Page 88 of Privilege

I try to remind myself that I’m here on a mission for the Forge, but my world narrows to Ami, me, and these guards. Without thinking I sink, infinitesimally, into a fight stance, making note of all the weapons. I can at least disarm a couple of these guys and maybe cause a big enough disturbance that she can get away while they deal with me. The stairs are right here, the door is open.

I argue with Jeremy, telling him that Ami’s just my girlfriend, that they don’t need her, while I decide on the order. First the jerk who cornered me by the edge of the roof, then the big guy looming over Jeremy like a bodyguard.

I’m not worried about Jeremy. He’s not like me. He never has to work for anything, never has to fight and train with the others. I’m not saying my father’s way was the right way, but here we are, and only one of us needs a bodyguard.

They keep talking. I’m sure he’s so excited for his whole evil plan, and I’m arguing without thinking, just to keep him talking.

Then I hear the sound of footsteps on the stairs and I can tell right away they’re not Brotherhood guards. They don’t run like that. I would know this sound anywhere, because I went through a whole training camp when I infiltrated the PS the first time.

They’re a different breed, the PS guards and soldiers. It’s the conditioning they do, mentally and physically. I’ll say it. It’s way beyond the training at the Forge, maybe because their weapons are so limited. At least the weapons we’re aware of. There’s intelligence that suggests they’redeveloping biological and chemical weapons to use against men.

My brain feels like it breaks apart as a troop of white-clad soldiers exits the door in single file, stun guns in hand, and surrounds the entire group: Ami, me, Jeremy, and his goons.

“Quite a party you all throw around here,” I say dryly to Jeremy. “I assume these guests are here at your invitation?”

One of the women, pale with a long blond braid, clears her throat. “Vale Adamson, you are under arrest.”

I scoff. “We’re in Alaska, not Pennsylvania, in case you didn’t notice. You can’t arrest me here.”

She looks around politely, at the number of weapons aimed at me and holds out her hand to Jeremy, gesturing for the backpack.

Ami stiffens beside me. Her face is closed up tight, the hard mask she wears when she’s trying not to flinch or show any reaction. Jeremy hands over the backpack, trying to look relaxed.

There goes any chance of getting that laptop back to my father. He’s going to kill me if I get out of here alive.

The blond PS soldier zips open the top of the backpack and pulls out the laptop. We were so close. She holds it up, showing me a tag from the PS.

“This is Peaceful Society equipment you were trying to steal.”

I stay silent. I want to ask how she can prove I was “trying to steal” it, if Ami had it in her backpack, but they’ll twist anything I say. Ami’s breathing speeds up beside me.

“Amity, who does this bag belong to?” the woman asks pointedly.

Ami’s voice sounds hoarse, unpracticed. “Vale,” she croaks.

The soldier turns to me. “Vale Adamson. You are charged with stealing Peaceful Society equipment and confidential information.”

I aim a glare at Jeremy. “You knew!” I accuse, the accusation ripping out of me before I can stop it.

He grins widely and shrugs his shoulders. “Bummer, man, after everything you and your girlfriend went through, it turned out to be PS equipment.”

“Does the Brotherhood agree to extradition?” the woman asks him.

“Yes, Tessa, we certainly do,” Jeremy says immediately.

“What?” Ami’s finally speaking up now. She coughs a little, clearing her throat. “What? You’re taking him? Just—you have the laptop back—he’s….”

Tessa stares at Ami and doesn’t answer right away.

“Amity, it’s okay,” she says to Ami gently. “You did well. Your mission is complete.”

Jeremy laughs outright at this. Ami reddens and takes a step toward me.

“Some girlfriend you got there,” he crows, and his stupid bodyguards laugh.

“Vale,” Ami says, reaching for my hand.

“This isn’t Ami’s fault. It’s yours, Jeremy,” I say, my eyes burning. “My father will hear about this. You want to go to war with the Forge?”

“With what? And why? Are you sticking aroundAnchorage? Did you all change your mind about moving?” I grit my teeth and Tessa is quiet, taking in our words.

“You sell-out.” I can’t help it, I lunge for him, but his stupid bodyguard pulls him back. Ami clings to me as one of the PS soldiers steps forward and holds a Taser to my neck. That’s the last thing I remember before the world spins and goes black.

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