Michael wanted to ask Helga what exactly they needed to do now, but he was too exhausted to speak. He slumped in his seat, figuring explanations would come soon enough.

A figure darted out of the woods up ahead, scurrying from the tree line into the middle of the road. Walter slammed on the brakes and the car fishtailed before coming to a stop only a few feet short from the person. For a split second Michael thought it was one of those strange girls from Trae’s group. But his heart soared when he saw that it was Sarah.

“No way,” he whispered. “She wouldn’t.”

“Yes, she would,” Bryson replied.

Both boys pulled open their doors and ran to her, with Helga trailing them. Sarah went straight for Michael and hugged him fiercely.

“Sorry,” she said. “I had to make them think I was staying.”

Michael was so surprised and happy, he could only get out an “Okay.”

“As soon as I went out the back door, I sprinted into the woods, ran until I thought my heart was going to explode. I barely made it here ahead of you guys.”

Bryson lightly punched her on the shoulder. “Your parents are going to murder you. Were you always this bad?”

Helga didn’t seem too pleased about the situation. “Sarah, this is a really terrible idea. I can’t just go against your parents’ wishes. They’ll murder me, too.”

Sarah shook her head adamantly and ran to the backseat of the first car, jumped in, slammed the door. “I’m going!” she yelled through the window.

“At least tell them I tried to stop you,” Helga muttered as she walked back to the car. “Get in. We’ll just have to squeeze the four of us into the backseat.”

4

It took a lot of effort for Michael not to grin from ear to ear as they bounced along the rough road leading them out of the wooded valley. The relief he felt at having Sarah by his side—literally—was stronger than he could’ve guessed. It made him think of when her Aura had died on the Path, in those caves full of lava pools. After she’d disappeared, he’d never felt lonelier. He needed her, now more than ever.

“So what’s the plan?” Bryson asked. “High time you told us.”

“Exactly what Michael suggested,” Helga responded, looking out the window as she spoke. “The Alliance has pretty much exhausted what we can do on our own. We need to find an audience with some senior lawmaking officials who hopefully haven’t been compromised, and I know the perfect place.”

Michael had two questions, but Sarah was already one step ahead of him.

“What exactly have they been doing?” she asked. “The Alliance, I mean. Back at the barracks, it was like we didn’t exist to them.”