“Jackson risked his life, your life, to help us,” I say. “And later, when you realize what I’ve told you is true, you’ll probably be mad at him. But if you’re really his friend, you won’t mention this conversation until we’re gone. We just need a few hours, and then you’ll never see us again. So get out of here, get him out of here, and don’t come back. We can’t protect you.” I harden my voice. “We won’t protect you.”
Quentin’s brow furrows deeply, and he takes a step away from me. “You’ve lost your mind,” he says. “What’s—?”
“Take him and go,” I repeat, clenching my teeth. “You won’t get another chance.”
“This is so messed up,” Quentin says. But I must scare him enough that he decides to do what I ask. He shoves the blank receipt in my direction, and then he turns around and gets in the car.
Jackson holds up his hand, and I force a smile.
“See you soon,” I call, my heart aching as I say it. Quentin shifts into gear, avoiding my eyes. And as Jackson nods goodbyeto me, Quentin backs the car out of the driveway and leaves us. I turn and walk onto the porch.
I’m shaking when I get inside. My breathing is ragged, tears thick in my throat. Jackson will hate me for sending him away, for telling Quentin the truth before he could.
And he should. Jackson shouldn’t trust me, because I can only hurt him at this point.
I close the door before turning to the girls on the couch. Sydney watches me with a heavy expression.
“I’m sorry, Mena,” she says.
“You did the right thing,” Imogene calls to me. “He would have betrayed you eventually. That’s the way of their kind. Humans destroy everything they touch.”
Jackson is gone. That part of my life is gone. Now we only have our mission to focus on. I let the anger finally flood in. It’s not revenge; it’s more important than that.
We’re going to end Innovations Academy for good. We’re going to destroy the corporation that created us. And when that’s done, we’re going to find our parents—our investors—and stop them, too.
I walk into Imogene’s room, covering my nose, to find the girls and me more presentable outfits. After all, we’re about to see Leandra Petrov again.
Girls withKindRazorHearts
Open your eyes, my father said
The day I was born.
You will be sweet, hepromisedthreatened
You will be beautiful
You willobeyfight back
And thenheItoldmemyself
Above all
You will have akindrazorheart
For that, they willlovefearyou.
They willprotectrevereyou
They willkeeprun fromyou
Because you belong tothemno one
So be a girl to make themproudafraid
4
Leandra Petrov takes her time, examining each of us on the couch as she paces in front of the fireplace, her brown leather bag dropped by the door. She brushes back her light hair, her fair complexion nearly perfect except for the fading bruise in the corner of her eye—a side effect from impulse control therapy at the academy.
