Page 212 of Johnny

And two people.

“My father,” I say. “He’s sitting in one of the chairs. And... a woman.”

“Who?” Johnny asks. Cutting the engine.

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her before. But my contact for this job.” I pause. This job. This was

the job, wasn’t it? Bring Johnny here. I don’t know that for sure, but I feel it to be true. This was my

job. Delivering him to this woman. “My contact was a woman. I’ll be able to recognize her voice

when she speaks.”

“Let me see,” Johnny says, reaching for the binoculars. He peers through them.

“Do you know her?”

“No. I mean, she looks a little familiar, so maybe we’ve met. But I don’t know her.”

“Well. I think the drones are getting anxious. Shall we then?”

“Megan,” he says.

“No, Johnny. The time to discuss is over. I’m going to do whatever it takes to stop this. But I can’t be responsible for the deaths of children. Remember what you told me last night?

He squints his eyes at me.

“That you’re gonna put a stop to it. You said that, remember? You’re the guy who’s gonna stop it.

And you still are. One day the headline will read ‘Johnny saves the world’. I just know it. And you

told me choose something. Remember? Just grow up and choose something.”

“Yeah,” he says. His voice low and hoarse. “But—”

“Well, I have. I’ve made up my mind. And I choose you. So get my father out of here, take him

somewhere safe, and help him find a cure to this awful thing we’ve created. Please.” I beg him with

my eyes. “Please don’t make me responsible for this.”

He frowns and swallows hard. “I won’t. I promise.”

I nod at him. “Then let’s do it.”

He picks up the radio, depresses the button, and says, “We’re going in.”

When he releases the button we hear a static-y, “Copy that,” in response. Logan’s voice. Ready to

come in and save us.

It’s just… he’s not going to save all of us.

I shake myself out of the building self-pity. Because I deserve this ending. I did this. My father and

I both, but of the two of us, I’m the only one who’s dispensable. He is the brilliant scientist and I’m

just… no one, really. A girl who got lucky with some rats and gave the Way their fountain of youth.