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And he hugged her again.

“What?” Gaia begged. She could hear her own voice breaking. “What? Jake, please. . . tell me. . . . ”

“They got attacked. Last night, by those. . . by those kids. Those kids on that damn Invince.”

What?

Gaia was sure she'd misheard. Because if not—if she'd heard correctly— “What's Invince?” she croaked.

“The bad drug,” Jake went on. “Gaia, I found out last night. . . . ”

“What about Ed?”
Gaia begged. The fear was overwhelming now. It was amazing to her that she'd ever been so crazy as to ask for this: this terrible, crushing, horrible feeling that made her want to curl up on the floor and die. “Please, Jake—what happened to Ed?”

“He's in the hospital,” Jake said. “He's in critical condition at the hospital. And one of them. . . one of those sick bastards. . . They cut them, Gaia. They cut him bad. In his back. Someone slashed a freaking
X
in his back. . . . ”

Jake's words were like bullets tearing through the fog of fear, and Gaia couldn't make them stop.

The kids.

The ones she hadn't fought, hadn't stopped.

“Kai's over the worst of it. She got a transfusion, and there's no scarring, but. . . but they don't know if Ed's going to make it,” Tannie whispered. She was clutching Gaia now. “His mother's there. They just
announced that they're closing the school for the day. Everyone's going home.”

Gaia realized she was going to scream. She wondered vaguely if she'd ever done it before. She realized that she probably hadn't. Jake was clutching her, holding her up, and then Gaia realized that she had it wrong. She wasn't going to scream. She was going to faint. Just like she used to after fighting, back when she was fearless.

Gaia thought of Ed and Kai, lying in hospital beds, slashed in God knew how many places. It was unbearable. She wanted to go back in time; she wanted, more than she'd ever wanted anything in her life, to fix it, to make it all right. To take it back. But there was no way to do it. Gaia saw the world begin to fade as Jake's arms held her, and then the world grew dark and she faded into blackness.

Ed. . . Kai. . . I'm sorry. . . .

FIELD REPORT: OPERATION CONCLUDED

Rowan, J., and Morrow, P., reporting

Following interviews with Oliver Moore, aka Loki (see attached file 45071-a), and Heather Gannis (see attached file 31), operatives Rowan and Morrow have concluded their investigation into the genetic serum code named BLUEBELL.

The investigation has revealed several conclusive facts. The BLUEBELL serum did in fact exist; it was created under the supervision of Oliver Moore, aka Loki; it was administered to Heather Gannis and to Gaia Moore (see attached files 61, 63, 63-A, 72); it caused different effects in these two test subjects.

Heather Gannis's blindness, as theorized, is a side effect of the BLUEBELL virus's genetic manipulation.

However, before the blindness set in, Heather Gannis did experience a sustained period of “fearlessness.” This suggests that the BLUEBELL virus functioned as an “accelerator,” as has been discussed by geneticist Karl Ulrich (see attached file 202) and other scientists.

More importantly, the interviews have confirmed that all previously available information regarding the BLUEBELL virus was correct, as were the theories concerning the unique genetic composition of Gaia Moore. This seventeen-year-old girl does not possess the “fear gene,” which means that her assimilation of the BLUEBELL virus (without going blind) was successful.

This information has been provided to management under separate cover; although details have not been revealed, it appears that this information has been well used. Gaia Moore has been targeted and coerced
into cooperation, and the procedure has been completed. According to division reports, test samples will be ready shortly and the countdown has begun.

Attempts by Moore and Gannis to warn others of our activities have failed.

Stage one of the program is concluded; it may be regarded as a complete success. Stage two is now under way.

END

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

First Simon Pulse edition January 2004

www.SimonandSchuster.com

Copyright © 2004 by Francine Pascal

Cover copyright © 2004 by 17th Street Productions, an Alloy company.

SIMON PULSE

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

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Produced by 17th Street Productions, an Alloy company

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All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction

in whole or in part in any form.

For information address 17th Street Productions,

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Fearless™ is a trademark of Francine Pascal.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2003108407

ISBN: 0-689-86706-9
ISBN-13: 9781442489479 (eBook)