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“How far away is the nearest town?” Angus was at Liv’s elbow, and she was leaning up against the railing, watching the band and attempting to ignore him.

“I told you, I don’t know where it is! It’s not detectable by satellite. That’s all I know.”

“But we can never leave?”

“Look, maybe you’re claustrophobic and that’s what’s bothering you, but it’s not like you’re going to be shut in a box, Angus.”

“Maybe there’s enough food and water to wait out a war or Armageddon or something, but it’s still a metaphorical fucking box, Liv.”

“Don’t come, then. You want to be left here?” Liv turned to face Angus. “We’ll be free there.” She reached out to him. He ducked a bit when she touched his hair.

“What if it’s no different from here? Novak’s in charge. You think your dad’s going to suddenly let me be with you?” he scoffed.

“If you want.” She was embarrassed. “We were only in groups here because we had to be careful.”

“What’s really going to change? He doesn’t like me. And it will be worse, because I’ll have nowhere to go.”

“You won’t want to go. Jesus. Oh, thank God you’re here,” Liv said when she saw me. “He’s driving me crazy,” she said in front of Angus. “He’s psyched himself out, thinking he’s going to go live in some cage.”

Angus did look like he was panicking. “Julia.” He held up his palms as if he thought I would bring some sanity to the situation. My mind was still downstairs, though.

Liv was back at the railing of the balcony, scanning for something. “Ah!” she said suddenly. “He’s here,” she breathed.

“Who?” I asked.

“John Ford.”

What had she just said? I felt Angus freeze. I paused, thinking I’d heard wrong.

Liv turned to me. “Have you seen him yet? He’s why I brought you here.”

It felt like ice water had been poured through my veins. “What are you talking about?” I finally said.

“John Ford. From Barton Springs. The person you dated this fall.”

“You knew he’d be here?” Angus asked.

“Yeah, I’ve been watching him.” Liv sounded proud.

I found my voice. I moved closer to her, looking her directly in the eye. “Liv.” I felt like I was choking. “Let it go.” I couldn’t fathom why she would do this to me.

“Julia, you did it.” Liv looked at me like she was about to reveal a birthday surprise.

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s fine. After dating you, he’s fine. You found him.”

I felt every hair on the back of my neck stand up. “You were searching through my phone, weren’t you? That’s how you knew.”

“You aren’t getting what I’m saying. I’d been thinking about him, ever since Barton Springs. I thought I was dying, and then he touched me. It was like he healed me, Julia. When I stood up, he was right there and he had his hand on my arm. And then Angus pushed him just like he pushed that policeman, but nothing happened to him. I’ve been thinking about it since then, but I knew everyone would think I was crazy.

“I looked in your phone one day, not even thinking I’d find anything that would help Novak, and then I realized that same person from Barton Springs was in your life. All of a sudden, it occurred to me that Novak’s visions are correct. John is one of these lost souls! I know it. Think about it—what happened to me at Barton Springs, and then you dated him. He had extended periods of direct interaction with you and he never broke with reality like Kendra and the others.”

I stared at Liv, a beat behind.

Angus jumped in first, fully aware. “What are you going to do, Liv? Abduct him?”

“No. I want Julia to be the one to introduce him to Novak. She’s the one who did this. She should get the recognition.”

I found my voice. “Do you hear yourself? So we’re going to take him like we own him, no trace left behind, and just hope he can make the leap and become like us? You know that has never, ever happened, Liv. It’s a pipe dream of Novak’s.”

Angus backed me up. “You want babies who are half, Liv? By some poor guy who ends up a basket case like all the other ones?”

“Shut up, Angus. It’s not like that. I’m telling you, he’s important. I’m sure about him.”

What she was saying was so outlandish that it took me a second to realize my little sister might actually have the power to make this happen. Liv had done this to me before with Angus. And now she was doing it again. She was interfering in my life, but now someone could legitimately get hurt. Not just someone. I turned the full force of my rage on my stupid little sister.

“Look at me.” I got right up to her face and spoke slowly. “You’re wrong.” Liv began to shake her head to argue with me. “No.” I shut her up. “Do you know how I know that? The reason he didn’t change is that I’m not the same as you. I had no effect on him because I’m like him. Novak might be my father, but my mother was just a normal person off the street. All I did was spend time with another average person. But if you bring that out in the open, it gives Novak one more reason to say I’m too different, and he’ll leave me behind.”