“No clue.”
The woman with the braids returns, and slowly she begins to grab onto the shoulders of the rebels and whisk them away. Ender attempts to shoot at her, but she’s too fast.
It takes me a second to recognize the blond-haired boy to Ender’s left.
“Gray,” I yell.
Ender and Grayson both turn to me. I scramble up, excited to see him. My limbs are weak and shaky. I only make it a few steps before Grayson rushes towards me. He catches me in his arms, drawing me in a tight embrace.
“Your sister called,” he whispers. “She told me everything about your little scheme and that you were in danger. I came as soon as I could. Took the first chopper out to North Mire.”
I rest my cheek on his chest, feeling safe in his embrace. Of course, he would fly overnight to come save me. He’s my best friend.
“How did your commanding officer allow that?” I ask.
“Begged my father to call me in for a family emergency,” he says. “It’s a good thing the old man is so fond of you, or he’d tell me to fuck off.”
Across the room, Ender watches us. His intense gaze makes my stomach tighten. Why is he looking at me like he wants to rip me apart with his bare hands? I didn’t ask to be kidnapped. You would assume he would be relieved that I survived, but he just looks pissed.
Gray picks me up and carries me away from the battle. The rebels are fleeing, and the soldiers are fighting in vain to capture as many as they can.
It’s a bit of a walk to the truck. And I take the time to study Grayson. He’s put on a fair bit of muscle since I last saw him, and his hair is longer.
“Thanks for carrying me,” I say. “Even though my legs work perfectly fine.”
“Couldn’t resist playing the role of dashing savior,” Grayson says with a smirk.
Once we reach the military truck, Gray places me in the back seat and brushes back my tangled bangs.
“Where are you hurt, Vee?” he asks.
“You can’t call me that,” I say hoarsely. “Nobody knows.”
Ender is a few paces behind us with Knox. I can’t risk them hearing my nickname.
“Sorry,” he says sheepishly. “Mercy.”
“And you can’t sound sarcastic either,” I say, punching his arm. “Don’t get me killed, Gray. Do you know what Warrick will do to me if he finds out what we did? Let alone that monster Ender?”
“I would scold you for being so reckless, but…”
“But what?”
“I would hate to know you were stuck with that guy. He’s insufferable,” Gray says. “He would suck the life out of your soul.”
“Is it me you speak of, or are you simply describing the worst person alive?” Ender asks.
We both jolt the second Ender slides into the driver’s seat. He only heard the tail-end of that sentence. Because if he learned that we really did switch places, he would be plotting out my punishment as we speak.
“Is that a trick question?” I ask.
“Save your shit-talking for later,” Ender says. “I’m not interested.”
Knox slides into the passenger seat, his cuffs are gone, and he tosses Grayson the keys to unlock mine.
The door to my left swings open, and Spider slips inside.
“Mercy, I thought you were a goner,” Spider says, wrapping his arms around me. “I was worried sick.”
