“We’ll take the walls down everywhere,” Frank said. “I want to travel around and watch it happening. New York, Chicago, Washington, all those places they have back east that I’ve heard of. Even London. Paris. Rome. Why not? We’ll do it.”
Andy was still staring at him.
“You think I’m crazy?” Frank asked. “Look, we can’t just sit around on our asses. There’s going to be chaos now. Anarchy. I’ve read about what happens when a central power suddenly evaporates, and it isn’t good. We have to do something, Andy. Something. I don’t know what, but tearing down the walls is a good place to start. Tear down first, then rebuild. Is that so crazy, Andy? Is it?”
He didn’t stay for an answer. He began once more to walk away, moving quickly this time.
“Hey!” Andy called. “Hey, where are you going?”
“Back to the car. I want to take a close look at the wall and see how it’s put together. So I can figure out the best way of blasting it apart.”
Andy stayed where he was, looking toward Frank’s rapidly retreating back.
It crossed his mind that he had badly underestimated Frank all along. Thinking of him as a mere lightweight, just another of that swarm of interchangeable blond kids all over the ranch. No, Andy thought. Wrong. Frank is different. Frank will be the one to build something—who the hell could say what it would be?—out of this nothingness that the Entities have left us. Not even Frank knew, just now, what Frank was going to do. But Frank would give the world a second chance. Or kill us all, trying.
He grinned. Slowly shook his head.
“Carmichaels,” he muttered.
Frank was at the car now. Andy realized that if he waited any longer, Frank was going to get in and drive away without him.
“Hey! Hey, Frank, wait for me!” he yelled. And began to run toward the car.
