The Only-Live-Once Society | Book 2

Chapter Eighteen

"When are you going to do that?" I ask him, nonchalant as anything.

My palms are sweaty, my pulse racing. I know it can't be here and right now because he's not insane enough to blow himself up too.

He caresses my face, "Tonight."

"Yes, Daniel. I gathered. When?"

He sniggers, "Now, if I told you everything, that would hardly be fun, would it?"

"Okay, tell me how you got into the school at least?"

He laughs as though I have said something so incredibly funny. "People are fickle things, don't you think? It was pretty easy to get through all the security the new headmaster put in. Too easy. Almost like they don't care about you."

"Or," I say. 'Find the Traitor'. That's our mission. Maybe enticing Daniel was the plan all along. "Maybe you're supposed to think that."

He looks around the room, arrogant and sure of himself. "If they know who I am, why aren't they coming for me?"

"Because they don't want to terrify a bunch of teenagers, or cause a bunch of trained teenagers to react irrationally." As the words come from me I know they're right. Tonight was about luring Daniel here, and I was used as bait.

"Maybe you're right but I'll be gone in a flash."

"Will you?" I ask. "How?"

"Amelia," He says my name as if he thinks I am the sweetest soul alive. "Why would I tell you anything? You're the last person I'd trust to know about my genius." Stepping away from me, he grins. "Have a nice night, it's your last."

Then before I can blink, he's gone. Disappearing into the shadows the dark room casts, I step forward to follow him but it's as if he has evaporated.

As quick as I can, without raising suspicion amongst my peers, I rush to where Elijah, Vince and Stan stand. Elijah reaches for me immediately.

"He's here." I tell them breathlessly, trying to keep panic out of my voice.

"We know." They say.

"He's going to blow the place up!"

Stan shakes his head, "We disarmed the bomb some time ago."

I feel a wave of nausea hit me. "How did he get in here?"

"One the other students from Queen Elizabeth were found unconscious in their room, their suit and ID gone. They're the same height, build and gender as Daniel." Stan says, simply.

I'm furious, I shake Elijah's arms off me. "Do the teachers not recognise their own students? Are they not spies? Do they not live with them? How can this happen?"

"Amelia," Vince says. "Calm down. We know Daniel is crafty-"

I wheel on Stan, "You said this is the safest place! You said-"

"Amelia, you need to calm down."

"Stop telling me what to do! How to emote! How to react! It took you six months to find me when he took me. Six months! He killed my parents. I have every right not to be calm, every right to react in anger. I deserve answers! How the hell did he get in here and where the hell did he go?"

Stan shrugs, "It's part of a plan-"

"PART OF A PLAN?" I yell, which causes Vince to promptly propel me by my elbow to the back of the room and as far away from everyone as possible. Stan and Elijah stare at us. Worry is etched on Elijah's face and he's bouncing from foot-to-foot, but I don't care.