1269_UgliesFreeBook

416 Scott Westerfeld
“One percent? Compared to breaking into Special
Circumstances, that’s a breeze.”
“Tally, stop it.” David took her shoulders. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Dangerous? David, you can get across into New Pretty
Town no problem. City uglies do it all the time. Just grab
me out of my mansion and stick me on a board. I’ll come
with you, just like Shay did. Then you cure me.”
“What if the Specials decide to change your memory?
Like they did my father’s?”
“They won’t,” Maddy said.
David stared at his mother in surprise.
“They didn’t bother with Shay. She remembers the
Smoke just fine. Az and I were the only ones they were worried
about. Because we’d been focused on the brain lesions
for half our lives, they figured we’d never shut up about
them, even as pretties.”
“Mom!” David cried. “Tally’s not going anywhere.”
“And besides,” Maddy continued, “Dr. Cable wouldn’t
do anything to hurt Tally.”
“Stop talking like this is going to happen!”
Tally looked into Maddy’s eyes. The woman nodded.
She knew.
“David,” Tally said. “I have to do this.”
“Why?”
“Because of Shay. It’s the only way that Maddy will cure
her. Right?”