Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)

7 The Truth

It's Expiration Date's 1st Birthday! Last year at 1 AM I was posting the first chapter!

Competition at the end of the chapter.

Jonas~~

An hour later, Riley pulls off at a diner that my phone directs him to. There's a storm coming in making the sunset take on a greenish quality. I haven't heard from the airport yet, so hopefully it won't ground our plane.

Inside the staff quickly push together six tables while Seong-ho rushes off to the bathroom, Brydan and Colton following after him. We don't even need to show our insignia. They recognize us.

Riley sits next to me while Iris sits across from me with Tobias and Sebastian on either side of her. She looks at them both before opening up her menu.

The two guns tucked into my waist band and hidden beneath my blazer dig against my back and seat. Growing up in the Society, you learn never to go anywhere beyond the Estate without one. And two is always better than one.

These rules only became more important once I Expired.

Propping open his menu, Sebastian looks at me over the top of it. "Meater," he whispers.

I rub my neck, choosing to ignore his insult. Sebastian has a penchant for using old curse words that most of us still don't understand after years of living with him. I've heard him use this one enough to know he's calling me a coward, but over what exactly, I'm not sure. Is it because I won't kill Iris or because he's noticed I've been avoiding her?

Brydan returns from the bathroom, taking the seat on the other side of Riley.

I decide on a chicken sandwich and lay down my menu. "How's your side?"

Iris folds up her menu. "Sore."

Tobias gives her a wink. "She definitely hurt it when she chucked her shoe at Seong-ho."

Iris drums her nails against the laminate of her menu. "It was worth it."

Sebastian hides his smile behind his glass of water.

My phone rings, and I pull it out of my pocket to find it's my mother. "Excuse me." I push back my chair and exit the diner, only answering it once I'm on the sidewalk outside.

My mother doesn't bother with greetings. "They're threatening to go to the Head Order."

My breath is knocked out of me. "Why?"

"One of you told someone in the Society you're bringing Iris back alive."

My fingers clench around my phone. "Who was it?"

"I don't know."

I shouldn't be shocked. I should have expected this. "Give me a minute." I pull my phone away from my ear and text Riley, asking him to come out here. "Do you have any suggestions?" I ask her.

"We were already going to tell them her Date was misprinted. If I verify her Date in front of them, no one will accuse me of lying." No one would dare accuse the former Preeminence's wife of such a thing.

The door closes behind Riley. "Jonas, what's wrong?"

"The Society found out Iris is still alive."

Riley mouths one word. Amoria. That word has always held both fear and excitement for me, but at this moment, all I feel is dread.

I press my palm against my forehead, letting my shoulders sag. "Yes."

"Call me whenever you land, Jonas," my mother says into my ear, "and I'll be waiting for you outside when you get home."