“How do I contact someone in this group? Aren’t they all completely underground?”
Rose grinned, a wide, toothy smile that took me aback. I had never seen her like this. “You’re talking to one of them now,” she whispered.
My eyes widened. “You’re a Lomaxian?”
Rose nodded.
“Can I become a Lomaxian too?”
“Maybe you could become your own thing. A warrior for the cause. I could show you how. We could do it together. We could carve out a tiny piece of justice for those who deserve it.”
“Freedom for all, right?” I laughed, feeling giddy.
And just like that, Freedom Overdrive was born.
—
Rose had helped me get started. She had been my mentor. She showed me the ropes. And then things got complicated. More complicated than either of us felt comfortable with.
Emotions became heightened, and what had started as an intense, necessary relationship devolved into anger and accusation.
We stopped talking. I got a new roommate the following year of school and Rose transferred out of Virginia College. Without a word, she disappeared from my life.
I had tried to track her down on more than one occasion when I was feeling lonely and weak, but she didn’t want to be found.
We had been close, as close as two people can be, but it meant nothing in the end.
I hadn’t heard from her since the day she left our dorm room all those years ago.
Now she had decided to blow back into my life, expecting me to be the open book I used to be. Things had changed.
Ihad changed.
I didn’t need Rose anymore.
Or so I thought.
“They’re not talking about Freedom Overdrive, Hannah. They’re talking aboutyou.”
That gave me pause and had me giving her my undivided attention. My anger, my bitterness, took a backseat.
“What are you saying?”
“Someone used your name in open chat.Hannah Whelan is Freedom Overdrive.I had to jump in and shut that shit down real fast. But someone knows.”
“Are you sure—?”
“Yes!” Rose yelled, her usual calm all but disappearing. “How did this happen, Hannah? How could you let yourself be exposed?”
—
“If you’re going to do this, Hannah, you have to protect yourself at all costs. That means you can’t tell anyone.”
Rose’s eyes were the most intense I had ever seen them.
“Not your mom. Not Charlotte. Not anyone.”
“Except you,” I said.
