Quotes From "Plague" By Michael Grant

It’s time, ” Jack said.“ Breeze? Count the kids, ” Sam said. Brianna was back in twenty seconds. “Eighty-two, boss.”“ About a third, ” Jack observed. “A third of what’s left.”“ Wait. Make that eighty-eight, ” Brianna said. “And a dog.” Lana, looking deeply irritated–a fairly usual expression for her–and Sanjit, looking happy–a fairly usual expression for him–and Sanjit’s siblings were trotting along to catch up.“ I don’t know if we’re staying up there or not, ” Lana said without preamble. “I want to check it out. And my room smells like crap.” Just before the time was up, Sam heard a stir. Kids were making a lane for someone, murmuring. His heart leaped.“ Hey, Sam.”He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Diana?”“Not expecting me, huh?” She made a wry face. “Where’s blondie? I didn’t see her at the big pep rally.”“ Are you coming with us?” Brianna demanded, obviously not happy about it.“ Is Caine okay with this?” Sam asked Diana. “It’s your choice, but I need to know if he’s going to come after us to take you back.”“ Caine has what he wants, ” Diana said.“ Maybe I should call Toto over, ” Sam said. The truth teller was having a conversation with Spidey. “I could ask you whether you’re coming along to spy for Caine, and see what Toto has to say.” Diana sighed. “Sam, I have bigger problems than Caine. And so do you, I guess. Because the FAYZ is going to do something it’s never done before: grow by one.”“ What’s that mean?”“ You are going to be an uncle.” Sam stared blankly. Brianna said a very rude word. And even Dekka looked up.“ You’re having a baby?” Dekka asked.“ Let’s hope so, ” Diana said bleakly. “Let’s hope that’s all it is. Michael Grant

About time, ” Brianna said.“ Hey, sorry, we were kind of busy, ” Quinn snapped. “And I didn’t exactly realize I was on a schedule.”“ I don’t like what I have to do here, ” Brianna said. She handed Quinn the note. He read it. Read it again.“ Is this some kind of joke?” he demanded.“ Albert’s dead, ” Brianna said. “Murdered.”“What?”“He’s dead. Sam and Dekka are off in the wilderness somewhere. Edilio’s got the flu, he might die, a lot of kids have. A lot. And there are these, these monsters, these kind of bugs. . no one knows what to call them. heading toward town.” Her face contorted in a mix of rage and sorrow and fear. She blurted, “And I can’t stop them! ” Quinn stared at her. Then back at the note. He felt his contented little universe tilt and go sliding away. There were just two words on the paper: “Get Caine. Michael Grant

Brianna’s looking for Drake, ” Edilio said, thinking out loud.“ You sent her out against Drake?” Albert demanded.“ Sent her? Who sends Brianna out to get into a fight? She goes on her own. Anyway, it’s not like you’ve left us with anyone else.” Albert had the decency not to say anything to that.“ You know, you guys put me in charge. I didn’t ask to be in charge. I didn’t want to be in charge. Sam was in charge and all you guys ever did was give him grief, ” Edilio said. “You two, especially.” He pointed at Albert and Astrid. “So, okay, Astrid takes over. And then Astrid finds out it’s not so much fun being in charge. So it’s like, okay, let’s get the dumb wetback to do the job.”“ No one ever–, ” Astrid protested.“ And me, like a fool, I’m thinking, okay, that must mean people trust me. They asked me to be in charge, be the mayor. Come to find out, I’m not making decisions; Albert’s making decisions. Albert’s deciding we need to find more water and sending our two best fighters off into the countryside. Now I’m supposed to fix everything? It’s like you go, ‘Fight a war, ’ but you sent my army off on a wild goose chase. . Michael Grant

So asking you to take a moonlit walk with me, that would totally not work?"" What?" Again that glare. "Go away. Stop being an idiot. I don't even know you."" You're healing my little brother Bowie.""Yeah, that doesn't make us friends, kid."" So no moonlight."" Are you retarded?"" Sunrise? I could get up early."" Go away."" Sunset tomorrow?" -Sanjit & Lana Michael Grant

Mr. Albert? Mr. Albert?” Harley said.“ Just Albert’s fine, ” Albert said tersely.“ Me and Janice are thirsty.”“ I’m sorry, but I don’t have any water on me.” He managed a tight smile and moved on. But now Janice was crying and Harley was pleading.“ We used to live with Mary and she gave us water. But now we have to live with Summer and BeeBee and they said we have to have money.”“ Then I guess you’d better earn some money, ” Albert said. He tried to soften it, tried not to sound harsh, but he had a lot on his mind and it came out sounding mean. Now Harley started to cry, too.“ If you’re thirsty, stop crying, ” Albert snapped. “What do you think tears are made of? . Michael Grant

Little Pete. He’s not exactly just Astrid’s autistic brother.” He explained briefly while Toto added a chorus of “Sam believes that’s true” remarks.“ How do we get Little Pete to do anything?” Dekka asked.“ The last time Little Pete felt mortal danger he made the FAYZ, ” Sam said. “He needs to be in mortal danger again.” Jack and Dekka exchanged a wary look, each wondering what the other had known or guessed about Little Pete.“Little Pete?” Jack asked. “That little kid has that kind of power?”“ Yes, ” Sam said simply. “Next to Pete, me, Caine, all of us, we’re like . like popguns compared to a cannon. We don’t even know what the limits of his powers are, ” Sam said. “What we do know is we can’t communicate with him very well. We can’t even guess what he’s thinking.”“ Little Pete, ” Dekka muttered and shook her head. “I knew he was important, I got that a long time ago. But he can do that? He has that kind of power?” She pondered for a moment, nodded, and said, “I see why you kept it secret. It’s like having a nuclear weapon in the hands of, well, a little autistic kid. . Michael Grant

Edilio lay on the steps of town hall feeling as weak as a kitten. He had barely heard Caine’s big speech. He couldn’t have cared less. There was nothing he could do, not with delirium spinning his head. He coughed hard, too hard. It wracked his body each time he did it so that he dreaded the next cough. His stomach was clenched in knots. Every muscle in his body ached. He was vaguely aware that he was saying something in between c . Michael Grant

Hunter’s entire body writhed and squirmed. The side of his head was partly gone. A creature, like some monstrous melding of insect and eel, protruded from Hunter’s shoulder and as they stood there rooted in horror it took a vicious bite of Hunter’s flesh. Taylor was suddenly gone. Dekka’s face was grim, her eyes wet.“ I tried. , ” Hunter said. He held up his hands, mimicked pressing them against his head. “It didn’t work.”“ I can do it, ” Sam said softly.“ I’m scared, ” Hunter said.“ I know.”“ It’s ’cause I killed Harry. God has to punish me. I tried to be good but I’m bad.”“ No, Hunter, ” Sam said gently. “You paid your dues. You fed the kids. You’re a good guy.”“ I’m a good hunter.”“ The best.”“ I don’t know what’s happening. What’s happening, Sam?”“It’s just the FAYZ, Hunter, ” Sam said.“ Can the angels find me here so I can go to heaven?” Sam didn’t answer. It was Dekka who spoke. “Do you still remember any prayers, Hunter?”The insectlike creature was almost completely emerged from Hunter’s shoulder. Legs were becoming visible. It had wings folded against its body. It looked like a gigantic ant, or wasp, but silver and brass and covered with a sheen of slime. It was emerging like a chicken breaking out of an egg. Being born. And as the creature was born, it fed on Hunter’s numbed body. Jerky movements beneath Hunter’s shirt testified to more of the larvae emerging.“ Do you remember ‘now I lay me down to sleep’?” Dekka asked.“ Now I lay me down to sleep, ” Hunter said. “I pray the Lord my soul to keep.” Sam raised his hands, palms out.“ If I should die–” Twin beams of light hit Hunter’s chest and face. His shirt caught fire. Flesh melted. He was dead before he could feel anything. Sam played the light up and down Hunter’s body. The smell was sickening. Jack wanted to look away, but how could he? Sudden darkness as Sam terminated the light. Sam lowered his hands to his side. They stood there in the darkness. Jack breathed through his mouth, trying not to smell the burned flesh. Then they heard a sound. Many sounds. Sam raised his hands and pale light glowed. Hunter was all but gone. The things that had been inside him were still there. Michael Grant

Sam sent me to give you a message, Edilio. He said, ‘Tell Edilio I couldn’t kill the bugs.’”“ The things that came out of Hunter?” Howard asked. Taylor closed her eyes. Tears squeezed out and rolled down her cheeks. “Yes. The things that came out of Hunter. Sam shot them, you know, with his light. But they’re like, reflective or whatever. Anyway, it didn’t kill them. Michael Grant

What’s Albert going to do?” a boy named Jim demanded. “Where’s Albert?”Albert stepped from an inconspicuous position off to one side. He mounted the steps, moving carefully still, not entirely well even now. He carefully chose a position equidistant between Caine and Sam.“What should we do, Albert?” a voice asked plaintively. Albert didn’t look out at the crowd except for a quick glance up, like he was just making sure he was pointed in the right direction. He spoke in a quiet, reasonable monotone. Kids edged closer to hear.“ I’m a businessman.”“ True.” Toto.“My job is organizing kids to work, taking the things they harvest or catch, and redistributing them through a market.”“ And getting the best stuff for yourself, ” someone yelled to general laughter.“ Yes, ” Albert acknowledged. “I reward myself for the work I do.” This blunt admission left the crowd nonplussed.“ Caine has promised that if I stay here he won’t interfere. But I don’t trust Caine.”“No, he doesn’t, ” Toto agreed.“ I do trust Sam. But . .”And now you could hear a pin drop.“ But . Sam is a weak leader.” He kept his eyes down. “Sam is the best fighter ever. He’s defended us many times. And he’s the best at figuring out how to survive. But Sam”– Albert now turned to him–“ You are too humble. Too willing to step aside. When Astrid and the council sidelined you, you put up with it. I was part of that myself. But you let us push you aside and the council turned out to be useless.” Sam stood stock-still, stone-faced.“ Let’s face it, you’re not really the reason things are better here, I am, ” Albert said. “You’re way, way braver than me, Sam. And if it’s a battle, you rule. But you can’t organize or plan ahead and you won’t just put your foot down and make things happen.” Sam nodded slightly. It was hard to hear. But far harder was seeing the way the crowd was nodding, agreeing. It was the truth. The fact was he’d let the council run things, stepped aside, and then sat around feeling sorry for himself. He’d jumped at the chance to go off on an adventure and he hadn’t been here to save the town when they needed it.“ So, ” Albert concluded, “I’m keeping my things here, in Perdido Beach. But there will be free trading of stuff between Perdido Beach and the lake. And Lana has to be allowed to move freely.” Caine bristled at that. He didn’t like Albert laying down conditions. Albert wasn’t intimidated. “I feed these kids, ” he said to Caine. “I do it my way.” Caine hesitated, then made a tight little bow of the head.“ I want you to say it, ” Albert said with a nod toward Toto.Sam saw panic in Caine’s eyes. If he lied now the jig would be up for him. Toto would call him out, Albert would support Sam, and the kids would follow Albert’s lead. Sam wondered if Caine was just starting to realize what Sam had known for some time: if anyone was king, it was neither Sam nor Caine, it was Albert. Michael Grant

He pictured himself at the lake, on a houseboat. Dekka would be there, and Brianna and Jack. He would have friends. He wouldn’t be alone. But he couldn’t stop himself from looking for her. She no longer had Little Pete to worry about. They could be together without all of that. But of course he knew Astrid, and knew that right now, wherever she was, she was eaten up inside with guilt.“ She’s not coming, is she?” Sam said to Dekka.But Dekka didn’t answer. She was somewhere else in her head. Sam saw her glance and look away as Brianna laid a light hand on Jack’s shoulder. Dahra was staying in the hospital, but a few more kids came. Groups of three or four at a time. The Siren and the kids she lived with came. John Terrafino came. Ellen. He waited. He would wait the full two hours. Not for her, he told himself, just to keep his word. Then Orc, with Howard.Sam groaned inwardly.“ You gotta be kidding me, ” Brianna said.“ The deal was kids make a choice, ” Sam said. “I think Howard just realized how dangerous life can be for a criminal living in a place where the ‘king’ can decide life or death. Michael Grant

Quinn came forward and Sam pulled him aside. His old friend looked tortured and sad.“ What’s up, brah?” Sam asked. Quinn couldn’t speak. He was choked with emotion. “Dude .”“You want to stay in town.”“ My crews . my boats and all .”Sam put a hand on his shoulder. “Quinn, I’m glad you found something so important to do. Something you really like.”“ Yeah, but .”Sam pulled him into a brief hug. “You and me, we’re still friends, man. But you have responsibilities. Michael Grant

Yeah. A feeling. Like the whole point of my life from the alleys in Bangkok to the yachts and private island to coming here like a crazy person trying to fly a helicopter like all of it from birth to here point A to point Z was all some big cosmic trick to get me to meet you. - Sanjit to Lana Michael Grant

Ot everyone liked Albert. Not everyone was happy that he had become the most important person around. Lots of people were jealous that Albert had a girl to clean his house and the porcelain basin where he did his business at night when he didn’t want to go outside to the only actual outhouse in Per-dido Beach. And that he could afford to send his clothes to be washed in the fresh water of the ironically named Lake Evian.And there were definitely people who didn’t like working for Albert, having to do what he said or go hungry. Albert traveled with a bodyguard now. The bodyguard’s name was Jamal. Jamal carried an automatic rifle over his shoulder. He had a massive hunting knife in his belt. And a club that was an oak chair leg with spikes driven through it to make a sort of mace. Unlike everyone else Albert carried no weapon himself. Jamal was weapon enough. Michael Grant

Hey, Sam, ” Drake shouted. “I thought you’d like to know this isn’t my whole army.” Sam didn’t doubt it.“ Your girl Brianna tried to stop us.” Drake waved a bowie knife in the air. “I took this from her. I whipped her, Sam.” He snapped his whip hand. The crack was like a pistol shot. “I broke her legs so she couldn’t run. Then . .”Dekka was halfway over the side, ready to swim ashore. Jack grabbed her and held her.“ Let me go! ” Dekka yelled.“ Hold her, ” Sam ordered Jack. “Don’t be stupid, Dekka. He wants us to come rushing at him.”“ I can beat him, ” Jack said. “Dekka and me together, we can kill him.” Sam registered the fact that Jack was actually making a physical threat. He didn’t remember ever hearing that kind of thing from Jack. But Dekka was Sam’s greater concern.“ I’m going to kill him, ” Dekka said in a voice so deep in her throat she sounded like an animal. “I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him.” Then she shouted, “I’m going to kill you, Drake. I’m going to kill you! ” Drake grinned. “I think she liked it. She was screaming, but she liked it.”“ He’s lying, ” Toto said.“ Who?” Sam snapped.“ Him.” He pointed at Drake. “He hasn’t killed that girl or hurt her.” Dekka relaxed and Sam and Jack let go of her.“ Truth-teller Toto, ” Sam whispered. “He can tell when people are lying.”“ I just decided I like you, ” Dekka said to Toto. “You might be useful.” Toto frowned. “It’s true: you just decided you like me. Michael Grant

Do you love me?” Diana asked. Caine’s eyes widened. She could actually see him twitch. Like a startled animal. Like a rabbit who had just heard a fox.“ It’s a yes or no question, ” Diana said acidly. “But I’ll accept a nod or a shake of the head or an incoherent grunt.”“ I . I don’t know what you mean by that, ” Caine said lamely.“ When I jumped off the cliff, you saved me even though it meant letting Sanjit and the others escape.”“ You didn’t give me much choice, ” Caine said peevishly. “You had a choice. You wanted to destroy them.”“ Okay.”“ Why did you make that choice?” Caine swallowed and seemed to find his palms sweaty since he rubbed them on his sides. Diana walked to the door. She unlocked it and held it open. “Go away, ” she said. “Come back when you figure out your answer. Michael Grant

He reached over and took Taylor’s hand. She did not pull her hand away. He moved his hand up her arm. She stiffened a little and glanced around, making sure they weren’t seen. Or, maybe, hoping they were. His hand reached her neck. He leaned toward her and pulled her to him. He kissed her. She kissed him back. He kissed her harder. And she slid her hand under his shirt, fingers stroking his bare flesh. Then he pulled away, fast.“ Sorry, I .” He hesitated, his wallowing brain arguing against a body that was suddenly aflame. Sam stood up very suddenly and walked away. Taylor laughed gaily at his back. “Come see me when you get tired of mooning over the ice princess, Sam. . Michael Grant

And he thought of the two people who had held his job before him: Sam and Astrid. Both beaten into despair by trying to hold this group of kids together in the face of one disaster after another. Both of them now happy to let Edilio handle it.“ No wonder, ” Edilio muttered.“ Stay inside unless absolutely necessary, ” Edilio shouted, and not for the first or last time wished he was still just Sam’s faithful sidekick. Michael Grant

Man, sometimes you are clueless. You don’t even see what’s happening.” He perched himself on the arm of the couch so he could look down at Turk. “It’s not just about freaks. I mean, you’re the guy who thinks of ideas and all, but you’re missing it. You don’t even notice that the whole council is either black or Mexican. See, that’s what’s happening: it’s all these minorities hooked up with freaks.” The wheels in Turk’s mind began to turn slowly. But they were picking up speed. “Jamal’s with us and he’s black.”“ So? We use Jamal. He gets us into Albert’s. You do what you gotta do. All I’m saying is, you and me, we’re normal people. We’re not black or queer or Mexican. And we’re the ones digging toilets. How come?” Turk knew the answer: because they had failed in their attempt to take over. But he’d never thought about this new angle.“ Astrid’s a normal white person, ” Turk argued halfheartedly. “So’s Sam.”“Sam’s a freak, and I think he might even be a Jew, ” Lance said. His eyes were glittering. He was showing his teeth, grinning as he talked. It wasn’t a good look for him. “And Astrid? She’s not even on the council anymore. Michael Grant

Why are we sneaking out in the night?” Jack repeated.“ I already explained, ” Sam snapped. “If you don’t listen–” Taylor jumped in to say, “Because otherwise Astrid would find some way to stop him.” She mimicked Astrid’s voice, injecting it with steel and a tense, condescending tone. “Sam. I am the smartest, hottest girl in the world. So do what I tell you. Good boy. Down, boy. Down! ”Sam remained silent, walking steadily just a few feet ahead. Taylor continued, “Oh, Sam, if only you could be as smart plus as totally goody-goody as I am. If only you could realize that you will never be good enough to have me, me, wonderful me, Astrid the Blond Genius.”“Sam, can I shoot her now?” Dekka asked. “Or is it too soon?”“ Wait until we’re over the ridge, ” Sam said. “It’ll muffle the sound.”“ Sorry, Dekka, ” Taylor said. “I know you don’t like talking about boy-girl things.”“ Taylor, ” Sam warned.“ Yes, Sam?”“You might want to think about how hard it would be to walk if someone were to turn off gravity under your feet every now and then.”“ I wonder who would do that?” Dekka said. Suddenly Taylor fell flat on her face.“ You tripped me! ” Taylor said, more shocked than angry.“ Me?” Dekka spread her hands in a completely unconvincing gesture of innocence. “Hey, I’m all the way over here.”“ I’m just saying: you can see where that could make a long walk just a lot longer, ” Sam said.“ You guys are so not fun, ” Taylor grumped. She bounced instantaneously to just behind Sam. She grabbed his butt, he yelled, “Hey! ” and she bounced away innocently.“ To answer your question, Jack, ” Sam said, “we are sneaking out at night so that everyone doesn’t know we’re gone and why. They’ll figure it out soon enough, but Edilio will have to have more of his guys on the streets if I’m not there playing the big, bad wolf. More stress for everyone.”“ Oh, ” Jack said.“ The big, bad wolf, ” Taylor said. She laughed. “So, when you play that fantasy in your head is Astrid Little Red Riding Hood or one of the Three Little Pigs?”“Dekka, ” Sam said.“ Hah! Too slow! . Michael Grant

You need to think about all that, Sam, ” Dekka said. “You’re the leader, after all.”“ Not anymore, ” he said. Dekka laughed. She stood up and stretched. “Sam: you’re still the leader. You’re always going to be the leader. It’s not something you choose: it’s something you are. Michael Grant

Leslie-Ann set down her own bucket and watched, marveling, as a quarter of an inch of water covered the bottom. When she looked away, she saw an older kid. She’d seen him around. But usually he was with Orc and she was too scared of Orc ever to get near him. She tugged on Howard’s wet sleeve. He seemed not to be sharing in the general glee. His face was severe and sad.“ What?” he asked wearily.“ I know something.”“ Well, goody for you.”“ It’s about Albert.”Howard sighed. “I heard. He’s dead. Orc’s gone and Albert’s dead and these idiots are partying like it’s Mardi Gras or something.”“ I think he might not be dead, ” Leslie-Ann said. Howard shook his head, angry at being distracted. He walked away. But then he stopped, turned, and walked back to her. “I know you, ” he said. “You clean Albert’s house.”“ Yes. I’m Leslie-Ann.”“What are you telling me about Albert?”“I saw his eyes open. And he looked at me. Michael Grant

Hunter woke suddenly. A noise. It was a noise unlike anything he’d ever heard before. Close! Very close. Like it was on him. Like it was .Just in one ear. He twisted his head. It was full night. Black as black in the woods far from the starlight. He couldn’t see anything. But with his hands he could feel. The thing on his shoulder. His ear . gone! A terrible fear wrung a cry of horror from Hunter.He couldn’t feel it, his ear, or his shoulder, couldn’t feel with anything but his fingers and he felt, reached beneath his shirt, felt the flesh of his belly pulse and heave. Like something inside him. No, no, no, it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair! He was Hunter. The hunter. He was doing his best. He cried. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Who would bring meat for all the kids? It wasn’t fair. The sound of munching, crunching started again. Just in one ear. Hunter had only one weapon: the heat-causing power in his hands. He had used it many, many times to take the life of prey. He had fed the kids with that power. And in a moment of fear and rage he had accidentally taken the life of his friend, Harry.Maybe he could kill the thing that was eating his ear. But it was too late for that to help. Could he kill himself? He saw Old Lion’s head, eyes closed, hanging where he’d hung him for skinning. If Old Lion could die, so could Hunter.Maybe they would meet again, up in the sky. Hunter pressed both palms against his head. . Michael Grant

Hunter’s dead, ” Taylor said without preamble. “It was these . these things. They came crawling up out of him and were eating him, oh God, I mean, it was like . I mean he was crying and Dekka prayed with him and he tried to fry his own brain just like he did with Harry only I guess it didn’t work, I guess he couldn’t do it, so Sam . .” She swallowed. “Anyone have some water?”“ What about Sam?” Astrid demanded.“ He did it for him. Sam. I mean, he . Hunter was, you know . . so Sam.” She pantomimed raising her hands, like Sam, like he would do when using his power. Astrid closed her eyes and crossed herself.“ Rest in peace, ” Edilio said and crossed himself as well.“ Sam burned the boy?” Howard asked. Then, bitterly sarcastic said, “Yeah, you all pray to Jesus. Because Jesus is really providing a lot of help here. Sounds to me like Sam was the one doing what had to be done. . Michael Grant

Stay in your boats, ” Dahra said. “We’re still going to need food. Throw your fish onto the dock. I’ll get Albert to send someone here to collect it. Then go back out, row up the coast a little ways, and camp out.”“ Camp out?” Quinn echoed.“ Yes! ”“ You’re serious.”“ No, it’s my idea of a joke, Quinn, ” Dahra snapped. “Pookie just coughed up a lung and fell over dead. You understand what I’m saying? I mean he coughed his actual lungs out of his mouth. . Michael Grant

He didn’t mind Drake so much. Drake was a creep. It was the girl who made Orc want to cry. She was a monster. Like Orc. Begging for death. Begging for someone to let her go to her Jesus.Kill me, kill me, kill me, she begged every day and every night. Orc took a deep swig. Tears seeped from his human eyes and fell into the rocky crevices of his face. Michael Grant

Why do we have to do this in the middle of the night?” Taylor asked.“ Because we don’t want the whole town knowing why we’re going and where we’re going.”“ How can I tell anyone if I don’t even know myself?” Taylor stuck out her lower lip.“ Water. We’re going to look for water, ” Sam said. He could almost hear the wheels in Taylor’s head spinning. Then, “OMG, we’re out of water?” She bit her lip, took a couple of dramatic breaths, and wailed, “Do you mean we’re all going to die?”“ That would be a pretty good example of why we’re keeping this secret, ” Sam said dryly.“ I just need to go–”“ Uh-uh! ” Sam said. “No you don’t, Taylor. You don’t bounce anywhere or talk to anyone without me agreeing. Are we clear?”“ You know, Sam, you’re nice. And so very, very hot, ” Taylor said. “But you’re not really much fun.”“ Let’s get out of here while we can, ” Dekka said. “I brought a gun, by the way.”“ Are we going to be in danger?” Taylor cried.“ The gun’s in case you get on my nerves, Taylor, ” Dekka warned.“ Oh, so funny, ” Taylor said. . Michael Grant

Have either of you seen Sam? Brianna can’t find him.” Albert sighed. “He’s out of town.” Edilio felt the blood drain out of his face. “He’s what?” Astrid arrived, coldly furious. “I’m not on the council anymore. You have no right–”“ Shut up, Astrid, ” Edilio said. Astrid, Albert, and Howard all stared. Edilio was as amazed as any of them. He considered apologizing–he had never spoken to Astrid that way. He’d never spoken to anyone that way. The truth was he was scared. Sam was out of town? With Drake running loose?“ What makes you think Sam is out of town?” Edilio asked Albert.“I sent him, ” Albert said. “Him and Dekka. Taylor and Jack, too. They’re looking for water.”“ They’re what?”“ Looking for water. Michael Grant

No, " Lana said, "I'm not going to heal your scratch."" Good, " Sanjit said." Good? Why good?"" Because when you hold my hand, I don't want it to be work for you. Michael Grant

Sam, Edilio’s a good guy, ” Albert said, breaking in on Sam’s gloomy thoughts. “But like I said, he’ll tell the rest of them. Once the council knows, everyone knows. If everyone knows how desperate things are, what do you think will happen?” Sam smiled without humor. “About half the people will be great. The other half will freak.”“ And people will end up getting killed, ” Albert said. He cocked his head sideways, trying his best to look like the idea had just occurred to him. “And who is going to end up kicking butts? Who will end up playing Daddy and then be resented and blamed and finally told to go away?”“ You’ve gained new skills, ” Sam said bitterly. “You used to just be about working harder than anyone else and being ambitious. You’re learning how to manipulate people.” Albert’s mouth twitched and his eyes flashed angrily. “You’re not the only one walking around with a big load of responsibility on your shoulders, Sam. You play the big mean daddy who won’t let anyone have any fun, and I play the greedy businessman who is just looking out for himself. But don’t be stupid: maybe I am greedy, but without me no one eats. Or drinks. Michael Grant

Today, each of you will make a decision, ” Caine said. “To go with Sam, or to stay here. I won’t try to stop anyone, and I won’t hold it against anyone.” He placed his hand over his heart. “For those who choose to stay, let me be very clear: I will be in charge. Not as a mayor, but as a king. My word will be law. My decisions will be final.” That caused some murmuring, most of it unhappy.“ But I’ll also do everything I can to leave each of you alone. Quinn, if he chooses to stay, can still fish. Albert, if he chooses to stay, will still run his business. Freaks and normals will be treated equally.” He seemed about to add something else but caught himself after a sidelong look at Toto.The silence lengthened and Sam knew it was time for him to speak. In the past he’d always had Astrid at his side for things like this. He was not much of a speaker. And in any case, he didn’t have much to say.“ Anyone who goes with me has a vote in how we do stuff. I guess I’ll be more or less in charge, but we’ll probably choose some other people, create a council like . Well, hopefully better than we had before. And, um .” He was tempted to laugh at his own pitiful performance. “Look, people, if you want someone, some . . king, good grief, to tell you what to do, stay here. If you want to make more of your own decisions, well, come with me.” He hadn’t said enough to even cause Toto to comment.“ You know which side I’m on, people, ” Brianna yelled. “Sam’s been carrying the load since day one.”“ It was Caine that saved us, ” a voice cried out. “Where was Sam?”The crowd seemed undecided. Caine was beaming confidence, but Sam noticed that his jaw clenched, his smile was forced, and he was worried. . Michael Grant

Don’t jump to–”“ I’m not, ” Dekka said. “But if that’s what it is, if it’s those things, I’m going to ask you to take care of me.”“ We’ve been over this, ” Sam said, pulling his hand away.“ If I tell you it’s time, you do it, okay, Sam?”He couldn’t answer.“ I’m not afraid to die, ” Dekka said. Michael Grant

Have a seat with me, ” Caine said, hopping down from the wall. “How have you been, Taylor?”“Life’s one big party, ” she said. He laughed appreciatively at her joke. “Things must be pretty bad for Edilio to send for me, huh?”“ Things are always pretty bad, ” she said. “We’re at a new level of bad. I saw those bugs.” Caine mustered all his sincerity. “I have to go and fight these creatures. But I don’t know much about them.” Taylor told him what she knew. Caine felt some of his confidence drain away as she laid out the facts in gruesome detail and with complete conviction.“ Well, this should be fun, ” Diana said dryly. “I’m so glad we came back. . Michael Grant

You're staring, " Lana said." Yes. I am. I'm a teenage boy. Beautiful girls in wet underwear have a tendency to cause staring in teenage boys. Michael Grant