She nods. “Yes.” Pride fills her voice.
“Then may I ask what you’re doing with these three?”
Jo spreads her feet and shifts her weight, she looks like she’s about to take them on in a fight. “They saved my life. And I stayed with them to help navigate the area I knew.”
“Although it’s our policy to not take in refugees, we will make an exception in your case. You’ve been granted exemption from extradition.”
The man turns to Reece. “And you as well, Mr. Collins. You’ve been exonerated because of your mother’s status and loyalty to the cause.”
Reece shakes his head. “I don’t want it. Send me with them.”
The man’s eyes narrow. “Think long and hard before you make your decision, young man. Wars have been lost due to impetuousness.”
“I came to join your cause because I thought you stood for something better than what the dictators in the UR stand for. But it turns out that you’re not better than them at all. You’re worse. You pretend to fight for democracy and justice, but it’s all a sham.”
Reece’s mother looks like she wants to put a muzzle on him. “Mr. Chairman,” Mrs. Collins says, glaring at Reece. “I ask for leniency for my son. He’s loyal to his friends—”
A woman leans her head forward and twists to face Mrs. Collins. “Perhaps that’s all the more reason to send him back, Deven. If he’s loyal to his friends, than he’s loyal to the United Regions.”
A man in the panel shakes his head. “We’re not even certain of their loyalty or lack thereof in regards to the UR. If anything, the evidence points to them being fugitives. But fugitives or not, we need what we can trade them for. We can keep Deven’s son, who will be an asset to our cause.”
My stomach rolls with nausea. They’re discussing our lives in front of us as though we weren’t even here, with a callousness I find shocking. Reece is right. They’re no better than the officials of the United Regions.
“Perhaps they want the other girl,” a man suggests.
A woman shakes her head. “They have no reason to want her. She’s a survivalist and hasn’t committed any crimes against their government.”
“I have.” Jo lifts her chin with smug pride. “I’ve committed crimes they’ll be interested in.”
The panel turns their attention to her. The man in charge cocks an eyebrow. “And what would those be?”
“Jo,” I plead. “You don’t have to do this.”
She ignores me. “I’m part of an insurgency group in the survivalists. Our goal is to overthrow the government of the United Regions.”
I want to scream at her to stop. Why is she lying? Why would she condemn her life for us?
“I was part of the guerrilla attack that incapacitated the power station last spring.” Then she gives details of the attack.
Evan sucks in a breath, and my heart sinks. Evan and Reece told me that some survivalists attacked Springfield from time to time. She really is one of them.
She lists a score of rebel activities she’s participated in, and I’m about to pass out. I don’t care what she’s done against the UR. I’m sure they deserved every bit of it. But I’ve spent weeks with this girl and had no clue. And not only that, if she comes back with us, I have no doubt she’ll be put to death too. Why would she do this?
After her litany, the panel seems impressed. “Young lady, you have much more use to us alive and part of our movement than a bargaining chip to send to the UR.”
“Are you so sure of that?” She smirks and waves a hand in our direction. “What is the UR offering for their return? I might sweeten the deal.”
One of the panelists looks skeptical. “Why would you be so willing sacrifice yourself?”
Jo places a hand over her heart. “Long live the United States.” She snaps her hand to her side. “I’ll gladly die a martyr to the cause. I only ask what I’m dying for.”
My mouth drops open in shock. Who is this girl?
The leader looks thoughtful. “A code.”
“What kind of code?” Evan asks.
“A code to a nuclear weapon we excavated in the Dakota region.”
“Why would they give you a code to a nuclear missile?” Evan asks. “That’s insane.”
This doesn’t make any sense. How could Evan or I be worth a trade for that kind of information?
The man in charge folds his hands. “It’s called checks and balances, children. They possess their own weapons and we control this one.”
“I’m not sure you can say that you control it if you need the code,” Reece says with a sneer.
Evan shakes his head in disbelief. “It still doesn’t make sense that they would just give you the code. We’re not worth that kind of trade.”
He looks from Evan to me. “They want the two of you back very badly. We’ve considered keeping you here to figure out why, but after the deal was negotiated, we only had twenty-four hours to turn you over. And you two have wasted nineteen of those hours.” He looks at Jo. “And while we thank you for your patriotism, we’ve already negotiated the deal. Your sacrifice will not be necessary.”
“I’d still like to go, sir. I’ve been in the city. I can gather intelligence. If they’re giving you a nuclear missile code, that makes them susceptible, and it stands to reason that they’ll build their defenses. I’ll sneak away during the transfer. I can see if anything has been added and inform you after I sneak back out.”
One of the women on the panel nods. “I like this.”
The leader exhales slowly. “Agreed. Send her with the two of them.”
“What about me?” Reece shouts. “Aren’t you sending me?”
The leader shakes his head with a frown. “We’ve negotiated the transfer of the code without your return—not an easy task, I might add. But our team worked it out as a personal favor to Deven.” He waves to Reece’s mother.
“Then unwork it.” Reece spits out. “I brought them here. If you’re sending my friends back, I’m going with them.”
The leader shakes his head. “This is not open for discussion.” He gathers the papers in front of him. “One last thing…”
My heart slams against my ribs. What else could there be?
“The device to open portals.” He stares at Evan and I. “Where is it?”
I try not to show my surprise. If Evan is correct that we were videoed in his cell, then they know that we used an old radio. The last time I saw the box was when Evan tucked it under his shirt in the storeroom.
Evan remains silent.
“We’re very, very close to perfecting our own device, but it doesn’t appear to be as sleek and compact as your model. Did you create it, Mr. Whittaker?”
Evan stands still.
“Do you need a little persuasion to talk?” He nods to the guards behind us. One of them steps beside me and points a gun to my head. “Now, Mr. Whittaker, shall we start again?”
Evan’s hands shake at his side and he draws them into fists.
“Where is the device?”
I try to will my racing pulse to slow down. He’s going to cave. “Evan, you promised!”
The leader leans forward, interested. “Promised what?”
I stand taller, despite the barrel pointed at the back of my head. “He promised not to tell you anything to protect me.”
“That’s sweet.” He laughs. “The problem with these types of promises is that they’re easy to make, but difficult to keep in the heat of the moment.”
“You can’t kill her,” Reece shouts. “Without her you have no deal.”
The older man shrugs. “You admitted that they want her dead. Perhaps they won’t care if we deliver her that way.”
Reece takes a step forward. “But you can’t be sure, can you? Is it worth the risk?”
Silence ticks by for several seconds.
A grim smile lifts the leader’s mouth. “You’re right. It’s too risky to kill her, but they never said what type of condition she had to be in.” He waves to the guards
again. “Beat her.”
Evan gasps and moves toward me, as two guards hold him back. Two more guards restrain Reece, while Jo stands in place, her hands folded behind her back, staring straight ahead with disinterest. The man with the gun to my head pushes me forward and down onto my knees.
“I want the device to cross universes. I want you tell me where it is. This is your last chance.”
Fear snakes around my lungs, constricting my breath. I hope to God that Evan stays strong.
Another guard advances toward me. I nearly flinch in anticipation but I steel my back.
The guard lifts his hand to strike.
“Stop!” Reece shouts. “I’ll tell you!’
“Reece!” I groan.
“I didn’t promise, Julia. You never made me promise.”
I close my eyes in defeat. My only hope is that Reece lies.
“It’s in Julia’s bag. I saw Evan put it in there last night.”
While I never saw Evan do it, it makes perfect sense.
The leader doesn’t look happy. “We checked the bags. There was no device in any of them.”
“What are you talking about?” Reece asks. “Did you check today?”
The memories in my head stir, as though they’ve been asleep and his attempt to save me arouses them. Reece.
“There was no small transistor radio in any of your possessions. Is that what you’re referring to?”
Reece nods, his body slumping with defeat.
“Where is the device?” The man’s voice booms throughout the room.
A woman at the table clears her throat. “Mr. Edwards. We don’t have time for this interrogation. If we had done it properly to begin with, we might have this information. For the time being, we must be satisfied that they do not have the device with them, and that it is located somewhere on the premises.”
The older man’s face reddens, but nods. “Very well. Dr. Bennett is correct. We’ll be lucky to make the deadline as it is. The aircraft leaves within an hour. Take Mr. Whittaker and Miss Phillips to the cell until it’s time to depart. Return Mr. Collins to his room and have Miss Duncan outfitted for her job.”
The man stands, and Reece lunges forward, only to be restrained by several guards. “I won’t let you take her!”
I twist around to face him. “Reece! Stop!”
Mrs. Collins watches Reece’s display then turns her steely eyes on me.
“Let me talk to him,” I beg. “Let me talk some sense into him.”
Her mouth purses, and she gets up from the table and leaves the room. The others follow her out as armed guards pull Reece toward the door we were brought in. Jo exits with guards escorting the panel members and doesn’t give us a backward glance. I choke back tears at her betrayal.
Evan takes two steps toward me and lifts me off the floor into a tight hug, burying his face into my hair. Guards flank us as we leave the room, but Evan keeps his arm around me. I’m surprised they let us touch, but we’re unarmed teenagers, and we don’t have the box. I suspect they don’t think we’re much of a threat against four armed guards.
I suck in several deep breaths and try to calm down. I’m close to tears but crying won’t help anything, betrayal or not. I need to use my energy to figure out how to get out of this. I put my hand in Evan’s and squeeze.
We’re stopped in the corridor by two more guards. “We’re to bring Miss Phillips with us.”
Evan grip tightens. “Where are you taking her?”
They don’t answer and one grabs my arm.
Evan punches the guard in the face, but the other guards are on him before he can get another hit in.
Another guard pulls me out of the melee and down a side hallway as the other guards drag Evan away.
I fight to keep control of my emotions. Worried what they’re about to do to me. What they’ll do to Evan. “Where are you taking me?” I ask the armed man, but he ignores my question. Are they going to try one last tactic to get the box before they fly me to my execution? We stop in front of a door, and he swings it open, ushering me inside.
Reece paces in a room with a table and two chairs. When he sees me he, he bolts across the room toward me and wraps me in a hug. “I’m going to get you out of this. I swear.”
Mrs. Collins did this. She wants me to talk some sense into him.
I grab his face in my hands. “Reece, you have to listen to me. Will you listen to what I have to say?”
He nods and takes my hand from his cheek and cradles my fingers in his grip.
Memories stir deep in my soul. If I can just hold them off until I can convince him to not do anything stupid.
“I need you to stay here. I need you to stay alive.”
He starts to protest, but I place two fingers over his lips.
I take a deep breath to keep from sobbing. “This is inevitable. It always has been. We were stupid to think three teenagers could escape an advanced military regime.” I take another breath. “But what good will it do if all three of us die, Reece? I need you to survive this. I need you to remember what they’ve done, and I need you to remember me. Not the girl you loved, but me. Julia Phillips, the imposter from another universe.”
“Julia.”
“Please.”
He brings my knuckles to his lips and kisses them as his shoulders shake.
“I think I could have loved you. In another time and another place.”
His head jerks up in surprise.
My free hand caresses his cheek. “I knew a boy back in my world who made my stomach flip-flop with just a phone call. He brought an excitement to my boring life that I so desperately craved. But don’t you see? In this world, in this place, I needed peace and stability and Evan gave me that.” Tears stream down my face. “I didn’t not choose you, Reece. Circumstances chose for me.”
He shakes his head as he weeps.
“Your Julia loved you. She loved you with an intensity that scares me. Sometimes I think her memories live on inside me because her love for you refused to die with her.”
His eyes find mine, and his jaw quivers.
“I’m not her, Reece. She’s in here, but she’s not real. You have to let me go. You have to let us both go.”
He releases an anguished cry. “I can’t.”
“You have to. You don’t have a choice.”
“I can’t lose you again.” He grabs the sides of my head and lowers his face inches from mine.
“Reece, you already lost her.” I murmur against his lips. But even as I say the words, I feel her memories crash like a tsunami, and I try to keep her from taking control.
When he kisses me, part of her and part of me, the part who thinks she could have loved a similar boy back home, kisses him back. Is this life? Full of regret and missed opportunities? The pain is so overwhelming, how do people live an entire lifetime, suffering through it all?
The door opens, and Reece clutches me tighter.
I pull my mouth from his. “Reece, you have to let me go. You can’t stop this.”
He shakes his head, sobbing. “No.”
“Please. Love again. Don’t waste your life. Try to be happy. For me.”
“Julia.”
The guards pull me from him and I hear him crying my name as they close the door. And as they lead me down the hall I wonder how I’m still alive. How is it possible that I haven’t died from a broken heart?
Chapter Twenty-Four
I’m still crying when they put me in the cell with Evan.
He’s frantic with worry. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” His hands skim my arms and my face, looking for new signs of injury.
I need to get control. I suck in a breath and shake my head.
“Where did they take you?”
“Reece.” It’s all I can manage to get out.
Evan seems to understand and sits on the cot, pulling me with him. He wraps me in a hug and gently rocks me. His tenderness releases fresh tears, and I sob into his chest. His hand strokes my hair
, and he whispers words of comfort in my ear, and I’m newly amazed. So many guys would rage with jealousy, but Evan is so secure in my love that he offers comfort instead. I look up into his face. “I love you.”
He kisses my forehead. “I love you too.”
My crying subsides while I cling to him in our cell. Who knows if we’ll ever be in each other’s arms again? They may separate us for the transfer, and I’m sure we’ll be separated after we’re handed over.
“We should have done it your way,” I say. “I’m sorry.”
He brushes wet hair from my cheek. “No. Your way or mine, we would have had the same outcome. At least we had one more night together.”
“How can we be worth a code for a nuclear missile?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I’m scared,” I whisper.
His hold tightens. “Me too.”
For some reason his admission makes me feel better. Like maybe I’m not such a coward after all. Evan’s one of the bravest people I know.
My fingers grip his shirt tighter. “Can we figure a way out of this?”
“I’ll die trying, Jules.”
I know he means it, and that scares me.
We should be coming up with some kind of plan, but how can we plan for what we can’t anticipate?
It isn’t long before the guards show up and escort us to a double-prop airplane that looks like an old passenger plane, but smaller. Armed men line the runway, wearing full battle gear and visors over their faces. They remind me of a SWAT team. Two enemy sides are about to meet for a handoff. This could get ugly, and Evan and I will be in the middle of it.
We board the plane, and to my surprise they put us in seats next to each another. Evan takes my hand as the plane takes off, and my stomach plummets to the earth below. When this plane lands, my death will be imminent. I must accept this inevitability and figure out how to save Evan. His father’s position probably means that Evan will be spared, but he’ll still be punished. Perhaps I can convince them that I forced Evan to help me.
As the plane levels out, Jo walks down the aisle and passes us without a word. My emotions become a tangled mess of betrayal and anger. But why am I entitled to either of these feelings? There was never any reason for Jo to tell me who she really was. She never did anything but help us. Surely she had no idea that the rebels would turn us in. But it still hurts that she could accompany us on this trip as a fact-finding mission for them, instead of trying to help us as our friend. Have these two weeks meant nothing?
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