“How big is big?” I take a deep breath and release it slowly. Then I look up at Luke. He’s fifteen. Ifhecan deal with this, I can too. “How much damage can these do?”
“Unfortunately, the specifications and explosive potentialof Cold War–era Russian missiles don’t fall within my arguably extensive collection of trivial knowledge, Maddie.”
“Acknowledged.”
“But, best guess?” He turns to me in the dark tent, his face shrouded in shadow. “I think there’s enough fire power here to make any decent-sized city look like an active war zone. Think Syria. Iraq. Afghanistan.” The grim set of his jaw confirms the gruesome potential. “This is enough to killthousands.”
GENESIS
Indiana and I reclaim grass mats on our side of the fire pit, where the blaze itself blocks our view of Holden and Penelope.
Across the clearing, Sebastián and his men are playing poker for cigarettes, while Silvana and the rest of the Moreno henchmen pass around a bottle ofaguardiente.They glance our way every few minutes, but the only captors who’ve kept a truly close eye on us since we got to the base camp are the guards on patrol duty, who don’t seem to care what we do, as long as we follow orders and don’t leave the clearing.
Indiana takes my hand as we sit. “Well, it may be just you and me, G.”
“Maybe not.” Rog and Domenica are embroiled in a whispered discussion near the edge of the clearing, and they keep glancing at us, then at Pen and Holden. “They could still side with us.” But they need to decide soon. Now-ish.
If Holden tries to run, the guards will be much more vigilant—maybe even vindictive—and I won’t get a chance to sneak down to the beach.
“We need a plan B.” I rub my temples, fighting a headache brought on by hunger, stress, and exhaustion.
Indiana opens his arms, and I scoot back until my spine is pressed against his chest, his mouth inches from my right ear. “Plan A will still work. I’ll be your distraction.” He runs his hands down my arms, then settles them at my waist—until his fingers brush the C-4 packet, and he recoils. “I almost forgot about that,” he whispers. “G, you’rewearingyour plan B. It’s big enough to provide a distraction, but too small to do much damage, if we set it off out in the jungle.”
“That’s brilliant.” I twist in his arms and pull him down for a grateful, almost hopeful kiss. “So, all we have to do is figure out how to get this thing into the jungle before Holden makes his move and ruins our chances.”
“Which means we need to get going.”
“Five more minutes.” I lean my head back against his collarbone and pull his arms tighter around me. “I need a little more of this first.”
Indiana chuckles. “It’s kind of ridiculous, isn’t it? We’re worried that your ex willstopus from blowing ourselves up. Hell of a spring break finale, huh?”
“Well, when you say it likethat...” I can’t help but laugh at the morbid absurdity. “The only thing better than a memorable entrance is a memorable exit.” But he’s not going to make one. He’s going to slip into the jungle unnoticed, with the rest of the hostages.
I’m going to make sure of that.
I turn to sit facing him, practically in his lap, and we are eye to eye. The position is intimate, but the eye contact ispersonal. I feel like he can see every thought I have, and forthe first time in my life—and maybe the last—I’m willing to let that happen.
When I can’t wait any longer, I lean in and kiss him. Slowly, at first. Gently. But he slides one hand behind my head, deepening the angle, and I give him everything I have. Everything I am.
I might have minutes to live, and I have nothing to lose.
This could be my last kiss.
“You know, we might survive this,” I whisper when I finally pull away.
Indiana leans his forehead against mine. “Then why did that feel more like the end of something than the beginning?”
“Sorry to interrupt,” Domenica says as she drops onto a mat of leaves to my left.
Reluctantly, I start to pull away from Indiana, but he holds on to me until I give in and lay my head on his shoulder, careful to keep space between him and the phone trigger. He’s not ready to let go, and I’m not ready to make him.
“Change your mind about escaping with Holden?” he asks.
“I’m still trying to decide. He doesn’t even know how to get back to the bunkhouse for sure.” Domenica glances over her shoulder at Holden and Penelope, who are now blatantly watching us. “So, what would you need me to do, exactly?”
Indiana lets me go, and I angle myself away from the guards, then lift the tail of my shirt so she can see theexplosives tucked into my waistband. Too late, I realize that Pen and Holden can see it too.
Domenica gasps. “What are you going to do with that?”
