Page 14 of Retribution

‘You don’t need to worry about that,’ Shade begins, but stops talking when the other two look at him.

‘A lot has changed in the space of a few days,’ Mav says instead, sitting down hard in a chair by the wall.

‘A few days?’

They all look at each other again and my heart sinks.

‘Gorgeous,’ Blake murmurs, stroking the pulse point at my wrist. ‘You’ve been here unconscious for over a week. It’s after New Years.’

I gape at him ‘Over a week? What’s the date?’

‘It’s the second of January.’

I let my head fall back against the pillow gently. ‘Then I’m off my schedule again. We need to find somewhere I can make Envy as soon as I’m let out of here. The campus lab?’

‘Daisy.’

I ignore Shade, pressing on. ‘I know it’s a risk, but maybe Applegate?—’

‘Daisy!’ he says more urgently.

‘What?’

More secret looks have me gritting my teeth.

‘There was a fire in the lab at the Novelle Center at the same time. It’s not usable.’

I let out a groan. ‘He took out both thelabs? Why? What would be the point of that?’

‘Stop us making Envy?’ Blake asks.

I frown. ‘But why would he care? He hasn’t shown any interest in any of that stuff, just Mom’s death, me, and that detective. It doesn’t make sense.’

Shade takes my hand again.

‘Look, it doesn’t matter, okay? We’ve decided that… Well, we think we have enough money between us all to leave and disappear.Reallydisappear. No one will find us. Not even Joe.’

I stare at him uncomprehendingly.

‘But what about everything you’ve worked for?’ I ask dumbly after a moment.

This was my plan, not theirs. They’re clutching at straws. They can’t leave everything behind because of me. Besides, they haven’t looked into Joe’s eyes like I have. He’ll never give up. There’s nowhere to run.

‘No,’ I say forcefully. ‘I won’t let you throw everything away. What will you do?’

‘It’s best,’ Blake tries, but I shake my head at him.

My stomach begins to protest and I stop immediately.

‘No. We have to find another way. Youhavelives. You need to finish school. You need to make the non-opiate a success. Go to Grad School. Open a legitimate lab. Get your doctorates. These are your dreams.’

I sit up straighter.

‘Your dreams,’ I say again.‘You can’t throw them away because of some two-bit criminal and a couple of rich assholes. I won’t let you.’

‘Two-bit criminal is an understatement,’ Mav says. ‘He killed Black. He almost killed you. He’s been watching you-us-for weeks and we’re still no closer to finding out who he is.’

‘We don’t even know if it was him who planted the bomb,’ I argue. ‘It could have nothing to do with the stalker. It might be like…another drug dealer who’s angry that we’re stealing business, or something. Has there been another note?’