"So you all aren't dead," Baz rasped. What would his power look like boosted with the serum? Dread pooled low in my stomach. I clasped my hands together and thought back to when I was injected. Orson slid the journal in his pocket.
"It takes multiple doses," I said. "It looked like they shot you with a lot, but even a double dose won't do much. Whatever change it causes will be minimal and won't happen for at least twenty-four hours." I looked at the car clock. It'd been three hours since he'd been shot. Everyone remained silent.
"It won't do much at that dose. I promise. I barely felt different until I'd had several doses." Even if Nemo had the same serum in his veins, he'd been born with it. I was the only one who had experienced this situation before.
"Okay," Baz said. It was the best response I was going to get. I blew out a breath and sank into my chair. Baz slowly turned his mask to stare at Nemo.
"And you. I'm supposed to be in charge," Baz said. There was a bite in his words.
"Baz … " Nemo didn't get to say anything else. Baz reached for the handle, opened the door, and climbed out of the car. Weakly, he stood next to the gas station pumps, staring at them as he leaned against the vehicle.
"Fuck," Nemo stated.
"Being in charge not going the way you want?" Orson laughed before getting out of the car too.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. How could we be fraying so quickly? What we had in Verfallen was so strong, wasn't it? We'd been tested in other difficult situations so why was this different?
"Do you want to leave with Orson?" Nemo asked, dragging me out of my spiraling thoughts. Dark eyes weighed heavily on me, his power pressing on my neck. I thought of every moment we'd had together. From the hate-fueled gaze he sent me the first day we met to nights filled with terrorizing inmates followed by him gently washing the blood from my hair.
"How could you ask that?" We’re soul mates—heknewthat. I was more committed to them than anyone else could be. Living without them wasn't an option. And neither was them living without me.
"Sometimes the best thing to do for loved ones is let them go," he said. I looked out the window. Baz was still leaningagainst the car, while Orson walked towards the gas station store, eyeing the other vehicles for potential theft.
"I won’t let any of you go. I don't care if that means my love isn'tright. If it's selfish—" I cut myself off and blew out a breath. "We're just stressed." If I really believed that, why did it sound like a lie?
Nemo leaned forward, spilling into my space. His heart was strong in his chest, and his palm was warm against my cheek.
"I know, Bree. But I need to hear your answer. Do you want to leave with Orson?"
"No," I said. At least I could say that with complete conviction.
"Okay." He smiled. Then he got out of the car, leaving me alone.
"Okay?" I wanted to wring all of their necks. Couldn't they learn to communicate better? I was getting the equivalent of grunts when I needed long-winded assurances of undying devotion. I clicked my tongue and followed the rest of them out into the dawn.
Nemo walked off towards a rusted panel van with a shaky paint job that promoted free candy.
"What are you doing?" Baz asked him.
"There's free candy," he said. I could practically feel Baz's astonishment behind his mask. I expected him to make fun of Nemo for being naive. Instead, he gleefully ran ahead of Nemo.
"Hey!" Nemo called, catching up with a smile. They looked so excited and had pure childish joy as they ran up to the free candy van. I thought about saying something. Perhaps "no" or "don't," but they had to figure out some things on their own. Hadn't Baz used to live out in the world?
Orson came back, and we both watched in silence as the other two knocked on the van's door, pushing and shoving each other while they discussed which candy might be inside.
"Isn't there one with almonds and coconut?"
"Who would make a candy out of that?" Nemo asked in disgust.
"That's true," Baz said. Then they began arguing over whether nougat was real, and then congratulating themselves for recalling Hershey's was the name of a candy bar. Having figured that out, they decided it was the ideal treat to enjoy and wouldn't shut up about it.
"I bet a Hershey's is delicious."
"I want a Hershey's so bad."
"Do you think Hershey's has almonds?"
"What is your obsession with nuts?" Nemo asked suspiciously.
