“No, I—”
“It makes the most sense. I don’t know why we didn’t plan better. You know the layout of the warehouse, where all the equipment is to unload the Bell—”
“But the diversion—”
“Like I said, I’ll detonate the mines after you’re through the gate.”
“And still get to the train on time?” I shake my head. “No. I already told Kino you were the one plotting against the president’s helicopter. If you get caught here, she’ll kill you.”
“Better me than you.”
“How can you say that?”
Oliver groans, rolling his eyes. “Because it’s my job, Reed! And if you’ll stop arguing with me, I’ll take a few precious seconds to explain.”
He talks for the next three minutes straight, one word tripping over the other as he tries to narrate the convoluted road he traveled from the Chicago streets to the House. What he says leaves me with more questions than answers, but just when I’m about to start asking them, voices from the direction of the gym silence us both. We drop to a crouch behind the bleachers.
“…just thought I might help.” I recognize Mr. Patrick’s voice. “Any excuse to loosen my tie. Get away from the dance.”
“I don’t see them.” It’s Haak this time, grumbling as usual. “Reed Paine is up to something. Not fit for rehabilitation, if you ask me. Kino should send him straight to the front line.”
It’s too dark to see what happens next, but I hear it. The sounds of a struggle.
“Be right back.” Oliver runs toward the gym. Seconds after he disappears, the fight is over. Oliver heads back with Mr. Patrick in his wake, bloody along the jaw but otherwise unharmed.
I step out of the shadows. “Haak?”
“Sleeping like Xu and Brock,” Oliver says.
“You have to teach me how to do that someday, Lieutenant.”
Oliver just grins. I turn to Mr. Patrick. “What are you going to do when they wake up?”
“It’s already done. Pieces of a landmine are hidden in Haak’s cottage, and there’s explosive residue on his hands and clothes. Searches on his tablet’s history — deleted, of course, but retrievable. Add evidence of Xu and Brock’s black market dealings and data proving Haak and Kino have profited from it. I think it’s all going to be a big hit with the Secret Service.”
“Perfect.” Oliver nods. “Now it’s time for Reed to catch the train.”
Just then, lightning lights up the sky. A clap of thunder follows.
Mr. Patrick studies the horizon. “The storm may buy you some time, you know. I overheard a Secret Service agent tell the president it may ground his helicopter for a couple of hours, which should give you more time to put some distance between Sam and Director Kino.”
“Xoey would call it providence,” I say.
For a moment, Oliver seems at a loss for words, then his lips twitch and he shakes his head. “Yeah. Good with a capital G.”
More lightning crisscrosses the horizon. I turn to Oliver. “Just tell me you’ll hurry. You’ll try to make the train, right?”
He thumps me on the back. “I can run pretty fast.”
I shake his hand. I don’t yet understand all he has done — all he’s been trying to do since even before I got to the House — but I’m grateful all the same.
“Thank you,” I say. “Thank you for everything.”
“I meant to tell Xoey about all of this. If I don’t get the chance—”
“You will.”
“Okay. But Reed?” He tips his chin toward the sky, which lights up again, as if on cue. “Tell her anyway. Tell her I saw God here tonight.”
The wind is howling so much I almost miss it — the sound of the train whistling in the distance. My heart pounds and I run faster. I feel rain drops on my face.
I can’t believe I’m about to steal the Liberty Bell.
I use every blind spot I know to get to the train yard without being seen. Paisley has already taken us offline tonight, which will be noticed, but not until we’re safe.
I pause at the train yard gate until I feel the pop in my ear, then hurry to the next blind spot. By now, Sam and Xoey should be through the tunnel and waiting for me in the depot basement. Riley and Adam will be at the service garage, ready to set fire to the pallets. I see the Red Cross truck parked by the south dock of Warehouse Four — a short ride for the forklift I’ll use to unload the Bell.
If everything lines up right.
If the security gate password is valid.
If our diversions work.
“Reed? What are you doing here?”
I jump and jerk away from the wall. Jay is standing there, looking me up and down with a puzzled expression on his face.
“Hi Jay.” I wipe my hands on my pants, trying to come up with a good story. “You didn’t go to the dance, huh?”
His frown deepens, reminding me we already talked about this. “Nah. Not my scene — and I’m too ugly for Middlebrooks anyway, remember?”
“No. Too dirty, maybe.” I glance over my shoulder.
“Either way, Mariscal needed someone to cover the yard tonight.”
“Right. Just you and Mariscal here tonight, then? What’s the workload?”
He turns toward the east. “Train’s coming. Just a small shipment to Warehouse One. Easy.”
I nod, knowing the shipment won’t be there. I wonder how long it will take them to deal with the faulty car lock, double check the manifest, blame it on some kind of computer mistake. Hopefully long enough for us to unload the Bell.
“You need help?”
He studies me again. “You want to unload stock in your fancy dancing suit?”
I laugh. It sounds forced and uneasy, even to my ears. “Guess not.”
“You sure you’re all right, man? You got something on your chin. Is that blood?”
“What?” I swipe my hand over my chin. “Oh, yeah. I had a little run in with Brock. I’m good.”
Jay’s still frowning, but he turns away. “Okay. I’ll see you later then.”
He starts whistling as he heads to the footbridge. I wait until I can’t hear his footsteps anymore, then hurry inside the old depot, switching on my Readybeam as I head down to the basement. It takes just a few seconds to reach the cupboard next to the old coal chute. I open the door and lean through, shining my light into the dark tunnel beyond.
“Sam? Xoey?”
“Here.”
Xoey steps through first, almost tripping over her huge gown. Her uniform is bundled up in her arms, but she must not have had time to change. Sam follows her through. For a second, we just stare at each other.
“There’s no way Paisley will make it in time.” Xoey’s face is streaked with tears and makeup. “Please tell me Oliver will.”
“He said he’ll try.”
Sam kicks over a stack of crates. “It should have been me, but Paisley just…she just ran off.”
Xoey and I exchange glances. We both know why Paisley did what she did. Sam has to escape tonight. Any one of us can be left behind, but not Sam.
The train whistles again, so close it feels like it’s on top of us.
“Come on. We have to go.”
I lead them upstairs and outside. It’s raining steadily now, making even the dirty train yard smell clean. We press ourselves into the shadows and wait. I can feel the train rumbling toward us, rattling the gravel under our feet. My heart rattles too.
“This way.”
We cut under the footbridge and run toward Warehouse Four, stopping at another dark corner. Within seconds, the train appears.
“We’re looking for car number thirteen,” Sam says.
“I can’t believe it’s here somewhere,” Xoey whispers. “The Liberty Bell.”
I nod. My heart’s still pounding, but now it feels like it’s keeping time with the cars rolling by. I study every one of them, but don’t see thirteen. Did we miss it? The train slows even more. To the east, at least a dozen cars are sti
ll curving around the track.
What if it’s not here?
“Keep searching,” I say.
I’m trying to be ready for whatever happens next. The easiest scenario would be if car thirteen lines up with one of the bays at Warehouse Four, just like Sam planned it. Then it will only take a couple of minutes to find the right crate, get in and out with the forklift, and pass through the security gate to the south bay where the old Red Cross truck is waiting.
Of course, nothing can be easy.
“There!” Xoey points to a car rolling by as the train shudders to a stop. It’s close to Warehouse Four at least, but the doors don’t line up at all. Instead, there’s almost a full car length between it and the edge of the platform.
“How is this going to work?” Xoey asks.
I can’t waste time with anything other than the simplest solution. “We’ll need two forklifts instead of one.”
That’s when we hear the first land mine detonate across campus. It’s strange, the feeling of dread it raises in me. I know it’s happening outside the fence — a necessary part of our plan — but I can’t help remembering Adam’s accusation that I would risk other people’s lives with the explosives, not my own. That’s why I was so determined to do it myself.
I think of Oliver taking my place. Me letting him.
Adam was right after all.
Another mine detonates. Then another.
Heavy footsteps thunder across the footbridge. I crane my head around the corner and see Jay and Mariscal running toward the gate, drawn away by the explosions, just like we hoped. As soon as they disappear, I jump to my feet.
“Sam, unlock the car and find the Bell. Xoey, go inside the warehouse and raise the door. I’ll be right back.”
I sprint across the yard toward the maintenance shed. Yesterday there were two forklifts inside. I just hope at least one of them is in working order. I push open the door and check the first forklift, but its engine is on top of the seat with wires and cables snaking out of it in every direction. I move on. The second one looks better but when I flip the ignition switch, nothing happens. I jump out and yank on the seat until it tilts forward, revealing the battery compartment underneath. I quickly find the problem — two loose cables. My fingers shake as I reattach the connections to the terminals.
I pray again. Please let it run!
I push the seat back in place and jump in, still praying as I flip the ignition, breathing a sigh of relief as it sputters to life. Nothing to do about the warning beeps that sound as I back out of the maintenance bay, but at least no one is around to hear it. I switch into drive and head toward the tracks.
The smell of burning pallets reaches my nose and I turn to see a billow of black smoke rising above the western warehouses. Good news — Adam and Riley are on schedule with diversion number two.
I sure hope Paisley was able to override the school’s emergency lock down. Otherwise this is going to be a short trip.
Sam has the car door open and is waving me forward. I position the forklift’s mast in front of the edge and engage the hydraulics, lifting the forks until they are level with the floor. Then I inch it forward before jumping down to climb the train ladder. I slip only once on a wet rung, then swing myself inside the car, blinking as my eyes adjust to the dimness.
“Where is it?”
“Over here.”
He leads me to the back of the car where he’s already moved several cartons out of the way. He taps a large square crate. It’s made of bright yellow plastic and is about the right size, but I ask anyway.
“You’re sure this is it?”
Sam nods — even smiles — the first one I’ve seen since his kitten died. “I opened it.”
“You saw it? The Bell?”
He nods, his eyes still wide. I’m tempted to see it for myself, but there’s no time.
“You took off the tracking plate? The security monitor?”
“Yep.”
I nod, circling the crate. It’s high tech, with a digital lock and heavy-duty recessed wheels Sam has already lowered and locked into place. Together, we struggle to push it toward the forklift, stopping when it butts up against the mast. Sam secures it with two tie downs while I climb back down the ladder and scramble into the forklift. Taking a deep breath, I back away from the car until the crate has cleared the side.
I know forklift dos and don’ts — I should lower my load before turning toward the warehouse platform, then raise it again once I get there, but we’re running out of time. For a second I imagine the horror of losing my load — letting this ancient American artifact fall and break.
Then I remind myself, it’s been cracked before.
Still, I maneuver the forklift slowly until the carton is hovering above the warehouse platform, then lower it with great care, only taking a breath when it touches concrete. I jump onto the platform and run through the door, searching for another forklift.
The train whistles again, telling me it will pull away in just a few minutes.
“Hurry!” Xoey says.
“I will. You and Sam get on the train.”
She turns toward the depot. “But Oliver—”
“He should be here any minute. Just get on the train!”
Sam pulls Xoey toward the train while I climb into the forklift and reload the yellow carton. I have to move with care at first, backing along the platform, just inches from the edge, before rotating toward the warehouse floor. Once I clear the door, I punch the pedal to the floor and head for the other end of the long building. I stop at the security gate and hop down, punching in the clearance code Paisley made me memorize. It works without a hiccup, despite my shaking fingers. I jump back in the forklift and keep going, skirting several rows of cartons and conveyor belts, making two turns to line up with the correct bay door. Then I see Riley waving me down, standing behind the Red Cross truck. I drive straight toward her.
I am at least three meters away when the forklift dies.
“No!” I flip the ignition again and again, but nothing happens. “No, no, no!”
Riley’s running toward me. “Let me help.”
Together, we unstrap the crate, lower the wheels, and begin to push it toward the truck, but it’s only moving centimeters at a time. Sam and I managed on the train car, but he’s a lot stronger than Riley.
“Where’s Adam?”
“Dealing with the fire,” she says. “He should be here any minute.”
The train whistles again. I have less than a minute before it starts pulling away. This would be a great time for Oliver to show up!
“Just go!” Riley says. “Adam and I will—”
Suddenly she stops and focuses on something over my shoulder, her eyes wide with fear. I whip around and find Jay standing behind me, his arms folded over his chest.
For a moment, I’m lost. I see everything we’ve done, every plan we’ve made caving in on me. I’ve failed now at the end. Just when we were so close.
Then Jay grins. “All you had to do was ask.”
He grabs one side of the crate and starts pushing with more strength than Riley and I put together. Within seconds, we have it loaded and strapped down on the back of the truck.
I stare at Jay. “I—”
“You’re not the only one who hates this school.” He glances at the crate then back at me. “Whatever’s in there? Man, I wish you well.”
“Thank you.” I focus on Riley. “I’ll see you there.”
“Go!” she yells.
The whistle sounds again. The train is pulling away. I turn and run.
Chapter 48
Riley
* * *
“Get in!”
The rain is making the smoke from the pallet fire spread faster, burning my eyes and nose. I hope it will at least provide cover for our escape. I hear another mine detonate across campus and imagine the Secret Service scrambling to protect the president. Kino must be furious. My lips twitch.
“Riley, now!” Adam y
ells.
“I’m coming!”
Still, I hesitate, watching Reed in the distance, running full steam toward the train until he’s out of sight. I don’t know where Jay went, but there’s no time to worry about it now. I yank open the cab door and climb in, barely pulling it shut before we lurch forward.
I fasten my seatbelt. “What if Reed doesn’t make it in time?”
“Reed?” Adam stares at me.
Why is he being so dense?
“Yes, Reed! You know, the guy who just loaded the Liberty Bell on the back of this truck?”
Adam takes his foot off the petal. “Reed? Not Oliver?”
“Adam! What’s the matter with you?”
He ignores my question, but he tightens his jaw and stomps on the pedal, throwing me against the seat. “Never mind. Let’s just get out of here while we can.”
I study my side mirror. “Maybe he should have just ridden in the back of the truck.”
“This was his idea,” Adam says. “He’ll just have to run fast. Anyway, we’re trying to trick the Sentribots into thinking we are Xu and Brock, remember? Or do you want to get caught with the Liberty Bell while everyone else goes free?”
I shake my head. I don’t know why Adam is so angry, but it’s hard to keep track of all the details. So many things have changed about our heist plan, even in the past hour. If we pull this off, I may never know how we did it.
As soon as Reed left me in the middle of the dance floor, I saw Paisley lean toward Sam and whisper in his ear. Whatever she said had an immediate effect. I’m not surprised. She has a special way of talking to him, usually about things I don’t understand. It reminds me of birds chirping. Incomprehensible, but beautiful. Tonight they drifted so no one would notice, staying just out of Kino’s sight line, then stepping off the dance floor and into the shadows. I met them there and we ran to the shed.
Oliver got there a few seconds later. “You coming with us?”
I nodded. “For now.”
Adam and I were supposed to head straight for the maintenance garage, but he changed the plan on me earlier in the evening.
“Reed won’t be there, so help get Paisley and Sam through the tunnels. You’re the only other person who knows the route.”
Stealing Liberty Page 29