239 A Knife's Edge

"Jessica...." I felt my father's hand on my back. "Jessica, come back inside."

When I turned around, my father was there, trying to comfort me, but I wouldn't be consoled. "Dad, we have to find the Dark Rider and defeat him. Either that, or I'll force Dakota to come back with us."

"Honey...." Dad looked at me with sympathetic eyes. "You can't force him to do that."

"Yes, I can," I replied. "Where's Michael? He can take me back in—"

"Jessica!" Dad yelled, catching my hand.

"No!" I pulled abruptly away. "I have to find Michael! He has to take me back in!"

"He's gone, honey," Dad said. "And we can't take advantage of him."

"I'm here." 

Jessica looked around and Michael is leaning against the emergency door with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. "You're not taking advantage of me," he said, "but we'll have to wait to go back in."

"But we have to go back now!" I screamed.