Walker laughs. “Are you accusing me of keeping secrets? I’m sorry, I thought that was your job, Mr. Enigma.”
There’s a string of expletives that makes me glance sideways at Jude, who has moved closer to listen. This argument isn’t new; Walker has never thought Wyatt has been transparent enough. Wyatt, frankly, doesn’t give a damn.
“I know you’re hiding something big this time,” she says. Her voice is lower—more serious. I watch Jude to see if he caught it. He did.
“Me? You’re paranoid,” Wyatt says.
“No. I’ve seen a better way,” she snaps back. “There’s hope out there Wyatt, and it’s within our reach. We just have to finish the job.”
“You think tracking down hundreds of Hybrids is going to be easy? It may take decades.”
“I’m willing to make that sacrifice.” I peek out the window and see Walker’s eyes narrowed at him. She says, “You never mention the Mutts.”
“They aren’t my first priority. You know that.”
“I don’t think that’s true.” Her voice is cold—accusatory. “I think they are your first priority. More than you, or anyone else in that house wants to admit.”
Wyatt has been pacing, letting off pent-up anger, but he stops inches from Walker. “You’re brainwashed. Hamilton did something to you. We were a team and you know Erwin and the others had no choice but to turn Mutt. None. That sacrifice—a real one—saved all of our asses from the Hybrids. The Mutts are not our enemies and I’m not going to pretend they are just because some paper pusher up in New Hope,” he rolls his eyes at the cheesy name, “has convinced you to do his dirty work.”
Jude and I hold a look because we’re very close to territory we can’t come back from. Wyatt isn’t wrong—he’s completely right--but these are dangerous accusations. We don’t have an army backing us here or anything else. Walker does. “Watch your mouth,” Walker says. “You’re close to treason.”
He blinks twice and then laughs. “You don’t get it. It can’t be treason. I’m not part of your country. What country? You’ve got one functioning city and rumors of others, but I didn’t go through the last two years to be beholden to a man I don’t know or trust.”
“So what does that mean?”
“It means I’m done with this shit. I’m not working for you or Hamilton or anyone else.”
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“If you walk away from this you’ll be a wanted man—same goes for anyone else that goes with you.”
“They’ll have to make that decision on their own.”
Huh. That statement ruffles my feathers and when he barges back in the house and goes straight for his bag, I wait for him to even notice I’m in the room.
“I’ll check on the girls,” Jude says. He adds quietly, “Don’t leave without me.”
Jackson exhales heavily and walks outside to check on Walker. I’m not sure if we’re enemies now. This whole thing is confusing. Why do we have to fight one another?
“So you’re leaving?” I finally ask, when it’s clear Wyatt is more focused on his pack than anything else.
“I don’t work like this—with others—you know that.”
“You worked with Erwin.”
“That was a special circumstance.” His jaw ticks. I must not look convinced because he walks over, touches my chin and says, “I had to find you.”
“Out there—you made it sound like you’d go on your own. Take off again.” It’s stupid to feel needy right after he made it clear he made choices for me. But Wyatt and I are new. This thing between us is in its infancy and I’ve definitely never navigated waters like this.
“I’m not leaving you, if that’s where this is headed.”
His hazel eyes bore into mine and I swallow. “It’s not—not really. I get that you’re committed to this. To me. But you stormed out there and made a decision for all of us. A potentially deadly one, and that’s not okay.”
Anger flashes across his face. Not at me but himself. I take a step closer and rest my hand on his hip. “You and I are a partnership now. More than ever before. We have to think of one another.”
“Like you did when you took the EVI-3?”
Ouch. “Fair enough.”