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"Who are you?" he asked her "How do you knoho I aain--had never really stopped "I … He showed you to us He …" She paused, flicking her eyes toward Bryson and Sarah as if she wanted to say so they shouldn’t hear "I saw you walk by and I knew The First That’s what he calls you"

Michael sed a lu about, but needed to hear her say it "Who?"

"Kaine, of course! Isn’t it all so … exciting?"

She giggled--a little-girl, straight-frole But her happiness o of his arht faint

"Reirl said "It’s Carol I’, you know Thanks to Kaine Thanks to you" She gave a little squeal of delight, then turned and ran off down the street, dodging people as she disappeared

Michael stared after her, speechless The sun had finally come up, but the world felt darker

Chapter 14: The Horizontal Door

Michael turned to Sarah, placed his hands on her shoulders

"Look at ent?"

Sarah’s face fell with pity, as if she were visiting an old relative at a nursing ho someone she loved sink into dementia

"No," she answered "You heard what she said Kaine showed you to them"

Michael shook her,with me? Why did he chooseure this out"

"Yeah," Bryson added "Chill,to his sides Bryson’s words ht And a dreadful, weighing sorrow made him want to sit down and cry So many emotions at once Hisrairl had to coents The First He wanted to puke

"Michael," Sarah said softly

He had closed his eyes without realizing it He was leaning against a building, though he didn’t re He rubbed his face, then looked around, expecting to find Carol or so at him, but there was only Bryson and Sarah, both of theo," Bryson said "Let’s break into the VNS and strap Weber to a chair if we have to Make her listen Make all of theure this out, dude"

Sarah nodded but didn’t say anything That tear fro a trail

"I just feel …" Michael tried to find the right words "I feel all this pressure inside, and I think it’s going to explode It’s hard to breathe" He pulled in long breaths, one after another, filling his lungs, then exhaling He was as panicked as he’d ever been, just because soed him and spoke into his ear "It doesn’t matter what you are or where you came from You understandto save my parents and stop Kaine once and for all Got it? Don’t worry about anything else, no matter how many people stare at you Noand the ruthless beating of his heart started to even out He felt like a moron now