CHAPTER 4

‘We’re here,’ Molly says when we reach Ethan’s house. All the way here I’ve been pestering her to tell me how she’d done that light trick thing. She looks relieved when I shut up.

I pause, my hand on Ethan’s fence. ‘You’ve got stamina, I’ll give you that much.’

‘Stamina?’

‘I mean, you haven’t cracked yet. You haven’t burst out laughing, or strayed from your story or anything. That’s pretty good going, for a girl. Oh, sorry. I mean alien.’

At my feet, Jack barks again. I look down at his big brown eyes, staring up at me. As we stare at each other, a couple of random things pop into my head. Like how Dad had bought him the day Molly and I were born. Apparently Dad was driving home from the hospital when he saw a sign saying ‘Dog for sale’. He immediately pulled over – he said he’d just had to, that it was as if someone else was controlling the wheel – and five minutes later he was the proud owner of Jack.

The weird thing was, Dad didn’t want a dog. He’s allergic to dogs. But he wasn’t allergic to Jack.

There were more weird things about Jack. For example, he was ten now. But he looked and acted exactly the same as he did when Dad bought him. And then there was the time he cut his leg badly and it healed up within twenty-four hours. Or the time that … ‘Hey, where are you going?’ I turn to see Molly opening Ethan’s gate.

‘Into Ethan’s house,’ Molly says. ‘I thought that was the plan?’

‘Er, no. I don’t think so. Since when do you come with me to Ethan’s?’

Molly stares at me as if I’m stupid. ‘Didn’t you hear me before? From today. The bounty hunters will be coming. Anytime now. And it’s my job to protect you.’

Okay, I’m getting bored with the alien thing now. ‘Yeah, right,’ I tell her. ‘You and whose army?’

‘There is no army. As far as you’re concerned there’s only me. Oh, and a bunch of people in the universe who want you dead.’

Jack barks yet again.

‘Sorry, Jack,’ Molly bends down to touch him on the head. ‘You know what I mean. I guess you’re kind of like my army.’

I eye them both off. ‘Fine. Whatever. If you want to watch us play Xbox, it’s your call. But your army’s got to wait outside.’

Ethan whips me three times at Sonic Racing. Then he goes off to make popcorn.

‘It’s time for you to go.’ I swivel around on my beanbag to hiss at Molly. ‘You’re putting me off.’ She’s been sitting there on the couch for ages. She hasn’t even picked up a magazine or anything. Instead, she’s been staring off into space, like a zombie. I’ve never seen her act quite so freaky.

Suddenly, she quits with the staring thing and whips around to look at me. Her expression reads like Mum’s does when she’s had enough. ‘You want me to go? Well, let’s see. Leave now, or Xbox and certain death? Your choice.’

I can’t help it. I lose it again. ‘Xbox and certain death! Xbox and certain death?! I hope the cameras caught that one. No, seriously. This is too good. You’ve got to tell me – which show is it? And how did you get them to come all the way out to Peregrination?’

‘There’s no time to—’ Molly begins. Then she stands up so fast all I see is a blur of blue T-shirt and denim shorts. ‘Oh, no. They’re here.’

‘Ooohhh!’ I laughed even harder now. ‘They’re here! The big bad bounty hunters. Do you think we can challenge them to a bit of Xbox? Do you … Hey!’

In a blur of speed, Molly’s beside me. She bends down and picks me up. Literally, picks me up and tucks me under her arm. Then there’s more blurring. We’re running – she’s running, that is. And then she stops dead. She opens a door and stands me upright inside the room. Eventually, my head stops spinning. And then I see that we’re in Ethan’s mum’s study. I’m standing beside her prized aquarium. ‘What the—’ I start.

Molly cuts me off with a simple shake of her head. She reaches out and holds on to my shoulder. Tight. Then she closes her eyes. Her head moves slowly upwards, like she’s following something. Up, and then down and then around. Almost like … there’s something outside the house.

Suddenly, she stops moving. Her eyes flick open again. ‘They’ve sensed me,’ she whispers. ‘When they’re within twenty-five metres or so, they can usually sense me. They just can’t pinpoint exactly where I am.’

Without looking, she reaches out and picks up a small plastic container of paper clips. She empties them out on the desk, then she dips it into the aquarium and scoops up a fish. Just one.

My eyes widen. What does she think she’s doing? Ethan’s mum will go ballistic.

I open my mouth, but Molly’s eyes are on me in a second. ‘He’ll act as a decoy. I’m hoping they’ll mistake the goldfish for you.’

I can’t think of anything to say to that so I close my mouth again.

And then the doorbell rings.