened up and gave him a huge hug. She squeezed her arms around him, her head against her shoulder. "Thank you."

He was petrified but managed to rub her back. "For what?"

She didn't loosen her grip. "You sent Joules to get me, and she saved my life. You saved my life. An officer got to me. It was terrifying."

What? "I thought you were just looking for us."

"Nope. Joules here took down an officer I was wrestling with. Quite literally wrestling with."

"Oh my God. I didn't know as you looked so calm when we regrouped." He recalled that she had done the same thing earlier with the Estelar. "And you did the same for me," he said.

Teresa loosened up, "But," she pushed off of him. "I know how much Joules means to you. And you sent her to save me. Even risked her life."

"Don't mention it."

"Oh, I will, because I think it means you like me," she twirled around and floated down the hallway in a skipping motion with her hands full as Joules trotted along next to her.

He chuckled. After everything that happened, she was in a good mood. And he could feel himself feeling better after seeing how happy she was. His blood pressure lowered, his shoes felt dryer, and soon they would be off somewhere with a fully charged Aeon Switch.

Wait, he thought.

He felt this way when Teresa first met Joules after school earlier in the year. And then things went downhill.

Stephanie came around the corner. "Hey, I saw Teresa with the food. Do you need a hand?"

"Am I a simp?"

She grabbed a few things from his hands. "Where did this come from? Ah, Teresa. Was it Teresa?"

"She was being cute just now."

"You're not a simp. You turned her down when she went into your room that night."

He fumbled the food again. "You knew about that?"

"Yeah, I heard her walk in there. I don't sleep much."

"Oh my God," he tried to hide his embarrassment.

"Listen," Stephanie said. "Teresa froze that night with the pool. Fight, flight, or freeze. She was terrified, and given how she acts now, she's changed a lot. You've changed too. And if you don't believe me, just think about what she did today."

"What?"

"Did she freeze at all today when she picked you up in her ship?"

"No."

"There you go."

Oh. He smiled. "This is the best I've felt in a long time."

"Yeah, yeah, come on."

Teresa and principal Bailey didn't wait as Stephanie and Connor walked into the room and joined them with the packaged goods. Connor quickly unwrapped some Slim Jims, and Joules spun in circles like a tornado and went to town when Connor dropped them for her. It's not three pounds worth, but she won't be getting dangerous with the amount he bought.

As Teresa dug a big bite into a packaged sandwich, Connor rubbed her back. The firm feeling sent a jolt through her body—this time, a frozen response—and she turned to look at him while the sandwich was still in her mouth. She nearly coughed up the bite of food instead of swallowing it. She wiped away a few tears from her eyes and relished the affection Connor was showing her. It was his way of telling her how he felt, about her, about everything.

"Thank you," Connor took a bite with his free hand.

A small smile came out of her as she put one hand on his leg, and they ate lunch together in silence, along with Stephanie and principal Bailey.

No one noticed at first. A hum, then a throb, and then a buzz. And they all looked startled when it turned into a bustling noise.

"Those airships," said principal Bailey.

"Shit," said Stephanie as she went to the outlet and unplugged the cord hooked to the Aeon Switch. She put it on, "Still no go."

"I'm not sure what that entails," Thomas said.

"It means we can't get out of here. Wait, Thomas, don't you have a car?"

He had to stop himself from his many I don't have the time speech, which was all true. His son needed one of the cars. "My wife dropped me off."

The humming rumbled louder as they circled the school.

"I wonder if they deduced this," Teresa said.

"There are probably a hundred buildings that are closer," Bailey said.

Connor thought of something. "Maybe they're just flying by?"

"We know you're in there," A speaker boomed over the school.

"Well, son of a bitch."

Hovering to the door, Teresa began signaling everyone to get moving. "We might be able to run for it still." Even Principal Bailey picked up the pace as they hustled to the main back entrance the same way they came in. The haze was thick over the field, and a lone airship hovered quietly above the long open entryway to the school.

Connor put his head against the glass door to rest, maybe to ponder. And the principal didn't bother to unlock it. "It's useless," Connor said.

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And then a few more thrummed in.

The speaker from one of the airships blasted, "You have ten minutes."

Connor turned around and sat against the glass door. "So, what's Optimal like? Is the food good?"

"It's not all too bad," Teresa said, and Stephanie slapped Teresa across the arm for saying it.

A stampede made its way down the corridor as Axel, Olivya, Christian, and Neville hustled to the doors. Only Axel wasn't out of breath.

"Did you hear that?" As he slowed, Axel said. "I think we're surrounded."

Olivya turned to Teresa, "Didn't you say it was Stephanie and Connor? No harm will come to him, right?"

Teresa said, "The kill order is in effect, but Mr. Furyk would prefer them both alive. It's an absolute last resort. They'll keep threatening Connor's life until they have him or Stephanie gives in."

"What does that mean? Until Stephanie gives in?" Thomas turned to Stephanie.

"It means that they don't trust me. Just myself isn't good enough."

"And for a good reason," Teresa said.

"Whatever," Neville stepped forward to Connor. "You'll be fine. Like, dude, we're all Americans here. They're not going to hurt you, literally. Have you broken any laws? Done anything wrong?"

Connor raised a brow and said, "No, I don't think so."

"If they wanted you dead, like, dude, you'd be dead. Look at that thing out there. I'm sure they'll have you on hold, ask some questions, and you'll be back for class next week." Neville said.

Connor felt relieved. "You really think so?"

Neville reassured him with a smile. "Yeah, man, I know so. They won't hurt you."

A missile fired and destroyed a section of the gym.

The group stood stunned, and Neville took back everything he said.

As Connor thought about it, aside from missiles and even gunfire, it did seem strange that some teens could get this far. He turned to Stephanie and stopped the mutual quietness, "Maybe we should walk out there with our hands up? It's not like we have any other choice."

Neville said, "I think it's the right—"

"Enough," Stephanie stepped forward, "this doesn't concern any of you."

"Sure it does," Neville said. "What if they fire again?"

Principal Bailey had a feeling about Neville. Under these circumstances, a teenager would not be as enthusiastic as Neville was. Even the way they jogged to catch up to them felt like they were running a victory lap instead of rushing to help someone. He approached Neville and grabbed his arm, pulled him in, and grabbed Neville's phone out of his pocket. Half a head higher and twice his weight in muscle, Thomas was barely phased by Neville trying to shrug him off.

Neville tried to break his grip. "Fuck off, old man."

Everyone grew tense, Christian didn't dare intervene, and Olivya braced herself against the wall. With Neville's phone in one hand and Neville's hand in the other, Thomas forced Neville's fingerprint to unlock the phone. He found what he needed to know with a few quick swipes through the apps that ran in the background.

"Hey!" Neville yelled, "that's illegal."

"It looks like someone checked the news," the principal said. He pushed Neville aside and held the phone to Connor. "This is what they want."

Connor took in what he saw on the phone. It didn't take a millisecond for it to sink in. His knees gave way, shivers set in, and he had lost himself. His friends, whom he forgave, had rekindled the fun together, betrayed him.

His face was upfront and center, with a massive title above it—Thirty million dollar reward for Connor Voll, Alive, in Blue Ashe. Thinking of the reward, he started hyperventilating. The subheadline said, Wanted for technology that puts the entire world at risk. What little hope he had left flew away like a butterfly crossing a trail.

"Looks like they're blaming all of this on Connor and keeping Stephanie out of the news." Thomas leaned in and put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "You'll be fine, son. We'll get you out of this."

"They say you're a teenage genius," Olivya was enthusiastic. "We made the call to the hotline!"

"What the Hell?" Teresa said to Olivya.

"Don't you want to be rich?"

She flew to her soon-to-be former friends and hovered to be a foot taller than all of them. "No, you guys are bitches. And he's your brother, Axel."

"He's a traitor to the country," Axel said.

"You're being disingenuous, ass."

As Teresa argued with the four who called it in, Connor counted slowly and smirked. Neville, Olivya, Christian, and Axel, he believed his friends were back, playing games, hiking, and joking. The good times had returned. He even included his brother, who saved his life. The Lucid Passage was right. Eventually, he let go of control of his trips, and it settled. Not with sex, passion, wealth, or nature. It all came down to him having fun with his friends. Since then, he has relished every Lucid Passage. Not anymore. Stephanie knew it from watching his trips. He's improved, is happier, and now it's all gone, just like her younger brother.

"We should go, Stephanie," Connor stood up off the floor.

"No." Stephanie remained focused. "There's no leaving Optimal. Never."

"Five minutes or we're firing again," the airship blasted.

Connor spun in thought. "What options do we have?"

"They won't risk destroying the Aeon Switch."

Teresa had enough talking. "You should be ashamed, Neville," and she grabbed the keys from the principal and unlocked the door.

"Are you sure?" Thomas said.

She didn't respond as she floated out and flew to the airship. "Leave Connor out of this. Please."

"You'll have your freedom if he comes in." Even via the airship mic, it was clearly Mr. Furyk.

"And if he doesn't?"

"We fire, and you come back."

She quickly flew back down to the doors and next to Connor.

"Shit," Teresa said. "Connor, I can try and fly you out along with the Aeon Switch."

The ship boomed, "There will be other boys, Teresa. You're young and don't know what you want yet."

Teresa looked perturbed and rolled her eyes. "Ignore that asshole, Connor," she said.

He looked away from her, and after a silent pause, he kneeled next to Joules. "Where's Teresa?" Joules pranced next to her, and she put one hand on the wolf's head and began petting. He placed his hands on the glass door to push. "Please take care of her."

"Connor," Teresa didn't know what else to say, to change his attitude or the gratitude he was entrusting her with Joules. "I can get you out."

"You want your freedom, right? From Optimal?"

"Yes."

"Well, at least one of us will be happy."

Teresa froze in place. It hurt her that he thought she would be happy without him.

"Son," Thomas said, "you don't have to go. If they fire, I'll be here with you."

"I don't care whether they fire or not."

Stephanie hustled next to him. "You might be right. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get us out. If I had another thirty minutes, is this what you want?"

"Yeah. Why bother trying?"

A few Optimal officers descended from the airship with zip ties, anti-grav boots, and vests. Cars drove to the sidewalk, and some suits, along with Mr. Furyk, stepped out. Their pistols could be seen beneath their suit jackets as they moved closer to the school.

Stephanie took off the Aeon Switch and held up her hands, and so did Connor as they stepped outside. Connor felt relieved as he stepped out of the building and closer to Mr. Furyk. Each step took him further away from his friends, brother, and school. Each step felt better.

"On your knees," one of the officers said.

Connor and Stephanie both did so.

"Keep your hands where I can see them."

Mr. Furyk stepped up to Stephanie, looked down at her, and grabbed the switch out of her hand. Even he looked impressed by the gold necklace as the colors spun around the inside. This was it the entire time?

"I should have guessed."

Stephanie didn't respond.

Axel kept a close eye on everyone, not just the Optimal officers but everyone in the school. Everyone aside from him was pacing or paying close attention to the new captives, and when he felt no one could stop him, he stepped outside.

"I was the one who brought him in. Mr. Furyk. Remember me?"

Even through the haze and the dusk light, Mr. Furyk could tell it was Axel by the muscular silhouette.

"A moment," Mr. Furky said. He nodded to one of the officers, and one approached Axel and escorted him.

Neville, Christian, and Olivya stood in awe from inside the school.

"Did Axel just take the entire reward for himself?" Neville said. "We should go out there."

"No way am I going out there," Christian said.

Thomas chuckled a little. Teresa watched with fear.

Joules's agitation rose. As she watched Connor get cuffed underneath the airship, her instincts took over. The wolf bolted with absolute efficiency. Teresa dove for the wolf to reach the harness, but even in the antigrav suit, the wolf was faster. The door swung open from her speed and weight, and all heard her growl through the haze. The officers turned to see two amber eyes bolting toward the men apprehending her master.

And the deafening sound stopped all movement and life. Joules went limp and landed on the concrete, stopping several feet in front of her owner.

Connor screamed with terror.