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It's Alexis, the talkative girl from the school bus! She comes up beside her, with Chaz gnawing at her shoulder. "People pull the alarms all the time," she says. "Well, at least I got out of Math."
Suddenly the policeman's eyes shift to Alexis.
"Stop right there, miss."
Alexis looks stunned. "Who, me?"
"Step aside. We'd like to ask you a few questions."
Risa walks right on past, holding her breath for fear that her gasp of relief might draw the officer's attention again. Risa no longer fits the profile of what they're looking for . . . but Alexis does! Risa doesn't look back; she just continues down the steps to the street.
In a few moments Connor catches up with her. "I saw what happened back there. Your friend may have just saved your life."
"I'll have to thank her later."
Up ahead, Hannah reaches into her pocket with her free hand, pulls out her car keys, then turns left toward the faculty parking lot. It's all going to be okay, Risa thinks. She's going to get us out of here. Risa might just start believing in miracles, and angels. . . . And then she hears a familiar voice behind her.
"Wait! Stop!"
She turns to see Lev—he's spotted them—and although he's far away, he's quickly working his way through the crowd toward them.
"Risa! Connor! Wait!"
It wasn't enough to just turn them in, now he's leading the cops directly to them—and he's not the only one. Alexis still stands with the policeman at the school's side entrance. From where she stands she can easily see Risa, and she points Risa out to the cop. The cop instantly pulls out his radio to inform the other officers.
"Connor, we're in trouble."
"I know—I see it too."
"Wait!" screams Lev, still far away, but getting closer.
Risa looks for Hannah, but she's vanished into the crowd of kids in the parking lot.
Connor looks at Risa, fear overwhelming the fury in his eyes. "Run."
This time Risa doesn't hesitate. She runs with him, breaking toward the street just as a fire truck bursts onto the scene, siren blaring. The truck stops right in their path. There's nowhere to run. The fire alarm had mercifully been pulled at the perfect time, and it's gotten them this far, but the commotion is fading. Kids are milling instead of moving, and cops in every direction zero in on the two of them.
What they need is a fresh commotion. Something even worse than a fire alarm.
The answer comes even before Risa can formulate the entire idea in her mind. She speaks without even knowing what she's about to say.
"Start clapping!"
"What?"
"Start clapping. Trust me!"
A single nod from Connor makes it clear that he gets it, and he begins bringing his hands together, slowly at first, then more and more quickly. She does the same, both of them applauding as if they were at a concert cheering for their favorite band.
And beside them, a student drops his backpack and stares at them in utter horror.
"Clappers!" he screams.
In an instant the word is out.
ClappersClappersClappers . . .
It echoes in the kids around them. In an instant it reaches critical mass, and the entire crowd is in lull-blown panic.
