End of discussion. No room for debate.
“A rebellion might not even be enough to put an end to this,” Maddox adds. “It’s a start… But I don’t think it’s enough. No one knows the lengths they’re willing to go to—”
Maddox keeps talking, but I’m no longer listening. My hands grip the wooden armrests of my chair, back stiffening as a thought comes to mind. As though it has a life of its own, the idea flows through my mind like the ebb of a whirling river.Come chase me, come chase me, it seems to say.
Rowan notices and gets up, gently touching my arm and getting my attention.
“Angel,” he says with palpable concern, “what is it? Should I call the doctor?”
I shake my head. “I just… what if…”
I can feel all their eyes on me, but I’m no longer seeing anything through the veil of my thoughts, the world blurring into a muted haze. Only Rowan’s hand grabbing mine brings me back as I feel the calluses and the warmth radiating from him.
Finally, my eyes shift to the president.
“No one knows the lengths they’re willing to go to,” I repeat his words back to him.
Cam sucks in a breath, the realization dawning on her as well.
“…so what if we showed them?” I ask. “What if we showed the world who they are… with concrete evidence? With hard facts. No one could bury those stories. The world would know, and then…”
“We’d take away their power,” Rowan says, continuing my thought. His fingers dig deeper into the crease made by my loose fist until he’s fully covering my small hand. “It’s a good idea, and one that I have considered in the past. But there are many problems associated with it. For one, we don’t really have any factual evidence. They always cover their tracks.”
I straighten up. “Iamthe evidence. I can testify to being kidnapped, to having this… this virus inside me, or whatever it is. There’s no public cure for it, right? Thatisproof.”
Cole nods absently. “Proof of the virus might work, if only because their allies would back down. Russia would no longer trust Salister enough to advance their plans together. Neither would Angola.”
“Angola?” Maddox quirks a brow.
“Their latest addition to the party.” Cole waves a lazy hand in the air.
Cam hums in agreement. “I mean, we certainly have the resources for this. But for Dove to testify… I don’t know, people might interpret it the wrong way.”
I ask, “The wrong way… how?”
“Like we’re making it up. Because you’re with Rowan now, and Rowan is friends with the president… it’s easy to get people to make up stories. Stories like…”
“Like we’re the bad guys, and we’re trying to manipulate them,” I conclude, letting my back hit the cushion of the armchair behind me in defeat.
“Which was, in fact, the second point I was going to make.” Rowan nods.
I feel stupid now after voicing it. Of course they’ve thought about this before.
“Don’t do that,” Rowan says, instantly reading me like an open book. “It’s a good idea. We just need more evidence.”
I don’t get to respond to that when Maddox suddenly stands up and says, “Then let’s find some. We don’t have time to think of something else. Besides, Dove is a law intern.” He smiles faintly. “If anyone can help us do this, it’s her.”
The mention of that takes me by surprise. I don’t know if he’s just saying that to make me feel better or if he truly believes I can help. But it doesn’t matter.
Because Iwillfind that evidence if it’s the last thing I do.
twenty
Rowan
The night ends at around four in the morning by the time we have wrung the discussion dry. Cole and I step outside, seeing Maddox and Cam to the Secret Service waiting for them in my driveway.
Thick, dark clouds swallow up the full moon, as if a storm is about to hit. Cam’s hair is blown away from her face in the intensifying wind, which she fixes behind her ear, but it breaks free from the position almost immediately. Then Maddox opens the door for her to the presidential car.
