i edged sideways through the crowd while patch followed behind, tipping back a can of soda he'd bought on our way in. he'd offered to buy me one, but in my current state, i wasn't sure i could hold it down.

there was no trace of vee or elliot at table tennis.

"maybe they're at the pinball machines," patch suggested. he was definitely making fun of me.

i felt myself go a little red in the face. where was vee?

patch held out his soda. "sure you don't want a drink?"

i looked from the can to patch. just because my blood warmed at the thought of putting my mouth where his had been didn't mean i had to tell him.

i dug through my purse and pulled out my cell. the screen on my phone was black and refused to turn on. i didn't understand how the battery could be dead when i'd charged it right before i left. i pushed the on button again and again, but nothing happened.

patch said, "my offer's still on the table."

i thought i'd be safer hitching a ride from a stranger. i was still shaken over what had happened on the archangel, and no matter how many times i tried to flush it out, the image of falling repeated through my head. i was falling ... and then the ride was over. just like that. it was the most terrifying thing i'd ever been through. almost as terrifying, i was the only one who'd seemed to notice. not even patch, who'd been right beside me.

i smacked my palm to my forehead. "her car. she's probably waiting for me in the parking lot."

thirty minutes later i'd canvassed the entire lot. the neon was gone. i couldn't believe vee had left without me. maybe there'd been an emergency. i had no way of knowing, since i couldn't check the messages on my cell. i tried to hold my emotions in check, but if she had left me, i had an ample amount of anger simmering under the surface, ready to spill out.

"out of options yet?" asked patch.

i bit my lip, pondering my other options. i had no other options. unfortunately, i wasn't sure i was ready to take patch up on his offer. on an ordinary day he exuded danger. tonight there was a potent mix of danger, threat, and mystery all thrown together.

finally i blew out a sigh and prayed i wasn't about to make a mistake.

"you'll take me straight home," i said. it sounded more like a question than an order.

"if that's what you want."

i was about to ask patch if he'd noticed anything strange on the archangel, when i stopped myself. i was too scared to ask. what if i hadn't fallen? what if i'd imagined the whole thing? what if i was seeing things that weren't really happening? first the guy in the ski mask. now this. i was pretty sure patch's mind