Children of the Underground by Trevor Shane Page A

told you how to get here.”
    â€œI think you’re a cult,” Michael answered.
    â€œIf that’s what you think,” Clara began, “why did you stop fighting?”
    Michael shook his head. “I didn’t stop fighting. I just stopped taking orders.” It was the same line that he’d fed me.
    Clara sat there for a few moments, tapping the pen in her hand on her desk. She was staring at Michael, seemingly trying to determine if he was worth her effort. “Do you even know what you’re fighting for, Michael?”
    â€œI know why I fight,” Michael answered with pride.
    â€œSure you do,” Clara responded. “But the War. Do you have any idea what the War is about?”
    â€œI’ve heard stories,” Michael said, wary of falling into Clara’s trap.
    â€œSlaves?” Clara asked. Michael nodded his head in affirmation. “And you’re the good guys, trying to keep the other side from enslaving the world?” Michael didn’t respond. “You don’t really believe the slave story. Do you, Michael? You’re better than that.”
    â€œHow can you be so sure that it’s not true?” Michael asked.
    â€œI know that story’s a bunch of horseshit because I’ve heard people on both sides tell it. And no matter who tells it, they’re always the hero and the people on the other side are always the ones trying to enslave the world.”
    â€œOkay,” Michael said to Clara, “then what is the War about?”
    Clara shook her head. “I have no idea. That’s why I do this. All I know is that a lot of people get a lot of power from this War, people who would be nothing without this War but who are, instead, virtually kings. Those people, the really powerful people, they don’t have much incentive to end the War, and every reason to keep it going.”
    â€œSo you’re saying that they don’t want to win?” Michael asked.
    Clara nodded.
    â€œI can’t believe that,” Michael said. He was staring down at the floor. “I know too many people who’ve already died to believe that.”
    â€œWe can help you, Michael. We can get you out. We couldn’t do it for Joseph, but we can help you.”
    Michael sat there in silence. No one in the room said anything. Then Michael spoke. “I don’t want your help.”
    â€œThen why are you here?” Clara asked.
    â€œFor her,” Michael said, motioning toward me.
    Clara glanced at me for less than a second. “She’s not part of this, Michael. We can’t do anything to help her.”
    â€œMy son,” I said, not knowing how to finish the sentence. Clara looked at me again and then looked right back at Michael. I was holding my breath.
    â€œMichael?” I pleaded.
    Michael was sitting low in his chair, sliding farther down as Clara tried to dismantle his entire world. He sat back up. “I want you to help Maria find her son,” Michael said to Clara. I began to breathe again.
    â€œThat’s not what we do,” Clara said. She leaned back in her chair, shaking her head.
    â€œYou have spies,” I said, talking quickly. “You can find out where he is. You can find out where they’ve taken him.”
    â€œI can’t risk my spies on that,” Clara answered. “We’re in the business of helping people escape the War. We’re not in the kidnapping business.”
    â€œBut my son will be part of this War,” I said. I leaned in toward Clara’s desk. I was in a panic. If she wouldn’t help me, who would? “If I don’t save him, he’ll be a part of the War. You can save him from the War now. You don’t have to wait.”
    Clara shook her head. “Your son already is part of the War, Maria—whether you like it or not. When he’s old enough to make his own decisions, hopefully we’ll still be here to help him. But he’s got