The Girl Who Kicked Ass (Death Fields 3)

“He’s working on it.”

“And you trust him?” he adds.

I lean back in my seat. It’s leather and rocks gently. “My father trusts him and right now that’s all I’ve got.”

“Your father?” Parker asks.

“He’s the one behind that ambush last night—well, the original one to get us there. He gave me enough samples for Erwin’s lab to work with to recreate the vaccine. He’s working against my sister from the inside. Now it’s our job to work against her from the outside.”

“So we’re forming a rebellion or a resistance or something,” Cole asks.

“Yes.” I look around the table. “Do we need to vote?”

Once again, Jude replies for the group. “Nope. When do we start?”

Chapter 8

We split into two teams. Three of us on each team with a force of Erwin’s soldiers backing us up. Erwin was already collecting data and had surveillance on Jane’s activities. That’s how he rescued us.

We meet. Plan. Strategize.

After a week of preparation we start small. Davis, Parker, and Jude are targeting a supply run heading out of

Cartersville back to Augusta. Erwin’s spies have watched the scouts come and go for a week from a canned goods distribution center. Load up and delivery day is in three hours. Just past nightfall.

“Your job is to stop the truck,” I remind them in Fort Arnold’s massive garage. “Take out the drivers. They should all be Hybrids.”

Parker rolls her eyes. She’s wearing enough body armor to go into battle. I hope it doesn’t come to that. “You say that like it will be easy.”

“You can handle it,” I say. “You’ve got thirty soldiers backing you up. Let them do the dirty work. Once clear, you’ll drive the truck to Erwin’s warehouse.”

Davis whistles, getting everyone’s attention. Cole, Paul, and I watch as they get in the vehicles and I shift nervously, bouncing on my feet.

“What’s going on?” Cole asks, observing my excess energy.

“I feel like I should be going with them,” I reply.

“Why? You think they can’t do it without you?” Paul asks. Bluntness seems to be a side-effect of his transition.

“No.” Yes, I want to say, but it’s stupid to think this whole thing hinges on me. “I just hate waiting around.”

Neither Paul nor Cole look like they believe me. The enormous garage doors roll up, sounding like a freight train, and we watch the trucks roll out one after the other. Parker waves from the window and I say a silent prayer.

Paul tugs my arm. “Come on, we’ll be busy enough tomorrow. We should rest up.”

Just thinking about sleep makes me yawn. It’s been a long day—a long week. “Yeah, I’m ready to crash,” I say, linking my fingers with Cole’s. His hand is cool and I tighten my grip to warm him up. He and I could use a little alone time. I take a nerve-gathering breath. “It will be strange having a room to myself since Parker’s gone for the night, you know?”

Paul lifts an eyebrow but says nothing. Cole just…he just keeps walking like he didn’t hear me. Ouch.

The three of us walk back to the main building. When we get to the split off for the dormitories, Cole hesitates. Paul looks between us curiously but then heads down the hall.

“You okay?” I ask.

“I’m just not tired. I think I’m going to check on Josie before going to bed.”

“Is she feeling better?” I knew she’d gone through extensive testing to figure out what kind of chemical cocktail she’d been given at the camps. She was also severely dehydrated and close to starvation when she came in. I’m not sure how she and her group were even surviving out there.

“The doctors should release her in a few days and she’ll be ready to get to work. I just wanted to check on her progress. I think it makes her feel better to see someone familiar.”