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.”“Show me how it works.”A drawing appeared on the TV screen, showing how the telephone system was linked by a cable to the main power line of the telephone company.Danny saw that the power line ran underground along the highway, and the cable connecting into the Center came to the administration building through a tunnel.Cut that one cable, and all the phones are dead.It was well after lunchtime when Danny finally said, “Thanks SPECS.That’s all I want to know.For now.”The TV screen went dark.Danny sat at his desk, not hungry, too excited to eat, thinking about how to knock out the power station, the emergency system, and the phone line.The screen glowed again, “MR.ROMANO.”“What?”“YOU HAVE A VISITOR.MISS MURILLO.”Danny shot out of his chair and to the door without stopping to get his coat.He sprinted across the campus to the administration building, through the wintry windy day.There were lots of visitors today: parents mostly, grownups trying to look happy when they were really miserable that their kids had to spend Christmas in the Center.But Danny didn’t see it that way.He saw adults faking it, laughing too loud, bringing presents to their kids that they never got when the kids had been at home.Danny wondered what his father would have been like, if he would have lived.His mother was still alive, probably, wherever she was.He found Laurie in one of the small visitors’ rooms.She was wearing a new dress, a dark green one.And her hair was different.It was all swept back and smoothly arranged.He blinked at her.“Hey, you look different.like, all grown up.”“Do you like the way I look?” Laurie was smiling and trying her hardest to look as pretty as she could.Danny said slowly, “Yeah.I guess so, I.never saw you looking so.well, so fancy.”She stepped up to him and kissed him.“Thank you.And Merry Christmas.”“Merry.Hey! I almost forgot! What’s all this about you moving to someplace uptown? What’s goin’ on?”Holding his hand, Laurie brought Danny to the sofa by the tiny room’s only window.They sat down.“I’ve got a new job and a new apartment,” she said happily.“I’m sharing the place with two other girls.We all work in the same building.I’m a clerk in an insurance company.They’re teaching me the job as I go along.It pays a lot better.And I’m going to school at night to learn how to be a secretary.”Danny frowned.“But why? What for?”“For me,” Laurie said.“Danny, try to understand.I love you, honey, I really do.But I can’t just sit in my sister’s place and work in the restaurant for years and years.”“It won’t be years.”“Shush,” she said, putting a finger to his lips.“Listen for a minute.Dr.Tenny told me that he’s trying to make you into the best person you can be.That’s what the Center’s for.Well, I’m trying to make myself the best person I can be.”“I don’t like it.”“Don’t you see? When you get out, Danny, I want to be something more than a skinny kid with a dirty apron.I want to be a person, somebody who can do things.Somebody who can help you, not drag you down.”Danny remembered something.“You been going out with other guys.”She nodded.“Only on double dates, or with a gang of people.Nothing serious, honest, Danny.”“I don’t believe you.”Laurie’s eyes widened.“Danny, honest.”“I been sittin’ here and you’ve been goin’ out with other guys.Movin’ uptown, getting big ideas.Joe Tenny’s put you up to this! He’s tryin’ to get you away from me!”“Danny, that’s crazy.”“Oh yeah? Well, you’ll see how crazy it is!”He got up and stormed to the door.“Wait,” Laurie called.“I got you a Christmas present.”“Give it to your new boyfriend!” Danny slammed the door shut behind him.Chapter TwentyThere were no classes between Christmas and New Year’s.Danny spent every morning in his room, studying the layout of the power station, learning every inch of the building.“Hey SPECS, it looks like most of the time the power station runs itself.”“THE POWER STATION RUNS AUTOMATICALLY.I WATCH IT AND CONTROL IT.”“Don’t they have a guard or somebody in there?”“A GUARD STAYS INSIDE THE STATION AT NIGHT.”“Are the doors locked at night?”“YES.”“What about the day time?”“A MEMBER OF THE MAINTENANCE CREW IS ON DUTY AT THE POWER STATION AT ALL TIMES DURING THE WORKING DAY.HE HAS NOTHING TO DO, HOWEVER, SINCE I AM IN FULL CONTROL.”Danny laughed.“You mean he goofs off?”“I DO NOT UNDERSTAND YOUR WORDS.”“He don’t stay on the job.He goes to sleep or takes a walk outside or something like that.”“HE OFTEN LEAVES THE STATION FOR HALF AN HOUR OR SO [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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