'Freeze! Turn around. Slowly...'

Malachi obeyed and turned and raised his shaking hands. Two guards stood in the doorway, weapons pointed at his chest. He hoped they were non-lethal but he didn't want to find out either way.

Behind him, the terminal chimed to let him know the results of the search were ready.

One of the guards holstered his sidearm and pulled out some cuffs. His partner covered his approach.

Malachi put up no resistance. He was no fighter. Instead, he cursed himself for letting Tila down, letting his father down, and letting them all down.

The guard cuffed Malachi's hands behind his back and led him out of the room. Once Malachi was secured the other guard approached the terminal, disconnected the data chip and pocketed it. Malachi twisted and craned his neck, desperate to see what was on the screen, but the guard blocked his way.

'I need to see it,' he begged.

Smiling, and without turning around, the guard reached behind him and shut off the display.

Malachi groaned inwardly. Now it was impossible to see what was on the computer.

'What was he doing?' asked the second guard.

The first guard shrugged. 'I dunno. History homework?'

'History?'

'There's nothing else in that system, it's just a graveyard.'

'Don't worry, he'll tell us more when we get downstairs.'

Malachi craned his neck to see the screen but the guard pushed him forward. 'Keep walking.'

It didn't matter though. Their last comment was enough. There was only one graveyard. Malachi knew exactly where the coordinates led.

He just didn't believe it was possible.

* * * * *

Tila, Ellie, and Jayce burst through the garden door and into the grounds. The ordered approach they had witnessed earlier had broken down. Agents swarmed toward the house like ants running into the hive to protect their queen. Two gyrocopters flanked the main building and split the night with powerful searchlights.

With all the attention and light on the house, the gardens disappeared into blackness. Tila halted under a broad tree.

'Did you find Malachi?'

'I think he's gone back to Conway's,' said Jayce.

'Why would he do that?! Is that why these agents are everywhere?'

'I... I don't know Tila. But everyone's looking for the three of you.'

'Who was the big guy?'

'I don't know. They called him Captain Typhon.'

'He'll be coming for us,' Tila said, darkly. 'Okay, new plan. We need to get out of here, find Malachi, and then get off this planet. Ellie, you okay with that?'

Ellie said nothing, but shivered in the dark.

'Ellie, it's fine. We left him upstairs. Grow up.'

'Tila, he hurt her,' said Jayce. 'Those gloves, or gauntlets, or whatever.'

'He hit me too.'

'Not like that. He electrocuted her.'

'She'll be fine once we're gone. Come on, Ellie. Jayce, we need a ride and we need to find Malachi. Why do you think he went back to Conway's?'

'I don't think Ellie is fine...'

'Jayce, focus!'

'He took the datachip from your locker, okay? I think he went back to get the data.'

'Of all the... Why would he do something so stupid?'

'Because he wants to help,' said Ellie.

'Then we need to go and get him. Jayce, we need a vehicle. Ellie and I have to leave.' She glanced up. A gyrocopter was heading their way. It hummed through the air, probing the gardens with its white eye.

'There's another cruiser in the garage...'

Tila took Ellie by the elbow arm and pulled her toward the garage Jayce had pointed out. She hoped it hadn't yet been overrun by agents.

'Come on, Ellie.'

Ellie resisted.

'Ellie!'

Ellie wriggled out of Tila's grip and stood defiant in the darkness. Shadows from the searchlight danced around her small face. 'Wait.'

'We don't have time for this.'

Ellie pulled back. 'What's going to happen to Jayce?'

'He's not our problem,' said Tila coldly. 'Malachi is.'

The gyrocopter swooped low over their position, bending weaker trees aside with it's down draft. Grass rippled and leaves whirled around them as the spotlight found them at last.

Tila grabbed her friend by the elbow again, and again Ellie wrenched her arm free.

The noise of the gyrocopter deafened them. Tila screamed to make herself heard.

'Ellie, now. We have to find Malachi!'

Ellie screamed back giving full voice to all her fears.

'Do we? What do you want to keep safe, Tila? Is it Malachi, or the stupid chip?'

'You think I just want the data?' screamed Tila, her hair whipped around her face.

'You tell me, Tila,' shouted Ellie. 'You come running when we have something you need but when we don't you think we're in your way! Admit it! That's why you were going to leave the Juggernaut without us. Without me.'

'Maybe I should have! All you're good for is... is giggling at stupid boys, and I told you already, he is not our problem.' Tila stabbed a finger at Jayce for emphasis.

'You just mean he's not your problem. You don't care about him because you're the only one who counts, and anyone who isn't on your side right away must be trying to stop you.'

'That's exactly right, Ellie. If they are not helping me then they are in in my way,' Tila shouted.

The gyrocopter circled them, highlighting the shouting girls one at a time in dazzling white.

'It's not all about you Tila! It's not! Malachi and I came to help you because we care about you. We want to help you find out what happened to your parents, but you need to care about us too. We're not here just to do what you say. We're not the sideshow in your life. I know this is important to you, but some things are important to us too!'

'Oh come on, Ellie. The only important thing to you is that you found a boy that likes you because you didn't humiliate him in a race.'

'Yes, like Jayce. Like seeing a new world is important to me. Like being under a sky again is important to Malachi. If you weren't so angry with everyone all the time maybe you could find someone who likes you too. It's not my fault you're jealous.'

'You think I'm jealous?' Tila said, astonished.

'I do. I think you're jealous because Malachi and me – we have families. And you don't.'

'My parents were killed!' screamed Tila.

'So were mine!' Ellie yelled, 'But I don't shut everyone out. I still have a family. And so would you if you stopped fighting with everyone who cared about you.'

'Stay here then. Stay with Jayce. You wouldn't be any good in a fight anyway,' said Tila, and turned back to the garage.

Ellie shouted after her, 'You're right, I wouldn't. I'd lose a fight, but I'd still fight for you Tila.'

Tila kept walking and said nothing. The gyrocopter had seen enough, peeled away and headed back to toward the house.

Ellie shouted 'Okay go! Go and rescue Malachi,but ask yourself what you're trying to save.'