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"I know Major Bob says we’re going on a big plane" He nods toward Major Bob, starts to wave at hi plane? When?"

He shrugs "Soon" He’s picked up Bear Now he exa him over in his hands "His ear’s ripped," he points out accusingly, like I’ve shirked ht?" I ask "Saht?"

"That’s what Major Bob said He said they’re vaculating all nonessentials"

"Vaculating? Oh Okay, so they’re evacuating the kids" My h it Is that the way out? Just stroll on board with the others and take our chances e land--wherever we land? God, why did I ditch the white jumpsuit? But even if I kept it and was able to sneak onto the plane, that wasn’t the plan

There’s going to be escape pods somewhere on the base--probably near the command center or Vosch’s quarters Basically they’re one-rammed to land you safely at some spot far from the base Don’t ask y, but I’ll explain how you operate one If you can find one, and if both of you can fit in one, and if you live long enough to find one to fit in

That’s a lot of ifs Maybe I should beat up a kidhave you been here, Cassie?" Sa hier than I wanted to be," Ihere aso one death ca with Bear’s torn ear Not his first injury by a long shot I’ve lost count of how many times Mom had to patch him up He has et Saht at me and asks, "Where’s Daddy?"

My ht about telling him--or how to tell hiet coht as we’re preparing to er

"He’s waiting for us back at Camp Ashpit"

His lower lip starts to quiver "Daddy isn’t here?"

"Daddy is busy," I say, hoping to shut hi it "That’s why he sentyou"

I pull hioes, "But what about the plane?"

"You’ve been buo"

I grab his hand and head for the tunnel, keepingtoward the nearest exit like Shaggy and Scooby tinkle-toeing is sure to draw attention I even bark at soet out of the way If someone tries to stop us, I won’t shoot the him to a doctor before he pukes all over himself and everybody else If they don’t buy my story, then I shoot them

And then we’re in the tunnel and, incredibly, there is a doctor walking straight at us, half his face hidden behind a surgical oes my clever cover story, which means if he stops us I’ll have to shoot him As we draw closer, I see him casually drop his hand into the pocket of his white coat, and the alarm sounds inside my head, the same alarm that went off in the convenience store behind the beer coolers right before I pu soldier

I have one half of one half second to decide

This is the first rule of the last war: Trust no one

I level the silencer at his chest as his hand eun

Butis one half of one half second?

Long enough for a little boy who doesn’t know the first rule to leap between the gun and the rifle

"Sa up the shot My little brother hops onto his toes; his fingers tear at the doctor’s mask and yank it down

I’d hate to see the look on my face when that mask came down and I saw the face behind it Thinner than I remelazed over, like he’s sick or hurt, but I recognize it, I knohose face was hidden behind that mask I just can’t process it

Here, in this place A thousand years later and a h School Here, in the belly of the beast at the bottoht in front of me

Benjamin Tho a full-bore out-of-body experience, seeing herself seeing hiyhts went out, and then only the back of his head, and the only times that she’s seen him since happened in her mind, the rational part of which always knew Ben Parish was dead like everyone else

"Zombie!" Sammy calls "I kneas you"

Zo hi that deep Isit on purpose, to sound older?

"Zombie, that’s Cassie," Sam chides him "You know--Cassie"

"Cassie?" Like he’s never heard the name before

"Zombie?" I say, because I really haven’t heard that naht help hiret it I knohat h school," I say, drawing h my chopped-off locks "I sit in front of you in Honors Che out the cobwebs

Sa"

"Quiet, Sam," I scold hiet now, Cassie," Sam informs me

"Well, sure it is" I turn to Ben "You know et his attitude Not that I expect him to throw his arms around me or even reht, and he’s still holding the gun by his side