Mark couldn't believe it. Sci-Clops was a science club that was made up of the brainiest students at school. It was legendary. At least with the science-geek crowd. Having Sci-Clops on your record was an incredible plus if you wanted to go to a top engineering school after high school. There were even a few former Sci-Clops students who got into MIT.

"Are y-you serious?" Mark asked. "You mean, the Sci-Clops?"

Pike laughed. "Sure, how many are there?"

Mark's face turned red with embarrassment. Pike put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Think about it," he said. "We'd love to have you."

Mr. Pike left Mark standing there speechless. It took a while for him to put his brain back into gear and say, "Y-Yeah. Sure I'll join!"

But it was too late. Pike was already gone.

Mark was stunned. It wasn't just because he had been given the chance to join a club that he never considered himself good enough for, it was more that somebody had actually recognized him for having done something well. As he stood in that hallway, he sensed an alien feeling growing inside. It was pride. He still wasn't sure if he was good enough to join Sci-Clops. Confidence was still something he had to work on. But it made him feel great that at least one person, besides his mother, thought he had something special going on. Mark's second day of high school was definitely turning out better than the first.

Except he still had to face Courtney. The thought made his stomach turn, so instead of going directly to the practice field, he ran after Mr. Pike.

Courtney, on the other hand, was not having a great day. She had tried to shake off the horrible practice of the day before and arrived at school ready to regain her rightful place as the girl who set the standards by which everyone else was judged.

She failed.

Word had spread how Courtney the Unbeatable had suddenly become Courtney the Diminished. Friends gave her sympathy and wanted to know what went wrong. Girls and guys she had intimidated for years wanted to know if it was true. Had Courtney lost it? Some kids were devastated at the thought that their hero could have feet of clay. Others simply wouldn't believe it. Many quietly enjoyed seeing someone so mighty get knocked down a few pegs.

Courtney did her best not to show how upset she was. People always envied her. Now that envy had turned to pity. That was the worst. As the day wore on, she kept smiling and telling people she was fine and simply had an off day. But inside, the fire was burning. She couldn't wait for the end of school so she could blast onto that soccer field and put some serious hurt on the nonbelievers.

A crowd had gathered around the field. More kids showed up for this practice than Courtney had heard showed up to watch the games. She was used to having an audience when she performed, but not like this. They were there to bear witness. They wanted proof that all was right with the world, or that it was the end of an era.

From the moment she stepped onto the field, Courtney played angry. It was the worst thing she could have done. It meant she tried too hard and allowed the other girls to hang her out todry. They dribbled around her; they wouldn't pass to her; they stole the ball from her. During sprints, they left her in the dust.

Courtney looked really bad. The harder she tried, the worse it got. Her confidence was shattered. As she ran down the sidelines she'd see the faces of kids she had dominated in years past. Some looked disappointed. Others stunned. Still others had smug smiles that said: "Payback is sweet." She tried not to look into anyone's eyes, friend or foe. They all hurt the same.

The crowd didn't hang around long. They saw all they needed early on. The rest was like staring at a car wreck long after the dust settled. But the worst indignity was yet to come. When practice was mercifully over, Courtney ran toward the school locker room.

"Courtney! Hang on!" It was the coach, Ms. Horkey. She jogged up to Courtney and the two walked toward the school together. "Tough day," Ms. Horkey said with sympathy.

Courtney could only shrug.

"Look," Horkey said. "I know this is hard for you. I've watched you play since you were barely old enough to kick a ball. I know how good you are. Don't get discouraged."

"I won't," Courtney said, feeling totally discouraged.

Then Horkey dropped the bomb. "I think it would do you a world of good to start playing with the junior varsity team."

Courtney stopped short. "You're cutting me?" she said, barely able to say the words.

"No," Horkey assured her. "But you need to work on fundamentals. It's not a horrible thing. It's rare for a sophomore to be on varsity anyway."

"There are two other sophomores on varsity," Courtney pointed out. "Look, Ms. Horkey. I just had a slow start."

"I know. But look at the big picture. You're not up to the level of the varsity players. If you stayed here, you'd be working to keep up, rather than getting better. On the JV level you'll be more competitive. Then next year you can-"

"Next year! I'd have to wait a whole year to get back on the team?"

"You're still on the team, Courtney. You're just playing at a level that's better for you."

"On the loser level, you mean," Courtney snapped at her.

"No," the coach corrected. "On the level that is going to help you improve. You're not a quitter, Courtney. You're going to get better, but you're going to have to work at it. Maybe you're not used to that."

Courtney wanted to scream. But the truth was, the coach was right. Courtney had never had to work all that hard to be good. Maybe she didn't know how to.

"It's really for the best," Horkey concluded.

"Yeah, sure," Courtney said under her breath. Horkey then jogged ahead toward the school.

Courtney wanted to run home. She didn't want to go into that locker room and get changed with all those girls who looked at her like a loser. She wasn't a loser. But at that moment, she sure felt like one.

"Courtney!" Mark yelled as he ran up to her. "The most amazing thing happened! I got asked to join Sci-Clops!"

"Cyclops? Like the monster with one eye?"

"No," Mark laughed. "Sci-Clops with an s-c-i like in science. It's only the most respected science club in the state. Is that incredible or what?"

"Yeah, that's great, Mark," Courtney said, not sounding as if she meant it. She continued walking toward the school.

"Uh-oh. Bad practice again?"

"I just got cut."

"What!"

"Not really. I've been demoted to JV." Mark didn't know what to say. This was alien territory. He wasn't used to boosting Courtney's confidence.

"You know you're better than that," Mark said sincerely. "Am I?" she said softly.

Courtney had never admitted defeat before. Mark glanced around quickly to make sure he was the only one who heard it. "Don't say that," he chastised. "You just had a slow start." Then a thought hit him and he added, "Besides, I've got more good news."

He waited for her to react. A few moments went by, then Courtney looked at him and actually smiled.

"Are you serious?" she asked cautiously.

"It showed up last night," Mark answered with a big smile. "I've got a confession to make, though. I think you'll understand why it happened when you see the journal, but I already saw the beginning part."

Courtney stopped walking and stared at Mark. Mark didn't let the moment hang. He had to explain himself, fast.

"I didn't mean to, but it's not a regular journal. It's a hologram."

"Say what?"

"Bobby recorded the journal like a 3-D movie. I was so surprised that I didn't turn it off right away. But I only heard the beginning. I stopped it before he got to anything really important. I didn't want to hear it without you."

That was the truth, mostly. Mark could only hope that Courtney would understand. A long moment went by. Mark wasn't sure if Courtney was going to forgive him or kick him in the head.

After an eternity, Courtney said, "It's cool. I get it. Can you come over tonight?"

"Right after dinner," he said, totally relieved.

Courtney then continued on, jogging into the school. Mark nearly leaped into the air. This was an incredible day. Sci-Clops, then Courtney's forgiveness. As he jogged around the school building to catch the late bus, Mark was elated. Things were turning out perfectly.

But still, he felt a little strange. He wasn't used to taking the upper hand when it came to Courtney. He thought she would have at least made him feel a little guilty for what he had done. But she forgave him and let it go at that. It was like they had reached a new level in their friendship.

Mark wasn't entirely sure he liked it.

A few hours later Mark and Courtney sat together on the big, dusty old couch in Courtney's basement. They usually read Bobby's journals there because it was a workshop full of rusty tools that Courtney's father never used. She called it the "Tool Museum." It was a perfectly private place for them to read and discuss the journals. Being private was even more important this time, because they weren't going to be reading, they would be listening and watching.

"How does it work?" Courtney asked. She was all showered and feeling a little bit better. Time and a good dinner will do that. A new journal from Bobby didn't hurt either.

Mark was in the same clothes he wore at school. He hadn't eaten dinner. He was too excited. He reached into his pack and took out the small, silver device that contained Bobby's journal.

"It's like a CD player," Mark explained. "I'll rewind to the beginning." He touched the orange button. There was no sound or feeling of movement.

"How much did you see?" Courtney asked.

"Just a little," Mark fibbed. He figured since they would both see it from the beginning, he could get away with stretching the truth.

"Is he okay?" Courtney asked.

"Seems so," Mark answered. "But you can see for yourself." Mark put the silver device down on the table in front of the couch and pressed the green button. Instantly the beam of light shot out and projected Bobby's life-size image in space.

"Hiya, Mark. Hey Courtney" Bobby's image began.

"Wow!" shouted Courtney. "It's like the hologram with the floating head."

Mark let out a relieved breath. Up until that moment he wasn't sure if the device had actually rewound all the way. Now he was totally off the hook with Courtney. He didn't mind that he was going to have to rehear Bobby's story from the beginning. All that mattered was that they were under way.

Together this time.

And they were about to learn about Lifelight.

(CONTINUED).

VEELOX.

"Bobby! It's getting-up time!" came a familiar, singsong voice.

I was still asleep. It was one of those perfect moments when no matter what position you roll into, it's more comfortable than the last. No, I didn't care what time it was, I was staying in bed.

"Big day today!" came the pleasant voice again.

I was too comfortable to care. I rolled over, determined to continue the bliss. But then I felt a huge weight land on me. I knew what was coming next. Any chance of staying in bed would soon dissolve becausea A slippery, sandy tongue started burrowing into my ear. I don't know what was so tasty about my ear, but it was the spot that Marley would lick when she wanted me to get up.

"All right, all right!" I laughed and pushed my golden retriever away. I think she liked the whole ear-licking-while-I-was-trying-to-sleep thing because it was one of the few times she had complete control over me. That, and of course when I walked her and had to pick up her poop. She pretty much called the shots then, too.

A second later another weight landed on the bed. I knew what this was too. It was my little sister. Shannon.

"Breakfast is ready," she informed me. "You have to eat or you won't be strong enough to play."

Shannon thought she pretty much knew everything about everything, and for an eight-year-old she wasn't far from wrong. She was cute, too, with long dark brown hair that she always tied into two ponytails. She had these big brown eyes and a broad smile that lit up the room. People always told Mom that Shannon should be a model, but Mom wasn't hot on the idea. I think she was afraid Shannon was already growing up too fast.

"Eat soon so you can digest," she continued. "I don't want to see you barfing on the court." With that last little nugget of wisdom, she jumped off the bed and ran out of my bedroom. Marley bounded off the bed and scampered after her.

The smell of bacon found my nose. That was the last bit of convincing I needed. I loved bacon and we didn't get it that often because Mom thought it was too fatty or something. But every so often when there was a special occasion, she would give in. I guess today's basketball game counted as a big occasion. Fine with me. I threw my legs over the bed and stood up, now fully awake. I was wearing boxers, but pulled on a pair of sweats because sitting at the breakfast table in my underwear wasn't cool. I then picked a T-shirt off the floor, sniffed it to make sure it wasn't rank, and pulled it over my head. It was going to be a good day. Big breakfast, basketball game, maybe Courtney would come to watch anda What the hell?

Reality struck. My knees went weak and I actually fell back down onto the bed. What was happening? I looked around my bedroom and it looked as familiar as always. My desk, my computer, my trophies, my stack of CDs, my New York Jets posters, even my clothes strewn on the floor. This was my bedroom. At home. In Stony Brook.

Ona Seconda Freakin'a Earth!

Nothing was out of the ordinary but everything was out of the ordinary. How could this be happening? I started to hyperventilate. Nothing made sense, even though it made perfect sense. Could everything that had happened since the night I left home with Uncle Press have been a dream? Denduron, Cloral, the Hindenburg, Saint Danea everything. Had it all been a nightmare? I glanced at my window, half expecting Professor Marvel from The Wizard of Oz to poke his head in to see if I was okay.

"C'mon, Bobby, breakfast is getting cold!" came a voice from outside my room. It was my father. What was happening? I had faced a lot of scary situations since I became a Traveler, but on the strange scale, this was at the top. It took every ounce of courage I had to get my legs moving. I had to find out what was going on.

I cautiously left my room. The upstairs hallway had all the same pictures, the same rug, the same doors, the same everything. I half walked, half floated down the stairs, through the living room, past the dining room and straight into the kitchen. When I poked my head in, I saw a scene that was totally normal and totally impossible at the same time.

The table was set for breakfast. Mom was scooping scrambled eggs from a pan; Dad was sitting in his normal spot, pouring orange juice for everyone; Shannon sat at her place, politely waiting for everyone to sit so she could begin; and Marley sat on the floor at Shannon's side, waiting with equal patience for somebody to drop food on the floor.

I stood in the doorway, staring. Part of me wanted to dive into that kitchen, throw my arms around everybody and cry like a baby. Another part of me wanted to turn and run.

Finally Mom saw me and said, "Eat. You can't be late."

I didn't know what else to do, so I drifted over to the table and sat down at my place. It was the place by the window where I had eaten since I was old enough to sit up. It was the place I never thought I'd take again, since my house and family and everything I had ever known had disappeared.

But now they were back.

I must have looked as stunned as I felt, because my father said, "You all right, Bobby?"

I wasn't sure how to answer him, because I wasn't. "To be honest. Dad, I'm a little confused."

"About what, sweetheart?" Mom asked innocently.

I chose my words carefully, knowing just how ridiculous they would sound. "Has anythinga odd happened?"

Dad asked, "Like what?"

Shannon chimed in. "We're having'bacon for breakfast. That's odd."

"What are you talking about?" Mom asked while taking her place at the table. I sat looking at my family. The three of them looked back at me over their plates of bacon and eggs, waiting for me to say something. Marley poked her brown rubbery nose up from below the table and looked at me too, though I think she was more interested in sniffing out the bacon. I didn't say anything. Instead, I picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite. It was as delicious as any bacon I'd ever had. Done just the way I liked it too. Not too crispy. I didn't know why that surprised me, but it did.

Finally I dropped the bacon on my plate and stood up. "IaI'm not hungry. I better get dressed." I left the table, headed for the door to the dining room.

"But you have to eat something before the game!" Mom called after me.