Page 86 of Devotion

“Will he notice his copy of the plan is gone right away?”

“I don’t know. I hope not. Maybe we can make it until midmorning before anyone realizes we’re gone.” He puts a hand on my back and guides me toward the door to the vehicle. He gets in and then pulls me in beside him so that we’re squeezed together like before.

It’s far better than being in the trunk.

“It’s less than two hours from here to the border,” I say idly.

“I know. But they’ll never let us through without approval from the palace. If we try it, we’ll be taken right back.”

“So you think one of those rebel groups will help us?”

“Yes. That’s a lot of what they do. Help people get across the border. But I’ve got some stuff with me to bribe them with in case they’re reluctant.”

“What stuff? Credits won’t?—”

“Not credits. Papers. Including plans to the Arsenal. Surely a rebel group will find those useful and help us in order to get them.”

“Oh. Yes. I would think so.” I cut my eyes toward him. “Where did you get them?”

“I took them from Vincent’s office when I was in there earlier. At this point I might as well.”

“True.” The sharp, intense panic from the trunk has faded now, but a deeper, heavier fear has taken its place.

If they get their hands on Gabriel, they’re going to kill him for sure. No question.

And probably me too.

“How will you contact the rebel group?”

“The tip I received was from someone in Saint Louis before I ever came here. I’m to leave a message at a mercantile in a settlement about fifty miles north from here. Leave the note and then wait for instructions.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, it’s worth a try I guess.”

“It better be more than a try if we have any hope of getting over the border.”

He’s right of course. We have only a slim chance of escaping the Central Cities, and that chance relies entirely on the goodwill of unnamed rebels.

Gabriel was given this information eight months ago. Everything might have changed in that time.

The rebel group might have disbanded months ago.

I try not to stew over all these issues as Gabriel turns off onto a small side road that leads north instead of staying on the main route to the border. Neither one of us speaks except for the occasional stray comment until we’ve reached a small, sprawling community made up of no-nonsense cottages and a few public buildings in the middle.

It’s only shortly after dawn. No one is up and out of their homes yet.

Gabriel drives all the way through and then parks off the road on a vacant stretch of land, our position blocked by some thick foliage.

“We’ll have to wait for the mercantile to open,” Gabriel murmurs. “Then we’ll see.”

“Yeah.”

“I think it might be safer if you stay here with the vehicle. I’ll walk into town, leave the message, and wait for a response.”

I gulp. I don’t like the idea of separating at all, but that’s fear talking rather than common sense. “I think I should leave the message.”

“What? No way in fuck will I let you?—”

“Think about it. You’re the one who’s going to be pursued. You’re the one they’ll be looking for. Dressed like this, I could be anyone.Anyone. No one will recognize me from the palace. You’re the one who needs to stay out of sight as long as possible.”

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