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"Shut the door--Ruby!" Cole sla off in The way his voice iht me up short "Shut the door"

I kicked it shut behindmy arms over my chest

"It is a death sentence to send that kid into Thurmond," I told him "He won’t be able to handle it, and even if he could, who’s to say they’ll take hiraot the flash drive out," Cole said

"Like there aren’t others?" I said

"You were fine with sending Tommy and Pat into Oasis," Senator Cruz reminded me She knew about this, too

"I’ as eyes and ears only, and we’ll have theet away to install the prograet away from the Control Tower once it’s coest?" Cole asked "Really, I’ht of Zu’s reaction to Vida and Chubs leaving, the pale shock that had wrapped its icy hands over her If Nico was right, and this was the only way, then itI took a deep breath in,into fists Wouldn’t it have to beback there would destroy him But I could--if it helped the people I loved, if it helped every kid that came after us--I could accept that it was the role I was ht Clancy had already confires You would have to convince the to clear the thoughts Last resort This was a last resort plan

"I think we need to consider Liao more indirect Use the e down, shake up that last bit of trust people have in hiovernnore evidence of abuse and wrongdoing for long They’ll step in--"

"Sweetheart, they’ve been ignoring evidence for years," Senator Cruz said "They tried to drop aid into the country and it backfired Gray threatened to shoot their planes out of the sky if they crossed into our airspace again I’ve tried and tried"

"We just have to get theht proof," I said "We can use Lillian Gray’s words about the cure and whatever she knows about what caused IAAN to prove it’s safe for them to travel in, and help overthrow Gray Haven’t there been peacekeeping forces formed in the past?"

"We have a deal Oasis for supplies," Senator Cruz said sharply, turning to look at Cole "Are you reneging?"

"No, I pro," he said, both hands out and placating "It’s natural to have cold feet before an Op like this Can I speak to Ruby alone for a few lance in my direction as she exited the room and pulled the door firmly shut behind her

"Talk toon in that head of yours"

"We should keep the plan for Oasis, but I think we need to rethink our approach to Thurmond Nico won’t be able to handle the strain, and we have no guarantee he’d even be brought in We don’t have to be the League--default on a straightforward assault"

Cole let out a huain "Do you knohy that becay? It wasn’t always that way Alban tried for years to release the truth about Gray and the quality of life in the caht-up eh fell flat It wasn’t that people didn’t care It was that their heads were already in Gray’s gaain, that if they took their kids out of his ca to work, it’s not just about getting the parents there, it’sto come And if you don’t think the PSFs wouldn’t open fire on civilians, you are dead wrong, Ruby Dead wrong"

"There hasn’t been a situation like this before, though," I said "You can’t know for sure"

The ed and screeched as Cole reached into the bottoain He stood up and began slapping down sheets of paper across the eruesome echo of the pictures’ contents

They were--all of those pictures were of kids in those thin, color-coded camp uniforms, black Psi ID numbers across their backs Some of their eyes were open, but more often than not, they weren’t Some were bloodied, their faces swollen A few looked like they were just sleeping

The only thing they had in co, eet these?" I whispered

"Ao," Cole said "I don’t think I need to tell you that these aren’t doctored, no matter how hard Gray’s cronies try to spin it on the news shows"

I shooklike I was about to crawl out of my own skin I would have backed away if there was roo in over