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Uncle came around from the driver’s side North from the other

Uncle beamed His bald head covered in a bandana He wore a jean jacket and khaki pants When he set out enough This is actually exciting”

Mr Blackbourne approached hi out to do this”

Uncle took his hand, pu to do hat you’re giving me”

“We have to source what’s wrong hat,” Mr Blackbourne said “Therearound that’s off like it is”

“Right,” he said “Good thinking Do you wanton here”

“We’d appreciate the assistance,” he said “We’ll give you the warehouse we think it came from It’s where the school’s food ended up”

“We’ll get on it,” he said He turned to me “Where’s Luke? He’s not with you?”

Did Luke say he ith ave Uncle on where he was Uncle was part of the Academy, as far as I knew, but I didn’t kno much Luke kept from his Uncle about ere up to “I’h I wasn’t totally sure where he was

One of the brown doors behind us opened up Nathan stood with the saon Mr Morris and the other woman had used to cart stuff around Silas stood by him He looked once toward et this over with,” Silas said He headed toward the truck

The truck was opened Boxes were stacked high, taking up ht in that could be the bad stuff,” Uncle said, “we’ll just have to replace everything I think I have everything you’ll need for this upcoh for two thousand kids”

“We should be back on track by then with another normal food delivery,” Mr Blackbourne said “Are we ready?”

Nathan waited by the door, holding it open I walked past Nathan, heading inside, ready to help sort as co out

The cold rooe was open, some of the boxes already set aside toin Each box was marked and inventoried, some in red for likely suspects of as bad, since er option, but it was unclear what exactly it ht have been contaht have been bad as well

Victor was in the kitchen, leaning over one of the longin a laptop, andsome cameras around the school for anyone who may come by

I leaned over his shoulder, not really paying attention to whatever he was doing, just wanting him to knoas close

He jerked back the moment I touched him and widened his eyes “Oh It’s you”

I s on”

He s I’ht”

“Maybe you should We all should”

He nodded slowly He glanced over at the door, but no one ithin eyesight We could just feel the breeze fro me a quick kiss on the corner of my lips “Do me a favor?”

I agreed to it before even knohat it was For Victor, I’d do anything “Absolutely”

“Spend some time with Nathan?”

The question had me curious “Any particular reason?”

He glanced back at the open door and then back atit, buthe needs it”

I did trust hi on I’d spent days with Mr Blackbourne and with school issues Did so happen while ere busy? I didn’t ask Instead, I tried to think of how to make what needed to happen, happen

They didn’t need ht now

I gave a quick kiss to Victor, squeezing his hand gently I was grateful he are enough, even through all this, to let me knohen I was needed

I walked back to the open door, and when I did, I yawned, a little loud

Nathan immediately picked up on it “Tired?”

“Mer”

Mr Blackbourne turned his attention back to us during hisloaded into the trolley He took one look at lance

I silently motioned to Nathan ide eyes and hoped Nathan didn’t noticeso I needed Mr Blackbourne to know I needed to talk to Nathan No one else

“Mr Griffin, I think we can spare you a few hours if you wouldn’ther somewhere that she can sleep”

“Taking her holanced quickly at Uncle, who could easily hear them

“Wherever she can get undisturbed sleep”

I was proud he knew exactly what I needed Alone tiet