“Devil.”
“What?”
“It’s Devil now.”
“Of course it is.” I rolled my eyes.
The nicknames had been Archer’s idea, but I’d admit only to myself that I liked them. They made his group seem more connected. I knew the purpose of them wasn’t to be endearing, but it still made everyone feel familiar in a sense.
I walked up to him. “Here.”
He took the lighter and card from me. “How does it work?”
“Everything you need to do is on the card. Just download the app and follow the prompts.”
“I don’t have a smartphone.”
I huffed. “Of course you don’t. You know we’re in the twenty-first century, right? You’re asking me for stolen, experimental,top-of-the-line tracking technology when you don’t even have a smartphone?”
“I’ll get one. Just tell me how it works.”
“Neanderthal,” I muttered under my breath. “It’s a low-energy GPS module—no lights, no vibrations, no sounds. Complete stealth technology. Pings its location every twelve hours, hence the need for the app, unless you’re expecting me to mark an X on a map every morning and send it to you by carrier pigeon.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a little dramatic?”
Pain and exhaustion were wearing on me. I knew I wasn’t being fair to him, but tension was building inside me and I had no way of letting it escape. I glared at him before continuing. “Even if the fluid is refilled, the modifications should be completely unnoticeable unless you’re measuring the internal chamber down to the millimeter.”
“The battery?”
“Like I said, it’s a prototype. I wouldn’t expect it to last more than a year max.”
Coyote, or Devil, or Dex, or whatever he wanted to be known as, turned it over in his hand, seemingly pleased with it, before he put it in his jacket pocket.
“You’re welcome.” I waved my hand to dismiss him. “Now go away.”
“Have you slept?” he asked, instead of leaving.
“Yes.”
“Liar.”
I swallowed. “I’m busy. You should go.”
“Busy doing what?”
“Working.”
He sighed. “You don’t have to go through this alone, Harper. I meant it when I said I understand. So, if you want to talk or—”
“I’m fine.” I cut him off, because I couldn’t hear him make that offer. I couldn’t accept it. I’d just end up hurting someone else as well.
It was better foreveryoneif I stayed alone.
twenty-one
Silence.
Monday
