Zach stood at the windows, squinting against the slowly rising sun.
"No one had ever known more about the Circle than Joe. He started writing everything down as soon as they recruited him. And then when he realized what they were, he kept writing because . . . well . . . he knew something like this would happen eventually. He said if I ever needed it, I should go get it."
"Go where?" Macey asked.
Zach looked at the four of us for a long time before taking a deep breath. "Blackthorne."
I know it will sound crazy. I know you won't believe me. But I that split second I ran through every scenario I knew - calculated all the odds. It was an informed decision that made me say, "We'll go get it - right now. Before everyone is up. "We'll -"
"We?" Bex cut me off. "You think we should . . . what? Jump into Liz's van, drive all night, break into a top secret facility, and, oh yeah, take you away from the safest place in the world?"
"Think about this, Cam," Liz said. "We don't have to go anywhere. All we have to do is tell your mom, and she'll call the CIA and -"
"My mom's not here, remember? And you read Dad's reports - you know the Circle has people at every level of the CIA. Mr. Solomon knew he couldn't trust just anyone with this, and neither can we."
Bex shook her head. "No. It's too risky."
"It's not that risky. We drive up, get the journal, and see if it has any clues about where Mr. Solomon is. It's not like we're going to break him out by ours -"
"What?" Bex and I snapped at the exact same time, turning to stare at Zach, who was giving us the oddest look.
"Nothing." He crossed his arms and shrugged. "I was just wondering when the two of you switched bodies is all."
It was true. Bex was not supposed to be the cautious one, the careful one. But then again, a lot of things had changed on that bridge.
"I have to do this for him, Bex. I have to do something."
The sun was coming up over Roseville. I'd never seen it from that window, but it was especially beautiful with the early morning rays reflected in Madame Dabney's finest crystal. In that moment and that place, almost anything seemed to lie within our grasp.
And maybe that's why Bex smiled. "Well, I have always wanted to see Blackthorne."
I looked at Liz. "I just tweaked the van to incorporate solar technology. It really needs a road test for statistical significance, you know."
"Us versus Blackthorne?" Macey said with a smile. "Yeah, I'm all for that."
I don't know how to explain it, but right then, things seemed okay. Our mission was clear.
We could go to Blackthorne.
We could get the journal.
Then we could find a way to bring Joe Solomon home.
Yes, in that moment everything was okay. But, of course, that moment could not last.
I remember the sound of the door as it swung open, the shocked, surprised look that crossed each of my roommates' faces as we turned to see the slim, dark silhouette that stood in the open doorway and said, "So when do we leave?"
My mother took two steps forward, then turned to stare at Zach. "Didn't I tell you to stay in my office?"
Chapter Thirty-Six
THINGS THAT REALLY, REALLY SURPRISED ME
ABOUT THAT PARTICUALR ROAD TRIP:
1.That it happened. At all.
2.That it happened with a boy.