Chosen

Chapter 39

We spent the rest of the night planning. It became harder to ignore the throbbing flesh all over my body, even though West kept switching out cool washcloths over the worst of the swelling.

We decided to trigger the rebel evacuation plans. Without the knowledge or approval of the rebel leaders. There's simply no time left; Crane and his team have seen too many faces. Everyone's in danger now. Crane won't kill them, because he needs them to run the compound, but there's no way he'll let their treason go unpunished. It's unthinkable to even imagine what he has in store for us all.

It crossed my mind several times throughout the night that this coming day was also my deadline to give the name of my pairing partner to Crane. Knowing I'll have a shot at making my own choice in my own time fills me with hope, despite the current situation.

I insisted on getting Juniper out as part of our escape, and West and Celia didn't argue about it, although they argued about pretty much everything else. I can tell Celia is curious about meeting our grandmother, the only good family member we both have left alive. I think that's why she volunteered to be the one to break her out. I'd do it myself, but...I still have to figure out my part in the tech lab. I figure I can still set off an alarms test in various parts of the compound to create a distraction, but in the back of my mind I know Norman must have planned something else, something better than what I can come up with on my own. If only I knew what it was. If only I knew the password to that file.

Now, we're watching the clock, waiting for it to be thirty minutes before the morning bell. West is sitting on his bed against the wall, cradling me close between his knees. We haven't talked about anything with Celia in the room, but we seem to have reached an unspoken understanding. Every now and then he kisses my hair, my cheek, my neck. Celia's sitting awkwardly in West's desk chair, trying not to give us too many disgusted looks.

Finally, it's time. West opens his computer and starts up a different camera loop, this time one that will show him waking up and getting ready for the morning. Norman taught him a lot about tech growing up, apparently, but it was West's idea to record a bunch of security loops to play when he snuck out to meet with the rebels. The things he does never fail to impress.

Celia and I stand up. West pulls me in and hugs me tight, and I cling to him, terrified of what we're about to do. "I'll see you soon," he says fervently, kissing me long and deep.

After a few seconds, Celia clears her throat. "Hate to break up...this," she gestures at us. "But if our plan is going to work, we have to get going."

Breaking away from West, I sigh. "You're right," I reply, steeling myself for what's to come. 

West leaves first to get the explosives ready. They're mostly in place already, but he needs to doctor them up to give him ten minutes to get out of the tunnels. That part makes me nervous. I still can't get the mishap that almost killed Milo and Jay out of my head. "Just don't blow yourself up," I whisper as he leaves. I'm only half joking.

Celia and I leave ten minutes later, her to go to the elderly ward to break Juniper out of isolation, me to go to the tech lab. West should had arrived at the cave-in by now, and should soon be getting the explosives ready. At least he knows what to do since that's the team he was assigned to in the first place. 

A few hallways later, Celia and I reach one of the main stairwells and part ways. "Just tell her I sent you, that'll be enough," I whisper before opening the stairwell door.

"Just don't screw up your part," she sasses back. After a beat, she softly says, "okay." Then she continues as quickly as she can down the hall without rousing suspicion.

As soon as she's out of sight, I take the stairs two at a time until I get to the floor where the tech lab is. I don't anticipate running into anyone from the community, but I'm sure Crane's men are out looking for Celia and me. It's honestly surprising they didn't try searching West's room during the night. I can only assume they're more focused on Celia's possible whereabouts instead of mine.