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And he hadn’t been strong enough. He’d thought he was: he’d begged his father and uncle to take him along on their last assignment. Uncle Jay had argued on his behalf, claiming it was just supposed to be surveillance—only his dad had put his foot down.
But his dad changed his mind. They came back for Hunter.
And then one of the numerous rock walls along the Pennsylvania Turnpike had come loose, and the car had been crushed.
Calla claimed responsibility. But Hunter knew it was his own fault.
He shouldn’t have been in the car with his dad and his uncle when it crashed. He shouldn’t have been along at all, because they shouldn’t have turned back for him.
If he hadn’t pitched such a fit, the car wouldn’t have gotten trapped in that rock slide. Calla and her friends would have been too late.
“Do you know other Guides?” said Nick.
Hunter shook his head. “Calla thinks I do, though.”
“Would you bring them if you could?”
“I don’t know.”
“She’s going to kill people.”
Hunter looked over. “She’s going to kill people either way. If I convince a bunch of Guides to come here, is that better?”
“Michael says they’ll come anyway, if she keeps this up.”
“He’s right.”
“So I’ve got a question.”
“Yeah?”
“When they do, whose side are you on?”
Hunter didn’t move. He couldn’t. He’d never nailed it down to such a fine point.
But Nick was right. If the Guides came, they wouldn’t stop with Calla and her crew. They’d take out the Merricks, too.
Hunter had no idea where that left him.
Nick rolled out of bed, dragging his pillow and his comforter with him.
Hunter sat up. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to crash on the floor in Gabriel’s room.”
Hunter didn’t know whether to apologize—and before he could figure it out, Nick was through the door.
He probably should have offered to go downstairs himself.
Nick stuck his head back in the door. “We’re not trying to screw with you, man. None of us are. We’re trying to help you.”
Hunter didn’t look at him.
Nick snorted before pulling the door closed. “Maybe doing the same for us wouldn’t be out of line.”
CHAPTER 12
Living in the Merrick house was both complicated—and not. Hunter hadn’t thought it would be possible to feel so isolated in the middle of so much . . . energy. Gabriel woke him up at the crack of dawn with a cup of water to the face and a kick in the ribs.
