Lacy, it turned out, was an outlier as well. She had been captured by Bluff’s men after attempting to steal food in a small convenience store just outside of New Diego. She’d come all the way from Florida, where she’d heard about our revolution from Outties.
My rescue of her cooled most of the anger that came from my late night escapade, but even those who were annoyed couldn’t deny that I needed it.
Two days later, the “proof groupâ€, as Andy called us, left for Colorado. I was worried it would be awkward, like my first road trip had been, but the extra people did wonders to keep things civil and light.
I hadn’t talked to Luke or Decklan about anything other than plans since I’d been rescued. Part of me was still half in love with Decklan, even though I was still angry with him, and that part was large enough for me to feel guilty about using Luke as I had. It didn’t seem fair that I could not share the strong feelings for Luke that he seemed to have for me. So I kept my distance.
There was an irony in that these two boys -men, they often insisted- would be my companions on the second leg of this trip. I rode in the car with Julie, Laurie, and Jon, trying to forget that.
Malia had been forced to close her bookstore, after Bluff had made too many suspicious visits. She was now staying with my parents, like many other outliers had chosen, working to make sympathizing contacts and keep the senator and his cronies on their toes.
The drive went fairly quickly, within a day we were within a couple miles of the facility. It helped that this drive had only one destination, so we could take a more direct route.
The scrapping tour wasn’t due to come for another day, so we hid the cars about a mile off and made camp. This had Julie excited; ever since we were forced to abandon our little shack outside of town, she hadn’t been allowed to wander outdoors for more than a few minutes at a time.
I had to admit, the open air was refreshing to me as well. I had also been restricted to the indoors after my time with Bluff, and now that I was strong enough, I relished the freedom. The Colorado mountains were much colder than New Diego this time of year, the fall, but no one could find a reason to complain. We all felt much better being outside rather than being cramped in my parent’s house, large as it was.
The next day, we split up. Jon, Andy, Laurie, and Julie stayed near the bus labeled “work campâ€, waiting for it to depart. We assumed that the kids hadn’t been split up just yet. Luke, Decklan, and I snuck into the facility through the kitchens, and I had a flashback to when I’d first met Gruber. There was a shock of sadness that nearly crippled me for a moment, but a strange look from Luke got me moving again. We couldn’t afford to be caught, not yet.
This facility was set up much like the one I’d been in, so I led the boys down to the gas chamber. Decklan looked around him in wonder; it was the first facility he had been inside.
It was fairly early in the morning, so none of the doomed children were forced to wake up yet. The hallway leading to the gas chamber was eerily silent, and when Decklan took out his camera to start taking pictures, I jumped a foot in the air.
Both boys turned to me in confusion. “Sorry.†I gasped. “The flash startled me.†Luke patted my shoulder comfortingly, and we kept walking.
The gas chamber itself none of us had ever experienced. It was smaller on the inside than I’d imagined; I supposed they didn’t need to worry about personal space for the kids, as they would be dead within minutes of entering it. We all shuddered at that thought as Decklan took pictures and Luke went to observe the mechanics of the room. I took the video camera out of my bag, courtesy of my parents, I followed Luke.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to get samples.†He told me, frowning. I pressed the record button as he explained. “See this valve here? I think that’s where the gas leaks through. I don’t know if they have it actively flowing, and just open the valves when kids get in, or if they turn the gas on and open the valves at the same time. It’s too dangerous to try and open it without knowing.†Nodding, I held the camera steady as he explained the mechanics of the place, pointing to things as he talked.
Once Luke was finished with his observations, I turned the camera off. “Let’s go.†I suggested. “There’s nothing else we can do here. And this place gives me the creeps.†Luke nodded.
“You two go on, I want to take a few more pictures.†Decklan said distractedly. I shrugged and led Luke away. “I’ll meet you by where we came in!†he called after us.
We waited just outside the kitchen doors, behind a tall evergreen tree. Neither of us said anything. Luke had not been destined for the gas chamber as I had; he was supposed to go to the work camp because of his knowledge of mechanics.
Decklan made his way out of the facility a few minutes later, looking pleased with himself. “Did you get good pictures?†I asked him.
He just grinned. “I think you should turn the video camera back on.†He hinted.
Luke glared at him suspiciously. “What did you do?â€
“Nothing that will put anyone in danger.â€
I fumbled with the video camera, a little worried by Decklan’s easy expression. I had an idea of what he’d done, but I said nothing.
Decklan’s handiwork was made apparent only seconds later. The explosion from the gas chamber was even more gratifying than the one I’d caused at the prison.
“They’ll have to evacuate, because of the gas leakage.†He told us happily. “That should freak them out pretty thoroughly.â€
Luke growled, but I watched his eyes carefully, realizing he was impressed. “We should probably get further away. If they evacuate, we don’t want to get caught in the fuss.â€
Children began pouring out of the facility, followed by terrified looking workers and guards. I guessed that they would probably just send the children meant for the chamber to the work camps, and my heart swelled for Decklan. I kept my head though; his little act of heroism could have killed everyone.
It took them four hours and a group of gas-masked officers to get the situation under control. My guess was wrong regarding the placement of the formerly doomed children. Instead of the “work camp†bus doubling its passengers, the second, unmarked bus did. This worried me, but I didn’t voice my concerns yet. We had no way of knowing what the fate of this bus was, and I forced myself to remain optimistic.
After ascertaining the direction this bus was traveling -west, towards Utah- the tree of us clambered into our hidden car and followed. There was enough traffic on the road to keep our pursuit from being noticeable, but Decklan kept us a few cars behind the bus anyways, to be safe.
(We’re in the home stretch, everyone!)
