Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“So let’s take a car. I can drive.”
I nodded, thinking it through. “As soon as someone notices that we’re gone or if anyone hears us leave, they’ll send a car or a helicopter after us.”
Devon pulled a chocolate bar from a backpack and started munching on it. “It helps me with thinking,” he said apologetically. He held another one out for me, but I shook my head. “Where does that leave us?”
Yes, where? An idea crossed my mind. But Major would be ready to kill me if we went through with it. “We take a car,” I said calmly. “But before we leave, we cut the fuel pipes of the cars and the helicopters. It’ll take a few hours to fix that.”
“Won’t Major just call help?”
“Major would never involve outsiders or the police, even if he needed backup. He’ll want to strangle us himself,” I said. I felt better already just talking with Devon and knowing he was on my side gave me hope for the first time in a while. I glanced at the clock on Devon’s nightstand. It said 2:37. “Major always gets up at five to run a few laps on the track. We should hurry. I want to be far away when he realizes that we’re gone.” I stood. My legs were steady and no hint of the dizziness remained.
“What about Phil?” Devon asked as he rose to his feet. He wasn’t quite as tall as Alec but still almost a head taller than me. “Shouldn’t we take him with us? Or at least warn him?”
I paced the room. He was right. Poor Phil was new to the FEA. He didn’t know what to expect and he was far too gullible and excited to see the truth. After all, it had taken me three years to realize what was going on and I was pretty sure I still didn’t know half of it. I glanced at Devon, at his square jaw and the way his eyebrows were drawn together in concentration. What if I was leading him straight to his death?
“I’m not sure if Phil is cut out for this, but we’ll ask him. Let him make up his own mind.” I paused. “Are you sure he’s not going to run off to Major and tell him about our plan?”
Devon ran a hand through his hair as he stared intently at the wall that separated this room from Phil’s. “I don’t think he would.”
My eyes found the clock once again. 2:45.
“Maybe we could send him a message once we’re already gone. That way he’ll know to be careful and not to believe everything Major tells him,” I said.
“I know he kept his mobile phone. We could send him a text or an email, eventually.”
“Good.” I nodded. All the planning distracted me from the emptiness deep inside me. The place that had been filled with my loyalty for the FEA and my love for Alec.
Devon nodded and began stuffing clothes and a few other things into a bag. He removed the photo of his family at Disney World from its frame and put it on top. Checking the hall, I tiptoed to my room and packed my backpack with essentials, including the three photos of my real family. My eyes found the photo of Alec and me. We looked so happy. The look in Alec’s eyes made me almost believe that his feelings were real, that he hadn’t messed with me for a mission. I put the frame back, face down. I couldn’t even bear looking at it. This part of my life was over and taking this photo with me wouldn’t change that. I hastily grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. My fingers shook when I began my letter to Alec.
Alec –
When I came to the FEA, I didn’t trust anyone. I didn’t know what it meant to have people care for you, what it meant to have a home. But then when you told me about your family and held me in your arms, I started to trust you. I knew I wasn’t alone with my feelings. And during all the nights we spent watching movies because I was too scared of nightmares, I started to love you. And suddenly I knew what happiness meant. I had a home, a family, and I’d learned what trust and love meant.
I trusted you and the FEA. I loved you. I thought FEA was my home.
And today I found out it was all a lie. I finally realized how stupid I’ve been. I gave you my trust and love and you threw it back in my face.
I know about mission 010.
I hope it was worth it.
Whatever there was—or wasn’t—between us, it’s over.
Tessa
Devon appeared in the doorway. He looked at the letter in my hand.
“It’s for Alec,” I said. I folded the letter with steady hands. Now that I knew what I had to do, I felt better. I knew that would pass too, but for now, my resolve steadied me. “I’ll just slip it under his door.”