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You winked at me

Hana looks startled "You two know each other?" She shoots a look at ed tords with a boy before, unless it’s "Excuseon your toes" when I trip on somebody We’re not supposed to have more than minimal contact with uncured boys outside of our own families Even after they’ve been cured, there’s hardly a need or excuse for it, unless we’re dealing with a doctor or teacher or someone like that

He turns to look at me His face is completely professional and co in his eyes, a look of amusement or pleasure "No," he says smoothly "We’ve never met I’m sure I would re at me?

"I’m Hana," Hana says "And this is Lena" She jabsthere with ed to speak He’s lying I know he’s the one I saw yesterday, would bet my life on it

"Alex Nice to meet you" Alex keeps his eyes on me as he and Hana shake hands Then he extends a hand to htfully "I’ve never heard that na handsdress-up in an adult’s too-big clothing

Besides, I’ve never actually touched skin-to-skin with a stranger But he’s just standing there with his hand out, so after a second I reach out and shake The h dalena," I say

"Magdalena" Alex tips his head back, watching me from narrowed eyes "Pretty"

I’m momentarily distracted by the way he says ular, the way my teachers have always made it sound His eyes are a warsyrup over a stack of pancakes I look away, feeling asha the memory up, has reached in with his hand and wrenched it frory, and I press on, "I do know you I saw you yesterday in the labs You were on the observation deck, watching--watching everything" Again, e failsnore her She must be furious I haven’t told her any of this

Alex’s face doesn’t change He doesn’t blink or drop his smile for even a fraction of a second "Case of uess Guards aren’t allowed in the labs during evaluations Especially not part-tier we stand there, staring at each other Now I know he’s lying, and the easy, lazy grin on his face makes me want to reach out and slap hi myself to stay cal so aggravated

Hana ju the tension "So this is it? A part-tins?"

Alex keeps his eyes on er Then he turns to look at Hana as though noticing her for the first tiht the labs would be better protected, that’s all It doesn’t seem like it would be too hard to break into this place"

Alex raises his eyebrows "Thinking about oes to ice She has gone too far If Alex reports us as potential sy, we’re in for ation--and we can kiss our chances of passing the evaluations with decent scores good-bye I picture a lifeti Andrew Marcus fish snot out of his nose with a thumbnail and feel queasy

Alex must sense our fear, because he raises both hands

"Relax I was kidding You don’t exactly seem like terrorists" It occurs toshorts and sweaty tank tops and neon sneakers Or at least, I must look ridiculous Hana looks like acoulators decided on the segregation of boys and girls: Otherwise, it would have been a nightry and self-conscious and confused and annoyed all the ti area, anyway, for freight and stuff" Alex gestures beyond the line of cargo sheds

"Real security starts closer to the facilities Full- ti"

Hana doesn’t look atinto her voice "The loading area? Like, where the deliveries co, don’t say anything du duot it"

Hana dances on her feet, shifting her weight back and forth I try to shoot her a warning look, but she avoids my eyes

"So this is where the trucks come? With medical equipain I have the i behind Alex’s eyes, even as the rest of his face stays totally neutral I don’t trust hi in the labs yesterday Maybe only because it’s forbidden, like he said Maybe because he was laughing instead of trying to help out

And nize me We made eye contact for only a few seconds, and I’m sure to hiet

Not pretty Not ugly, either Just plain, like a thousand other faces you would see on the street

He, on the other hand, isinsane to e boy, even if he is cured, and though ets razor sharp,look ultra-detailed I notice the way a piece of his hair curls around his scar, like a frae brown hands and the whiteness of his teeth and the perfect symmetry of his face His jeans are faded and belted low on his hips, and the laces in his sneakers are the weirdest ink-color blue, like he has colored them in with a pen