Only after I finish do I realize I shouldn’t have said that. Hope has officially left the building.
“So you’re saying our only option is to stay out of Juan’s way,” the tiny-nosed girl says quietly.
Yes, that’s exactly their only option, but I can’t seem to get myself to say it. They’re scared enough. “No, I just meant…never mind.”
The freshmen leave, and I feel slightly guilty for scaring them when they were looking for reassurance.
I barely noticed the sound of a helicopter before, but suddenly the propeller beats are loud. Looking up, I see three large helicopters zoom across the sky at disturbingly low altitude. Just when those are gone, two more come. Then one more.
“Ugh!” Hector says with his hands over his ears. “Make it stop!”
Carlos makes a face. “That was weird. Those looked like military choppers.”
“What?” I say. This idea had not even crossed my mind, but now that it has my heart races. “How do you know that?”
“They had American flags on them, duh,” he says.
I look at Seth, who seems to have picked up on my concern. He opens his mouth, but before he gets anything out his eyes lock on something behind me. Turning, I gasp at the sight of men in Army uniforms filing into the courtyard.
The government’s here.
And I’m the infamous daughter of a major criminal.
Who knows why they’ve come, but if they see me…Before I can finish the thought, Seth grabs my arm. He pushes me toward the bushes on the outskirts of the courtyard, and we crouch down. He puts his lips to my ear. “Don’t move.”
Like I even can. My eyes are plastered to the scene unfolding before my eyes. Students huddle together, shaking, as dozens of men and women line the open halls. Principal Long appears from around the corner, and she’s with an imposing man who has a shaved head and wears a crisp uniform.
“Students,” she says, straightening her suit jacket nervously. “I’m sure you’ve noticed what’s going on in town. But never fear, the U.S. Army has come to our aid.”
The man steps forward. His smile seems forced. “Everyone! I’m Major Norton, and your cooperation today would be most appreciated. We’re here for your safety—please follow directions and don’t worry. We just need to ask a few security questions.”
He whispers something to Principal Long, and she offers a clumsy salute before walking off.
“Students, please form a single file line and follow me!” Major Norton calls. “Soldiers, make sure everyone complies.”
I’ve never felt so trapped in my life. Soldiers inside my school. Juan’s men outside. What the hell is going on? At least I can definitely say they’re not all here for me, but then again, I’m not sure that’s a good thing anymore.
Chapter 5
My legs won’t move as I watch everyone slowly form a line. Just what, exactly, are they planning to do to each of us? Maybe there was a time when the government was good, but right now it feels like they’re just another syndicate doing what they want, how they want.
“You should run,” Seth whispers to me. “It wouldn’t be hard to sneak past the guards. I don’t know what I’d do if you got arrested.”
I look him in the eye and see intense fear. “But they have me on the school records. Even if I got out today, pretty sure they’d check up on absent students. Wouldn’t it look bad if I disappeared? That says guilty all over it. Maybe I can explain why my mom and I are here.”
He puts his head to mine. “Why do you have to be right constantly?”
“You know I’m not.” I put my arms around him, trying to be strong. “But I have nothing to hide. If they’re asking security questions, I shouldn’t have a problem, right? But what about you?”
He bites his lip. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Well, you need to!” I smack his arm. “What if they catch you lying about your ability?”
“You there!” a woman in uniform calls from the other side of the bushes. She’s seen us. “Line up!”
We shoot to our feet. I guess the time for strategizing is over. Seth and I are the last ones in the long line. I’m not sure where it leads from where I stand, and I’m not looking forward to getting there. No one dares to speak, what with the armed soldiers everywhere, but it feels like people are looking at me as if they know I could be in trouble.
I’m more worried about my boyfriend. It’ll be easy for me to say I’m not affiliated with a syndicate now, and there’s no hiding my ability. But Seth? It all depends on the questions asked. I don’t want to think about what they’d do to him if they found him withholding information, but I picture a holding cell and starvation tactics.
I squeeze his hand tighter, but he doesn’t look my way. Now more than ever, we have to make it look like he can’t see me. If anyone got too observant…
The bell rings to signal the end of lunch, and still the line slugs along at a miserably slow pace. At this rate it’ll take the rest of school to get this over with. Which gives me plenty of time to imagine all the possible questions they could ask.
People go into the office one by one, and I count the seconds it takes for each person to leave. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern in time length. I spot the teal-haired freshman girl I talked with going in, and she’s out in less than a minute. Bea is next—it takes her much longer to be freed. She glances our way, and then I hear her voice in my ear, “Be careful, Fi. He asked a lot of questions about Radiasure.”
My eyes go wide. Is that what this is about? There is an old, blown up Radiasure factory outside of town. And just a few months ago Miles, with the help of his super-hacker girlfriend, Spud, found rumors about the real Radiasure formula being discovered in China. Does the Army think they’ll be able to find something here in Madison? They must.
Now Juan’s men make sense—he’s heard about the formula, too.
Finally, it’s only Seth and me in line. He glances at my square geek frames. “You should go before me.”
“No, you,” I say.
“You need to go first.” The finality in his voice makes me wonder if he’s more nervous than he lets on.
“Okay.” I let go of his hand, and a soldier ushers me into the office. We pass the secretary counter, where three guards browse through papers the printer spits out. When I step into the principal’s office, Major Norton’s eyes narrow. “Fiona McClean, I presume?”
I gulp. “Yes, sir.”
He stares like I’ll suddenly be visible if he glares hard enough. “Never thought I’d stand face to face with one of Jonas’ daughters.”
My lip curls at the word ‘daughters,’ because I try so hard to forget that Dad has other women, other children. Blood or not, they aren’t my family. But I don’t doubt he’s never seen Dad’s women. The government doesn’t dare touch Las Vegas these days—that place is my dad’s personal fortress.
Major Norton gestures for me to take a seat, so I do. I have to put my hands on my knees to keep them from bouncing nervously. He holds up a plaque covered in fancy calligraphy. “This is my certification from the Army as a legally binding lie detector, just in case you don’t believe me. Are you familiar with this ability?”
I gulp as I look over the document. Questions are one thing, but he’s a human lie detector on top of it? Seth and I could both be screwed now. “Yes, I’ve heard of it.”
He smirks. “I figured you had, but I have to explain the process by law. My ability allows me to hear the lies in your voice—I can pick up the changes in tone and what they mean—so I’ll know immediately if you answer any of my questions untruthfully. Do you understand?”