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“Father, can you just explain the whole thing?” I say in frustration, sensing he’s not telling me everything.

“I’m not putting all my eggs in one basket. You have a role to play, concentrate on that. Go to the party. Watch the girl. Bring me the laptop. We roll out of here by the end of summer.”

“That soon?” I ask.

“We won’t be here another winter,” my father vows. “If this works, we can find your mother. We can be a family again.”

He’s letting his crazy show through. I want to help my mom, of course.

“But what if she’s working for them?” I ask him.

“Then she’ll pay,” he says quietly and I shiver inside. On the outside I school my face and slip the device into my pocket.

“The girl will need to wear something. Grab some clothes from down the hall.” There’s a cache for extra stuff. I picture Ami in one of the dresses the women wear around here and cringe a little. It’s not her, but I know what he means. There’s no way she’ll pass for an innocent girlfriend without a makeover. I’ll go to her house early tomorrow and we’ll figure this out.

The laptop is stored on the roof. I can’t believe this.

NEW YORK TIMESLETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MAY 14, 2021

Parents have been waiting anxiously for the coronavirus vaccine to be ready for use in children. I was happy to see the vaccine rolled out to teens (“US Vaccine Rollout Expands to Children Ages 12 to 15”). Those of us with elementary-age kids are still waiting but we hope the vaccine will be available to all soon.

The covid vaccine has been a modern miracle. Research groups, drug companies, governments, pharmacies, and doctors all working together to save lives. The People Against Violence Party is asking Americans to consider what else could be done together to save lives.

If this medicine can be created and shipped to people all over the country, could guns and other weapons be collected from all over the US and recycled or repurposed? Wouldn’t that save as many lives as the vaccine?

Let’s invest our time and money into saving lives and make the US the safest country in the world. Creating and selling guns has already been stopped, and many guns have been collected through buybacks.

We must expand this project by collecting all guns still privately owned in our country. Owners who cooperate will receive generous payouts through the buyback. Those who refuse confiscation will have certain rights revoked in the interest of public safety. Let your representatives know yousupport the Swords Into Plowshares bill before Congress today.

Sincerely,

Mikayla Adamson

Baltimore, Maryland

People Against Violence