“No, sir,” I said, knowing I’d better shut up. But I wasn’t certain he intended to pass along the warning, and if there was another accident, maybe this time somebody would get hurt. I said, “But you are going to do something?”

Captain Hakes exploded.

“Yes!” he said. “I’m going to do something about your negative attitude and your idea that you’re running this camp instead of me. As of this minute, you are again Enrollee Trawnley. You can leave your armband on Sergeant Ruffino’s desk.”

It was the last thing I’d expected, and my knees actually almost buckled under me. I was losing my job? For trying to do it?

“I’ve had enough of you, Trawnley,” he said. “Now take off, and keep your mouth shut!” His eyes locked on mine. “Because if I hear any rumors being spread about bad vehicle parts or anything else, you will find yourself not only out of your leader’s pay. You’ll be out of the CCC.

“And Trawnley,” he added, “when you get to the job site, tell Junior Leader Compton I want to see him. I’ll have him help run both barracks until I select your replacement.”

The room seemed to be shimmying around me, and my breath felt like it was stuck.

He couldn’t just expect me to go out to the reservoir, where someone would be sure to tell me I’d forgotten my armband. And then somebody else would see Compton gloat, when I gave him the message. And word would go around . . .

“What are you waiting for, Trawnley?” Hakes asked, reaching for his desk calendar. He flipped a page, to May.

It was May 1. There was an answer. Or at least a way to put things off.

“Sir,” I said, “I know you’re not giving weekend passes right now, but if you would please . . .”

“No, you’re not getting a pass! Do you think I’m going to reward—” He broke off as though he’d just thought of something. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said. “Perhaps the transition will go easier if you’re gone for a couple of days.”

He got out a form and rapidly filled in the blanks. “Here,” he said. “This starts now. Be back Sunday night.”

Somehow my legs got me outside, but just barely. I leaned against the building wall for the longest time, waiting for the rubbery feeling to go out of them. Waiting for my heart to stop racing and for the roaring in my head to go away. The noise was so loud I missed the first part of a phone call going on inside, near the window right over my head.