Gemini

Chapter 23* The Plan

Chapter 23* The Plan

That morning, Sam awakes me with a hard, quick shake, and bustles away again. I know he doesn’t want to touch me, but I am glad for that. It will keep him safe. I get up, untie and retie my shoelaces just to make it look as though I have something to do. Then I run a hand through my matted hair and brush down my crinkled clothes. I reek.

Zoey stiffly hands me a bottle of water which I drain. Breakfast is as plain as it ever was- cold, baked beans and canned mushrooms. The food hits my gurgling stomach with a sickly splash. Nobody speaks. We are all transfixed by the magnitude of the plan we are attempting.

Today is the day we have been waiting for. A sense of dread and anticipation hangs over our heads. It will be a pivotal point in our fight for freedom. If the potion succeeds, Gemini will tell us the truth about how to defeat Zeus. And once Zeus is gone, so will all the other bad gods. Us humans will be free. Today is not a day for mistakes.

Ariadne is quiet in my mind. I have grown accustomed to her presence that it is deeply unsettling. I have the feeling that she is planning something, something to foil the plan. But, I tell myself fiercely, that whatever she is planning I will do my best to thwart. I will not let her win this fight. Even as I think the words I feel a sense of triumph stealing through me.

We gather round the small glowing embers of the dying fire for heat. I warm my hands, meeting neither of their eyes. From her pocket, Zoey extracts the vial. The liquid inside has turned from a clear red to a dark red, like blood. She sloshes it around, and it leaves slimy trails on the clear interior of the glass.

“This,” she says quietly, “is our ticket to winning this war. To freedom.”

“To freedom,” I echo with Sam, our voices slightly hoarse with emotion. I feel like my days have been leading up to this. All the close shaves, standing on that roof with a clockwork army advancing, having the road snap towards us like a rubber-band and teleporting midair- I survived all that. And now I had to survive this, and my life would never be in danger again.

As Zoey bustles around clearing up evidence that we had been here, I sidle up to Sam.

“Hey,” I whisper. He looks wary.

“I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting these past few days. You guys really didn’t deserve it. I wish… I wish I could take it back.”

He doesn’t say anything, but are his eyes softening? I think it is just my imagination.

My voice becomes lower, more urgent. “Can you promise me one thing? If anything happens… if I try to do anything to sabotage this… promise me you will stop me. Even if it means throwing a knife to my heart.” He looks taken-aback, but I grab his arm and glare fiercely into his eyes. “Swear it, Sam. You know we can’t afford to lose this chance.”

“Kayla,” he finally says, “is there something wrong? What do mean- of course you won’t do anything to sabotage this plan. I know you won’t, you’re Kayla. Why would you make me promise such a thing? You wouldn’t-”

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know if that’s true. Please, Samuel Jackson. You don’t understand. Promise me.”

“Make me understand.”

I let out a low groan of frustration. “Just promise, Sam.”

He hesitates a bit, then gives a quick, jerky nod. I let go of his arm, relieved, and step back. Zoey finishes her work, and with ashen faces, mine particularly more ashen than the others, we head forward.

The winding tunnels all look the same to me, but Zoey leads the way without much hesitation. I suppose it was part of her training or something. She keeps looking at the floor, murmuring to herself now and then, looking as though she were following an invisible lead. I do not question it.