โWhat?โย Kenji has gone limp. His voice is a horrified rasp. โWho?ย Howโโ โWinston and Brendan were patrolling topside tonight.โ Castle shakes his
head. โI donโt know what happened. They mustโve 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 donโt see anything in the tapes after that. Emory and Ian,โ he says, โnever 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. โBut Winston and Brendanโmaybe they can find a way out, right? They could do somethingโthey have enough power between the two of them to figure something out.โ
Castle offers Kenji a sympathetic smile. โI donโt know where heโs taken them or how theyโre being treated. If heโs beaten them, or if heโs alreadyโโhe hesitatesโโif heโs already tortured them, shot themโif theyโre bleeding to deathโthey certainly wonโt be able to fight back. And even if the two of them could save themselves,โ he says after a moment, โthey wouldnโt leave the others behind.โ
Kenji presses his fists into his thighs.
โSo. He wants to talk.โ Itโs the first time Adam has said a word.
Castle nods. โLily found this package where theyโd disappeared.โ He tosses us a small knapsack and we take turns rummaging through it. It contains only Winstonโs broken glasses and Brendanโs radio. Smeared in blood.
I have to grip my hands to keep them from shaking.
I was just getting to know these guys. Iโd 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 Castleโs wall; itโs 3:31 a.m. I last saw them about 20 hours ago.
Brendanโs birthday was last week.
โWinston knew,โ I hear myself say out loud. โHe knew something was wrong. He knew there was something weird about all those soldiers everywhereโโ
โI know,โ Castle says, shaking his head. โIโve 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. โIโd only just begun to piece it all together. But it was too late. I was too late.โ
โWhat do you think they were planning?โ Kenji asks. โDo you have a
theory?โ
Castle sighs. Drops his hand from his face. โWell, now we know why Warner was out with his soldiers every nightโhow he was able to leave the base for as long as he did for so many days.โ
โHis father,โ Kenji says.
Castle nods. โYes. Itโs my opinion that the supreme sent Warner out himself. That he wanted Warner to begin hunting us more aggressively. Heโs always known about us,โ Castle says to me. โHeโs never been a stupid man, the supreme. Heโs always believed the rumors about us, always known that we were out here. But weโve never been a threat to him before. Not until now,โ he says. โBecause now that the civilians are talking about us, itโs upsetting the balance of power. The people are reenergizedโlooking for hope in our resistance. And thatโs not something The Reestablishment can afford right now.
โAnyway,โ he goes on, โI think itโs clear that they couldnโt 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. Itโs a note. โBut there are conditions,โ he says. โThe supreme has given us very specific directions on how next to proceed.โ
โAnd?โย Kenji is rigid with intensity. โThe three of you will go. Alone.โ Holy crap.
โWhat?โ Adam gapes at Castle, astonished. โWhy us?โ
โHe hasnโt asked to see me,โ Castle says. โIโm not the one heโs interested in.โ
โAnd youโre just going to agree to that?โ Adam asks. โYouโre just going to throw us at him?โ
Castle leans forward. โOf course not.โ โYou have a plan?โ I ask.
โThe supreme wants to meet with you at exactly twelve p.m. tomorrowโ well, today, technicallyโat a specific location on unregulated turf. The details are in the note.โ He takes a deep breath. โAnd, 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 weโve been training for. Iโve no doubt he has bad intentions, and Iย highlyย doubt heโs 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 Iโm fully prepared to lead mine into battle.โ
โSo weโre theย bait?โ Kenji asks, his eyebrows pulled together. โWe donโt
even get to fightโweโre just the distraction?โ โKenjiโโ
โThis is bullshit,โ Adam says, and Iโm surprised to see such emotion from him. โThereย hasย to be another way. We shouldnโt be playing by his rules. We should be using this opportunity to ambush them orโI donโt knowโcreate a diversion or a distraction soย weย can attack offensively! I mean, hell, doesnโt anyone burst into flames or something? Donโt 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. โYou areย outย of your mindโโ
โThen no,โ he says. โNo, we donโt have anyone else that can do something so . . . earth-shattering.โ
โYou think thatโsย funny?โ Adam snaps.
โIโm afraid Iโm not trying to be funny, Mr. Kent. And your anger is not helping our situation. You may opt out if you like, but Iย willโrespectfullyโ 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
โWhat?โ
All 3 of us are stunned. โWhy me?โ
โI really wish I could tell you,โ Castle says to me. โI wish I knew more. As of right now, I can only do my best to extrapolate from the information I have, and all Iโve 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. โWarnerโs father,โ he says, โhas 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
โAnd you were just going to let her walk into that!โ Adam knocks over his garbage can as he jumps to his feet. โYou werenโt even going to say anything? You were going to let us assume that she wasnโt aย target? Are you insane?โ
Castle rubs his forehead. Takes a few calming breaths. โNo,โ he says, his voice carefully measured. โI was not going to let her walk right into anything. What Iโm 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. Youโre more familiar with the rules, the techniques, the strategy they might employ. You would help keep her safe and embody the element of surpriseโyour presence could be what gives us an
advantage in this situation. If he wants her badly enough, heโll have to find a way to juggle the three of youโโ
โOrโyou know, I donโt know,โ Kenji says, affecting nonchalance, โmaybe heโll just shoot us both in the face and drag Juliette away while weโre too busy being dead to stop him.โ
โItโs okay,โ I say. โIโll do it. Iโll go.โ
โWhat?โ Adam is looking at me, panic forcing his eyes wide. โJulietteโno
โโ
โYeah, you might want to think about this for a second,โ Kenji cuts in, sounding a little nervous.
โYou donโt have to come if you donโt want to,โ I tell them. โBut Iโll go.โ Castle smiles, relief written across his features.
โThis is what weโre here for, right?โ I look around. โWeโre supposed to fight back. This is our chance.โ
Castle is beaming, his eyes bright with something that might be pride. โWe 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 Iโm meant to do. Maybe this is exactly why Iโm here.
Maybe Iโm just supposed to die.