“I don’t know what you mean,”Isaid.
“You’re acting like we lost the fight before it evenstarted!”
“Wedid.Without anambush- “
“Who gives a fuck about the ambush!?” Hector snapped. “We have all these people ready to fight for their freedom and you’re caught up on a damn plan you thought up weeks ago! We can still fight Gunner, whether he knows we’re coming or not. We just need to think of a different plan,that’sall!”
By now everybody in camp had gathered and was listening. Hector glanced around with his good eye, noticing everyone’s presence, but he was not ashamed of his outburst. In fact, he looked more fired upthanever.
“I can’t be the only one thinking this way,” he said loudly, searching for approval. “Come on, guys. We can’t justgiveup.”
“Even if we wanted to go through with this, what are we supposed to do? We don’t have a plan anymore,” Shanemuttered.
Hector’s expression went hard and serious. His hands, which were gesturing a moment earlier, fell to his side as fists. He inhaled deeply. I watched him, curious. He looked like he had somethingtosay.
“I have an idea,” he saidslowly.
“Whatisit?”
He wouldn’t make eye contact with me as he said, “Use me as a hostage to lureGunnerout.”
I almost choked. “What? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve everheard!”
But Hector wasn’tjoking.
“It’s not,”hesaid.
I was both shocked and upset at his suggestion. “Yes, it is. You are not going out there alone to be usedasbait.”
“It would work,” Hector said firmly. “You know it would. Don’t bother arguingotherwise.”
“Even if it did work, what purpose would it serve?” I asked, almostshouting.
“It would get Gunner out of his heavily-armed defenses. We could run the plan as normal. All we need is a window of opportunity, and this would provide it,” Hector replied, his voice sternbutcalm.
People were listening now - and notjustlistening. They wereintrigued.They looked hopeful. A cold weight dropped in my stomach as I realized they were actually considering Hector’ssuggestion.
“Why you?” I asked, losing my patience. “What do you have tooffer?”
“Oh, please,” Hector muttered. “You and I both know damn well Gunner wants me. I evaded him not once, but twice - something you even banked on to rally forces. Aside from you, who he thinks is dead, I’m his enemy number one. He wouldn’t blink at the chance to snatchmeup.”
Anger rose in my chest like bubbling lava. I wished he wouldn’t speak of himself like a commodity for Gunner to take as hewished.
Hector still wouldn’t look at me. “And… That’s not the onlyreason.”
Everyone was listening, hanging on the edge of their seats, waiting to see how his offer would get even better. My heart raced. I didn’t like the way he was speaking. I didn’t like any of this. My skin prickled with unease, like a storm was about to break and there was nothing I could do tostopit.
When Hector didn’t continue, Shane urged him on. “What else? What’s thereason?”
Hector swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. He pointedly avoided my gaze. What was heupto?
Finally, Hector exhaled a shaky breath. Sweat beaded his brow and his fists were balled up so hard that his nails dug intohisskin.
“Gunner will want me even more because… I’mpregnant.”
Silence.
Then a chorus of gasps and cries ofdisbelief.
