"Could I see your license and registration, please," the sheriff said.

Instinctively, Max reached for his wallet. Then he hesitated. He couldn't show the man his license. God only knew what kind of criminal lists the Special Unit had put his and his friends' names on. And he didn't have a registration for the van.

"Is there a problem?" the sheriff asked.

"I'm sorry, I don't have my wallet," Max said.

The sheriff immediately looked suspicious. He looked hard at Max and then scanned the inside of the van with his eyes. "You kids are a long way from New Mexico," he said. "What brings you to Washington?"

Max realized that it wasn't enough to change the plate number. In the future, he and Michael would have to

change the license plate from New Mexico to another state.

"Son?" the sheriff said.

"We just graduated high school and we wanted to travel the country for a few weeks."

"Kind of inconvenient that you lost your wallet, then," the sheriff said.

Looking into the sheriffs intelligent eyes, Max felt his chances of getting himself and his friends out of this slipping away.

"Step out of the car, please," the sheriff said, putting one hand on his holstered gun. Max could feel the tension in the car. Without looking back, he knew that Michael probably looked ready to explode.

Max couldn't let the sheriff run the plates. He and Michael had picked random numbers and letters. As soon as the sheriff ran them, he would see that they didn't match the van. Max opened the door and started to step out. The sheriff took a step back and said, "The rest of you stay put."

Max's brain went into overdrive, trying to come up with a way to make this turn out right for everyone without attracting any attention. He came up with a handful of options… none of them good.

As the sheriff looked him over, Max realized why he had made the mistake of thinking for a moment that this would turn out okay. The man was a sheriff and wore a uniform like the one Kyle's dad had worn. Sheriff Valenti was the first adult Max and the others had trusted with their secret. If not for Valenti, Max might still be in the White Room.