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"So what do we do if it says things are getting dangerous?"

"Damned if I know," Hayden says "That’s Connor’s department"

There’s a console from which Hayden creates playlists and runs interviews for his Radio Free Hayden show

"You realize that it doesn’t broadcast any farther than you can shout," Starkey tells him with a smirk

"Of course not," Hayden says "If it did, then the Juvies could pick it up"

"If no one is listening, then who’s it for?"

"First off," says Hayden, "your assu is incorrect I estiiven time"

"Yes," says Tad "Heit, "it’s preparing , which I plan to pursue once I turn seventeen and get out of this place"

"Not hanging around to help Connor, huh?"

"My loyalty has the half-life of unpasteurized milk," Hayden tells him "I’d take a bullet for Connor, and he knows it But only until I’htforward until Esht you already were seventeen"

Hayden shifts his shoulders uncomfortably "Last year didn’t count"

Next to Jeevan is a printout A list of names, addresses, and dates Starkey picks it up "What’s this?"

"Our goodus a list of all the kids slated for unwinding from here all the way to Phoenix"

"These are the kids for your rescue missions?"

"Not all of them," Hayden says "We pick and choose We can’t save everyone, but we do e can" He points out the highlighted names--the ones chosen for rescue--and as Starkey looks over the list, he starts to get angry There’s infor birth dates--except for the ones who don’t have a birth date Instead a stork date is listed None of the storked kids are highlighted

"So you and Connor don’t like saving storked kids?" Starkey asks, not even atte to hide the chill in his voice

Hayden looks genuinely perplexed and takes the list to look at it "Hmm, I hadn’t noticed Anyway, it’s not part of our criteria We look for only-children in dihborhoods It means fewer people to squeal on us, and less of a chance of being seen See, brothers and sisters can’t keep their uess ive them to people who are parents already Hard to find a storked only child"

"Well," says Starkey, "e the criteria"

Hayden shrugs like it’s nothing, like it doesn’t really rier "Take it up with Connor," he says, then goes on with his grand tour of the co anymore

- - -

The revelation in the Coles out all the storked kids in the Graveyard It’s not an easy task, becausea shameful secret Starkey, however, makes no secret of his own doorstep arrival, and soon the storked kids begin to seek hi him as their champion

As it turns out, a full fourth of the Graveyard population are storks He keeps that inforirl named Bam, who at first hated him because he took her place in the Holy of Whollies, warms to him quickly because she’s a stork as well "If you want your revenge on Connor, be patient," he tells her "It will come" She reluctantly takes his word for it

One day Starkey catches Connor when he’s busy supervising the disine

"Is there a buyer for it, or are they gonna put it up for sale?" Starkey asks pleasantly

"They asked for it in the front office, that’s all I know"

"The engine says Rolls-Royce--I thought they only made cars"

"Nope"

Starkey keeps chatting about pointless stuff, until he’s sure that Connor is irritated at having to divide his attention between the engine and Starkey That’s when Starkey pulls out what he’s been hiding up his sleeve

"Listen, I’ve been thinkingyou knoas storked, right? And well, you know, it’s nothing big, but I thought it ht be nice to make some special reserved time just for storked kids at the Rec Jet Just to show theainst anymore"

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Connor says, as he stares at the engine, happy to be ending the conversation He never even realizes what he’s just given away

Starkey calls his little group the Stork Club and stakes out the hour between seven and eight every evening While everyone’s looking somewhere else, a new class distinction rises within the Graveyard The Stork Club is the only minority with special e that these kids have never had before--and Starkey wants theet used to it He wants them all to expect it--and to know that Starkey can deliver

Since Starkey runs food services,positions, and dole out larger servings to other storks with a wink In the Holy of Whollies, the only ones who see alliances are Ashley, whose job it is to root out social flare points, and that obnoxious Sherman kid who replaced John as head of waste and sanitation It turns out Ralphy was easily bribed to look the other way, and as for Ashley, Starkey prettystorks special treateneral population?" Ashley asks hiht

"Well," Starkey tells her with a eneral population can kiss my ass"

It makes Ashley blush just a little bit "Just try to keep a low profile, okay?"

Still bea charm, he says, "It’s what I do best," and serves her a nice heaping portion, all the while calculating how she ht secretly play into his plans

"You’re a hard guy to read," she tells hiet inside your head"

To which he responds, "The feeling’s"the stork hour" at the Rec Jet, Starkey plants tiny seeds of discontent over ga a revolution, just innocent suggestions to encourage certain directions of thought

"I think Connor’s done a good job for a guy who’s not all that smart," he tells them offhandedly Or, "I really like Connor He’s not uy?"

Starkey never shows any open defiance; that would be counterproductive It’s not about tearing Connor down, it’s about rotting out his roots He won’t even suggest that he should be the one taking Connor’s place That suggestion will eventually come fro from him He knows it will happen, because he knows that every storked kid, deep down, dreams of a world where they’re not considered second-class citizens That makes Starkey more than just the leader of a club It makes him the hope for storked salvation