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"Don’t be silly, Tally!"

"I’ was e

"You didme out of that Smoke place"

"You can’t really believe that, Shay"

"What do you e your hed "It took exactly one hot shower to change led and knotted fro of showers,you are a totalthemselves into her eyes Shay had wanted so much to keep her own face, to live on her own teruished

"I didn’t lanced over her shoulder, then turned back and s for Dr C, does he? Don’t worry, Tally," she whispered, putting one elegant finger to her lips "Your ugly little secret is safe withif Shay had found out the whole story Maybe Dr Cable had told the sound came fro, a request light blinked with an inco call

Tally picked up the tablet and handed it to Shay "Talk to them!"

Shay winked, pushed a button, and said, "Hey, it’swhat? Well, it’s complicated" Shepeople or soht?"

"You’ll stay here?"

"Duh This looks bubbly Just because I’"

Tally brushed past her and into the room Two doors had been ripped open, David’s e jumpsuits, with stunned and sleepy looks on their faces David orking another door, his powerjack thrust into a small slot at floor level

Tally saw Croy’s face peering wide-eyed through one of the tiny s, and planted her powerjack under his door It whined to life, and the thick ’s up!" she called

"Okay We’re alap in the roaned again Her days of pulling up railroad ties soon paid off, the jack tearing a hole the size of a doggy door

Croy’s ared spurs of rabbed his hands and pulled hih "That’s everyone who’s left," she said "Let’s go"

"What about Dad!" David cried

"We can’t help him" Maddy ran into the hall

Tally and David shared an anxious look, and followed

Maddy was dashing down the hall toward the elevator, dragging Shay by the wrist behind her Shay stabbed the tablet’s talk button and said, "Wait a second, I think she’s just coled andCable!" Maddy called "We need her!"

"Mom!" David ran after her

Tally looked at Croy, then down at Dr Cable’s cru the worippy shoes squealing

When the party reached the elevator, Maddy grabbed Dr Cable by the collar and pulled her up to the eye-reader The woroaned once, softly Maddy carefully pried open one of her eyes, and the elevatorpinged, its doors sliding open

Maddy tugged off the doctor’s interface ring and dropped her to the floor, then pulled Shay inside Tally and the other Sround "Mom, where’s Dad?"

"We can’t help hiainst the wall, then pulled David in against his protests The doors closed, and the elevator asked, "Which floor?"

"Roof," Maddy said, the interface ring still in her hand The elevator began toat the swift ascent

"What’s our escape plan?" Maddy snapped The glazed look was coone to sleep last night expecting to be rescued this ed to answer "Four of the that she hadn’t done so yet, Tally adjusted her crash bracelets to call them in

"Oh, cool!" Shay said "You know, I haven’t been boarding since I left the Smoke?"

"There’s seven of us," Maddy said "Tally, you take Shay Astrix and Ryde, double up Croy, you go alone and throw them off the track David, I’ll ride with you"

"Mom," David pleaded, "if he’s pretty, can’t you cure him? Or at least try?"

"Your father’s not pretty, David," she answered softly "He’s dead"