that moment, I wanted to break free of my bonds, sprint out of the campsite, and keep running. Away from Hunter’s fear, from my regret, from the reminders of the terrible things I’d done.
But the only true escape lay in putting an end to whatever Holland was doing.
“Why did you guys hunt me down?” I said, watching his reaction with wary eyes.
“Samuel,” he said, his tone as wary as mine. We were two wildcats, circling. Each wondering if the other would strike first.
“When Quinn took off with you in the middle of the night and didn’t return, he let everyone know what went down. Some of them fled, but a few of us stayed on. Especially when he told us his suspicions about the bomb.”
My hands flew up to cover my abdomen, but came up short against the thick metal bands. I stared at Hunter in horror, feeling as exposed as if I were stark naked. He knew about the bomb.
They all did.
“So it’s true,” he said, his eyes going wide.
The three words made me feel guilty. Like I’d intentionally stuffed an explosive device in my body that could blow me to hell and back whenever a sick excuse for a man desired.
“I didn’t know until Lucas found me in the desert. None of us did.”
He rose, knocking over the chair in his haste to escape.
“It’s not like that; there’s a window. Two hours from the time it’s activated until detonation. And it hasn’t been started yet. You’re perfectly safe.”
I studied the dirt beside me, focusing on a stray ant doing its frantic zigzag back to the others. God. This was all wrong. This conversation, this reunion, this life. Sitting here, discussing my body bomb with the boy I’d fallen for. Was there a right thing to say in this situation?
“So you tracked me down to help me?” I finally said. I wasn’t sure if I believed that.
He shrugged. “Daniel wanted to track you down to make sure you knew about the bomb, and didn’t hurt anyone by accident.”
“And you?” I prodded, heart in my throat.
His shoulders tensed, but his voice remained soft and paper thin. “After what you did to Peyton, I wanted to make sure that you didn’t hurt anyone on purpose.”
A knockout punch of sincerity.
How had we come from Clearwater to this, in so little time? From fairs and Ferris wheels to bombs and death? I leaned forward, restraints digging into my skin. I needed him to understand. “I wouldn’t, won’t. Not again. That was a weak moment, Quinn, her program. She—”
“I don’t care. You’re dangerous. I don’t know why Daniel’s being so wishy-washy about this. I think they should lock you away somewhere. It’s the only way to keep people safe.”
For one terrifying moment, the world stopped spinning. “What? No! You can’t do that!” I cried. “We need to stop General Holland! That’s why we’re here, you know. Lucas and I are trying to figure out his master plan, so this will never happen again. It’s just . . . taking a while. We have evidence about the fire. . . .”
Suddenly I could see how little we’d accomplished so far. “You have to listen,” I told Hunter, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. “You have to be patient!”
He leaned over and started digging in the dirt again, his back to me. His message was loud and clear.
“Can I talk to Daniel?” Suddenly I was afraid they were going to ditch me here. Tied to a tree and helpless. And where was Lucas? I needed to talk to him, too.
Hunter shook his head. “Not right now. Maybe later.”
Frustration was a roar in my head, but as I studied the back of Hunter’s head, sorrow slowly chased it away.
He’d lost so much. All because of me.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
The stick snapped beneath his hand. He rose from the chair.
“I know there aren’t enough sorries in the world to make it right, but I have to try,” I said. “If I could take it back, I would. The lies. All of it. I never meant to hurt you, or your family. Your stepdad. I was selfish, letting you follow me. I realize that. I just wanted . . . I wanted . . .”
My throat constricted, making speech difficult. Slowly he turned, so that his gaze briefly met with mine.
He pivoted and strode toward the RV without uttering a single word.