The Countdown (The Taking #3)(84)

Then, when I couldn’t put it off any longer, I leaned over and kissed him lightly on his whiskered cheek.

Swallowing, because the last thing I wanted was for my voice to wobble, I said, “’Bye, Dad.” I said it like he’d be back soon. That everything would be 100 percent fine. “Be safe.”

I started to straighten, and then changed my mind. There was no way I could leave things that way. This was no time to pretend this wasn’t a total mess.

I dropped back down, over the top of him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I buried my face in his beard, and when I tried to talk, my voice fell apart. “I love you, Dad. And I don’t blame you for what happened,” I told him, because he needed to know before he went. “I’ll never blame you.”

He was already strapped in, but my dad managed to reach his arms back up and around me too. “I love you too, Supernova. Don’t ever forget who you are. You’re my girl. You’ll always be my girl.”

I didn’t have to see him to know he meant it. He wasn’t doing this for the world; he was doing this for me.

Watching as the bay doors opened, I was caught in a strange sort of limbo between agony and relief.

My dad had done it. The hardest part was over, the ship was launched and Adam was on his way home.

But my dad . . .

I clamped my eyes shut. I can’t do this now, I told myself as I checked the clock. Less than an hour until the M’alue launch their attack.

We’re running out of time.

I didn’t know the whole story, only that it had been Molly who’d exposed my dad after she’d pulled a gun on them and he’d hit her with a fire extinguisher. Griffin and Thom had caught up with them shortly afterward, and now everyone was here as my dad’s ship cruised away.

If we’d had more time, I would’ve asked to hear everything, but instead, we had to finish this thing.

“You all need to leave,” I said, turning to face them.

Simon scowled. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, get as far away from here as possible.”

“What about you?” I was surprised to find Griffin’s big brown eyes pooled with worry. It wasn’t like her.

I tried to explain. “This isn’t about me. We don’t have the security code we need.” I held up Dr. Clarke’s key card as I looked around at their faces, people who’d become my friends . . . and Agent Truman. “But even if we did, someone would have to give up their codes, and no one with that level clearance is gonna cooperate willingly. We’re running short on options. But, look . . .” I showed my hands as threads of electricity sparked between them. “Whatever this is, I can use it. I can bypass their security and blow this place sky-freaking-high. And trust me, you won’t wanna be anywhere near here when I do.” I grinned, but no one was smiling back at me.

Tyler shook his head. “No way. I’m not leaving you,” he insisted.

Not to be outdone, Simon stepped up. “Me neither.”

But they weren’t getting it. “Look, guys. This isn’t some Feats of Strength contest where you win the girl in the end. There’s no prize for being the bigger hero.” I made a face at them. “Think about what you’re saying. Staying means you don’t walk out of here, and neither of you gets the girl. Or any girl, ever. Don’t be stupid, I don’t need your help.”

But Tyler wasn’t buying it. I knew as much because I heard it from him. The thing was, though, I only had to convince him to go—he didn’t need to understand why.

I glared at both of them. “If I’m being honest, your being here is a distraction, and the last thing I need is to be distracted. I said this isn’t about me, but the truth is, it isn’t about any of us. We need to stop this whole thing from happening. We need to convince the M’alue we’re no threat, and the only way to do that is to blow these ships up. I can’t do that with you two breathing down my neck.” Silently I begged each of them to trust me on this. I couldn’t let myself think about the part where this would be the last time I’d ever see them—any of them—again. “Please, if you care about me at all, just get away from here.”

Tyler gave in first, probably because he was inside my head and could sense how serious I was and how hard this was for me. But that didn’t mean he was okay with it, I knew that too.

His only outward answer was a silent nod.

But seeing that nod, Simon finally exhaled loudly. “Yeah. Fine. Okay.”

We couldn’t afford anything longer than the briefest of good-byes, and I was totally okay with that. Anything more and I might’ve lost my nerve.

Agent Truman barely nodded before going to wait in the elevator, while Griffin, Thom, Willow, and Jett tried to make it as painless on me as possible. Jett was the only one who cried, and when he did, I punched him in the arm and called him a baby. Comforting him would’ve pushed me to my breaking point.

Simon made Tyler go ahead of him, needing, as always, to have the last word.

Tyler looked uneasy with Simon standing so close by, which was definitely the point. Simon wouldn’t want to make it simple for Tyler and me. He never had.

But then Tyler reached for my hands and our skin connected. Electricity moved back and forth between us. He told me without words the things he’d been trying to say since I’d come back from the M’alue’s ship, and he said it all in one simple phrase: I’ll remember you always.