Evolution - The Oasis Project Book 3

Twenty-Six - Ira

I'd had it up to my neck with this stupid idea that Linkin and Four had been plotting all along. From all angles it was starting to sound like a suicide mission, and it was hard to contain my panic. Every now and then my numbness would give, letting me feel Stuart's arm around me and his hand on mine. As the discussion progressed, his grip tightened. "It's in the middle of nowhere, even worse than here," I said, my voice quaking. My heart rate jumped. "The forest is fucking huge. I wouldn't even be able to tell you which part of the woods we went through."

"Ira, this isn't the hard part." Four sounded annoyed as she met Linkin's gaze. "The hard part is—"

"Yep, getting Nita and Celestia to pretend to side with people who terrify them. Making sure Linkin just doesn't get shot in the head for being a deserter. Maybe Nita and Celestia will get shot, and no one will be left to help Linkin out of there. Shot in the head. Bang. Is there even an extraction plan?"

"Just shut up, Ira," Linkin growled, her blue eyes icy.

Everyone stiffened, not knowing whether to look at Linkin or me. It was beyond humiliating. "Sure." I wriggled away from Stuart and stepped forward. Thierry moved out of the way as I crossed my arms. "Okay, good shit. I'm just going to let you come up with a shitty plan to infiltrate the worst of Oasis, basically trick the people who almost destroyed Yulian and me, with what... Acting?"

"Eagle, are you okay?" Thierry asked quietly.

I ignored him, I felt like I was going to pass out. "Fuck you," I said, dragging out my words while I looked at Linkin and Four. "I was thinking of using Nita and Celestia to bait someone out into the open for us to interrogate and torture, not the other way around."

"That sounds much better," Thierry admitted.

"The Oasis Project won't be taking any chances after what happened in China," Four quickly countered. "It'll look too suspicious. They'll do what Nita told Asmar to do – lie low and wait for their advantage."

I was exhausted. My head was pounding, and every second word was sending a jolt up my neck. "I need time out, guys. Sorry." I looked at Thierry and Stuart as I hauled myself up the stairs, collapsing in my bed as soon as I saw it. I was so giddy, the pillow had a feeling of quicksand.

"What's up?" Alessia stood in the doorway, giving me one of her expressionless gazes. Her brown hair was loose around her shoulders and she looked a little bit sunburnt.

"Nothing really, Alessia." I groaned and shifted my position so that I could see her better.

She scratched her head with a petite hand. "It's an Oasis trigger again, isn't it?" These days, Alessia had learnt to back away from conversations for the sake of her recovery. The space on the farm had helped – one of her physical triggers was tight spaces, which reminded her of the mazes that the doctors put her through back in Alaska, searching for her heat signature.

"Yes." I rubbed my brow bone hard. "One of mine."

Alessia came into the room a little. "What do you mean? Oh... I shouldn't ask, right?" She and I had never talked much. Maybe it was because she sensed that as a One, I would have some of the worst Oasis stories.

"It's a bit complicated. Maybe for another time." I smiled at Alessia. Even talking about nothing had calmed me down a little. "Hey, I might crash, but if you see that cute new Russian guy, tell him to stop by?"

"Sure." Alessia looked confused, even more so when Stuart showed up. "Hi, Do— Stuart."

I stifled a laugh as I watched Alessia debate whether or not to tell Stuart about what I'd just called Yulian. "Hi, Doc," I said with a wink.

Alessia left us alone and Stuart came over to the sunny window, threading his arms around me. "You okay?"

I nodded, my heart fluttering as he stroked my hair. "I'm not even sure what happened."

"Maybe that's a good thing," he teased before turning serious. "But if you want to talk about it, just ask, alright?"

"Thanks." I leaned into his chest. "Love you."

"Love you too, Ira." His heartbeat was shadowed by a chuckle. "Even though I'm not the cute new Russian guy."

"He and I wouldn't be like this." I frowned at the strange thought of dating my best friend. "That is terrible, Stuart. How do I unsee this?"

Stuart seemed to be very amused by how disturbed I was. "He is cute. Great personality, too."

"Stuart Robin Neville!" I rolled my eyes at him. "Don't you start."