“First Sergeant,” I said. “I’ve been wondering. When do you think we’ll be able to, you know . . .” My nerves suddenly skyrocketed. “Learn more about what’s going on here, and what the plan is.”
Remy’s eyebrows went up, but First Sergeant didn’t look at all surprised by my question. He linked his hands behind his back and pursed his lips in thought.
“This place is run on a need-to-know basis. Much of our intel is highly classified, and disturbing to the point that more than one soldier has lost his mind after learning everything there is to know. Not everyone can handle it.”
My heart thudded and Remy’s eyes now rounded with horror. My God . . . what in the actual hell was going on? I was dying to know, but also terrified. I wanted to think I could handle it, but had it really made people go insane?
“We have to know eventually,” I said. I wasn’t feeling brave, but the lack of knowledge made me feel vulnerable and I hated that sensation.
“True, Miss Tate. And time is of the essence.” The gravity in his voice turned my stomach. “Soon. Okay?”
I swallowed and nodded.
He started to go, but turned back and said, “Oh, and ladies? Call me Top.”
I grinned. He walked away and Remy was trembling as she looked at me.
“Top? Isn’t that what people called your dad?”
“Yeah.” My heart expanded.
“What do you think he’s talking about?” she asked. “What could it be? I know we’re at war. Everyone knows that. Why wouldn’t a soldier be able to handle that? What more is there? Do you think maybe the DRI is some religious cult that does disgusting things or something? I mean . . . besides bombings.” Her voice dropped.
“I have no idea,” I said. And I really didn’t. My mind was whirling a million miles an hour trying to figure out who we were fighting that had the power to do this kind of worldwide damage. I used to think it was dumb luck, that the enemy caught us all off guard and we never had time to defend ourselves before millions were wiped out. But whowerethe enemy? All of the DRI I’d met seemed like normal-looking people who could’ve been from nearly anywhere, though their personalities were severely lacking.
Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t quite place what race most of them were. All of the DRI had attractive attributes, as far as fit bodies and symmetric faces, nice, thick hair. But thinking about their facial features—they weren’t quite white or Hispanic or black or Asian. Their eyes weren’t quite round or slanted. Their skin was olive toned or creamy tanned. Their lips were perfectly full, their noses somewhere between narrow and wide. What a weird coincidence that not a single one of the ones I’d met had distinctive nationality traits.
“What’s wrong?” Remy asked. I must have been scrunching my face.
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
My attention was spear-headed at the sight of Linette passing us with a cigarette in her fingers, walking that sure, sultry walk of hers, straight to Rylen and Tater. My jaw clenched. Remy followed my gaze and groaned. Linette and the guys chatted comfortably. I, however, watched in complete discomfort. I needed to stop letting her get to me. Jealousy was the worst feeling. I hated it.
“Should we go over there?” I asked.
“No,” Remy whispered sadly. “Tater needs some positive attention right now, even if it’s from her. And you don’t have to worry about Rylen. His mind is always on bigger things.”
Yeah, I told myself. Bigger things. Okay. No problem.
“And do you really not care that she’s talking to Tater?” I asked.
“Me and Jacob talked last night after my shift.” She watched him as she said it. “We’re both too messed up right now to have anything. We’ll just keep hurting each other.”
“You can havesomething,” I said. “It doesn’t have to be romantic.”
“Yeah,” she replied. “But I have a hard time being just friends with a guy when I like him.”
“So, you like him.” I nudged her and she nudged me back.
“You know I do. And I can’t handle the emotions right now.”
I nodded.
A loud voice from the other side of the room shouted, making me jump, but after a second I realized he was counting down.
“Fourteen . . . thirteen . . . twelve . . .”And everyone joined in. I hadn’t realized it was almost midnight already.
My first instinct was to move to our friends across the room, but Linette was literally hip-to-hip with Rylen as she counted down, punching the air with each number. He stood with one hand in his pocket, the other holding his cup of water, not smiling or counting, butnot moving away from her. His eyes scanned the room and found me.
