The Revenge Of Gallagher

Unchained

Jonas had followed my plan the following morning, walking into the lab with his head down and his shoulders slumped. I watched secretly as the encounter took place, Jonas following the basic script we'd given him - that he needed to concentrate on beating the Circle, that he couldn't have any distractions, that if Liz wasn't with me then she was against me and that meant she was against him. It was heartbreaking, from start to finish. Watching him lie to her, watching her break down in front of him and beg him to stay - it made me feel sick. 

Jonas didn't speak to me for days. My check-ups had come and gone, I was out of the wheelchair and on enough pain meds to send me slightly loopy. But I was up and moving around relatively fine. Things seemed to be going back to normal - my mom had forced us to start classes again, even with the limited amount of students and staff we had. She told us we needed to get back into a routine, that good spies learn to move on. I think a part of her knew that it wasn't going to be that simple, that Catherine would come for us when the time was right, but she didn't want the password or the bracelet to consume us. We were still doing everything we could to try and crack the code, but now it was more of an evening event rather than taking over our whole lives. 

Mom was doing a lot better - she rotated her time between talking to me, talking to Joe, or resting. But she was finally getting back to normal. She was moving around more, she'd managed to take a few unaided steps around her room, which was a big sign of improvement. Her and Joe were growing closer by the day - him coming in at 9 every night on the dot, sitting in the corner until we'd finished our chat and mom became dozy, wishing me goodnight as I let them be. Joe hadn't actually attempted to talk to me about this new situation with my mother, but I didn't want to ask questions. He was making her happy and healthy. That's all that mattered to me. 

And now this was the new normal: sat next to my gorgeous boyfriend in the dining hall on a Monday morning, my best friends sat around me as we chatted aimlessly about nothing in particular, waiting for the morning bell to ring so we could head to our classes. It was good, the best I'd felt in a long time, but Jonas' hostility and the empty seat next to him was a constant reminder that it wasn't enough. It would never be enough until this was over. 

"Morning, all," Joe nodded at our table as he made his way passed. 

"Have a good sleepover, Mr Solomon?" Nick quipped, Zach choking on his orange juice in surprise. I couldn't help the smirk that etched it's way onto my face as I locked eyes with Nick, a cocky grin presented on his lips. Nick and I had become much better friends since the Blackthorne mission. He understood when I didn't want to talk about things, pulling me out of stressful situations where the questions became too much. He never wanted anything from me - not answers or plans or direction. He knew I couldn't give him any of that. So, instead, her just wanted to keep me sane. And, surprisingly, he was doing a good job. 

"Well," Joe started, noticing the exchange, "I hope you two can get on this well in the CoveOps task today. I'm putting you as partners." 

"That's not fair!" Macey exclaimed, glaring at an already-apologising Nick and a smug Joe. Nick never apologised to anyone other than Macey , but I think it was more out of fear than regret. 

"Macey, you can go with Grant. And that leaves Bex and Zach. Sounds fair to me," Joe shrugged. 

"Fucking kill me," Zach mumbled under his breath as Bex huffed unhappily. What a way to kill the good mood, Joe.

"Ms Morgan," Joe nods his head towards the breakfast bar, "a word, please." 

Macey smacks Nick on the arm as he starts humming the Imperial March as I stand. Bex sends me an encouraging thumbs up and I can't help but roll my eyes.