Evolution - The Oasis Project Book 3

Five - Linkin

In my moment of weakness, I made the mistake of telling Ira about Asmar, and now I was paying for it. I slid the phone into my back jean pocket, rocking back and forward on the balls of my feet to my heels as Ira and Yulian blocked my way back inside. I was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans; the cold didn't bother me too much, but I knew the dangers of staying outside like this for too long. "What are you doing out here?" Ira asked pointedly.

Glancing around, I frowned and glanced to Yulian. "She knows the answer to that already, doesn't she?" Yulian simply sighed and nodded along. "Then I was on the phone with Asmar. Concrete walls aren't exactly the best for reception," I explained with a shrug as I wrapped my arms around myself. "Now even I can tell it is cold out here. Can we go back inside and talk about this?"

"What did you tell him?" Ira interrogated me instead.

I glanced between Yulian and Ira, unsure if she was joking or not. "The truth?" As Ira's hands tightened into fists, I could tell that she disapproved of my answer, but it was too late to change it. "Look, Ira, you need to go lay down and relax because you're stressing me out just by looking at you," I said with a hand raised and went to step around her.

"How am I supposed to protect you if you keep doing dumb shit like this?" Ira was now shouting as I took two steps away from her.

I paused and glanced over my shoulder, shaking my head. "Protect me?" I didn't mean for it to come out so accusatory. "I never asked for your protection, Ira, and isn't that what is getting us in trouble?" She was about to explode, so I continued to talk in a soft voice so if she started to shout, she wouldn't be able to hear me. "We've been lying, deceiving, and trying to protect everyone since Dell Island, isn't it time for us to admit it isn't working out anymore?"

Yulian raised his brow and Ira crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you talking about?" she huffed.

"Stuart and Thierry have both been shot, we've been kidnapped twice, three times for me if you count Asmar. We've been running, we've been hiding, we've been fighting, and it still isn't working. Maybe it is time we stop trying to protect each other and finally work together. Going along with Four's plan to take Alaska was the first time something went right for us, and I like how that went."

"You-" Ira shook her head, obviously disagreeing. "You liked how that went? You were all knocked unconscious and the one thing which could buy your freedom died!"

I shrugged, I never said things went perfectly. "Sure, things didn't go to plan, but working together helped destroy a major piece of Oasis. It's the best result we had for a while. I'm going to tell Thierry, Stuart, Four, and the twins about Asmar and my tracker and let them argue about it for days of what to do until the medical equipment I need is here." I wasn't interested in her argument or opinion on the matter. "You can be there to support me, where I'm going to say what Asmar wants now, or you can go off and pout some more that things didn't work out the way they should have. We're alive; I'm calling that a victory."

Ira just stared, not blinking as the wind whistled, blowing snow around me and I could hear my teeth starting to chatter, my breath being wisped away by the wind. Yulian nodded and grinned, stepping forward and wrapping an arm around me. "I said that," he told me. "You're cold, inside." He suggested, pointing forward as he walked with me towards the door, leaving Ira in the snow. "Your equipment in. After food, I show you where?" he offered.

I grinned and nodded happily, "Wonderful. Can we grab Thierry as well? I would like to say hello to my fiance when I am not lying to him saying I'll follow him into a room."

Yulian nodded as he opened the door for me, motioning me inside. "Stuart's with him. They can come if they cook."

I couldn't say it wasn't a bad idea. "Guess we're eating well tonight if Stuart cooks," I said with a laugh and Yulian was grinning along with me. It was strange, but neither of us looked back to check on Ira or invite her along. She had her own issues to deal with, and the snow might help her cool off.

The two of us walked through the hall, heading for the kitchen and keeping out an eye for the boys. It wasn't hard to find them, pacing outside the room we had left them. "Tina!"

"Hey baby." I grinned, meeting him halfway as I jumped into the air and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck.

If Thierry was mad, it disappeared the moment he had to hold me into the air, tightly around him as he hugged me back. "Hey, sweetie," he breathed, inhaling deeply and letting out a small laugh. "Lord, you smell good."

"Get a room," it was Stuart saying teasingly as Thierry set me down and kept his arms around me. He glanced over my shoulder as Yulian kept walking without saying much. "Where's Ira?"

"Outside, cooling off. She is less than happy with me and we were hungry," I explained with a shrug and pulled Thierry along, Stuart following along in confusion. "All boys in relationships are cooking."

Thierry glanced down at me and rolled his eyes, "So you mean the only two people who can cook are cooking?"

"Yes," I laughed, going on my tip toes to attempt to kiss Thierry's cheek, but only reached his lower jaw.

"Is Ira going to be alright?" Stuart asked, glancing over his shoulder, but continued to follow after us.

I nodded, looking back with him. "If I know Ira, she'll be joining us again shortly," I told him simply. "Don't worry, she's fine, just worried about all of us. She's a good friend, a caring one, sometimes that just blinds her." Stuart seemed unsure but didn't go back for her. "I think she really just needs some time alone. We're approaching a decision that I think all of us need to make alone. I think she is deciding what she wants to do now." Stuart nodded and followed us along to the mess hall where we were completely alone and had plenty of room for our tom-foolery celebrations.