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The Passage Justin Cronin 38390K 2023-09-01

They’d have to seal the level, Grey knew That meant Davis would be stuck down here, too As for ould happen to him, he didn’t know He didn’t want to think about it He wasn’t really sick, he knew thatwith hi that ever made him puke

"You’re sure?" Davis pressed "Iwith you?"

Grey nodded A drop of sweat slithered the length of his torso

"Man, what a fking day" Davis sighed resignedly "All right, hang on" He tossed Grey the elevator key and freed his co for you, okay?" He spoke into the mouthpiece "This is the sentry on three? We need a relief worker-"

But Grey didn’t stay to listen He was already in the elevator, gone

Chapter ELEVEN

Somewhere west of the town of Randall, Oklahoast decided to surrender

They were parked inside a car wash, off a rural blacktop the nuotten It was almost dawn; Amy was fast asleep, curled like a cub on the backseat of the Tahoe Three hours of driving hard and fast, Doyle calling out a route he quickly asse in the distance behind the when theyup their trail It was just after two AM when Wolgast had seen the car wash He took a chance and pulled in They’d sat in the dark and listened to the cruisers fly past

"How long do you think we should wait?" Doyle asked All his bluster had left him

"A while," Wolgast said "Let theive them time to set up roadblocks at the state line Or double back when they realize they’ve lost us"

"You have a better idea I’d like to hear it," Wolgast said

Doyle thought aover the windshield made the space in the car seem closer "Not really, no"

So they’d sat At any second Wolgast expected the car wash to blaze with light, to hear the a them to come out with their hands up But this hadn’t happened They had a signal now, but it was analog and wouldn’t encrypt, so there was no way to tell anyone where they were

"Listen," Doyle said "I’ast was too tired to engage The fair see is, I really liked my job The Bureau, all of it It’s all I ever wanted to do" Doyle took a deep breath and fingered a bead of condensation on the passenger"What do you think’s going to happen?"

"I don’t know"

Doyle frowned acidly "Yeah you do That guy, Richards You were right about hiast checked his watch; it was a little before six They’d waited as long as they could He turned the key to the Tahoe and backed out of the car wash

A about "I’ast turned to Doyle "How about it?"

Doyle hesitated; Wolgast could see the idea taking shape in his ht as well"

Wolgast turned the Tahoe around and headed back in the direction they’d cohfare didn’t a An air of abandon over the street; most of the ere papered over or smeared with soap Probably there was a Wal store like that, the kind that wiped little towns like Randall right off the ht spilled onto the sidewalk; a half dozen pickups were angled at the curb

"Breakfast," he declared

The restaurant was a single, narrow rooarette s counter stood to one side, facing a line of padded, high-backed booths The air smelled of boiled coffee and fried butter A few men in jeans and workshirts were seated at the counter, their broad backs hunched over plates of eggs and cups of coffee The three of theed woht over coffee and entlery and would stick to coffee Wolgast looked up at the woood, Luanne?"

"It’s all good if you’re hungry" She sast nodded and passed his menu to her "Sounds fine"

The woman looked at Amy "For the little one? Whatcha want, honey?"

Alass of ht up," the woman said "You’ll like ’eht her backpack into the restaurant Wolgast walked her back to the ladies’ room to clean up "You need me to come in with you?"

Amy shook her head

"Wash your face and brush your teeth," he said "And co to the doctor?"

"I don’t think so We’ll see"

Wolgast returned to the table "Listen," he said quietly to Doyle "I don’t want to drive into a roadblock So was plain All that firepower, anything could happen Next thing you knew, the Tahoe was riddled with rounds and everyone was dead

"What about the district office in Wichita?"

"Too far I don’t see hoe could get there And at this point, I’ to say they ever heard of us This is all off the books"

Doyle gazed down into his coffee cup His face was drawn, defeated, and Wolgast experienced a blast of syained for