8. My Thoughts Are No Longer My Own.

"With why we got outcast?" Rachael doesn't sound like she believes me.

"Yeah, I mean... I think I know why I got outcast, but it might not be the same for you..." There is an awkward silence, then I try to continue. "When they told me I was going to be sent to the outlands, I couldn't believe it! I mean, what did I ever do? So, naturally, I bluntly asked why-"

"So did I..." came Rachael's thoughts to my speakers.

"They said it was because I 'wondered' too much. I was like, What do you mean? And how on earth could you be sure, anyway?"

"So... what does this have to do with you- us... being outcast?" Rachael thinks.

"You know how Ziri can read our thoughts and direct us, based on that?" She doesn't answer, "I think the ZLB use the same technology!" I shiver at the thought of it.

"...um... That.... is creepy." Rachael states, but then I hear her thoughts, "This still doesn't make any sense. I mean, we only got our eyecubes recently. They couldn't build up enough 'crime' against us in such a short period of time."

"I thought of that too, but what if they could connect to our brains and our thoughts without using anything actually connected to us!"

"Kind of like... wireless?"

"Exactly!" I am so glad we are finally getting somewhere, but I realize that this means my thoughts are no longer my own. "But... there is one small detail that I still can't figure out. Mr. Buxton talked to me awhile back when the MCA came for that visit, and he pretty much guaranteed that I would be on the ZAG. So, why would he do that, and then say almost nothing when I am outcast?"

I rack my brain to find the answer and it doesn't help that the whole time I have Rachael's thoughts flowing into my head, but one thought that I hear catches my attention.

"What if Mr. Buxton didn't know about her 'wondering' and maybe he didn't want her to be outcast, even in the end, but everyone else did!"

"Rachael! You're a genius!"

"What?"

"What if he didn't know? There was another man that seemed to really control everything in there-"

"Yeah, it was like, he would say something and everyone just had to agree!"

"So, Mr. Buxton didn't know, that's settled in my mind, but why would that other leader want us out so bad?"

Then, something strange happens. I feel a voice, not hear, feel a voice telling me to hide. I instantly remember my fathers sign to me as I turned back for the last time in the Zermedine. He was pointing to his pocket! To the rock!

The Rock! I dig through my suit as in flow Rachael's questioning thoughts. I pull it out, thankfully I could reach it, and it is glowing blue! As I unwrap it and touch it, the urge to hide becomes overwhelming. I quickly tuck it away and think to Rachael, We need to hide... NOW! Just then I see silluette move close by, but it is not some kind of rock or cloud of dust... it is... alive!