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Surely Theo had known that; that was the largeness inside hi Rides Peter had ainst Theo, what hisshe’d died Take care of your brother, Theo He’s not strong, like you The truth was the truth, and as the years went by, Peter discovered that knowing this about himself was bearable; at times it al their father had attempted, built on a faith that flew in the face of every fact, and if Theo was to be the Jaxon to shoulder this burden-shoulder it for the two of the Arlo that there was no point, that the only thing left to do was keep the lights on as long as they could-saying this to Arlo, of all people, who had a Little in the Sanctuary-this was not the Theo he knew Soed in his brother He wondered what it could be

They stayed at the station five days Finn and Rey spent the first day restoring power to the fence, then got to work on the west field, regreasing the turbine housings Arlo, Theo, and Alicia took turns escorting the well before sundown to lock the place down tight With nothing else to occupy his ti solo froh a box of books in the storage rooe of titles: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, A History of the Ottoe (Classics of Western Literature) In the back of each book was a cardboard pocket, printed with the words PROPERTY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, and tucked inside it a card with a list of dates in faded ink: Septeot these?" he asked Theo one night, after the group had returned from the field A pile of books was stacked on the floor by Peter’s bunk

Theo was rinsing his face at the washbasin He turned, drying his hands on the front of his shirt "I think they’ve been here a long time I don’t know if Zander could read ood?"

Peter held up the book he had been reading: Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

"To tell you the truth, I’lish," Peter said "It’s taken ave a tired-sounding laugh "Let’s see that ankle"

Theo sat on the edge of Peter’s cot Gently he took Peter’s foot in his hands and rolled it on the joint The two of theht of the attack None of them had, really

"Well, it looks better" Theo rubbed his stubbled chin His eyes, Peter saere holloith exhaustion "The swelling’s down Think you can ride?"

"I’d crawl if I had to, to get out of here"

They set out after breakfast the next reed to stay behind with Rey and Finn until the next relief party arrived Caleb said he wanted to stay too, but Theo convinced hi as they stayed inside the fence, a fourth was unnecessary And Caleb had been through uns Theo wanted to leave theued that it made no sense to leave them all behind They still didn’t knohat had happened to Zander or why the smokes hadn’t killed Caleb when they’d had the chance In the end, they reached a couns outside the Wall for safekeeping The rest would stay under the stairs

"I doubt I’ll need ’e up "Any sh it was also true that he earing a rifle over his shoulder Alicia had shown him how to load and clean it and let him fire off a few rounds in the yard for practice "Holy da voice, and squeezed off another round, knocking the target can clean off its post "Is that ever soun, it was a hard thing to let go of

"I mean what I say, Arlo," Theo warned The horses, after sobeneath theht Stay inside the fence Lock it down each night before you see the first shadow Agreed?"

"No worries, cuz" Grinning through his beard, Arlo looked at Finn and Rey, whose faces, Peter thought, did nothing to conceal their feeling of doom Stuck in the station with Arlo and his stories; probably he’d just break down and sing for the from Arlo’s neck was the key they’d taken frouys," Arlo called to the wrenches, and clapped his hands "Buck up It’ll be like a party" But as he stepped to Theo’s horse, his expression sobered abruptly "Put this in your pouch," Arlo said quietly, slipping hih and the baby, if anything happens"

Theo tucked the paper aithout looking at it "Ten days Stay inside"

"Ten days, cuz"

They rode out into the valley Without a cart to pull, they cut across the fields toward Banning, bypassing the Eastern Road to shave a few kilo their energies for the long ride ahead

As they approached the edge of town, Theo drew up

"I al and reate, six days ago "Anybody reside, taking the board from Theo to examine it "It’s a motherboard Intel chip, Pion series See the nine? That’s how you can tell"

"You know about this stuff?"

"Have to" With a shrug, Caleb handed the board back to Theo "The turbine controls use Pions Ours are hardened h as nails and faster than snot Sixteen gigahertz without overclocking"

Peter atching Theo’s expression: he had no idea what this meant, either

"Well, Michael wants one"

"You should have said so We have plenty of extras at the station"

Alicia laughed "I have to say, you surprise me, Caleb You sound like the Circuit I didn’t even know you wrenches could read"

Caleb twisted in the saddle to face her; but if he was offended, he gave no sign "Are you kidding me? What else is there to do down here? Zander was always sneaking off to the library to get more books There’re, like, boxes and boxes of them stacked in the toolshed And not just technical stuff Guy would read anything Said books werethan people"

For a moment, no one spoke

"What did I say?" asked Caleb

The library was located near the Ee of town: a squat, square building surrounded by hardpan tufted with tall weeds They took shelter behind a filling station and dis and scanned the building

"It’s pretty sanded up The s are still intact above ground level, though The building looks tight"

"Can you see inside?" Peter asked

"The sun’s too bright, reflecting off the glass" He passed the binoculars to Alicia and turned to Hightop "You’re certain?"

"That Zander came here?" The boy nodded "Yes, I’o with him?"

"Are you serious?"

Alicia had cla station to have a better look

"Anything?"

She dren the binoculars "You’re right, the sun’s too bright I don’t see how there’d be anything inside, though, with all those s"

"That’s what Zander always said," Caleb added

"I don’t get it," Peter said "Why would he come out here alone?"