After breakfast, Hanna tries to occupy herself with anything she can, but her attention keeps wavering every few minutes. By mid-morning, Rob starts to get annoyed at Hanna's restlessness.

"You've been pacing around the room for half an hour," Rob observes, his voice undercut with irritation. "Just sit down and watch TV or something."

"I tried that," Hanna retorts. "I got bored."

"You only watched a few seconds; you didn't even try a second channel."

"I just… I need to get out of here."

"Actually, maybe you should. That way, I can finish servicing my rifle without you distracting me every thirty seconds."

Ten minutes later, Hanna speeds away from the house on her ATV; within seconds, she is darting between the trees, pushing the ATV to its limits.

An hour later, Hanna slams on the brakes. The ATV slides wildly in the mud; Hanna just about manages to prevent the ATV spinning. She cuts the engine, dismounts, and walks a few feet away, before dropping flat on her back, staring through the treetops, allowing the rain to soak through her already waterlogged fur and blur her vision through her goggles.

What is wrong with me? It's just a stupid rock. OK, it gives me super flame powers, and it's huge fun, but… but… I really can't think of a drawback. Hanna signs deeply. Maybe that's part of the problem; the power is addictive. How does Rob manage to resist temptation so easily?

Hanna closes her eyes with another deep sigh; a moment later, she falls into a light sleep.

Three hours later, Hanna jerks awake, sitting up in mild alarm. What happened? Where am I? She looks around; her ATV is still parked a few feet away. I must have dozed off; how long was I asleep? What time is it? At least it's not raining anymore.

Hanna stands; she makes to brush herself down, but stops when she realises almost no part of her fiery orange fur is not covered in thick cloying mud. That's a lot of mud; no wonder I feel cold. She returns to the ATV, mounts it, and fires up the engine.

One thing's for sure though: I'm going to get my Crystal back, one way or another. Rob won't hand it over or tell me the combination to the safe; I'll have to be sneaky. I can't rush though; Rob's already wary enough.

Early evening; Hanna arrives back home, parks the ATV in the garage, and enters the house.

"I take it you had some fun out there," Rob guesses, his attention momentarily diverted from polishing his sai.

"Plenty," Hanna lies, "judging by the amount of mud I appear to have picked up."

"You look like some sort of swamp monster."

"Very funny."

"I thought so too." Rob finishes his polishing. "I'll sort out dinner while you shower."

As Hanna makes her way upstairs, she sneezes twice. I hope I'm not coming down with a cold…