“No.” Theo’s expression froze. “She wouldn’t.” He lifted the knife from the wall, then ran his fingers along the blade, nonchalant. Cassius grit his teeth. Someone his age shouldn’t be this comfortable with violence. Had he been the same before Seattle? Was this what Madame did to kids?
Theo shrugged. “But you know what? She’d get over it. She’s still too close to you to see that you’ll betray us again. Even harnessed, you can’t be trusted. Not fully.” He pricked the end of his index finger with the blade’s tip. “She’d be proud of me after she realized.”
Cassius pulled at the restraints. He should think of something. He always thought of something. But his mind wasn’t strong. Fifteen hours hanging against the wall and he was starting to lose it.
Theo neared closer. He pressed the blade into Cassius’s chest. “You know, she always told me I was special. That I could do things that most people couldn’t. Did she say the same things to you?”
Cassius shook his head. He felt a bead of blood drip down his stomach. The pain intensified.
“I saw what you did to the lab,” Theo continued. “You’re a real pyro, aren’t you?” He blinked. “I think it’s a little messy, myself. Leaves too much to clean up. You do things right and nobody even knows where to look.”
Cassius winced as he felt the blade twist, peeling skin. “Wait! Before you do anything you’ll regret, listen to me.”
Theo’s eyes widened. He steadied the blade.
“Theo!” Madame’s voice echoed from everywhere at once. Her condemning tone was enough to send shivers through both boys. Theo pulled the knife back to his waist. His wild eyes darted around the room, eventually landing on a pair of circular speakers in the corner of the ceiling. He sighed.
“My office.” Madame’s voice continued, as if she was looking down on them from the heavens. “Now.”
Cassius breathed a sigh of relief, even though Madame’s interference meant the room was surveilled. She was probably watching them on video screens right now.
Theo sheathed the weapon behind him. He took two steps back and admired Cassius for a moment before grabbing the door handle. “Later.” He saluted. Cassius watched him bound from the room like a schoolboy eager for recess.
Cassius let out a fractured sigh, cursing himself. He needed to get out. Now.
Madame’s voice came from the speakers once more. “I’ll see you soon, Cassius. Don’t let Theo antagonize you. He’s a troubled boy. I’m sure you understand.”
He closed his eyes to shield tears. It wasn’t the wound or the shackles that undid him. It was how it all looked, how he must look to her, tied up at the mercy of a child. It was pathetic.
But emotion didn’t last long. It wasn’t going to help him, anyways. He fought past it and gave all his attention over to thought. Strategy. He wouldn’t have long before his brain was useless against her. He needed to make the most of the time he had. Devise a plan, and get rid of her. And this time he’d make sure she was gone forever.
13
I can see a sliver of the Academy from where I stand. From here it blends in with the surrounding mountains. Dirt and rust covers the hull, eliminating any reflection. My eyes trace the pathway up to the opening I’d fallen from only minutes ago. It’s tiny from my vantage point, but I remember what I saw before the guy tackled me. Heavy damage, inside the brig and throughout the corridor. To say I really screwed up doesn’t even cut it.
I back away until the peak of a neighboring mountain blocks the Academy from sight. I can’t return after what I’ve done. There’s no proof of the red Pearl, and even if there was, it’s my fault for bringing it onboard. The brig would seem like time-out compared to what Alkine would do now. August Bergmann was right. In their eyes, I look like a traitor. I’ve damaged my own home more than once. I’m dangerous.
Hand shaking, I dig into my pocket and retrieve my com-pad. I switch to Eva’s code, hold it to my ear, and wait for her response.
It comes almost immediately. “Jesse? I heard the explosion. Are you okay?” Her voice is frantic. Anger will come later.
It takes a moment to compose myself and form words. “I did something stupid, Eva.”
“What? Where are you?”
“Outside,” I stammer. “I don’t know the coordinates. Maybe a mile or two north of the ship.”
“By yourself?”
I glance at the sky, still expecting the stranger to come back. “Yeah. I need a shuttle.”
There’s a long pause on the other end. I can tell she’s fuming. “Jesse-”
“Look, we can’t talk about this. Who knows if they’re tracing my CP. Just get me a shuttle. Please.”
She sighs so loud that it breaks up communication momentarily. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks, Eva.”
The reception fractures again halfway through her name. I listen for a second more before bringing the compad back to my waist. Gripping it tight, I pivot and chuck it through the air. I watch the device land a dozen yards away and slip between rocks. If Alkine wanted, he’d be able to pull up the tracking system and trace me. I can’t give him the chance.
I glance around one more time for the man from the red Pearl before sinking to the dirt.
I wait.
I’m not sure how much time passes. Without the screen of my com-pad, I can barely see anything. I rest my forehead against my knees. All the while I imagine the stranger, plunging downward, gripping me in his arms. Had he recognized me? It was impossible to tell. His eyes seemed lost in the distance. He stared without any actual recognition.
If he’s really a friend, he’ll come back. Once he realizes what’s going on, he’ll turn around and find me. After all, the red Pearl found me. It weaved its way into my vision. It was meant to break in front of me.
But that’s the scariest part. I didn’t break it. It exploded.
I don’t look up until I hear the sound of an engine in the distance. The atmosphere trembles. I try to trace where the sound is coming from. The horizon is still-triangle shadows against the night. A distant flash blinks in the sky. I watch a circular blotch, slightly darker than the mountains, cruise around a crest on its way toward me.
Spotlights. A pair of blazing beams ensnare me. I hold up my hand to shield my eyes.
A shuttle pulls in overhead. There’s no telling who’s inside. By the time it gets close enough, I won’t be able to escape. If it’s Alkine or another teacher, it’ll be too late.
I stand and back up, squinting against the light. I have to take a chance. There’s nothing I can do out here by myself without transportation. I wave my arms above my head.
Suddenly, I realize how tiny I am. If the Academy is an insect compared to these mountains, then I’m microscopic. I can flail about all I want. It doesn’t guarantee that anything’s going to happen. I try to imagine if I was in that shuttle, looking down. At this time of night, the landscape would be a black, lumpy carpet with far too many hidden places.
By some miracle, the shuttle continues forward in my direction.
I continue to jump around, loosening dust and dirt from my clothing. The spotlights fall directly on me again. The shuttle settles on the ground. Its thrusters kick up a cloud of dirt as the landing gear extends. The lights dim. I grit my teeth and wait to see who comes out.
The side door pulls open. Two figures bound onto the dirt. My heart floods with relief. Even without seeing their faces, I can tell it’s not Alkine.
Eva rushes up to me, face filled with worry. “Jesse, what happened?”
Skandar stands beside her, brows creased.
I exhale deeply. “I’m so glad it’s you.”
“There’s a hole in the side of the Academy,” Skandar says. “I know.”
Eva grabs my arm. “You had something to do with it-”
“We can’t go back,” I say. “Get in the shuttle. I can explain.”
She lets go. “This is a horrible-”
“Stop.” My heart flutters. Everything warms. My head darts up to the sky and I lock onto it instantly.