Sacrifices, Narrow Escapes, and Something Like a Plan
- Kate makes it back to the boys' room "disappointed with her mission, miserably cold, soaked to the bone, and in a good deal of physical pain. But at least she hadn't been eaten by a shark" (32.1).
- First she tells the boys the bad news: there's no way into the computer room, so they won't be able to disable the Whisperer from there. Then she tells them everything she overheard, including something Mr. Curtain said about the Whisperer being "sensitive and delicately balanced," and requiring Mr. Curtain's "strict mental guidance to require it to function" (32.15).
- They get ready to report to Mr. B but see that they have to wait—Jackson and S.Q. are on the plazas, and Jackson is yelling about something.
- Reynie says he and Sticky will send the report, and Kate leaves to change into dry clothes and get some rest.
- Kate returns to her room, wakes Constance to update her, and then they both go to bed and oversleep in the morning.
- When they arrive to breakfast (late), Reynie offers to pour Kate's juice for her and proceeds to spill it all over her shoes.
- Kate snaps at him, but Reynie quietly explains that everyone knows someone was in the culvert last night and swam away to escape. Her soggy shoes were a dead giveaway, but now she can say they're soggy because Reynie spilled juice on them. Which he did. And everyone in the cafeteria saw him do it. Good thinking, Reynie.
- Kate thanks him, and Sticky explains why Jackson was so upset with S.Q. last night. Apparently S.Q. managed to obliterate the only evidence they had concerning the identity of the spy in the culvert: he walked all over the footprints leading away from the culvert, wiping them out.
- The MBSers manage to withstand a little questioning from Jackson and Martina, who seem to suspect Kate was involved, and once the Executives are gone, they try to form a plan about how to proceed.
- Unfortunately everyone is so full of self-doubt at the moment that they can't think. Reynie and Sticky are both worried that they'll break the next time they have to confront the Whisperer, Kate is still upset her mission didn't result in the demolition of the Whisperer, and Constance is worried about what will happen when Mr. Curtain starts broadcasting at full power.
- Finally, Reynie says the only thing he can think of is that they have to find a way for them all to face Mr. Curtain and the Whisperer together. He thinks that's probably the only way they have a chance of winning.
- Of course Reynie and Sticky aren't due to have another turn with the Whisperer for a week—Mr. Curtain rotates his Messengers, and he has several others to use before he'll get back to Reynie and Sticky.
- The only way their turn would come around sooner would be if all the other Messengers got sick. So… the members of the MBS decide they'll have to make that happen.