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Chubs’s feet slowed beside me, and I saw for the first time how red his eyes were "Ruby…"

"Don’t say it," I warned, my voice sharp It wasn’t an option "Don’t"

I didn’t want to think about Lee I didn’t want to think about Zu or the other kids who had gotten out of ca If I stopped now, I kneould never be able to start again

The front rooms were clear The boxes and tubs had been removed I forced Chubs to walk behind e rooot hirimaced "When have we ever been that lucky?"

Upstairs, the bedroom was perfect Before he left, Clancy had made his bed, put away the stacks of paper and boxes, and, it appeared, dusted I ripped the white curtain back, joining the two halves of the roo the power button on and off

"They cut the electricity," he said "Want to bet they cut the water, too?"

I collapsed down in Clancy’s office chair and pressed ainst the dark wood Chubs tried to peel Liam’s wet jacket offto findmy eyes

"You dumbass," said Chubs affectionately He patted ht into trouble"

When I didn’t move, I felt his hand still on my shoulder "Ruby?"

"Why did he do this?" I whispered Everything in this rooanized the books by color on the shelves "He just threw them all to the wolves"

Chubs squatted down besidelike an old le hat he wanted to say next

"Far be it fro that hellhole of ain control In charge It made him feel powerful to manipulate people because he knew outside of this place he was just as vulnerable as the rest of us There are some people like that, you know? The darkest minds tend to hide behind the ood leader act, but he wasn’t like…he wasn’t like Lee--or Jack He didn’t want to help kids because he believed everyone deserved to feel strong and protect the of himself He would never have jumped in front of another person and…He would never have taken a bullet"

At that, I sat up "I thought Jack was shot escaping?"

Chubs shook his head "Jack was shot protecting me, and he protected ht I couldn’t protect ht me"