The Outliers (The Outliers, #1)(68)

“I don’t know, to freak us out? Besides, my dad’s text said they were on the way. We know they’re coming!” I shout, and it definitely makes me seem kind of nuts. I’m not sure I care. “And what about Cassie? She’s the one they really want. We can’t just sit here and wait for them to come for her. We should leave. All of us. Right now.”

“We can send Stuart to keep an eye on her,” Dr. Simons says, then seems to realize how that might sound. “At a respectful distance, of course. But we can’t risk exposing ourselves by leaving the camp. The vehicles are parked nearly a mile away.”

And whose idiot idea was that? I think, but manage not to say. I don’t think I actually believed it about the cars when Quentin told me before.

“It’s a risk to sit here and wait,” I say, trying to sound calm, reasonable. Because I don’t care how many degrees Dr. Simons has or how much he knows about this North Point company, I looked into Doug’s eyes. Waiting anywhere he might show up and finish what he started is the worst idea ever.

“Maybe Wylie is right,” Quentin says. “I mean, I’m no expert, but it is harder to hit a moving target.”

“And if all of you want to stay here, then Cassie and I can go on our own. I’m good in the woods. Just the two of us could easily stay out of sight even in the daylight.” I sound so confident, I almost believe myself.

“As I said before, we have a plan in place to keep everyone secure here. And I cannot let you leave, Wylie. Not without your dad’s permission.” Dr. Simons looks uncomfortable, but determined. “In his absence, I’m your legal guardian.”

We lock eyes for a minute. Dr. Simons isn’t going to make more of this threat, unless I force him to. Isn’t going to say: we will stop you by force. But we both know what he means. And not just him, but all of them, including Stuart.

“Let’s ask my dad then,” I say. There is the chance he will have the sense to let me go at this point. He owes me that much.

Cassie and I need to leave, I type. U said yourself they’re coming. It’s not safe for her here. We can head out on foot. We will be fine.

No, comes my dad’s immediate reply. Is he still stopped? He said he had to pull over earlier, but I feel nervous suddenly, imagining him typing and driving. I’m angry at him, but I don’t want his texting with me to be the reason he gets killed in a car crash, too. You are safe there. You’ll be risking Cassie’s life if you leave Camp Colestah. We have a plan in place. Please listen to me this time. Do what Dr. Simons says.

I stare down at my dad’s reply for a long time. The last time I ignored him, Doug did try to kill Jasper.

“Wylie?” Dr. Simons asks gently after I’ve been quiet for too long. “What did he say?”

Already, he knows the answer.

“He said it’s safer for us to stay here.” I try my best to sound convinced.

Quentin steps forward and puts my dad’s jacket on the table, then comes to stand next to me. Like he wants me to know that he’s still squarely on my side. Dr. Simons’s face has tightened, but he’s trying not to look annoyed.

“If you still want to go, I’ll go with you,” Quentin says. And I am so grateful.

“How about calling the police?” I offer. And I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me before. I don’t even care if that ends up with me being committed anymore.

But again Dr. Simons is shaking his head. “As you’ve seen for yourself, Officer Kendall is the only reliable local officer. If we alert the others in that department, we could get removed from the property. We are technically trespassing.”

“Then call the FBI or something?” I say.

“Yes, federal agents,” Dr. Simons says, but regretfully. “The federal authorities are hardly disinterested either.” So, despite what my dad had said to me at the time, maybe the visit from that NIH guy hadn’t been so routine after all. “Obviously, the entire government isn’t involved, but we don’t know which agencies have been compromised. Letting anyone know where we are at this point is just too big of a risk. Not to mention that North Point has exceptional resources. Why do you think no one came to the diner to investigate the stabbing? A company like North Point can buy its own version of the truth.”

My heart beats harder. My face feels hot. “You know about the stabbing?”

And I don’t know why I am surprised. If my dad knows, then of course Dr. Simons would, too. But still I feel so exposed. And so ashamed. I look around the cabin again to see if anyone is staring at me. I meet only Miriam’s eyes, and as usual, she just smiles warmly.

“Of course we know, Wylie. In this world, there are no secrets.”





It’s a little past eight a.m. by the time we are all outside. I’m standing on the front porch of the main cabin. The sun has fully risen. But it’s gray, the clouds low. It’s damp and much warmer, too. As it turns out, there was a detailed emergency action plan, and my dad’s “they’re on the way” was enough to set it in motion, even if Jasper’s jacket was not.

Without being directed on specifics, everyone has dispersed to their preassigned duties. I consider querying some of the others about the details. But so far I haven’t actually exchanged more than hellos with any of them. It seems best to keep it that way, to draw as little attention to myself as possible. Especially now, when all I’m doing is biding my time until we can run.