{"quotes":[{"text":"Sam, I know you’re upset over what happened with you and Drake,” Astrid began.“Upset?” Sam echoed the word with an ironic smirk.“But that’s no excuse for you keeping secrets from us.”“Yeah,” Howard said, “Don’t you know only Astrid is allowed to keep secrets?”“Shut up, Howard,” Astrid snapped.“Yeah, we get to lie because we’re the smart ones,” Howard said. “Not like all those idiots out there.”Astrid turned her attention back to Sam. “This is not okay, Sam. The council has the responsibility. Not you alone.”Sam looked like he could not care less about what she was saying. He looked almost beyond reach, indifferent to what was going on around him.“Hey,” Astrid said. “We’re talking to you.”That did it. His jaw clenched. His head snapped up. His eyes blazed. “Don’t push me. That wasn’t you with your skin whipped off and covered in blood. That was me. That was me who went down into that mine shaft to try to fight the gaiaphage.”Astrid blinked. “No one is minimizing what you’ve done, Sam. You’re a hero. But at the same time—”Sam was on his feet. “At the same time? At the same time you were here in town. Edilio had a bullet in his chest. Dekka was torn to pieces. I was trying not to scream from the…You and Albert and Howard, you weren’t there, were you?”“I was busy standing up to Zil, trying to save Hunter’s life,” Astrid yelled.“But it wasn’t you and your big words, was it? It was Orc who stopped Zil. And he was there because I sent him to rescue you. Me!” He stabbed a finger at his own chest, actually making what looked like painful impact. “Me! Me and Brianna and Dekka and Edilio! And poor Duck.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["albert","astrid-ellison","brianna","coucil","dekka","die","duck","edilio","hero","howard-bassem","hunter-lefkowitz","hurt","lie","meeting","minimize","push","sam-temple","saving","secrets","upset","zil-sperry"],"id":90116,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"He pictured himself at the lake, on a houseboat. Dekka would be there, and Brianna and Jack. He would have friends. He wouldn’t be alone.But he couldn’t stop himself from looking for her.She no longer had Little Pete to worry about. They could be together without all of that. But of course he knew Astrid, and knew that right now, wherever she was, she was eaten up inside with guilt.“She’s not coming, is she?” Sam said to Dekka.But Dekka didn’t answer. She was somewhere else in her head. Sam saw her glance and look away as Brianna laid a light hand on Jack’s shoulder.Dahra was staying in the hospital, but a few more kids came. Groups of three or four at a time. The Siren and the kids she lived with came. John Terrafino came. Ellen. He waited. He would wait the full two hours. Not for her, he told himself, just to keep his word.Then Orc, with Howard.Sam groaned inwardly.“You gotta be kidding me,” Brianna said.“The deal was kids make a choice,” Sam said. “I think Howard just realized how dangerous life can be for a criminal living in a place where the ‘king’ can decide life or death.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["astrid-ellison","breeze","brianna","came","charles-merriman","choice","coming","dahra-baidoo","dekka","ellen","friends","howard-bassem","jack","john-terrafino","kids","lake","little-pete","orc","peter-ellison","sam-temple","siren"],"id":112107,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"About time,” Brianna said.“Hey, sorry, we were kind of busy,” Quinn snapped. “And I didn’t exactly realize I was on a schedule.”“I don’t like what I have to do here,” Brianna said. She handed Quinn the note.He read it. Read it again.“Is this some kind of joke?” he demanded.“Albert’s dead,” Brianna said. “Murdered.”“What?”“He’s dead. Sam and Dekka are off in the wilderness somewhere. Edilio’s got the flu, he might die, a lot of kids have. A lot. And there are these, these monsters, these kind of bugs . . . No one knows what to call them . . . Heading toward town.” Her face contorted in a mix of rage and sorrow and fear. She blurted, “And I can’t stop them!”Quinn stared at her. Then back at the note.He felt his contented little universe tilt and go sliding away.There were just two words on the paper: “Get Caine.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["albert","breeze","brianna","bugs","caine-soren","dekka","die","edilio","fear","flu","kids","message","monsters","murdered","notes","panic","quinn-gaither","rage","sam-temple","sorrow","stop"],"id":147331,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"We’re not going to give in. We’re going to fight.”“Got that right,” a voice cried out.“First thing we need to have clear: there’s no line between freak and normal here. If you have the power, we’ll need you. If you don’t, we’ll need you.”Heads were nodding. Looks were being exchanged.“Coates kids, Perdido Beach kids, we’re together now. We’re together. Maybe you did things to survive. Maybe you weren’t always brave. Maybe you gave up hope.”A girl sobbed suddenly.“Well, that’s all over now,” Sam said gently. “It all starts fresh. Right here, right now. We’re brothers and sisters now. Doesn’t matter we don’t know each other’s names, we are brothers and sisters and we’re going to survive, and we’re going to win, and we’re going to find our way to some kind of happiness again.”There was a long, deep silence.“So,” Sam said, “my name is Sam. I’m in this with you. All the way.” He turned to Astrid.“I’m Astrid, I’m in this with you, too.”“My name is Edilio. What they said. Brothers and sisters. Hermanos.”“Thuan Vong,” said a thin boy with yet-unhealed hands like dead fish. “I’m in.”“Dekka,” said a strong, solidly built girl with cornrows and a nose ring. “I’m in. And I have game.”“Me too,” called a skinny girl with reddish pigtails. “My name’s Brianna. I…well, I can go real fast.”One by one they declared their determination. The voices started out soft and gained strength. Each voice louder, firmer, more determined than the one before.Only Quinn remained silent. He hung his head, and tears rolled down his cheeks.“Quinn,” Sam called to him.Quinn didn’t respond, just looked down at the ground.“Quinn,” Sam said again. “It starts fresh right now. Nothing before counts. Nothing. Brothers, man?”Quinn struggled with the lump in his throat. But then, in a low voice, he said, “Yeah. Brothers.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["astrid","brianna","brothers","coates-academy","coates-kids","dekka","edilio","fight","happiness","hermanos","perdido-beach","perdido-beach-kids","quinn","sam-temple","sisters","start-fresh","survive","thuan-vong","win"],"id":150478,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"When she came back down, Sam and Astrid had arrived.Sam hugged Dekka, and the two of them stayed that way for a long time, saying nothing. Both had loved Brianna.To Edilio, Sam said, “I’m so sorry, man. I wish I’d . . . You know what I wish.”Edilio fought back a fresh rush of tears, nodded, waited until he was sure he could speak, and said, “I’m glad you’re back, boss.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["breeze","brianna","crying","dekka","edilio-escobar","emotional","hug","loved","sam-temple","sorry","tears"],"id":260619,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"If she were honest, weakness should be masked at all times. Any weakness could, and would be exploited.","author":"Callie Hunter","tags":["brianna","exploitation","exploited","weakness"],"id":264886,"author_id":"Callie+Hunter"},{"text":"Sorry, folks, but the maximum occupancy is seventy-five,” Albert said. Then he spotted Jack. “Jack, how’s it going?”“What? Oh, fine.” Jack was confused as to how to proceed. He didn’t want to wait in line if Brianna wasn’t even inside.“You look like a man with a question,” Albert prompted.“Well, I’m kind of looking for Brianna. We had this…it’s a…tech thing. You wouldn’t understand.”“Breeze is already inside.”One of the kids in the line said, “Of course she is, she’s a freak. They always get in.”A second kid nodded. “Yeah, the freaks don’t wait in lines. Bet she didn’t have to pay, either.”Albert said, “Hey, she got here a little before you guys did and she waited. And she paid.” Then to Jack. “Go ahead in.”“See?” the first kid crowed. “He’s one, too.”“Dude, he set up my sound system,” Albert said. “What have you done for me other than stand here and bust on me?","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["albert","breeze","brianna","club","freak","jack","line","prejudice"],"id":300628,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"Have either of you seen Sam? Brianna can’t find him.”Albert sighed. “He’s out of town.”Edilio felt the blood drain out of his face. “He’s what?”Astrid arrived, coldly furious. “I’m not on the council anymore. You have no right—”“Shut up, Astrid,” Edilio said.Astrid, Albert, and Howard all stared. Edilio was as amazed as any of them. He considered apologizing—he had never spoken to Astrid that way. He’d never spoken to anyone that way.The truth was he was scared. Sam was out of town? With Drake running loose?“What makes you think Sam is out of town?” Edilio asked Albert.“I sent him,” Albert said. “Him and Dekka. Taylor and Jack, too. They’re looking for water.”“They’re what?”“Looking for water.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["albert","astrid","breeze","brianna","council-meeting","dekka","edilio","jack","out-of-town","sam-temple","sent","taylor","water"],"id":303391,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"Go, Breeze,” someone yelled.But another voice yelled, “Quit showing off, stupid mutant.”Brianna stopped dead. Her dress settled back into place. “Who said that?”Zil. The same jerk who had picked on Jack over the phones.“Me,” Zil said, stepping forward. “And don’t bother trying to look tough. I’m not scared of you, freak.”“You should be,” Brianna hissed.Suddenly there was Dekka, up off her chair, hand extended between Brianna and Zil. “No,” she said in her deep voice. “None of that.”Quinn joined her. “Dekka’s right, we can’t be having fights and stuff here. Sam will shut this place down.”“Maybe we should have two different clubs,” a seventh grader named Antoine said. “You know, one for freaks and one for normals.”“Man, what is the matter with you?” Quinn demanded.“I don’t like her acting like she’s so cool, is all,” Zil said, stepping beside Antoine.“You should be on our side, Quinn. Everyone knows you’re a normal,” another kid, Lance, said. “Well…kind of normal. You’re still Quinn.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["antoine","argue","breeze","brianna","discrimination","fight","freak","mutanr","prejudice","quinn-gaither","stereotype","zil-sperry"],"id":322075,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"},{"text":"Brianna! Is Sam okay?” Astrid cried.“No. Drake tore him up.” She wanted to sound tough, but the sobs came bubbling up and overtook her. “Oh, God, Astrid, he’s hurt so bad.”Astrid gasped and covered her hand with her mouth. Brianna put her arms around Astrid and sobbed into her hair.“Is he going to die?” Astrid asked, voice wobbly.“No, I don’t think so,” Brianna said. She stood back and wiped her tears. “I gave him something for the pain. But he’s messed up, Astrid.","author":"Michael Grant","tags":["astrid-ellison","breeze","brianna","drake-merwin","emotional","hurt","messed-up","sam-temple","tore-up"],"id":363579,"author_id":"Michael+Grant"}],"pagination":{"page":1,"page_size":10,"total":14,"pages":2,"next":"?page=2\u0026page_size=10"}}