Sneak (Swipe Series)

Logan and Hailey, and Logan braced himself for the fight that was sure to break out. But instead, the first man frowned. “Nearest bus stop’s about a mile that way.” He pointed. “But we have reports of a fugitive teenager in the area. Unmarked. I can call for backup if you need an escort.”
    Logan couldn’t believe his ears.
    “Oh, no, officer, that won’t be necessary,” Hailey said quickly. “I feel plenty safe just knowing you boys are in the area.”
    The men lowered their weapons, the second officer dismissing them with a wave of his hand. “Next time pay attention to the stop announcements, will ya? And get home safe.”
    “Thank you, officer. We most certainly will.”
    Hailey turned in the direction of the bus stop, and the officers retreated to scour the streets closer to the underpass. Logan resisted the urge to rub his wrist as he watched them go. He was glad he hadn’t been asked to speak.
    It was all he could manage not to throw up.
    At the first available moment, Hailey turned around to get Logan’s bike from the alley.
    “Nice job finding this thing. Can you ride it? ’Cause you’re gonna have to.”
    “Why?” Logan asked. “Where are we going? And how in the world did that plan of yours work?”
    Hailey shrugged. “I have no idea. And I can’t tell you where we’re going. I can’t tell you anything. There’s still a good chance we’re gonna get caught tonight.”
    “And, what? You think I’d squeal?”
    Hailey didn’t answer. Instead, she walked Logan’s bike to an intersection a block away, where she reached into the shadows and pulled out the rollerstick she’d ridden in on.
    “Where’d you get a stick?” Logan asked.
    “Same place I got the clothes.”
    Then she slapped the bike’s old seat. “Hop on,” she said. “And try to keep up.”

FOUR

SHOT IN THE DARK
    1
    T HE RIDE TO THE FARM WAS QUIET. THE fields were dark and still. But when Logan stepped into the stable, everything inside was noise and confusion. Tyler had made his way onto a horse that he’d let out of its stall, and he was trying to ride the old mare bareback, but she wasn’t cooperating. Instead, she stood perfectly still, munching on hay while Tyler swung his arm above his head and shouted “Yee haw!” over and over. Meg and Rusty sat on the ground, watching, rolling around, laughing, and clutching their sides. Eddie threw straws of hay at everyone, trying to distract Tyler and throw him off balance. Blake and Dane stood on the sidelines, arguing about chores. And above all this was Joanne, pleading with the rest to quiet down and appreciate the danger they were in, but only really adding to the noise herself.
    All of this stopped when the Dust saw Logan. Tyler fell to the ground. Eddie and Meg went rigid. Blake and Dane went slack. Joanne put her hand to her mouth. Logan cleared his throat, and it practically echoed in the silence.
    “Hi, guys . . . good to see you.”
    2
    There was one held breath of waiting before the shouting started again.
    “Well, look who it is!”
    “The beggar’s back!”
    “We thought you were dead!”
    “We hoped you were dead!”
    Meg growled. Rusty hid in a horse’s stall. The rest circled around, shouting in Logan’s face, closing in.
    “—can’t believe you went to Erin—”
    “—almost got us all killed—”
    “—after everything we did for you—”
    “Blake, Jo . . . guys . . . come on,” Hailey said, but no one heard. Dane just shrugged as if the whole thing was out of his hands.
    “—Mr. Opened a Can of Worms—”
    “—burned down the warehouse—”
    “—your fault —”
    “Enough!” Peck said, entering and standing above the fray. Immediately the group stopped, breathing hard. “Time is short, Logan. If you would?” Peck extended his hand.
    The barn door closed behind them. The two had left without another word from anyone.
    3
    “She’s in Beacon,” Logan said. “No doubt about it.”
    “You heard this from your Marker? Directly? You’re sure about this?”
    “Absolutely.”
    Peck nodded. “Then we go to Beacon.”
    The two of them sat for a moment around the remains of Tyler’s fire. The sky sparkled with stars above them.
    “You realize, Logan, no Markless has ever seen farther into the Pledge process than you. You’re the expert now. No one has gone deeper into the rabbit hole and come out intact. Anything you learned—anything at all—is of great value to us.”
    “I guess you’re right,” Logan