The Outliers (The Outliers, #1)(73)

“Maybe they’ll also want to figure out how many others there are like Cassie. Your dad’s study had, what, three hundred people? If he found three Outliers, that’s one percent of his study. If that relative percentage held true for the rest of the population, it could be tens of millions of people.”

The pit in my stomach pulls a little deeper. Because what will happen if North Point’s scanning of Cassie’s brain doesn’t work? I imagine them opening up her skull, attaching monitors to the squishy surface of her brain, her body kept alive by a series of tubes. I shudder hard.

“Hey, this is all going to be okay,” Quentin says, putting a hand on my arm. “I promise.”

I turn, about to remind him that no one can promise that, when there’s a commotion behind us. The doors bang open, a crowd stumbles inside. And they’re carrying something. No, someone. Fiona.

“Put her down, put her down!” It’s Adam. He’s frantic as someone yanks down a tablecloth and they rest her carefully on the floor.

“Gently, gently,” Dr. Simons says. He seems so much older and frailer, his curly ring of hair all wild and out of place as he stands off to the side, as though he’s too frightened to actually lend a hand. It’s not exactly comforting.

“I’m okay, really,” Fiona says, trying to push herself up. “It’s not that bad.”

“Not that bad? It’s a bullet, Fiona!” Adam shouts at her. “Don’t sit up!”

“What happened?” Quentin rushes over to where Fiona is on the floor.

“Adam,” Fiona pants. Her voice is breathy and high. She is in pain, but is pretending not to be. “Really, I’m okay.”

“She got f*cking shot in the leg!” Adam shouts at Quentin. Like he’s the one who did it.

Shot. A bullet. Cassie. Where is Cassie?

I look around, but already I know she’s not with them. I never should have left her alone, not even for a second. Not even so she could calm down. My heart is pounding as I start for the doors, but I have to be careful. Can’t risk them stopping me now. We’ll head straight back into the woods behind the cabins. In the opposite direction of where Fiona got shot. And I will lead. And Cassie will survive.

“Where’s Miriam?” Adam shouts to no one in particular. “She needs to take a look at Fiona’s leg.”

It’s my chance. I know that it is.

“I saw her outside before.” I move fast now for the door. “I’ll go get her.”

This is technically true. I did see her out there a long time ago.

“I’ll look in back,” someone else calls.

“Come on, let’s move Fiona to the couch in the office,” Adam says without looking up. “We can elevate her leg.”

My heart is racing as I reach the door. The far cabin, that’s where Cassie must be. Where Fiona’s clothes are. It’s a straight shot across the grass. I hold my breath, but no one stops me at the door.

Outside, I look right and left as I make my way down the cabin steps. The clouds have turned an ominous purply-black, and I have the most awful feeling that I’m being watched as I make my way quickly across the grass. Like there are dozens of North Point people out there, looming in the woods. Biding their time until nightfall. But I don’t see anyone. Not even Stuart.

“Wylie!” When I turn, Quentin is rushing down the steps after me. “We found Miriam. She’s inside.”

Caught. Now what?

“Oh,” I say. Lie. I am sure I should do that. I like Quentin and he offered before to come, but I can’t risk that Fiona getting shot has changed his mind. “I just want to bring Cassie up to the main cabin with the rest of us. She went to change.”

“They already moved her. Back to where you all were. It’s our safest safe house.” He points in the direction of the cabin we started out in. It’s dark. Not a soul in sight. “Stuart’s standing watch.”

I look again. “I don’t see him. I don’t see anyone.”

“Well, that’s the point, right?” Quentin says. “For no one to know they’re over there? It’s safest for her there. I mean, not so much if we keep standing here drawing attention to it.”

And now I am out of lies. I have no choice but to push down all my doubt and trust him.

“Cassie and I need to go,” I say. “Now.”

“Agreed,” Quentin says without hesitating, and I feel so relieved I could cry. He’s not even going to make me convince him. “But not alone, okay? Just let me get my jacket and my phone, and then I’ll go with you.”

I look back toward the dark cabin. I consider running for it, for Cassie. But I will need Quentin to help deal with Stuart. And the truth is, I am worried. What if I drag Cassie out there and fall apart? What if rushing off into the woods with her is more than I can handle in my condition? What if my dad was right all along?

“Can you be really fast?” I ask.

“Yes, as long as you come back inside with me,” he says. “Because it’s not safe for you to stand out here waiting. And everyone is going to freak out about where you are. Trust me, it’ll be less suspicious.”

I nod and follow. Get in. Get back to Cassie. Get out. One step at a time.

When we get back inside, there is no one in sight, just the bloody tablecloth bunched on the ground with some stained gauze pads next to it. But there are some raised voices coming from the back. Or one raised voice, actually: Adam’s. He’s shouting as Miriam comes out gripping a tray with what looks like medical supplies. As usual, she’s talking to herself. She doesn’t look in our direction, doesn’t even seem to notice us standing there. She’s got a tsk-tsk look on her face. Like she would be wagging a finger if she wasn’t holding that tray.