Internment(52)

The Director clears his throat and takes a step away from us, into the shadow of a large shelf of supplies. “Yes, we want to make sure Miss Amin wasn’t hurt because of this little snafu. We are simply trying to ascertain who might be spreading these lies about Mobius.” He pulls a tablet from his suit pocket. “Miss Amin, I’m certain you can assure your boyfriend’s viewers that these allegations are false.”

I square myself to look the Director in the eye. The left side of my face throbs and burns. I ball my hands into fists. “I can do no such thing, Director.”

The Director takes a stride toward me, but Jake steps between us and says, “I’m sure Miss Amin can’t comment because she doesn’t have access to that story, sir.”

The Director narrows his eyes. The muscles in his neck bulge so much and he’s so red, I’m not sure he’s even breathing. I’m not sure I’m breathing. “Corporal, please escort our…” He clears his throat. “… our guest off-site and deliver Miss Amin to the infirmary, where I’m certain she’ll get excellent care.”

David keeps filming as the Director marches out with his security detail.

Once the door slams, David puts his phone down. He was narrating the whole time, I think, but I couldn’t hear a thing besides the blood rushing in my ears. I collapse to my knees, crying into my hands.

David drops down next to me and strokes my back. “Layla, are you okay? I’m so sorry. I wish I could’ve done something.”

I raise my eyes to his and see that they’re filled with tears. I wipe my face on my sleeve and wince. My cheek is swelling up. “You did, and there’s nothing more you could have done,” I say, and kiss him on the cheek.

Jake steps to us and helps me up. David stands as well. “I’d say you’ve done quite enough, David.”

I turn to Jake, shocked that he could be so cruel after what almost happened. After what did happen. “Jake—” I begin, but he cuts me off.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” He directs his remarks only to David. “You’re on the outside. She’s in here. You may think you’ve gotten away with something, that you were clever. But you get to walk out of here, and she doesn’t. And what—giving Layla a burner to keep in her trailer?” Then he turns to me. “Which I will be confiscating, by the way. Security is going to be tighter than ever now. This place will be Fort Knox.”

David looks like he was punched in the gut. His eyes trail away from Jake to me. “Devastated” is the only word that comes to mind to describe him. As Jake spoke, I watched David’s face and could almost feel the full range of his thoughts—starting with defensive anger and moving on to fear, then sadness, and finally horror. I know, because I felt those things, too.

Jake shakes his head. “We have to get you both out of here. Now.”

We walk toward the main gate, Jake between us like a chaperone. David and I can’t hold hands, and we definitely can’t kiss good-bye. With each step, reality sinks in, that David will never be able to get in here again, even if Jake were willing to help us—which clearly he won’t be.

I feel utterly helpless as we stop in front of the gate. David turns to me and mouths, I love you. He tries to step closer, but Jake positions himself between us.

David gulps, then offers a hand to Jake. “Please keep her safe,” he says, his voice barely a scratch. Jake shakes David’s hand and then calls over another guard. He whispers something close to the man’s ear. The guard nods.

David and I simply stare at each other. I know he feels like I do: overwhelmed by the truth that we are powerless right now.

The other guard motions to David to follow him. He does, but for the entire distance to the gate, David walks with his head turned back, half smiling at me, like he’s willing things to be okay. Jake pulls me away, toward the infirmary, and my heart wants to fight him, but my body can’t anymore. Not now. So I give David one last, longing look.

“Will he be okay?” I ask.

Jake sighs. “Yup. Fred will drive him back to town. Make sure he gets to his motel safely. Fred’s also going to tell him to spread the hell out of that video. The Director will be furious. It’s bad enough David was live streaming, but knowing it will go viral… and after that post you wrote… That’s why you were foolish to do this.”

“I know.”

“You’ve put yourself in danger. Your friends and parents, too.”

“I know.”

“And I can’t be here all the time to keep an eye—”

“Jake,” I say more loudly than I intended. “I know. We totally fucked up. I didn’t think through the consequences. I know you could be in danger, too.”

Jake’s shoulders sink. “Layla,” he says softly, “I’m not worried about me. Hell, the Director thinks I got to you first to turn you in. I saved him in there. He’ll probably trust me more. But knowing what he could do to you…” Jake touches my elbow.

It might not be the time to ask this question, but what other time is there? “What are you going to do with the article I wrote?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get it out. After that story today, every news station and blog will be champing at the bit for more. You were right. The world needs to know what is happening here. The world needs to learn about the torture at the black-ops sites and the disappearances of citizens.”