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Kaine’s next words were the last ones he expected to hear

"I need your help"

Chapter 9: An Easy Decision

Kaine let a moment of silence stretch out after his declaration Michael hated hient meant

"Now that I have your attention," Kaine said He stood up straight and his head shrank to its nor why I forced you to travel through so et here And it was only a taste, really, which I’m sure you’re well aware of Worlds upon worlds The VirtNet has becoht say it has becoive flesh and blood to aser But he couldn’t help the spark of curiosity he felt, either

"I have an a vision of our future," Kaine continued, his tone switching from starry-eyed rapture to more businesslike seriousness "My fored I iine a world where the line between the Wake and the Sleep is not as defined as it is in the incapable hands of huence To make it happen, I need human bodies I need a massive presence in the human world And I need the connection between your world and mine to beco to help me Especially you, Michael I chose Jackson Porter specifically for you Unbeknownst to my former partners, Jackson has more uses than just as a body for your an, but his voice trailed off, as if he’d lost his courage Michael wanted to ask about Jackson but stayed silent

"Why would you help hting up his face "Well, I pro with this young lady’s parents" He pointed at Sarah

Michael looked at her and could see the fury written across her face

Kaine didn’t seem to care "But I don’t want to dwell on that Instead, think of the rewards I’ the worlds that exist now and the ones still to come The possibilities are endless Michael, you don’t understand this yet, but you and I are linked, and we’re a bridge that can ents alike"

Kaine paused, eyebrows raised, as if he expected Michael and his friends to jump up and shout for joy Instead, they only stared Michael wondered how this ram--could possibly think there would be any situation in which they could trust him

And what had heat the code around hiaze from him to the others

"There’s still a lot to learn," Kaine continued "But as I said, I need your help The three of you have a unique situation on your hands--varied VirtNet experience, knowledge of the Doctrine You have connections with the VNS, connections you don’t even know about yet And … other skills Skills I will be using"

It was a si, almost stupidly so, but Michael needed to be in a position where Kaine couldn’t see that his eyes were closed That was assu assu them Still, it was a risk Michael needed to take