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A beta computer flashed data and images of headshots. A few minutes later, a message appeared on the screen: No record.

“He isn’t in the system,” Vladimir said, his face hardening. “He’s a new threat.”

Lucienne watched Ashburn break free from the bare-chested man. Still dazed, Ashburn sat on the slope, his breathing labored. “What are you doing here?” he asked the man.

The man wasn’t a native, yet Ashburn seemed to know him. Lucienne studied them closely.

“What I came here to do,” the man said. “Protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection.” Ashburn struggled up. “Stay away from me!”

He wants everyone to stay away from him,Lucienne thought wryly.

“We’d better get back to the Rabbit Hole,” the man said. “Only inside it, will you be safe.”

Rabbit Hole?Lucienne narrowed her eyes. Then she heard a whisper inside her head,Siren, let me out.The voice was neither human nor machine. A chill climbed up her spine. She darted her eyes around until they fixed upon the open locket—the silvery eye amid the Twilight Water. The bloody red hue had faded.

Was it using telepathy with her, even in its cage?There’s only one way to find out.Lucienne considered the Eye of Time for a few seconds, then turned to the screen to watch Ashburn stumble toward his motorcycle, followed by the giant. No, she wouldn’t let them walk away just like that. Now that Ashburn had landed safely, she wanted to know what else the Eye wanted from him.

Siren, let me out,the Eye of Time called again.

Lucienne released the Eye.

It came alive instantly. As Lucienne heard its satisfied breath of fresh air, the chill and thrill brought bumps to her skin. Atop the sensor, the Eye pulsed, blazing brightly. The sensor responded with rapid flashes, and the quantum computer hummed. Then mysterious writing appeared on the monitor.

“Copy them down,” Lucienne ordered a technician and looked at the main monitor. On it, Ashburn swayed like a drunkard before collapsing against the slope.

The giant man caught Ashburn.

“The Eye of Time!” Ashburn hissed. His veins throbbed violently on his temples. He clutched his head in pain. “Leave me alone!” he cried. “I’ll give you back your data. I’m not who you think I am. Listen. Listen! I’m not the bloodline of the Exiles. My double helix isn’t superior. It’s actually inferior. Just let me go! You have the wrong kid. Agghhh!”

This time, instead of turning red, the Eye’s lens grew darker. The numbers and symbols on the lens tangled like messy threads.

“It has connected to the TimeDust—the program in you,” the giant man said, picking up Ashburn and hoisting him onto his shoulders. “Resist it, Ashburn!”

“Suddenly you’re the expert at resisting it!” Ashburn said, then screamed into the ether, “Stop, you crazy Eye! I’m not your dumpster. My brain can’t take any more of your garbage. Agghhh!”

Lucienne watched Ashburn’s body flail and bend like a bow at its breaking point, his legs kicking against the firm grip of his protector. Finally, Ashburn stopped begging, but resorted to screaming like a pig in a slaughterhouse.

Lucienne smashed the pin into the locket and shut the charm. She hadn’t realized until now that tears had been streaming down her face. She was ashamed at her cruelty, and at the same time surprised that she wasn’t capable of being more callous than she thought she could be.

Righting the motorcycle—surprisingly intact after the crash—the man put Ashburn down on its back, held its handles, and climbed behind him. The machine roared to life and soared into the sky.

Within seconds, it had reached the Ghost House.

Ashburn lost the ability to block the satellite, so Dragonfly followed the motorcycle as it dashed into the house. As soon asAshburn flew in, the door shut automatically. On the screen, it showed only one infrared form moving inside the arena. Lucienne widened her eyes. Was Ashburn’s protector a machine, not emitting heat, like his motorcycle? The single infrared form stopped at the center of the Ghost House, then, suddenly, vanished. Lucienne and her crew knew they had found Ashburn’s final fortress—the dead zone they had been looking for.

“Analyze the data you collected,” Lucienne told her team. “Ziyi, have you cracked the code to the Ghost House?”

“I have a few combinations for you to use,” Ziyi said.

“Good,” Lucienne said, heading out of the lab.

Vladimir followed her out. “I’m going with you.”

“I’m bringing only a physician with me. I’ll be back in no time.”

“If you feel it’s not convenient for me to go with you, at least take Kian.”