“No!” I cried.
There was only one car left. If someone saw where we went—if that ghost wasn’t an actor and he saw where I was going—Will wouldn’t get to the Cove.
; I covered my face with my hands as the wind whipped across my body.
We shouldn’t have split up.
Tears filled my eyes.
We coasted around a bend, and we must’ve gone under the river, because droplets of water hit me from above as we raced back up again, lights periodically marking our way.
Michael slowed, and I held on, seeing us approach a platform, and then he screeched to a stop, everyone ripping off their seatbelts.
“Will,” I called to them, unbuckling myself. “We left Will! Aydin was back there!”
I knew it was him in the lab.
I followed them, climbing out of the car and onto the platform.
“What if Will can’t get past him?” I asked. “We have to go back.”
Michael pulled Rika and the girl up. “Will wanted you out of there. We stick together.”
“No!”
“He won’t fail,” Rika told me, looking at me dead-on. “He won’t fail, Em. He’ll be here.”
I stilled, holding her eyes. I couldn’t not go back for him.
I couldn’t…
But the kid pulled my hand. “Come on!” she cried.
I dug in my heels, but before I could argue, Michael grabbed her and twisted her around by the shoulders. “Not so fast,” he said. “Who are you? Tell me now and hurry.”
She straightened, clamping her mouth shut.
“And why are you living here at the Cove?” he pressed.
She jerked, trying to run, but he caught her and held her tight.
I glanced down the tunnel, but I still didn’t hear any other rail cars approaching.
I’d never seen her before, but it seemed like they had.
“Athos,” she finally answered. “My name is Athos.”
Like the musketeer?
“And your last name?” Michael demanded.
“I don’t have one.”
He frowned. “You have one. You weren’t born here, kid.”
“Maybe I was beamed down to study your species.”