The silence is unbearably loud, until Cam clears their throat.“We can train her. Rumor has it you’ve already done some self defense. I can teach her how to withstand interrogation. Benji can get her comfortable with the tech.”
I shake my head, an almost-hysterical laugh bubbling out of me. “She’ll get caught.”
Delilah rolls her eyes. “Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rebel Man.”
I ignore her, fists clenched. “I won’t do it.”
“It’s not up to you,” she challenges. “Last I checked this is a council meeting. Don’t you all decide things together?”
Bec fails to hide her proud smile. “Majority vote wins. If we’re split we open the vote up to the entire camp.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I grumble. “Because it’s not happening.”
Delilah scoffs. “God, you’re an ass.”
“Better to be an ass than to see you end up dead.” I take a step toward her. “Do you know what they do to traitors, darlin’?”
She flinches slightly, but lifts her chin nonetheless as I get closer.
“They torture them in every way imaginable. Sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, waterboarding—all of it seems likechild’s play compared to what the Brotherhood is capable of when it comes to getting information out of people.”
I can see the uncertainty in her gaze, and I hope to god I’m scaring her. Maybe then she’ll decidenotto do this.
“They won’t hurt me.” Her chin wobbles.
“You’re wrong.” The very idea of her being within Gabriel’s reach again makes me physically ill. “They will hurt you if they find out the truth, and there will be nothing I can do to stop it.”
“Let’s vote,” she addresses the council as a whole now, though her eyes never leave mine.
I stare down at her, prepared to drop to my knees and beg if I have to. “Please don’t do this.” My voice comes out a pathetic whisper, a prayer beseeched to any god who might listen.
Wes breaks the silence. “I vote yes.”
“I vote no,” V says. “We can find another way to take down the Brotherhood.”
“It’s worth the risk,” Cam says. “I vote yes.”
“We’ll make sure she’s ready.” Bec attempts to reassure me. “Yes.”
Benji’s the last to vote. “No.” One word, yet a full sentence.
“No.” I smirk, relief coursing through me. “Sorry, darlin’.”
She scowls. “I don’t get a vote?”
“You’re not a member of this council,” I state plainly.
“But this vote pertains to me. It wasmyidea,” she argues. “Besides, you said a tie vote goes to the rest of the camp.”
“With minor issues, yes. Not when someone’s life is hanging in the balance.” Her inability to grasp the severity of the situation only makes my irritation grow.
“You’re being dramatic.” She turns away from me. “You can’t stop me, Maverick. You can either help make sure I’m ready or not. Either way, I’m going back.”
I stare her down. “If you think I’m incapable of stopping you, you severely underestimate the lengths I’ll go to to protect the people I care about.”
Another scowl sours her expression which quickly morphs into one of surprise as I reach down and throw her over my shoulder, just like the first night we met.
“Maverick!” she screams, struggling against my hold. “Put me down!”
