“Just be careful when you’re working with him,” Jodie said. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I will,” she promised and prayed that Washington never proved Jodie right.
Chapter Thirty-Two
After the sun set, Reyna stood with Laura as Brian and Drew prepared to leave. Laura had silent tears running down her cheeks. She buried her head in Brian’s shoulder and clung to him. There was nothing to say, though. The mission was imperative—Elle had to know what was inside those camps, if they were really what Everett said they were. That didn’t make it any easier to see them go.
Reyna wished she was going with them. She hated sitting on the sidelines. It wasn’t in her nature. There were too many reasons she couldn’t be out there, though. Besides the fact that nobody wanted her in the security crew, she still didn’t know if Harrington could sense her blood, and if she got injured, there was no other blood to save her. She was still the only person alive they knew of who had Rh null negative blood. So she stayed behind and prayed nothing happened.
Drew pulled her into a hug. “We’ll be back soon. It will only be a couple of hours.”
“Be safe, okay?”
“No problem.” He nudged her and grinned that playful smile.
Laura finally released Brian, wiping away her tears. She tugged Drew in for a hug next, and Brian moved to Reyna.
“You’re all making such a big fuss,” he said with a laugh.
“I don’t like where you’re going or what you’re doing,” she said softly.
His eyes moved to Laura’s. She didn’t know exactly what they were doing tonight; the information was sensitive. “It’ll be fine. Come here, kid.”
“I’m not a kid anymore,” she said, falling into his arms.
“I guess not.”
“Just be careful, okay?” She repeated what she’d said to Drew.
“All right, Rey.”
He hugged Laura once more, and then they were gone.
“I hate this,” Laura mumbled.
“I know.”
Reyna urged Laura away from the door the boys had walked through. If she hadn’t moved her, Reyna was sure Laura would have sat there until they came back. Reyna made sure to spend time with her for the next couple of hours until Laura’s exhaustion won out and she reluctantly headed to bed.
Reyna couldn’t go back to her room. She needed to get out and do something. But what? She had nothing to photograph. Beckham wasn’t around. She couldn’t stomach seeing Washington yet and hearing the paltry explanation he would be sure to offer.
She sighed as her feet carried her through Elle’s strangely silent corridors. It was better to be walking. She could get lost in the labyrinth. Anything was better than wondering what was going on.
It wasn’t until she stopped in front of the guarded room that she realized where her feet had taken her. She frowned. Had her words to Jodie earlier sparked this impulse? This world wasn’t black and white. People could change. Not everyone would, but wasn’t it a disservice not to see if they’d try?
“Is he taking visitors?” she asked the guards.
“Uh,” the guy said, turning to look at the woman on his right.
She shrugged. “No one told us one way or another.”
“Okay. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“Just knock when you want to come out.” The woman nodded at the guy, and he produced the key, opening the door for her.
“All right,” Reyna said, walking through the door. Her heart was racing. This was probably a bad idea. And yet…she didn’t turn back.
Everett sat on the floor of the sparse room in the lotus position. His hazel eyes opened slowly and weighed her standing there. He didn’t move. She didn’t move. They just stared at each other across the small divide.
