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Heather's idea of hell was social failure, but Gaia knew better. For Gaia, the ridicule of her fellow high school students was about as distressing as a hair in her spaghetti. Gaia took a deep breath. She'd let Heather have her moment. That was the best she could do in the way of an apology.
    Now she could get back to what really mattered.
    Sam.

Close to Home
    ED WAS THE ONLY ONE LEFT. ED and the few hallway stragglers who'd unluckily been too late to catch the action.
    "You were right," Gaia said sharply before he could open his mouth. "I shouldn't have shown it without a preview."
    Ed shrugged. "You didn't know. You couldn't have known."
    Gaia's shoulders slumped. "Heather . . ." "Good call not pummeling her, by the way," Ed said matter-of-factly.
    "Yeah, well, she had enough for one morning."
    Ed reached up, took Gaia's hand, and squeezed it. Gaia pulled away instantly, but Ed didn't even blink. "I wouldn't feel too bad about putting Heather in a compromising position if I were you," he said. "I think that was more Sam's responsibility, anyway, if you know what I mean."
    "Ed!" Gaia said tersely.
    "Sorry." He raised his hands in surrender. Gaia adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "Forget Heather. Here's what I don't get -- the e-mail said that showing the video was a test. So what did it prove? I mean, what could humiliating Heather have possibly gained for the kidnapper? If the video made some kind of demand or threat, that would make sense. But this was just . . . humiliating. And cruel."
    Ed nodded. "I know what you mean. It was more like a practical joke. A demonic one."
    "Maybe the kidnapper just wanted to see if I'd follow directions," Gaia said, glancing over her shoulder at the rapidly emptying hallway. "Which brings me to --"
    "To how the kidnapper is going to know what you do and don't do," said Ed, finishing the thought for her.
    Gaia sighed. "I guess we can safely figure that I am under constant surveillance."
    "Guess so."
    Gaia sighed. "Creepy."
    "Very."
    "So where's the next test?" Gaia said, glaring at the grate-covered hallway clock. "If I have to jump through a bunch of hoops before ten o'clock tonight, why didn't they just give them all to me at once?" She was bouncing up and down again, raring to go. She didn't like this feeling of being watched, of being manipulated, of being out of control.
    Sam was out there somewhere, suffering, and there was nothing she could do about it until these assholes decided to contact her. How was she supposed to handle this?
    "I could be
done
by now," she said, watching the seconds tick by.
    "You know what worries me?" Ed asked, his forehead creased. "Whoever this guy is, he seems to be striking very close to home."
    "What do you mean?" Gaia wrapped her arms around herself. The anticipation was making her feel like she was going to explode through her skin.
    "I mean you got lucky," Ed said, maneuvering his chair around a line of people waiting for the water fountain. "You went to Sam's room with a mission, remember? It could just as easily have been you on that tape, Gaia."
    Gaia tightened her grip on herself. She hadn't thought of that.
    "Who knows? Maybe it was
supposed
to be you." Ed lowered his voice as a group of teachers passed. "And that would mean that whoever planted the camera in Sam's room has a serious inside line on you. I mean, even beyond constant surveillance. It's almost like he can read your mind. This can't be just about Sam."
    Gaia checked the clock again. "It's not like I know anything about Sam."
Except that I love him . . . and I hate him
, she added silently as the contents of the video burned in her mind.
    "But if the kidnapper wanted money or attention or something, why would they contact you?" Ed asked. "Wouldn't they send a ransom note to his parents or something? This whole thing is pretty random."
    Gaia stopped walking and stared at a crack in the cinder block wall just above Ed's head. "So you think it's about me." Not a question.
    "You're