Quinn
glanced
at
me
out
of
the
corner
of
his
eye.
“I
think
people
get
comfortable.
Complacent.
It’s
hard
to
imagine
anything
else
exists
if
you
haven
’t
experienced
it.”
“Is that
why
you
came
to
North
Platte?
To
experience
something
different?”
“Sort of.”
“Why
did
you
come?”
“I
wanted
to
see
what
it
was
like.”
“And
what
do
you
think
about
it?”
“I
think
it’s
got
to
be
the
worst
place
on
Earth.”
“So
why
did
you
agree
to
go
back?”
Quinn
shrugged
his
right
shoulder.
“If
I
have
a
means
to
make
someone
’s
life
a
little
easier,
I
’m
going
to
do
it.”
He
smiled.
“Besides,
I
wasn
’t
doing
anything
else
at
the
moment.”
“What
do
you
expect
to
gain
from
it?”
“What?”
“Well,
you
can’t
be
doing
something
for
nothing.
What
do
you
expect
for
payment?”
“I
don’t
expect
anything.”
“Something
has
to
tempt
you. Money?
Power?”
Quinn
chuckled.
“Really,
I
don’t
want
anything. Money
has lost
its
value,
and
power
is
overrated.
Too
much
stress.
I’m
doing
it
to
help
my
fellow
man. What
about
you?
Why
are
you
out
here
risking
life
and
limb?
What’s
your
temptation?”
I
opened
my
mouth
to
answer,
but
then
closed
it.
Why
was
I
out
there?
Mainly,
it
was
because
I
wanted
to
get
out
and
experience
something
new.
Part
of
it
was
also so
I
could
get
away
from
Liet.
In
reality,
I could
move
back in
with
Pam.
I
turned
and
looked
out
the
window.
Why
was
I doing
it?
CHAPTER
13
It
took
us
two
days
to
fill
up
the
trucks
and
then
take
them
back
to
North
Platte.
I
dropped
in
briefly
to let
Liet
know
I
was
all
right,
but
he
was
busy
so
I
didn’t
stay
for
long.
I
stopped
in
to
say
hello
to
Pam,
but
we
left
again
within
hours
of
returning
the
loaded
vehicles.
On
our
next
trip out
we
were
instructed
to
get
clothes
and
more
food
for
the
masses. Again,
we
headed
toward
Casper.
“How
many
more
times
do
you
think
we
can
come
here
before
it runs
dry?”
My
foot
was
on
the
dash
and
I
held
on to
the
open
window.
Quinn
shrugged.
“Depends
on
how
much
more
stuff
Liet
needs
us
to
get.”
“You
know,
eventually,
all
the
supplies
are
going
to
run
out.
They
need
to
start
making
new
ones.”
“Maybe
they
’l
l
start
doing
that
once
the
wall
is
built.”
I
snorted.
“Yeah,
like
tha
t’s
ever
going
to
happen.
Do
you
know
how
long
it took
them
to
get
where
they
are?
Months.
And
the
only
thing
they
have
to
show
is a
chain
-link
fence
and
the
trench
where
they
’re
going
to put
the
stone
wall.”
I shook
my
head.
“No,
I’m
pretty
sure
that
wall
will
never
be
finished.”
“What
about
the
people
in
Florida?
Won’t
they
make
sure it
gets
done?”
I
laughed.
“You
’r
e
kidding,
right?
What
do
they
care
if
the
wall
is
done?
They
live
as
far
away
as they
can
. They
’r
e
not
affected.”
“What
was
Florida
like?”
I
turned
my
gaze
out
the
window
for
a
moment,
remembering
my
time
in
the
Sunshine
State.
I
turned
back
to
Quinn.
“It
wasn
’t
anything
spectacular.
All
the
orphans
were
put
in
one
hotel
where
they
were
given
an
education
and
career.
I
was
a
servant
in
the
Johnson
family
’s
suite.
I
hated
every
moment
of
it,
so
the
first
chance
I
got,
I
left.”
“Who
are
the
Johnsons?”
“Only
one
of
the
most
important
families in
Florida.
Without
them,
the
world
would
have
collapsed
into
chaos.”
Quinn
raised his right eyebrow and looked at me sideways.
“Not
enough
sarcasm?
I’ll
try
harder
next
time.”
He
smiled.
“You
have
any
friends
who
are
still
there?”
I
nodded.
“One.
Her
name
is
Pearl.
At
least
I
think
she
’s
still
there.”
“When’s
the
last
time
you
talked
to
her?”
“I
don’t
know.
A
while
ago.
She
didn
’t
want
me
to
leave,
but
I
didn
’t
listen
to
her.
I
was
so
desperate
to
get
out.”
“You
should
write
to
her.”
I
turned partway in my seat and cocked my head to the side.
“Why?
It’s
been
months.
I
doubt
she
wants
to
hear
from
me.”
Quinn
shrugged.
“If
she
’s
a
good
friend,
she
’
d
love
to
hear
from
you,
no
matter
how
much
time
has
passed.
It
doesn
’t
hurt
to
try.”
I stared
out
the
windshield.
What had Pearl been up to? Did she find any family? Was she still in school? I
was
sure
she
was
mad
at
me
for
leaving.
I
’d
be
mad
if
she’d
left.
I
thought
about
what
I
would
say.
Maybe
if
I
opened
the
letter
with
a
“You
were
right,
life
is
pretty
bad
here…” it
’d
smooth
the
way.
Pearl
was
never
one
for
gloating,
but
she
might
think
I
deserved
whatever
I
got.
After
all,
I
abandoned
her
in
Florida.
Then
again,
Pearl
had
every
opportunity
to
leave
too.
She
didn’t
have
to
stay
there.
I
shouldn
’t
have
to
apologize
for
anything.
I only
did
what
I
thought
was
best
for
me.
If
she
couldn
’t
understand
that,
then
she
could
go
to
hell.
I
didn’t
have
to
answer
to
anyone.
Still,
it
’d
be
nice
to
know
what
she
was
doing.
Maybe
I
would
write
her
a
letter.
The
trucks
pulled
into
the
mall
parking
lot.
A
few
cars
still
sat in
the
parking
spaces,
but
otherwise
the
place
looked
empty.
I stared
at
the
building.
“How
do
you
want
to
do
this?
The
place
is
much
too
big
for a
detailed
search.”
“Why
don
’t
we
secure
Sears.
If
I
remember
correctly,
each
store
has
a
gate
that
closes
it
off
from
the
main
hall.
We
could
do
a
quick
scan,
close
the
gate
if
it’s
still
open,
and
load
up
with
what
we
need.
If
we
think
we
need
more,
we
can
make
our
way
through
the
mall.”
Quinn
put
his
hand
on
the
door
handle.