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"We needed you!" Sahalia said accusingly "We lost … we lost people Brayden got shot! If you had come…" She couldn’t finish the sentence, but she didn’t really need to

Mrs Wooly pushed some hair out of Sahalia’s face She took Sahalia’s hand in hers

"Oh, Sahalia, I’m so sorry I’m so sorry that whatever happened happened It ravelly voice

"I et a hold of a bus to couys and there was this little kind of riot there and then this alert came over the radio I had to report for duty That’s how it is for us When called to serve, we gotta serve But I swear to you I’ve spent every et you rescued But none of that matters You’re here Youin a Kia minivan," Max said

"A Kia?! No way, honey I only drive Subarus And school buses" She rustled Max’s hair "You should see the Airbuses, kids A whole fleet of A380s Loading and flying and loading and flying You’ll be on the next one out I’ to Alaska?" Max asked

"But Mrs Wooly--" I said

"You hts to Canada Vancouver, Ottawa, BC"

"But Mrs Wooly--" Niko tried to interrupt

"They got hitThis tiuys will be safe Maybe somewhere sunny even"

Max and Ulysses looked at each other and so back"

"Go back?" she said, puzzled

"Dean and Astrid and Chloe and Caroline and Henry are still at the store," I said

She hite and said, "Hell"

Mrs Wooly grabbed the first reservist she saw He was a young guy, chewing gu neck and the kind of head that bobs a lot She took hiave him a bunch of directions She looked serious He looked half-irritated, half-auy

"Kids, this is Frank He’s going to get you on the next plane out of here"

"What?" I said "No!"

"I’et your brother and the others But look," she told us, leaning in closer "You gotta get out of here now It er"

"What do you ?" Niko said

"Just go with Frank!" Mrs Wooly ordered "He’ll get you guys on the next plane out of here I have to go!"

And with that she started running--running away frorabbed a wheelchair for Max and deposited him in it

"Follow me, squirts," he said

He went and looked at the call-board and said, "Gate A-40," and then, "All right, let’s get this done"

Niko looked pissed Sahalia looked scared And I was just puzzled

We all just followed along as Frank led us to the elevator and then down to the shuttle train

Myup to the ht not be safe for uess I was in a daze

A shuttle caet on

Frank pulled n that read: RESTRICTED! MILITARY PERSONNEL ONLY

The soldiers in the car were all talking to one another and asking one another questions and checking their gear They were excited--anxious--stirred up about so But what?

Our shuttle came and Frank pushed his way in with Max’s wheelchair The rest of us jammed in near them

I asked Frank, "What did Mrs Wooly mean, it’s not safe?"

"Can’t tell you," he said "Sorry, kid"

Niko caught my eye

"He probably doesn’t know," Niko said dismissively "He probably doesn’t have security clearance"

"What do you know about the military?" Frank snorted

"Are reservists even in the military?" I asked "You’re not even in the Army"

"We are too in the Aroing on?" Niko taunted

"Operation Phoenix," Frank said, indignant "A battery of thermobaric bos"

"They’re going to burn the air," Niko gasped

"Yeah! Big-time!" Frank clucked "Gotta try to incinerate the co to spread It’s called ther about?" Sahalia asked

"Nothing you need to know, ht he was so cool because he’d shocked us into silence

At the gate a soldier was entleht here Seating is open Keep faot in line

Ulysses and Max were playing around with the wheelchair, Ulysses tilting Max back and Max laughing like crazy

"You can leave us now, if you want," Niko told Frank Nikoshot, somehow "I mean, you must have a lot to do…"

"Yeah, I do," Frankhis neck "I’et on the plane ourselves," I said