"Aren't you going to say hello to your father?"

Aleister stands scowling at the man in the bespoke suit, motionless. Grace nudges him.

"Aleister..."

Aleister snorts. "I have many things to say to you," he finally says. " 'Hello' is not one of them."

"Somehow, you inherit no qualities of mine, and yet you have your mother's tongue. Truly a miraculous feat."

A long, tense silence fills the museum. Craig is the one to break it.

"Yo, this is super awkward."

"Imagine what it is like for me, Mr. Hsiao. Can any of you explain what my son is doing here?"

"What are you talking about? You invited me. I got your email after I wrote you."

Rourke knits his eyebrows for a moment, then relaxes.

"Right. Of course. My apologies. My memory is still coming to me." He looks around at the strewn glass on the floor. He lingers by the empty pedestal where the amber idol had been.

"And what, pray tell, happened here?"

Michelle opens her mouth, but I elbow her and slip the idol behind my back.

"Everything was smashed up when we got here," I lie smoothly.

"I apologize for the condition of the resort, Mr. Rourke," Lila says meekly.

"Save the groveling, Lila. At the very least, you managed to keep our most honored guests alive all this time. How long have you been here, anyway? What day is it?"

Iris projects from her drone behind Rourke. "December 27, 2017, sir," she chimes.

Rourke whips around to face her. His face softens. "...Iris?"

"Good morning, sir. Time is based on internal clock. Internet connection to atomic clock, unavailable."

"December 27...That long? And you...you're alive? How? State your version."

"0.9.1."

"Of course. An old backup copy. Tell me, all of you, how did you find this version of Iris? How have you managed to stay alive here for over six months?"

Craig clenches his fists. "Bro, I don't think you get the situation. You are gonna answer our questions. Or else."

Rourke smirks. "Or else what?"

Craig lunges, grabbing Rourke by the collar and lifting him clean off the floor, pinning him to the wall. The smile never leaves Rourke's face.

"You wanna find out, amigo?" Craig snarls.

"Craig, stop!" I cry. "Put him down!"

Craig looks back at me. "What?"

"He just woke up from who knows how long in that tube. He can't help us until he knows what's going on!"

Craig considers for a moment, then nods. "...Aiight. I'll trust you on this." He sets Rourke down, perhaps a bit more roughly than necessary. Rourke smooths his lapels.

"Now then. Where were we?"

I recap for Rourke as quickly as possible. Our arrival to the empty resort...our attempts to call for help...the Watchers kidnapping Diego...the time portal... He nods.

"Ahh. I have a clearer picture of the situation now. Come along." He heads for the stairs.

"Woah, hold on!" I yelp. "We've still got questions for you!"

"Of course you do. There will be occasion for that later. Unless you want to be here when they return."

"...When who returns?" Quinn asks.

"Why, the Hostiles. You told me that you had sent some of them through portals before sending yourselves. Obvious, that means that those Hostiles emerged just minutes before you did. Surely, they immediately returned to their stronghold. But once their leaders realize what this means, they'll be coming back for you. We must go at once."

"What are you talking about," Estela demands. "Go where?"

"To rescue your friend, of course. I can't have guests perish at my establishment. Could you imagine the Yelp reviews? Besides, the Hostiles' home will be briefly undefended, as they send their warriors here to collect you."

"...You know the way?"

"I know this island like the back of my hand. Come now...time is of the essence."

With that, Rourke marches up the steps to the atrium. Everyone exchanges glances before slowly following him. Jake, Sean, and I hang back slightly.

"We can't seriously be taking him with us," Jake says lowly.

"You got a better idea?" Sean asks. "He knows the way."

"You're saying we should trust this guy?"

"I'm saying we need this guy."

"...He does know the way," I say softly. "It may be our best shot at getting Diego back. There aren't many risks I'm not willing to take to achieve that end. ...I let him go...I let him be taken..."

Jake takes my hand. "...Bad stuff happens, Princess. You don't have to throw yourself on the fire to ease the guilt. ...We don't even know what Rourke's agenda is. How can we be sure he even wants to find Diego?"

I bite my lip, chewing it uncertainly. His attempts to dissuade me from wallowing in guilt are grating, but I can't deny that he has something of a point.

"...I suppose we can't," I finally admit. "...Maybe it is too big of a risk..."

"If I thought there was a better way to bring back Diego, don't you think I'd do it?" Sean snaps. "I'm gonna do whatever it takes to bring him back. If you're not willing to come along if Rourke's there..."

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Sean!" The sudden heat and anger in my own voice startles me, and it clearly startles the men, too. I pull my hand out of Jake's. "Both of you! You both need to shut up and get it into your heads that you don't get to do this! None of you would have given Diego a second glance before you all got trapped in hell with him, but I've known him and loved him my whole life! No one here cares more than I do! None of you get to act like you do! And you absolutely do not get to lecture me either about not throwing myself onto the fire, or about doing whatever it takes to get him back! I was ready to go alone if I fucking had to!"

I don't wait for them to react. I'm angry, embarrassed at being so angry, and far too frustrated to either apologize or listen to them apologize to me. I turn and charge up the stairs. Ignoring the concerned looks from my friends at the top, I push past them towards the elevator, and go straight back to my rainforest room.

Because I do now have a plan of action, I am at least able to calm myself down a little by stuffing supplies into my backpack. It's just when I get up there that I realize I was still clutching the amber idol. It doesn't take much space, so I slip it into my bag. I don't really want to leave it behind. I change out of my T-shirt and jeans and back into the mountain climbing outfit Quinn found for me before our expedition to the marina. I slip the small knife into the sheathe at my shoulder, and tuck my sheathed pirate cutlass into my backpack.

There is a knock at my door.

"Hey, Princess? You in there?" I sigh, going over to open the door. Jake stands outside, hands in his pockets.

"...Hey, you."

"...Hey. ...Not looking for a last minute tumble or anything. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"My best friend has been a captive for six months, Jake. If he's still alive. ...Of course I'm not okay."

"...Yeah. I know. Can I come in?" I step aside to let him through. "...Listen...Alodia. ...I'm sorry. I know I haven't been very helpful so far..."

"No, not really," I say flatly. "You went so far as to tell me you thought he was dead."

He winces. "...About that...I..."

"I know. ...You don't want me to be blindsided if that does turn out to be the case. You were trying to brace me."

"...Yeah. ...Was I wrong?"

"...I don't know. I've never been in a situation like this before. I appreciate that your intentions were good."

He takes my hand, lightly enough that I could pull back if I wanted to. I don't. I lace my fingers with his.

"...I think Sean's intentions were good, too," he says gently.

I sigh. "...I kinda blew up at you guys, didn't I. ...Especially him. He didn't really deserve it."

"Nah, he didn't. He was a little insensitive, but no more than I was."

"It's just...he barely knows Diego. Sean's confident and popular, the big man on campus, and Diego's this shy kid who rarely lets his guard down around anyone but me. Diego would have given anything to have a guy like Sean showing this much care for him back home. Suddenly, Diego's gone and Sean's acting as if it's his best friend missing...like he's the one Diego was clinging to in the last minute...like he's the one with the guilt and I'm being...cold or calculating or not caring enough..."

Jake removes his hand from mine and draws me into a hug. "...If you think about it, you'll realize you know that's not how he meant it. ...Sean's the kinda guy who takes the weight of the world on his shoulders because he doesn't trust anyone else with it. ...Probably had a lot of people relying on him to reinforce that. We both saw it on the way to the Observatory when we went over the cliff. ...But you know what you do about that?"

"...What?"

"Same thing you did then. Make him see he can let go. ...Make him see that he should let go. ...That even though none of us are letting you go into this alone, this is your fight. You're the one with the most at stake here. We all should be deferring to you."

I choke a little. "Jake...what if he is dead?"

"...Then you won't face that alone, either."

"...I feel like a part of my soul is missing. No one in my life has ever meant as much to me as he does. He's always been there. Always. I never had parents or siblings, but I always had Diego..."

"...You never had parents?"

I am quiet for a long moment. I ease out of his embrace and go to sit on the bed. I pat it, inviting him to sit next to me. He accepts the invitation. For a long moment, I don't say anything. ...He told me his secret last night. And I am starting to trust him enough to reciprocate.
"...My parents were killed in a plane crash when I was seven months old," I finally say, my voice soft. "After they died, I ended up with my only living relatives, my mother's sister and brother-in-law. They'd actually been looking after me while my parents went on what was supposed to be a month-long vacation.

"...My aunt and uncle never wanted kids. It wasn't that they didn't like me, or even that they didn't like kids in general. But they were an incredibly wealthy young couple who loved each other and who wanted just to love each other and live their lives the way they wanted to, without kids in the way. They always figured that to me, they'd be the cool aunt and uncle who spoiled me, sometimes looked after me for a week or a month, and then gave me back to my parents. But when my folks died, my aunt didn't want to turn her dead sister's only kid over to the state. So, they hired a nanny to do most of the child-rearing. Turned out that nanny had a son about my age."

"...Diego."

"Yeah. ...I grew up thinking of him as my brother. I called his parents Mom and Dad. I grew up speaking both English and Spanish, because his mom made sure we learned both. His mom did most of the work raising both me and Diego, and it was probably one of them best things my aunt and uncle ever did for me. Without her, I think I probably would have been a spoiled brat who only ever received affection in the form of expensive things. Diego's family, especially him and his mom...they gave me real love. Thing is...once I got older, I didn't need a nanny anymore, but she still needed to work. The woman I called Mom didn't have as much time for me as she did when I was her work. But Diego was still there. And he's been there ever since. And I've been there for him. When everything was falling apart for one or both of us, we always had each other. But somehow when it came down to it...when it really mattered, I failed him. And now everything's falling apart and he's not here and that's why it's falling apart and it's all my fault..." My voice breaks as fresh tears threaten me.

Jake, who has been listening quietly, puts his arms around me. "...That's bullshit, Alodia. And you know it. Diego let go because he wanted to save you. He put you above himself. It's the kinda thing your best friend does for you."

I close my eyes, leaning into him. "...And now I have to do that for him."

He kisses the top of my head. "...And the rest of us gotta put you above anything else right now. We gotta take care of you for his sake."

There's another knock at my door. "...Alodia?" Quinn's voice floats through the door.

"It's open, Quinn. Come on in."

She does so, carrying a bag in her hands. "Hi, Alodia. Hi, Jake. ...Everyone's downstairs. We're all ready to go. You guys got everything? Last time we'll be here for awhile."

"I think so." I glance around the room. "...I'm actually gonna miss this place. It's almost started to feel like home."

"We've certainly made some memories here."

"I like some of those memories," Jake says with a smirk. "Especially in this room."

Quinn giggles. "Naughty. Oh, Alodia, I brought you something. I know you lost those hiking boots in the ocean, so I grabbed another pair for you from the boutique."

I blink. "Quinn, did you steal a pair of boots for me?"

"Maybe. ...I also might have left five bucks and a button on the counter."

Jake laughs appreciatively, holding up a hand for Quinn to high-five. "Way to go, Red. ...Suit up then, Princess. Let's get your brother back."

The hike to the stronghold is likely to take ten hours, Rourke says. We make sure we have non-perishable provisions, remembering what happened on our trip to the Observatory. After the first few hours, it becomes necessary to stop to eat and catch a few hours' sleep. We sleep in shifts, with at least two of us awake at all times to keep an eye on Rourke and watch the jungle for threats. Sean and I end up with first watch. For a long time, we're both silent, just watching our friends sleep.

"...Alodia...?"

I glance over at Sean. "...Hmm?"

"I...wanted to apologize. For what I said back at the resort. I...realize now what it sounded like. But I didn't mean it like that."

"...I know you didn't." After a moment, I add, "I'm sorry I blew up at you. ...You didn't deserve that. You don't deserve any blame for what happened to Diego, either. I'm the one who couldn't hold onto him. You were already through by the time they pulled him out."

"...I'm not good with admitting when I'm helpless," he confesses. "Even when it makes me blameless."

I chuckle mirthlessly. "You say that like it's a huge revelation. ...But you are blameless, Sean. What happened to Diego is my failure. My burden to carry. ...My heartbreak."

"We all care about him, too."

"I know. But not like I do."

"...So...what do I do here? If I can't take the burden for you, I'd like to at least ease it."

I am quiet for a moment, considering. "...I don't know much about football...but...you're the team captain, right? You're the quarterback. The big man. The star. ...Remembering that I'm a layman, tell me in very simple terms what Craig does for you in games."

Sean thinks for a moment. "...He clears the way for me. Supports me. Makes sure I can do what I need to."

"That's what I need from you right now. From everyone. My touchdown or whatever is getting my best friend back. I need everyone else to make sure my way is clear. To watch my back and my sides because I can't see anywhere but straight ahead. And let me call the plays. Let me be the captain here. Tell me if you think I'm being reckless, but don't fight with me or make it about you or anyone else except me and Diego. You told me once that you've always been taught that you can only rely on yourself. That when things go back, you scramble. You want to take the burdens on because you can't trust anyone else with them. That's how I feel right now. As grateful as I am to everyone for coming with me, as much as I would trust you all with my life, I find it hard to trust you with his because his life matters more to me than mine."

"...Yeah. I get that." He nods. "Okay, Alodia. From now on, you're my captain."

I smile a little. "...Diego calls himself my sidekick."

"...I think 'sidekick' is a little outside my wheelhouse. I do think you're a hero, though."

"...Thanks..."

But that just brings back the pain when I remember what Diego said to me before we all charged out of the security room in our final, desperate bid to escape the Watchers: If I had to be anyone's sidekick, I'm glad I was yours. Because honestly, you've been my hero. And if I lose you tonight, I just want you to know that.

I lapse into silence, slowly peeling apart the leaves I pick off the forest floor until Jake and Estela wake for their shift.

Out in the western rainforest, the temperature is at least 100 degrees. On the move again, a layer of sweat coats my body and soaks my clothes. Blinding sunlight beats down on us from above. I at least had enough sense to apply sunscreen before we left, but I might well have sweated it all off by now.

"It's gotta be 120 degrees," Jake mutters. "And a thousand percent humidity."

"That's neither how percentages nor humidity work," Aleister grumbles. "Nonetheless, I concur."

"It's so bright I can hardly see," Zahra complains. "And if I have to hear about Craig being sticky one more time-"

"But I am sticky! Feel!

"I absolutely will not feel."

"I know it's hot guys," Grace says, "but come on, guys. Diego...he's counting on us."

"Never give up!" Raj cheers. "Never surrender! No matter how toasty it gets outside, we're coming for you, Diego!"

I have to smile at his enthusiasm. Nonetheless, I wipe a heavy sweat from my brow, gulping water from my canteen.

"...How the hell is it so hot, though? I thought it was December!"

"Nothing about time on this island makes sense. I wouldn't expect the weather too, either."

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can stop walking," Rourke says briskly. "Doesn't that sound pleasant? Now hurry up."

Sean eyes him suspiciously. "You're not even sweating. How is that possible?"

"Impeccable conditioning."

"Bet you Botox'd your damn sweat glands shut," Jake grumbles.

Pain like the stab of a knife shoots through my head. I double over with a cry, my head throbbing like there's a hammer pounding at the inside of my skull. Visions flash in front of my eyes, so real I could reach out and touch them.

"This river looks pretty deep," Quinn says. "How are we supposed to get across?"

"I had my people search all over the world for you," Rourke says silkily. "And we never could find you."

"Alodia, you don't even understand how much you just saved my life," Michelle gushes.

"Check it out. I found something at the bottom." Sean grins triumphantly at me.

"Damn," Jake says dreamily, "Couldn't you just stay here forever?"

As suddenly as it came on, the headache fades. The rest of the group marches on. No one seems to have noticed. Well, except one.

"Are you well, Alodia?" Iris asks.

"...I..."

"This river looks pretty deep," Quinn says from up ahead. "How are we supposed to get across?"

I start. What? What'd she just say? I hurry to catch up with the others, and see that we have arrived at the banks of a rushing river. I fall back slightly, back to Iris.

"...Iris, how did I know Quinn was gonna say that? I saw all these...visions..."

"Scanning...I detect a disturbance in the tachyon field. It seems that we have entered a time loop. Such phenomena normally cannot be sensed by humans...yet apparently you can see it."

"Hold on, what do you mean a 'time loop'?"

"A period of approximately thirty minutes will repeat indefinitely. Even this very conversation, should you choose to have it again."

My stomach flips. "You mean we're stuck here forever?! How do we break the loop?!"

"There must be a source of the time disturbance nearby. You must destroy it to escape the loop."

"...I gotta tell the others. We need to find that source and-"

"Warning: informing them of the temporal vortex may cause irreparable damage to space-time."

"...Seriously? ...You mean I can't tell them with reality caving in on itself? You're saying I'm on my own?"

"Correct. Though there may yet be ways to use the others to your advantage."

I am quiet, considering this. "...Well...I suppose the first thing I have to do is find the source of the time loop." I draw in a shuddering breath. Come on, Alodia. You can do this. Diego will never be saved if you're stuck living the same half-hour for eternity.

"Over here, guys!" Estela calls. "There's a fallen tree going across the river. We can use it as a bridge."

We line up single file to cross the tree-bridge. Aleister is in front of me, Zahra behind. I take a deep breath, preparing to mount it like a balance beam. "Apples..." I murmur, feeling my nerves steady. "Apples."

I continue to mutter under my breath as I cross carefully, my arms outstretched, one foot in front of the other. The weight of my backpack isn't helping, but I try to shift my own weight against it.

"What are you mumbling?" Aleister asks.

"Oh, it's just a technique my old gymnastics coach taught me. I used to get really anxious before competitions, especially on beam. The tenser I was, the more likely I was to fall off, so my coach taught me to train my parasympathetic nervous system to respond to a cue word." I watch him as he moves, careful and balanced. "You're doing pretty well."

"Yes, well, I packed lightly. My bag is almost empty."

"...Smart."

"This is bull," Zahra mutters behind me. "I do not do the outdoors."

"Just a little further," I say encouragingly. "You can make it."

"I know I can make it!" she protests. "I'm just...a little out of my eleme—woah!"

Instinctively, I whip around on the balls of my feet and grab Zahra's arm before she can topple in. "Gotcha!"

"Way too close!" She looks back at me. "Thanks. ...You want money or something?"

"...What? No..."

"You did it for free? Weird." She looks back at the river. "Did not want to end up in there. Who knows what's down there..."

We manage to make it across the log with everyone in one piece. But then Michelle starts rubbing her eye.

"Dammit! I just lost a contact lens!"

"Can I help you look?" I offer.

She sizes me up. "Ugh...fine. So long as we both agree I didn't ask you for help."

I get down on my hands and knees beside Michelle, and the two of us comb through the high grass.

"This is impossible!" she groans.

"Are you sure you're gonna want to put it back in your eye after this?"

"Even as anal retentive as I am about having enough lenses, I only have a three-months' supply. I can stretch each pair about two extra weeks. I don't want to run out any sooner than I have to. I hate wearing glasses."

"Fair enough. Oh! Holy hell, I actually found it!"

The tiny clear dome still has some moisture in it. I balance it on my finger as Michelle grabs a bottle of saline from her purse and squirts it carefully. Transferring it to her index finger, she turns away and slips it back into her eye.

"Alodia, you don't even understand how much you just saved my life."

"Woah...there's something else here, too." I reach through the grass, closing my fingers around a small red rod.

"...What the hell is that?"

Spotting me, Jake comes to kneel beside me. "Well, lookie here. That's a 12-gauge armor-piercing shell casing. It's for the USAS-12 automatic shotgun."

"What's that?"

"Some heavy-duty firepower. My old black-ops squad used those."

"So whoever fired it meant business."

"...That's an understatement." He looks at me for a moment, raising a hand to stroke the back of my head. Then he stands. "...Better to leave it behind, I think."

With Michelle no longer half-blind, we continue. Rourke whistles cheerfully to himself. His nonchalance sets my teeth on edge. I sidle up to him.

"All right, Rourke," I growl under my breath. "You promised me some answers, and now seems like a pretty good time to get them."

Rourke turns to smirk at me. "Do you know what business I am in?"

"...I don't know. Resorts?"

"I dabble. But mainly, I'm in the business of information. And that means I don't give it away for free. I expect a trade."

"A trade."

"I'll answer one question of yours. Only one. But first you will answer one of mine. Fair?"

I consider for a moment. "...Shoot."

"My question is very simple. What is your name?"

I am quiet for a moment. "...It's...it's Alodia."

"Alodia...Alodia...what a delicious name. Archaic, yet elegant. Ornate. Germanic, possibly Visigothic, with a meaning lost to the mists of time. And yet, a name borne by saints and martyrs. ...I had my people search all over the world for you, Alodia. And we could never find you. And to realize

that all this time you were a student at Hartfeld like Aleister...Let's just say, if we survive this, I'll be firing my intelligence staff."

"All right, that's more than enough. My turn."

"Very well. Go ahead."

"...The guests at the Celestial. What happened to them? We traced them to the emergency shelter, but we lost the trail there."

"When it became clear that Mount Atropo was to erupt in a cataclysmic event, I ordered a full evacuation. I can only pray they all made it to safety."

"But the volcano hasn't-"

He holds up a hand. "One question. That was all you were permitted. We must focus on the road ahead."

He marches ahead. I smile to myself behind his back. If what Iris says really is true, I may have a chance to get more answers without having to give him more than I already have. I look over at Jake, standing high atop a boulder, peering northeast. He hops down.

"There's a nice clearing out that way to the right. The river ends in a beautiful lake if you follow it for a bit."

"Might be useful to send someone to get our bearings," Estela says.

"I could go," I say. "It does look beautiful out there." And the source of the disturbance might be somewhere around there.

"Want some company?" Jake asks with a smile.

"If you're offering, I won't say no."

We follow the river up to the clearing. A beautiful, shimmering lake sparkles in the sunlight before us, looking peaceful and still. Jake takes my hand, lacing his fingers in mine.

"It's gorgeous," I say softly.

"Yeah, you could say that." He frowns. "...Hey...does that look like snow to you?"

I shade my eyes follwing his gaze. In the distance, the peaks of the nearby mountain range glisten white in the sun.

"I think you're right! But in the middle of a heatwave on a Caribbean island? I didn't think the mountains here were nearly high enough for that."

"Yeah. 'Cause they're not."

He leads me over a little ways to the base of the nearest mountain. Snow has piled up in the shade beneath a tropical tree. I reach down and scoop up a handful, sucking in my breath sharply as the cold stings my fingertips.

"It is snow!"

"This place is making less and less sense every minute," he mutters. He steps up to the water's edge and skips a pepple across the its placid surface. I drop the snow and wipe my numb hand on my jeans, joining him under the blistering sun. On impulse, I strip down and wade into the water. It's crisp and cool and it clears the cobwebs the heat has left in my brain. I smile at Jake.

"Come swim with me. The water's perfect."

He strips down and wades in with me, gasping as the water hits him. "Shit! Colder than it looks!" But he plunges in and swims out to join me in the center of the lake. "...Feels damn good, though. ...Couldn't you just stay here, forever?"

I smile wryly. "More than you know," I murmur.

"...Growing up in Louisiana, I used to swim in the bayou all the time. We'd have to clear out real quick if a gator showed up though."

"Diego and I used to spend the summers at the beaches in L.A. His parents used to take us on weekends before we were old enough to go ourselves." I look over at Jake, pausing for a moment. "...You miss your home. Don't you."

"Hm? Nah. Not much back there for me anymore..."

I get the sense he's holding something back, but I don't press him. The cold is starting to sink in, chilling me to my bones. I hear my breath tremble as tremors run through my limbs.

"You shivering?"

"M-m-maybe a little," I admit.

He laughs. "Here. I'll warm you up." He swims over to take me in his arms and pulls me close to his body, bending to kiss me gently. I kiss him back, wrapping my arms around him. He stands in the water, picking me up in his arms without breaking the kiss. When we do finally stop for breath, he smiles at me. "...Feeling warmer?"

"You could say that."

"...I guess we should go back."

"...Yeah. ...Can't forget what we're moving towards."

We head back to the others, catching up with them as they approach an ancient, eroded stone pillar. I jog to catch up with the others, coming up beside Sean.

"Hot as hell," he remarks. "Kinda wishing I'd jumped in the river back there."

"Would've liked to see you fall in."

"Yeah, but that's because you want this whole expedition to turn into a wet T-shirt contest. ...That current looked pretty fast though. Fortunately, I'm a strong swimmer. Back during sophomore year, I blew out my knee. It took a lot of rehab, and a lot of that was swimming. I always thought there was something really calming about it. It...centered me."

I smile at the thought. On my other side, Craig wipes a heavy sweat from his brow.

"Dude, this is garbage!" he moans. "It's so hot! Can't we take a break?"

"You're tired because you're wasting energy complaining," Rourke says flatly.

"I'm gonna waste energy beating your ass, geezer," Craig growls, then looks pleadingly at me. "There's some awesome shade over there from that stone pillar thingy."

"...A quick break couldn't hurt us," I say. "We've hardly had much time to rest in the last fourty-eight hours."

"Finally!"

Although no one is as enthusiastic as Craig, everyone is relieved to have a chance to rest. Aleister slumps against a tree, throwing his bag aside. Craig leans against the shady side of the stone pillar.

"Sweet, sweet shade!" he sighs rapturously. "This is heaven right now."

There is a sudden cracking noise as Craig's weight on the ancient pillar shifts the stones. The pillar begins to topple.

"Aleister!" I yelp. "Look out!"

Aleister scrambles out of the way just as the pillar comes crashing down on the spot where he had just been, shattering into a pile of rubble.

"You nitwit!" Aleister shrieks at Craig. "You utter simpleton! You just crushed my bag!"

"...My B, dude."

Aleister huffs and drags his bag from the heap of stone, dumping out its meager contents.

"Fortunately, I had next to nothing in there."

"Maybe we should keep moving," Sean suggests, "before we destroy more ancient, priceless artifacts."

"But..." Craig protests. "...Nap time..." With a groan, he drags himself back to the march.

The jungle bends before me, turning a cascade of strange colors. I find myself back on the river bank. That must have been the end of the time loop. Quinn is once again remarking that the river looks deep. Estela points out the fallen tree. I realize that my hair and underclothes are totally dry. No sign of the swim I took a few minutes ago. I swallow, preparing to endure the next half hour again. If I can hang on to what I learn each time, perhaps I can locate the source of the disturbance. And hopefully destroy it...

I cross the tree-bridge, steadying Zahra to keep her from falling in. I help Michelle find her contact lens. I tell Rourke my name and endure his reaction so that I may ask him another question.

"Why did you bring us here?"

"I presumed you would ask me that. During the most recent expansion of The Celestial's facilities, a worker discovered a photograph buried in the sands. It was dated to be 500 years old, despite the art of photography only having existed for 200. Photographed therein were eleven young people. All of you, except Aleister. I know you must somehow be critical to solving this island's mysteries."

"...Why not just tell us that?" I murmur, not expecting an answer. To my surprise, though, he does answer.

"Frankly, I intended to. I intended to enlist your help to save the world. Clearly, the world had other plans. ...But that's all you're getting out of me for now."

Once again, I go to the lake with Jake and discover the snow. This time, we sit side-by-side and fill our bottles with clear, cold water, taking long, quiet sips.

"You know, Princess, I think that's about the best water I've ever tasted." He skips a rock along the water's surface, leaving behind a perfect row of rippling circles.

"You're pretty good at that."

"Life could get a little boring in rural Louisiana. My sister and I had a lot of practice entertaining ourselves."

"...You've never mentioned your sister before."

"Nope. But one day, I'll tell you all about her."

He smiles at me, his hair tousling in the breeze. I lean in to kiss him gently. "You promise?"

"Yeah."

I kiss him more deeply, easing him down onto the grass and straddling him. After a moment, I sit up, my hands on his chest, and give him a wink.

"...What was that for? Not that I'm complaining."

"Just wanted to make sure life wasn't getting too boring for you."

"Around you, I don't even think that's possible."

We return to the others, catching up with them as we did before. I speak with Sean and suggest a break. The pillar crumbles. The rainforest bends. I am back at the riverbank. Once again, I cross the bridge. I search the grass. I speak to Rourke.

"What was that radio call we heard?"

"The one you heard over the satellite array in the Observatory, yes. I strongly suspect that was an echo from our planet's likely future."

"An echo...from the future?"

"Yes. Right now, we are in a bubble of time, safe for the moment. But an eruption of Mount Atropo risks plunging the planet itself into a prehistoric time, when all the world was lava. Civilization would immediately be engulfed in the fire of a bygone era. That, my young friend, is what I need your help to prevent."

I go to the lake with Jake and discover the snow. This time, I throw the handful at him before he can react. It bursts into powder against his shoulder, leaving a small wet patch.

"A sneak attack! Aw, you little-"

"Betcha can't catch me!"

He scoops up a handful and hurls it at me, his aim true. I shriek and retaliate. We exchange flung handfuls of soft, fluffy snow, until I peg him in square in the face. He falls backwards into the snowbank.

"You got me! I give up!"

I dive into the snowbank after him. "You sure surrender easy, don't you?"

"Only to you."

I bend to kiss him. "I only accept unconditional surrender."

"Well, I don't want to make this too easy for you."

I laugh and fall into another kiss.

We return. The group rests. The pillar crumbles. The loop resets.

Bridge. Grass. Rourke.

"Tell me about the sea monster."

"Ahh. So you've met Cetus."

"Cetus? It has a name?"

"Roughly translated from thousands of years ago. A name of legend. But as you've no doubt seen, the beast is far more than legend."

"It wasn't so tough. We blue it out of the water with a little plastic explosive."

"A cocky one, aren't you? It has survived far more dangerous foes than you, little friend. It only re-emerged in the last week before your arrival. I've no doubt the two of you shall meet again."

I'm getting more answers out of Rourke. But I don't feel I'm any closer to finding the source of the disturbance. But something is changing. Because this time, it is Estela who offers to go to the lake with me. She marvels at the snow under the tree. This time, she's the one I throw my snowball at. She yelps in surprise.

"Gotcha!"

A slow smile spreads across her face. "Oh, it is so on!" We exchange snowballs until Estela tackles me into the bank.

"I give! I give!" She laughs, rolling off me. We both take a moment to catch our breath.

"...You know...this is the first time in my life I've ever seen snow."

"Seriously? What about Hartfeld? It snows there."

"I transferred in after winter quarter, so I missed it all. ...Maybe this year, if we ever get out of here."

Lying on my back, I turn to Estela. "I promise, when we get back to Hartfeld, you'll get the full winter term experience. Snowball fights, snowmen, hot chocolate...Hell, I'll host a holiday party and invite the whole gang of us."

She smiles, looking up at the sky. "I can't wait."

We return from the lake. The pillar crumbles. The loop resets. Twice more, I steady Zahra. Twice more, I search the grass. I ask two more questions of Rourke.

About the time portal gun: "You know it better than I. I've never been through it. But it is a portable prototype, created in an effort to understand the island's...eccentricities. It carries the occupant forward in time exactly 204 days. No more, no less."

About the tube we found him in: "A sleep tank filled with a tachyon-slowing fluid. My research showed that Mount Atropo's eruption would cause a cascading temporal event. Tearing space-time apart. If I were to endure that effect, I risked instantly aging into dust...or reverting to before I was born. Anything could've been possible. Before the eruption, I entered the tank to keep me at my current age. I'd set it to awaken me shortly after, but clearly the time effects of the blast derailed the scheduled release."

Twice more, I go to the lake with Estela. She tells me she went swimming with her uncle in San Trobida when she was little. How she was just a simple girl then, who didn't know any better that the world was not so simple. She never really knew peace, with Cartel violence in Colombia and civil war in San Trobida. Peace like this, at this lake, almost makes her uneasy. At least in war, she knows where everyone stands.

"You know where I stand, Estela."

"Do I?"

I take her hand. "Right here. Beside you. I'm your friend. Nothing will change that now."

"...I guess you're right. ...I do know that."

The next time the loop resets, something else changes. I turn just a bit too late. I fail to keep Zahra from toppling into the water. She treads the water, and manages to avoid being swept away by the current when she grabs hold of a branch.

"Thank for the help, Alodia!" she splutters.

"Sorry! Here, let me give you a hand up."

"Hurry! There's something glowing at the bottom of the river! Get me outta here!"

With help from Craig, I manage to pull Zahra out of the water.

"...What did you see in the river?"

"No idea. But it's way down there, and even if I wanted to find out, I'm nowhere near a strong enough swimmer to dive that deep."

Something in her words niggles at me. I have the presence of mind ask Rourke another question, at least.

"What's with all the secret doors at The Celestial? We keep finding these secret messages and rooms all over the hotel. The library, that weird museum, the security office behind the game room..."

"Needless to say, once I discovered the true perils of La Huerta, I needed to...remodel the resort."

"You should have closed it!"

"And invite the scrutiny of my rivals? Who could try to steal the island for their own nefarious purposes? No. It had to stay open."

As Rourke walks away, I again feel Zahra's words echoing at the edges of my mind. It isn't until I am speaking to Sean again, hearing him relate his history with swimming that the answer hits me.

"Hey, Sean...do you think you could get something out of the river for me? Zahra says she saw something glowing down there. It might be important."

"Yeah, sure. Probably shouldn't ignore anything that's glowing in this place." He wanders back towards the river and strips off his shirt. I show him where Zahra fell in. "...Yeah, I see it. Looks deep, but I think I should be able to get down there."

He dives gracefully and disappears under the rushing water. I wait. As seconds start to feel more like minutes, I start to get nervous. ...If he drowns within the time loop, will he be alive when it resets? Would there be any chance to save him? Just as these thoughts start to become real concerns, he pops up, inhaling deeply, and swims easily to the riverbank.

"Check it out. I found something at the bottom!" He puts something smooth and heavy into my hands. I instantly recognize it.

"...It's another of those orbs! Like we find in the mining tunnels at the shelter! ...I can feel some sort of energy running through it..."

"Should we put our hands in the grooves again?" Quinn asks.

I don't respond. If this is the source of the time loop, I have to destroy it. I smash it as hard as I can against a rock, but I only succeed in sending vibrations through my arms that set my teeth rattling. Also, everyone looks at me like I've gone nuts.

"...What are you doing?" Michelle asks.

"Trying to break it? Obviously?"

"Yes, we see that," Quinn says slowly. "...Why?"

"Because..." I trail off, remembering what Iris said. I can't tell them without reality caving in on itself. "...I have...anger issues?"

"Truth," Zahra says. "I feel ya."

Well, at least the great thing about the time loop resetting next time is that no one will remember me saying that...

Back at the riverbank, I find that the orb is still in my hands. It didn't return to the river when the loop reset. It exists outside of time. Like me, I think involuntarily.

This time, I manage to catch Zahra again before she falls in. I talk to Rourke again.

"What happened to the boats at the marina?"

"You've visited my private marina! You are resourceful! Why couldn't I have a child with your cunning and persistence?" He ruffles my hair. His touch makes my skin crawl. I pull away sharply, glaring daggers.

"Don't touch me!" I snarl.

"I'm not so bad once you get to know me. In any case, the explanation is simple. After the evacuation, I feared the Hostiles could use the long-distance watercraft at the marina and attack neighboring islands. I couldn't allow that to enter the realm of possibility." He looks down at the crystal orb I'm clutching. "I see you have found one of La Huerta's mysterious crystals. Beautiful, are they not? They can get heavy. Perhaps you should have someone carry it for you."

"I can manage," I snap. But a little while later, as I watch the pillar topple for the seventh or eighth time, smashing Aleister's bag, the solution hits me over the head like a mallet on a whac-a-mole. When the loop resets, as soon as we're across the bridge, I approach Aleister.

"Hey, Aleister, I know you packed pretty light. Would you mind carrying something for me?" I hold out the orb.

"Another of those damned things! ...Wait a moment, what makes you think I'd carry something for you?"

"...Because I'll put in a good word for you with Grace? A little extra praise never hurts."

He considers, and then sighs. "Fine. Give it here." He slips it into his bag.

I sidle up to Rourke one more time. If this works, this will be the last question I can ask him.

I think for a moment.

"What is this island?"

He smirks. "My young friend, you are asking the question I've asked myself for a very long time. Thirty-seven years, two and half billion dollars later, and all I can say with certainty is this: This island is the single point at which time folds in on itself. Past...present...future...all happening in simultaneity. What exactly the future holds for us is...well...uncertain. And ready to be molded by the right person."

When he shoos me away, I go. My heart is knocking painfully against my ribs. Please, let this work...

I visit the lake, with Jake again. We kiss in the cold water. We catch up with the group. I talk with Sean. Craig moans about the heat, and I suggest a break. We all sit down, exhausted. Aleister lays down his bag and slumps against a tree. Craig sinks against the pillar. The ancient stones shift and start to topple.

"Aleister! Look out!"

He scrambles out of the way.

Crrrrsh!

Aleister shrieks angrily, dragging his bag out of the rubble. I race up to him as Craig sheepishly apologizes. Aleister dumps out the contents of his bag, now including the crystal orb, cracked in two. It's bright blue light has faded, rendering it a cold, dull gray.

I feel myself trembling. ...That's it...the source of the loop is destroyed...

"Apologies for your belongings, Alodia," Aleister says glumly. "But-"

"I did it!" I shriek elatedly.

"Uh, what now?" Sean asks.

I shake my head. "Don't worry about it."

"Can we keep going now?" Michelle asks tiredly.

"Yes," I answer, unable to keep from grinning. "Now we can move on."

As we pass by the shattered pillar, I get another glimpse at the split orb, the way it's cleaved in two... A feeling of deja-vu washes over me. There is a familiarity about it that I cannot place. I catch Rourke's eyes. His mouth splits into a grin, and I realize he recognizes it, too. ...And perhaps he knows from where.

"Hey, Alodia..." Sean's voice pulls me back to the present. "You see that, over there?" He points up into the trees ahead, where there is something gold sparkling among the branches.

"What is it?"

"I dunno. Come on, let's check it out." I take a few tentative steps, suddenly nervous that I'll find myself at the riverbank again, but time holds steady. We push on through the rainforest. Sean keeps his eyes on the gold glint in the trees. "There's definitely something in the branches there."

As we get a little closer, the size and color of it start to look familiar. "I see it! I think it's one of those amber idol things, like Rourke had in his museum..."

"Want me to climb up there and grab it for you?"

"Sure, what the heck." I grin. "Get me that idol, man!"

He grins back. "Your wish is my command, fair lady!"

He grabs the bottom branch and pulls himself up, scaling the tree with his usual athleticism.

"Careful up there!"

"Don't worry about me! I've almost got it!" After a brief pause, he calls out, "Woah! Alodia, you're not gonna believe this! The tree looks like its grown around the idol! It's like it's part of the tree!"

"Can you get it out?"

"Yeah, I just need to pull...real...hard...Got it!" The branches rustle as he climbs back down, dropping beside me. In his hand is an amber idol, almost Egyptian in appearance, depicting an eagle-headed man on a throne. "For you."

He holds it out for me. I reach for it. Just as before, the moment my fingertips graze the idol, the world flashes white.

I stand in the middle of the living room of a Hartfeld apartment, like the one Diego and I share on campus. The LCD clock on the microwave reads 2:13 am. Sean, slouched at the kitchen table over a pile of economics homework, rubs his eyes. Somehow, I know he has had a full day today. Practice, classes, work-study... He mumbles to himself as he fights through the exhaustion, determined to complete the assignment in front of him.

"Equilibrium price and quantity if demand is..."

His phone buzzes a text alert. The screen lights up with the word 'MOM'.

'Your dad asked about you again,' the text reads. 'He misses you.'

Sean shakes his head, tossing the phone onto the sofa in the living room a few feet away. There is the sound of a key turning in the door. Craig walks in, looking anxious.

"Dude," he moans. "I am so screwed!"

Sean looks up, alarmed. "What's going on?"

"Know how Coach asked us about the rumors that the sports agent guy was giving free stuff to players? Well..."

He opens his backpack and pulls out a brand new, high-end laptop. Sean's eyes widen.

"Craig! Dude, why the hell did you take that?! You know if the NCAA finds out you're taking free stuff, you'll lose your scholarship! You'll be kicked off the team!"

"I know, I know! I'm an idiot, okay? I just really wanted to play this computer game with a girl in my calc class. My old laptop sucked too hard to handle the graphics, and you know my folks can't afford a decent one." He slumps onto the couch, burying his head in his hands. "I know I shouldn't have taken it, but I did and now I'm screwed! Someone saw me with it and ratted me out. I'm already on thin ice with Coach. Now I'm done for. As soon as he proves I took this laptop-"

"He won't." Sean takes the laptop and slips it into his own bag. "Because I'm the one who took it from the agent."

Craig's head shoots up. "Dude, what? I can't let you take the fall for me. You'll get in so much trouble!"

"I can handle it. You can't. Coach can't kick me off the team, so let me do this. I need you out on that field. You're not just my teammate, you're my brother. I can't do this without you. ...I've got this."

"...I owe you, man," Craig whispers. "I owe you everything."

Reality warps around me, and I slingshot forward in time.

Sean waves his arms wildly.

"Over here! Over here, big guy! Look at me!"

The sabertooth tiger snarls, its sword-like incisors glistening in the moonlight that shines over a cliff.

"Sean, what are you doing?!" Michelle screams.

Sean leaps nimbly over the rocks towards the cliff's edge, leading the great cat away from our friends.

"Don't worry about me! I can handle it! Run!"

The sabertooth pounces, pinning Sean to the dirt at the edge of the precipice. Sean grips the creature's massive fangs, wrestling it towards the edge.

"Don't do it, man!" Craig yells.

"Sean, no!" Michelle screams, tears streaming from her eyes. Her voice suddenly goes soft. "Sean...please...no..."

"I've got this," Sean growls. He rolls over the edge of the cliff, taking the sabertooth with him. They vanish out of sight...

"...Alodia? You all right?"

I look up sharply. "...Sean..." I choke on a sudden sob and wrap my arms around his chest, gripping him tightly. He hesitates a moment before hugging me back. I grip the idol, white-knuckled.

"You two!" Rourke barks. "You're falling behind! Keep up. The Hostiles' stronghold is just over this ridge."

I take a moment to compose myself before I pull back from Sean and slip the idol into my backpack before we both move to catch up with the rest of the group. We trudge up the steepening slopes. A low sound reaches my ears, carried on the wind.

"...Do you guys hear that?" Quinn asks suddenly. "Is that...?"

"...Horns," Michelle confirms.

I break into a sprint, the others following suit. The forest grows thinner, sunlight shining through gaps in the canopy. In the distance, I start to make out an impossibly enormous tree rising into the sky, almost towering over the peak of Mount Atropo itself. I emerge from the underbrush and finally gain a clear view.

...It's a city. A massive city built into the trees. The tallest of the trees could dwarf a skyscraper. Huts are carved into the enormous trunks, all connected by an intricate series of rope bridges. ...I have seen this city before. On the beach, when lion-masked Watcher touched my forehead, allowing me to communicate with him.

"Now that's what I call a treehouse!" Raj breathes.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing!" Grace whispers. "It's...impossible! Trees have never grown that large!"

"Not yet, you mean," Rourke says. "But one day, they will."

The horns blast again. Far below, I see a small phalanx of Watchers marching out of the village's base. In the center of the group, his hands bound, is a familiar figure. My hand flies to my mouth. I can just make him out down below. His hair has grown almost to his shoulders. His face is covered by six months' growth of black fur. ...But I would know him anywhere.

"...Is that...?" Aleister murmurs.

"It's him," Sean confirms.

"Diego..." I whisper, tears of relief clouding my eyes. "He's alive."