Storm

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Ava's eyebrows flew up. "Excuse me?"

"We've all been to the Equator. We survived. We escaped."

She just looked a bit skeptical and like she didn't really believe we were telling the truth. "Yeah, and you can prove that how?"

She had us there. I wasn't exactly sure how to "prove" we'd been somewhere. Maybe...

"Look...although we weren't there for long, I do remember a lot of what their base looked like. We slept in their dorms, went through the program, and saw the prison cells. I don't know exactly where your friend may be, but if you'd like, I can draw a map maybe. I can recall a bit so..." I shrugged. It wasn't that much to offer, but it was better than nothing.

"How can I trust your map is accurate?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"We have people there, too. We just want to get them out," I replied, feeling desperation rising inside me again. This was our only chance. I had to make her believe. "I know you don't trust us, but we're trying to survive, just like you guys...we used to be with a group, too...but..."

I looked over at Asten for support. I honestly wasn't sure where most of  the original Snow Society was now. We'd lost a bunch when the bombs had blown up at Grayson's camp, lost some more through everything that happened at the Equator, and left many back at the rebellion. I knew the people still in the desert had to be safe, probably a lot better off than we were...but it was sad to think that at one point, we'd all been together. Even...

Even Mace.

I suddenly felt sick just thinking of the Snow Society. How all of it was manipulated by him.

Now was not the time to focus on such things.

Ava contemplated us for a moment. Then, she shuffled through some of the lined paper on the desk until she came up with a few blank ones. "You know what. I'll give it a chance. Draw me a map of the main compound where they take their newest members. Then, I'll think about it." She was looking at us like we were specimen. I felt relief course through me. She would at least give it a chance. That's all I needed to hear.

Max stood up next to me, shoving his chair back. He seemed eager to get out. I was too. I didn't want her to change her mind, but I was curious.

"Can I ask one more thing?" I asked.

She was staring down at one of the lined papers that had a drawing of the school. She glanced up. "Go ahead."

"Who is it that you lost?"

She let out a heavy sigh, before leaning forward onto the desk with her elbows.

"My brother."

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After our meeting with Ava, we were ushered out by a 12-year-old in pink Crocs and a fuzzy purple sweater. She seemed way too happy to be helping us and was having an animated conversation with Max about her fashion closet.

Asten walked by my side, seeming a little lost in thought. He hadn't said much in the principal's office.

I reached out and brushed my hand against his. "Hey...are you okay?"

He nodded, his gray eyes straying over to meet mine. "Fine. Just worried."

I nodded. I couldn't help feeling the same. They'd only given us a chance. What if Ava wasn't satisfied with our map? Or what if we simply didn't have the capabilities to get everyone out?

And what if January and the others were already dead?

"Do you think...," I said, lowering my voice. I didn't really feel like broadcasting these thoughts to all the middle schoolers we were passing. "Do you think Mace would stop them from killing January and Kyan?"

Asten tensed. I knew that Mace was a weird subject for all of us. None of us liked talking about him or thinking about him.

And I realized...I hadn't really talked about it with Asten since then.

"I don't know what he would do. I just know I trusted him when I shouldn't have. He obviously never cared for any of us."

I wasn't sure why I was having trouble completely agreeing with him. "But...being around all of us for so long. He can't be totally heartless can he? He at least has to care a bit about January. Enough to keep her alive." Maybe I was just saying it because I wanted it to be true. Everyone had to have feelings...even if they tried to deny them.

Asten just seemed even more unsettled by what I'd said. "He tried to kill you. He took you away and you nearly died. I'm sorry if it's not easy for me to just reconcile all that and feel okay with him," he replied tensely.

We suddenly came to a stop outside a classroom. The 12-year-old girl kicked the creaky wooden door open. "Enjoy your stay! Also, watch out for mice!" she said ecstatically, before bee-lining back the way we came.

Max cringed. "Mice? Oh god no..."

Asten headed in immediately, before I could respond to what he'd said. He had a point. Mace had tried to kill me. I should hate his guts.

But I guess hating people was harder after you've gotten to know them.