Lizzy's idea wouldn't, by any length, give them a full plan – not even a quarter of one, but it was extremely helpful by any measure.
Marjorie thought it quite smart, and when Kit arrived that evening after supper for a cup of coffee and friendly discussion – although Erin wasn't around much because Kit had failed to bring pie – Lizzy was availed upon to repeat the entire thing.
"Well, from what I've heard, MNT hasn't allowed just anyone to join his group, and some of the people he's refused are quite powerful. Most of them are probably angry now – at MNT."
Lizzy took a deep breath and continued, blushing a little as she observed everyone staring at her intently – especially Jack, who hadn't heard it before.
And... Kit.
"So, I was thinking, maybe we could convince most of them to join us. Just in case – just if they are so mad that they want to take MNT down. And we need help. You know, brute force... in case we need it. If Amanda comes back with helpful information..."
Lizzy sighed. There was that word again – 'if'. If they got good information, if they got past, if they survived, if they could do it – if, if, if.
"But we still need a plan."
Jack nodded. "YES!"
Kit threw an odd look in his direction, but quickly turned away again. Marjorie raised an eyebrow.
"The logical next step is to, uh, actually start to plan," Alexander said, standing next to Marjorie. Lizzy nodded. Jack stood.
"The time has come," he announced, his right hand outstretched to them, his left in a fist on his waist. "For me to take my leave."
Everyone stared at his abrupt exclamation. "Uhh," said Finn.
But Jack wasn't finished. Apparently, he had prepared a speech for this exact moment.
"I understand if you lapse into a dispassionate sort of depression in the days following, but I do ask that this does not last long, if at all. Mourning my absence will do no-one any good. You all are mightily needed in this expedition, and I know that you need your strength. Most people tend to refuse food while getting through depression, and I beg you not to do the same. I assure you this is for the best. On the trip home, my automobile will be extremely helpful, and I will do my best to survive the long, long, so long, extremely long... long trip home. And if there are no comments, I shall now depart... Unless..." he paused.
"Unless... what?" asked Marjorie.
"I am glad you asked, you kind woman! As I began to say previously, I shall now depart – unless..."
Lizzy rolled her eyes. Patrick gestured for him to continue. "Well?" Alexander prompted.
"Unless you would each like to share among yourselves your favourite memory of me!" Jack beamed like he was giving them the biggest opportunity ever. Lizzy wondered if anyone on earth was more clueless than he was.
"I would go first, of course, if you were open to the idea..." he smiled hopefully.
"Jack, we haven't even known you a month." Lizzy pointed out.
He stopped. There was silence in the room as he thought for several minutes, then he grinned again.
"That doesn't mean you don't have any memories of me! Don't you think? Obviously, you'll remember something I did... right?"
Kit and Patrick exchanged concerned glances. Lizzy looked unimpressed, but she was smiling. It was one of her usual expressions, her blue eyes indifferent and eyebrows raised. It gave her a mischievous look, and with her dark lashes, quite a stunning one as well. Alexander was glad to see her back to her old self, and Kit viewed her with appreciation when he glanced over, happy that she was having some fun with this. Heaven knows they all needed to.
Marjorie patted him on the shoulder. "I don't think it's possible to forget you, Jack."
It was too bad that he didn't catch the subtle bit of sarcasm in her tone, but everyone else did. They all smiled when Jack nodded, looking extremely touched.
"Farewell, my good friend," said Lizzy, stepping forward. "Safe travels."
Tears appeared in Jack's eyes and he shook Lizzy's hand with enthusiasm. "Thank you, Lizzy," he murmured. Kit frowned. Lizzy understood – Jack was odd.
"Thank you, all of you!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. Lizzy pulled her hand out of Jack's, not wanting her arm to be pulled out of it's socket when he failed to release it.
After twenty more minutes of laughter, Jack's loud exclamations and long, uncomfortable hugs, they waved to him as he finally left in his loud automobile.
Lizzy inhaled the cool evening air. Even though it was mid-summer, there was still a sharp chill hidden in the warm breeze. It was just cold enough to be comfortable, but even so, Lizzy wrapped her shawl closer around herself.
There was a half moon that night, and the quickly darkening sky was mostly clear – the few clouds in the sky no longer held the colours of sunset, but the faded red and pink still lingered low on the horizon. She sighed and watched the sun finish it's descent, then turned back towards the others.
"I'm going to take a walk around the farm," she shouted after them. "Then I'm going to head to bed."
"Don't stay out to long," Marjorie called back.
Lizzy started off down the well-worn dirt path that led towards the large fields. The grain was growing well, but the potatoes were ripening extraordinarily fast that year. Patrick had described to Lizzy how you knew when a potato plant was ripe, but frankly, Lizzy didn't remember any of what he said. "I hope I won't get quizzed later," she said, smiling.
"Who're you talking to?" said a deep voice right in her ear. Lizzy jumped, suppressing a scream and jamming her shoulder into the person's jaw. He grunted in pain, and Lizzy turned towards him, cradling her shoulder.
"Excuse me? What were you – who are – Kit?!" she squealed when she recognized the person.
"Sorry," he moaned. "I was just going to see if you wanted company."
Lizzy raised her eyebrows for a moment. Then she grinned. "Oh, well. I will take some company if you're still offering it. Thank you, Kit."
He offered his arm – albeit a tad hesitantly – and they continued along.
They stopped on the very same hill she and Patrick had been standing on when they first met Jack. Lizzy smiled at the irony of it, then she stopped – that had been the morning of the fire. Would something equally as bad happen tonight?
Lizzy dismissed the thought. She didn't believe in luck, especially bad. She let it go and enjoyed the view from the hill.
The sky was quite dark now, and Lizzy supposed it was almost ten o' clock. It seemed like there were millions of stars, and the moon was especially bright. The hill was coated in unusual shadow.
"They're beautiful," Kit whispered, looking up. Lizzy nodded. "They are," she murmured.
Then Kit turned to her. "It's a bit chilly out here..." he said, rubbing his arms. Lizzy laughed, breaking the stillness – a sort of spell had enveloped them while they were admiring the sky.
"I'm perfectly warm. Here, take my shawl." She held it out to him, but he refused to take it.
"It's yours. You'll get cold."
"I'm fine."
"It's a – a girl's thing." Kit stared at it in disgust.
"Oh, just take it." Lizzy wrapped it around him and tied it in a double knot. In the dark, Kit couldn't see to remove it and soon gave up.
"I never was much good with knots anyway." He muttered. Lizzy laughed again, and Kit couldn't help but smile at the sound. He put an arm loosely around her shoulders. With almost any other man, she would have objected to the presumptuous move, but with Kit everything was somehow... different. A more... brotherly feeling than anything else. And, admittedly, she was starting to get a bit cold, even though her dress had long sleeves. She suggested the turn back to the house, and as they walked, they stared up at the stars.
"It's good to hear you laugh," Kit whispered.
Lizzy rolled her eyes. "That's a weird thing to say."
"You're right actually. It is quite an odd expression. Why would anyone say that?"
"I have absolutely no clue. Maybe because someone has an especially attractive laugh?"
Kit laughed. Lizzy grinned.
They arrived at the barn soon after and they parted with a soft goodnight.
Lizzy fell asleep with a smile on her face.
* * *
A few days later, Lizzy was on a walk down the dirt road to clear her head. They had been planning for hours but hadn't gotten anywhere, and Lizzy was discouraged. She hoped Amanda had something they could use. Without information, they couldn't figure much out.
She bent over to pick a flower and, while admiring it's delicate petals, felt a shadow fall over her. She looked up at the person, but with the sun directly behind them, it was hard to see. Lizzy stood and the stranger didn't move. She moved to the side to get a better view without the glare from the sun and immediately recognized the person.
"Amanda!" she cried, dropping her flower and embracing her. Amanda laughed.
"Good to see you too, Lizzy." She said.
Amanda was smiling, but Lizzy could tell there was something wrong – Amanda's eyebrows were pushed together, creating a line of worry between them. She was trying to hide it, that was certain, but Lizzy knew her too well for her to get very far with that.
"So, Amanda..." Lizzy looped an arm through hers and began to walk back to Patrick's. "How did it go?"
"Oh, I got lots of information..." Her answer was evasive and strained.
Lizzy sighed. "Best get right to the point, then. Amanda!"
"Yes?" she looked Lizzy in the eye, and they stopped walking.
"What happened? Something's wrong, I can tell."
Amanda's eyes quickly left Lizzy's face. There was a long pause.
"I – would rather only tell the story once."
"Well, then. Have at it."
"But the others – they..."
"Don't need the whole story if you don't want to tell it." Lizzy shrugged. Amanda didn't speak for a moment, then she began.
"Well, I got there, and told them that you had found me out, but I could still spy because I would probably be able to earn your trust back – although I'd need some time to rest. Thankfully, they believed me, and I was able to stay in the headquarters. Some of the agents were fairly new – and young – and I was able to befriend some of them. Oh, Lizzy..." Amanda briefly met her eyes, and Lizzy saw a subtle shine from the few tears gathering in her dark brown eyes. "They were so – innocent... so young. They didn't know what they were getting into." She paused to gain control of her emotions, then continued. "They were all from different sections, so they all knew different parts of MNT's plan. He's – he's brutal, Lizzy. They don't know it, but before this is all over, they won't be – MNT will – well, they're expendable to him. We have to stop him, Lizzy."
Lizzy nodded. Amanda took a deep breath.
"These boys really listen, and they pick up a lot. They'd overheard tonnes of different stuff, and for the most part, they told me for free – with a bit of convincing – and the others didn't ask for much. I was a fellow agent, after all. I learned most of their strategic positions and defensive moves. Oh, and hear this – MNT is leaving with a small squad of soldiers next week for Canada. Apparently a lot of the 'good guys' fled there when they were scattered."
"Amanda, that's great! Why aren't you more excited about this?! It's our opportunity! This is perfect!"
Amanda exhaled. "Yes. It does seem like that. And I don't think that MNT knows I know this, but Lizzy –"
"Yes?"
"I was found out."
Her voice was hoarse, and it took Lizzy a moment to decipher what she had said.
"Wait, what?"
Amanda nodded, biting her lip. She wouldn't meet Lizzy's eyes. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"They found out who I was. Well, they know who I am. But they found out what I was doing."
She wasn't sure how to respond to that. "When?" she finally asked.
"I don't know! It could have been right when I got there, after I met with MNT."
"But Amanda – this means that all your information could be fake."
She shook her head. "Oh, no, Lizzy – I know how MNT thinks. If it was fake, he would never have let me know that he knew I was a fraud. Besides, the boys who told me all I know were incapable of being dishonest – at least with me. Their senses of honour were still intact."
Lizzy looked at her suspiciously. "Right."
Amanda recognized her friend's expression. "What?" she said, shrugging defensively. "I know them – they could never lie to a woman."
"A fifteen-year-old woman, moreover a young-looking beautiful one. Emotional too." Lizzy almost laughed as she said it, but the last remark earned her a not-so-gentle punch on the arm. "And feisty," she added under her breath.
"You spend half a week in MNT's headquarters and a night in a prison cell, and you'll see how loyal and trustworthy these boys are."
"You spent a night in a prison cell?" Lizzy was instantly serious and her tone was incredulous. "Why? Well, I know why, but why didn't they just throw you out immediately?"
Amanda thought for a moment, composing her thoughts and feelings. "They – wanted our plans." She said finally.
"The ones we didn't have."
"Yes, but they didn't know... they also wanted your exact location, Liz, and Liam's, and –"
Lizzy stopped her. "Stop – did you say Liam?"
Amanda nodded.
"But I thought he went back to MNT."
"I guess not."
Lizzy turned away from Amanda, confused. If he didn't go back to MNT, then where was he? Maybe MNT had put him on another mission – no, he'd keep his boss updated on where he was. He may have gone missing, though, and maybe the 'bad guys' thought she'd kidnapped him.
Or maybe – Lizzy hated to think of this possibility – maybe Liam really had changed for the better. Maybe he'd turned over a new leaf. If he had – Lizzy took a deep breath and shut her eyes tightly – if he had, her cold actions must have been extremely discouraging. She groaned. Why had she been so harsh? She could've at least given him a chance. True, he had tried to kill her – Lizzy thought her actions were justified by that – but she hadn't made anything easier for him. None of them had.
And if he was still in Ireland...
"Oh, no." Lizzy gasped.
"What?" Amanda looked alarmed.
"Liam could be in big trouble."