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find another EA camp. Barnaby thinks there’s one near Mandeville, over near Lake Pontchartrain.”
    Milo sighed.
    A slim figure stepped out of the shadows on the far side of the camp, glanced briefly at them, and then wandered back into the woods. Small, fragile, with masses of wild blond hair, and eyes that were filled with wonder. Milo nodded toward her.
    â€œLizabeth’s the only one who believed that all this stuff was real,” he said quietly. “And we always told her she was crazy.”
    Shark stroked Killer’s stomach. “Hey, just because the Nightsiders are real doesn’t mean Lizzie’s not crazy. Shestill thinks the Loch Ness Monster lives in the bayou.”
    Lizabeth, who indeed had always been drawn to the world of spirits and shadows, claimed to have seen monsters many times. Until four days ago, none of her claims had ever been verified. Now Milo wondered if their friend simply had some kind of gift. A second sight, or whatever it was called. He’d meant to ask Evangelyne about it, but the wolf girl was never around.
    â€œRight now,” said Milo, “I wouldn’t bet a whole bag of tech that the Loch Ness Monster isn’t in the bayou. She might be right about all of it.”
    â€œMaybe,” conceded Shark. “I’m just glad she’s okay.”
    â€œWait—what do you mean? Why wouldn’t she be okay?”
    â€œBecause of . . . ,” began Shark, then stopped and started over. “Oh, that’s right, you were already gone this morning when I found her.”
    Milo gripped Shark’s arm. “Found her? Lizzie? Found her where?”
    Shark gently pulled his arm free and pointed to the woods Milo had just come from. “Over there. I was out to do a circle around the camp, you know, just to make sure everything was cool before I sat down to work on the circuit. And I found Lizzie sprawled on the ground. Scared the heck out of me. I thought maybe a hunter-killer got her or something.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    Shark shrugged. “Not much, really. She said she wasn’t paying attention and must have walked into a tree. Knocked herself out.”
    â€œIs she hurt?”
    â€œNot that I can see. She’s been a little loopy, but Lizzie’s always a little loopy, so it’s hard to really tell.”
    Milo studied the section of woods into which Lizabeth had vanished. “I went that way this morning,” he said. “I didn’t see her. When did it happen?”
    â€œI don’t know. She must have gone out right after you did. Doesn’t matter, though. She’s okay.” Shark nudged Milo’s pack. “Hey, you told me about what happened to the shocktrooper, but did you get any of his gear?”
    Milo suddenly grinned. “Yeah, it’s pretty much Christmas for—”
    And that’s when the tree they were sitting under exploded.

FROM MILO’S DREAM DIARY
    I sometimes dream about an old woman called the Witch of the World. I’m pretty sure she’s not real. Not normal real. Not flesh and bone and like that.
    But she’s real in a different way.
    Evangelyne and the Nightsiders all believe in her. The witch is something magical, but whatever she is, she’s so old there’s no name for it.
    She hasn’t said much since we escaped the hive ship, but the last couple of nights I thought I heard her whispering. It’s driving me nuts, because I can almost understand what she’s saying . . . but not quite. It’s like she’s in pain, like she’s calling for help, but she can’t tell me enough so I can do anything.

Chapter 9
    M ilo heard a deep whoosh , and he looked up just in time to see a long blue line of pulse power streak down from the clouds. He screamed, grabbed Shark’s shoulder, and yanked his friend off the log and down just as the force beam struck the closest oak and turned it into a massive