in the worst-case scenario , the pole was swept down here while its owner had still been on the rise . hes an expert on disaster preparation , and on paper hes a good choice for the job . `` you 're thinking awfully hard , '' jake said . * * * `` hi , '' lucy calls from the kitchen doorway . dont underestimate the gift of water , and i wasnt talking about using abilities . her rubber soles barely made a sound on the polished tile floor . 