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One

WHEN THE DOOR TO h ed her hosts don’t open doors They will, on occasion, ask ate the zombies of supernaturals killed by a mad scientist, but they never need one opened for themselves

I sat up in bed and rubbedof the sedative For a moment, the door stayed open only a crack I slid fro across the thick carpet ofthe person on the other side had been called away and I could escape before these people started whatever experiht me here to—

“Hello, Chloe ” Dr Davidoff beamed his best kindly-old-man smile as he pushed the door wide He wasn’t that old— absentminded scientist It was an act I’ht

The woman behind him had chic blond hair and a New York suit I’d cast her as the , because that’s exactly who she was Mother of Victoria—Tori—Enright, the one housemate we’d left out of our plans e’d escaped fro she was one of the reasons I’d needed to escape

Tori’sand popped in to conduct a few horrific experi to lunch

“I know you have a lot of questions, Chloe,” Dr Davidoff said as I sat on the edge of the bed “We’re here to answer them for you We just need a little help from you first ”

“Siht said “Where are they?”

I looked froly, like he fully expected me to turn in my friends

I’d never been an angry kid I’d never run away from home Never stamped my feet and screamed that life was unfair and I wished I’d never been born Whenever ain and I needed to transfer schools, I’d sed a whiny “but I just made new friends,” nod, and tell him I understood

Accept your lot Count your blessings Be a big girl

Now, looking back at a life of doing what I was told, I realized I’d bought into the garown-up, what they really h yet to question, to fight back

Looking at Dr Davidoff and Mrs Enright, I thought of what they’d done tome up—and I wanted to staive them that satisfaction

I widened aze “You mean you haven’t found them yet?”

I think she would have slapped me if Dr Davidoff hadn’t lifted his hand

“No, Chloe, we haven’t found the boys,” he said “We’re very concerned for Simon’s safety ”

“Because you think Derek ht hurt him?”

“Not intentionally, of course I know Derek’s fond of Simon ”

Fond? What a strange word to use Derek and Sihter than any blood brothers I knew Sure, Derek was a olf, but that wolf part of hi Simon He’d protect him at all costs—I’d already seen that

My skepticism must have shown on my face, because Dr Davidoff shook his head, as if disappointed in ht, Chloe If you can’t spare any concern for Simon’s safety, maybe you can for his health ”

“W-what ab-bou—” My stutter cropped up most when I was nervous, and I couldn’t let theain, slower now “What about his health?”

“His condition ”

Apparently I wasn’t the only one atched too many movies Now they would tell me that Siet his medicine within twelve hours, he’d spontaneously combust

“What condition?”

“He has diabetes,” Dr Davidoff said “His blood sugar levels need to be ulated ”

“With one of those blood testing things?” I said slowly, thinking back Simon had always disappeared into the bathrooht he just liked to wash up I’d bu a small black case into his pocket

“That’s right,” Dr Davidoff said “With proper care, diabetes is easily ed You weren’t aware of it because you didn’t need to be Simon leads a normal life ”

“Except for one thing,” Tori’s mom said

She reached into the Macy’s bag and took out a backpack It looked like Siht a nized as Si at Lyle House Easy enough to grab stuff from there

Next came a pad of paper and pouch of colored pencils Siain, easy enough to—

Mrs Enright flipped through the sketch pad, holding up pages Siress He’d never have left that behind

Finally, she laid a flashlight on the table The flashlight fro

“Si over the fence,” she said “He had his backpack over one shoulder It fell Our people were right behind hi in here that Si and art supplies ”

She opened a navy nylon pouch Inside were two pen-like vials, one filled with cloudy liquid, the other clear “The insulin to replace what Simon’s body can’t produce He injects himself with these three times a day ”

“What happens if he doesn’t?”

Dr Davidoff took over “We aren’t going to scare you and say that if Sile shot, he’ll die He’s alreadyone, and I’m sure he only feels a bit out of sorts But by to In about three days, he’ll lapse into a diabetic coma ” He took the pouch froet this to Simon To do that, you need to tell us where he is ”