Gretchen McNeil - 3:59

“Okay, so let’s summarize,” Josie said. She had to stay focused if she was going to get her mom out of there, and find a way home. “We have a working theory as to how to create a portal, but without the findings of the investigation into Tony’s death, we risk killing ourselves if we attempt it, right?”

“Right,” Penelope said with a nod.

“Then there’s only one thing to do,” Josie said. She smiled as a plan formed in her head.

“Your smile is freaking me out,” Penelope said, recoiling.

But Madison was intrigued. “What are you thinking?”

It was crazy, but it might work. “We’ll just have to get those notes.”

6:21 P.M.

A clanging noise from the back of the warehouse startled the girls, breaking the silence that had descended upon them. Josie jumped in her chair. “What’s that?”

“Just the rats, I bet.” Madison stood up and gazed into the back of the warehouse.

Josie snorted. “Yeah, I’ve noticed a lot of them around here.”

Madison turned to her. “Really?” she said in exasperation.

Josie couldn’t help herself. The words had just slipped out of her mouth. She was still having a hard time separating the two Madisons. “I’m sorry,” she said. And she meant it. “Really. It’s just . . .” Ugh. She so didn’t want to explain the tragedy of her personal life to the doppelgänger of the girl who had caused it. She felt the heat rising up from her chest to her neck, spreading across her face like a big neon sign flashing, There’s something I’m not telling you . She dropped her eyes to the notebook and pretended to examine equations, but Penelope didn’t miss a thing.

“Who is she?” Penelope asked. To the point, as always. “Who is Madison in your world?”

Josie glanced at Madison out of the corner of her eye. “She was my best friend. Until I caught my boyfriend cheating on me. With her.”

Penelope whistled. “Damn.”

“Nick,” Madison said. Her eyes were fixed on Josie. “Your boyfriend was Nick.”

Josie nodded. But for the first time, the topic of Madison and Nick’s betrayal seemed less painful, less vomit-inducing than before. She had bigger issues to deal with, and suddenly instead of anger, Josie just felt sorry for them both.

“What about me?” Penelope fidgeted with her fingers. Clearly the idea of hearing about her alter ego in another dimension made Penelope nervous.

Josie smiled. Just thinking about her old friend gave her a sense of comfort. “Penelope’s the best,” she said. “We’ve been friends since fourth grade. She’s a lot like you, actually. Smart. Practical. Loyal.”

“Interesting.” Penelope gave herself a shake, as if tossing off a bad memory, then glanced at her watch. “It’s late. We should get going.”

Six thirty. Yikes. Mr. Byrne was expecting her for dinner.

“I have an idea. About how to fix our little BOOM problem,” Penelope said simply, as she packed up her books and carried them to Madison’s car. “In case you strike out with the file. I’m going to borrow Mr. Baines’s laser rig from the lab. Can I set it up here?”

“Sure,” Madison said, her old swagger returned. “Knock yourself out.”

Josie paused at the door of the black BMW. “Thank you,” she said. “Both of you.”

Madison rolled up the door. She didn’t exactly smile at Josie, but there was something like a nod of acceptance. Whatever. Josie took it.

As she backed out of the warehouse, she felt more hopeful than she had in days. Her mom was here. She had friends. She wasn’t alone in this. She looked up as she turned the wheel to leave; something caught her eye. A shadow ducking around the side of the warehouse. She craned her neck as she drove around the building. She was sure she saw someone. Positive.

But there was no one there.

7:00 P.M.

JOSIE MADE IT JUST IN TIME FOR DINNER.

Mr. Byrne was already seated at the table when Josie burst into the house. “Perfect timing.” He smiled at her warmly. “I’m glad to see you’re finally making an attempt at punctuality.”

So Jo was flakey with time. Good to know.

Teresa arrived the moment Josie sat down at the table with an enormous tray of homemade lasagna. A bowl of string beans was already on the table. She served both, silently as usual, then disappeared back into the kitchen.

“So?” Mr. Byrne asked. She could tell he was trying to sound casual. “How did it go?”

“Better.”

“Yes?”

Josie nodded. “She knew who I was.”

Mr. Byrne caught his breath. “I knew it. I knew she was improving. Dr. Cho said it was probably just false hope on my part, that her psyche was too damaged from the effects of the explosion, but I knew. I could just tell last time I saw her that there was something . . . more.”

Josie’s heart ached. He was so excited at the idea that his wife was getting better. The worry lines above his forehead instantly disappeared, and that pinched look around his eyes vanished. He looked ten years younger, and even more like Josie’s own carefree dad. She felt guilty that she was hiding something from him, even if it was for his own good.

He leaned toward her. “Thank you, princess. We’re going to get your mom back. I promise.”

Speaking of . . . “Daddy?” Josie put down her fork and folded her hands in front of her. “That place she’s in. Old St. Mary’s. It’s . . .”

“Awful,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I know. But she was part of a Grid-sponsored experiment at the time of the accident, dealing with top secret information. They need to keep her at a secure facility for her own safety.”

Josie was tempted to bring up the scars on her mom’s arms and legs, but she didn’t want to have to explain to Mr. Byrne how she knew what they were, and besides, the poor man really didn’t need something else weighing on his mind. “Is there any way we can get her out of there? Moved somewhere closer to home?”

Mr. Byrne rubbed his chin. “It’s not like I haven’t tried, princess. But Dr. Cho feels like it’s the best environment for your mom.”

Best environment for them to get what they want out of her, more like it.

“But,” he continued, “if your mom shows signs of improvement, I don’t see why we couldn’t move her close by. Heck, maybe even bring her home permanently.” His eyes lit up at the idea.

“Awesome.”

“I can definitely make a few phone calls tomorrow.” He laughed softly. “What’s the point of having all my connections at the Grid if I can’t pull a few strings once in a while?”

Josie beamed. “Oh, and one more thing, Daddy.”

“Yes?”

“You know how you offered Nick a job up at Fort Meade?”

Mr. Byrne laughed. “Of course.”

“Well, he was thinking he might be interested.” That would be news to Nick when she told him. “And we were wondering if maybe you could arrange a tour of the Grid? Maybe an interview?”

“Yes, of course. Absolutely! Tomorrow after school?”

“That,” Josie said with a smile, “would be perfect.”

3:59 A.M.

“Hello, Nick,” Jo says. She’s waiting by his car in the parking lot, leaning against the trunk.

Nick’s eyes grow wide. He scans her from head to foot and back again.

“Oh. Hey, Josie.”

Jo smiles. It has taken her days to put together a decent outfit in Josie’s closet, and this is the first time she’s felt as if she might actually catch Nick’s attention. A tight, low-cut halter, hip-hugger jeans, and a pair of wedge sandals that look as if they’ve never been worn. Jo knows Nick has never seen his ex-girlfriend look quite like this.