Chapter 44

Nessa watched through her hologram as the Conner pod touched down on the landing lot. Jamison's door opened. He slid out and scurried past Nessa's invisibility-paneled ship. On his way, he turned on his implant.

"One last time, this is Maz," he said. "If any elder race members are around, please come. I'm about to be stuck in a mental hospital. Coordinates are 37.2431° N, -115.7930° W. " The location name is Carson's Cafe."

Nessa activated her implant. There was an application there. She hadn't used it in weeks. She stopped scrolling at the distance signal application. Ah, yes. That was the name. She tapped it and minimized it. Then she opened her Holofeed records. Her chat with the nestmates was part of her recent history.

It's only a matter of time, she thought to Jamison. You'll see all the codes in the range.

All the same, her distance signaled it, and she smiled through her hologram.

"Yes," she said at zero decibels. "Open your alerts so you can see."

He stared into his implant. He squealed but clapped his hand over his mouth before Trevon exited the pod cockpit.

"Sorry, Jamison," he said. "Someone from my work called."

His face was emotionally icy and devoid of expression. Tensions increased with every step he took toward Carson's Cafe.

"They're here," Jamison mouthed silently.

Trevon glared at the door. He nudged Jamison and asked, "You coming?"

"Yeah," Jamison said through gritted teeth.

But he hung back while, inside her ship, Nessa stared down the control log-drive and said:

"Deactivate," she said.

The invisibility panels faded out, and she waved at Jamison.

"Whoa," he muttered.

"Run along now," she urged.

And he went to meet his dad beyond the cafe doorway.