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people.”
    “Leave Celes alone.” Jack and Grayson say that almost simultaneously. Grayson starts forward, but is dragged back by the minder who has cuffed him. Jack moves closer to Hammond.
    “You want to think very carefully about what you’re doing,” Jack says. “If you know who the Underground are, and you know who the Others are, then you’ll know that you don’t want either group for enemies. Let Celes and Grayson go, and I’ll see what I can do for your son.”
    Hammond shakes his head. “You’ve already shown that you aren’t interested in doing that, so we have to do things the other way. Bring me the means to alter my son’s memories, get your father to agree to help, or these two stay locked up. Help me, and they can go. I’m not interested in hurting them. If you’re in a mood to make threats though, remember this. Soon I’ll be the president of the United States, with all the resources that go with that. Trust me, son, you don’t want to go there.”
    Jack stands there for several seconds. Is he calculating how to break us all out of there? Is he planning a sudden attack? No, it seems he isn’t. He nods instead.
    “I’ll do what you ask.”
     
     
     
     

FIVE
     
     
     
     
    H ammond steps aside, gesturing to the door. “It’s time for you to go, Jack.”
                Jack nods. “In a second.”
                He steps over to me, putting his arms around my neck and staring into my eyes. Somehow, it always comes as a surprise to see how much he loves me in moments like that. Maybe it’s just that he keeps his emotions so shut down the rest of the time, or maybe it’s just that I can’t get the hang of anyone loving me that deeply. He leans in and kisses me sweetly, simply. Then, just for a moment or two, his lips brush my ear.
                “Don’t trust Hammond,” he whispers. “His story might have some truth in it, but there’s more going on here. I’m sure of it.”
                I can’t answer. All I can do is hold onto Jack a moment longer.
                “That’s enough,” Hammond says. “Assuming Jack here does as I’ve asked, then you’ll see one another again soon enough.”
                Jack pulls away and steps through the door to the cell ahead of Hammond. The two bodyguards follow. The instant they’re through that gap, the door slides shut again, trapping me and Grayson in that tiny, empty cell. Only now we’re both cuffed as well, which is anything but comfortable. I can’t help testing the limits of the things, so that pretty soon, my wrists start to chafe from being held like that. I sit down on the edge of the bed, trying to force myself to relax. It doesn’t work. I can’t relax in a place like this, not with what’s going on around us.
                “Jack will be back,” Grayson says, obviously seeing how worked up I’m getting.
                That makes me smile. “I never thought I’d see the day when you’d rely on Jack.”
                Grayson manages to shrug, even handcuffed. “He cares about you, Celes. I’m not going to deny that. He’ll do whatever it takes to get you to safety. Just remember that I would too.”
                That’s hard to forget, though thanks to being faded, Grayson managed it for a while. Now though, he obviously remembers everything, which doesn’t make things any easier, because I love Jack. I love him, more than just about anything. I can remember what I had with Grayson, and the way it ended… well, that wasn’t good, but it’s Jack my heart beats faster at the thought of, even though he isn’t here.
                “Do you think they’re just going to leave us like this?” I ask.
                Grayson shakes his head. “They can’t. Not for long, anyway. I’m more worried about what Hammond said about running tests on you.”
                “Maybe he