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I had a plan before I even realized it

While Martin entertained his of chips and chocolate bars A flash of guilt cut through , but, really, as I even stealing fro to call the cops on me?

"There’s only one bathroo it first Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll leave some water for you"

Maybe if I’m lucky, you’ll drown yourself in it

He slaht have felt about leaving him behind disappeared Maybe it was cruel of uilty about abandoning hi, but there was no way I could tell hi Cate and Rob I didn’t trust hih to believe he wouldn’t shout for the out of what had been Sarah’s--Norah’s--scrubs, leaving the under theiveaway to what I was, but the scrubs were too baggy to run in I needed to get away fast

Martin must have turned the faucet up all the way, because I could hear the water sputtering as I stepped around so s

I came around a shelf just in ti Cate He patted around his jacket pockets, and out came a cell phone Whoever it was, he wasn’t all that happy to be talking to them After a minute, he threw the phone at Cate and moved to the driver’s side of the car She turned her back toout what looked to be a ain, he had a long black object tucked under one ar another by its barrel Cate took the rifle fro at it, and pulled its strap over her shoulder Like it belonged there

I recognized them--of course I did Every PSF officer that walked the perimeter of the electric fence carried an M16 rifle, and I was sure every cah up on the Tower had one within reach, too Is that what they’re going to use on us? I wondered Or are they expecting me to use one, too?

The rational part ofdown the chaos of panic and terror that had overtaken me Maybe there was a reason Rob had killed those kids Maybe they had tried to hurt hih they were tied up, or ue

The realization rose insidein its path Just the thought, the i expected to fire one of them… Is that what it would take to be a part of their family?

Or would I have to be like Martin and become the weapon myself?

My dad had served as a cop for over seven years before he had to shoot someone He never told me the whole story I had to hear it secondhand from the kids in e situation, I guess

It wrecked him Dad wouldn’t coinia Beach to pick me up When I ca had happened at all