Of course. "They aren't lying!"
"That's what we're saying." Luke slumped back in the chair, a smirk on his face.
"No! I mean, what if they only tell the people we have contact with the cover story, not the truth? So those people aren't actually lying. After all, this organization is bigger than we know. We've never even met the people at the top. Maybe our teachers and the staff really believe we'll leave to our new life when we turn eighteen. And besides, Lucy, you said Higgins lied about Mr. K. Something is clearly going on!"
Their crestfallen faces evaporated my enthusiasm.
"Oh, my God, Sam," Lucy said. "What if you're right? What if we don't really get to leave? What do they do with us then?"
Luke's fist balled. "Lucy, don't encourage her. This is all bullshit."
I ignored him. "Drake was right about one thing: we know too many secrets. We'd be too dangerous in the world on our own. Even if we don't know the location of this property, we know where our assignments have been. We know the dirty secrets of some of the richest, most powerful people in the world. How could they take the chance of letting us go free? Think about it!"
We sat there, staring at nothing, lost in our own dark thoughts. Before they could object more, I showed them the letter Mr. K had left me.
"Mr. K suspected something, then he disappeared."
"So what do we do?" Luke asked. "If you're right, or if your boyfriend is right—What do we do? We don't know what happens when kids leave here. We don't know anyone on the outside, and we've no way of contacting them if we did. This place is impossible to escape from. I'm not saying we just give up, but we need a plan."
"Does that mean you believe me?" If I had to face the truth, I wanted my best friends with me, as selfish as that sounded.
"I'm not sure, but you have a point. We'd be stupid not to think about it. But without any outside connections, we're dead in the water." He stared out the window, lost in his own thoughts.
"We may not know anyone, but Drake does. His best friend is a reporter in California, maybe he can help."
"Drake, what do you think?"
'Brad's probably freaking out right now. I know he'd do anything to help us, but we need a way of contacting him. He's going to give me such shit for not listening to him earlier.'
"What could you do? You can't live in fear and you can't ever give up on your dreams. If you do, they win and you're trapped even if free. You did the right thing. It's what I would have done."
That may not have been true before. I hadn't always had the courage to do what was in my heart, despite pressure or fear, but I knew in that moment I had changed in some indefinable and permanent way. Whoever I'd been, I now possessed a determination that couldn't be undone by the unknown.
I shared Drake's idea with Lucy and Luke.
"That sounds like a possibility," Luke said, "but how would we get ahold of this guy? Not like we get free access to the outside world."
I thought about it. "I'm supposed to be going on another assignment soon—with Mary."
"What about your guard?" Luke asked.
"He doesn't follow me to the bathroom. If I get Brad's phone number from Drake, and steal someone's cell phone for a few minutes, maybe I can make a call."
Lucy nibbled on her lower lip. "That might work, but you'd have to be really careful."
I rolled my eyes. "No, I thought I'd announce my plan to everyone!"
"Don't be a smartass, Chica, this could be really dangerous."
"I can't think of anything else. Can you? We're too isolated here. We have no other choice."
We stared at one another, and each of us nodded in turn. No one really expected a better plan to land in our laps.
***
Lucy and Luke saw me before anyone else the next day, and tag-team hugged me.
"You're off the deathbed, and you don't look like a sexy ghost anymore," said Lucy. "I knew the soup we brought would make you better!"
"Yes, I'm sure that's exactly what did it." I always looked pale compared to them.
We got to our English class and settled into our seats in the back. I mentally checked everyone, but it was just more of the usual—boys, girls, parties, tests, fear of the future, excited or nervous about the next assignment.