Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“You’re late.” Juno hurries over to me and pulls me into a hug. “I only have minutes.”
“Okay.” I hug her back, a sense of nostalgia washing over me. “What’s going on?”
“I can’t talk anywhere. Only here, and here isn’t safe.” She keeps her voice at a whisper. “You must work with Valen. He’s on our side.”
“Our side?” I keep my voice low. “What’s the other side?”
“Shh.” Her voice takes on a sharp urgency. “He wants to help us, but we have to help him, too. Whatever he asks of you, give it. Don’t trust him, not with your life, but meet his demands. Do what he asks. It’s the only way out of this.”
My blood goes cold at the stark terror that seems to roll off her in waves. Far from the put-together, nearly haughty president I met earlier in the day, Juno is shaking in my arms.
“What is happening?”
“They want to take over. They want everything. I made a deal, a bad deal. But I had no choice. It’s the only way—”
Something bumps against the back door, and all the short hairs on my body stand on end.
Juno jumps, her shivering kicking up a terrifying notch. “I have to go. You’ll be safe. He’s promised me. But you must do what he asks.” She pulls away from me, her eyes barely shining in the low light. “We won’t be able to talk after this. No phones. Nowhere is safe. Captain Howard is your contact. Give him anything you learn from Valen, and it’ll make its way to the right people.”
“What—” I look over her shoulder toward the back door which I could swear has gotten even more shadowy.
She presses her forehead to mine. “Wait a full minute before you leave here, and stay away from the White House. Don’t visit. Don’t even get close. I love you, little sis.” Then she brushes past me and hurries to the front door. Without another word, she disappears onto the street. I follow and stop at the front window, searching for her in the gloom. But I don’t see her. Only a shadow that seems to ooze along the dark wall opposite me, moving toward Pennsylvania Avenue, toward the White House, toward the only family I have left.
10
“You’re back.” Wyatt looks up from his desk as I walk into the lab.
“You look like shit.” Aang wrinkles his nose.
I didn’t sleep well, and it wasn’t simply because I was in a new place. All the troubles from yesterday were like a constant drip of caffeine in my veins, waking me before I could ever fully claim the darkness of sleep. I kept hearing Juno’s quavering voice, her whispered warnings. God, I need to speak to her again.
“Is the coffee for everyone?” I throw a glance at the wall beside the doors where a small table is set up with a coffeemaker.
“Yeah.” Gretchen lifts her cup that says ‘Smart Bitch, Big Tits’ on the side to me in salute. “I sure hope so.”
The doors open behind me, and Gene limps in, a tray in his hands.
“Is that …” Evie abandons her microscope and rushes over, her blonde hair flying out behind her. “Croissant?”
“No, sorry.” Gene puts the tray beside the coffee machine. “I grabbed a few things from down the street. Danishes and—”
By ‘down the street’ I assume he means the White House. Where I’m not supposed to go. My stomach churns at the thought, at Juno saying we wouldn’t be seeing each other again. That can’t be right. A headache sets up in my skull as I go back through our conversation, trying to pick apart meaning from every single word. It didn’t work in the wee hours of last night, and it isn’t working now.
“Oh my god, they never give us breakfast.” Evie takes a Danish. “Just those gross packaged lunches and dinners that are only a step above MREs.”
“Thanks, Gene.” I take a long sniff of the coffee and slap a forced smile on my face. “Amazing.”
“I prefer tea,” Aang says, despite already mid-pour on the coffee. “But this will do.”
Gene pats my arm. “Don’t worry about the food. I can do more than clean up around here. I’ll make sure you get fed, and something better than what they’ve been delivering to y’all.”
“How?” Gretchen grabs what looks like an orange scone. “They have all these rules to keep us isolated from the virus in here. We have to stay in the safe zone or whatever it’s called.”
“I have my ways, Miss. Don’t you worry about that.” Gene frowns at the coffee service. “We need a fridge for cream and such.”
“I can get that for you.” Wyatt points to the back wall. “They gave us more refrigeration units than we could ever need. Several of them haven’t even been used, so they’re suitable for food.”