Everwild (Skinjacker 2)

Milos gave the slightest of shrugs. "Something like that, yes."

Allie sensed there was more to it, but that was all Milos said on the matter. She would have pushed further, but at that moment, they had come around a bend in the road, and saw the interstate in the distance. "Excellent," Milos said. "From here it will be easy."

He picked up the pace with Moose and Squirrel. As they passed Mikey, Milos gave him a friendly clap on the back, which just made Mikey pull his shoulders in even tighter.

Allie caught up with Mikey. "You could make the best of this," Allie said, "instead of being so unpleasant."

"I don't like this," he grumbled."I don't like him. He's much too friendly."

"You lost the right to be a judge of character when you became the McGill."

"So when do I get it back?" "You don't," Allie told him, intentionally flip. "I do all the judging, and I say Milos's character is acceptable."

Mikey grumbled something under his breath, and Allie nudged him. "You're just mad because he's handsome and charming."

Mikey wouldn't look her in the eye. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

The interstate exit was the only one for miles, and around it were clustered fast food chains, gas stations, and uninviting motels. Cars from dozens of states flowed on and off the interstate in an endless stream.

Milos surveyed the scene, then turned to Moose and Squirrel. "You check the south side of the highway; we shall check the north."

Moose and Squirrel obediently trotted across the highway, ignoring the traffic whooshing through them.

"Would you mind telling us what we're looking for?" asked Mikey.

"Family of five," Milos said, as if it was obvious, "or, if not a family, then five people traveling together."

"I don't understand," said Allie.

Milos looked at her and shook his head. "You have much to learn about skinjacking." He turned to look at the Burger King parking lot in front of them. "We shall skinjack five people in the same car," he explained. "Then we drive to Memphis."

Allie was appalled, and didn't try to hide it. "Is that how you travel? By ripping people out of their lives?"

"This is one way we travel, yes," said Milos, matter-offactly.

"That's terrible!"

Milos looked at her, a bit stunned by her response. "We do not harm them--and they get their bodies back when we are done."

"Yes, but hundreds of miles away from where they started, never knowing how or why." Allie looked at a family leaving the Burger King. She wondered where they might be going. She wondered what it would be like to be traveling to one place, only to find yourself somewhere else entirely. "People have plans!" Allie insisted. "It's one thing to borrow, it's another to steal."

Milos smiled at her, and crossed his arms. "So Allie the Outcast has a conscience."

Allie couldn't tell whether he was impressed or mocking her.

Mikey, who had been happy to watch them argue, now stepped between them. "Forget it, Allie, let him skinjack whoever he wants--we don't need to go with him." And then Mikey added, quietly so only Allie could hear, "It's not going to work for us anyway, if you know what I mean... ."

But Allie found herself too irritated by Milos's smug expression to back down now. "All I'm saying is we have a responsibility. We have to be ... good stewards."

This time Mikey stepped right in front of her, eclipsing her view of Milos completely. "Let's just go, okay?"

Milos took a step around Mikey, back into her view. "Perhaps my time in Everlost has made me callous," he said. "Maybe we should give more care to those we skinjack. So then, as a good steward, how would you suggest we proceed?" Allie looked to the interstate. "Let's take the time to find a family of five that's already going to Memphis."

Mikey threw up his hands. "You're forgetting one thing!" he said angrily. "I can't skinjack!"

Allie found herself speechless--in her frustration she had ignored the single fact that made their skinjacking jaunt an impossibility. When she turned, she saw Moose and Squirrel standing there dumbstruck as well.

"Did he jusht shay he can't shkinjack?" asked Moose, pointing at Mikey.