1269_UgliesFreeBook

368 Scott Westerfeld
they were atop the hill overlooking Special Circumstances.
Tally pulled out her binoculars and trained them
inward, toward New Pretty Town, where the party towers
were just coming alight.
David blew into his hands, his breath visible in the
October chill. “You really think they’ll do it?”
“Why not?” she said, watching the dark spaces of the
city’s largest pleasure garden. “They seemed into it.”
“Yeah, but aren’t they taking a big risk? I mean, they
just met us.”
She shrugged. “An ugly lives for tricks. Haven’t you
ever done something just because a mysterious stranger
intrigued you?”
“I gave my gloves to one once. But it got me into all
kinds of trouble.”
She lowered the binoculars and saw that David was
smiling. “You don’t look as nervous tonight,” she said.
“I’m glad we’re finally here, finally ready to do something.
And after those three kids agreed to help us, I feel like . . .”
“Like this might actually work?”
“No, something better.” He looked down at the Special
Circumstances compound. “They were so ready to help,
just to make trouble, just to play a trick. At first, it killed me
to hear you act like the Smoke still existed. But if there are
enough uglies like them, maybe it will again.”
“Of course it will,” she said softly.
David shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. But even if we