Page 25 (1/2)

"I think it’s high ti," Sarah said

The three of them wrapped arms around shoulders and squeezed They pulled apart and just stared at each other, an aard h they all looked a little different--a lot, in his case--they were the sae troublemakers they’d always been

Bryson broke the silence "So what’ve you guys been doing since … our little journey through the hty VirtNet? Wasn’t Kaine so nice to sponsor that?"

"Lying low," Sarah answered "Sick aboutuntil ere all together again," Michael added "And Sarah’s pretty insistent we don’t Sink You kno she is once she makes up her ht ere good, guys Until we met this Kaine snake"

Sarah folded her ar "So what’ve you been doing?"

"Me?" Bryson replied "I’ve been hidingthe, and I don’t care who finds out It was the only way I could talk theaze and stood up straighter

"Sorry," Brysonto say when your …" He didn’t need to finish

"It’s okay," Sarah said, breathing in sharply and visibly shaking herself a bit "All theKaine made it sound like they’re still alive We’ll find theht of their narrow escape from the KillSims "How did you do it, anyway?" he asked Bryson

"Do what?"

Sarah sucked in a gasp "Whoa! Write this down, Michael! Bryson’s being hu"

Michael suys talking about?" he asked

"Oh, coet on our knees and bon, praise you for saving us?"

"Saving you? You mean from Kaine? Our picnic with the KillSiious kind that ood For some reason it creeped Michael out

Noas Bryson’s turn to see the look of confusion on his friends’ faces

"What? You’re serious?" he asked

Michael rubbed his teain "Why do I feel like I just got sucked into another die "Bryson,you ram We know you pulled us out of there somehow I don’t kno--I could barely even see the code--but whatever you did--"

Bryson cut her off "Guys Guys It wasn’tlike aI just assu I did"

"Heard?" Michael repeated "Heard what?"

Bryson laughed again "Wow, that is so awesoht I’d saved the day I should’ve kept my mouth shut and taken all the credit"