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Bug shrugged. “She sees people’s dreams, I think.”
“And Caine wants her to spy on the creature.” Almost despite himself Sam was becoming more engaged. Edilio had seen the wheels begin to turn again in his friend’s head. It was a huge relief. “If Caine wants it, maybe we want it, too,” Sam had said, and one by one the others nodded agreement. “Albert’s right: we need to know what we’re dealing with.”
Which was how Edilio had ended up playing chauffeur to Bug and this strange girl.
“What’d you say your name was?” Edilio asked, making eye contact with her in the rearview mirror.
“Orsay.”
She probably wasn’t bad looking, under normal circumstances. But right now she looked terrified. And gaunt. Her hair was all over the place. And although Edilio wasn’t one to complain, one or both of them back there smelled, and not just like Quinn and Albert’s fish.
“Where you from, Orsay?”
“I lived at the ranger camp. In the Stefano Rey.”
“Huh. That’s kind of cool.”
She didn’t look as if she agreed. Then she said, “You have a gun.”
Edilio glanced at the machine pistol on the seat beside him. Two full clips rattled with each bump. “Yeah.”
“If we see Drake, you have to shoot him.”
Edilio pretty much agreed. But he had to ask, anyway. “Why?”
“I’ve seen his dreams,” Orsay said. “I’ve seen inside him.”
They were off-road, heading vaguely toward the hills. They had found Hermit Jim’s shack—Edilio had a good sense of direction—but none of them had ever been to this mine shaft. All they had were the directions Caine had given Bug. The sun was setting behind the hills, turning them an ominous dark purple. Night would come too soon. No way Orsay could do whatever it was she was supposed to do in time for them to get back to town before full night fell.
“What exactly are you supposed to be doing?” Edilio asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’re a freak, right? Bug wasn’t too clear.”
Bug looked up at the sound of his nickname. Then, as if in response, he faded from view.
“I can see dreams. I told you,” Orsay said, and looked out of the window.
“Yeah? You wouldn’t want to see my dreams. They’re kind of boring.”
“I know,” the girl said.
That got Edilio’s full attention. “Say what?”
“Long time back. You and Sam and Quinn and a girl named Astrid. And the other one. I saw you hiking through the woods.”
“You were there, huh?” Edilio said. He pursed his lips, not at all happy with the idea that some girl could see his dreams. He’d said his dreams were boring. Mostly they were. But sometimes, well, sometimes they weren’t something he wanted a stra
nger sitting in on. Especially a girl.
He squirmed in his seat.
“Don’t worry,” Orsay said with a trace of a smile. “I’m used to…you know. Whatever.”
“Uh-huh,” Edilio muttered.
The Jeep bounced and rattled as they went though a rocky patch. They had the top up and buttoned tight. It was dusty and Edilio didn’t trust Bug not to drop off and simply disappear.
