The Risks

March: Chapter 51

"Here," I said, taking a pen from the basket on Charlotte's desk and circling the spot on the map.

The evening had rushed by, and by the time Parker had started laundry, we'd each had a shower, and had dinner in the concourse, it was nearly eight o'clock. I'd almost suggested to Parker that we just put off our conversation with Charlotte until the morning, but ultimately decided against it. We couldn't keep putting this off.

Charlotte's gaze hovered on the paper for a moment before rising to mine skeptically. "And what exactly is here?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But it holds some sort of significance to George, so..."

"It's a lead," Parker added. "We have to take it."

She considered this a moment, then began gathering the map. "I'll get in touch with the Zone. Get a group together. Everything will be ready by the morning."

Parker and I nodded and thanked her.

"Before you leave," she continued, "there's something I need to address. There have been rumors within the school concerning the two of you. Are you aware of that?"

I sighed, because of course there were. I wondered how the information had got out so quickly –Hannah would never spread the rumor- but I supposed it was pretty easy to come to conclusions after the scene I'd made in the concourse the week before.

Even though I was almost certain that was what she was referring to, I felt the need to make sure we were on the same page.

"What rumors?" I asked.

She leveled her gaze with mine, and while it was steady as always, I noticed a caution there that was new. "That you're expecting."

I heard Parker shift in his chair, but he said nothing, giving me the floor.

"I have to ask," she continued. "Is it true?"

"Yes," I answered softly.

She hesitated a moment –such a strange thing it was to see her search for words when she was usually so eloquent in heavy discussions. "Have you spoken with Dr. Shepard yet? To validate the pregnancy?"

"No."

Parker and I had discussed this, and I'd decided that I didn't want to visit Shepard until I had reached what I had calculated to be the twelve week mark, because at that point, the chances of losing the baby organically would drop significantly. If things went smoothly for the next six weeks, then we'd talk to Shepard and get things checked out, but until then, we were waiting things out.

I half expected to explain all this to Charlotte, but thankfully, she didn't press.

"My next question, then," she said, interlacing her fingers and resting her hands atop her desk, "is... are you planning on going with the group tomorrow?"

"Yes." My voice was maybe a bit harsh, but it seemed like such a stupid question. Of course I'd be going tomorrow. While I knew that George was everyone's problem at this point, it felt much more personal to me. There was no way I wasn't going to be the one to apprehend him.

"I'm only asking because it could quite possibly turn into a dangerous situation."

"Thank you for your concern. I'll take that into consideration."

She seemed disappointed with my response but only sighed and said, "Very well. Meet me tomorrow morning at nine A.M. and we'll go over the plan."

"She has a point, you know," Parker said later, after he'd retrieved our clean bedding from the dryer and we made our way back to our room.