Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 76 The Lab Rat

"Divide and conquer."

-Julius Caesar

Emma

I'm irritable when I wake up. I haven't slept well for three nights in a row. Every sound woke me up and I kept being afraid they would come for Burns.

No one came.

But now it's morning and we'll have to face them again.

I don't know what Blake will do. I know Nate is already aware of the truth an he hasn't said anything so far, but I'm not too sure about Bake.

He kissed me.

I shake off the memory and get to my feet. I need to use the toilet, but I don't want to leave Burns, especially now.

I peek around the corner to find Nate. He holds the sleeping space next to ours. Perhaps he can stay with Burns. But when I look, he's not there.

I sigh and turn back to Burns, who is still fast asleep. When I sit down on the mattress, Burns' eyes flutter open. "Morning."

"Hey," I mumble.

Burns yawns and looks at me. "What's wrong?"

"I need to pee," I say.

He smiles. "Then go." He sits up when I bite my lip. "Hey. Stop worrying. I'll be fine."

I nod. "Alright. Just... don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." I hurry towards the bathing areas. There are a few people in the tunnel and I try to recall their names. Milo and Kim. Marcus.

And Sophie.

She's waiting for me at the bathing area. When I reach her, she studies me carefully. I wonder what's wrong. Did I grow antennas during the night? 'Hi," I say carefully.

"Hi," she mutters, but she's still looking at me.

"What?" I ask. Her staring is making me nervous.

Sophie glances to the side where Marcus has just disappeared around the corner. Then she looks at me again. "I'm just trying to see it."

"See what?"

"Proof, that you and your friend are trying to deceive us. Because it can't be true. That you're human. Not with that scar in your neck."

I sigh. "Blake told you."

"Blake?" she looks surprised, "Bake knows?"

"So he didn't tell you." That only leaves Nate. Unless she has figured it out on her own.

"My father came to see me last night," Sophie says softly. She looks around before focusing on me again. "He said..." she hesitates. "He said you were caught by Seekers. He said Burns found a way to bring you back. That's why you travel together."

It's only partially true, but I don't correct her. "Who else did he tell?" I ask instead.

"Is it true?" Sophie asks, "can humans really be brought back once they're taken?"

"Who did he tell?" I insist.

Sophie swallows. "Logan. Philip. Kelsey. But he's going to tell the others today."

My urge to pee has vanished. "Why did he tell them first? Why not wait until he tells the rest?"

"Is it true?"

"No. Yes. Sometimes. I don't know. Why did he tell them?"

Sophie doesn't seem to hear my question. "What do you mean you don't know?"