Revolution (Collide, #4)(66)

It was a process, it seemed, to get ready for what could possibly be the last day of the Apocalypse. Just now, as Jeff spoke to everyone, even the ones staying behind, he had said, "It's either them or us. No more hiding and coexisting. No more being the underdogs in a fight that should have ended long ago. Today, we take the first step towards ending this thing. Tonight, we're more than just family. Tonight, we're soldiers."

I couldn’t have agreed more. I felt like a soldier. Or at least like a kid sneaking through the window. I felt like I could get caught any moment and that provided a rush in my veins. A rush I needed.

"Hey, slowpoke," I heard and almost missed the last step. I turned to glare at whoever it was, but it was Jeff. So I glared up at his dark, handsome face causing him to laugh. "Whoa, nelly. I just wanted to make sure you were…all right with this tonight." He glanced at Marissa who stroked her belly anxiously. "Not everyone is taking the news of a war so easily."

"I can understand."

Merrick came and put an arm around me on my hip. "We don't have a choice," he said with conviction. "We have to be all right with it. It's now or never."

Jeff nodded. I put my arm through his and then my other arm through Merrick's. They both smiled down at me like I was something precious. It used to unnerve me, but now I got it. They were precious, too, to me.



"Ok," Jeff huffed and turned in the driver's seat. "What if they figured it out and this is an ambush?"

Billings laughed. "What if this Chesser fellow is just after the twenty thousand dollars and we're falling right into his plan?"

"Why would he wait 'til now and not have just taken me the first night?" I asked, bristling in defense of the man who sheltered and fed me for the night.

"This way he gets more people doesn't he?"

I waved him off and turned to Jeff. "If it's an ambush….it is. We talked about this. This is it; we can't just sit by and be outcasts and hunted anymore. Even if this doesn't work, we'll have to choose something else another day. We have to stop them. End of story."

Merrick's arms around me tightened. He kissed my temple in that I don't want to agree with you, but you're right way of his.

"Same as last time?" Jeff asked, but included a huff of exasperation. "We wait and lookout for you guys, you go and upload the tape?"

"Yep," Merrick said. "We get the easy job," he goaded and punched Jeff's arm. But then they locked arms and silently told the other what couldn't be said out loud.

Jeff hugged me to him. "You could stay. Let the big boys deal with this," he offered.

I looked at Merrick. The hopefulness in his eyes that I would do just that was almost heartbreaking. "No," I said and switched my gaze back to Jeff. "No, I need to be there. What if something happens and they need to know who to trust? I won't be there to see who's lying."

"Fair enough," he said, but it sounded like he no longer believed it. He leaned closer and spoke in my ear. "Please be careful."

"Of course," I told him. "Save me a bear hug for when I come back."

He laughed. "Oh, you'll get a bear hug."

Marissa's eyes were already watering as I hugged her. I didn't say anything. I would cry if I did. So, I stepped out with Merrick and waited for the others. Ryan and Ellie, Miguel and Rylee, and Billings piled out behind me; our usual band of misfits for this kind of thing lately.

Once again the club was raging, but we ignored it this time. I noticed some new graffiti on the side of the club near the alley. It said, 'THE END IS HERE'.

I felt my hands shaking with excitement and anxiousness. This was it, literal steps to take back our fate and put destiny back in our hands. Even the freaking wall agreed with me.

Merrick's grip on my hand startled me. I hadn't even felt him touch me. He gave me the look. The I have something to say that you might not like look. "Baby, please stay by me. If anything goes wrong…it's my job to play hero."

"Merrick-" I started to argue, but he stopped me.

"No, I mean it," he said, his voice harder. "By. Me. I don't want to worry about you the whole time. I know this is kind of your baby or whatever, and that's fine, but if trouble goes down, you stick to my back, you got me?"

I took a deep breath, ready to plead my case, the whole bit. But he pulled me to a stop, right there in the middle of the parking lot. Everyone behind us stopped, too, and waited for…something. Merrick began and from his tone, both anxiety ridden and agonizing, I knew I should listen carefully.

"You listen to me," he said low. "I won't even take you in there if you're going to make me regret it." His face crumpled and I knew the exact next words out of his mouth as he took my face in his hands. "I was certain something horrible had happened to you and Cain. I thought you weren't coming home. I know you know what that's like." I flinched at the memory of watching him die. He had me there. "Don't make me go through that twice. It's not a man versus woman thing. It's an I love you so much and I was built to protect you thing."

"You're not my Keeper," I said softly and smiled, knowing what was coming next, but begging him to say it.

"Yes, I am," he provided and smiled, his thumbs caressing my whole cheek. "I was your Keeper the moment I first saw those brown eyes, looking at my charge like he was a disease and a blessing all at once." I barked out a laugh. "You two have been my life, my whole life. I've never felt the way I feel for you two and no matter what my brothers or sisters say, I know without a shadow of doubt that I was meant for this. To come here, protect you, send the Lighters straight to Hell and then love you and Lily for the rest of our lives. I plan to do all of those things."