"Are we stopping here?"
"For a little while," Yan answered. "The road is blocked. We're going to
move enough of the cars to get through, but we haven't checked what's
around the bend."
Mother Yan glanced at the windows. "Do you want Lili and me to stay
here?"
"Yes," Bai said. "Please keep her away from the windows. Lock the inner
door. If anything comes too close, take her to the reinforced sleeping
compartment and wait for our signal before opening it."
Mother Yan's expression became serious. She did not ask whether Bai was
sure she could handle the danger. She had seen enough by now to
understand that Bai and Yan were more capable than almost anyone they
were likely to meet, but she also understood why the instructions
mattered. Strength did not stop a child from getting frightened or a
stray projectile from breaking a window. A plan mattered even when the
people carrying it out were strong enough to survive without one.
