“I will,” Jon said. “I’ll see you tonight.”
Lisa bent over and gave him a kiss. “You’re a good boy, Jon,” she said. “Give Miranda my love. Tell her we’re counting the minutes until she gets here.”
Jon went upstairs, woke Gabe, and helped him get dressed. He brought him to the kitchen and sat with him while Carrie made his breakfast. When Gabe was through eating, he and Jon went upstairs and played every game Gabe could think of. Carrie cleaned the house and made their lunch.
“I’m going to the hospital,” he told Carrie, after putting Gabe to bed for his afternoon nap. “I’ll stay with Gabe when I get back.”
“Thank you, Jon,” Carrie said. “See you later.”
Jon got a bus that took him to the hospital neighborhood. He couldn’t get over how many guards were in town. Did they really think the grubs were going to rise up in revolt? Or was it just to make the clavers feel safer?
Miranda was lying in bed when Jon got there. She looked good, better than Carrie and Lisa did.
“Jon!” she said. “Oh, I’m so glad to see you. I know something’s going on, but I don’t know what, and I haven’t seen Lisa since last week. Is everyone all right? I’ve been so worried.”
“Everyone’s fine,” Jon said. “I saw Mom on Saturday. Sunday, too. And I saw Alex yesterday, driving a bus.”
“Lisa?” Miranda said. “Gabe?”
Jon laughed. “They’re fine, too,” he said. For a moment Miranda was just Miranda, his big sister, the one who’d teased him, the one he’d driven crazy. Just for a moment, though. Then he remembered Julie and what Miranda had done to her. He didn’t want to, but he edged away.
“What’s the matter?” Miranda said. “Sit down, Jon, and tell me what’s going on. I know you’re keeping something from me.”
Jon sat on a straight-back chair against the wall. “Things went crazy in White Birch this weekend,” he replied. “Bad crazy. But Mom’s fine. Nothing happened to her. And Alex is on the job, so he’s okay, too.”
“The nurses used to pop in on me all the time,” Miranda said. “Orderlies, too. The past couple of days I’ve hardly seen anyone. Oh, they’re taking good care of me, and I know how lucky I am to be here. But something’s wrong. Things are too quiet.”
“A lot of people who live in White Birch are missing,” he replied. “Some of them died, but a lot of them probably packed their bags and left. Lisa’s going crazy trying to replace the domestics. That’s why she hasn’t seen you. She got home after ten o’clock last night, and she says it’s going to be like that all week.”
“But Mom’s all right,” Miranda said. “And Alex.”
“I spent the weekend with Mom,” Jon said. “She sends her love. She wishes she could be here, but there’s no way she can get a pass. And Alex is back at work, so he’s okay, too. We all are, Miranda. We’re just waiting for you to have the baby.”
“Is it okay with you?” she asked. “Me working for Lisa?”
It wasn’t, but there was nothing Jon could say. “Lisa thinks it’s a great idea,” he said. “Val’s missing, so things are kind of hard. We could use a helping hand.”
“I like Lisa,” Miranda said. “Gabe’s a handful, but he’s my brother and I love him. I’m hoping to be out of here in a week. The baby’s kicking up a storm. It’s ready to be born, I’m sure of it.”
Jon looked at his watch. “I told Carrie I’d be home soon,” he said. “She has all the housework and Gabe, and that’s too much for her. I’d better go.”
“Will you come back?” Miranda asked. “Will I see you again?”
“I don’t know,” Jon said. “With school and soccer and helping out with Gabe, I don’t have much time.”
Miranda smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “You’re a good claver, Jon,” she said. “You do all the right things.”
“This isn’t my fault,” Jon said. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“I didn’t, either,” Miranda said. “Okay, Jon. Go. You did your duty. The next time I see Mom, I’ll tell her what a good boy you are.”
“Go to hell,” Jon said. He walked out of the room, paying no heed to Miranda calling his name.
When the phone rang, Jon figured it was Lisa calling from work. Carrie was putting Gabe to sleep, but Lisa probably wanted to wish him good night over the phone.
But it was Alex.
“Miranda’s all right,” Jon said. “I saw her yesterday.”
“That’s not what I’m calling about,” Alex said. “Do you know where Laura is?”
“Mom?” Jon said. “Why? What’s the matter?”
“I don’t know,” Alex said. “Maybe nothing. But I got home from work and she wasn’t there. That’s not like her. I thought maybe you’d gotten her into Sexton.”
“You know we can’t,” Jon said. “Maybe Mom’s visiting people.” He remembered the dead bodies in front of the apartment and started to feel sick. “Look, Alex, if Mom comes home, could you let me know?”
“Not today,” Alex said. “Curfew’s in five minutes. I’m already taking a chance calling. I’ll talk to you tomorrow night. Or if Laura gets back, I’ll have her call you tomorrow.”
Jon could hear sirens in the background. “Gotta go,” Alex said. “Curfew.”
Alex was a worrier, Jon told himself. Even Mom thought he was paranoid.
But Mom also thought she might never see Jon again. Someone had gone into her apartment and stolen her food. Someone had slaughtered her downstairs neighbors.
He picked up the phone and called Sarah.
“Is something the matter?” she asked as soon as she heard his voice.
“Yes,” Jon said. “No. I don’t know. Look, is your father going to White Birch tomorrow? Is the clinic open?”
“Yes,” Sarah said. “I’m going, too. It’s a good excuse not to go to Zachary’s funeral.”
“The funeral,” Jon said. He’d almost forgotten. Zachary’s was scheduled for Thursday and Tyler’s for Friday.
People wouldn’t care if Sarah wasn’t at the funerals. They didn’t like her or trust her, and they’d figure she’d skip out on something that important.
But Jon was different. He was their classmate, their teammate, their friend. It would seem strange if he wasn’t there. It would be one more mark against him, one more indication that he was just a slip, not really a claver.
But Alex was scared and Mom was missing. “I need to go to White Birch,” Jon said. “How do you get there? Are the claver buses running?”
“No,” Sarah said. “Clavers aren’t allowed in. Daddy goes by private car. And when we’re there, we’re not allowed out of the clinic except to go home.”
“Mom’s missing,” Jon said. “Alex called. Maybe it’s nothing, but I’ve got to find out. I’m going with you. What time do you leave?”
“Seven o’clock,” Sarah said. “But Jon, even if you get there, you can’t walk around. It’s too dangerous.”
“I have to,” Jon said. “I’ll be at your house at six thirty. Tell your father.”
“Jon,” Sarah said, but he hung up.
It’ll be okay, he told himself. He’d get to Mom’s apartment somehow and find her there. She’d hug him, the way she used to when he was little.
It’ll be all right. This one time, it had to be all right.
“Drop him off here,” Dr. Goldman said to the driver.
“You sure?” the driver asked. “My orders are to take you to the clinic.”
“Your orders are to do what I tell you,” Dr. Goldman said. “I brought this boy along to run errands. Now do as I say and let him out here.”