The Eden Projects (FINAL EDITING)

Chapter 52. Movement.

Ace stormed out of the housing building in a flurry of feathers and anger.

Jack zipped his jacket with trembling fingers. He'd spend all night dragging the tracker through the woods if he had to. They both knew a storm was coming.

"What were you thinking?" Ace kept his voice low. "Taking Kasper there. If things had gone wrong, you could've died. Or worse." He stopped, glaring at Jack. "Kasper could've lost it. Again."

"I can handle him."

"No." Ace shook his head. "You could handle him months ago. Hell, I could handle him then. Now?" He laughed bitterly. "Neither of us could stop him if we needed to. The only thing that can stop Kasper now is himself... or a bullet to the head." He paused. "And even then, we don't know. You can't run secret missions with him. Not like this."

Jack stared back without blinking.

"You betrayed my trust," Ace continued. "You put every one of us at risk. Do you understand that? They're going to come for Zero. We both know that."

"Kasper was right." Jack's voice remained calm. "Do you think I'd have taken him there if he wasn't? This had to happen. We need to start moving. Ark can't keep the advantage. If Kasper is the only thing keeping that from happening..." He shrugged. "I'll use him. As a battering ram if I have to. Isn't that your plan too? Use him as a weapon?"

Ace's fists clenched. "You don't understand what's at stake."

"I do." Jack snapped back harder than Ace expected. "If Ark stays one step ahead, we're finished. They're already running us around. I'm not sacrificing our people because we're afraid to move. They're after him. Not us. You said that yourself. If putting Kasper in front of them keeps everyone else alive I'll do it. I won't leave this camp sitting like fish in a barrel waiting for slaughter."

"I'm not waiting." Ace glanced toward the camp. Too many eyes. "Come with me." 

He grabbed Jack's sleeve and led him through the front gate, down the road, and into the forest.

Only when the camp disappeared behind trees did he finally stop.

Silence settled around them.

Birds called overhead.

Branches creaked.

Water dripped from thawing limbs.

All of signaled the end of something and beginning of another.

Ace planted his hands on his hips. "Something's happening to him."

"There's always something happening."

"No." Ace rubbed his face. "He's making reckless decisions. Talking to himself. Hunting in broad daylight. Ignoring the sun, for Christ's sake." He exhaled sharply. "He's abandoned every routine that kept him stable. Zak can't control him any better than I can. We're losing our grip on Kasper." He looked back toward the hidden camp. "I don't know how much of him is left in that head of his. I have no way of knowing how much of the fault belongs to the strain."

Jack frowned. "Send Kasper and Zak away. Please."

"It wouldn't matter." Ace answered immediately. "Ark would kill anyone in Kasper's orbit just to prove a point."

Jack studied his own feet. Stress pinned his ears down and an anxious shuffle made up the rest. 

"You know something about this." 

Jack looked to him with eager eyes. 

"Tell me." Ace said smoothly. "This isn't the time for secrets anymore."