Page 64 of Dissent

“I need to see it, Matias. I need to see the facility for myself. I need to know the truth.” He searched my eyes, weighing my words in his head.

“No way,” Wes spat out. “There’s no way she’s coming with us.”

Matias seemed to ignore him. “Can you stand?”

I nodded and tried again to move. This time, I was able to shift my weight and get my legs underneath me. It still hurt, but whatever I did to my back must not have been that bad. As I went to stand, however, I could feel that what I did to my ankle was going to be a little more of a problem. But I was determined.

I needed this.

I stood on both feet, Matias holding his hands out as though ready to catch me if I fell. But I didn’t need his help. I was up, despite the tightness in my back. I didn’t put any weight on my right ankle though. No need to push my luck.

“No fucking way,” Wes started up again. “She stays.”

“I’m coming,” I shot back. He clearly did not like it when people defied him because he took several threatening steps forward, but stopped shy as Matias stiffened, standing up straighter, and taking a small sidestep toward me. His swift movement placed him diagonally in front of me—a symbolic gesture.

Wes glared at Matias, anger flashing through his face as he gritted his teeth. “I saidno.”

Matias stayed calm, but his voice was strained, telling me he had no plan of backing down. “And what do you think we should do then, huh?” It was a challenge.

“She goes back and stays in the fucking truck.”

For the first time this evening, Chelsea surprised me by speaking up, “And risk that she gets caught in the truck by Telvian soldiers?” She crossed her arms, cocking out a hip. “I don’t know if that’s the best idea either. That’s allIneed—a pissed off Commander in Chief when we get back.”

“And having her come with us is going tolessenthat chance?” Wes shot back as he whirled on Chelsea. “She’s safer in the truck.”

“I can take care of myself,” I said hotly. I hated this. I may not have been as well trained as the rest of them, but I didn’t need people taking care of me all the time. “I’m fine on my own.”

“Says the girl who fell flat on her ass while walking in the woods,” Wes fired off.

“I’ll watch her.” Matias slipped in before anything else could be said.

“No.”

Matias drew himself up even taller, taking a step forward toward Wes. “I said I’ll watch her. Chelsea’s right. She’s safer with us than in the truck. And we’re too far to go back now. So, let’s get this done, and I’ll watch her. You and Chelsea take up the front, and I’ll follow in back with Mara.”

If I thought Wes was pissed before then I was wrong, because he was absolutely livid now. He stormed right up to Matias, getting into his face. There was so much being said in the silent discussion of their stare down, the tension climbing. And if you asked me,waytoo much testosterone.

Just as I felt like the whole thing was going to explode, Wes finally spoke through gritted teeth, “Whatever happens to her is onyou, Alvarez.”

And then it was over. Wes turned around and walked back from the direction they came. Chelsea looked at me and then at Matias before she silently followed Wes into the brush. My breath rushed out of me. I hadn’t realized I had been holding it this whole time. But now that I’d let it go, it felt so good to take fresh air into my lungs.

Hyperaware of Matias’s silence, his back still facing me, I said, “Thank you.”

His body shifted as he turned to look at me. The lines of his face had softened, and there was something in his eyes that I just couldn’t read. Finally, he replied, “You’re welcome,” before turning around and starting his hike after the rest of the team. When he realized I wasn’t following him, he looked back at me over his shoulder and ticked his head in alet’s-gomotion. But when I took a step, I forgot all about my hurt foot. I sucked in my breath as sharp fingers of pain went up my leg.

And just like that, Matias was back by my side, arms out and ready to catch me. “What’s wrong? What hurts?”

I was so angry with myself. Because here I was, so close to discovering a truth that I desperately needed to have for my own sanity, only now to be held back by a stupid leg injury. “It’s just my ankle. I think I rolled it when I fell.”

“Sit down and let me look at it.” The second my bottom was on the ground again, he was quickly pulling off my boot and carefully touching different places, asking me if it hurt. When he was done with his examination, he gently put my boot back on. “Maybe a mild sprain? I can take a better look at it once we get back. But for now…” He rummaged through a bag attached to his waist, pulling out a small black kit. Taking out a bottle, he shook out two little red pills. “Take these.”

“Pain reliever?”

“Better. More like a pain eliminator. You’ll be able to move with no pain for a few hours. At least until we make it back.” He handed me the pills, which I popped into my mouth and chased down with water from a bottle he handed me.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, we better catch up. But make sure you stay low, stay quiet, and never lose track of me. You got it? Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you get out safely.” My heart squeezed slightly, and something else shifted inside me. Because I didn’t have to doubt his words at all. I knew with all my heart that Matias would keep me safe. That as long as I was with him, nothing bad was ever going to happen to me. And when he started walking into the dark, I followed him without fear.

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