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2030-JONE
“Look this over now and as many times tonight as you need to before midnight. Because you leave tonight,” he said. I don’t know exactly what time they will come for me, but I’m taking no chances with your life. The plan is pretty simple, and once it starts don’t stop. Your life depends on it. I hate to give you bad news, but you need to know. I also got you clothes an old lady would wear and a wig. You’ll need them. He kissed her and said read now while I fix dinner.”
While he cooked, she studied and wrote questions. During dinner, he answered her questions on the pad. Some of the an- swers shocked her, but she understood. Finally, he asked questions to test her memory.
“It’s going to be rough for only a little while until you get out of the city, so stick to the plan and only deviate in these in- stances he reminded her.
He noticed as he looked at her that she hung onto his every word. If the plan failed, it would be his fault. He could see she was ready to go for it. “I know you didn’t expect it to be like this, but we must use the element of surprise. We need that desper- ately.”
They both got up and held each other tight for luck. Arnetta broke away first to get her small bag. She changed into the clothes that made her look like a woman twice her age and returned to the room. Tom smiled trying to hide his shock. She looked like a hag. His shock met with her approval, and she smiled. They went to the door and down the stairs of the building. He looked from inside and spotted three men in a car who would come for him in the morning.
“Okay, this is it. I love you.”
She smiled, opened the door, and walked out acting like an old woman. Tom watched her walk down the block hoping he would not have to come out blasting. Halfway down the block she raised her hand to hail a cab. His heart stopped as the cab passed her then suddenly stopped. She fought the urge to run to the cab and contin- ued the old woman act slowly creeping towards it. He exhaled as the
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