It was, at least, what they claimed, some more boisterously than others. Without degrees to display or background checks to run, things here relied far more on the honesty of those who stepped forward than Veronica was accustomed to or, at times, comfortable with. She'd seen too many liars to believe they were the exception to the rule. Thus far, though, it all seemed to have worked for them, and that was stranger still. Lucky. She'd never really been that before. Not, at least, after Lilly.

"The doctors," she added, nodding. "It's this massive experiment in democracy. Socialism, practically. And a whole lot of luck. Try running where I came from on volunteerism and the town would be dead in a week. The half that hadn't taken off for Cabo."