"Now's our chance, Lauren," Dave said, turning to his sister. He felt a pang in his stomach when he saw the fear sketched on her beautiful face. Lauren took a deep breath and looked around before her eyes came back to Dave. She nodded and tried to smile.

"Let's go," Lauren said in a determined voice, standing up slowly. She glanced at the security guard asleep several feet away and shivered. Dave took her hand in his and they crept to the door of their glass cubicle. Dave pressed a hand to the glass. Almost instantly, his hand began to glow red and the glass melted. Lauren's heart began to pound as the hole grew larger and then Dave took his hand away. They both climbed out of the cubicle and walked softly to a pair of swinging metal doors.

"Once we get past these doors, the tunnel leading out of the compound starts. Run as fast as you can and hit the button at the end. The door will open . . .and then we're free," Dave whispered, clasping his twin's hand tightly in his own. "If for some reason one of us doesn't make it . . ."

"We're gonna make it," Lauren said firmly. She felt cold sweat climb down her spine and trembled.If all went as planned, they would be free in the next couple minutes. She didn't want to think about what would happen if something went wrong.

Dave reached behind his neck with his free hand and pulled at the clasp of his silver chain. Lauren's eyes grew wide. The silver chain had always rested around Dave's neck, ever since she could remember. She couldn't imagine why he was taking it off. He wrapped the chain around her neck and hooked it. The pendant at the end, four circles linked together by rods, lay on her collarbone. Dave kissed her cheek and drew in a lungful of air.

"On three, sis." Dave said in a low voice. He pulled his hand free of hers. "One . . .two . . .three!"

They threw themselves against the door and flew past it. Lauren immediately found herself ahead of her brother, but she knew he was still behind her.

"Hey! Stop!" she heard voices yelling behind them. Lauren kept her eyes straight ahead. She could see the end of the tunnel ahead of her, a huge metal door. Almost there, she thought.

Suddenly, there were gunshots. Lots of them. Lauren barely heard the thump, but when she did, shewhirled. Dave lay on the ground several feet behind her. A puddle of blood was beginning to form around him. Lauren's heart stopped. She raised her eyes and saw a group of security guards pounding toward her. Without thinking, Lauren knelt beside her brother, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Dave!" she shrieked, shaking him. Dave lifted his eyes and met hers. Tears were streaming down his face as well. "Come on, Dave. Let's get out of here. Please!"

"I can't," he whispered. Lauren looked at the guards again. They were about a hundred feet away and closing in fast. She looked down at her brother, growing hysterical. Dave took her face in his. "Listen to me. Get out of here and forget about me."

"I won't! I won't!" Lauren screamed, looking as the blood began to seep into her white scrubs.

"I'll always be with you, Bean," Dave said. His eyes narrowed and he held up his hand. The door at the end of the tunnel began to slide open. "Get the hell out!"

Lauren felt her brother's power in her as she rose to her feet and began to sprint to the door. She reached the edge and looked back. The guards had reached Dave and some were after her. She shot a beam of power at them, tears blurring her vision. The door closed behind her.

Lauren began to flee, crying for everything she was leaving behind. It was hours before she finally stopped and fell to her knees in the desert. She looked down at her blood-soaked scrubs and blindly began to pound her fists on the tightly packed sand. He was still alive, she could feel him.

"Stay with me, Dave," she whispered in a hoarse voice, rocking back and forth, holding onto the chain with all of her might. "Stay with me."