”“I’ve got a nasty bruise on my stomach but I’ll live. Jaymon and I have been suspended, along with Dimitri Antonov, who was a real hero when ...he interposed himself between us in order to protect me.”“Did Dimitri really say you’re the best chance Joanna has of being found alive? What did he mean by that?” asked Cayenne.“We’ve been working on one of our nerd theories. It’s pretty outlandish,” I admitted.“Oh,” said Cayenne disappointedly. “Kidnapped by aliens and taken to their mother. Hell of a name. Hell of a woman.Memories. They fill out the nights and make the long days pass.Last week one of the young nurses took an interest in me. Must have liked the stories I told. Felt sorry for the old geezer, did she? She gave me some relief, a "bee-jay," she called it. Felt all right at first, but mostly it just tickled. I patted her on top of the head as she was working hard at it. Nice girl. Meant well. But I don't think I'll ask for an encore.I remember the first time I took a. They thought that my relationship with Jennifer was changing, and not in such a way that would lead to marriage. Even Dad, who rarely had ever said anything about any of my friends, thought that I should choose Kara over Jennifer!A few — Melanie, Larry, and Stephanie — thought that Jennifer was my soulmate, and the one I would be with in the end. I was almost sure that Jennifer, even after I saw Karin again, would hold my heart, but did I really have to leave Kara? Was I doing the right thing. “Show me how to use the baton you and your dad used at the party,” I said.Shiggy had bamboo weapons in the back, and Cassidy brought out a couple to use as demonstration props.“Before we get started, why didn’t you have the collapsible ones?” I asked.There are batons that you snap open with a flick of your wrist. They can be stored on your belt and not get in the way. What Cassidy had used seemed more bulky to carry around.“I’m impressed. You’re starting to ask better questions,” Cassidy said..