Even after all Dom told me, I still wasn’t sure if I could trust him. Maybe I was paranoid, but he could’ve easily fictionalized the Rebels wanting to destroy the Ministry. And the same went for Ryan: he could be on Jessica’s side, feeding me bullshit about her dad and the Ministry. He could be aiding them. Although neither of these guys had betrayed me, there was always the what if lingering in the back of my mind. I had to be cautious. One mistake and my back would be against the wall.
I peeked over the edge of the couch, where Dom slept soundly. A nap was tempting, but I thought it best that I just leave. I’d figure out a plan later on, maybe on the drive home. I had to keep moving, and, right now, the only person I could trust was me.
So, with my duffel bag in hand, I opened the door leading to the garage as quietly as possible. Pressing the code into the keypad, the garage door groaned as it lifted on its track. I tossed my duffel bag into the backseat and shut the door as noiselessly as I could.
The kitchen door swung open. Dom stood in the entryway. His eyes expanded, and then his entire face slackened into a scowl.
“You’re leaving,” he stated.
“I, um, I think it’s best for now. The Ministry could find us at any second, and we’ve been here too long already.”
“You don’t know that.”
“And you do?” I shook my head. “What if Ryan is actually on their side? What if he’s relaying information I tell him to Jessica, or her dad?”
Dom’s eyebrows furrowed as he stepped into the garage. “Why don’t you just stop talking to him, then? It’d be easier than running away and leaving me behind.”
I didn’t respond right away. What could I tell him? I don’t trust either of you. No, that wouldn’t go over so well.
“Wait—why are you leaving me if this has something to do with Ryan?”
My throat was suddenly as dry as the Sahara Desert. “I, um, I think—”
“Let me guess,” Dom said. “You think I’m still on the Ministry’s side.”
Averting my gaze, I responded, “I don’t know who to trust anymore. You. Ryan.” I shrugged. “I just don’t know.”
Dom took two more steps forward. The car door was the only thing separating us. “I’ve had nightmares that this would happen, that you’d leave me.”
His words reminded me of the car ride to the cabin. “Yeah, you mentioned me in your sleep, when we were on our way here.”
“I did?”
I nodded.
“What did I say?”
Peering up at him through my lashes, I mimicked him, word for word. “Kearly. Don’t go.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
His icy stare cut me to the bone. “Anything else?”
“No,” I said, “that was it.”
Leaning closer to me, he asked, “And when were you going to tell me?”
“I wasn’t, because I didn’t think it mattered.”
“Except here we stand, my dreams coming true.”
“It’s just…this is too much for me to process. I mean, one minute I’m okay with who I am and attending school and hanging out with my friends. The next I’m imprisoned by a secret society hell bent on ridding me of my special ability, and I’m a fugitive, who may or may not be joining a resistance group that wants to overthrow a company nobody knows exists, except the U.S. government.”
He threw his head back, roaring with laughter. I didn’t find it so amusing. His glee was at the very bottom of my not-expecting-this-reaction list.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’ve never really thought about how crazy this situation sounds,” he said, still mildly pleased. “But when you mentioned all of our current problems, they just seem so…unreal. Fictitious. Imaginary.”
I made a disgruntled noise in the back of my throat. “I wish.”
Dom’s smile faded. “Me, too.”
My phone rang from my book bag, and I hunted for it amid the other belongings inside. Ryan’s name appeared on the screen. Hesitating, I stared at the display, the rock melody continuing until my voicemail stopped it.
Dom stared at me intently, then asked, “Ryan?”
“I just don’t know what to say to him, or if I should say anything at all. I mean, can he be trusted? He’s led me this far.”
“You think he might be playing both sides?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Then don’t give him any information,” said Dom. “He doesn’t need to know about the Rebels, or where we might be going next.” He motioned toward my cell phone, which was still clutched in my hand. “Call him back. Find out what he wants.”
Dom was right: I didn’t have to give up anything. At least, not until I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, Ryan could be counted on. This was the same guy I clashed with in the school’s cafeteria less than a week ago. This was the same guy who broke Liz’s heart. I wasn’t ready to just hand over my trust like it was a piece of candy, to be devoured and consumed until there was nothing left. Until Ryan proved he was entirely dependable, and that he wasn’t feeding Jessica or her father news of our whereabouts or phone conversations, then I’d be willing to bet on him. Otherwise, from this point on, he’d get very few updates from me.
Listening to Dom, I returned Ryan’s call. He answered on the second ring.
“Hey, you all right?” he asked.
“We’re fine. What’s up?”
On the opposite end, Ryan groaned. “I don’t know how to tell you this, so I’m just going to say it. Jessica wants to spend the weekend at the cabin.”
“But I thought we were in the clear until next weekend.”
“Same here, but she decided today, which means we’ll be driving up there tomorrow. She wants to skip school, so it won’t give you guys much time. I think she’s on to us.”
How convenient.
“That’s fine. We’ll be gone by tomorrow,” I said, glancing up at Dom. He leaned against the side of the car, eyebrows creasing.
“Sorry about this. I’ll let you know when we’re leaving. Should be Sunday afternoon.”
I massaged the bridge of my nose. “This sucks.”
“If I tell her no, she’ll suspect something.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“I’ll text you,” he said.
After ending the call, I collapsed into my driver’s seat and buried my face in my hands. The plan—if we even had one anymore—was headed nowhere. All I wanted was to remain hidden from the Ministry for awhile, but even that was proving to be difficult.
“What’d he say?” Dom asked.
My hands dropped into my lap as I replied, “He and Jessica are coming here tomorrow.”
“What?”
“He believes Jessica might suspect he’s up to something, or she knows we’re here and isn’t telling him. Either way, we have to be out by morning, because they’re skipping school.”
Dom wheeled around and began pacing across a three-foot span. He rubbed his chin, whispering to himself. I had no idea what he was saying, but he seemed contemplative. Or crazy. Maybe a little bit of both.
He halted his strides. “There’s a cave nearby, with a park. I remember seeing it on the map. Why don’t we stay there until Ryan and Jessica leave?”
My head barely bobbed up and down. “It’s not like we have many options right now, so that’s fine with me.”
“So, you’re staying?”
“Who else is going to clean up this place?”
Dom crossed his arms. “I’m pretty sure I can manage tidying the cabin.”
“Oh, good. Well, if you don’t need me…”
He closed the distance between us in two long strides, yanking me out of the driver’s seat and pulling me against his chest, our noses almost touching. “Don’t leave me. I can’t do this alone.”
I frowned. “But you’re not alone—you have the Rebels.”
“Yes, but they’re not with me at the moment, in case you haven’t noticed.”
/> He released his grip on my arms and stepped back. I stole a few seconds to gather my wits and catch my breath. Did he really not want me to leave just so he wouldn’t be alone? What would happen when he met with the Rebels? Leave me behind?
“Fine. I’ll stay and help clean.”
I grabbed my book bag, closed both my car door and the garage door, and followed Dom inside. We emptied the trash, wiped off countertops, ran the dishwasher, and swept the hardwood floors. By the time we finished our chores, we collapsed onto the couch, exhaling worn-out sighs. I was utterly exhausted. My limbs were heavier than normal, and I was in desperate need of a hot bath.
“I’m going to soak in the tub for awhile,” I told Dom as I pushed myself up from the sofa.
The moment I reached the loft, my phone rang from downstairs. Dom peered up at me, then flipped open the cover of my book bag and pulled out my cell.
“It’s Ryan,” he said. Reaching the last step, Dom tossed my phone at me.
“What’s wrong?” I answered.
“Change of plans,” Ryan said. “Jessica doesn’t want to drive up tomorrow.” I grinned, breathing a sigh of relief. They’d postpone their little weekend getaway. “She wants to come up tonight.”
As quickly as he made the statement, my happiness shriveled up and vanished. It was like my body was filled to the brim with writhing tendrils and electric energy. My anxiety was alive and well.
“You can’t be serious,” I said.
“Dead,” he replied. “I have to go. She’ll be here any minute now, and then we’ll be heading that way. Sorry, Kearly.”
I didn’t even reply. I hung up the phone, my shoulders dropping.
“What’d he say?” Dom asked.
Licking my lips, I thought of the best way to convey our newest problem, but there really wasn’t one. “He and Jessica are about to leave Central Falls. They’re coming up tonight, not tomorrow.”
I wasn’t sure what scared me more: Dom’s complete detachment from the situation, or that we had nowhere to go.
16