Truth Read Online Free PDF Page B

this to Mr. Jenkins.” I picked up the document. “Wei said he would help. I’m going to digi it with my PAV and send it over now. She can give it to her dad right away.”
    Gran sighed. “They’ve done so much for us already. But, yes. I suppose we’ll have to ask for their help again. If only your grandfather . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    “What about me?” Dee piped up. “What can I do? This is all about me, but I feel so”—she threw up her hands—“helpless.”
    I wondered if Gran was as surprised as I was at how grown up Dee sounded, not at all like a little kid. Of course, she was nearly twelve. She’d be a preteen in less than a month. That hardly seemed possible, my little sister, a Pre. As that, surely the authorities would let her have some kind of say in all this. A faint voice in my head, sounding a lot like my mom, informed me,
They’ll do what they want—there’s something more behind this, Nina. Seek the truth.
    “I can use help cleaning up this kitchen,” Gran said. “No sense in me moping around. Nothing to be done right now anyway. Let’s get cracking.” Belying her words, Gran stayed seated.
    Dee, however, began to bustle around. “I’ll start dinner. What shall we have?”
    While the two of them formulated the menu, I slipped out of the room with the writ. I’d just sent it to Wei when my PAV beeped.
    “Can you come to our place?” Sal asked. “I’ll be there, waiting.”
    I raced down the hall, pulling on my coat, when I noticed Pops, still ranting to his friends. The scrambler’s light shone green. Kneeling beside him, I caught his attention. “Pops. Don’t forget what Gran said. Stop talking when the light blinks and the beeping starts. Okay?”
    He stuck his hand over his PAV receiver. “I’ve been using this thing since before you were born, Little Bit. I’d never forget something that important. See? I’ve got it right in front of my eyes.” He made a face at the scrambler.
    “Gran and Dee are in the kitchen. I’ll be back soon. I love you!” I brushed a kiss across his forehead, then swung past the kitchen, calling out, “I’m going out, I won’t be long.”
    “Come back by dinnertime,” Dee replied. “I’m cooking.”
    When I got to the street, the number 33 had just pulled away. I raced alongside, banging on the door. Thankfully, the driver had a heart and let me board. My stomach was flip-flopping like a fish out of water. I couldn’t wait to see Sal. I had to tell him about the writ, and I wanted to find out what he’d been doing with Paulette again. Except I had to remind myself to not be jealous. Curious, is all.
    I leaped off at the stop in the middle of Lincoln Park, taking all four steps at once. Before my feet hit the ground, I was sprinting in the direction of my mountain, the place where my mom and dad would meet after he’d faked his death. The place where I first met Sal. It was a dead zone. The perfect place for two people in love to meet.
    My breath caught when I spied him. He was dressed homeless, like when we’d first met. Over the past couple of weeks I’d come to know what that meant: NonCon business. No one looked at the homeless, and so it was the perfect disguise for NonCons doing saboteur work, like Sal. My heart sank. This meant he’d be gone again. Sometimes it was just a day; sometimes he’d be gone nearly a week. Before I had the chance to wallow, he drew me down the far side of the mound, out of view of the street and prying eyes.
    “Nina, I’m so sorry. I know this isn’t a good time to leave. Wei told me CPS is trying to take Dee.” His fingers laced between mine. “She said her dad is going to help, so you’ll be in good hands.”
    His eyes searched mine, waiting for a response. Maybe he expected me to be mad that he was going again, but I wasn’t. I was sad. I felt like I hardly saw him anymore. I knew his work was important, but so was I.
    And as much as I wanted to talk to him, I wanted to kiss him,