“Nothing to tell.” I refused to even think of Rose right now. I couldn’t.

“There must be something,” he teased. “I mean, you were about to blow our whole mission for her.”

“Was not.” I thought of the device nestled against his lower belly and chose my words carefully. “I was just going to bring her back.”

Mitch laughed. “Yeah, sure.”

“How would you know what I’m thinking, anyway?” I was getting angry. Pretty soon it would be obvious, because I would have my hands around his throat.

“Well, because if you really were worried about her getting away and not about her staying out in the wilderness, you would be happy that she was headed to the school. It means less work for us; she’s hand delivering herself. Imagine her face when you walk in with the rest of them.”

And then I did imagine it, her face. I imagined walking in with Miig and Slopper, Chi Boy and Wab and the twins, and seeing her there. And her seeing me, the traitor. Maybe I could convince her to play along, to join the Program so we could escape. It was a risk, and it would cost me exactly six tickets to ride that ride, each one of them a member of my family. How could she ever forgive me for that? For trading six lives for her own? I knew the answer. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

“It might work out, French. I mean, it will. She’ll understand. Maybe she can join the Program with us.” In a weird way that was about as off as you could get, Mitch was trying to make me feel better.

“Sure.”

✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ ✦✦✦

“So, what’s the difference between owl eye and angle vision?” Mitch interrupted my thoughts, huffing at my side as we climbed a rocky incline. We were ahead of the main group, scouting the trail. Not too far ahead, since we weren’t sure of the path, but not too close so that they could still get away if we stumbled into danger. They had no idea that the very danger they were trying to avoid was playing fifty questions beside me.

I sighed. “Why do you need to know now?”

“Why not?” he countered. “I’ve been out of the bush since forever. Gotta keep sharp.”

“You planning on staying out in the bush?” There was that hope again, busy building new rooms.

He laughed, “No. I couldn’t. But once this is over, I’ll be a legend—we’ll be legends—and there’ll be lots more missions.”

A wall toppled over, halfway built.

“Owl eye is when you cup your hands around your eyes to concentrate the light in the darkness so you can make out objects better. Angle vision is when you move your whole head side to side so you can gauge distance and depth.” I spoke in monotone. I had to get better at hiding my anxiety and disappointment or he’d catch on. I didn’t need him blowing the whistle yet, not before I had a chance to figure out a new plan.