THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

blood.”
    Just the way she put that raised the hairs on my neck. I saw Gabby standing next to Tony, who was still wrapped in vines, but now had his mouth uncovered and a scowl on his face.
    I stepped forward, speaking directly to V’ru, “What’d you find out?”
    Lifting his narrow chin, V’ru pointed a finger at Tony. “That one has a genetic marker of the TecKnati–”
    “An enemy!” Etoi shouted. “The lack of K-enzyme ink means nothing!”
    Tony spoke up, “We got bigger problems, Rayen. Need to move this along so you and I can talk.”
    I lifted a hand to let Tony know I understood and to wait a second then I turned to Callan. “Can you shut up Etoi for a moment so we can get to the bottom of this?”
    Callan shoved a dark look at Etoi that would have shut up a croggle. “Not another word unless I ask you a direct question.”
    For once, Etoi clammed up and nodded respectfully.
    I asked V’ru, “What does this genetic marker mean?”
    “That he is of the TecKnati lineage.”
    “I still don’t understand. Tony’s not from your world.”
    “I did not make that claim.”
    At the eternal end of my rope, I asked bluntly, “Callan needs to know if Tony is or is not a TecKnati from your world.”
    V’ru turned to Callan. “No, this one’s blood is older, from the year 2013, born in 1995, the month of–”
    “Got it.” I stopped V’ru from rambling on then added, “Thank you,” before reminding Callan, “You agreed to free Tony.”
    “I did.” He called out, “Jaxxson, release him.”
    With Gabby and Jaxxson’s help, Tony was shaking off vines and stretching stiff limbs before hurrying over to me. He said, “I know how to call up the transender, but we’ve got maybe ten minutes to get back to where we first arrived.”
    What? Now?
    Gabby strode right behind him, a determined look in her eye. “I’m not going.”
    “You want to stay?” I asked, taken aback by her words.
    “Yes. This is the first place I’ve ever felt...normal.”
    Tony released a tired exhale. “What about your family, Gabby?”
    “I doubt my dad’ll even notice I’m missing.”
    “That can’t be true, Gabby.”  Tony looked to me, but I wasn’t the one to convince her to go.
    “If you’re sure,” I said to her. “I plan to stay, too.”
    Tony raised his hands. “Whoa. Listen up, you two. We all have to go, because we need Rayen’s handprint to call up the transender and to make it function. And two may not be able to return without the third one. We’re all in this together. And if we don’t get into the right transender before that moon sets...there may not be any other way home.”
    My chest hurt from the sudden pounding of my heart. I’d promised Callan I’d stay. Given my word. But I couldn’t condemn Tony to being trapped in this dangerous place.
    Taking in Gabby’s mutinous face and Tony’s worried one, I ran my hands through my hair, needing a way out of this.
    Jaxxson stepped forward and spoke to Gabby. “You can’t go with us to our world once we find a way out of here. I’d rather you go home, because I would not leave you here.” 
    From the softening of Gabby’s face, I figured she caught Jaxxson’s meaning, too. The healer was saying if he got the chance to return to his home, he wouldn’t leave if it meant Gabby would remain alone in the Sphere.
    That was, if Jaxxson didn’t turn eighteen here first and leave a different way, as Mathias had.
    What about Gabby? Would the same thing happen to her if she turned eighteen? Granted, she was only sixteen, but I couldn’t let her stay and not know what risk she faced, but neither could I share what had happened to Mathias. And Tony would definitely turn eighteen if we got trapped here for any length of time.
    Which left me with having to leave the Sphere to get her and Tony out of here.
    Something silent passed between Gabby and Jaxxson that brought a watery smile to her face. She turned to me. “I’ll return with you.”
    Tony muttered, “Halle-freakin-lujah.”
    That left the final decision to me, who Tony believed was the only one who could call up his ride home. But I’d promised Callan...
    V’ru spoke up. “I have the results of Rayen’s analysis as well.”
    All commotion ceased.
    I asked, “What’d you find out?”
    “First, tell me what beast chased you in the desert?”
    “I don’t know, some strange thing that could change shape.”
    Callan’s eyes widened at that then he sent a stern look to V’ru,