“I got your note about camping, and I went out in the Bois because people think it’s so calming in nature.” Kia pulled away. Her eyes shone. Her hair vibrated against the roof of the tent. “And I don’t know how it can be calming because a snake—a fucking snake—fell downmyshirt. You would have been excited. I wasn’t. But I had to come tell you because the miniature Oregon tree snake is the answer.”
It took Sullivan a moment to take in Kia’s words. Sullivan didn’t realize until now how much she’d wanted Kia to run after her. And now Kia was here, and she wasn’t telling Sullivan she’d taken a deal from Mega Eats. She was complaining about slithery nature. And this was exactly what Sullivan had wanted when she addedmiss youto her kitchen note. Behind those words wasplease come find me. Don’t leave me.
Then Sullivan took in Kia’s last words.
“The tree snake?! You’ve been here a few weeks and you’ve already seen a tree snake. Jealous!”
“I will not say it was lovely, although it did kind of look like a magic ribbon. If you can overlook that they’re little Satans.” Kia gave a watery laugh. “I can’t save us, but I think I can save the Bois. If the snakes are only in the Bois and you almost never see them, it’s got to be endangered. And people in Oregon love endangered species. We have to get the judge to give us a… what was it called? An injunction. Like Mega Eats got to stop the sale until our court case resolved. And we say they can’t build on the land because they’ll ruin the snakes’ habitat. We’ll save it. It’s brilliant, right?”
It was… absolutely brilliant.
With one catch.
“If we did that,” Sullivan said slowly, trying to contain her excitement until she heard what Kia said next, “you won’t be able to build on it either.”
“I don’t care.”
“What about Me’shell and everyone you’ve promised to help? We still have a chance in court.”
Kia’s face fell for a moment, but she said, “I can find other locations for them. We’ll pivot. It won’t be exactly what they planned, but I’ll stay in Portland until everyone who needs me gets what they want.”
That’ll be forever if Kia counted Sullivan amongeveryone who needs me.
“Sullivan, there’s one other thing.” Kia’s expression was as serious as her LED likeness on the Diva was cheerful. “Mega Eats got my accounts canceled.”
“Fuck.”
Everything Kia had built depended on her social media accounts, everything she’d dreamed of on graduation night was tied to those accounts.
“They threatened that if I don’t give up my attempts to buy the Bois and say that what they’re accusing us of is true, they’ll cut them off permanently. They shouldn’t be able to do that, but they can, and we can’t prove it’s them. It’s a problem with influencing. You’re at the mercy of these huge corporations.”
“If we save the snake, do you get your accounts back?”
“Nothing except taking the deal does that. I should take it.”
“I understand.” Sullivan’s heart cracked. She’d stood on this precipice herself, and Nina was right, a sensible person would have taken the deal. Kia knew that. “Why did you bring up the snake if you have to take the deal?”
“Chef, I’m offended.” Kia looked shocked, although not angry. “Of course I didn’t take the deal.”
“Mega Eats offered me the same deal,” Sullivan blurted, “except it’s my house they want. It’s on Bois property. I lose it entirely if they buy the Bois. I didn’t take the deal either.”
They stared at each other. Sun coming through the tent’s red nylon cast a soft pink glow on Kia’s face.
“We didn’t take the deals.” Kia looked incredulous but also happy. “We. Didn’t. Take. The. Deals.”
“We didn’t take the deals.” Sullivan felt a bubble of giddy pride. Excitement. Glee. Strength. The feeling that they’d won just by saying no to the devil’s bargain. “Fuck Mega Eats.”
“Fuck them!” Kia flung her arms around Sullivan. “We are so much better than anything that company has ever done.”
Sullivan held Kia tight.I love you.The words almost slipped out. Instead she said, “Okay, how are we going to get everyone to care about the miniature Oregon tree snake?”
Kia wished she could ride home with Sullivan, but at least she could call Deja from her truck and not subject Sullivan to Deja’s exuberance. She waited until she was on a quiet stretch of highway, then asked her truck’s computer to call Deja. Deja picked up on the first ring.
“Deja—” Kia braced herself for the torrent of fangirl love. “I need your help.”
“Is this about the lawsuit?” Deja asked, uncharacteristicallyserious.
“How did you know?”
