Max blinked at Alex's father. The Major knew where Alex was. That surprised Max so much, he was left speechless.
'How do you turn it on?' Liz asked, pointing at the ball. 'Or use it. Whatever.'
'Like this,' Mr. Manes replied. With a flick of his wrist he set the ball spinning on the cavern floor. And then he scuttled back out of the way.
After the initial force to get it started, Max noticed that the ball spun faster and faster under its own power, seemingly in defiance of several basic laws of physics.
Max couldn't take his eyes off the spinning orb as it began to whirl so rapidly, it was nothing but a coppery blur.
Then it began to throw off sparks.
Dazzling lights surrounded the ball, also whirling in some intricate dance of their own. With the brilliant satellites swirling around it, the ball reminded Max of an atom and its electrons. Or the planets revolving around a star.
Something began to form in the air over the gyrating orb. A whirling haze of molecules.
Max squinted, trying to bring the fuzzy shape into focus.
It was an image.
An image of Alex.
Max felt Liz take his hand, and he gave her hand a soft squeeze in response. He couldn't stop staring at the image sharpening over the spinning, sparkling, luminous ball.
The image was growing stronger-clearer-with every passing second. And it wasn't just a hologram. Those were physical, solid molecules gathering above the ball. It wasn't merely made of light.
The ball-whatever it was-was bringing Alex back.
Excitement rose in Max's throat like a bird trapped in a chimney. It was going to work! Alex was coming home!
But then the ball began to slow down.
Mr. Manes let out a pained growl from deep in his chest as the ball developed a wobble. The image of Alex began to fade.
'No!' Max shouted. 'Don't let it stop. Connect, everybody connect now!'
Max was already holding hands with Liz, so he reached out with his free hand and clamped onto Isabel's arm. In less than a second all six of them had once again formed their thrilling, essential union.
They were one.
Send everything we've got at the ball, Max instructed the group. Send it all! Keep it spinning! Keep it spinning!
For a moment Alex's image became clear and crisp. His eyes moved from Isabel to Max to Liz, and Max was sure that Alex saw them. Saw them!
But then the image flickered.
And winked out.
[ front blurb]
A FRIEND IN DANGER…
Max received an image from Alex of pure fear, of shadowy threatening presences, of misery and loneliness. There was no place for Alex to relax or rest. He was constantly on the run. Running for his life.
What is it? Max sent out frantically. Alex, what's wrong? What are you running from?
But before Alex could reply, another being took his place-an unfriendly entity who blasted Max with images of fire and destruction. Max recoiled… and lost track of Alex in the whirlwind of auras.
He thrust himself into the storm, struggling to hold on to Alex's signature energy, but to no avail. The angry being had blocked Alex from further communication.
Alex, he sent, Alex, if you can hear me, we're trying to bring you back! We all miss you, and we want you to come home! I promise… I promise we will find a way to get you here where you belong!
[ Version History]
1.0 – scanned, formatted, and spell-checked from mass-market paperback. ISBN: 0-671-03561-4
2.0 – July 12, 2004 – The_Ghiti – proofed in detail against deadtree format.
