“I’d rather be alone,” she said.

“I’d rather be alone,” Hadley said, lowering her voice in a dramatic impression of Maisie. “Always alone.”

“Shut up,” Maisie said with a laugh, bumping her shoulder against Hadley’s.

“He’s right, though,” Hadley said. “It would be better if you could take someone.”

“Who? Elise isn’t well enough to go; you can’t leave the station for two days, especially in the middle of an emergency; and I can’t think of a single other person who would volunteer to go into Spencer territory. Beto was my best shot, and he pretty much laughed at me.”

“I guess that’s true,” Hadley said with a sigh. She grabbed a backpack from the table and pulled out a radio. “Stay in contact, okay? We don’t know if your phone will work up there, so I’m sending you with this radio. This light right here? On top? It’ll flash when I’m trying to get in contact with you. Make sure you check it occasionally.”

“Got it.” Maisie took the backpack and peered inside. She smiled. “Thanks for the snacks.”

“You know I’m all about the snacks.”

“Also, plenty of extra bullets,” Elise said.

“And a second gun for Fancy-pants, if you trust him not to shoot you,” Hadley said.

“Thanks,” Lennon said dryly.

Hadley and Elise traded a glance, and he realized suddenly that they were worried. Scared for their friend.

“Listen, we were talking, and…” Hadley took a deep breath. “We wouldn’t blame you. If you decided to just leave once you got up there.”

Lennon looked between them in confusion. Why did they think Maisie could leave?

“I’m not leaving,” Maisie said, clearly exasperated. She glanced at Lennon, and then quickly away. “Let’s not—”

“No, seriously,” Elise said. “They’ll let you out. They’ve said so. Maybe it’s time.”

“Wait, who said so?” Lennon asked. “Why would they let you out?”

Maisie opened her mouth.

“She’s immune,” Hadley said, before Maisie could stop her.

“Dammit, Hadley,” Maisie said with a sigh.

“Wait, what?” He looked at Maisie, baffled. “You’re immune?”

“She’s a special snowflake,” Hadley said. “She’s been immune for years. Hasn’t caught the virus since she was a kid. That’s why you have her antibodies.”

His lips parted. “Are there others? Who are immune?”

“Nope, just her, as far as we know,” Elise said. “They think it’s a genetic thing. Her dad wasn’t technically immune, but he barely got sick every time he got the virus.”

“The CDC has been offering to let her come out for years,” Hadley said. “She’ll have to go into quarantine for a few months, but if she’s clear she can go out forever.”

“Holy shit.” Lennon put a hand on Maisie’s arm. “They’re right. You should leave with me.”

“They didn’t say I should; they said they wouldn’t blame me.” Maisie shook him off and crossed her arms over her chest. “But it’s not happening.”

“Why not?”

“What am I going to do on the outside? My home is here.”

“If you really are immune, maybe they’ll let you go back and forth. You could visit occ—”