The nurse tucks her hair behind her ears, blushing. “Thank you, Eos. Take care, Lucy.”
“You too, Georgina,” I call from the bed with a wave.
Georgina has been a very attentive nurse, but it has a lot less to do with my care than it does her obvious, grating crush on Taylor. Just once, I’d like to go somewhere I don’t have to keep the help off my captor.
Taylor stretches her arms above her head and cracks her neck. Three nights of slumping over me like a guard dog has surely put her bones out of whack. I look at her expectantly. “So, when do the three of us head out?”
Taylor cocks her head. “Three?”
“Me and my new passenger. I’m thinking I should name it.”
She blinks, rubbing her eyes as if it’s the lack of sleep and not my foolishness keeping her from understanding me. “Passenger?”
“The bullet, dummy.” I pat the bandage on my hip keeping the bullet packed inside my flesh. “Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?”
“I think it is a bullet,” she says. “And I think we need to get your head checked before we leave.”
“Possibly. At least now we can be bullet-wound buddies.”
The half-amused look on her face breaks into an actual smile and she laughs breathlessly. “That we can.” Taylor’s watch beeps and joy evacuates her body in double time. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Eos. How are you?” Theia’s voice punctures the room like a pick into thick ice.
Taylor looks at me, then down to her watch. “I am fine, thank you. How are you, ma’am?”
“Quite well. I am in Atlanta with our troops. The latest update from the Northwest is positive. Jacks have surrendered en masse. The only resistance we are seeing is from pockets of militia.”
“They surrendered?” I ponder aloud.
Theia’s light chuckle comes through the speaker. “Miss Piccolo. And how are you faring?”
“You know, peachy as usual.”
“Good. And yes, they surrendered. Fewer Jacks exist than Dusters, and they work under a cohesive leadership. Their commanding officer detailed their surrender to me last night.”
“Under what conditions?” Taylor asks.
“That Reed’s surviving children continue to live in Canada, which I agreed to with the stipulation they may never reenter our regions, and their citizenship is fully revoked. The Jacks will be assimilated into our ranks.”
“Sounds reasonable,” I say. Taylor appears to agree.
“Well, it is partially due to the absolute walloping the Dusters took in the MidCountry. No one on either side wanted to see that level of bloodshed in another region.” Taylor’s mood visibly darkens as she takes in Theia’s words. “However, I do believe the sparing of the children was of particular importance to their leader. I imagine he was close to them, as Reed’s top general. Eos tells me that was your idea, Miss Piccolo.”
“Well, I’m sure it was purely a self-serving suggestion.” When I try meet Taylor’s gaze, she ducks it to the ground.
“In any case, it seems to have worked in currying favor in that region. Our subregion leaders there say many of the populace support the transfer of power. Junior is healing up well, last I heard.”
Taylor watches the machine keeping track of my vitals begin beeping faster. She reaches down and brushes her thumb across my wrist. Not to say it’s okay, but that she understands.
“I am glad it worked out,” Taylor says.
“Agreed. So, I have been in contact with Hunter.”
The movement of her thumb across my skin ceases. “You have? Is she okay?”
“Yes, I believe she’s fine. Wolfshield expects you in four days. When you arrive, you will corroborate this information, then finalize Wolfshield’s surrender.”
“Surrender?” Taylor’s voice rises with every syllable. I put my hand over hers and watch her breathe out a long breath and release some of the tension building in her muscles. “What did she offer?”
