by Somers, Jill
She knocked again.
“I’m not going to the fucking meeting,” he shouted, “so back the fuck off.”
“Well, that makes two of us,” she called back, trying to feign confidence and aware that she was falling short. “Maybe we could think of something else to do.”
There was a silence. Longer than it needed to be, and much heavier.
And then, footsteps. A surprisingly aggressive yank on the door.
He stared at her, eyes a strange mixture of confusion, wonder, and fierce anger.
She stared at him back, contemplating what to say next. There was a whole world of words and explanations and stories she could give him in that moment. But there was only one that kept coming back to her.
“He told me it was his book,” she said, so softly it was almost a whisper. “He told me they were his words in the margins… he even quoted them to me. My favorite thing you wrote.”
He held her gaze. Eyes flickering. Believing her.
“For hope is the thing that saves us from ourselves,” she said softly.
And finally, they were kissing. And finally, everything was going to be okay.
• • •
They couldn’t disappear forever. They really couldn’t even disappear for the amount of time they already had. There was about to be a mass genocide of their kind, after all.
But none of that seemed to matter to either of them as they lost themselves in each other. Nothing else seemed to matter at all.
However powerful, however wild, however incredible those first kisses had been, they were nothing compared to what came next. It was so far beyond anything either of them had ever experienced—more sensation, more exhilaration, more excitement than either of them had even known was possible. In fact, with any other two people in the world, it probably wasn’t possible.
When it was over, they lay next to each other, staring up at the ceiling, chests heaving, arms and legs entwined. Simultaneously, they turned to face each other.
“Holy shit,” she said, grin forming. “That’s what I’ve been missing out on?”
“I think that’s what everyone’s been missing out on. Something tells me that was a first for the human race.”
She smiled, shaking her head and turning back to the ceiling.
She couldn’t remember feeling this happy in a very long time. It was strange, considering they were probably going to die any day now.
“You know,” he said, “we should probably get back to that meeting. At least make an appearance. Let the rest of the resistance know you didn’t jump ship.”
She turned back to him, grin fading, eyes becoming serious. “Did you really believe it? That I’d left?”
“Did you really believe I stole the book?”
She understood his point. Had she believed it? Yes. Reese had provided facts; her brain had accepted them. But had she accepted it, deep down? Not so readily.
“How about we both just believe each other from now on?” she suggested.
“Deal,” he said, kissing her cheek and reaching for his shirt. “Let’s start with you believing me when I say that if we don’t get to that meeting soon, there will be hell to pay.”
• • •
As it turned out, the meeting was filing out as they arrived. Dash was right: there was hell to pay.
Hell, in this case, came in the form of Charlie’s parents—one of whom Quinn still hadn’t met, and the other of whom she had only met in the medical wing.
“Dash Collins,” Charlie’s mother said the moment they entered, bee-lining over to him. “Where in the hell have you been? Half of this entire presentation was supposed to be—”
“I know,” Dash interrupted. “I’m sorry, Evelyn. I was… working on getting Quinn back.”
Evelyn—or, as Quinn knew her, Dr. Donovan—glared over at Quinn. “And what, may I ask, is your excuse for vacating the premises right before the meeting, and nearly taking out one of our guards in the process?”
“Jesus,” Quinn said, unable to help herself; “that girl is so overdramatic.” Then, seeing both of Charlie’s parents’ exasperated expressions, she added quickly, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry. I had to just go tell Reese Collins that I despise him and punch and strangle him a little bit. It was important.”
Dash couldn’t help but laugh. Evelyn, though, did not look happy—nor did her husband.
“You both missed the entire meeting,” said Charlie’s father. “We already formulated a plan for our next move. Seeing as neither of you were present, we left you out of the plan.”
Dash’s expression darkened. “Michael, Quinn and I are your most powerful options. Are you sure about this? What plan did you come up with?”
“You might be our most powerful options, but you’re now our riskiest. Tommy, Izzo, and Roxy will run the show. Diversion tactics and flying under the radar. They will find out when the attack will occur, and what it will entail. All the rest of us need to do is wait.”
Dash looked like he wanted to argue his case further, but Quinn stopped him. “It’s fine. Their job is to find out what the attack will be. Our job is to stop it.”
Dash sighed, but nodded.
“I’m disappointed in both of you,” Evelyn said, clucking her tongue. “This isn’t the time for personal affairs. This is the time for unity. Get yourselves together. I’ll see you tomorrow for power technique—ten AM sharp. Don’t be late.”
She and Michael took their leave.
Dash and Quinn turned to each other, both at a loss for words. But their silence was interrupted by Rory running toward them from the elevators.
“Guys!” Rory shouted, tugging at their sleeves. “Where were you? It was awful. They kicked me out of the meeting before it even started. They clearly have no idea what I can do—”
“Did you tell them?” Quinn asked her, alarmed. It would be one thing for Rory to tell a few trustworthy members of the resistance that she was a seer; it would be very different for her to announce it to a room full of people who had just joined the resistance that day.
“No,” Rory said. “I wanted to, but I waited for you. Now what do I do?”
Quinn glanced at Dash, hoping he was thinking what she was thinking.
She wasn’t disappointed.
“Come with us,” he said, leading Rory back out, away from the meeting hall and the rest of the group. “We’ll call it the resistance’s plan B.”
• • •
The three of them brainstormed for several hours in Dash’s room. Even after establishing the bond of trust that she finally had with Dash, it was still hard for Quinn to be so open about Rory’s secret with him. But Rory wanted her to. She could sense it before the words even needed to be said.
Their clear and, frankly, only option was to use Rory’s foresight, bolstered by whatever connection she had with Quinn, to predict exactly when and how the attack would occur.
“It’s a great idea and all,” Rory said, “but it’s not that simple. I’ve never even really had a vision, let alone one that specific.”
“Right,” said Dash. “Which is why we have to really focus and hone in on juicing you both up with as much extra energy as possible. I don’t think this is going to be a three-man operation. I think we’re going to need more help.”
Quinn nodded, following his logic. It meant telling a select few people the truth about Rory, but she knew it was worth it. “Haley and Trent would help us, I think. Haley’s abilities would be useful—I’m not so sure about Trent’s.”
Dash considered this. “When you and Trent fought that day—you know, before you started kissing—” she glared at him; he dismissed it with an amused smile “—did it seem to energize you, or did you grow tired? Theoretically, if getting struck by the elements energizes you, so would fighting someone like Trent.”
“A little of both. I think that aspect of it energized me, but the literal exertion of my own powers against him was de-energizing.”
He nodded. “We co
uld find a way to work it in right. We should talk to both of them. Who else?”
“Pence’s water power would probably be a huge help. Charlie’s speed, maybe. But with their parents feeling like they do about us, I’m not sure it’s the best idea.”
“You talk to Haley and Trent. I’ll talk to Pence and Charlie. I’d like to get Ridley involved, too, in whatever way we can. Also—Zerrick will be of use to us.”
Quinn raised her eyebrows. “Zerrick, as in, my math teacher?”
“Your math teacher, and a very skilled telekinetic.”
Quinn was impressed. Zerrick had never displayed his abilities in class; she would have had much more respect for him. Besides, telekinesis was tough; it was something she hadn’t remotely mastered.
“You talk to Zerrick,” she said. “I’ll talk to Ridley.” She had been meaning to speak with Ridley since learning about the truth of the state of things on the island. He had, of course, been trying to tell her as much as he could all along.
“What about me?” Rory asked them. “What can I do?”
Dash knelt down to look at her eye-to-eye. “Stay here. I want you to meditate. Have you ever meditated before?”
Rory shook her head, eyes wide.
Quinn watched Dash take the girl through the motions of meditation, impressed. She had never had the patience for it. But, watching Dash with Rory, it was clear that he did. It made her smile.
Once Rory felt satisfied with her instructions, Quinn and Dash headed upstairs to rally the troops.
• • •
“I’m sorry,” Haley said, looking from Quinn to Trent and back. “You want us to double-cross the entire movement that we’ve only recently agreed to be involved with ourselves?”
Quinn sighed. “That’s not what I’m saying. First of all, we all want the same thing. We’re on the same team. We’re just going about it a different way.”
“Then why so secretive?” Trent asked, gesturing to the distance between the secluded corner of the room they were in and the other resistance members.
“Because they chose to put their faith in one plan, and we choose to put our faith another—one they don’t exactly support. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“And what, exactly, is your plan?” asked Haley. “Power up a twelve-year-old into having a vision when she’s never had one before?”
“She’s had snippits of visions before,” Quinn said defensively. “And her psychic power has been evident to me for some time now. Look, I know she can do it, Haley. We just need help.”
Haley and Trent glanced at each other, frowning.
‘Who else is in on this?” Haley asked. “You, Dash? Who else?”
“Dash is going after Zerrick—don’t ask me why,” she added when she saw their surprised expressions. “And Charlie and Pence. I’m supposed to ask Ridley. Dash seems convinced he’ll say yes.”
Haley’s expression changed notably. “Okay. I’m in.”
Quinn raised her eyebrows, curious why hearing that Ridley was involved had given Haley the quick change of heart, but she decided to question it later. She glanced over at Trent. “You?”
“I’m in,” he said, and glanced down at his watch. “But I’ve got guard duty in a few hours. Think you’re gonna be able to convince Ridley pretty quickly?”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Quinn said, and frowned. “Guard duty. I guess I’m supposed to sign up for that, huh?”
“I signed you up,” Haley said, grinning slightly. “With me. Middle of the night shift. We’ve got some catching up to do.”
• • •
Haley and Trent headed down to Dash’s room to standby for the new group meeting, leaving Quinn to hunt down Ridley. Luckily, she didn’t have much trouble finding him; he was on the second floor, lingering where the meeting had left off.
There weren’t many others in the room; a few were scattered about, munching on snacks, but they weren’t within earshot of Ridley, who was pacing back and forth, deep in thought.
Quinn approached him carefully. “Hey. Can we talk?”
Ridley glanced up at her, expression both surprised and relieved. “Yeah. It’s good to see you. We were worried when we didn’t see you at the meeting—and also, you know, when we didn’t see you before the meeting.”
“I guess my attendance hasn’t been the best lately,” she admitted.
“We had a feeling, with Dash gone too, that everything was okay. That, or that you both ran off together.”
“Not really my style. If I go, I go solo.”
“Or with a twelve-year-old in tow.”
Quinn tried to laugh, but it felt forced. Did everyone know about her and Rory’s relationship? What else did they know?
“I know she’s special,” Ridley said. “I’ve known for a while. No one else ever seems to. I was glad to see you help her, even if I was worried for your safety in doing so. You two seem to have a real connection.”
“That’s actually why I’m here,” she said, trying to ignore her overprotective internal alarms going off at the thought of people knowing what Rory was capable of. “Dash and I have a plan—a much better plan, if you ask me, than the one Charlie’s parents came up with.”
“Good, because I’m not a fan of that one.”
“Because you don’t think it will work? Or because you don’t trust them?”
“Both,” he admitted. “What’s your plan?”
She filled him in on plan B, realizing as she said it how weak of a plan it really was. But even then, she was sure it was better than the alternative.
“And we’ve got some others involved,” she added, deciding to test a theory. “Dash is trying to get Zerrick. And there’s Charlie, Pence, and Trent. And Haley.”
He glanced up the moment he heard Haley’s name, nodding. “I’m in.”
Just like Haley.
Quinn considered asking him about Haley, just as she had considered asking Haley about him. But she knew that she and Haley would have the chance to talk that night at their post, and she also knew that the group had a lot of work to do.
So she led Ridley up to Dash’s room, her half of plan B fulfilled.
• • •
Dash’s half, she learned quickly, had been fulfilled as well; Charlie, Pence, and Zerrick were there waiting for them when they arrived, along with Haley and Trent.
“Well done,” Dash said with a warm smile when she and Ridley entered. “So. How much does everyone know?”
“We all know everything,” Haley said dismissively. “Not the least of which includes the idiocy of this plan. Powering up a twelve-year-old to have a psychic revelation about an evil self-proclaimed president and her DCA-director boss.”
“Everyone in this room,” Quinn said, against her better judgment, “I trust. I can’t say the same about everyone the resistance sent to carry out plan A.”
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Ridley beamed proudly at Quinn. He, after all, had begged her multiple times to choose the right side and trust who she could. She had finally made the right decision.
If only you all knew how hard it was, she thought. But she knew, at the very least, that Dash did. And that mattered most to her.
“It’s not necessarily that they’re untrustworthy,” Trent pointed out. “I mean, we know them, for the most part.”
“Right,” Haley said, “except for Roxy. What’s her deal?”
“She’s fine,” Dash said. “I’ve known her a long time.”
Quinn had to remind herself not to be jealous. It didn’t quite work.
“Anyway,” Dash continued, seeming amused by Quinn’s annoyed expression, “the bigger issue is that their plan won’t work. Savannah is already done planning whatever she’s planning. All that’s left now is to wait for her and Reese to leave, and to prepare. That, or our plan. To find out a different way.”
“To see the future,” said Trent, voice thick with sarcasm.
“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done it,” Ror
y told him proudly.
Trent said nothing. Intrigue sparked behind his eyes.
“Okay,” Pence said, straightening. “So, we do what, exactly? We attack Quinn, and somehow that powers her up, and she telepathically communicates with Rory?”
“More or less,” Quinn admitted. “It’s going to take time to figure out exactly what works best. I’m not even sure all of you can help. Ridley, in particular.”
Ridley nodded. “I know. But I think it’s good that I’m here. One of us needs to stay grounded and in touch with reality during this bizarre project.”
Dash grinned.
“Let’s start with whoever powers you up the most,” Ridley suggested. “We start with them, and you begin focusing your abilities into Rory’s mind. From there, the rest of us gradually take hold, offering you energy without being invasive.”
Quinn’s eyes traveled silently to Dash. There was no question.
He nodded silently, reaching out to offer her his hand.
The moment she took it, the energy in the room changed. It was like everything tripled in momentum—in brightness, color, and even in sound; a distinctive buzz filled the room. From the moment that energy hit her, she focused on one thing: transferring that energy to Rory.
“Rory,” she could hear Ridley saying, though she tried to focus on nothing but her mental transference. “Close your eyes. I want you to think of nothing but the abilities flowing from Quinn to you.”
Quinn knew, whether Ridley said it or not, that she should do the same.
The others began to touch her, to release their powers onto her. Water and wind washed over her, and she felt the speed of Charlie doing laps around her, of Trent pushing at her physically and Zerrick pushing at her with telekinetic force, but she kept her eyes closed and thought of nothing but Rory.
Rory…
Quinn knew that Rory could do it. She knew that Rory was strong—stronger than any of them. But they were pushing the girl too far, just as Quinn had pushed herself too far so many times before. Where had that landed Quinn? In the hospital. Unconscious. How could she let that happen to Rory? What if worse things happened to Rory?