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Okay, great, you’ve learned that in this world you guys get your carrots from your own yard I’m sure that’s exactly the information Wyatt Conley wants You’ll have rescued Paul in no time

I take a deep breath and try to stay focused Maybe Conley sentuniverse Very dissimilar worlds are sometimes "mathematically siet where you want to go

Then Theo whispers, "Check it out" I look overin the far corner of the roo the size of a fridge with reels of tape and blinking lights The slile of the screen rests so deep in shadow that I didn’t see it before It see is that I now have a chance to learn a whole lot ure out if this is where I’m supposed to be or not To look for Paul

I touch the screen, but nothing happens Theo givesthe hts up Instead of the usual folders over ray box with the header ARPANET The cursor blinks at the front of a line asking for a password I don’t know "Can you get into the systeiven tiet so many tries before you’re locked out"

ARPANET I know that word, don’t I? Then I recall the grad student who taught Josie andThe ARPANET was essentially the first version of the internet--a version that existed only for military use

Since when are my parents in theon one of the hooks by the door I get tountil I touch it and feel heavy rubber, thick plastic lenses "What is that?" Theo says, not able to see past as ether, the solution instantly taking shape in front of arden--the fact that everybody I know seeins to shriek, so loud the vibration ought to shatter the s Both Theo and I clamp our hands over our ears It doesn’t help much

Tsunami alert, my mind supplies Or wildfires, or maybe a tornado That’s what sirens would mean at home

But we’re not at home

"What the hell--" Theo starts to say, but then Dad dashes into the living roo why Theo’s here after ht, particularly with both of us this rumpled, my father yells, "Come on! We’ve no tie robe knotted over her nightgown She goes for the desk and slides open a panel on the co for?" she says "Move!"

I start running after them, Theo only steps behind as we exit the house Josie’s the last one out of the house, racing past us with a hel for a small black car that must be ours "I love you!"

"We love you, too!" Dad says, looking back over his shoulder for only an instant

By now dozens of people have joined us on the sidewalks, all of the like hell Parents hold their small children in their arms, to make better time; one little boy, maybe nine years old, clutches his kitten to his chest Nobody has changed out of their nightclothes Nobody has brought any physical object, except Mom and her hard drive And everyone’s headed in the sa on?" Theo yells, his voice al of the sirens

"I’m not sure," I say, "but I think--I think it’s an air raid"

"What?"

That’s e hear the buzzing overheard Thunder that is not thunder Fire in the sky illuminates the clouds so that we can see the outlines of airplanes overhead

Boas mask--this is a world at war