Page 52 (1/2)

“What are you talking about? Why not?” I asked

“Civilians are not allowed in there Ito the stockade, and that’d be harder to get out of than would be getting in, so don’t even think of that as an option,” he looked at me sternly

“What about if I’ested I could fake a et one, if necessary

“No We coht They don’t want to risk conta in the world right now”

“Okay, so what are we looking at here?” I tried to think of it all rationally “What do I have to get through, step by step to see Max?”

“Uuards standing by the door “Then the first floor is all military, and they’re like frat boys in there

“Second floor isquarters and basic first aid type stuff,” Blue went on “That wouldn’t be so hard to get by If you could get up there, I could get you solance”

“Why can’t you just steal uards keep track of every person who coone out and didn’t belong in scrubs They have such high security at the doors, once you’re in, they assu

“If you could get past the first floor, I could get you to the third floor” Blue chewed his lip, thinking “If you gave et a pass key… but it doesn’t et in the first place”

“I can do it,” I nodded confidently, and Blue raised his eyebrow at et me in” I’m not sure how Tatum would feel about that assertion, but I could do it I had to

“You really think so?” Blue asked, because he clearly didn’t

“Look, if I canthrough a door”

“All right” He didn’t argue with that logic

“Can you get a passkey by tomorrow?” I asked

“I don’t know Maybe It’d be better if I waited another day or two”

“But you could get it by touess,” he shrugged uncertainly

“Okay Then… we’ll plan on toive you twenty-four hours to get everything in order,” I said

Blue reluctantly agreed to it, but I knew that if anyone could help me with this, it was him Since I’d known him, he’d proven himself to be trustworthy and capable at every turn He went back into the building, and I made my way over to the mess hall for supper

Now all I had to do was convince Tatuet me inside

– 19 –

Lazlo slept on the couch, and I didn’t try to talk him out of it, mostly because I didn’twant to talk to hi earlier, I’ about it She atteh the tension, but it didn’t work for either of us