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So much had happened since last year that he wished could be undone, but it was all written into the past and nothing--not wishing or willpower or nightly prayers--could change it

Nix’sa bell

"What are you atteie with a suspicious squint

Everyone looked at Benny, and he realized as an afterthought that someone had probably asked hihts that it had sailed right past

"What? Oh … I was just thinking about the jet," Benny lied

"Ah," said Chong dryly "The jet"

The jet, and all that it sy silent monster that had followed them around since they’d returned last Septe that Nix and Benny were going to do and Chong and Morgie were not To that they would eventually return, but Benny knew that Nix had no intention of ever returning to Mountainside The sarieved for Jessie Riley Benny, however, did want to come back here Maybe not forever, but at least to see his friends Once they left, though, he was pretty sure that their road trip was going to be perht, and none of the inside every conversation

"That freaking jet again?" griped Morgie, and gave a sour shake of his head

"Yeah I thought that I’d go to the library tomorrow and see if they have any books about jets Maybe I’ll see the one Nix and I saw"

"Why?" Morgie persisted

"If we knohat kind of plane it was," Nix said, "we e Maybe it didn’t come all the way across the country Or ht you said it came from the east and went back that way"

"They’re not air traffic controllers, Morgie," added Chong "The more they can learn about the jet, the better the chance they’ll have to find it I think"

"What’s an air traffic controller?" persisted Morgie

That allowed Chong to steer the conversation away froht trivia Benny cut a sly sideways look at Nix, and there it was: just the slightest slice of a save his hand a quick squeeze

To this performance, hid a smile behind his teacup as he drained it Then he set it doith a thu Jedi … time to train"

Everyone ju in the ribs

"What’s a Jedi?"

FROM NIX’S JOURNAL

Things We Know About Zos who reanimated

They can’t think (Tom’s pretty sure about this)

They do not need to breathe

They don’t bleed

They are clurab, bite, s, moan)

They rarely use tools (Tom says that some of them pick up stones or sticks to try and break into a house; but he says it’s really unusual)

They aren’t very coordinated (Tom has seen a few turn door handles They only clih)

They are really scary!

3

"I AM A COLD-BLOODED, EAGLE-EYED, HEAD CHOPPING, TOTALLY BADASS zoine of destruction," declared Benny I to--"

Nix Riley batted his sword aside and whacked hihtening," she said "I’ to fall down and faint"

"Ow," he said louder, to eie sat on the picnic table To oak in the corner of the yard Lilah sat with her back to the garden fence They were all laughing At hi his wooden bokken at theested Chong

Morgie pretended to cough into his hand but said, "Loser"

"A little focus would be useful," said Tom "Ito save your life To survive, you have to be warrior smart"

Torah it was still early April, it felt likeonly a sweat-soaked T-shirt and cutoffs Thehad hardened him and packed muscle onto his arave Nix a steely stare

Nix raised her sword and in a loud clear voice announced, "I A My Sword Now"

"Hilarious," said Benny through gritted teeth He brought his sword up, elbows and knees bent at the perfect angles, weight shifted onto the balls of his feet, the tip of the bokken level with his eyes, his body angled for the best use of muscle in attack and the least display of vulnerabilities for defense He could feel the power in his arms With a loud, ferocious yell that would have frozen the heart of an eneing his sword up and doith perfect precision

Nix batted his sword aside and whacked hiain

Benny said, "Ow"

"That’s not how you do it," said Lilah

Benny rubbed his head and squinted at her "No, really?" he said "I’m not supposed to block with my head?"

"No," Lilah said seriously "That’s stupid You’d die"