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"Is there anyone else who doesn’t want to go?" Niko asked the little kids

They all were silent

They looked terrified, clutching their gas masks

But none of them came forward

We only took down the center panels The side panels could stay up because the bus only needed to go through the center doors

And after refusing to put on the layers so dra with the faceto come into our space

We’d have to put the wall back up as soon as we could

"Coet on board now," Niko said "We’re wasting tied over to us and we hugged theed on my fat, padded arm

He pressed Luna’s leash into my hand

"Keep Luna," he said "And you ot on the bus

Saying good-bye to the stabbed in the heart

Little Caroline and Henry eeping They clung to me until Josie pried them off and sent them up the stairs

"Dean," Caroline called "You have to come You’re our favorite!"

"I’m sorry, Caroline I have to stay here and keep Astrid and Chloe safe"

"Tell Chloe we said ‘bye’, okay?" she said

Tears rolled down her freckled cheeks This was agony

Alex was sitting near Brayden at the front of the bus He wouldn’t look at one and tried to talk hiate He’d given instructions to Niko to give to Astrid

"So when you hear the air horn," Niko told her now "That ate Then when you hear it a second time, that means put it back up"

Astrid nodded

"I’o with you"

"I know," he said

"You were a great leader," she told hi had this terribly final feel to it

"Good luck," he said

"You, too"

And Astrid went to wait for the air horn

The bus was running now

Josie and Sahalia were standing by with their air masks on

All we had to do was take down the last panels and then blow the horn for Astrid to retract the center gate

"Wait!" I said

I had an idea I turned froo!!!" Niko shouted

I hurdled through the store

Searching for what I needed

I was breathless when I got back

I saw Josie and Sahalia were on the bus I had forfeited ood-bye to them It didn’t matter

I took the stairs to the bus in two steps

There he was Front row

"Alex," I said "Take this"

I held out a blank journal, just like mine, and a box of pens

"You take this and you write down everything that happens You write it all and you write it toand he reached his ed

"That way I’ll knohat happens to you," I said

"I will," he said "I promise"

Niko and I unscrewed the last of the screws