We’ll have to poke around.”
We looked around as inconspicuously as possible, Jimmy taking one aisle and me taking the next. I was lost in a pile of broken toys when Jimmy grabbed at my elbow. I jumped.
“Sorry,” he said. “I’ve found them. They’re two rows over and they’re not locked away or anything. They’re just in a rack.”
“How do you know they’re safe to use?” I said. I nudged a broken doll with my toe. “If they’re like that, we might as well forget it.”
“These aren’t in for repair,” Jimmy said. “These are the ones they’d use themselves if they had to go outside. They’ve got seals on from after the last time they were used. The important thing is how we’re going to sneak them out. Uh-oh, watch out.”
I turned to look. Just down the aisle a pleasant-looking technician was coming toward us. He was a short youngish man with mouse-colored hair.
“Well, what can I do for you kids?” he asked.
“I’m Mia Havero,” I said. “This is Jimmy Dentremont.”
“Hello,” he said. “My name is Mitchell.” And waited with eyebrows raised.
I reached into my pocket and took out a couple of folded sheets of paper. Uncertainly I said, “I don’t know if you can help us. Maybe this isn’t the right place.”
Jimmy stayed silent, watching my lead.
Mr. Mitchell said, “Well, we’ll see. What is it that you’ve got?”
I showed him the sketches, Jimmy’s and mine, that I’d taken from the table in Lev Quad, and explained how our names were involved.
“These are just rough,” I said. “What we wanted to do was draw them a little better and then work up pins to wear with these as designs.”
“Hmm,” Mr. Mitchell said. “Yes. I don’t see why not. It may not fall strictly in our province, but it seems a worthwhile idea. I think I can help you. How does ceramic jewelry sound?”
“Great,” Jimmy said. “Could we come down on a Saturday morning?”
Mr. Mitchell said, “There’s usually only one technician on duty on Saturdays, but I suppose . . .”
I said, “Could we make it a week from tomorrow? We have this big soccer game in the quad tomorrow and we really ought to be there.”
“Oh, sure,” Mr. Mitchell said. “I’ll even arrange to have the duty a week from tomorrow and help you myself.”
After we had thanked him and walked away, Jimmy said, “You certainly can lie. How did you think that one up?”
“Which?”
“About the soccer game.”
“I didn’t make that up,” I said. “I was supposed to tell you. The kids want to play soccer tomorrow.”
“Oh,” Jimmy said. “Maybe you aren’t such a good liar, then.”
Chapter 10
THE SCORE IN THE SOCCER GAME in Roth Quad was 5 to 3. Attila and Venie and I were on the losing side.
During the next week we set our plans. With some practice, Attila had that door so well trained that it would practically pop open when he told it to, at least according to Helen. Att looked pleased and didn’t deny it. We had borrowing the suits set up pretty well, too. Jimmy sketched the location of the suits for Venie and Riggy.
“There’ll be just one technician working on Saturday,” Jimmy said, “and he’ll be busy helping Mia and me. All you two have to do is sneak easy. As soon as we can, we’ll join you in the airlock room.”
I had some spare time and Jimmy didn’t, so I took Venie and Riggy down to Salvage for a quick scout around. Mr. Mitchell was in the back, but I made sure we didn’t attract his attention. We were in, I pointed to the suits, and we were out again in no more than twenty seconds. On our way back, though, the same old woman stopped us in Engineers and lectured us again. She had her desk placed so that she could see everybody who passed in the hall—and, I guess, come out to exterminate anyone who she thought had no business being there. Her name, displayed on her desk, was Keithley. She more than awed me. She scared me. As soon as she turned away, we three scooted.
“You’d better not come this way when you have the suits,” I said. “Think what would happen if she caught you.”
Riggy paled and shook his head.
“She shouldn’t have stopped us,” Venie said. “We weren’t making any noise this time.” She agreed to make a detour when they had the suits, however.
Things aren’t always fair, I guess.
Actually, the old lady wasn’t the only thing I was