Page 124 of Captured Immune

I’m not sure if I can handle any more bad news, but... “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“I’m gonna go back.”

I freeze as I try to comprehend what he means. “Go back?”

“I thought about it all last night and some more when I woke up this morning. Katie told me that Victor’s been running tests on Immunes for the last nineteen years. Do you wanna take a wild guess as to what happened to the others?”

“I don’t have to guess. I already know.”

“I have to stop him. Otherwise, he’ll continue killing more innocent people. So, I have to go back.”

I swallow thickly. “What are you going to do?”

He stares at me without blinking. “You already know, so please don’t make me say it out loud. The idea of having to do it is already making me nauseous.”

I’m not going to make him say it, because he’s right: I do know. I’d like to think I’m the type of person who’ll talk him out of this, but seeing how the Royals at the gas station didn’t hesitate to kill an innocent man, I have no compassion for them.

“Judge me if you want, but I’ve made my decision.”

I give his hands a loving squeeze. “I’m not judging you, honey. Actually, I think this is very heroic of you.”

He scoffs lightly. “I’m not doing this to be a hero. Honestly, the root of this decision is pretty selfish. We can’t hole up down here for the rest of our lives. You deserve better than that, and as long as Victor is alive, you won’t be safe. So, selfishly, I’m doing this for me. For you. For us. For our future family together. I won’t be able to sleep knowing someone is searching for us with the intent to hurt you. And if we have kids, then what? Our babies could never live a normal life if we’re always on the run. I don’t want that.”

I had these same thoughts yesterday when we were in Tao’s Lincoln. While Trey drove, I asked myself,When can we stop running?After some deep thought, the answer was clear: As long as Victor is breathing, I won’t be safe. I’ll always have to run. The only way to stop running is to stop Victor.

I give Trey a firm nod as I make my decision too. “Okay. Let’s go.”

He gapes at me. “What?”

“I said, let’s go.”

He lets out a humorless chuckle. “No, no, no.You’renot going.Iam.”

“I’m coming with you.”

He jumps to his feet and slashes a hand through the air. “Hell no! Not in a million years. It could be dangerous.”

“And that’s exactly why I need to go. You won’t stand a chance against Victor and his Royal minions without my immunity protecting you.”

“No. Fuck no.” He shakes his head with a look in his eyes that says he won’t back down. “Abso-fucking-lutely not.”

I’m not going to back down either. “I said I’m coming.”

“Arella, this is not the time to be difficult.”

“You promised we’d be a team, remember? You protect me, and I’ll protect you.”

“Thisisme protecting you. You need to stay here until I come back.”

I get to my feet as I cross my arms over my chest. “And what if you don’t come back?”

“Then at least you’ll be alive.”

“But that means you aren’t, which means I’m still in danger. If I go with you, at least we’ll have achanceat winning.”

He points a hand toward the ceiling. “We don’t know what the situation looks like up there. When we left, the Royals had just gotten through the cavern entrance and people were dying. Then once we got through the tunnel, we were attacked by a swarm of Royals. Pixie, Ruby, and Katie held them back to give me a chance to get you to safety. They risked their lives to save you. The last thing I’m gonna do is bring you straight back to the place we fought to get you out of. Also, I have no idea which side won. If it was Victor’s side, that probably means the Ridge is crawling with hundreds of Royals by now.”

I put a hand over my hip. “All the more reason why Ineedto come. If it’s you against hundreds, we might as well say our goodbyes now because you’re definitely not coming back.”

---