“It’s a dance number from one of our most popular Bollywood films,” Jaya explains. “Normally, I would be in there telling them not to waste time.”
Her voice breaks. I draw her back from the doorway so that the girls won’t see her and become alarmed.
“Jaya, it is time for you to leave,” Caitlin says. “We can’t put you at risk.”
Jaya sniffs wetly and Caitlin rummages in her jacket pocket, finding some tissues for her to blow her nose into. When the headmistress is done, she shakes her head emphatically.
“I am not leaving. These are my girls. This is my school. I will not abandon it.”
She turns back to watch the girls, cutting off any further discussion. I look at Caitlin for guidance on how to handle her, but now Luca comes striding down the hallway toward us.
“I have a breach,” he says. “That young police detective is outside. The one you were here with before.”
“Let her in, fast,” says Caitlin. “She’s carrying the virus too. The last thing we need is for her to be out there exposed to anything Family First wants to throw at her. . . .”
Luca sprints out, and I’m right behind him. Meeting Riya at the gate, I hurry her back up to the school building while Luca brings up the rear, sweeping the school grounds and the street with his gun. Once we’re inside, Luca goes back to his post, leaving me and Riya alone in the foyer. It’s a large entrance area, painted in pale blues and greens. On one wall, a welcoming mural painted by the girls brightens the space. On the opposite wall, near the front door, neat rows of pegs hold school blazers and backpacks. Just seeing them there reminds me of the girls that we need to protect. I’m antsy, my foot tapping up and down on the wooden floorboards, as I watch Riya.
“You can’t stay here,” I tell her.
“Why not?”
“You need to keep away from the other girls. If Family First trigger them, they’ll trigger you.”
“Twenty minutes from now,” she says softly. I look down, away from her gaze. “Sunil told me the deadline,” she adds. “Before I told him I have the virus too.”
Despite myself, I feel a lump rise in my throat. I take a breath to steady my voice.
“Riya, please, let me try to protect you at least—”
“Really, Jessie?” she interrupts, frowning at me.
“Really what?” I ask.
“Tell me I didn’t misjudge you all this time,” she says. “Tricking your way into my crime scene. Brawling with those men at the lab. I thought you were a fighter. But now you sound like you’ve given up.”
I almost smile at the tone of challenge in her voice.
“I’m still fighting, but we have to think about the worst that could . . .”
The rest of the words collapse in my mouth before I can even form them. Who am I telling about the worst that could happen? Just looking at her—high cheekbones, expressive eyes, and, somehow, a small smile forming at the sides of her mouth—makes me so deeply sad. Tears sting at my eyes suddenly and I hit the wall with my palm, forcing them back.
Without warning, Riya grabs me in a hug that is passionate, intense, laden with too many emotions for me to grasp at. It’s like she understands everything I’m feeling, all the things I can’t put into words. I feel her lips on my cheek, my neck, my forehead. Her eyes are closed as she kisses me. I hold her close, taking in the feel of her, the scent of her. The moments stretch out, like they might just last forever and yet, suddenly, it’s over so fast. She pulls away, and reluctantly I let her go.
“You know what I figured out since I found out about this toxin?” she asks gently.
“What?” I say. Despite my best efforts not to cry, I feel tears on my lashes. Riya’s finger comes up to brush them softly away.
“We can’t worry about failing, Jessie. We have to figure out how to win.”
27
LUCA GIVES RIYA AN EARPIECE that will give her a communications link to all of us here in the school and I introduce her briefly to Caitlin. Then I leave her in Jaya’s office to sift through the last few days, to go over all the events since the bombing of the first school and think about any evidence or events that could help us identify the trigger. Even though we are under the impending pressure of this deadline, I’m hoping that maybe by sitting still for a few minutes, Riya can come up with some clue that Family First have left us, even inadvertently.
I look into classrooms as I go back to Caitlin. The spaces echo back at me, silent, deserted. Only the computer room buzzes with life. Inside, Caitlin and Luca watch a set of three monitors. He’s still wearing Caitlin’s bandanna, and I don’t think I imagined that her hand was holding on to his when I walked in. But she’s standing up now, arms crossed. I keep my eyes on the screens.
“This looks good,” I say. The streets outside the school appear live before us.
“I’ve had this set up since we got here,” says Luca. “Using the Wi-Fi, it’s a cinch. And just today, I’ve added lasers. If anyone breaks the beams coming onto the school
