At McKay’s nod, two people from the STAT support team moved along the rows of chairs, handing out thick manila envelopes to everyone, including Brielle. It had her name on it along with a string of numbers.
“Which is why we had to turn over this entire operation to an AI computer,” McKay continued. “It came up with the plan with no outside assistance from anyone, using its knowledge of the threat we face as well as each of your particular skills and personality traits. When you walk out of here, someone will direct you to a vehicle, which will drop you off at an undisclosed location somewhere in the city. When you get there, open your envelopes. Inside, you’ll find instructions that will tell you where to go and what to do. Many of you have multiple envelopes inside the one you’re holding that will give you the information you need at the proper time. We’re hoping that, if we’re vague enough, Harrington will have a hard time figuring out what we’re up to until it’s too late to stop us.”
Brielle saw doubt—and panic—in the eyes of everyone around her. She didn’t blame them. Her own heart had started to bang like a drum as the implication of what McKay said started to hit home. The thing she was most afraid of about this plan that wasn’t a plan was that she and Caleb would be separated. She simply couldn’t imagine that.
She was still trying to wrap her head around that when McKay announced there were food and weapons in the back of the warehouse and that they should help themselves to both before heading out.
“I’m gonna grab something to eat,” Caleb said. “You hungry?”
Brielle wasn’t but nodded anyway. Hopefully, they could find some privacy where she could confide her concerns about the possibility of them getting split up.
Unfortunately, everyone seemed to be as hungry as Caleb, because there was a crowd around the tables where the food had been set up. She nibbled on a chocolate chip cookie that tasted like dirt in her mouth instead of delicious, like her head kept telling her it was, because she was so worried, while Caleb helped himself to several cheeseburgers. As they moved away from the table, Julian and Kiara walked over to them. He had two manila envelopes in his hand.
Julian glanced at Caleb before looking at her. “I was too worried about Kiara last night to ask what McKay threatened you with this time in return for helping me.”
“He only asked me to help STAT find the stolen nukes,” Brielle said.
Her brother seemed genuinely surprised. But also relieved. “So you’re free to leave anytime you want?”
Brielle felt more than saw Caleb tense beside her. “Yes.”
“Good.” Julian nodded. “Because Kiara and I are leaving, and I want you to come with us.”
Kiara’s eyes went wide. “Leaving? What are you talking about? I’m not leaving.”
“Neither am I,” Brielle said.
Julian cursed under his breath in French. Folding the envelopes in half, he shoved them in his back pocket, then took Kiara’s hands in his. “While I really hope STAT is able to stop your father, I’m not willing to risk either of us being anywhere near New York City in the event that they can’t. If we have any hope of finding a safe place to take cover before it’s too late, we need to leave now.”
Kiara slowly shook her head, a small, sad smile curving her lips. “Even though we just met, I’ve come to care about you, Julian. More than I’ve ever cared about anyone. I know you want to keep me safe, but I can’t leave. My father is the one responsible for all of this. His bizarre plot to save the world by destroying it is certifiably insane, but if I leave instead of staying here to help stop him, then I’m no better than he is.”
Genuine panic filled Julian’s eyes. “What are you talking about? You don’t know the first thing about fighting or even how to shoot a gun. You’ll only end up getting yourself killed.”
“Maybe. But I hope not.” She sighed. “Julian, I promised McKay that I’d walk the pathways and try to give his team an advantage. I may not be as strong as my father when it comes to walking the pathways, but I can do enough to confuse him a little bit and make him doubt what he sees.”
Julian didn’t say anything, and Brielle could see the dilemma going on in his head. His desire to leave was warring with the need to stay with the woman who obviously meant so much to him. After a moment, he turned to Brielle, giving her an imploring look.
“Help me talk some sense into her, Brielle. Tell her that we all need to leave,” he begged. “Please.”
Brielle opened her mouth to say she couldn’t do that because she wasn’t leaving either, but Caleb interrupted.
“Your brother is right, Brielle,” he said. “You and Kiara should both go with him. There’s no need for you—or her—to go on this mission.”
All the air left Brielle’s lungs, making speech impossible, even if she knew what to say. So instead, she stared at him in disbelief as he stood there stone-faced. Caleb was doing this to keep her safe, she knew that. But the thought of him going into whatever danger awaited him without her had her heart suddenly beating out of control.
“I know what you’re doing, Caleb, but it’s not going to work,” she said. “Did you really think I’d be okay with you facing heaven knows what kind of danger while I’m safe and sound somewhere far away from here, going out of my mind worrying about you? And don’t even suggest that you’ll leave me behind because I’ll only follow you.”
Caleb let out a soft growl. “Dammit, I’m trying to keep you safe. Why can’t you understand that?”
“I do understand,” she said softly, reaching up to rest her hand against his scruffy jaw, not caring that they were going to have this conversation with her brother and Kiara standing right there. “But part of getting close to someone is accepting that the worry goes both ways. You don’t want me to get hurt, but I don’t want you to get hurt, either. So I’m going with you to watch out for you, because you never watch out for yourself.”
She couldn’t tell if Caleb was ready to capitulate or not, but before he could say anything one way or another, Julian spoke.
“Wait a minute,” her brother said, glaring first at Caleb, then at her. “Youlikethis guy? I mean, I saw you holding hands before, but are you twosleepingtogether?”
Brielle returned his glare, furious that her brother had the nerve to say something about her choice in men when she’d been forced to deal with his questionable taste in girlfriends for years—up until now, of course. Kiara seemed like a really sweet girl.
“And what makes you think that the answer to either of those questions is any of your business?” she demanded.
