'I'm here,' he answered.
Max turned and saw him standing next to Liz, his green eyes focused and alert. 'Good to have you back,' Max told him.
'This is all quite touching,' DuPris said. 'Now give me the ring.'
Max reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. Moment of truth, he thought. He handed it to DuPris.
'Good to have you back,' DuPris said to the Stone.
The Stone began to glow, and the hair on Max's arms prickled. It was time to leave-and fast. As Alex had said, they should be standing way, way back at this point. He jerked his chin toward the door.
Michael nodded. 'We'll leave you two alone together,' he told DuPris.
'That's not necessary. In fact, I won't hear of it,' DuPris answered. 'I want to try this baby out. I bet with the Stone, I can take control of all of you at the same time. Any takers?'
The living room exploded with the Stone's purple-green light before Max could even consider connecting to the consciousness.
And it was over.
DuPris had him. Had all of them. Max couldn't see the others-his eyes were locked straight ahead-but he knew if even one of them was still free, they'd be attacking DuPris right now.
'That was too easy,' DuPris complained as he headed over to Max. 'It sort of spoiled the fun.' He licked his finger and used it to smooth out Max's eyebrows, then he moved on.
Was he touching Liz now? The thought made Max feel as if he were going insane. He couldn't even turn his head to look at her. Forget his head. He couldn't even move his eyes.
DuPris moved back into his field of vision, his face so close to Max's, it blotted out everything else. 'Your girlfriend is delightful,' he commented. His tongue flicked out and brushed across his upper lip, as if he was enjoying the taste of something. 'But I don't think I'll touch her yet. She's worth savoring.'
He can read my thoughts, Max realized.
'Yes, and they're very predictable,' DuPris answered. 'Very human, I'm afraid to say. Poor Max, all in a knot at the idea that I might get a little too close to Miss Ortecho. Don't worry. Though she is very attractive.'
Michael could practically feel the fury pouring out of Max, a fury that matched his own.
'Another predictable human response,' DuPris said, circling around in front of him. 'I must say I'm disappointed in you, although I suppose I must take into account that you were raised here. Well, raised is perhaps not the correct word. Pitiful unwanted little Michael, the orphan boy. You haven't had an easy time of it on this planet, have you? Skipping from home to home where no one liked you well enough to keep you.' He reached out and straightened Michael's collar. 'Don't worry, Mikey boy, I'm going to keep you forever and ever.'
Michael wanted to rip off DuPris's head and drop-kick it across the room. Yeah, and then do a victory dance on his body.
DuPris laughed. 'Very colorful,' he said. 'I think you need a demonstration, something to help you adjust to your new circumstances.'
Michael's heart began to flutter. Get a grip, he ordered himself. Don't let this clown scare you.
DuPris shook his head. 'You're not exactly quick, are you?' he asked.
Michael's heart jerked in his chest. It isn't fear causing this, he realized. It's DuPris. His heart jerked again. A little harder and it could rip the veins and arteries connecting it to his body.
'That's right. And you know what would happen then,' DuPris said. 'Bu-bye!'
All Michael could do was stand there motionless as his body turned against him. Pain speared up his left arm. His heartbeat doubled, then doubled again, each frantic beat yanking on the veins and arteries.
White dots exploded in front of his eyes. A metallic taste flooded his mouth. Bu-bye! he thought wildly
And then his heart slowed down. The pain subsided. His vision cleared, and the first thing he saw was the satisfied smile on DuPris's face.
'Consider that the first class of New Reality 101,' DuPris told him. 'And you will be tested later.'
Even if DuPris hadn't had control over her, Maria didn't think she'd have been able to move. The terror would have kept her rooted in place.
'Now that's what I like to hear,' DuPris said. 'What a good little bunny you are.'
She felt a hand pat her on the head. Oh, God, he was right behind her.
'I've always wondered what kinds of thoughts bunnies are capable of having,' he continued. 'Let me just look around for a minute.'
Memories began to flash through Maria's mind. She saw herself lying on her stomach, drawing a lavender pony. Watching her mother get dressed for a date. Buying her first box of tampons. Using a feather duster to wake the other kids in her preschool class up from a nap. Refusing to dissect a worm. Kissing Michael.
'Ah, interesting,' DuPris murmured.
The memories continued to race by, but now they were all of Michael. Michael flicking cake batter at her. Michael slow dancing with her. Michael laughing at her imitation of a serial killer on Prozac. Michael staring intently into her eyes. Michael listening to Maria babbling that he had to choose between her and Isabel.
'And even more interesting,' DuPris said. 'It seems one of my Pinocchios has won the heart of two of my Pinocchiettas. Isn't that sweet?' He patted Maria on the head again.
She felt humiliated. Violated. DuPris had destroyed some of her most precious memories by using them for his entertainment.
'I'll give you a new memory to make up for it,' DuPris promised her, continuing to invade her mind.
Maria felt an electric current begin racing through her body, zapping her nerve endings. She made a quarter turn, took two steps, and made another quarter turn. She found herself in front of Michael, her eyes focused on his chest. Without her will, her arms reached toward him.
Maria had spent hours fantasizing about touching Michael again, about him touching her, inventing all kinds of scenarios for how it would happen. Now her daydreams had turned into a nightmare. DuPris was going to make them put their hands on each other while the scumbag got off on the show. Don't make me do this, Maria silently pleaded, hating herself for begging but willing to do anything to stop this.
'Oh, come on,' DuPris said. 'It's exactly what you want to do, and you know it. And you don't have to worry about Michael rejecting you this time because he can't!'
Maria's arms looped around Michael's neck. His hands wrapped themselves around her waist.
It's just Michael, she thought. He may not have chosen you in the girl-o-rama, but he's still your friend. Whatever happens, remember that it's him touching you, even if DuPris is pulling the strings.
Michael slid one hand lower, tracing the curve of her hip. She wished she could look into his face at least, but DuPris wouldn't even allow that.
It's Michael, she repeated to herself as she was forced to press a mechanical kiss against the side of his jaw. It's Michael.
He pulled her tighter against him, and she caught a whiff of something sharp and tangy. Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus-what she always smelled when they made a connection.
They weren't completely connected yet, but if they could-Maria slammed the thought away. She couldn't let DuPris read it.
It's Michael. It's Michael. It's Michael. She returned to her mantra, but now it held a new meaning.
'I told you you'd enjoy yourself,' DuPris said. She felt him toying with one of her curls, but she refused to let herself be distracted.
Her fingers were forced into Michael's hair, and she tried to imagine her aura wrapping itself around them both. The sent of roses, her connection scent, blended with the eucalyptus, softening its bitter edge.
