UnBound - Neal Shusterman Page 0,68
is,” Karissa offers, “and I’ll let you in on a little secret.”
Colton is intrigued but guarded. “What kind of secret?”
Karissa smiles and takes her time. Colton crosses his arms, expecting a lie or a trick or both.
“I might know a way out of here,” she says.
“Hmm,” says Kemo. “You mean other than leaving in small refrigerated boxes?”
“There’s information out there, if you know where to find it.” Then Karissa launches into a history lesson—all about Burma in the old days. “A while back—before unwinding and before the Dah Zey even existed—the military junta that ran Burma secretly hired North Korean engineers to build tunnels.”
“What for?” Colton asks dubiously.
Karissa shrugs. “To escape a coup? To hide weapons? No one knows for sure—but the point is, this place, after it was an opium farm and before it was a harvest camp, was a military training ground. The only building that still exists from those days is on the north end of the camp. They took an old temple and turned it into a palace for the general.”
“The Haunted Mansion!” Colton says. Karissa looks at him funny. “Go on,” he says.
“There are pictures in the public nimbus that show this place—or at least how it looked all those years ago. There’s an old well right in the middle that leads down to the tunnel. I was trying to find where it exits, so I could sneak in and save my sister—but all I know is where those tunnels start, not where they end.”
“So,” says Colton, “they could lead right to another Dah Zey stronghold.”
“Or,” says Karissa, “they could lead to freedom. . . .”
• • •
At the next inspection, a whole host of kids are pulled out of the line and dragged off to be unwound. If there’s any rhyme or reason to whom they choose, Colton can’t see it. He’s become used to the dread of inspection. Used to the relief of being allowed to return to the horrible little holding cell, as if returning there is some sort of triumph.
Rodín doesn’t keep his distance today. He’s right at the front line, checking sores, determining the quality of the product and who might need medical attention to bring up the price of their parts. But Colton knows why he’s really here. He’s looking for subjects. As Rodín moves down the line toward him, Colton gets an idea. It’s probably a very bad idea, but it’s a desperate measure in a very desperate time. He steps forward out of line and waits to be noticed.
A guard lifts his rifle butt, moving as if to strike Colton, but Colton knows he won’t. Not in front of Sonthi, who is farther down the line, and definitely not in front of the doctor. Mustn’t damage the merchandise.
“I want to volunteer,” Colton says as soon as the doctor sees him standing here. He’s horrified by his own words but also energized by the risk he’s taking. “I want you to change me, Dr. Rodín. I want to be something new. Something different. Something great.”
Rodín smiles like he’s just unwrapped the perfect present. “A volunteer. I very rarely get volunteers. Few are so brave.”
Colton knows Rodín already had him pegged. If it wasn’t today, it would be tomorrow or the day after. Then he would be a prisoner. But now he’s a willing subject. It could make all the difference.
“And what sort of creation would you like to be?” Rodín asks.
Colton swallows and tries to sell it. “I surrender to your imagination.”
Rodín looks him over, judging him, trying to read him. “You fear the shelling.”
“We all do,” Colton tells him. “But it’s not just that. I want something . . . more.”
Rodín turns to the guard, speaking in Burmese. The guard nods. Colton has no idea what he says, but then Rodín smiles at him again. “I must complete the inspection,” Rodín says. “Then we shall talk.”
After Rodín is gone, Kemo turns to Colton, his calm entirely shaken. “Why?” he asks. “Why would you do such a thing?”
“To save us,” Colton whispers. “If the tunnel exists, I’ll find it. Give me three days, then at inspection on the third day, demand to see your sister,” he tells Karissa.
“Why would they let me?”
“They will,” Colton says, sure of it. Sonthi will bring her, if only to see the look on her face. “The hard part will be convincing them that Kemo and Gamon should come too, but I have faith you’ll figure out a way.”
Karissa gives him a twisted