“Yeah, well, you also said it would make me a target.”
“If you encounter another Progg, you are safer with me than without me, and we’re both safer ifone of usis armed,” he said.
“You’d kill one of your people to save me?”
“Yes.” Without any hesitation, yes. “I want the vaporizer back.”
“It’s in a trash can across from the school. You passed it to get here.” She pointed.
“I didn’t come that way. Nor would I recognize a school.”
“You can’t miss it. It’s a big building. There’s a sign with the school name. Somebody scribbled graffiti all over the marquee, but you can still see the picture of the groundhog. Watch for that.”
“What’s a groundhog?”
“It’s an animal—the school mascot.”
“Different from that?” He pointed to the sign on the building where he’d found her. An animal sat in a basin surrounded by bubbles.
“That’s a dog!”
He compared the animal on the sign to Kevin. There was a rough resemblance.
She sighed. “I’ll take you there—after I stop at thebike shop.”
The bike shop turned out to be a store of two-wheeled vehicles like the one he’d tripped over in the house.
She squealed as she spotted a blue two-wheeler with a small trailer attached. “Yes! This is perfect! Kevin can ride inside.” She swung a leg over and sat on the seat, feet on the floor. “Perfect size. The other one was a little too big, but I was in a hurry and couldn’t see in the dark.” She regarded him with an assessing eye. “I don’t suppose you can ride?”
“I’ve never done it.”
“We can go farther and faster on a bike than on foot.”
That sounded like they’d be together. If riding a bike meant they would be together, he’d do whatever it took.
“Kevin, c’mere!” She unzipped the mesh atop the trailer and peeled it back. “Can you sit in here, buddy?” She patted the inside. He climbed in. “Good boy!” His tail thumped. “Okay, you can get out. We’re not leaving yet. Rok needs a bike.”
She sized him up and then picked out a red two-wheeler. “Sit on it; let’s see how it fits. Your feet should be flat on the floor. We can raise or lower the seat and handlebars if it’s not right.”
He swung his leg over the bike like she had.
“That works.” She nodded. “The height is perfect. We’ll take these for a test spin. These are the brakes.” She pointed out the levers on the handlebars. “To stop or slow, you squeeze the brakes.” She propped open the shop door by sliding a wedge underneath. “Walk your bike outside,” she said.
He dismounted and tried to wheel the bike, but it didn’t move.
“Raise the kickstand.”
He looked at her blankly.
“The tiny leg keeping the bike upright.”
He tilted the bike and nudged the little metal leg with this foot. The bicycle tumbled into the bike next to it and knocked it over.
“This is going to be harder than I thought,” she said.
* * * *
“I’m guessing you’ve never seen anyone ride before,” she said when they’d assembled outside.
