Walking Amongst Them (Among Us, Book 2)

CLARKE

The guilt I might have felt over using someone the way we planned to use Beck might have been stronger if I didn't have to spend so much time with him beforehand. When Sam had first suggested the plan, swiftly supported by a mourning Adam, I'd been hesitant.

It didn't seem right, using Beck as a distraction without his knowledge. At first I'd also worried that it wouldn't go the way that Sam and Adam both seemed convinced it would. Trish joining in on the idea, looking slightly optimistic about the outlook, only swayed me so far.

It wasn't the first thing to be suggested.

We spoke through most of the night, talking about the logistics of how to get so many people out of here. It was the theory that they wouldn't follow us, because in the long run our presence here was less desirable than our absence. Especially with the damage that was being planned, hopefully attention would be anywhere but on the few missing new people.

They'd probably put one and one together, eventually. Maybe.

I didn't worry about the people of the quarantine as much as I worried about the person we planned to not only use and betray, but leave behind as well.

Part of their planned required that the people be distracted with the damage and the fire, as well as Beck himself. They needed to have all of their hands full, to give us our best shot. If any of us were caught for the damages, or even suspected and made to wait for some sort of interrogation- well, there were plenty of things to go wrong.

Without focusing on what felt like the human sacrifice part of our plan, I tried to find a weak spot wherever I could. I played devil's advocate on our plan, all night long. While some of the things I pointed out couldn't be made to sound any better, things like getting in to the lab in the first place were figured out.

Adam was fairly sure he could get a spare key, as one of the woman in the schoolhouse has a sister who works to keep the kitchens running. I wasn't sure how all of it worked to give Adam a key to the labs, but he seemed confident and that was all we could be right now.

By the end of the night, or early morning as it was, everyone had something they needed to accomplish to make the plan work. We all had our parts. Even if some of us didn't know our exact roles.

My guilt, not only over Beck, but over Kodi's unknowing part of the next day, kept me upmost of the rest of the evening. I didn't think sleep would have ever come, but Abby woke me the following morning for breakfast. She ate lunch at school with the other kids, so they didn't have to travel for it.

When we emerged from the room both Beck and Adam were also awake. Trish hadn't been in the room, so I assumed she either hadn't slept or had already made her day an early one. Adam held open the door for Abby and I, and while we passed through Beck spoke.

"You're going to walk with me, right Clarke?"

I blinked. Adam scooped Abby's hand into his and looked to me, trying to keep his expression without opinion. I didn't have a solid reason to turn down what seemed like a friendly invitation, so I told him as long as Abby got to choose which side she sat first, he could have what was leftover.

Something about this made his smile turn a little strained. He tilted his head and slid his eyes down to Abby, who regarded him with something that resembled a glare. She seemed to be sizing him up as much as he washer.

"Right," was all he finally said as we walked in a group to the building food was served.

It was a small moment of discomfort, but they happened often throughout the rest of the day. My subconscious told me this still wasn't enough. Just because he made me uncomfortable did not give me the right to use him like we intended to.