Free Escape! by Ben Bova Page A

shut behind him.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Twenty
     
    There 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.
BUT HE ALWAYS LEAVES A STUDENT AT THE STATION, SO THAT SOMEONE IS
PRESENT AT ALL TIMES.”
    “A student... one of us kids?”
    “YES.”
    On New Year’s Day, Danny invited Ralph up to his
room, and asked him to bring the five boys he could trust.
    They were an odd-looking gang. Ralph introduced them
as they came in and sat on Danny’s bed and chairs.
    Hambone was even bigger than Ralph, but where Ralph
looked mean, Hambone looked brainless. He wore a silly grin all the
time. Like a happy gorilla , Danny thought.
    “He don’t look it,” Ralph said, “but old Hambone is a
fighter when he gets mad. Took a squad of cops to bring him
down.”
    Hambone nodded happily. “I broke an arm on one of
‘em.” His voice sounded as if his nose was stopped up, like a
prize-fighter’s voice after he’s been hit too many times.
    The next boy was Noisy, who got his name because he
hardly ever talked. He was about Danny’s own size. He just nodded
when Ralph introduced him. But he watched everything, listened to
every word that was said. And his eyes burned with a fierce glow
that made Danny wonder what he’d done to get into the Center.
    Vic and Coop were two ordinary-looking guys. Midget
was the last of the gang. He was a kid of fifteen who looked like
he was only twelve. He was smaller and skinnier than even Danny. He’s the guy who goes into the tunnel to cut the phone line, Danny decided.
    “Okay,” Danny said to them. “Now we all want to get
out of this dump. And we’re going to do it. My way. I know how to
get out.”
    They all looked at each other, nodding and
grinning.
    “How?” Ralph asked. He had taken the chair by the
desk.
    Danny, standing by the window, answered, “That’s my
business. I got the plan right here in my head, and I ain’t tellin’ nobody . You don’t like it that way, then you can get up and
leave. Right now.”
    Nobody moved.
    “Okay. Now... it’s goin’ to take hard work, and some
time. But we’ll bust this place wide open.”
    “What d’you want us to do?”
    Danny said, “I got jobs for all of you. They might
look stupid right now, but they’re goin’ to help us break out.”
    “What kind of jobs?” Ralph asked.
    “I want you and Hambone to get on the cleanup crew,”
said Danny.
    “Hey, that’s work!” Hambone said.
    Nodding, Danny went on, “I told you it’s going to be
work. Hard work, too. But it’s the only way to get out of
here.”
    “What’re we supposed to be doin’?” Ralph asked.
“Besides talking to th’ birds and flowers, that is.”
    “Just hang loose and don’t act suspicious.” Danny
turned to Noisy. “Think you can get yourself into the photography
class? We’re going to need a camera and some film.”
    Noisy nodded.
    “Good,” said Danny. “Midget, I want you to get an
afternoon job in the administration building. Any kind of job, as
long as it’s in that building.”
    “Can