The Home Guard was already at the house when I got there. From the riverbank, I could see Jason's military vehicle parked in the driveway.

I sneaked toward the back of the house. On the way up the river, I'd hastily constructed a plan for getting Jason alone. I couldn't go inside without anyone else seeing me. My only chance was to wait outside the window to the bathroom and hope I could catch him using it. It was risky, I knew. But there wasn't any other way.

An old, overgrown lilac bush stood just outside the house's downstairs bathroom window. Luckily, it still had most of its leaves. I crawled between the bush and the house, crouching just below the window sill. I was pretty sure no one would see me hiding there.

My mom had cooked lunch again for the Home Guard. I could tell because I could smell her beef stew.

The rangers' voices droned on while they ate in the kitchen. Occasionally, I heard my mom's voice pipe up, and I could hear Jason's voice too, along with Shawn's, but I couldn't make out anything that anyone was saying.

So far, my plan was on track because Jason's squad had actually stopped for lunch, just like I'd hoped they would. They had to know we were missing by now, but luckily they weren't rushing off to find us, like I'd worried they might do. The squad was taking its time eating. But for everything to work like I'd planned, a lot more still had to go my way. First of all, Jason had to use the bathroom before he left. And I had no idea how likely it was that he actually would.

I don't know how long I waited until someone finally came to use the bathroom. Whoever it was opened the window right away. The sash slid up right above my head. I held my breath. I didn't move.

I heard someone peeing. A guy.

I couldn't show myself unless I knew for sure it was Jason. But that was the problem. To look through the window I would have to expose myself for a moment, showing my face before ducking back down. If it was Shawn who was peeing right now, or anyone but Jason, and he saw me through the window, I'd be arrested. Maybe shot.

I took a deep, quiet breath. I didn't have much time. I would have to look quickly, before whoever it was finished peeing and still had his back to me.

I started counting down from three, poised to raise my head and duck as quickly as possible.

Three . . . Two . . .

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