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long pink scar ran from her hairline almost to her jaw, but even with that she looked young, and fresh and happy. It had been months since she looked this good. Like Eve, Nix had suffered through the absolute horror of seeing her mother murdered in front of her. Not by reapers—those killers were not yet a part of their lives—but by the brutal bounty hunters Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer. Nix herself had been beaten and kidnapped by the pair. They were going to make her fight in the zombie pits of Gameland. Tom and Benny had rescued her, but from then on life for Nix had become a constant nightmare, running from one room in hell to another.
    Nix sat down, but caught him staring at her. “What? Do I have something on my face?”
    “Just this,” he said, and blew her a handful of kisses.
    “You are too corny for words,” she said, but she was smiling. “You were in the blockhouse a long time today. What did they talk about?”
    Nix’s smile leaked away as he told her about Chong.
    “I thought Lilah said that he was alive !”
    “He is alive.”
    “But . . . he tried to bite you.”
    “Okay, so he’s sick, he’s messed up—but he’s still Chong.”
    “How? How is he still Chong? He’s totally infected, Benny. They’re keeping him in a cage, for God’s sake.”
    Benny’s face grew instantly hot. “What are you saying? You think they should put him down like a dog?”
    “Not like a dog, Benny. He’s a zom and—”
    “And what ? They should quiet him?”
    Nix sat back and folded her arms tightly across her chest. “What do you think is going to happen, Benny? Do you think that Chong is going to suddenly snap out of it?”
    “Maybe he will!” Benny yelled.
    “Maybe he can’t.”
    “I can’t believe you’re giving up on him, Nix. This is Chong. Chong! He’s our friend.”
    “Was that really Chong down in that cage? Would Chong try to take a bite out of you?”
    Benny whammed the table with his fist. “He’s not a zombie, Nix. He’s sick and he needs our help.”
    “What help?” she demanded, her voice jumping a whole octave. “What can we possibly do for him?”
    Benny had to fish for how to answer her. When he spoke, his voice was a hot whisper. “We need to give the scientists time to figure it out.”
    “Okay. Fine. What happens in the meantime? We go visit him like he’s a zoo animal?”
    “Why are you being such a bitch?”
    Nix stood up so suddenly that her belt buckle caught the edge of her plate and flipped it over, flinging eggs everywhere. Surprise, embarrassment, and anger warred on her face.
    “I—”
    “Save it,” snapped Benny as he got up and stalked away.
    He made it almost all the way to the door before Nix caught up to him. He heard her coming and quickened his stride, but she ran the last few steps, caught his sleeve, and spun him around. Before he could say anything, she stuck a finger in his face.
    “You listen to me, Benjamin Imura. I love Chong every bitas much as you do. I loved Tom, too. And I loved my mother—but people die. In this world, people die. Everyone dies.”
    “Well, thank you, Lady Einstein. Here I was thinking that everyone lived forever and every day was apple pie and puppies.” He glared at her. “I know people die. I’m not stupid, and I’m not kidding myself about how much trouble Chong’s in. Maybe he can’t come back, maybe he’s already too sick . . . but I heard him speak today, and even though it was only one word, it proves that some part of him is still there. He’s not gone yet, and I won’t give up on him. Not until there’s no hope and no chance at all.”
    “Benny, I—” she began, but he shook his head and turned away.
    He pushed past some monks who were on their way into the mess hall. Behind him he heard Nix call his name, but she did not follow him outside.

11
    M ILES AND MILES AWAY . . .
    His name was Morgan Mitchell, but everyone called him Morgie.
    Morgie was big for his age, looking