“You’re covered in grease,” I say.
Gray runs his hand over his pecs and lifts it to find his palm stained black, grinning. “What’s up?”
I hesitate. Cross didn’t ask me not to share the information. All he said was that he’d handle it. And maybe hewillfind a way to handle it, despite not having Silver Block’s vast resources at his disposal.
But in the likely event that he can’t, there’s no way I’m letting anyone at that salt mine get killed. Especially not my best friend.
“I have some intel,” I admit. “I think maybe it needs to be relayed to the Authority.”
“What kind of intel?”
“Regarding the Ice Canyon facility. They’re relocating all the Modified prisoners to the coal mine in K.”
His features sharpen. “The Stillwater mine? That facility can’t accommodate all those people.”
“I know. Not all of them will be leaving Ice Canyon alive.”
“Shit.” He shoves his arms into his sleeves and zips up the flight suit. “Where’d you hear this?”
I already have my lie prepared. “The Mod I know who’s dating someone in the Command. She doesn’t work for the network and has no interest in coming aboard, so that’s all I can reveal.”
Although he scrutinizes me for a second, he doesn’t push or try to poke holes in the story.
“All right. I’ll brief the others. But they won’t take any action unless the intel is confirmed by one of our own sources.”
Message received. I’m not a trustworthy source.
Several hours later, I’m at the shooting range when I feel a nudge at the back of my mind.
Adrienne keeps it short and to the point.“Our intel corroborates yours. They’re moving the prisoners tomorrow morning.”
“What are we going to do?”
She leaves my mind without answering.
Good talk.
I eat dinner with Xavier, desperate to be in the war room right now. Gray and Teriq are notably absent from the mess hall, and while Adrienne’s and Kallister’s absence doesn’t set off alarm bells since I rarely see them in here, the fact that all the mission leads are missing speaks volumes. Saint. Evlynne. Raven Persimmons, who today I learned is also a lead. I imagine that enrages Mako.
We’re playing cards with Poppy in the common room after dinner when a voice crackles over the Dagger’s sound system.
“All field operatives report to the mess hall.”
Xavier glances up from his cards. “That include you?” he asks me.
“I think so?” I played a pivotal role in Adrienne’s mission to corrupt the General, so I think that earns me field operative status. Either way, let them try to keep me away. I’m too curious to miss out.
He glumly sticks out his chin. “I never get invited to parties.”
“Neither do I,” Poppy tells him in a show of support as I lay down my cards and duck out of the room.
I file into the mess hall along with dozens of others, and there are no seats left by the time I make it inside. I stand next to Hawkins, who grunts in greeting. I’m surprised to see him, considering he said nobody wants to work with him. Granted, nobody wants to work with me, either, andI’mhere.
I expect the entire Authority, but only Gray and Teriq enter. The room goes quiet as Teriq gets things going.
“The Authority voted earlier to authorize an extraction.”
My heart jumps with excitement.Finally.They’re going to rescue them.
