I wait in Javier's hotel room, pacing the floor, my nerves are at an all-time high. Sun sits in the lone chair by the window staring down into the city of Dhaka below. We told Sun's brother we were going to sleep early due to jet lag. No need to get him involved with more than he already is. Javier, Jake, and Tony left two hours ago to intercept Mr. Bosu from work. The plan was for them to find a way to bring him to the hotel while Sun and I prepped the room for a Dream Walk.
Then once we're finished, we'll put him back in a taxi and send him home, none the wiser.
"It will work," I tell Sun.
She won't look at me. I clench my fists, hating myself for putting her through this and yet, desperate for her to stay because ultimately we need her to run the Dreamscape from the outside to make sure everyone remains safe through the whole procedure.
I hate the waiting, so I decide now is a good time as any to call Mom. It'll be early morning for her. It only rings once when she picks up.
"Aria?" Mom asks. "Tell me you're almost home."
I lick my lips, sagging against the wall. "Not yet. We're hoping to be back tomorrow morning for you if all goes well." I shut my eyes, hating how I'm holding information from her. What kind of person was I becoming? "Any news on Dad?"
"Nothing." Mom chokes up then and there's a muffled sob on the other end. "They are now saying he was kidnapped just like you thought. The man they found in his office still hasn't talked, but the cops think they wanted him for the dream technology. Can you believe that? This is all about his work! I warned him he was tampering with things he shouldn't touch. But he never would listen to me. Now look what happened!"
My legs are jelly, and I sink down on the bed. "He meant it for good, Mom." I stare at our equipment, all ready to be used. "You have to believe that. We just had a big breakthrough with the Dreamscape. It's going to help Grams. I know it."
"When you get back we need to talk about your research and your career plans," Mom says. "This dream stuff is too dangerous. You're a smart girl. You can work with me. You could be an amazing botanist. Maybe it will be through plants that we can find a way to heal Grams."
"I've got to go. I love you."
"I love you, too, but come home, okay?"
I hang up, thinking through our conversation. Suddenly, my perfectly planned-out life is spinning out of control. Not only am I missing tons of school, but I've no idea where Dad is or what my future will be. I straighten my back and press my fingers against my temples. I can't think about all of that. I need to focus on getting Dad back. Once he's safe, I'll figure out the next steps.
Noise in the hallway jerks me back to the door. I rush to the peephole to spy the group lugging Mr. Bosu in their arms. Quickly, I unlock the door and throw it open, allowing the guys to come stumbling inside. Then I shut the door behind them and click the locks into place.
"Had to give him some sleeping juice," Tony says, huffing. "The dude started asking too many questions."
"Put him on the far bed." Sun picks up the syringe of Temazepam, and after swabbing his forearm with antiseptic, plunges more of the liquid into his system. "I'm not taking any chances. And he'll be fine. It's fine."
I stare at her. It's as if she's saying that just to convince herself we're making the right choice.
"He's actually helping save people's lives," I add. "And who is to know if he isn't guilty himself? If that doesn't work we can always try the NightFlash."
Sun dismisses the idea. "It never connects the sleepers to the Dreamscape properly."
"One thing I do know." Jake grunts as he tries to put both of Mr. Bosu's legs on the bed. "He's not as light as he looks."
"No joke." Tony has grabbed bath towels and starts mopping his face with them, tossing a towel to Jake and Javier. "Let's get this over with. I don't like any of it."
"Agreed," Javier says. "Sun you work the Dreamscape's control panel while we three go in. You all know the drill."
He's right. We've worked together more times than I can count. This is like eating popsicles on a summer day for us. But the thing is, being in this room, outside of MaxLife, everything feels different. Off.
"I'm going to hook my computer up to the Dreamscape," Jake says. "I'd like to run a diagnostic on it to make sure no one can hack into your system."
"They could do that?" I ask.
"Definitely." Jake touches a few buttons. "Especially because this Dreamscape is wireless. Later, after we're done, I want to load up an anti-hacker software as well, and a failsafe, too. Hey, Aria. Do you know who your father used as the prototype for the Dreamscape? Like whose brain is the alpha?"
"He actually used my grandmothers and mine to help set up his research. Why?"
He lifts his eyebrows at this, but then just shrugs and says, "Just curious. It's got a very complex system that mimics a human's brain really well. It's actually an incredible invention of your dad's."
"He is brilliant," I whisper, suddenly feeling the need to get into this dream and find the answers we've been seeking.
Sun slips a Neuro-Read Sleep Mask over Mr. Bosu's eyes and a set of headphones that will project the Sound Oasis to him. Before we had the fancy chairs, we used these headphones, but it's been a while.
I shove aside the knot in my stomach and lie on the floor on one of the three mats that we created from towels and pillows. I click the transmitter button on the strap of my sleep mask so my brain waves connect to the Dreamscape.
Sun doesn't waste a second. The Sound Oasis emits the cry of gulls and the crashing of waves, filling my consciousness. I'm taken far away from this old hotel room where I'm lying on the floor.
I push aside all doubts and fears and allow myself to sink far and deep into the Dreamscape.