He’s going to come back with more information than we ever thought we’d have. And they won’t keep him there too long, because they want him back here leading this island.
After a shower, I put on one of his T-shirts and lie down on his wide cot, his sheets scented with his soap. He’ll walk back into camp in a few days, and then he’ll be here with me every night, like we used to be.
“Athena to Command Team One, report. Code Yellow. Again, this is Athena to Command Team One. We are at Code Yellow. Report.”
I scramble out of bed, still half-asleep as I process Nova’s radio message. Code Red means we’re super fucked, Code Yellow is partially fucked, and Code Green is a nonemergency.
Dressing quickly, I put on my shoulder holster, remembering what Marcus said about watching my back. If Theron came back, that should be a Code Red, but I still need to be vigilant.
I’m still so damn tired. I grab the cup of water I left myself on the small bedside table and pour some into my hand, then throw it at my face.
Okay. Now I’m awake. It doesn’t feel like I slept very long. I double-check my gun, attach a knife at my waistband, and leave.
When we get a message to “report”, it usually means come to the Sub entrance, but Nova changed the meeting point to behind the supply room. It’s a good idea; the Tiders could be watching us and we don’t want them knowing our routines.
I’m walking through camp when something bright in the sky grabs my attention. Orange sparks are flying from the top of the volcano on the other side of the island. A knot tightens in my stomach as I watch it continue, steam shooting out with the sparks.
This can’t be Marcus’s fault. None of us ever worries about the volcano beinga volcano, because there’s nothing we can do about it. We have a few small fishing boats, but other than that, we have no way off this island. And the boats aren’t built to withstand the storms that rock the ocean waves into a violent frenzy.
When I get to the meeting point, only Niran is missing. All of Command Team One, other than Marcus, is there, including Olin. Stella is there, too.
Nova’s eyes lock on mine.
“Volcano’s awake,” she says.
“I saw. What time is it?”
“A little after eleven,” Wyatt says. “A bunch of us were still at the bonfire when we saw it start up.”
“This fucking island,” Chance mutters, “it’s endless cornholing—on a loop.”
“Cornholing?” Niran says, joining us. “What the hell did I miss? Sorry, I went to the old meeting point.”
“The volcano is shooting out fire and steam,” Stella says, crossing her arms. “And what the fuck is up with your eyebrows?”
As soon as he turns his face close enough for me to see it, it’s all I can do to hold in my laughter. Amira did a number on him. He has nothing but a thin strip of brow left on top.
“Ask Amira,” Niran says, giving her a sullen glare.
When I look at her, she has her fist perched thoughtfully beneath her chin, her middle finger extended against her cheek in Niran’s direction.
“Enough bullshit,” Nova snaps. “This is serious. The volcano could erupt. We need a plan.”
Niran scoffs. “Uh, try not to get liquefied? How do we plan our way out of a volcanic eruption?”
“Nova’s right,” I say. “We need to look at the island’s topography and find the safest spot to be if it erupts.”
“We can’t evacuate,” Nova says. “Without our shield, the Tiders will destroy us.”
“Their camp is a lot closer to the volcano than ours, though,” Chance says. “So they might not be an issue.”
“They can see what’s happening now as well as we can,” I say. “They’ll be planning, too.”
“I’m not saying I was the best student,” Amira says. “But I know volcanic eruptions make lava rivers that can be like ten feet tall. Everything in their path gets destroyed. And if that doesn’t do it, the gas and ash can. That’s what happened to Pompeii—it was buried in ashes.”
“Okay, thanks for that pep talk,” Stella says.
“She’s right,” I say. “But if it erupts, the entire island might not be destroyed. We need to find the safest place and get some basic supplies there.”
