Vanessa King: Frances X

Quotes 

• Jay Ziegler : Who can tell me where the secret checkpoint is?

  Frances X : Beats me. But if anyone does know, it's gonna cost you.

  Jay Ziegler : Why? It's just directions.

  Frances X : Information is a commodity, did you know? If you want something, you gotta cough up. I mean, you can't get something for nothing. Not here.

  Jay Ziegler : But checkpoint aren't just for the rich. They're so kids can earn their way to the Tower. I thought that was Brad's law.

  Frances X : Before, maybe. Now the market's the law.

• Medea : You just let the Wrecker right into the Tower! Who knows what he could destroy in there? He could change everything!

  Frances X : Let's hope so.

• Frances X : [about the third checkpoint]  The door's been here long before the Brad Exchange, and Jay's the first kid to make it in ages. Spoiled, greedy Tower kids like Medea have purposely stopped kids.

• Frances X : You trade Brad's things, but you don't even know why they're valuable. You worship his image, but you ignore his ideas. Brad made the checkpoints so that ordinary people who really wanted it, and who really tried hard, could get to be Tower people. They could learn stuff in the Tower. Then go back outside and help others. That's the way it's supposed to be.

  Medea : What do you know about it, lizard lips?

  Frances X : Because I am Francis X, Brad's checkpoint keeper. He told me to make sure the checkpoints are done right, and Jay has done them right.