Catalyst (Insignia, #3)

by S.J. Kincaid

“I have to . . .” Tom realized his voice was the faintest whisper. It took effort to raise it, to say, “I’m waiting.” The man gestured for his family to step back and drew toward Tom, but then he halted abruptly. His expression shifted from one of concern to something flat and empty. He stared at Tom unblinkingly for a protracted moment. Then he said, “Vanya?” Tom’s heart seized. His breath strangled him. His gaze riveted upward, the world going very still. “How did you get here, Vanya?” the man said. Tom jolted to his feet so fast, he stumbled back against the ship behind him, terror in his heart. He looked at the woman, and suddenly her face shifted, too, grew blank, her eyes empty. “You escaped. How interesting,” she noted. “I can’t imagine how you managed that.” Tom couldn’t understand it. He couldn’t. He was hearing Vengerov’s tones—almost seeing Vengerov’s facial expression—but it was coming from these people. And when he stumbled back, one of the children warned him in Vengerov’s accent. “There’s nowhere to run, Vanya.” “Stop that!” Tom screamed at them, looking from one face to the other in abject horror. “Get away from me!”

This gave me a chill down my spine. I thought he would actually be recaptured. It also made think of a scene from another book where they were almost captured.