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virus?” he shouted.
    “No!”
    “Are you sure?” he demanded. “Has she left the house unaccompanied? Been in the presence of anyone exhibiting symptoms? Have you seen any unexplained wounds or injuries on her person?”
    “No!” Mom yelled back. “She’s just autistic. There is nothing wrong with my daughter!”
    “We’re not doing anything wrong,” I pleaded. “I swear!”
    His gaze narrowed as he studied us. My heart pounding in my chest matched Mel’s frantic rocking and I prayed she would calm down. What would he do if she lost it completely? We had to get out of here. Fast.
    “We haven’t left the house in days. We haven’t seen or talked to anyone but you since the outbreak. I swear! You can follow us home to make sure we go there. Please, just let us go!”
    Slowly, he lowered his gun. He didn’t slip it back in the holster but held it at his side. “I want to see some ID. From everyone.”
    It took forever, what with me moving slowly so I didn’t freak him out anymore, but finally I pulled out my and Mom’s driver’s licenses and Mel’s state-issued photo ID.
    The officer stared long and hard at each of the cards before handing them back. “I’ll escort you ladies home. I suggest you don’t leave the house again until you’re ready to deliver them to the Farm facility transportation hub.”
    Mom bristled. “I am not—”
    “Thank you, Officer!” I said loudly.
    He glared at Mom before backing away from the car. I reached past Mom to jab the window button on her door. Once the window was rolled up, we all let out a sigh of relief.
    “That asshole!” Mom snarled.
    “Asshole, asshole, asshole,” Mel chanted from the backseat.
    I huffed nervously. Mom rarely cussed. Mel never cussed. I mean, never.
    “I can’t believe that asshole thinks he can get away with this. I’ll have his job. I’ll fu—”
    “Mom!” I glanced back at Mel, but she just rocked, now muttering asshole under her breath. Behind us, the cop inched his car forward until his high beams and the flashing lights flooded the car. “Let’s just go home.”
    “No!” She slapped her hand against the steering wheel. Her voice blazed with indignation. She was her old self again. The crusader. The fighter. Joan of Arc. But her transformation from comatose to crusader had come at the worst time and in the worst possible way. “He can’t get away with this! We’re driving straight to the police station! I’m reporting him. I’m going to—”
    “No, we have to be reasonable.” I ran a hand down Mom’s arm, trying to bank the fire of her anger. The last thing we needed right now was for her to go toe to toe with this police officer. “We have to think this through. If the governor really did declare martial law, reporting him won’t matter. We have to prioritize. We have to focus on getting out of here.”
    Slowly, Mom turned to look at me. Her eyes were wide and glazed with a mixture of anger and hatred, seeped in fear. “Getting out of here?” she asked, and for a second I was afraid she’d gotten so wrapped up in the conflict with the cop that she’d completely forgotten what we were doing. But then she shook her head and said, “Yes. We’ve got to get out of here. We’ve got to get you to Uncle Rodney’s.”
    She reached with shaking fingers for the ignition and turned on the car.
    “Yes,” I murmured. “We have to get out of here.” The whole state seemed to be going bat-shit crazy. “We’ll try again tomorrow.”

Chapter Six
     
    Lily
     
    I snuck out early the next morning and did a test run. I had checked online on the NPDCO’s website and gotten the latest information about the curfew, so I knew not to leave the house earlier than eight. At ten after eight I strolled out to the car like this was any other morning. Like I hadn’t been traumatized by all the latest news when I’d gone online this morning.
    Of course, the truth was, I was freaked out. And it wasn’t just the victims of