I took in a deep breath and stood beside her. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to—”
“I know…It’s okay.” She shook her head and wiped a stray tear away with the heel of her hand.
I turned toward Jace. “Why are you thinking the Narcolym Council’s airship? What are we supposed to do there?”
“You heard my father. They’re keeping secrets.” He looked around. “I want to know what those secrets are and just how they plan on changing our fate. I want to find proof that there’s foul play on the Narcos’ part.”
Nick raised his hand. “Um, not to be the party pooper, but even if we find said proof, who the hell are we going to show it to?” He lifted his shoulders in a half-shrug.
“I’m not sure.” Jace let out an exasperated breath. “But we have to figure out what they’re up to. Right now, even our Council is the enemy.” He gritted his teeth. “When we find out what’s behind all this, we can go from there.”
My stomach churned. If the Narco Council had documents in that airship regarding the first experiment, then they’d have information on me. Even though my name wouldn’t be listed, or my mother’s—as we’d gone by an alias since we’d fled—they’d have photographs, sketches, or possibly something else that could be traced back to her. And then to me. My forehead prickled with cold sweat.
I wondered if this might be the time to let them in on my Narco half…but looking into Jace’s eyes, knowing he was about to explode, it seemed cruel to lay anything else on him.
No. I had to get through tonight first. Then think about it on a clear head. If anyone was going to find that information on the airship, it had to be me.
“I’m in,” I said. “But we plan this out. No one gets left behind. And if we don’t find anything within the agreed upon time”—I pointed at each one of them—“we get out. Mission aborted.”
Jace nodded, but avoided my eyes. “All right.” He jumped up, knocking over the bucket. “Let’s do this.”
Jace, Lana, and Nick were going to meet Devon at Cogs. I volunteered to be the one to stay behind and gather what supplies could be found at the Academy. I had to be the one left behind. Only I could gather the kind of supplies we needed. And, I had to find Reese.
No matter what problems we had, this one was bigger than us. The Councils were up to something—something bad. I could feel it. I knew our Council always left us in the dark, but Reese seemed to have knowledge about the Narcolym Council. And if he knew what they were up to, and he hadn’t told me…
He’d tell me now.
I stood at the back doors to the Academy, making sure the coast was clear so the triplets could sneak out. Everyone else was in class. The lobby was empty as I waved my hand, beckoning them to hurry.
Lana and Nick flew out the door, but Jace paused beside me, a pained expression on his face. “Dez,” he said. “You have to understand. I have to do this. There’s no way I can lose you.” He clamped his eyes shut. “Especially to one of them.”
My throat closed up, thick. I swallowed hard. “Jace. Just be careful, okay?”
He nodded and pressed his lips to mine. I felt his passion and combined worry in that moment. His lips were hard on mine. He kissed me like it was the last time we’d ever kiss. Then he shot out the door.
I headed back into the hallway. Reese would be in his last period block by now. So I walked as fast as I could without breaking into a full run. I had to act as if nothing was wrong. I passed Shythe and Narcos in the hallway, everyone acting as if it was just another day. I had to do the same.
When I reached Mathematics, I peeked around the door, peering into the classroom through the side window. Reese wasn’t in his seat. I searched the room, but he wasn’t anywhere. Dammit. Where is he?
After I searched the rec room and the cafeteria, I threw my hands up in frustration. I checked the time on my communicator. I only had a few more hours to gather my equipment. There was only one other place I thought he could be. His unit. But that was in the boys’ wing of the Academy.