“What?” I screamed.
"We’ve got us a sticky problem. The Feds sent a SecPol up with me and they expect to get one back. They ain’t gonna look too carefully at who comes out --”
“No!” I stopped him. “Hank’s coming with me. I love I him. I won’t leave without --”
Hank squeezed my hand. My voice stopped working. A cold blast blew across my heart. Somehow I knew each word before he spoke. “No,” he said, “O’Malley’s right. I fit in here well enough. I don’t need to leave, the way you do. And I don’t think I have the courage you have to go.”
I wanted to argue with him. I wanted to tell him that I would be with him forever. The words died stillborn. He knew there was nothing I could say. I knew it. Everybody knew it.
“Don’t mean to shorten this farewell, but time is pressin’. If Hank here’s any good at all, he should be able to lose himself outside before they start noticin’ him.”
“I’ll help you,” said Alicia slowly, “I know this port --”
“Hold on, Missy. I don’t think you understand the temperature of the fire you’ve jumped into. The Feds don’t take kindly to folks fryin’ their Security Police. The Jeffies ain’t so hot about it either. They don’t have my enlightened attitude.”
“You want me to come with you?” she asked, amazed.