After cutting off all the lights in the warehouse, except those over the makeshift classroom, Ping returned to his mat and sat down. “You even repaired the back door. Isn’t that amazing?” “Do you think it’s a problem that I needed a talisman to do this? I mean, I’ve done a lot more elaborate things without one before,” Mara asked. “Your instincts were probably correct when you said you needed to use the crystal to help you concentrate. Those more elaborate things you did while under duress. That has a way of focusing the mind.” “That makes sense, I suppose.” Ping leaned forward and pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket and unfolded it. “What’s that?” Sam asked. “It’s the list of passengers from Flight 559 that we had started to review before your mother got into trouble a few

