e ended up in prison himself。
〃No；〃 I said。
〃What do you mean； no？〃 he asked me furiously。 〃How can you say no？ You saw what he did！ What are you telling me？ That you're still going to let his connections protect him？ After what he did？〃
Brutal stared at me； mouth agape； eyes so angry they were watering。
〃Listen to me； Brutus … you take a poke at him； and most likely we all go。 You； me； Dean； Harry； maybe even Jack Van Hay。 Everyone else moves a rung or two up the ladder； starting with Bill Dodge； and the Prison mission hires three or four Breadline Barneys to fill the spots at the bottom。 Maybe you can live with that； but…〃 I cocked my thumb at Dean； who was staring down the dripping； brick…lined tunnel。 He was holding his specs in one hand； and looked almost as dazed as Percy。 〃But what about Dean？ He's got two kids； one in high school and one just about to go。〃
〃So what's it e down to？〃 Brutal asked。 〃We let him get away with it？〃
〃I didn't know the sponge was supposed to be wet；〃 Percy said in a faint； mechanical voice。 This was the story he had rehearsed beforehand； of course； when he was expecting a painful prank instead of the cataclysm we had just witnessed。 〃It was never wet when we rehearsed。〃
〃Aw； you sucker…〃 Brutal began； and started for Percy。 I grabbed him again and yanked him back。 Footsteps clacked on the steps。 I looked up； desperately afraid of seeing Curtis Anderson； but it was Harry Terwilliger。 His cheeks were paper…white and his lips were purplish； as if he'd been eating blackberry cobbler。
I switched my attention back to Brutal。 〃For God's sake； Brutal； Delacroix's dead； nothing can change that； and Percy's not worth it。〃 Was the plan； or the beginnings of it； in my head even then？ I've