"Checkmate."

I hated Maddy's brains. I really did.

"What is this, like, the fifteenth time I've won against you?" Maddy taunted, grinning.

I shook my head. "Shut up." But a grin snuck onto my face against my will.

Just then, a little figure entered the room and bounded over to Maddy. I pushed myself from the table, snatching up the game pieces and started to put them away.

"Maddy, are Mommy and Daddy back yet?"

My sister shook her head, and Zoe looked down, frowning.

"They should be home soon," I told her, folding up the board. She seemed to brighten back up. "They said they were going to be late, anyways. Something about an attack a few miles away. A girl got into trouble with a dinosaur."

"Do they know who it was?" Maddy asked.

"No idea, I didn't hear much about it," I answered, shrugging. I got up from the table. "Put that away for me, Maddy."

"Do it yourself," she answered smartly. I stared at her for a second, and then shrugged. "I wasn't the one who got it out."

Maddy picked up the box. "You're putting it away next time."

"Deal."

Zoe laughed, and I started for my room. Before I could get there, the front door opened.

"Guess who's home?" came Dad's voice.

"A Sixer?" I guessed.

Dad just shot me a look as he took his jacket off, hanging it on the rack. "Yes, of course," he said flatly. Mom laughed and hung her jacket next to Dad's.

Maddy chimed in. "Did you find out what happened today? With the girl?"

"Well, we found her not too far from here," said Dad. "Turns out a dinosaur got to her, first. She was in pretty bad shape."

"We brought her to the hospital a couple of hours ago," Mom cut in. "She's got a broken arm and a few broken ribs, and she's bruised all around."

Maddy gasped. "Oh my god, Mom, is she alright?"

Mom nodded. "She'll be fine, honey, we've already got most of the wounds healed."

Zoe crinkled her nose. I ruffled her hair. "Who is it?"

My parents looked at each other. Uh oh.

"We don't exactly know," Dad answered. "No I.D. was found on her."

"So you don't know how she got here."

Dad sighed. "Not exactly."

"Okay… then how come Taylor let her in?"

"That's Commander Taylor, Josh," Mom corrected.

"Why did Commander Taylor let her in?" I was getting impatient.

"We didn't find any weapons on her," my dad answered back. "And there are no signs that point to any sort of suspicious activity."

"You mean, other than the fact that she was found OTG with no I.D., right?"

"Look," said Dad. "All I know is, Taylor doesn't think she's a threat. I was with him when we went to investigate. I trust Taylor's instinct."

I groaned. "They could be wrong."

"Okay, that's enough, you two," Mom said, walking over to me and lightly whacking my shoulder with the back of her hand. "It can wait until tomorrow."

Dad frowned, looking away, and then looked back at Mom. "Elisabeth, what about-"

"Oh yes, I forgot," Mom said. "Josh, Maddy, Zoe, she'll be staying with us until she can figure out what to do on her own."

"What?"

"What?"

"Yay!"

"Mom-"

"Calm down, guys!" Dad yelled over the sudden uproar of complaint.

"Mom, you can't let her stay here!" I said loudly, so that I would be heard over Maddy and Zoe. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Josh-"

"How long is she going to be here?" I demanded.

"Josh, calm down-"

"We don't even know who she is!" I complained, louder. "She was found Outside the Gates, battling a dinosaur. She's totally hurt, and now you're saying she has to stay with us?"

"Shut up!"

The house fell silent, and I looked in surprise at my dad, who was standing with a deep scowl on his face. My mom smiled over at him gratefully, and I almost started yelling again. But I waited and listened.

"We're the only family in Terra Nova that has room to take her in!" said Dad, voice low and upset. "Now, as far as we know, she could be some girl that got lost during one of the Pilgrimages. She wasn't found with any weapons on her."

"How do you know she's not still dangerous, though?" Maddy asked, troubled.

Silence.

"Maddy's right," I said. "She could still be dangerous. Even if she is banged up right now, she could be one of those spies for Mira that-"

"Josh-"

"- happened to be in the wrong place," I continued urgently, "and is just out to kill us! What?"

"I don't think she's like that," Mom said calmly. "Your father's right, there were no weapons found by her. We did a thorough investigation to check for dangerous objects. Nothing came up. There is no reason not to trust her right now."

Zoe piped up. "Mom, how come we have to take care of her?"

"Because she needs a home, dear."

I rolled my eyes. "Not our home."

"Josh, I don't see why you're so against this," said my dad. I just shrugged, turning from them and heading for my room. A sudden wave of anger hit me.

"I don't see why you're not against this!" I yelled, looking back at them. "Aren't you and Mom always the ones whining about 'Ohhhh, they could be a spy!' or 'Ohhhh, no one Outside the Gates is allowed into Terra No-'"

"This is different!" Mom interrupted. I made a face and shoved the glass door open, slipping into my room.

"Josh!"

I slammed the door shut.