Three (Article 5 #3)(46)

“And the prisoners? The thirteen others that were with Truck?”

DeWitt hesitated. “We’ll do what we can for them.”

He might as well have said, “They knew what they were getting into.” He would do nothing, and they would die.

My stomach turned. “There has to be another way.”

His eyes flickered with desperation, and in that moment I knew he wanted another option, too, but then they hardened and went cold.

“You’ve got an idea, I’m willing to listen,” he said. “In the meantime stay close. I’ve got to meet with the council.”

*

IT was nearly dusk when Rocklin appeared at the kitchen door. I’d been scrubbing dishes since after lunch, and my hands were pruned and sore from the diluted lye soap. I removed them from the water and dried them on my pants, feeling the sharp corners of a plastic condom package in my left pocket, and the crinkle of paper in my right. Consumed by thoughts of Three’s mission, Tucker’s plight, and Chase down with the fighters, I’d forgotten about the gifts my friends had bestowed upon me. I still hadn’t read the note Sean had given me this morning.

“Well?” I asked. I didn’t expect an answer—DeWitt had said he would meet with the council, and Panda had yet to leave the kitchen.

“A team will be sent back to the safe house at dawn,” said Rocklin.

My muscles tensed in anticipation. It would take hours to reach Tucker, and hours before we could return with the vital information he possessed. Another of our posts could fall in the time we wasted.

“We should leave now,” I said.

Rocklin’s nostrils flared. “You’re not on the roster.”

DeWitt still didn’t trust me. He thought Tucker had been compromised and I would lead him and the MM straight back to Endurance. I didn’t know how I was supposed to prove my loyalty to the cause on such a short leash.

“All right,” I said. Rocklin left me staring at the door.

Rubbing the lines from between my brows I reached into my pocket and retrieved the crinkled note Sean had shoved my way earlier. I unfolded it carefully, blanching at the Statutes that were printed in bold type. Words on the other side of the paper had soaked through when I’d been outside in the rain and I flipped it over, skimming the grocery list of items in blank ink that bled across the page. Zucchini was first, followed by cabbage, kale, carrots, and a dozen other vegetables, along with their quantity by the crate.

I suspected Sean had given me the wrong note by mistake—this looked like the notes Panda had pegged on the wall of the kitchen that came from the gardens. But when I read it again, I saw that halfway down the page, between sweet potatoes and beets were two words, scratched in subtly different handwriting.

Barn, and Tonight.

I folded the note, a smile brushing my lips.





CHAPTER


12


I LAID in my bunk until dark, convinced that time had stopped while I waited to meet Chase. The dorms were less full than last night; many had volunteered to join the fight, and those that remained were restless.

The faces of those I’d come here with passed before me. I wondered if I would ever see them again. I could only imagine how Jack was feeling after hearing what had happened to Truck or what Wallace would think if he saw Billy now, hardened by grief. They’d both joined Three’s army now; I almost pitied any MM soldiers that got in their way.

When the last candles finally flickered out and the last whispers faded, I climbed down the ladder again, but this time found Rebecca curled in a ball, alone. A solid, cold stone settled in the pit of my belly at Sean’s absence. Too many friends were already unaccounted for.

I tiptoed around the bunks, past where Sarah slept on the mats near the children. I was almost to the exit when someone emerged from the supply room and took me off guard. I jumped to the side before we could collide.

Sean clutched his chest. When he recognized me, he tossed his head back.

“You scared the holy…”

“Where have you been?” I asked at the same time.

He muttered something about sneaking around a heart attack, but I had focused on the stack of blankets tucked under his sling and cut him off.

“What’s all that for?”

His shoulders fell an inch, and I knew. He didn’t even have to tell me.

“They’re sending you after Tucker,” I said.

Sean nodded, eyes narrowing. “Me, Jack. A few others.”

I’d told DeWitt someone had to go, even volunteered myself. I hadn’t thought he’d send Sean.

“What happened to your busted shoulder?” I asked. “I thought they made you a farmer because you couldn’t fight.”

“I’ve been assured there will be no heavy lifting.” He shrugged, then winced and grabbed his injured shoulder with his other hand.

“You have to stay with Rebecca,” I said. “You promised.”

Immediately he shushed me and pulled me inside the supply room.

“You think I didn’t try everything to make that possible?” he said, moving the blankets under his other arm. “You think I volunteered for this?”

No. I’d unintentionally done that for him.

“We’ll switch. Chase and I will go instead.”

He gave me a look like I was crazy. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were itching to get back out there.”