He hoped he wasn't too late. After she'd finally fallen asleep he knew he had to get busy, had to hide and be ready. He couldn't let Emma down, not after finding her there so distraught and promising her he'd take action. And he had to help Kid. He'd always harbored a gnawing guilt that he'd failed Kid during the gas attack. He wouldn't fail him a second time. The path grew narrow and he pressed himself up against it, inhaling as he squeezed through the tight space. He liked to tell Emma that he could appear and disappear at will. He'd always wondered if his mam had that ability. She sure seemed to pop up at strange times. But the truth was that as a boy on the street he'd become very resourceful at finding his way in and out of places. Even when he'd been down in the well the first time, nearly blind and insane with pain, he had spied the narrow utility door just above the water level. It was a lifelong habit of his to be alert to exits, entrances, and possible escape hatches.
