Finally reaching the elevator, I pushed the button and took a deep, ragged breath. Even breathing took effort. The door opened, and Jared stood before me.
Knowing better than to pretend everything was normal, I reached for his arm and let him support my weight as I took the few steps to stand next to him.
“Nina,” he said quietly into my ear, “I think it’s time—,”
“I know,” I said. “We have to find someone.”
He walked with me for a while, but once we were in the parking lot, my legs gave way. Jared lifted me into his arms, and carried me the remaining distance to the Escalade. My eyes shut and would not open.
I didn’t wake when Jared carried me inside the loft, nor did I feel the mattress beneath me when he lowered me into it and covered me with blankets. It wasn’t until the sun broke through the blinds that I realized I had been tucked in and slept sixteen hours straight.
“Jared?” I called, my voice raspy.
“Nope, it’s just me,” Bex said. He sat on the bed, seeming vexed.
“What wrong? And where’s Jared?”
“He’s been gone since yesterday evening. He caught a break.”
“What’s with the face?”
“You slept.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” I asked, sitting up against the headboard.
“Not for Jared. This makes the third time you’ve slept solid when he’s been gone all night. Can’t be a coincidence.”
I laughed once. “Are you saying he’s causing the dreams?”
“I’m saying it’s a possibility the dreams go away when he’s not around.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I sneered.
“I’m probably right,” Bex said, his teenage confidence overriding his usual politeness. In that moment, he was more Claire than Jared. “And Jared’s going to take it hard.”
“No he’s not, because you’re not going to tell him,” I said firmly.
“Nina…I have to tell him, you know that.”
“My sleep was interrupted by my annoying, incessant screaming at three-eleven A.M. just like every other morning. That’s the story.”
“You don’t think he’ll know?”
“He’s been distracted. It could work.”
“It won’t.”
“Bex! At least try!”
Bex stood up and crossed his arms. “He’ll know, and then he won’t trust me ever again because I helped you lie to him. Do you know how imperative it is that we trust each other? You really have gone crazy.”
He walked down the stairs in a huff, and I blew my bangs from my face, aggravated. Even in his disgust, Bex began making breakfast, and after a shower I joined him at the table.
“Something came for you yesterday,” Bex said, tossing an envelope on the table.
It was from Ryan.
I tore it open and scanned it over for signs of sadness or danger, and then I reread his words more slowly. I went over them again in disbelief.
“What?” Bex asked.
“He’s been accepted into the Special Forces.”
Bex laughed. “Are you serious? That little butt nugget?”
“It’s not funny, Bex! This is…did you know? Has Claire called?”
“No and no,” Bex said matter-of-factly.
“Did Jared say anything?” I said, grabbing for my cell.
“Nina,” Bex said, holding my wrists gently, “I’m sure it’s a miscommunication. Ryan hasn’t been in the Army long enough to get into the Special Forces. That’s unheard of. I don’t see him cutting it, anyway. If my sister can incapacitate him, I’m guessing he’s a big weenie.”
“Claire is a Hybrid, Bex! That’s an unfair basis for comparison and you know it.”
Bex giggled. The little boy in him was showing. “You’re much more fun when you’ve had some sleep. I can’t pass up a chance to give you a hard time when you’re coherent.”
“Not a good time, Bex,” I said, staring at my plate. The one day I could have eaten, and Ryan’s letter eliminated any appetite I might have had. “You really think it’s a mistake?”
“Yeah,” Bex said. “No way could that happen. It would take at least three years for someone like him…no education, no connections.”
Jared opened the door with an apologetic smile. “Hi, Baby.”
“Not even a note?” I asked, wadding up the letter in my hand and tossing it in his general direction.
He playfully ducked, as if it were possible that I could have hit him. “Bex was here. What’s up? I’m three blocks away, and I’m getting all this irritation from you.”
“Did you know about Ryan?” I asked.
“He’s still alive, I know that,” Jared said, peeling off his coat. He hung it on the rack, and then walked to me, kneeling beside me on the floor. “You read the letter?”
“He said he’s going into the Special Forces.”
Jared thought for a moment, and then shook his head. “No, the shortest time anyone has been accepted is eighteen months in. That can’t be right.”
“That’s what I told her, but she doesn’t believe me,” Bex said, rolling his eyes. He walked over to the wadded letter and reopened it, scanning the words. “But that’s what it says. Maybe he’s trying to impress her.”
Jared immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Claire’s number. Her angry tone carried into the room.
“He’s a maniac!” Claire yelled. “He has zero respect for his limited lifespan and tries to throw himself on grenades for his buddies every other day,” she huffed.
“Claire…keep your voice down,” Jared chuckled nervously. He noticed my horrified expression, and turned his head. “You’re not serious?”
“I’m exaggerating, but not by much. The grenade part is true, but that was just once.”
I wrapped my arms around my waist and walked over to Bex, waiting for more bad news. Bex put his arm around me with a light hug.
“He’s saved every man in his company in one way or another. He walks around with explosives on his back while the enemy is shooting at us. You thought your detail was bad, this is impossible!”
“Great,” I said, throwing my arms up and letting them slap to my sides.
“It still doesn’t explain how he made sergeant in an impossible amount of time,” Jared said.
The other end of the phone was silent, and Jared nodded, whispering something so quickly I could barely discern his reply at all. “Okay. Watch your six,” Jared said, flipping his phone shut. He watched me for a moment, and then sighed. “He still has Claire, Nina. You know her…it’s like he’s in military day care.”
“How did he get sergeant so quickly?” I asked.
Jared peered at Bex for a moment before speaking. “It appears Colonel Brand pulled some strings. The Special Forces guys are more familiar with how we do things, and it made it easier for Claire to protect him.”
“Sending Ryan on more dangerous missions will protect him,” I deadpanned.
“Well, since everyone has bad news….” Bex said.
“Bex, don’t,” I said through my teeth, but it was too late.
“What is it?” Jared asked, his eyes bouncing between the two of us.
“Nina slept all night. She didn’t budge until seven this morning.”
Jared let his words sink in. It was several moments before he moved, and then nodded. His hand searched for the closest chair to pull beneath him. He fell into it, and stared at the floor. “So that’s it.”
“Jared, that doesn’t mean anything,” I said, reaching for him.
He looked to his younger brother. “Now we just have to see how far away I have to be to keep the dreams away.”
“This is ridiculous!” I said. “It’s happened three times, that isn’t a definitive trial by anyone’s
