The oppressive, subsonic hum of the Merge Pulse ceased as fast as it begun. The sudden silence felt somehow louder, broken only by the steady hum of Wendy's engine and the sound of tires on the road.
The absence of the sound left a sharp ringing in their ears.
In the passenger seat, Mr. Seraph, who had been sweating profoundly and curled in on himself, slowly sat up straighter, wiping his damp forehead with his trembling hand. "Arghh, man, that hurt," he muttered to himself, his breathing still heavy and ragged as he stared out at the window, looking utterly drained.
Jane, sitting directly behind Michelle, leaned forward, her voice cutting through the quiet.
"Uh... Hello? Mind explaining what you did back there?" She pointed the question at Michelle, her tone a mixture of demand and awe.
