Chapter 36

Dr. Adams stretched out across his desk, touching the edges. He drew long breaths while staring at nothing in particular.

"Doctor," Enya finally said.

Nessa flung her hands out, and so did Jamison.

"What if he's telling the truth?" Enya posed the question. "Did anyone consider that?"

"Aliens?" Dr. Adams scoffed. "He's saying he's an alien. No, he's insisting he's an alien."

"And you don't believe him?" Enya persisted.

Dr. Adams smiled, but with a sense of hopelessness.

"I don't like to be the bearer of bad news," he told the family, "but there's nothing more I can do for him."

"What can we do?" Trevon joined the conversation again. "Grounding doesn't work."

"I'm concerned," Dr. Adams admitted. "He seems so disconnected with reality that the only option I see is admitting him."

Enya clung to Jamison.

"Admitting him?" She demanded.

"Admitting me?" Jamison cried.

"Yes, to an inpatient facility," Dr. Adams said.

Nessa stood up in her holding unit when she heard the words. That was the signal. She glanced at her implant and then at the passcode pad. It was time. She opened the passcode upload application and aimed her implant at the passcode screen.

N377A. The combination appeared on-screen.

The energy shield vanished, and she stepped into vulnerability.