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"It is believed that these sae of violence in the city of Tucson," says the anchorman "The Juvenile Authority hopes this raid will allow the citizens of Tucson to rest easy once more"
How could this happen? After all the horrific things Risa has done for the past two months to prevent this raid--to keep Connor and Hayden and everyone there safe--the Juvies raided anyway Maybe it was always going to happen, and Roberta’s bargain was a lie fro How could Risa have been so stupid as to trust anything that woer pokes his head in the door "Three minutes, Miss Ward"
Risa never considered herself a violent girl Sure, she’s always been more than able to defend herself, but she was never the kind of girl to initiate or enjoy brutality Yet in this moment, she knows she would kill Roberta if she had the means to do it
Then she realizes she doesn’t have to In less than threelive to a national audience She doesn’t have to kill Roberta She can unwind her
- - -
Bright, unnatural light A TV studio with no audience A well-knos personality in a suit and tie, looking smaller and older in person than he does on TV Three cameras--one on him, one on Risa, one on Cam As they wait for the show to come back from co both of you questions First about Risa’s decision to support unwinding, then about the process of rewinding that ostensibly led to Cam’s ‘birth,’ if you will, and finally I’ll ask about your relationship, and how you two found each other I know they’re all questions you’ve been asked before, but I’ fresh"
"Well, we’ll certainly do our best," Risa says, with a grin that’s a little too pleasant
Cam leans over to her and whispers, "We should hold hands"
"There’s no wide shot," she points out "No one will see"
"We should anyway"
But this tier counts down froht on camera one comes on
"Welco the current police action in Arizona, our guests tonight have a certainresonance, if you will A, would not even exist Risa Ward and Camus Comprix"
A , as he proned to throw her off balance
"Miss Ward, as a former AWOL yourself, what’s your take on the raid in Arizona? Do you support the unwinding of these runaways?"
Nothing he asks can fluster her, because she already knows exactly what she’s going to say Risa turns to look right into camera thich has just come on
"I feel it’s iins "I a"
74 - Roberta
Had Roberta been paying attention, things one down at all To her credit, her bargain with Risa was an honest, if intensely s, and was able to confirm with the Juvenile Authority that there were no iraveyard Should that change, Roberta would be given as to prevent such a raid Roberta has never been about deceit She’s about results
However, she has been so wrapped up in theof modern times, she’s not aware of the homes set on fire in Tucson, and the brazen youth who set theer of all unwound storks Yes, the Juvenile Authority was supposed to notify Roberta of the raid through her associates at Proactive Citizenry But like any spiderlike organization, the fangs of Proactive Citizenry don’t knohat the spinneret is doing Once the news hit the airwaves, of course, her phone began to ring her pocket off--but she’s been too fed up with tootoo much of her time to answer it
Thus, Roberta does not know about the raid until the intervieith Risa and Cains And by then it’s too late
- - -
Roberta sits in the greenroom, the studio’s pleasant little ready roo a monitor that broadcasts from the studio down the hall Her expression of horror could curdle the nondairy creamer
"I a," Risa says "Unwinding le most evil act sanctioned by the hu cool under fire, stammers for a moment "But all those public service announce blackreenrooht is on It’s supposed to be a warning not to go in, since the ca she has no intention of heeding
In the corridor around her are a series ofRisa’s diatribe Her face is on every screen, looking at Roberta from half a dozen different directions
"I was threatened and blackroup called Proactive Citizenry Oh, they have lots of other names, like the Consortium of Concerned Taxpayers and the National Whole Health Society, but it’s all smoke and mirrors"
"Yes, I’m aware of Proactive Citizenry," the newsroup? A charitable organization?"
"Charitable to whoe door, she’s intercepted by a security guard
"I’ht now"
"Let "
His response is to stand firm and call for backup, so Roberta heads for the control booth instead
"They claim to control the Juvenile Authority," Risa continues "They clais Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t, but believe me, Proactive Citizenry has no one’s interests at heart but its own"
The shot cuts to Caoes back to the newsman