"Maybe we should keep her knocked out for the night, Ed. Wouldn't it be best if we didn't question her until the guy upstairs goes to work?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Give her another dose."

Liz was vaguely aware of a cloth covering her nose and mouth. Then the clouded sensations simply disappeared into darkness.

Max picked up the phone on the first ring. "Hello?"

"Max, it's Maria. I don't know where Liz is. She's not at home or at the Crashdown, and Kyle and I have cruised around town but no sign of her. Her car is at home and I guess her folks just think she's out for the evening. But Max, we're the only ones she hangs out with any more. Alex called a couple other places, but no one's seen her.

"Max, look, this is freaking me out. I mean, after what you told us tonight, what if, you know, some unfriendly Czechoslovakian took her? What then? What should we do?"

"Maria, calm down, first of all. Listen, I'll get Isabel to dreamwalk her and see what she can find out. I'll call you if we learn anything."

"Okay, but call either way. I know I won't be able to sleep."

"Okay, I'll call later," replied Max, and he hung up, heading immediately for Isabel's room. He found her just staring out her window, gazing at the sky. Her melancholy mood was altered quickly when she saw his agitated state.

"Max, what is it?"

"They can't find Liz. You've got to try to find her, Isabel."

"How, Max?"

"Dreamwalk her."

"Max, she might get angry about that. She has really broken tries with us lately."

"I don't care. I have to know if she's all right. Please."

Isabel looked into her brother's pleading eyes and relented. She really didn't mind trying this for him, and it was obvious he wouldn't rest until he knew Liz was safe.

"Okay, Max. Do you want to stay?"

"Absolutely," he said, and dropped into Isabel's desk chair. "I'm staying right here."

Isabel obediently crawled onto her bed and got comfortable. "Have a picture? It helps."

Max reached into his wallet and pulled out a picture of Liz she had given him after their night in the desert. "You are the best part of my life," she had said. "This is to help keep me in yours." As if he could ever forget her beautiful face. He handed the photo to Isabel and she concentrated on it for several moments. Then she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Isabel groped through darkness, seeing only indistinct shapes and hearing muffled voices. She called out to Liz, but there was no response. She stopped and listened carefully. Snatches of phrases were audible: "Pierce had no luck with the boy . . . this girl, Liz Parker, seemed to be a vulnerable spot for him . . . get the goods, my friend."

Isabel couldn't hear any more, but the shapes grew more distinct. She recognized those faces. It was the two agents who had been helping Pierce when Max was kidnapped! They were looming over Liz! Isabel screamed and tried to run. She awoke to find herself on the floor of her room with a throbbing pain above her right eye. Max scrambled to her side.

"Iz, are you all right? What happened?"

"Oh my God, Max. I saw them! The two agents who helped Pierce when you were kidnapped! They have Liz!" She touched her forehead. "Ouch. My head hurts. Why am I on the floor?" She lowered her hand and saw blood on her fingertips.

"You were quiet at first, but then you got restless and screamed and fell off the bed. You must have hit your head on the nightstand. Let me fix it for you, and then I want to hear about everything you saw."

Max reached up to touch Isabel's gash and a moment later, it was gone.

"Dear Lord, Max," breathed a voice behind him.

Max whirled around to see his mother standing in the doorway. He opened his mouth to speak, but made no sound. Isabel tried to sit up, but found herself just looking from Max to her mother with open-mouthed surprise.