Marie spent the rest of the day with Pusher, Numbers, and Poet. Though she was anxious to head for Harriet’s apartment and get in contact with the underground, she needed at least a day where she did normal hobo stuff so the S.E.A. didn’t suspect her. She asked innocent, new hobo questions to her friends in case the S.E.A. was listening. She followed them around the city in case the S.E.A. was tracking her. She did everything expected of her as a hobo, but knew she couldn’t stay like this for long. The weight of her unshared knowledge tugged at her soul, and she needed to get to the underground as soon as possible. Josef’s character, his possible invasion and placing himself in power, Siby’s situation, needing to stop both Josef and President Arnold, it was starting to feel overwhelming. Let alone the fact there was some sort of tracking device on her watch.

She needed to stop freaking herself out with the innumerable impossibilities.

As she and her hobo friends were walking down an alleyway, a window flung open. Music burst out of the open window, and Marie winced, feeling the familiar, frightened jitters in her stomach whenever she heard music. A woman, dressed like she was cleaning for the day, flung her arms out wide.

“Which is why my life sucks,

“When my vacuum blows!”

Marie stared at the woman in utter shock as she hit her fist against the edge of the window sill and returned back to her house. After more than half a year away from any sort of music, she almost forgot how ridiculous random singing was.

“You’ll get used to it,” Numbers said as though reading her troubled emotions on her face.

“Does this happen a lot?” Marie asked.

“All the time,” Numbers said.

“But... do hobos sing?” Marie asked, having a feeling she knew what the answer was, but wanting to get the answer anyway. Besides, it’s something Hobo Marie would have asked.

“No. See, there’s chips in everyone’s heads that help them sing those songs. They’re not given to hobos,” Poet said.

“Why not?” Marie asked, again because she felt like hobo Marie would have asked.

Numbers shrugged. “Multiple reasons. So many I’m not even sure what the real reason is, but we’ve been assured that as soon as our memories are back, we can have them installed.”

Marie wasn’t sure if she heard correctly, but Numbers sounded like it was something he was looking forward to. Marie was sure if his memories were returned, he would not sound so excited to get the chip back.

It was still dark when Marie got up at five. She wasn’t sure where in her planning she got sleep, but she must have gotten some. She took off her watch and left it in her bunk. She would “forget it” today, and if anyone asked, she would say it was a simple mistake. She took off her watch to go to sleep and simply forgot to put it back on. It would have to work. She needed a day of no one tracking her. But she could only spare a day. If she tried this again, it would seem too suspicious.

She slipped out of the barn, wrapping her arms around her as she walked to keep out the early morning chill. It had rained a little during the night, and the smell of rain and city hung in the air.

The city was surprisingly busy at five in the morning. She expected it to still be asleep, but there were already people heading to work. There were a lot of muffled songs in the apartments she passed, most likely multiple“getting ready for work” songs. Some were happy and light, some more fit for a funeral, and many in between. The sky was starting to think whether or not it was ready for the sun to rise.

Marie made her way through the city, desperately clawing her memories for where Harriet’s apartment was. Harriet was an early riser, so Marie gave herself an hour or so to find it. It was deeper in the city, but not too deep. She made sure to give the people coming toward her plenty of space. Some of the people glared at her, clearly thinking that she wasn’t giving them a wide enough space between them. Others looked at her curiously, some with sympathy, most ignored her.

Marie mumbled quietly to herself as she tried to remember the way. Eventually she found the university where she knew Harriet went to. The university was not too far out of Harriet’s apartment window. Some of the civilians were watching her very closely. She struggled to remember whether or not hobos were allowed around a university campus, and by the looks of some of the civilians passing her, she wasn’t. Even though she wasn’t technically within the university walls, she was close enough to be suspicious, and she didn’t want to get reported. Marie turned and made her best educated guess through the streets.

More people were milling about, and Marie did her best to step out of their way. She was mostly ignored by the public. Marie wasn’t sure what time it was, since she conveniently left her watch behind. The sun was about ready to make its appearance, so she could only guess it was around seven in the morning.

Marie felt a smile break across her face as she turned a corner and saw a familiar apartment complex. It was Harriet’s, she knew it. Marie glanced around, trying to find a good place to sit and wait. Luckily for her, hobos could just sit and wait and not draw too much suspicion. She just had to look dejected.

Marie crossed the street and sat down, leaning against the wall right by a dumpster where she could have a clear view of the apartment complex. It didn't take her long before she got bored. With no watch, she started to get antsy. Harriet always left her apartment before eight when Marie stayed with her. She wasn’t sure of the time, but Marie knew she was early. She wasn’t going to miss Harriet.

The university clock began chiming at eight, marking the time for Marie. She was grateful for it, but as eight o’clock came and went, she started to get more nervous.

The clock chimed every fifteen minutes until it rang out nine bells, and Marie found herself sweating. She counted the windows over and over again, making another educated guess as to where her apartment was. The window in question remained dark, about as dark as the despair threatening to devour her hope.

If it wasn’t for the importance of her mission, Marie would have given up a long time ago. She listened to the distant university bells chiming. The longer she waited, the faster the chimes seemed to come. It was one thirty when she hung her head and allowed herself to look truly like a dejected hobo. Marie never saw Harriet in the clearing, and she never saw Harriet among the hobos. Something must have happened to her, and Marie could only hope she wasn’t killed. Maybe Harriet moved apartments in the middle of the semester.

Marie rested her head back against the alley wall and let a few tears come. What was she supposed to do now? She was supposed to already be at the underground, telling Charles everything. She was supposed to pass on the information so she wasn’t the only one with it. She needed the underground’s help, and she had no idea how to reach them.

Marie got up and headed for the university gates. She glanced over them, trying to see if she could spot Harriet out of the student body before a police officer shooed her away.

“Hobos aren’t allowed this close to the university,” he ordered.

That answered that question. Marie turned and left, not wanting to argue, not wanting to make a scene.

As a hobo, she was allowed to wander all over the city. At least, certain places in the city. She could still look for the underground. Judging by what she remembered, Charles probably worked in a hospital. She could hang out there until she spotted him. Marie rubbed her head. Did Charles work at a hospital, though? Granted, he had expertly taken out the chip from her head, so that was a huge clue. Marie felt her heart sink. If there was only one hospital in Musical Land, it might be an option, but there’d have to be at least a dozen, maybe more. She didn’t have time to track Charles down that way. And she didn’t know what the other underground members did. Saca’s husband, Sam, was a mystery to her. He worked at an art museum or something, but again, she wasn’t one hundred percent sure. And for something like this, she needed to be sure. Besides, trying to find an employee at an art museum was almost as hopeless as finding someone who worked at a hospital.

There was a telephone booth not far from her and she made her way over to it. She slipped inside, knowing how strange it would be to see a hobo in a telephone booth. She had no money to call anyone, but she found the phonebook and began flipping through the pages. She started with Harriet, thumbing through the T’s, but found no Harriet Tubman. She tried Sam Morse, and again had no luck. She hoped for luck on the third try, but Charles Darwin wasn’t in there either. Marie slunk out of the phone booth, feeling her stomach in knots. A wave of hopelessness washed over her. Each idea she had was shot down because of her status. No one would let a hobo use a computer. It would get the agents notified for sure. A hobo looking up a specific person’s name would shed suspicion on both the hobo and the person. It was far too risky.

She started down the streets when she heard the bells chiming in the distance. It was 2:15. With a sad smile, she thought about how high school would be getting out soon.

Her smile froze on her face, her eyes widening. High school. Her friends. They weren’t in the clearing or a part of the hobos. They had a little information, more than anyone else in their position should. They were free to use computers and go into places and ask around without raising too much suspicion. Right now, that’s what she needed.

Marie sprinted down the street. She got a few strange looks from people. A hobo running somewhere, with purpose, was always a strange sight, but hopefully not strange enough to report her. Presley High was a few miles away, and school got out at 2:40 every day. She needed to make up some time.

Marie ran, despite her muscles starting to ache. The tired part of her said she could wait until tomorrow to talk to them, but Marie felt nervous about that idea. The weekend was approaching, and she needed to do this now without her watch. It needed to be today. If her friends could help her, it would be a huge relief. She could do things that wouldn’t be suspicious for hobos to do, and they could do the things that wouldn’t be suspicious for high schoolers to do. They could find the underground together. It had to work. It needed to work.

A growing part of her was afraid she wouldn’t see her friends. Maybe they got arrested after she disappeared. If they weren’t, did she really want to put them in even more danger?

Marie pushed the doubting thought away. If she didn’t get to the underground, no one would be able to warn them about Josef. She needed their help.

Her lungs were on fire as sweat poured down her cheeks. She tried to steady her breathing, focusing on the urgency of her plan instead of how much her body wanted to quit. Her body reminded her that she skipped breakfast and lunch, and she hadn’t had any water yet. If she walked, she’d be too late. She had to run, or risk losing her chance.

Presley High came into view, and Marie quickened her already fast pace. The bell rang, and she was still too far away for her liking. She hoped her friends dawdled behind in their classes. She hoped her friends still met up at the end of the day in the same spot before they headed toward the metro. She hoped they recognized her from across the street. She hoped they were still there.

Marie finally stopped and placed her hands against the back of her head, breathing as deeply as she could. A few coughs escaped her as she scanned the groups of high schoolers spilling out of the building across the street. Something was off, and she couldn’t quite place why. Her brain went into overdrive, trying to figure it out. Too many things were against her today. She needed something to go right for once.

Marie took a second to appreciate the beautiful architecture of Presley High, but a second was all she could spare. She panted, willing her lungs to stop being on fire. She clutched her chest, her eyes still scanning the groups of students laughing and chatting across the street. Out of nowhere emotion started to hit her. The first time she came to Presley High, she was with her dad. Memories of him spilled over, and she tried desperately to push them away. She couldn’t think about him right now. As much as it weighed on her heart to think how she might be failing him, she needed to focus on what she needed to do now in order to save him. Getting to the underground also meant she was one step closer to getting him.

Her overactive heart leapt into her throat when she saw them. She was surprised to feel heat prick her eyes. The long mystery of what happened to her friends had come. They were fine and safe, just leaving Presley High after a day at school, getting ready for the weekend. The smallest of smiles appeared on her face. She had missed her friends.

Billy had a little bounce to his step as he chatted with Abe and Albert. Marie was almost certain it had something to do with a conspiracy theory. Or maybe he was talking about his latest story and vocalizing in a nonchalant way who to kill off. Abe was taking long strides with his ridiculously long legs, his face always so solemn. Albert was listening to Billy, nodding every once in a while in a way that made Marie almost certain he was humoring Billy.

Her heart, which was still beating wildly, seemed to sink from her throat to her stomach at a record pace. She realized what was so off. School had ended, but none of the students where heading for the nearest metro. They were all heading down a different street, which meant Billy, Abe, and Albert were walking away from her.

Marie jumpstarted into action. She followed them, trying to guess where they were going. Everyone from the school was walking somewhere.

Marie followed them from a distance, but the distance was growing larger. Where were they going to so fast? She cursed Abe’s legs for being so long. Her feet reverted back into a jog to keep up, her body groaning from the effort.

She needed to talk to them, but she came back to the same problem. Hobos were not supposed to talk to citizens. Sure, her friends would certainly recognize her, but they were also in a large group. Luck finally favored her, as the three of them seemed so engrossed in the conversation they were slowing down. Most of the students walked on ahead.

She got close enough to hear the conversation.

“I wouldn’t even put it past you anymore. You believe every other conspiracy theory, so this one is clearly no surprise,” Albert said.

“Okay, okay, but I don’t actually believe it. I’m just curious to know why other people believe it. Besides, every lie has a shade of truth,” Billy said. “So my question isn’t whether or not this conspiracy theory is completely true. The question is, what aspects of it are true.”

Albert turned to give Billy a good long look. “But aliens, Billy? I would think that was too far fetched, even for you.”

Marie watched Abe’s ears rise just a little, a show that he was smiling. Billy put a hand to his chest. “Nothing is too far fetched for me. Nothing. There’s a small group of people who believe this, and I want to know why. What bit of human nature is satisfied with believing in aliens?”

Marie walked as fast as she could, and found herself falling into step with them. She hoped they noticed her, but Billy’s animated actions were too engrossing for the other two. She had to stop them somehow.

“Maybe, despite the wall enclosing us inside this city, we still have a desire to explore?” Albert asked.

Billy gave a noncommittal nod. “I guess so.”

“This close to the end of school? Are you stuck on how to finish your play?” Marie asked as quietly as she could.

The three of them stopped and jerked around. Marie took a step before turning toward them. All three of them looked so completely dumbstruck that, if she wasn’t covered in sweat and in desperate need of their help, she would have laughed. But she did let the smallest of smiles grace her lips. Though she was happy, she dreaded knowing her presence put them in real danger. She glanced around, knowing there were witnesses. Talking in the open was not an option. Her eyes landed on an alleyway not too far.

“That alleyway, five minutes, don’t look suspicious,” Marie whispered to Billy who was closest to her.

Billy was the first to snap out of his shock. “Move along there, hobo. We have the right of way.” She saw his eyes soften so she knew this was an act, though he made a point of grabbing Abe and Albert’s arms before dragging them away.

Marie’s head bowed as she stepped out of their way, trying to pretend she had no idea who they were, as she entered into the mouth of the alleyway.