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Arasped Tally’s shoulders in the darkness

"You made it!" It was David’s voice

In her surprise, Tally couldn’t speak, but pulled hi her face in his chest

"Who else is with you?"

She shook her head

"Oh," David whispered Then his grip tightened as the cave shuddered around them The roar of a hovercar passed slowly overhead, and Tally i every crevice in the rock for signs of their prey

Had she led them to David? That would be perfect, her final betrayal

The low ruain, and David pulled her deeper into the blackness, down a long, twisting path that grew colder and darker A stillness settled around her, daain the trainload of dead Rusties buried a the stones

They waited in silence for what see to speak until long after the sounds of the cars had faded

Finally David whispered, "What’s happening back at the S"

"I know I saw" He held her tighter "I couldn’t sleep, so I took ht over e But what’s happening now?"

"They put everyone in the rabbit pen, separating us into groups Croy said they’re going to take us all back to our cities"

"Croy? Who else did you see?"

"Shay, a couple of her friends The Boss ether"

"What about lad for the darkness The fear in David’s voice was painful enough His parents had founded the Smoke, and they knew the secret of the operation Whatever punishment awaited the other Smokies, it would be a hundred times worse for them

"I can’t believe it finally happened," he said softly

Tally tried to think of so to say All she could see in the darkness was Dr Cable’s et away?" he asked

She pulled his hands to feel her wrists, where the plastic bracelets of the handcuffs reot up onto the roof of the trading post, and stole Croy’s hoverboard"

"With Specials guarding you?"

She bit her lip, saying nothing

"That’s a My ments all their muscles and rewires their nervous syste, a lot of people just panic the first tihter "But I should have known you would escape"

Tally closed her eyes, which made no difference in the utter darkness She wished they could stay in there forever, never having to face as outside "It was just good luck"

Tally was aain, already If she had only told the truth about herself in the first place, the Smokies would have knohat to do with the pendant They could have attached it to soratory bird, and Dr Cable would be on her way to South A the destruction of the Smoke

But Tally knew she couldn’t tell the truth, not now David would never trust her again, not after she’d destroyed his home, his family She’d already lost Peris, Shay, and her new home She couldn’t bear to lose David as well

And what good would a confession do now? David would be left alone, and so would she, when they most needed each other

His hands ran across her face "You still amaze me, Tally"