"This is not a drill. Par Laboratory is now in Lockdown."
''We Feel.”
After the events of the previous book, Melissa is "invited" to PAR Lab, so she and other survivors like her can be studied. But shortly after her arrival, things go horribly wrong when an alien is released from its cell and access to the outside world is cut off. Now, Melissa and her new friends must escape from the lab before the enemy can kill or infect them all.— The Minkowski, Never Let Me Leave
Never Let Me Leave provides examples of:
- Adults Are Useless: Averted. Doctor Giacomi has several Big Damn Heroes moments and is very observant. David Hood and Thomas Harrison also do what they can from their location.
- Batter Up!: After the loss of her previous, Mister Bat, Melissa has remade him, and takes him to the Par Lab. Sean likewise carries a Cricket Bat.
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: How the Minkowski’s Dragon feels about Carrie given that he’s already murdered one of the immune.“Clean? No. Defective.”
- The Cavalry Arrives Late: Some what justified as Thomas wanted the Minkowski dead or contained before the doors are opened, but by the time David arrives with reinforcements Ian and Jolene have already been dealt with as well.
- Chekhov's Gun: The syringe that Carrie has turns out to have heavy narcotics in it. Doubles as Laser-Guided Karma, as it was given to her by Sean.
- Dwindling Party: Out of the two security guards, three doctors, one assistant, and five teenagers, four people leave alive and “free”.
- Gilded Cage: Discussed. Adam acknowledges that Par Lab sometimes feels like a Gilded Cage but he tells Melissa that he doesn’t want to leave.
- Hallucinations: Melissa still has them when stressed, seeing black cobwebs, black butterflies, and the electricity on poor Adam.
- He Knows Too Much: Given that people can be infected against their will, this is presumably why the Minkowski’s killed one or both of its infectible victims.
- Immune to Mind Control: about half the party is immune to possession by the Minkowski.
- Impostor-Exposing Test: Electricity can kill the Minkowski and purge the infected, so several of the characters stun each other to ensure they are not infected.
- It Can Think: The Minkowski can speak through lights, observe its enemies, and formulate plans and traps.
- Lockdown: Most of the conflict takes place in the Par Lab after a lockdown has started.
- Puppeteer Parasite: The Minkowski.
- Seeking the Missing, Finding the Dead: Poor Sean, doubles as Sacrificial Lion, as he couldn’t have been killed by Forester.
- Spot the Imposter: David talks to both Doctor Giacomi and Melissa to see if they're infected. They both pass his test, but they are tranquilized and quarantined anyway.
- Spy Speak: Melissa and Carrie use lines from Deroga Darrington to check in with each other covertly. Doctor Giacomi doesn’t seem to notice. Ian definitely does.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Patrick Forester was shot by someone infected with the Minkowski. (Presumably to hide her own infection.)
