Allegiant (11 page)

James reaches out and stops me. “Everything
okay?”

I nod and give him half a smile. “I didn’t
let Dane get away with it.”

His jaw tenses. “He’s hurt you again?”

I glance at Garrett, and his attention is
directed to me as well. “Everything’s fine.” I look back at James.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” I start to head out of the room.

“
Wait,” James says. “I
think you should stay.”

Garrett speaks up. “I’m not sure that would
be wise.”

James turns to him. “Why? You’re the one who
involved her. She deserves an explanation just as much as I
do.”

Garrett shoots James an exasperated look.
“Now is not the time to be complicated.”

“
We’re a package deal.”
James takes my hand. “You know that.”

Garrett looks frustrated as I nervously
shift my gaze from him to James and back again. I don’t want to
hang around if things are going to get nasty.

Apparently my neighbor concedes because he
heads to the couch. We follow. He sits at one end, and I take a
seat at the other, folding my legs beneath me. James remains
standing. Garrett leans back, looks around for a moment, and
assesses the furniture. “The Cadillac is comfortable,” he smirks at
me. “Are you still willing to give it up?”

I grimace. “Definitely.”

Perturbed and confused, James asks, “We’re
discussing how the couch feels?”

Garrett turns to him.
“Sorry. It’s been awhile since I’ve
felt
anything.”

James raises his eyebrows in surprise.

“
Listen,” Garrett leans
forward, setting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands in
front of him, “we have a problem.”

“
We?” James crosses his
arms again.

“
Apparently, my absence
hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

James scoffs. “That sounds like your
problem, not mine.”

“
Did you tell anyone I was
gone? Ask about me after I left?”

“
My demeanor hasn’t exactly
been conducive to making friends.”

“
So you’ve talked to no
one?”

“
I’ve tried to keep to
myself,” James pauses. “But no, there is one person I’ve been
speaking to.”

“
Who?”

“
Thomas.”

Garrett narrows his eyes at James. “What
does he look like?”

James shrugs. “He’s an older guy with
glasses.”

And with that, another person takes form in
my living room. It startles me, and I spring off the couch and to
James’ side in two steps. He wraps his arm protectively around my
shoulders.

The man appears midway between Garrett and
James. He’s an older gentleman, with light brown hair and a
moustache that is starting to gray. He’s wears thin-framed
eyeglasses and a white shirt, covered by a tan sport coat with
matching slacks.

“
Hey kid,” the man smiles
at James in a fatherly way.

“
Thomas?” James blinks,
surprised.

Garrett turns to Thomas and stands. “You’ve
been speaking with him? I asked you to keep an eye on him, that’s
all!”

“
The boy was miserable,”
Thomas defends himself. “I couldn’t let him suffer. Besides, you
said yourself that you didn’t have enough time with him before you
left.”

“
You’ve been training
him?”

Thomas hesitates. “Not exactly. Just filling
in some blanks.”

“
What about your duty? What
about Arnold?”

“
My Ward is fine,” Thomas
says and puts his hands in his pockets. “He’s been moved to a
nursing home. He can’t get into too much trouble there.” He smiles
at James and me.

“
Why are you here?” James
asks. “Can someone start making some sense?”

Thomas takes a step forward. “Garrett asked
one of us to accompany him tonight, just in case you lost your
temper again. Two against one might keep you a little calmer.” He
shifts his focus and gives me warm smile. “You must be the lovely
Emma.”

My gaze leaves Thomas and shoots to James.
He gives me a reassuring look and then turns his attention to the
two other Guardians in the room. I do the same. “Um…nice to meet
you?” I cautiously say. Is there a protocol I should be following
here?

“
Likewise,” Thomas says and
nods.

Garrett rubs his fingers against his
forehead as if he can physically clear his mind. “If you’re the
only one he’s talked to, then what did Joss and Meg overhear at
Assembly? Maybe they’re wrong.”

Thomas turns to Garrett. “Joss wouldn’t
lie.”

Garrett sighs, frowning. “I know she
wouldn’t.” He looks defeated. “We need to meet. All of us.”

All of us?
I think. Are more people going to materialize in
my apartment? I’m starting to reconsider the whole need-to-know
thing on my part.

“
Do you think that’s a good
idea?” Thomas asks. “If we’re all away at the same
time…”

“
I don’t think we have a
choice.” Garrett puts his hands on his hips and shifts his
weight.

“
Hold on,” James
interrupts, removing his arm from my shoulders and walking toward
the two Guardians. “Meet who? About what?”

James is out of the loop, and it’s starting
to piss him off. I think now would be the best time for me to exit
this little gathering. If a fight is about to break out, I’d rather
not be present.

Thomas and Garrett start to speak over one
another.

“
The rest of…”

“
James, I
think…”

“
Ah, hello?” I give a small
wave, so I’m noticed. The conversation ceases and everyone turns to
face me. “I’m sorry for interrupting but being as how I’m the only
human in the room, I should probably go.” I take a few tentative
steps. “I’ll just head out for a few hours and you guys can
–”

“
I’m human too.”

I freeze in place, staring at Garrett.

He gives me a tiny smile. “Well, half human,
anyway.”

My focus immediately shifts to James, and he
looks completely blindsided, as if he’s been slapped in the face.
Thomas takes a measured step and stands between the two of them.
“Just in case,” he nods to me. “They can’t hurt each other, but
they can sure scare the hell out of you.”

“
How?” James asks quietly,
disbelieving.

Garrett steps to the side. “The method was
stumbled upon, and I’m the guinea pig.”

James looks away from Garrett and to me, as
if looking for confirmation that I’m hearing this too. I stare back
at him, wide-eyed. A million questions pass between us.

Thomas relaxes and steps out of the way.

“
There is a group of us
that no longer wish to be Guardians,” Garrett explains. “The
opportunity to be released has passed us all.” His expression
twists. “None of our true loves chose us. After years of serving
The Allegiant, we’ve finally found another way out.”

“
How?” James asks again,
this time with more determination. “What’s the method? Count me
in!”

“
Whoa,” Thomas says,
stepping back in front of James. “It’s not that simple.”

“
Right now, we need to
concentrate on keeping this a secret,” Garrett continues. “We need
you to lay low and keep your eyes and ears open. The Allegiant
won’t come around asking questions without good cause. Do your best
by Emma and don’t call attention to yourself. Without a reason to
question my teaching, they shouldn’t need to talk to you – or me.
They cannot find out that I’ve left the Intermediate or where I’ve
gone. We need to find out what was overheard and where it came
from. If The Allegiant get even a hint of what we’re up to, it’s
the end for all of us.”

James steps back. “Fine.” He gives them both
a hard look. “But I want in. All the way. Who else knows about
this?”

The three of them have obviously forgotten
that I’m in the room.

Thomas turns to Garrett. “We’ll have to
introduce him, one by one, to the others. Unless you decide to hold
a meeting.”

Garrett frowns in thought. “Let me think
about it some more. Are you meeting Joss tonight?”

“
As soon as I get
back.”

“
Find out if she can get
more specifics from Meg.”

“
Will do.”

Just then I hear my phone ring from the
other room. It distracts only me. The Guardians – and Garrett – are
deep in conversation. I don’t want to interrupt them again by
moving, so I ignore it, praying that whoever is trying to get ahold
of me leaves a message.

“
I could take him to meet
Joss with me now,” I hear Thomas suggest.

Garrett appears to consider it. “I’m due a
visit as well, from Jack.”

“
Does it matter who I meet
first?” James asks.

My phone rings again, and I silently curse
it. James looks at me and nods over his shoulder. “Maybe you should
get that?”

I give the group an apologetic smile and
dart around them as I head out of the room. I grab my phone off the
bed and see that Shel is calling. I sit down and answer her in
order to avoid any further interruptions.

“
Hello?”

“
Oh! I’m so glad you
answered!” Shel’s voice wavers.

Her panicked tone sends my already
heightened nerves into overdrive. “What’s wrong? What is it?”

“
It’s Matt,” her voice
breaks.

Matt? My pulse starts to accelerate. Has
something happened to him? “Is he all right?”

“
Yes,” she says through
tears. “It’s…we had a fight.”

Relief floods my body. I want to say “Is
that all?” but I catch myself. I think this may be their first
fight ever. “Aw, Shel. What about?”

“
Dane.” She spits his name
out like it’s poison.

Dane? My expression twists. “Why were you
fighting about him?”

“
Because he knew, Emma!
Matt knew he was engaged!”

A sick feeling starts to curl around my
stomach.

Shel sniffs. “Dane called Matt and accused
him of telling you. When did you find out?”

“
Yesterday,” I say
quietly.

“
I overheard Matt arguing
on the phone and demanded to know what was going on. He told me and
then we got into it about you. How could he do that to you Emma?
How could he keep this huge secret? You’re our best
friend!”

I’m at a loss for words. Why would Matt keep
this from me? He knew Dane and I were getting close. I hear Shel
sniff again, and I’m reminded of how upset she is. “I’m sorry that
you guys fought because of me.”

“
It’s not your fault! It’s
theirs!”

I hear what I think is a car horn in the
background. “Where are you?”

“
Driving. I’m on my way to
you.”

“
You are?”

“
Yes. I stormed out. Is
that okay? I don’t want to go home; Matt will look for me there. I
don’t want to talk to him right now.”

I know the feeling. “Of course you can come
here. How far away are you?”

“
About an hour.”

“
Okay. Hang up and get here
safe.”

“’
Kay. See you in a little
bit.”

I end the call and stare at my phone. Matt
knew about Dane all along? Feelings of betrayal start to swirl in
my chest. Thanks for the heads up, jackass.

“
What’s going on?” James
appears in my doorway, startling me.

“
Shel’s on her way. She got
into a fight with Matt.” I neglect to tell him about Matt’s
secrecy. I don’t need another person for him to be mad
at.

“
Oh good,” James says
absentmindedly, glancing back into the living room.

I frown at him. “It’s good they got in a
fight?”

“
What?” He focuses back on
me. “Oh, no. It’s good that Shel is coming here. Thomas is going to
take me to meet Joss.”

“
Now?”

“
Yes.” He steps forward and
plants a kiss on my forehead. When he leans back, he looks at me
intently. There’s an excitement in his eyes that I haven’t seen in
a very long time. “You heard what I heard right?”

I nod.

“
Do you know what this
could mean?” he whispers enthusiastically.

I can’t help but smile at his boyish grin.
“The thought did cross my mind.”

He leans forward again and catches my mouth
with his, kissing me hard. When we stop, I tease him. “I thought we
weren’t supposed to do that?”

He responds by kissing me again.

“
You’re going to get
caught,” I reprimand him.

Someone clears his throat behind us. “He is
caught.”

James turns around and I jump off the bed.
Thomas is standing in the doorway. The way he looks at us makes me
blush.

“
You’re still her Guardian,
you know,” he chastises James. He tries to maintain his stern
expression, but his eyes crinkle as he breaks into a smile. “No
wonder Garrett asked me to keep an eye on you.”

James laughs nervously. “Can you blame
me?”

Thomas shakes his head. “Not in the least.
Come on. We have to go.”

James turns to me. “I’ll see you soon. Stay
out of trouble.”

“
Me? Get into trouble?
Never.” I smile.

“
I don’t know.” James tilts
his head, doubtful. “Shel is on her way.”

It’s so nice to see James happy for once.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be on my best behavior. Scout’s honor.” I hold
up my hand.