Behind the Gates Read Free Page A

that,” Maddie insists.
    “I’d feel more comfortable with you there,” I argue.
    “Just say hi,” Maddie repeats, yawning.
    I always feel a little shy before I get to know someone. After that, I’m not shy at all. But if Maddie wouldn’tjoin me, I’d feel more comfortable having a
reason
to talk to this girl.
    Maddie curls up in the seat, resting her head on her arm, closing her eyes again.
    She’s clearly determined to go back to sleep, so I squeeze around her and head for the bathroom at the back of the bus. As I pass by the two girls I can hear only the briefest snap of conversation.
    “Are you sure about all this?” the pale-blond girl asks doubtfully.
    “Not the details, of course,” the writing girl replies knowingly, “but in general, yes. Absolutely sure.”
    When I get to the back of the bus, the bathroom door is locked. I didn’t need it, anyway — I just wanted to get up. But now what?
    Suddenly an idea occurs to me and I slip one of my daisy-shaped plastic earrings out of my ear. I wait for a minute and then head back up the aisle.
    When I’m near the two girls again, I drop the plastic daisy. Pretending to be surprised, I raise my hand to myear. “I think I just dropped my earring,” I say with a mild gasp.
    The two girls peer into the aisle. “There,” the girl who had been writing says, pointing at my earring on the floor.
    “Oh, thanks!” I cry, stooping to retrieve it. “I’m Louisa Ballinger,” I say, standing back up.
    “Evelyn Posner,” the writing girl replies with a friendly smile.
    “I’m Jordan,” says the pale-blond girl. Jordan waves for me to come closer. I lean in to hear. She’s not satisfied with my position until I am practically squeezed into the seat with the two of them.
    Jordan whispers, “Evelyn thinks this is a trap.”
    “What?” I ask, wrinkling my forehead. “What kind of trap? Who would want to trap us? The Alliance?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe,” Evelyn replies. “I’m sure this is some kind of conspiracy, though.”
    I can’t help but laugh. “A conspiracy to do what?”
    “That’s what I intend to find out!” Evelyn states with equal parts suspicion and excitement. “I tried to tell my parents this is all a setup,” she goes on, “and they wouldn’t listen, as usual. But that’s fine. Now I can do some deep undercover work, finally be part of the war effort, you know?”
    I don’t know what I’d been expecting, but it definitely hadn’t been anything like this!
    I notice Maddie peering around the side of her seat. Her expression is asking me:
What is going on?
    I reply with a small shrug. I haven’t decided what I think of Evelyn yet. “You really think this is an Alliance plot or something?”
    “And, like, Mrs. Brewster is an Alliance
agent?”
Jordan adds.
    “She could be,” Evelyn allows, obviously warming to the subject. “Or she may be an unwitting pawn. The Alliance could be tricking her, too.”
    “I vote for Alliance agent,” Jordan says. “She scares me.” I have to agree — Mrs. Brewster is kind of freaky.
    “It has to be a plot. Why else would the locations be so secret?” Evelyn adds.
    “Well,” I counter, surprised to hear the same old words coming out of my mouth this time, “they’re trying to keep us safe, aren’t they?”
    Evelyn sighs and shakes her head, seeming to pity my naïve viewpoint. “Believe what you want, but I’m going to be ready.” As proof, she tips her open notebook my way, revealing what she’d been writing so feverishly.
    Lines. Arrows. Boxes. Squiggles and letters. lnr 64 with an arrow pointing up.
    “What is it?” I ask in a whisper.
    “Lansing North, Route Sixty-four,” she explains. She leans closer and lowers her voice to a whisper I only barely hear. “It’s a map. When everything goes down, I’m making sure I can find my way home. And, see, I have it locked with a password.” Suddenly the screen reverts to a picture of a kitten in a basket.
    I raise my