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Chapter no 28

Unravel Me (Shatter Me Book 2)

โ€œWhat?โ€ย Kenji has gone limp. His voice is a horrified rasp. โ€œWho?ย Howโ€”โ€ โ€œWinston and Brendan were patrolling topside tonight.โ€ Castle shakes his

head. โ€œI donโ€™t know what happened. They mustโ€™ve been ambushed. They were too far out of range and the security footage only shows us that Emory and Ian noticed a disturbance and tried to investigate. We donโ€™t see anything in the tapes after that. Emory and Ian,โ€ he says, โ€œnever came back either.โ€

Kenji is back in his chair again, his face in his hands. He looks up with a sudden burst of hope. โ€œBut Winston and Brendanโ€”maybe they can find a way out, right? They could do somethingโ€”they have enough power between the two of them to figure something out.โ€

Castle offers Kenji a sympathetic smile. โ€œI donโ€™t know where heโ€™s taken them or how theyโ€™re being treated. If heโ€™s beaten them, or if heโ€™s alreadyโ€โ€”he hesitatesโ€”โ€œif heโ€™s already tortured them, shot themโ€”if theyโ€™re bleeding to deathโ€”they certainly wonโ€™t be able to fight back. And even if the two of them could save themselves,โ€ he says after a moment, โ€œthey wouldnโ€™t leave the others behind.โ€

Kenji presses his fists into his thighs.

โ€œSo. He wants to talk.โ€ Itโ€™s the first time Adam has said a word.

Castle nods. โ€œLily found this package where theyโ€™d disappeared.โ€ He tosses us a small knapsack and we take turns rummaging through it. It contains only Winstonโ€™s broken glasses and Brendanโ€™s radio. Smeared in blood.

I have to grip my hands to keep them from shaking.

I was just getting to know these guys. Iโ€™d only just met Emory and Ian. I was just learning to build new friendships, to feel comfortable with the people of Omega Point. I just hadย breakfastย with Brendan and Winston. I glance at the clock on Castleโ€™s wall; itโ€™s 3:31 a.m. I last saw them about 20 hours ago.

Brendanโ€™s birthday was last week.

โ€œWinston knew,โ€ I hear myself say out loud. โ€œHe knew something was wrong. He knew there was something weird about all those soldiers everywhereโ€”โ€

โ€œI know,โ€ Castle says, shaking his head. โ€œIโ€™ve been reading and rereading all of his reports.โ€ He pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. Closes his eyes. โ€œIโ€™d only just begun to piece it all together. But it was too late. I was too late.โ€

โ€œWhat do you think they were planning?โ€ Kenji asks. โ€œDo you have a

theory?โ€

Castle sighs. Drops his hand from his face. โ€œWell, now we know why Warner was out with his soldiers every nightโ€”how he was able to leave the base for as long as he did for so many days.โ€

โ€œHis father,โ€ Kenji says.

Castle nods. โ€œYes. Itโ€™s my opinion that the supreme sent Warner out himself. That he wanted Warner to begin hunting us more aggressively. Heโ€™s always known about us,โ€ Castle says to me. โ€œHeโ€™s never been a stupid man, the supreme. Heโ€™s always believed the rumors about us, always known that we were out here. But weโ€™ve never been a threat to him before. Not until now,โ€ he says. โ€œBecause now that the civilians are talking about us, itโ€™s upsetting the balance of power. The people are reenergizedโ€”looking for hope in our resistance. And thatโ€™s not something The Reestablishment can afford right now.

โ€œAnyway,โ€ he goes on, โ€œI think itโ€™s clear that they couldnโ€™t find the entrance to Omega Point, and settled for taking hostages, hoping to provoke us to come out on our own.โ€ Castle retrieves a piece of paper from his pile. Holds it up. Itโ€™s a note. โ€œBut there are conditions,โ€ he says. โ€œThe supreme has given us very specific directions on how next to proceed.โ€

โ€œAnd?โ€ย Kenji is rigid with intensity. โ€œThe three of you will go. Alone.โ€ Holy crap.

โ€œWhat?โ€ Adam gapes at Castle, astonished. โ€œWhy us?โ€

โ€œHe hasnโ€™t asked to see me,โ€ Castle says. โ€œIโ€™m not the one heโ€™s interested in.โ€

โ€œAnd youโ€™re just going to agree to that?โ€ Adam asks. โ€œYouโ€™re just going to throw us at him?โ€

Castle leans forward. โ€œOf course not.โ€ โ€œYou have a plan?โ€ I ask.

โ€œThe supreme wants to meet with you at exactly twelve p.m. tomorrowโ€” well, today, technicallyโ€”at a specific location on unregulated turf. The details are in the note.โ€ He takes a deep breath. โ€œAnd, even though I know this is exactly what he wants, I think we should all be ready to go. We should move together. This is, after all, what weโ€™ve been training for. Iโ€™ve no doubt he has bad intentions, and Iย highlyย doubt heโ€™s inviting you to chat over a cup of tea.

So I think we should be ready to defend against an offensive attack. I imagine his own men will be armed and ready to fight, and Iโ€™m fully prepared to lead mine into battle.โ€

โ€œSo weโ€™re theย bait?โ€ Kenji asks, his eyebrows pulled together. โ€œWe donโ€™t

even get to fightโ€”weโ€™re just the distraction?โ€ โ€œKenjiโ€”โ€

โ€œThis is bullshit,โ€ Adam says, and Iโ€™m surprised to see such emotion from him. โ€œThereย hasย to be another way. We shouldnโ€™t be playing by his rules. We should be using this opportunity to ambush them orโ€”I donโ€™t knowโ€”create a diversion or a distraction soย weย can attack offensively! I mean, hell, doesnโ€™t anyone burst into flames or something? Donโ€™t we have anyone who can do something crazy enough to throw everything off? To give us an advantage?โ€

Castle turns to stare at me.

Adam looks like he might punch Castle in the face. โ€œYou areย outย of your mindโ€”โ€

โ€œThen no,โ€ he says. โ€œNo, we donโ€™t have anyone else that can do something so . . . earth-shattering.โ€

โ€œYou think thatโ€™sย funny?โ€ Adam snaps.

โ€œIโ€™m afraid Iโ€™m not trying to be funny, Mr. Kent. And your anger is not helping our situation. You may opt out if you like, but Iย willโ€”respectfullyโ€” request Ms. Ferrarsโ€™ assistance in this matter. She is the only one the supreme actually wants to see. Sending the two of you with her was my idea.โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€

All 3 of us are stunned. โ€œWhy me?โ€

โ€œI really wish I could tell you,โ€ Castle says to me. โ€œI wish I knew more. As of right now, I can only do my best to extrapolate from the information I have, and all Iโ€™ve concluded thus far is that Warner has made a glaring error that needs to be set right. Somehow you managed to get caught in the middle.โ€ A pause. โ€œWarnerโ€™s father,โ€ he says, โ€œhas asked very specifically forย youย in exchange for the hostages. He says if you do not arrive at the appointed time, he will kill our men. And I have no reason to doubt his word. Murdering the innocent is something that comes very naturally to him.โ€

โ€œAnd you were just going to let her walk into that!โ€ Adam knocks over his garbage can as he jumps to his feet. โ€œYou werenโ€™t even going to say anything? You were going to let us assume that she wasnโ€™t aย target? Are you insane?โ€

Castle rubs his forehead. Takes a few calming breaths. โ€œNo,โ€ he says, his voice carefully measured. โ€œI was not going to let her walk right into anything. What Iโ€™m saying is that we willย allย fight together, but you two will go with Ms. Ferrars. The three of you have worked together before, and both you and Kenji have military training. Youโ€™re more familiar with the rules, the techniques, the strategy they might employ. You would help keep her safe and embody the element of surpriseโ€”your presence could be what gives us an

advantage in this situation. If he wants her badly enough, heโ€™ll have to find a way to juggle the three of youโ€”โ€

โ€œOrโ€”you know, I donโ€™t know,โ€ Kenji says, affecting nonchalance, โ€œmaybe heโ€™ll just shoot us both in the face and drag Juliette away while weโ€™re too busy being dead to stop him.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s okay,โ€ I say. โ€œIโ€™ll do it. Iโ€™ll go.โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€ Adam is looking at me, panic forcing his eyes wide. โ€œJulietteโ€”no

โ€”โ€

โ€œYeah, you might want to think about this for a second,โ€ Kenji cuts in, sounding a little nervous.

โ€œYou donโ€™t have to come if you donโ€™t want to,โ€ I tell them. โ€œBut Iโ€™ll go.โ€ Castle smiles, relief written across his features.

โ€œThis is what weโ€™re here for, right?โ€ I look around. โ€œWeโ€™re supposed to fight back. This is our chance.โ€

Castle is beaming, his eyes bright with something that might be pride. โ€œWe will be with you every step of the way, Ms. Ferrars. You can count on it.โ€

I nod.

And I realize this is probably what Iโ€™m meant to do. Maybe this is exactly why Iโ€™m here.

Maybe Iโ€™m just supposed to die.

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