The dance

            Sydney stayed because he had to. There was, to begin with, the little fact that the Centre would probably have him killed, if he tried to leave. But the greater necessity was Jarod. If he left the Centre, he might never see Jarod again. He couldn’t imagine living without the intrigue and fascination of the hunt for Jarod. He didn’t want them to succeed, of course. Imprison that high spirit again? Use that independent, brilliant mind for experiments? Cripple that seeking heart? Oh, no. But the chase, the dance, the game Jarod played with them… Sydney couldn’t give that up.

The game

            It was a game, in a way, like the biggest game of hide-and-seek. Broots liked games. Computer games, mostly, but for him this was a computer game. His favorite part was when Miss Parker brought him some complex puzzle Jarod had created electronically. That was fun.

            He also loved puzzling out the mysterious gifts Jarod sent. There was always a fascinating meaning behind them. It was like playing Myst, only better. More real.

            Sometimes he wondered why. Why did Jarod play the game instead of disappearing? Maybe in some strange way he just needed to know they cared. Broots cared.

The chase

            Anger drove her. That was why she chased. She couldn’t say she had any real loyalty to the Centre. In her more honest moments, which weren’t many, she recognized that she hated the place. Jarod wasn’t the only one whose life it had stolen. It held her hostage, and the ransom was Jarod. So Jarod would pay it. And the more often he slipped away, the tighter the noose was around her own neck. His taunting her about it only made her angrier, more determined to catch him, to be free.

            And, she had to admit, the chase was fun.