He left her and Kristi pushed open the door into the store. A movement caught her eyes. She stepped back outside onto the streets. Some boys were hanging out in a group nearby…but something didn’t seem quite right with the picture. Then she saw him.
“Troop, were you eavesdropping on Jaiden and me?”
Troop dropped out with trying to blend in from the other kids and confessed, “Yeah. Didn’t expect to be caught red-handed though.”
“Who do you think you are, poking your nose in my business?” Kristi said, still feeling miffed she was the last person to realize that Chelsa and Jaiden were together.
“I like to consider myself acting concerned.”
“I don’t need you to feel concerned about me. Shouldn’t you be purchasing the items on your list?”
“Already did so,” said Troop.
“That was quick.”
He shrugged. “I only needed to purchase some extra solar cell replacements.”
Kristi pushed the door into Mill’s General store with Troop tailing her. She grabbed a basket by the doorway and started thrusting items into it: some hair dye removal powder, two bottles of liquid toothpaste, a spool of twine and some socks that were on sale. Then she paid and checked the time. An hour left until twelve-thirty.
“There are some public trails in Milton if you’re up for some riding,” said Troop, holding open the door for her.
She placed the purchased goods into the saddlebag and guided Flurry to the trails after referring to a map, seeing as she had nothing better to do. Troop tagged alongside on Mist.
Kristi glanced at them. “I don’t remember inviting you to come along.”
“I invited myself.”
“I’m going to be blunt with you. I really want—no, need—some personal space, alright?” As she said those words, she realized they were true and weren’t just an excuse to get out of Troop’s presence. She needed some time to be introspective and sort out her feelings.
“Serious?”
She nodded.
“Only because I like you,” Troop said, reining Mist around to leave the trailhead.
“If only I could say the same about you,” Kristi muttered, “then life would be much easier.”
She allowed Flurry to meander along the trail at a leisurely pace while she mulled over the recent events of her life. Now that Kristi was thinking about Troop’s earlier words, she couldn’t help and be astonished by the fact that, other than the helicopter, they had seen no other physical signs of the government searching for them.
Sure, we tried to avoid going into towns if we could help it, but I know the government’s technology could easily track us down if they put them to good use, she thought.
Kristi tried to make out what she thought of Troop. Yes, he was annoying and yes, he hadn’t made a great first impression. But Chelsa believed Troop was being honest when he told them he wasn’t actually going to hurt the girl at Ludus High; he either had to be the predator or the prey, and Troop was sick of being the prey.
However, that doesn’t make his actions any more justified. Bullying is bullying, no matter what. You would think that someone who used to be bullied would understand how it feels to be constantly looking over your shoulder, instead of bullying someone else. Kristi maneuvered Flurry to the side of the trail, allowing a train of hikers to pass by.
But then again, what would happen if I judged everyone by his or her worst actions? Troop openly admitted I had caught him acting inappropriately and claimed he was normally a lot nicer—he just had to maintain his reputation. Also, what would become of Chelsa if I defined her character by her worst act? Hadn’t Chelsa informed me she killed Alex? Murder is a serious crime, and if I was to judge Chelsa by her worst deed, then Chelsa ought to have repulsed me…but she doesn’t.
Shaking her head at the jumble of thoughts in her brain, Kristi massaged her temples to release some of the tension. Flurry sensed her frustration and offered a nicker of support.
“Thanks, pal.” Kristi patted the droid-horse’s fur.
Little slivers of metal where the devil-dog’s acid had burned through glinted through Flurry’s otherwise silky fur. Overall, it gave her hide a silvery, shimmery effect.
“Let’s head back. I don’t want the others to think I’m in trouble if I don’t show up for lunch soon,” Kristi said, talking to herself.
She was unenthusiastic to leave the trails. The trail provided her a sense of comfort and privacy. The gentle sunlight seeped through the canopy, dappling the ground. It was a nice break to be riding at a slow pace after days of traveling in all types of weather at a rushed speed. They still had two hundred miles to cover before reaching Oppidum.
Flurry gently jerked on the reins, letting Kristi know they had reached the trailhead. Kristi patted her a thank you and directed Flurry to The Last Supper.
chapter twenty-eight
“We ordered your lunch,” Troop said, spotting Kristi walk through the doors of The Last Supper. “Hope you like chicken potpie.”
“That works.”
Kristi had barely sat down when the waitress brought over four plates of piping hot chicken potpie and a pot of tea. Everyone was silent for a few minutes, occupied with the food.
Troop finished his pie in record time; dehydrated food gets boring after a while. He moved onto his buttered rolls next.
A stout woman came over to check on them. She had a dogged look, light brown hair pulled into a tight bun and a stance that suggested she took no nonsense. Her name was Syra and she was the owner of The Last Supper.
“Everything to your satisfaction?” she inquired.
“Yes, thank you,” Troop said.
“Have I met you before?” Kristi asked. “You seem very familiar.”
“I don’t believe I have had the pleasure of meeting you yet.”
“Never mind,” said Kristi. “There was someone I met who looked like you; she owned a bookstore with a very nice fireplace.”
Troop wondered why Kristi had emphasized the word.
A knowing grin split onto the Syra’s face. “Ah, I have a sister who does though.”
Then he remembered that Syra’s sister ran a safe house for members of the Company.
“Tell her I said thanks,” said Kristi.
The woman nodded then left to attend a cluster of customers that just entered The Last Supper.
“The whole family is part of the Revealers,” Troop told Kristi in a low voice to avoid being overheard.
“Why are you sharing this information with me?” she asked. “Bad things can happen if this information gets into the wrong hands.”
“I trust you not to give the information out freely.”
“That’s a lot of trust to put on someone who you have barely known for a couple of weeks.”
“I trust my instincts.”
For some reason, Troop had expected Chelsa to be the most talkative and vivacious member of the group. However, he was soon proved wrong. Jaiden seemed to be the only person who could coax the ghost of a smile out of her.
Ghost, the leopard, seemed to share his owner’s sudden mood change and would often disappear for long stretches of time. Not that I mind if Ghost leaves for a while. Troop found the creature’s intelligence to be unnerving.
“Aren’t you happy we’re getting closer to finding Finn?” Troop asked Chelsa. “Less than fifty miles left—and we haven’t seen any bandits or met any other trouble along the way.”
“Yeah, I guess,” she replied. She sounded a bit gloomy, if not downright depressed. “I’ve just been thinking a lot.”