“Yes. I’m going during the middle of the night,” Grim says. “It’s our only chance.”
My stomach twists into knots. I want to scream at him not to do it, to tell him it’s too dangerous, that he can’t risk his life like this. But I know he has to. Sally’s life depends on it. It’s the only way to clear our names.
Falkor strokes his chin, thinking. “I’m hoping you have some intel. How many guards are there? Where are they stationed? We should draw a diagram…get you ready.”
“That’s the problem.” Grim sighs. “I don’t know exactly. My friend said there are fewer guards than before, but he doesn’t have exact numbers. He told me they’ve set up a temporary vaccination center in the parking lot, so most of the guards are focused there. The ones at the main building are mainly guarding the storage facility for the vaccinations. But there are guards on general patrol. They haven’t begun repairs, so the roof is just a tarp. I will be able to get in through there.”
“The storage facility is right next to but separate from the main building,” I say. “It’s a small structure attached to the side.”
Falkor frowns. “So you don’t know how many guards there are, where exactly they’re positioned, or what their patrol patterns might be.”
“No.” Grim’s expression is hard. “I’ll be going in blind. I know it’s not ideal.”
“That’s risky.” Falkor shakes his head. “Very risky indeed.”
“I know,” Grim says. “But I don’t have a choice. Sally doesn’t have time. Besides, the longer we wait, the more chance there is of them finding the evidence.”
Terror floods through me, cold and sharp. What if something goes wrong? What if they catch him? What if he doesn’t make it out?
I realize with startling clarity that I’ve been fooling myself this whole time. All my protests about not getting involved with Grim. About being able to compartmentalize my feelings. They were all lies. I was kidding myself.
I’m falling for him.
No, that’s not right either. I’ve already fallen. I’ve fallen hard and fast for Grim, and the thought of losing him is ripping me apart from the inside.
He probably doesn’t even see me that way. But I can’t help it. I can’t change how I feel.
I’m totally in love with him. And now he’s going to walk into danger, and I might lose him before I ever get the chance to tell him.
“I know the risk,” Grim says, his voice steady despite everything. “But I’m going to do it anyway.”
Falkor looks at him for a long moment, and I can see the respect in his eyes. “You’re a brave male, Grim. A good male. Your mother raised you right.”
Something moves across Grim’s face, but it’s gone before I can figure out what it is. He doesn’t respond, just nods once.
Falkor goes quiet, his brow furrowed. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head as he thinks through the problem. He taps his fingers on the arm of his chair, his lips pressed into a thin line.
Finally, he sits up straighter. “I have an idea.”
Grim looks at him. “What?”
“I’ll go to the center today. I’ll pretend I need my vaccination,” Falkor says. “I’ll get you the intel you need.”
“You can’t,” Grim says immediately. “You just had your vaccination the other day. It’ll be suspicious if you show up again so soon.”
“I wouldn’t want them to give you the shot twice,” I tell him. “It could be dangerous. Then again, they’ll pick it up on the system…unless the system is down. I don’t like it, Falkor.”
“I won’t let it get that far,” Falkor says. “I’ll act like a senile old man who completely forgot he already had it. That should get me in. Then it’ll suddenly come back to me that I recently had the shot. I can do it.”
He gets up and moves to the table by the window. It’s piled high with unopened mail. He riffles through it, holding up envelopes and squinting at them before tossing them aside.
“Aha!” He pulls out a white envelope with the vaccination center’s logo on it. “Here it is.”
He opens it carefully and pulls out a reminder notice. “This says I’m overdue for my vaccination. Perfect.” He holds it up triumphantly. “I’ll take this and act like I don’t remember going. I’ll be doddery and forgetful. I’ll be so good that they’ll buy it.”
“They’ll turn you away,” Grim says, but I can hear the uncertainty creeping into his voice. He’s actually considering it.
“Hopefully, I’ll have some information for you before they do,” Falkor says. “I’ll observe everything. Don’t you worry. I will take mental note of how many guards there are, where they’re stationed, what the patrol patterns look like. The night shift should have fewer individuals guarding the area. If you work on the same information as the day shift, you’ll be safe. Or at least safer. I can’t have you going in completely blind, son. It’s too risky. I’ll be okay. You’ll see. I can take care of myself and think on my feet.”
