"Forget the chocolate bar," Isabel interrupted. "Max, if you're going to insist on being in communication with the beings, at least talk about something important," she snapped. "Have you even bothered to ask them about Alex today?"

A wave of guilt crashed over Max. Alex Manes was one of his best friends. It hadn't even been two weeks since Alex had gotten sucked through the wormhole and ended up on Max's home planet.

"I'll do it right now," Max answered. He took a couple of slow breaths and allowed his connection to the beings to deepen until he felt his aura begin to dissolve into the ocean of auras that formed the consciousness.

He formed a mental picture of Alex-dark red hair, green eyes-trying to mix in a sense of Alex's wacked sense of humor and his take-no-prisoners attitude when it came to protecting the people he cared about. Then he threw the image out into the consciousness and surfed through the auras, picking up their reactions.

What he got back reassured him. Alex was alive, unharmed. The beings were still getting used to his presence, but they-

Suddenly Max hit a pocket of auras that felt like molten steel. He'd been swept into this pocket before-or another one just like it. The beings here feared Alex, and their fear produced a hatred so strong that it seared Max's skin. These beings couldn't tolerate Alex on their planet. They wanted to kill him.

The living fire shot into Max's nose and throat and ears. When the three streams met-an explosion detonated inside him. He could almost feel his organs roasting.

He couldn't survive this. His body was going to combust. His-

A hand shook Max's shoulder hard, and he shoved himself away from the consciousness-as far away as the connection allowed. His eyes refocused on the cafeteria, and he saw Liz staring at him, her lips tight with concern.