Where We Go | Book Three

3. Still Not Dead

The realisation that Ben and Jackie might have been wealthy once upon a time seemed to have stunned Chris more than the fact we finally had a destination. His stare was focused on him, and his mouth still hung open. Pilot failed to hide his smirk as he watched it all unfold.

"You lived in a gated community?" Chris cocked his head. "You?"

Ben ignored the comment, though I was sure it would be brought up another time. "Look, I think it'll give us some more information if we go there. Maybe Will took them there, or Mum could have left something behind."

"Can we travel that far?" I asked. "We've got Julia and Soph to think about."

Ben barely lifted his shoulders, looking wholly deflated. "What other option do we have?"

"It's not a bad idea," Pilot sat forward. "If it's rural and gated like Ben says it is, we'll have more time to figure out something else if they're not there."

Chris squeezed Pilot's hand and gave a reassuring nod, silently agreeing with him.

"Is Julia going to be okay to travel?" Pilot asked.

"Yes," she replied with her eyes closed. "I'm still not dead, surprisingly, Pilot. I'm right here."

He rolled his eyes. "I thought you were sleeping."

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked over. Dark lashes were dazed with sleep, and they batted a few times as she adjusted to the light. She exhaled as she sat herself up against the cushion. "Either way, we don't have a choice... We're running out of time and I didn't drag myself away from that damn building to die here."

"All we can do is keep the wound clean for now," I agreed, looking at her arms that were resting over the bandages on her stomach. A pang of guilt shot through my chest seeing her hurt. There was no doubt it was because of me but, at the same time, whatever energy I might've had to fix it was slowly dispersing.

"Okay," Ben whispered. He bit at the inside of his cheek, a nervous habit he still hadn't managed to tame, and I hated picking up on it. Hated it because I knew exactly what it meant. He was scared. 

Pilot got to his feet, releasing a heavy breath. "I'll go sort the truck."

"Now?" Chris furrowed his brows. "There's still a storm."

Pilot's expression didn't change. "It's the best cover we've got... And if those guys in the chopper come back after it passes, I don't think it will be good if they figure out what Em is."

I almost laughed. If my body wasn't screaming with exhaustion, I probably would have.

What Em is.

It was a statement I'd never understand. I shifted my gaze to the ground and Ben squeezed my arm once more. It wasn't the fear of others finding out who I was now. It was the inevitability of it. It wasn't a question of if, but when and how much time we'd have to prepare. It was that thought which dwelled in my mind. How everyone would react, how they'd detest who I was and do everything to kill me and maybe, one day, I'd let them.

If a cure was going to work, minds that had already been made would have to be changed. To stray them from choices they wanted to make, from people they'd want to side with and not give up until it was all over.

Both mentally and physically, I wasn't ready.

* * *

Julia leaned her weight against me as we walked the short distance to the truck. Her voice was low and drowsy when she spoke. "Thanks for stitching me up," she said. "I know it's supposed to be me looking after you, not the other way around."