Fragile

Chapter 19

"This is fucking insane," Kiera mumbled over and over. She sat at the edge of Noah's bed, processing the information Noah spilled on her. 

I gnawed away at my lower lip. Was I wrong to trust her? What if Noah was right, and my bad judge of character was going to get us all killed? Even though the stakes in this mission were extremely high, I had never taken a moment to consider that I could die. I also didn't consider that the people to kill me could very well be on the same side as Noah. Had I gone about this all wrong? What if they killed Noah for trying to protect me? How many people would be in danger because of my carelessness? 

I felt my heart clench as I waited patiently for Kiera to speak. Would she hate me for keeping the secret? Would she call the dean and get Noah expelled? Would she call the police? Would she just ignore everything and ask me to move out? 

Noah wasn't nearly as patient as me, and cut into my spiraling thoughts. "What has been said cannot leave this room, or I can't guarantee your safety," he warned. "You still have a chance to cop out, but this is the last time." 

"Why the fuck would I cop out?" Kiera snapped. Both Noah and I jolted, eyes wide. "Those sleazebags. Who do they think they are, Ted Bundy? Going around acting all charming and luring girls like that? God, I'm nauseous thinking about it. I'm all in, give me a gun, I'll shoot them myself." 

"Kiera-" 

"This is an extremely delicate mission," Noah cut us both off. "There will be no shooting of any kind. Not until we figure out where they keep taking the girls." 

Kiera scowled, her face twisted so aggressively that I couldn't make eye contact. I didn't realize until then, but Kiera was... terrifying. "Somehow I'm not confident with you in charge." 

"Excuse you?" he growled. 

She stood, as if she was puffing out her chest. Both of them seemed to be in some kind of dominance match, with hardened stances. "You've let them get away, how many times? And the fact that even the most naive girl on campus- no offence Fay- managed to uncover your identity just proves how incompetent you are." 

"Would you rather I let her get trafficked?" he argued. "that was what I was supposed to do. Do you think you could've let that happen?" 

"She was almost raped, that doesn't mean you have to tell her everything else!" 

"She wouldn't stay away from them!" 

"Guys..." I trailed off, not sure how to stop their arguing. I wasn't much for confrontation even in a positive situation, but this... this was borderline terrifying. The two people I cared about were at each others throats because of me. Because I didn't know how to stay out of the way. 

"Then just let her go!" Kiera snapped. Immediately my blood went cold. "One girl over hundreds? Your emotions are too impulsive for this job. All those girls have families." 

Both Noah and Kiera turned to me once they realized what had been said. I was already in tears long ago, a crybaby just like always. Both looked at me with guilt, until Kiera looked away. 

"Fay, I'm sorry. It's not personal," she mumbled. 

It sure feels personal, I thought. To hear Kiera say she would've let me get trafficked hurt. The lump in my throat seemed to metastasize, tears dripping down my jaw and neck. Was I really that helpless? Rationally I knew what she meant. Noah had said the same thing to me when we saw those girls at the dock. We had to sacrifice saving a few in order to save them all. Though Noah didn't disclose any information they had gotten from that night, I knew he sent someone to tail the van. Now I wondered if anything had come of the heist.