“We did. It’s safe to say that Declan Myers is on my forever shit list.” She ran a hand down her face. “We need to figure out what to do with you two.”

“I have a proposition,” Maisie said.

“Does it have anything to do with that long conversation you were having with one of the men who killed my girls?” Val asked.

“He swears he didn’t know about Declan getting those explosives. He thought they were just here for me and Lennon.”

Val looked skeptical.

“He’s Beto Lopez, Dr. Lopez’s son.”

Val lifted her eyebrows but said nothing.

“I have a contact in Northgate who’s going to help us get to those shipments,” Maisie said. “If you let us go, and let us cross your northern border, we can get it and I’ll drop Lennon at the exit gate. Then we’ll go back and never bother you again.”

Val squinted at her. “There are so many holes in that plan that I don’t know where to start.”

“I know it’s not perfect, but we’re running out of time and—”

“It’s certainly not perfect,” Val said with a snort. She pointed at Lennon. “And you’re only running out of time because of this guy. You’re really that committed to getting him out of here?”

“I promised,” Maisie said softly.

The words made Lennon’s chest squeeze. He brushed his hand against hers.

“And what’s it going to look like, if we keep him here against his will?” Maisie continued. “If we can’t transport him thirty miles in three days? Three days! The people on the other side of the wall are already talking about killing us all. If he doesn’t show up when the CDC gave us a way to get him out, we’re never going to recover. We might all be dead.”

Val sighed heavily. “You’re not wrong about that. I keep up with the news out there best I can, but it’s scary as hell at times. Sometimes I wish I didn’t know what they were saying. Seems easier not to know.”

“It was definitely easier,” Maisie said, a bit wearily. Lennon felt a stab of guilt. He could have just not told her.

“But it’s better to know,” she continued. “We can’t make things better if we don’t know.”

Val considered this for a moment. “And how does Beto factor into this?”

“He agreed that if I can get the shipment, he’ll help me get it back south, and he thinks he can convince most of the family members who were backing Declan to abandon him. He doesn’t even have enough people for a full-scale assault now; he can’t afford to lose more.”

“You need more than that,” Val said. “You need reassurances that this won’t keep happening. You need a plan for the future.”

Maisie threw her hands up. “I wish I had one, but what I have right now are people who desperately need the medical supplies in that shipment. And a guy on a deadline.” She gestured in Lennon’s direction.