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I opened the door and put the backpack on the passenger seat—it settled there with a reassuring
clatter—then I climbed in and shut the door。 There was no reason to slam the locks down； I ignored the
urge。
“Are you okay？” Jared whispered as soon as the door was closed。 His voice was a strained； anxious
rasp。
“Shh；” I said； keeping my lips as still as I could。 “Wait。”
I drove past the bright entrance and answered Cerulean’s wave with one of my own。
“Making friends？”
We were on the dark road。 No one was watching me anymore。 I slumped in the seat。 My hands started
to shake。 I could allow that； now that it was over。 Now that I’d succeeded。
“All souls are friends；” I told him； using my normal volume。
“Are you all right？” he demanded again。
“I’m healed。”
“Let me see。”
I stretched my left arm across my body； so he could see the tiny pink line。
He sucked in a surprised breath。
The blanket rustled； he sat up and then climbed through the space between the seats。 He pushed the
backpack out of the way； then pulled it onto his lap； testing its weight。
He looked up at me as we passed under a streetlamp； and he gasped。
“Your face！”
“It’s healed； too。 Naturally。”
He raised one hand； holding it in the air near my cheek； unsure。 “Does it hurt？”
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”
His fingers brushed the new skin。 It tingled； but that was from his touch。 Then he was back to business。
“Did they suspect anything？ Do you think they’ll call the Seekers？”
“No。 I told you they wouldn’t be suspicious。 They didn’t even check my eyes。 I was hurt； so they healed
me。” I shrugged。
“What did you get？” he asked； opening the drawstrings on the backpack。
“The right things for Jamie… if we get back in time…” I glanced at the clock on the dashboard
automatically； though the hours it marked were meaningless。 “And more for the future。 I only took what I
understood。”
“We’ll be back in time；” he promised。 He examined the white containers。 “Smooth？”
“Not a necessity。 But I know what it does； so…”
He nodded； digging through the bag。 He muttered the names to himself。 “No Pain？ Does it work？”
I laughed。 “It’s amazing。 If you stab yourself； I could show you。… That’s a joke。”
“I know。”
He was staring at me with an expression I didn’t understand。 His eyes were wide； like something had
deeply surprised him。
“What？” My joke hadn’t beenthat bad。
“You did it。” His tone was full of wonder。
“Wasn’t that the idea？”
“Yes； but… I guess I didn’t really think we were going to make it out。”
“You didn’t？ Then why… ？ Why did you let me try？”
He answered in a soft almost…whisper。 “I figured it was better to die trying than to live without the kid。”
For a moment； my throat was choked with emotion。 Mel was too overe to speak as well。 We were
a family in that one instant。 All of us。
I cleared my throat。 No need to feel things that would only e to nothing。
“It was very easy。 Probably any of you could get away with it； if you acted naturally。 She did look at my
neck。” I touched it reflexively。 “Your scar is too obviously homemade； but with the medicines I took；
Doc could fix that。”
“I doubt any of us could act so natural。”
“I do trust you；” he whispered。 “With all our lives； I trust you。”
And hehad trusted me with every single human life。 His； and Jamie’s； and everyone else’s。
“Thank you；” I whispered back。
“You did it；” he repeated in wonder。
“We’re going to save him。”
Jamie is going to live；Mel rejoiced。Thank you； Wanda。
Anything for them；I told her； and then I sighed； because it was so true。
After reattaching the tarps when we reached the wash； Jared took over the driving。 The way was
familiar to him； and he drove faster than I would have。 He had me get out before he pulled the car into its
impossibly small hiding place under the rock slide。 I waited for the sound of rock against metal； but Jared
found a way in。
And then we were back in the jeep and flying through the night。 Jared laughed； triumphant； as we jolted
across the open desert； and the wind carried his voice away。
“Where’s the blindfold？” I asked。
“Why？”
I looked at him。
“Wanda； if you wanted to turn us in； you had your chance。 No one can deny that you’re one of us now。”
I thought about that。 “I think some still could。 It would make them feel better。”
“Yoursome need to get over themselves。”
I was shaking my head now； picturing our reception。 “It’s not going to be easy； getting back in。 Imagine
what they’re thinking right now。 What they’re waiting for…”
He didn’t answer。 His eyes narrowed。
“Jared… if they… if they don’t listen… if they don’t wait…” I started talking faster； feeling a sudden
pressure； trying to get him all the information before it was too late。 “Give Jamie the No Pain first—lay
that on his tongue。 Then the Inside Clean spray—he just has to inhale it。 You’ll need Doc to —”
“Hey； hey！ You’re going to be the one giving the directions。”
“But let me tell you how —”
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”
“Jared —”
“Don’t panic。 I’ll aim low； and then you can use that stuff to heal ’em back up again。”
“If that’s a joke； it’s not funny。”
“No joke； Wanda。”
“Where’s the blindfold？”
He pressed his lips together。
But I had my old shirt—Jeb’s raggy hand…me…down。 That would work almost as well。
“This will make it a little bit easier for them to let us in；” I said as I folded it up into a thick band。 “And
that means getting to Jamie faster。” I tied it over my eyes。
It was quiet for a time。 The jeep bounced along the uneven terrain。 I remembered nights like this when
Melanie had been the passenger。…
“I’m taking us right to the caves。 There’s a place the jeep will be fairly well hidden for a day or two。 It
will save us time。”
I nodded。 Time was the key now。
“Almost there；” he said after a minute。 He exhaled。 “They’re waiting。”
I heard him fumbling beside me； heard a metal clank as he pulled the gun from the backseat。
“Don’t shoot anyone。”
“No promises。”
“Stop！” someone shouted。 The sound carried in the empty desert air。
The jeep slowed and then idled。
“It’s just us；” Jared said。 “Yes； yes； look。 See？ I’m still me。”
There was hesitation from the other side。
“Look—I’m bringing the jeep in under cover； okay？ We’ve got meds for Jamie； and we’re in a hurry。 I
don’t care what you’re thinking； you’re not going to get in my way tonight。”
The jeep pulled forward。 The sound changed and echoed as he found his cover。
“Okay； Wanda； everything’s fine。 Let’s go。”
“Up you go；” he said； and lifted me over his shoulder again。
I wasn’t as secure as before。 He used only one arm to hold me。 The other must have had the gun。 I
didn’t like that。
But I was worried enough to be grateful for it when I heard the running footsteps approaching。
“Jared； youidiot！ ” Kyl