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Alex had built it into the schedule since he'd started Freak Nation: The place wasn't open on The Sevens. It was early morning and he was by himself -- the day seemed pretty quiet so far. Nothing on the journals, nothing on the news. He was listening for any more details about the explosion as he rode his bike up and down the walls of the bowl. Just the announcer on the radio and the sound of his tires ... until the puppy started barking.

Alex skidded to a halt at the top of the wall and blinked at the figure standing in the gallery. The door was locked. Or had been.

"Hello Simon," the girl said.

Alex did what any reasonable man would have: He fell off his bike. When he got back up, she was still there.

"Rachel?" She nodded her head once and gave him a sweet smile.

"You ... look good." For a dead person who might suck out his brains.

"So do you, Simon."

"Yeah ... about that..."

When Alex had texted Susi that he was tied up, he hadn't expected it to be literal several hours later. Rachel had surprised him; she looked a lot weaker than she actually was.

"It's not personal, Alex," she said as she leaned close and stroked his cheek. He tried not to flinch away. She smiled sadly and kissed his his forehead. "I loved you," she whispered in his ear and turned away. Her footsteps sounded down the stairs and he heard the door open and close.

The puppy whimpered and pawed at his pen. He scratched at knot Rachel had made to hold his gate closed as Alex silently urged him on.

Alex tried to scoot his chair closer to his desk and his cell phone. Maybe he could get a grip on it and text hit 'last call dialed'. Maybe. Hopefully. Maybe the Little Fella would learn a new trick tonight.

After he was free, he'd wonder where Rachel was headed.