“They…” I furrow my brow, worried I’ll hurt her feelings. “They might not want to… We’re not the same anymore. You know that, right? They’re used to the Sydney you were at the academy.”
“I’m still that Sydney,” she says. “Only better. Filled in and more complicated. I think they’ll be proud of me.” And her voice is so hopeful and loving that I’m sure she’s actually right. Who wouldn’t be proud of her?
“I think it’s a good idea,” I say.
Sydney smiles before laying her head back down on the pillow. She reaches over to take my hand, content with the idea of seeing her parents again. And I’m a little jealous. Unlike Sydney, my parents didn’t continue to come see me. I don’t know why—even the doctor at the academy didn’t understand them. To this day, I have no idea what my parents intended for me. Why they wanted a “rebel” girl—my specific programming type. For me, there is no hope of reconciliation.
But I’m okay with not knowing. I won’t track them down; I won’t ask why they had me created, why they let me be held at Innovations Academy. Sometimes, there are no good answers.
I’ll leave it. Or at least, that’s what I tell myself as I finally drift off to sleep.
19
We spend a restless morning at the cabin. So much is happening across the country by now, Anton’s confessions and pictures and documents overrunning every news station, even the one that Wallach owned.
As the early afternoon sun streams through the dusty cabin windows, the girls and I pack while Annalise sets up a makeshift office in the living room. Marcella took the car into town first thing this morning to buy a computer and several other components. She downloaded Raven’s instructions on how to fix the kill switch and then brought it all back to the cabin, where Annalise could safely work without network interference.
When we’re ready to go, Annalise walks us out onto the porch, her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. Marcella reaches to rub her hand over Annalise’s head before pulling her into a hug. “I’m coming back for you,” Marcella says into her shoulder.
“Good,” Annalise says. “And when you do, I’m fixing up thatbrain of yours.” They both laugh, and Brynn and Sydney take their turns saying goodbye for now.
As they take our stuff to the car, I walk up to Annalise. “I feel like we’re always splitting up,” I say. She nods, her eyes glassy with tears.
“We always find each other again,” she says. “Just don’t stay away too long.”
I promise that I won’t, giving her one last hug, and then I grab my bag and head to the waiting car.
Brynn sniffles from the passenger seat, waving to Annalise through the windshield, while I join Sydney in the back. Marcella turns the car around and then we’re heading out of the woods, back toward civilization.
About halfway there, my phone begins to buzz in my pocket. I take it out, and I’m worried when no number appears on the caller ID, not even to say it’s Unknown.
“Should I answer it?” I ask the girls, showing them the phone.
“If they have your number, you might as well,” Sydney says, readying herself for whatever is about to come. “Besides, it could be Jackson or Quentin, right?”
Slowly, I slide the button to answer and click the speaker button. I hold out the phone so we can all hear. The line is quiet for a long moment.
“Now, now,” Leandra says and tsks. “You have certainly surprised me, girls.”
Once upon a time, Leandra Petrov was a girl at Innovations Academy. Her programming had been created for Winston Weeks, but in a show of power, Roman Petrov took her as hiswife instead. In return, Leandra helped him monitor us, prepare for our lives as the sweet and beautiful girls of the academy. But in reality, Leandra was making a plan to get us out. Once she did, she killed all the professors.
Despite the ways she’s hurt us, Leandra has helped us more than anyone else. Hearing her voice now is a combination of trepidation and relief.
“How did you get this number, Leandra?” I ask. “Pretty sure it’s unlisted.”
She laughs. “As if you could hide it from me. Although, I’ll admit I have no idea where you are. Could you still be in Colorado?”
“You’ll see us soon enough,” Marcella says, glancing at the phone before turning back to the road. “But since we have you on the line, do you want to tell us what happened to the investors?”
“I’m assuming you’re talking about the leading story on every news network?” Leandra asks. “Seems those men keep getting themselves killed.” She chuckles softly. “And the panic, my word. Imagine if they had to worry about being murdered every time they walked alone at night.”
“Why did you send us to find them if you were just going to kill them all?” I demand. “You put us in danger.”
“First of all,” Leandra says. “Going to find them wasyouridea. I was perfectly capable of handling it. Secondly, I had absolutely nothing to do with their deaths, other than being grateful they’re gone.”
“Wait,” I say, looking around at the other girls. They seem equally shocked. “You didn’t kill them?”
“No,” she says. “You asked if you could try a nonviolent route, and I gave you your shot. Didn’t think it would work, if I’m honest. I’m assuming by your questions that you’re not the ones who killed them either?”
