ARC10

Chapter 12

My heart bangs against my chest so loudly, I mistake it for the unit's beating boots against the ground. Weighed down by my musings of the events around ARC10, I fall behind, staring into the small of Dean's back as he charges forward.

As we near the end of the tunnel, Kai slows to fall in line with me. I wonder where Cambell has gone to.

"Meet me later," he whispers again. "I've missed you."

My gaze darts to Dean who is far ahead as my heart flutters, suddenly feather-light. "Sure." I shrug in pretend nonchalance. "The Sink?"

"Too public. I just want to hang out with you for a bit. Y'know, just us."

His elbow flies out sideways and clips me playfully in the arm. I stumble a little bit and slide back into formation before Dean or Hayomo catch us messing around. But my head is too entangled with my stomach to care more than a slight, un-militaristic nudge. Somebody finally gave me wings.

I roll my eyes as we bounce through the tunnels in our light jog. "Yeah, that was such a great idea the first time, too," I joke a little too casually.

He doesn't answer for a few seconds. What before mimicked soaring birds has now morphed into frenzied bats, scared off with a loud noise and a burst of bright light. As the time passes and he doesn't respond, the menagerie in my gut has died, and the flapping critters now lie in a heavy pile.

His elbow clips me again. "What? You're already pregnant. What can they possibly do?"

The debate in my head is quick. Tell him? Don't tell him?

"It didn't take. I'm not pregnant."

I can tell he's shocked, but the rhythmic beat of our boots against the dirt never lets up. I can tell is through his silence.

"Okay, so the Sink it is."

We jog without words. His arm flashes out at random, forcing me to dodge and weave around it. It becomes a back-and-forth game we play to pass the minutes as we jog along the old tunnels. Eventually, we reach Level 9 and file around Hayomo to wait for the next set of orders. She strips us—checking for our doubts, our fears, or our questions. None bubble to the surface, meaning she must be satisfied.

"Tomorrow, we will continue embarkation plans. Meet back at Combat Room Four at oh-eight-hundred. You are dismissed."

She pivots on her boot and proceeds into another hallway guarded by two soldiers with heavy machinery. Our bodies relax as she disappears into the crowd. Dean finds me inches away from Kai.

At that moment, Kai's elbow juts out and smashes into my ribs while I'm not paying attention. I flail, losing my concentration and balance for a split second.

"See ya tonight, Janika." He grins as he exits toward the ramp. My eyes and stomach follow him, ogling his bulky body as it stretches through the tight material of his fatigues.

Dean stops mid-step. He tracks Kai's exit until he disappears. He swivels his angry gaze to me.

While the roiling in my stomach has settled with Kai's departure, I don't want to give myself away with the upward curve of my lips.

Dean's broad torso blocks my escape.

"Janika, I . . . "

Out of respect for our renewed friendship, I bite my tongue. I don't want to ruin what we have rediscovered with my big, stupid mouth or my big, stupid indignation. In the long run, my friendship with Dean is significant. I can't let him under my skin. He's already gotten into other places he shouldn't have been.

As I brush past him, I hear the crunch of his cracking knuckles.