It was loud in the hallway with the holding cells. All the hobos pressed themselves tightly against the door of their cells, screaming at anyone who would listen that it wasn’t fair. The agents finished stuffing the hobos in cells, slamming the doors before leaving them alone. That didn’t stop the hobos from trying to get anyone’s attention. Marie pulled away until her back hit against the wall, then she slid down and covered her face with her hands. She didn’t think about the repercussions of this. Did they just doom the hobos?

Abe sank to the ground next to her, giving her a comforting smile. “Things are going to work out.”

“But will the hobos be okay?” Marie talked quietly to Abe, afraid someone would overhear. Granted, it seemed like all the hobos were focused on trying to get someone’s attention, but she couldn’t be sure. Besides, she didn’t know how well the watches would pick them up.

Abe nodded. “I’m sure they will.”

There was another pause as Abe rested his head against the wall. Marie rubbed the back of her neck, worried about what would happen to them. There was a good chance the officials were going to interview them all, or maybe they would just let them all go. Maybe this whole thing was just to shake them up a bit.

“Did you mean what you said today? About not wanting either of us?” Abe asked.

It brought her out of her reverie. Marie closed her eyes, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. “Do you really want to talk about this now?”

Abe barely smiled. “It will help keep my mind off what might happen in the next hour or so. And… and I’d really like to know.”

Marie winced before turning her head toward Abe. “You want the honest truth?”

Abe nodded. “The honest truth.”

Marie had to look away. She didn’t want to face Abe when she said this. “I’m not…” Her courage was swiftly leaving her.

“It’s not good news for me, is it.” It hurt how matter of fact Abe sounded. Marie reached up and began playing with her hair before she remembered it was a wig. She checked on the hobos, all of them were still at the doors, demanding to talk to someone. Some of them pleading that they didn’t mean it, others simply sobbing. Marie had to look away again.

“You are a dear friend, and a friend is all I’ve ever felt.” Marie felt tears in her eyes. “And I’m afraid that if I told you this, you would leave. And… and I don’t want you to leave. I just can’t…” Marie rubbed her eyes. “I'm not ready for a relationship. And I don't want to pretend I have feelings for you when I don't. That wouldn't be right. For me or you.”

Abe said nothing. His face looked relatively blank, then Marie watched as his eyes turned numb. “I understand.”

Marie felt a pain in her heart. “I’m so sorry.”

“And A-” Abe glanced around the cell. “And the other guy?”

Marie winced. Abe didn’t sound angry. He didn’t really sound like he had any emotion. If she was being honest with herself, it scared her to hear him sound so emotionless.

“I don’t know about him. He’s kind of turned into a jerk,” Marie said. “Maybe he’s just always been a jerk and I’m only now seeing it.”

Abe said nothing, and Marie bit her lip. She was scared of the silence. Abe turned away, staring at his feet. “No, he is a good guy. Except when he’s around you and me, which is practically every encounter you’ve had with him since coming over the wall.”

Marie felt the tears actually fall. She brushed them away. “If he doesn’t treat one of my best friends with respect, he’s not someone I want to date,” Marie said.

Again, it frightened her how emotionless Abe’s face was. Maybe she was pushing her luck by calling Abe her best friend. Maybe it hurt him.

It was then that she heard some commotion going on in the other cell.

“What’s going on?” Marie asked.

The other cell’s door sprung open, and hobos began spilling out of the cell.

“Wait, how did that happen?” one of the hobos asked.

“Help us! Come on!”

The commotion turned more violent. The hobos were frantically trying to get out. The caged hobos were demanding help from those already leaving. Abe stood up and craned his neck over the group to see what was going on.

The door to their cell sprung open and hobos spilled out. Marie saw Harriet standing there, one hand on her hips, the other hand threading a key card through her fingers.

“How did you-” Marie said.

“Plausible deniability, my friend,” Harriet said as she opened the other cell doors. “Get out of here, join the throng before the officials realize the hobos have escaped. Don't be seen together.”

Marie nodded and followed the remaining hobos out.

***

“Well, thank you two for a delightful trip to the lobby. Those trips down are always such a bore when it’s just me. No offense,” President Arnold said the last bit to his bodyguard. The bodyguard remained silent.

“It was an honor, sir,” Albert said.

President Arnold waved as he headed across the lobby. It would be too strange to have elevator repairmen in the lobby when all the elevators were fixed, so they had no choice but to follow him out of the building. Sam and Albert watched as he entered a limo. Albert felt his knees starting to shake as the shock of it hit him.

“Give me the walkie talkie,” Sam said as they headed down the street.

Albert obliged, and Sam turned it on.

“Homebase? It’s Team Repair,” Sam said.

“Is everything okay?” came Charles’ immediate reply.

“We’re out of the building. We could try and go back if-”

“Return to Homebase,” Charles said, cutting Sam off. “The plan is a bust. I’m officially calling it.”

“What about Team Hobo?” Albert asked.

“Team Hobo’s made contact. They’re going to get to us as soon as possible,” Charles said.

Albert saw the large group of hobos spilling out of the interrogation building. He frowned, wondering what was going on.

“Don’t try to interfere. We can’t cast any more suspicion on us then we already have.” It was as though Charles was reading Albert’s mind.

It took everything inside Albert not to dive into the group of hobos to look for his friends. He forced himself to put one foot in front of the other away from the hobos and towards the metro station.

***

They were out into the gardens when the guards and agents were again alerted. Marie heard the distinct sound of the police sirens in the background. They were already running, but now the panic seemed more palpable.

Adrenaline kicked in. The group scattered and Marie found herself running alone. The edge of the gardens was so close, then someone slammed into her and she tumbled to the ground. Marie groaned, rubbing her head. She saw the boots of an agent right next to her, and panic helped numb the pain as she tried to scramble to her feet. The agent grabbed her and hoisted her up, pinning her arms behind her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she struggled against the grip. She couldn’t get caught!

“No, let me go. Please,” Marie said, trying to sound like a frightened hobo. She definitely got the frightened part down.

“I have my orders,” the agent said. The agent dragged her along until they got to the interrogation building. The agent forced Marie up against the brick building and began to frisk her. Her first thought was she was glad Billy had the walkie talkie. Her second was how bad her situation was. What was she supposed to do now?

She noticed movement and turned to see Abe peek over the corner of the building. He was watching her, worried. Marie wasn’t sure what to do, but she did know she couldn’t let Abe get caught either. There was a group of agents not far from them, and if Abe made a scene, they'd all come down on them. She could already see Abe sizing the agent up, weighing the outcome in his mind. Marie mouthed for Abe to run, trying to keep her gaze away from Abe so the agent wouldn’t see. She glanced at Abe again to see him look conflicted. Marie exaggerated the word again to make sure he got the hint. Abe looked around as though trying to find something to attack the agent, but there was nothing. Marie felt a surge of anger. Abe couldn't see the group of agents. He didn't realize how completely useless this was. If he got caught, Billy and Albert would immediately be in danger.

“You have to let me go,” Marie sputtered out, staring straight at Abe. Abe seemed surprised at the outburst.

“I’ll do nothing of the sort. Mr. Germain wants to interview the hobos. Just answer his questions, and you can go free,” the agent said.

Marie’s heart dropped at an alarming rate at this knowledge, but gave her renewed energy to glare Abe down. This was bad enough for her. It would be worse for him. Marie continued to glare at Abe until he took a hesitant step back. Marie gave an encouraging nod. Abe looked defeated, but gave a short nod and slipped out of sight. Marie closed her eyes, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. The agent finished and grabbed her wrists, forcing them behind her before handcuffing her. He grabbed her and lead her the short distance to where Mr. Germain was overlooking the other captured hobos. Marie closed her eyes, hoping that would somehow make her invisible. The heat rose to her cheeks, and she could almost feel Mr. Germain’s gaze on her.

Marie opened her eyes to see Mr. Germain standing right in front of her. Her breathing turned quick as he reached up and grabbed a fistful of her fake blonde wig and pulled it off her head. The agent holding her gasped. A smirk crossed Mr. Germain’s face.

“I thought it was you,” Mr. Germain said.

“I... I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marie said.

“You recognize me, Marie. I see it in your eyes,” Mr. Germain said.

“M-Marie? That’s my name?” Marie knew it didn’t sound convincing. Mr. Germain just laughed.

“You are the reason for all of this I bet. President Arnold is going to be so happy to see you.”

“Who is this?” the agent asked.

Mr. Germain grabbed Marie’s elbow. “Not anyone important. Go help the others put those hobos back in the holding cell.”

The agent nodded and went off to help as the hobos were taken back. The fear in the hobos faces struck Marie, and it made her feel a wave of guilt all over again. Mr. Germain forced her to move forward.

“What are you going to do to the hobos?” Marie asked.

“Is that who you’re worried about?” Mr. Germain said.

“I just wanted them to distract you. They know nothing. Please don’t hurt them,” Marie said.

Mr. Germain laughed. “Double the work for a month won’t hurt them, but it will make them think twice about rumors they hear.”

Marie winced as they turned a corner and made it back to the skyscraper. She redirected her energy to her anger as Mr. Germain opened the lobby doors.

“Those hobos had nothing to do with this. You need to release them,” Marie refused to stay silent. Now that she was caught, she couldn’t be intimidated by Mr. Germain anymore.

“I will release them when I say they are going to be released.” Mr. Germain dragged her through the foyer to the front desk. “Call President Arnold. Tell him I caught Marie Curie. He'll know where to go.”

He dragged her in the direction of the elevators and hit the down button. Marie’s heart beat faster in her chest.

“Where’s the rest of them?” Mr. Germain asked.

“What are you talking about?” Marie asked.

“There is no way you pulled this off alone. Where are the rest of them?”

Marie forced a laugh out of her terrified body. “You mean Sophie? Do you want to know where Sophie is?”

Mr. Germain gave Marie a dark glare. The elevator doors slid open and Mr. Germain pushed Marie inside more forcibly than normal. “I knew you kidnapped my daughter.”

Marie returned his dark glare with one of her own. “Kidnap? Yeah right. All I had to do was tell Sophie exactly the kind of parents she used to have, how they were the ones responsible for her situation. That they didn’t care, or didn’t bother saving her.”

Mr. Germain clenched his fist but turned away from her as he swiped his badge on the card reader and hit the lowest number on the number pad. Marie was stretching the truth a bit, but it gave her a sense of pride to see Mr. Germain getting angry.

“You know nothing about being a parent,” Mr. Germain said. His voice trembled just a little, and Marie sored with this new feeling. She was getting the better of Mr. Germain.

“You’re right, I don’t. But I do know enough that forcing Sophie to do the arts was killing her. But you hardly saw Sophie anyway! You don’t know who she really was!”

“Shut up, Marie!” Mr. Germain said.

“You could just stick a doll in her room and say you found her again! That’s how much you acknowledge her. I am doing her a favor by keeping her away from you, and I will happily protect her from you any day!”

“I said shut up!”

The elevator doors opened and Mr. Germain pushed her into the hallway. Marie stumbled, and since she was handcuffed, she fell to the ground. Mr. Germain’s entire frame was trembling, so much that he was taking deep breaths, his face slightly turned from her. Was that hurt she saw on his face? Marie couldn’t help but stare at him. Mr. Germain wasn’t the untouchable man she thought. Sophie was his weakness. He did have some strange fatherly love for her, and Marie saw the hard, impenetrable shell he created shatter before her.

Mr. Germain was breathing deeply as music started to fill the basement hallway, and Marie winced, frightened, for whatever song Mr. Germain was about to sing. Marie recognized the short strokes of music to set the stage of the anger he felt. The song began, but Mr. Germain continued to take deep breaths, pretending like he didn’t hear the music at all. Marie’s eyes widened as the song continued on for a few more measures before it faded away. Marie struggled to a sitting position.

“You… didn’t sing.”

Mr. Germain didn’t answer. Instead he straightened, left the elevator, and grabbed her arm to help her up.

“You’re going to get in trouble for that,” Marie said.

“President Arnold trusts me enough that I don’t have to sing every time a song comes up.”

Another fresh wave of anger washed over Marie. “Hypocrites. Every single one of you.” Her words came out almost as a hiss.

They came to the farthest door on the left. Mr. Germain unlocked Marie’s handcuffs before swiping his card by the door handle. It popped open and he pushed Marie inside. She managed to catch herself this time before she fell.

“Don’t get too comfortable. President Arnold wants to talk to you,” Mr. Germain said.

The door slammed shut, and Marie was plunged into semi-darkness.

“Marie?”

Her heart stopped. She knew that voice. She looked over to see the familiar face of her dad coming out of the shadows.

“Dad!” She ran to him, sobbing, as she threw her arms around him.