me. Oh no. “Are you able to check the satellite to make sure its feeds are clean?”
“Yes.”
Her focus returns to Radcliff. “The satellite can scan the desert’s surface, searching for any holes or tunnels in the sand that could be potential hiding places. It’s only twenty klicks.”
“What if opening this pit brings Jarren out of hiding?” Radcliff asks.
“He has digging machines and heavy equipment,” Dad says. “Right now, he could park in the middle of the desert and open all the pits if he wanted. We can’t stop him. Not with our limited resources. He obviously has a hidden agenda. All we know is that when he attacked the first time, he selected specific Warriors to steal and destroyed the rest. There must be a reason.”
“If the activity draws Jarren out, that will answer the question of where he is,” Morgan—ever practical—says.
Radcliff grips the armrests of his seat. Hard. “The last time Jarren showed up, your daughter died.”
Wow. Them’s fighting words.
Mom stands up.
“Ming,” my dad warns.
“Thank you for the reminder, Officer Radcliff.”
If words were tangible, my mom’s would be coated in ice and have sharp edges.
“Once we confirm there’s no one hiding nearby, Dorey and I can fix the satellite cameras to show an empty desert,” I say.
Radcliff tenses, which I didn’t think was possible considering before this a small child could bounce on his abs.
“That reduces the risk,” Dad says into the silence.
“And we need more answers,” Mom says. “Yes, it’s a risk. I’m not going to force anyone to go. We’ll ask for volunteers. If we don’t get enough, then we won’t do it.”
Time to state the obvious. “Mom, I would have to go. You can’t send techs into a pit without me ensuring there are no shadow-blobs.”
“We’ll bring a camera that’s not routed through the Q-net; you can watch the feed.”
“No. It’s not the same thing. And I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I missed one and someone died.”
My skin tingles with Radcliff’s approval. Too bad I’m going to ruin it. “I’ll volunteer. You’re right. We need more answers. And time is running out.”
Mom, Dad and Radcliff are all about to protest.
“Without me, there’s no mission. No one else will volunteer.”
My mother’s icy gaze turns on me even though she knows I’m right. I suppress a shiver.
“If Ara goes, I’ll volunteer,” Beau says.
“You’re a bunch of idiots.” Morgan shakes her head in disgust.
“You’re going to need another two security officers to volunteer before I allow my team to be a part of this mission.” Radcliff just about growls.
“I’ll check with them,” Morgan offers.
My father stands. “And we’ll see about the techs.”
Although it appears as if my parents will get their team, they fail to look happy about it. They depart to go recruit more team members. Radcliff leaves, but Beau touches my arm, stopping me from following Radcliff.
“Thanks,” Beau says.
“You’re risking your life again. No need to thank me,” I say.
“No, for backing me up. Asking my opinion about the Q-net.”
“Isn’t that what partners do?”
He flashes me a grin. “You got that right.” Then he sobers. “Your worming skills took a gigantic leap forward. What happened?”
I don’t hesitate for long. We’re partners. He deserves to know. “When I died, I flew through the Q-net. I’ve no idea how, but It must have done something to my brain.”
“Other people have been revived and no one else reported being better at navigating the Q-net.”
“That you know,” I add. “Becoming a better wormer is not something one would advertise.’
Beau crosses his arms. Stubborn man.
“It’s my best guess, all right? It could be the combination of dying, having a concussion, and touching a Warrior heart.”
“Or you could be suffering from significant brain damage.”
“Do I act like I’m suffering?”
He tenses so much his biceps practically rip through his sleeves.
I sigh. “I’m sorry. But I’ve had a number of brain scans and they all show I’m fine.”
He glares at me. Apology not accepted. “What if doing the exacting work needed to worm through Jarren’s blockage triggers a medical problem?”
“That’s a fair question. Right now, I don’t have any symptoms. No migraines, no extreme dizziness, no blurry vision, no fainting spells. And, if I do, I’ll let you—and my parents—know right away.”
Beau drops his arms, but still appears unhappy.
“Can’t we just celebrate our good fortune and use my super power to stop Jarren, the murdering bastard?”
After a few moments, he says, “Super power? No ego there.”
“I’m learning how to be modest from my partner.”
A huff, but there’s a slight smile. “And