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Ian laughed。
“I don’t think it’s funny；” I told him； my voice tight。 Melanie； frantic with worry in my head； imagined
slapping him。 I ignored her。
“Could happen to anybody；” Ian said； planting a light punch on Jamie’s arm。
“Right；” Jamie muttered。
“Where’s everybody？”
I watched Trudy from the corner of my eye as she answered him。
“They； uh； had some unloading to finish up。” This time her eyes moved toward the southern tunnel very
deliberately； and Ian’s expression hardened； turned enraged for half a second。 Then Trudy glanced back
at me and caught me watching。
Distract them；Melanie whispered。
I looked down at Jamie quickly。
“Are you hungry？” I asked him。
“Yeah。”
“Whenaren’t you hungry？” Ian teased。 His face was relaxed again。 He was better at deception than
Trudy。
When we reached our room； Jamie sank gratefully onto the big mattress。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“It’s nothing。 Really。 Doc says I’ll be fine in a few days。”
I nodded； though I was not convinced。
“I’m going to go clean up；” Trudy murmured as she left。
Ian propped himself against the wall； going nowhere。
Keep your face down when you lie；Melanie suggested。
“Ian？” I stared intently at Jamie’s bloody leg。 “Do you mind getting us some food？ I’m hungry； too。”
“Yeah。 Get us something good。”
I could feel Ian’s eyes on me； but I didn’t look up。
“Okay；” he agreed。 “I’ll be back in just a second。” He emphasized the short time。
I kept my gaze down； as if I were examining the wound； until I heard his footsteps fade。
“You aren’t mad at me？” Jamie asked。
“Of course not。”
“I know you didn’t want me to go。”
“You’re safe now； that’s all that matters。” I patted his arm absentmindedly。 Then I got to my feet and let
my hair； now chin length； fall forward to hide my face。
“I’ll be right back—I forgot something I wanted to tell Ian。”
“What？” he asked； confused by my tone。
“You’ll be okay here by yourself？”
“Course I will；” he retorted； sidetracked。
I ducked out around the screen before he could ask anything else。
The hall was clear； Ian out of sight。 I had to hurry。 I knew he was already suspicious。 He’d noticed that
I’d noticed Trudy’s awkward and artificial explanation。 He wouldn’t be gone long。
I walked quickly； but didn’t run； as I moved through the big plaza。 Purposeful； as if I were on an errand。
There were only a few people there—Reid； headed for the passageway that led to the bathing pool； Ruth
Ann and Heidi； paused by the eastern corridor； chatting； Lily and Wes； their backs to me； holding hands。
No one paid me any attention。 I stared ahead as if I were not focused on the southern tunnel； only turning
in at the very last second。
As soon as I was in the pitch…black of the corridor； I sped up； jogging along the familiar path。
Yes； you do。 We both do。
I’m frightened。
Me； too。
I ran as quietly as I could down the dark tunnel。
CHAPTER 40
Horrified
Islowed when I heard the sound of voices。 I was not close enough to the hospital for it to be Doc。
Others were on their way back。 I pressed myself against the rock wall and crept forward as quietly as I
could。 My breathing was ragged from running。 I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the sound。
“。 。 。 why we keep doing this；” someone plained。
I wasn’t sure whose voice it was。 Someone I didn’t know well。 Maybe Violetta？ It held that same
depressed tone that I recognized from before。 It erased any notion that I’d been imagining things。
“Doc didn’t want to。 It was Jared’s idea this time。”
I was sure that it was Geoffrey who spoke now； though his voice was a little changed by the subdued
revulsion in it。 Geoffrey had been with Trudy on the raid； of course。 They did everything together。
“I thought he was the biggest opponent to this business。”
That was Travis； I guessed。
“He’s more… motivated now；” Geoffrey answered。 His voice was quiet； but I could tell he was angry
about something。
They passed just half a foot from where I cringed into the rocks。 I froze； holding my breath。
“I think it’s sick；” Violetta muttered。 “Disgusting。 It’s never going to work。”
They walked slowly； their steps weighted with despair。
No one answered her。 No one spoke again in my hearing。 I stayed motionless until their footsteps had
faded a little； but I couldn’t wait until the sound disappeared pletely。 Ian might be following me
already。
I crept forward as quickly as I could and then started jogging again when I decided it was safe。
I moved cautiously now； putting each foot down with silent care。 It was very quiet。 For a moment； I
wondered if I was wrong and there was no one here at all。 Then； as the uneven entrance came into view；
throwing a block of white sunlight against the opposite wall； I could hear the sound of quiet sobbing。
I tiptoed right to the edge of the gap and paused； listening。
The sobbing continued。 Another sound； a soft； rhythmic thudding； kept time with it。
“There； there。” It was Jeb’s voice； thick with some emotion。 “’S okay。 ’S okay； Doc。 Don’t take it so
hard。”
Hushed footsteps； more than one set； were moving around the room。 Fabric rustling。 A brushing sound。
It reminded me of the sounds of cleaning。
There was a smell that didn’t belong here。 Strange… not quite metallic； but not quite anything else；
either。 The smell was not familiar—I was sure I had never smelled it before—and yet I had an odd
feeling that itshould be familiar to me。
I was afraid to move around the corner。
What’s the worst they will do to us？Mel pointed out。Make us leave？
You’re right。
Things had definitely changed if that was the worst I could fear from the humans now。
I took a deep breath—noticing again that strange；wrong smell—and eased around the rocky edge into
the hospital。
No one noticed me。
Doc was kneeling on the floor； his face buried in his hands； his shoulders heaving。 Jeb leaned over him；
patting his back。
Jared and Kyle were laying a crude stretcher beside one of the cots in the middle of the room。 Jared’s
face was hard—the mask had e back while he was away。
The cots were not empty； as they usually were。 Something； hidden under dark green blankets； filled the
length of both of them。 Long and irregular； with familiar curves and angles…
Doc’s homemade table was arranged at the head of these cots； in the brightest spot of sunlight。 The
table glittered with silver—shiny scalpels and an assortment of antiquated medical tools that I couldn’t put
a name to。
Brighter than these were other silver things。 Shimmering segments of silver stretched in twisted； tortured
pieces across the table… tiny silver strands plucked and naked and scattered… splatters of silver liquid
The quiet in the room was shattered by my scream。 The wholeroom was shattered。 It spun and shook to
the sound； whirled around me so that I couldn’t find the way out。 The walls； the silver…stained walls； rose
up to block