Free Etherworld by Claudia Gabel

suspicions, suspicions that are directed at my father. As much as I’d like to keep these thoughts to myself, I can’t contain them any longer.
    â€œIs there a chance that what happened in the tunnel wasn’t an accident?”
    Josh narrows his eyes at me. “What do you mean?”
    â€œMaybe my dad wanted to get separated from us on purpose,” I say, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
    â€œWhy would he do that?”
    â€œHe didn’t want me to go back to Elusion. He didn’t want any of us to, and now he’s gone.” I swallow hard. “My father told me he ran away from the firewall in the Mount Arvon Escape to keep me out of danger, so maybe he’s doing that again.”
    â€œI hardly know him, but I don’t think he’d abandon you like that,” Josh disagrees.
    â€œThat’s the thing: I do know him,” I say, my voice strained. “And I don’t think he’s telling us everything. It’s little things, but they add up. Like on our way to the mines, he seemed reluctant to talk to me about Etherworld, and when things didn’t make sense, it was like he just wanted to distract me.”
    â€œWhat wasn’t making sense?”
    â€œHow you and I got here, for one,” I say. “We were able to enter Etherworld through the firewall of Patrick’s Phase Two Escape, but Zared and the others couldn’t—they needed to break an algorithm to get into my father’s domain. How do you explain that?”
    â€œGimme a second.” Josh paces a little. He’s quiet for a moment, but then out of the blue he snaps his fingers. “What if the Phase Two Escape is connected to your dad’s domain, just like the rest of the system? Your dad’s domain was created first, so maybe it functions like a foundation for the Escapes that are being built. Maybe the Escapes aren’t separated until they’re completed.”
    Leave it to the tech master to come up with a rational response.
    â€œMaybe, but it doesn’t explain why my dad has been acting so cagey,” I say. “I have to find him.”
    I pivot on my heel and walk in the direction of the bridge that leads to the ammunition piles, but Josh steps in front of me, blocking my path.
    â€œNo one knows that tunnel better than your dad. What if he comes out only to find that you’ve gone back in? How much time will that waste?” His voice is calm. Reasonable.
    â€œI can’t just sit here and wait. If someone you loved was out there, you wouldn’t be able to stay either.”
    He hesitates, looking into the night sky. “You’re right; I wouldn’t,” he says, finally, turning back in the direction of the firewall. “Let’s go.”
    â€œYou’re going with me?” I say, touching his arm and stopping him.
    â€œWe’re a team, remember?”
    I grin appreciatively as I take his hand. I’m glad I’m not in this alone.
    â€œRegan! Josh!”
    The sound of a panicked voice screaming our names pulls us out of our bubble. We turn back toward the Great Space. Wyatt is on the ground, covered in soot with torn clothes, gasping for air. Malik is on his knees, peering at him.
    â€œI found him at the third entrance,” Malik says. “He’s been screaming for Zared, so Nora and Ayesha went to go get him.”
    â€œHe was in the tunnel with my father.” I squat down so that I can meet Wyatt’s frantic gaze. His pupils seem really dilated. “Where’s my dad? What happened to him?”
    â€œZared, we need Zared,” he mutters. He’s in some kind of trance.
    â€œWyatt,” I say, placing my hands on his cheeks and forcing him to look at me. “Where is David? Where is my dad?”
    â€œWhat happened in there?” Malik asks, his voice cracking a little bit.
    â€œThe tunnel split, separating us from Wyatt and David,” Josh informs them.
    â€œSo your