“Me too,” I admitted, returning the hug. I’d given the Assholes an even briefer version of what had happened to me during my captivity. Gizmo had a lot of questions, which Cipher said we’d answer later. Macon was pissed and Artemis was too. But all of that would have to wait. Our safety was the first priority.
Cipher’s eyes shone like polished onyx in the candlelight as he relayed his plan to the rest of our crew.
“We are getting the fuck out of here,” Cipher said. We were huddled in the living room with only a few candles lit so as not to arouse any suspicion. “We have a vehicle this time, but we need to take care of some things first. Gizmo, I need you to search the Humvee for any kind of trackers, GPS or otherwise, and destroy them, as well as anything that might identify the rig as belonging to Jeremiah. I don’t want anyone following us or knowing where we’re headed. As far as anyone knows, we found the Humvee abandoned in the forest.”
He turned then to Macon. “We need gasoline. As many containers as you can fit in a wheelbarrow. Here’s the guards’ schedule.” Cipher thrust a folded-up sheet of paper into Macon’s hand. “Pick a route where you won’t be detected, break some locks if you have to. Got it?”
Macon nodded and Cipher said to Artemis, Teresa, and me, “I need you three to pack up our stuff, only the essentials. Prioritize medical supplies, food, and anything of value we can trade. Here’s a map to the escape hatch and where the Humvee is hidden. If I’m not back in an hour, leave without me and I’ll catch up.”
“Where are we going?” Teresa asked, looking as panicked as I felt.
“Greenville, South Carolina,” Cipher said, then nodded at me as if to acknowledge the significance. “If that’s alright with you?”
“It’s alright with me. Where are you going?”
He hesitated, which was his tell. “I’m going to get more meds.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No, you stay here and help pack.”
“I have a gun,” I reminded him. It used to belong to Jeremiah. Now it was mine. Cipher had put it in my hands that morning and taught me how to shoot it using old soup cans as targets. The weight of it against my hip was both comforting and scary.
“The gun is for self-defense. You’re not going to go looking for trouble,” he said.
Funny, when that was exactly what I suspected he was going to do.
“I know where the meds are stored and I have a key,” I said to him. If painkillers were what he was after, I could get them easily.
Cipher glanced at the others then looked at me with guilt flashing in his eyes. “I’m not going to get meds, Kitten.”
“You’re going to see Brother Larry,” I said and his silence confirmed it. “Don’t do it, Cipher. Just let it go.”
“I can’t let it go.”
“If I can let it go, then you can let it go,” I said, my temper flaring. Damn him for putting himself in danger again.
“I can’t let him get away with this, Kitten. It’s not right and you know it.”
“I don’t care about what’s right or what’s wrong. All I care about is you.”
“He put our family in danger. He lied to me, to all of us. He bloodied your t-shirt to make it look like you’d been attacked by Rabids. You could have been killed. He…hurt you.” Cipher faltered and drew in a deep breath. “I can’t let it go. I’d do the same if it was any one of you.”
I didn’t have an answer to that. I only knew that seeking revenge might harm Cipher, and we couldn’t afford to lose him.Icouldn’t afford to lose him.
“I need you,” I insisted. “Weneed you. Your safety isn’t worth getting even.”
“This isn’t revenge, Kitten, it’s justice. It’s making sure Larry can’t do this to anyone else.”
“Then let me come with you,” I insisted.
“No, absolutely not. I’ve made up my mind. I’ll meet you all at the rig.” He kissed my forehead, and I recognized it for what it was, a dismissal. I was mad as hell, and it made me want to fight him tooth and nail.
“I want a vote,” I said, invoking the rule of our pack. “Right here, right now. All those in favor of Cipher staying here with us, raise your hand.”
I raised my hand, as did Teresa and Macon. God bless them.
“All those in favor of me going after Larry?” Cipher said. He raised his hand, and Artemis and Gizmo followed suit. Before I could argue, he continued, “Tie vote. I’m pulling rank here as the de facto leader, which means I’m going and you’re staying here with the others. I love you.” He gripped the back of my neck and kissed me as if it might be the last time. Then he headed for the door and was gone before I could even say goodbye.
