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  “What was that all about?” Dace jogs to my side, matching his pace to my furious strides.

  “Oh, nothing.” I glance at him. His face displays concern rather than any prurient interest. “Nothing to worry about. Living on Eco—it’s just like some tiny town in those classic holo books. Everybody knows everyone else and watches everything you do … Sometimes it gets on your nerves, you know?”

  “I see the problem,” says Dace thoughtfully. “It’s not like you can meet new people any day of the week.”

  “No, we don’t have many choices in our friends, or anything else.” I pause at the entrance to the living quarters. “Head to your ship to change and gather those things I suggested, and meet me back here as soon as possible. I’m going to grab bikes, my kit, and some jackets, but that’ll only take a sec.” I study him for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Just don’t want to waste your time if you have better things to do.”

  I snort. “Better things? On Eco? Hardly. Anyway, it’ll be cool to see what you do. For your research, I mean. And you’ll get some good samples, I promise.”

  “Great.” Dace smiles. The expression lights up his narrow face.

  I can’t help but smile in response. “So—back here in a few. Then off we go, trekking into the unknown like those ancient explorers.”

  “Making great discoveries,” says Dace. “Hey, don’t smirk—you never know. It’s always possible.”

  “Anything’s possible,” I say, and for the first time in many years, I believe it.

  Dace has no trouble handling the solar bike, zooming ahead and even spinning a few wheelies as we speed over the flat terrain.

  “You’ve done this before,” I yell at him over the hum of the electric engines.

  He just grins at me from behind his helmet visor before zipping away.

  I gun my engine to keep up with him. I’m not comfortable with the speed we’re traveling, but I refuse to allow this tourist to best me.

  “There might be hidden rocks, moron!” I shout. “Keep your eyes open!”

  He nods, but I have the feeling he’s laughing at me.

  Close to the first of the black rock outcroppings, I swing my bike around in a wide arc in front of him.

  Dace slows his bike to a normal speed.

  “Stop here.” I gesture toward the rocks. “Best place to start looking for stuff.” I kill my engine and climb off my bike.

  Dace stops and pulls off his helmet before dismounting. I giggle. His dark hair is standing up all around his head, framing his face like spikes.

  “That bad?” He runs his hands through his hair, succeeding only in flattening it slightly. “So, what should I be looking for?”

  “I don’t know. You’re the scientist.” I slide off my own helmet, thankful my tight braid has kept my hair relatively neat. “There’re a few insect thingies that hang out around these rocks, and some lizard-type creatures. Thought you might be interested.”

  “Come out here often?” Dace pulls a small pouch from one of his bike bags.

  “Sometimes. There are these crystals I collect for barter. Not especially valuable, but pretty. Look like amethysts. Traders seem to like them.”

  Unwrapping some digital gadgets and small metal tools, Dace glances up at me with a little smile. “Crystals, huh. Do you tell these traders what they’re really worth?”

  “Not always,” I admit. “I mean, I don’t state they’re actually valuable.”

  “And you don’t say they’re not.”

  “Merida! You sound like my grandmother.”

  Dace’s eyes spark with humor. “Not what I was going for.” He examines one of his gadgets. “So, this Raid guy. Is he your boyfriend?”

  “Uhm, no. Well, maybe.” I rub at the side of my nose. “Guess it depends on what you call a boyfriend.”

  “Dating? Kissing? Stuff like that.” Dace walks toward the cluster of black rocks, holding up some type of digital device.

  “We hang out sometimes,” I say, not sure why I don’t want to admit to anything more. “What about you? Did you leave some girl pining for you back on Earth?”

  “Nah. Never had time.” Dace waves the device around then pulls it back and peers into the screen.

  “Time was really a problem?” I watch Dace with interest, wondering what he’s measuring.

  Dace glances at me with a rueful smile. “Okay, so it wasn’t only time. I just never met anyone who interested me that much. I mean, enough to want to spend a lot of time with them. And to be honest, I didn’t seem to fascinate the girls that much. I’m not, you know, really built or anything.”

  “I don’t think that’s the main … ” Dace holds up his hand and I snap my mouth shut.

  “Got it!” In front of him a small circle of light glimmers. Within that faintly illuminated globe darts a flying insect. “Don’t worry, it won’t be harmed.”

  “I’m not worried. Those things pester me to death when I’m outside. Kill it, for all I care.”

  “I don’t want to kill anything,” says Dace with a frown. “Have you ever really taken a good look at these creatures? They’re pretty awesome.”

  I move closer and stare into the sphere. The insect has the gossamer wings of a dragonfly, but its body resembles something else. “Looks like those seahorses from Earth. Pictures I’ve seen, anyway.”

  “Yeah, it has the biological structure of a sea creature. Weird, considering the lack of oceans here.” Dace swipes a finger across his digital device and the globe disintegrates. The winged creature flies away.

  “I thought you wanted to gather samples.”

  Dace taps the device with his forefinger. “I have it in here. This can analyze any living creature and download all its vital information without harm. All the info I need is stored for later study.”

  “Wow—must’ve cost a fortune.”

  Dace shrugs. “I worked several part-time jobs to buy my equipment. Saved up for a while.”

  I sit on one of the rocks that have tumbled off the larger pile. “Didn’t you go to school? I mean, I know we just study independently here on Eco, but I thought it was different on Earth.”

  “It is different—if you’re rich.” Dace squats down and examines the base of the rock pile. “My family couldn’t afford for me to go to school. So I did the holodisc and ’sphere thing, just like you. At least that was free, thanks to the library. Hey, did you know there’s air rising up from under these rocks?” He places his hand over one of the small fissures in the pile.

  “What’s that mean?”

  “Probably caverns under here. Makes sense. You said there’s lots of underground water?”

  “Yes, but near the compound it’s held in pockets. Natural cisterns.”

  Dace holds up his hand, palm up. “Damp. Which means there’s water down there. I bet that’s where those flying insect-like creatures actually live.” He leans forward and peers at the base of the rock pile.

  “Careful. Those stones are unstable.” I shift on my hard seat. I certainly don’t want to lose my family’s ticket off Eco to a slide.

  “Damn!” Dace rocks back on his heels. He swings his electronic device in a wide arc over the ground and another globe forms.

  Trapped in its soft glow is a tiny lizard-like creature.

  “Oh, wow.” Dace gets down on his hands and knees to stare into the globe. “Come look at this, Ann.”

  I don’t move. “I’ve seen them skittering around plenty of times.”

  “Yes, but have you ever really looked at them? I mean, really looked.” Dace turns his head to gaze at me.

  The wonderment in his eyes captures my attention. I slide off the rock and crawl over to examine the creature. “What’s so fascinating?”

  “Well, check it out.” Dace sits up, making room for me to peer into the globe.

  At first glance, it looks like an ordinary lizard. At least, like all the holo images of lizards
I’ve seen. As I look closer, I realize the creature is covered in perfect, iridescent scales. Its tiny head has the snout of alligator, but its eyes, quite large for its face, are as green as new leaves.

  “It’s beautiful.” I whisper, surprised to hear those words leave my mouth.

  “Yes, and again, more like something that lives mostly in water, not on land.” Dace adjusts something on the device then swipes to free the little creature. It darts away, disappearing into a small crack in the rock pile.

  “Well, you’ve lucked out so far. Those two things are basically all I’ve ever seen around here.” I rise to my feet, brushing the sand from my jeans. “There’s one other little insect thing. Smaller than the one you found. Don’t know if we’ll see any of those today, though. They usually come out closer to dusk.”

  “This is fantastic.” Dace stands, slipping the digital device into his pocket. “Really.” He turns to me with a bright smile. “Thank you, Ann. You knew exactly where to look.”

  “But not how, apparently.” I am still processing my reactions to the two creatures we’ve found. Though I’ve seen them so many times, until Dace pointed them out I never really looked at them. I never realized they were so unique or beautiful.

  “Most people don’t,” says Dace, without rancor. “Everyone just moves along lost in their own heads, never noticing much.”

  “Except you.”

  “Well, I’m a naturalist. Comes with the territory. And I like to see things, you know, the way they really are. Not just what I think they might be.” Dace steps back and stares at the pile of large rocks. “Did you ever study the Impressionists?”

  “The artists? Sure. Pretty cool stuff.”

  “Well, that was their thing, looking at landscapes and objects and even people with a clear eye. Really seeing, without filtering through the lens of what they expected to see.” Dace reaches out and slips his fingers between two of the rocks. “Looking without prejudice or preconceptions.” He yanks one of the rocks free.

  I shriek, fearing a slide that will bury us both. “What the hell are you doing?” I shout, racing to his side and slapping his hand from the rocks.

  Dace turns to me, his face perfectly calm. “I think there’s a cavern under here. I’d like to see if I’m right.” He peers into the dark hole created by the missing rock. “Definitely something. Listen.”

  He yells into the opening. The sound reverberates for several seconds.

  “You’re loco.” I back away. “Now look, I said I’d show you around. But I also promised to protect you. Back off and let’s go around to the other side of this rock pile. There’re likely to be some other creatures you can examine with your computer thingy.”

  “Alright,” says Dace, reluctance sharpening his tone. He steps away from the rocks and strolls to his bike. “Let me grab some stuff first.”

  I yawn as I wait for him to collect his equipment. Although I was in bed early enough last night, I didn’t sleep well. Spent too many hours planning every aspect of my escape from Eco.

  We walk around to the opposite side of the rock pile. Dace keeps his eyes on the ground, undoubtedly searching for more creatures, while I stare absently at the horizon. As he kneels and takes samples of the thin soil, I sit down in the shade of the rocks and lean back against a large boulder that’s in no danger of moving. Enjoying the coolness of the stone behind my back and the warm wind playing across my face, I close my eyes.

  I wake to silence. Jumping to my feet, I stare wildly about. There’s no sign of Dace.

  The sun has dropped lower in the sky, telling me the afternoon is drifting toward dusk. I run around the perimeter of the rock pile, calling Dace’s name, but receive no reply. The bikes and our supplies are just where we left them, except Dace’s emergency kit is missing. I swear and dash to the section of the rock pile where Dace removed the stone.

  Many more rocks have been pulled aside, forming a narrow opening no bigger than the width of a pair of slender shoulders. I run back to the bikes and fish a solar flashlight from my bag. Strapping my own emergency kit around my waist, I walk slowly toward the dark opening in the rocks.

  I have no desire to step into that crevice, no inclination to follow Dace on his foolish expedition. But he’s my responsibility as well as my only hope of getting my family off this godforsaken planet. I can’t leave him no matter how much I’d like to.

  Stupid boy.

  Another stupid boy. More trouble than they’re worth.

  Dace’s bright smile flashes through my mind. I take a deep breath and squeeze through the narrow opening, stepping into the darkness.

  I flick on the flashlight. It casts a faint bluish glow as I pull out my holofone and check its illuminated screen. Of course, there’s no signal. I suppose I should’ve called for help outside, but I really don’t want to alert anyone to the situation unless absolutely necessary. Connor Patel might not be so eager to uphold his end of the bargain if he knows I lost his nephew on our very first day together.

  I’m standing in a passage that’s bigger than I’d anticipated. Although my head brushes the ceiling, I can stretch my arms wide and not touch the side walls. The rock that lines the passage is dark as rich soil, but flecked with something bright as silver. I focus my flashlight on the stone and the imbedded flakes glitter like finely polished metal.

  The sharp scent of mineral-infused water fills my nostrils. I creep forward, gripping my flashlight like the stun gun my grandfather taught me to use for protection. I wish I had that gun now, though I doubt there’s anything in this cave I could use it on. Well, maybe one thing. I smile grimly as I consider using a stun gun on Dace.

  The slope of the passage informs me I’m descending deeper below the surface. There’s a faint sound I strain to identify—a gentle slap, like water washing against the side of a bowl. I follow the passage as it veers to the right and a gust of air blows against my head. Looking up, I spy a shaft that rises up through the rock ceiling. It must ascend to the surface, funneling air into the cave. At least I won’t suffocate, although that might be preferable to being lost in a cavern with no food and little water.

  Water. That’s what I hear. Waves lapping against a shore. I shake my head. I’ve only heard such sounds on holodiscs. I must be imagining things.

  I turn another corner and almost drop my flashlight. I’ve stepped into a large cavern, its domed rock roof pierced with air shafts that channel rays of light. The light pinpoints rough ledges and paths, and water—a still, clear body of water like a small underground lake. I’m standing at the top of a steeply inclined path leading down to the water and a rocky shore.

  Dace is kneeling upon that shore, holding another monitoring device over the water.

  “Mierda!” I make my way down to him, keeping a hand on the stone wall that edges one side of the path. “Just wander off and expect me to follow? You could’ve been killed instantly in a rock slide, you moron.”

  Dace looks up at me. There isn’t even a flicker of contrition in his eyes. “But I wasn’t.” He holds up the monitoring device as I approach. “There are living creatures in this water, Ann. Did your colony know anything about that?”

  “No.” I stride over to him. “We knew there was water, of course. But creatures? How could that be?”

  “Air, water, some form of food chain. Why not?” Dace pushes back the dark hair falling into his eyes. “I’m picking up traces of vegetation too. Water-based, but plants for sure. Not here, but drifting in from somewhere else.” His eyes narrow as he examines the other side of the chamber, where the lake touches a stone wall. “I wonder … ”

  “Don’t even think about getting in that water.” I grab Dace’s shoulder. “You’ve already pulled several idiotic stunts today. No more.”

  Dace yanks free of my grip. “You have no scientific curiosity.”

  “I have an instinct for self-preservation.” I kneel beside him. “You seem to be lacking that gene.” I stare into the la
ke. It appears dark, but only because I can see straight to the smooth black stones that line the bottom. “Your device must be malfunctioning. Nothing could live down here. It looks dead, and cold.”

  “It isn’t.” Dace leans forward and dabbles his fingers in the water. “Tepid, which is also strange.” His gaze focuses on the opposite wall. “I’m betting there’s more to see, behind that barrier. This is just a small overflow or outlet or something.”

  I extend one finger and touch the surface of the lake. It’s much warmer than it looks. Not hot, but comfortable, like a cool bath. Sitting back on my heels, I stare at the tip of my finger, half-expecting some type of skin reaction. But the single drop of liquid glistens innocently.

  “It’s perfectly harmless,” says Dace. He picks up a small fragment of rock from the shore and stuffs it in his pocket before rising to his feet. “I don’t get it. No one’s ever explored these caverns before? In all the time you’ve lived here, I’d have thought someone would’ve been curious.”

  I stand, shaking the dampness from the bottom of my jeans. “Curiosity gets people killed. My grandparents, for example. My mother’s parents,” I add, noting Dace’s puzzled expression. “They were geologists, so of course they were interested in exploring the rock hills. But after they were killed in a slide no one else wanted to attempt it. I mean, we knew there was more water, but we had enough for our uses from the compound’s wells. And after the terraforming went bust … ” I shrug. “What was the point?”

  “Exploration. Discovery.” Dace fiddles with his gadget. “So I guess that wasn’t high on the list of the colony’s concerns.”

  “No, survival was more important. And my grandparents … ” I shine the flashlight at the lake. “Well, they didn’t die instantly, you see. They were trapped. For days and days. Trapped, injured, and suffocating. They recorded it all—for science, I guess.” I shake my head. “My mother saw that holo file. The others tried to keep it from her, but she insisted, or so I’m told. It was all before I was born. My dad says it broke her.”