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who were still in their boats had to listen, knowing the same was about to happen to them.” The Stranger stabbed the ground with his walking stick. He drove it deep into the rocky soil. “It’s like trying to kill a ghost.”
    Listening to the Stranger’s grisly history didn’t discourage Matt. Instead, he was more determined than ever to find Mr. Dark. Knowing he wasn’t the only one fighting back was good news. Even a reluctant ally was welcome. Here was a man with enough courage to try to defeat Mr. Dark. Someone else who wanted Mr. Dark dead—well, destroyed, because whatever Mr. Dark was, Matt was pretty sure he was already dead, at least by any human standard.
    “How did you know I was like you? As soon as we met I could tell you knew somehow.”
    The Stranger looked at him with a puzzled expression and then coughed out a laugh, the way people do when they’re surprised. “You never noticed your own eyes?”
    Matt shrugged. He didn’t spend much time looking in mirrors. As long as his eyes didn’t bother him, he wasn’t going to be bothering them.
    Stopping suddenly, the Stranger turned to Matt. “Look at my eyes.”
    The desert sun was harsh and reflective, making it hard to see details, but Matt could see a thin ring of light around the Stranger’s pupils. It was subtle but easy to spot once he knew where to look. No wonder the Stranger’s eyes looked so bright.
    “Do I have that, too?”
    The Stranger nodded.
    “Did you ever meet someone like us that was working with Mr. Dark?”
    “Yep.”
    “Did they have the rings?”
    “Yep.”
    “I didn’t notice.” Matt spoke softly, but the Stranger caught it.
    “You didn’t even notice your own.” The Stranger grunted out a laugh. “I’m sure they tried to hide their eyes somehow. Whatever he is, Mr. Dark isn’t stupid.”
    “I’ve seen him look surprised, though. A few months ago a man-made virus spread through a group of people stranded in a blizzard. Everyone heated up, burning hot and then acted crazy. I cooled one of them down in a lake. The man had been completely taken over by Mr. Dark, but when he recovered from the shock of the cold, Mr. Dark lost control of him. We could save Cheryl and then try to find the people who made that virus. It might be a way to get rid of him—at least weaken him and immunize people from him.”
    The Stranger shook his head. He also walked faster, as if eager to leave Matt and his ideas of fighting Mr. Dark behind.

CHAPTER SIX
    As the sun began to set, the desert light changed. Subtle colors that had been washed out by the earlier brightness became visible. There was a softness and majesty to the cactus and mesquite trees. Doves and quail began announcing themselves while they searched for bugs and seeds. A cottontail rabbit popped out from under a bush. The Stranger raised his stick, but the little rabbit scooted into a hole before he could reach it. Matt realized that he was hungry, and rabbit would have made a good dinner.
    They walked on, both watching for a chance to catch dinner, but there were no more little bunnies. The one that had escaped only made them hungrier. Just before it became completely dark, they saw a structure in the distance. It was too far away to see clearly in the low light, but without discussion, they both trudged toward the building. Walking in the darkness was easy because the desert was flat and cooling off quickly. Still, it took them several hours to reach the spot, which was deceptively far off. Matt knew it was just another desert trick.
    Even in the dark, the little shack looked lopsided. Boards were sticking up on the porch and one side of the roof sagged. Matt guessed it was an old hermit’s cabin. In this lonely location and barely standing, it wasn’t of much use. All Matt wanted right now was a bed—well, a bed and a rabbit—but he’d settle for a reasonably even floor. He doubted that the rickety place had more than that to offer. The little porch lurched and