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AFTER EXPLAINING EVERYTHING TO Jackson, Hugh sat on the cot in his tent. The Guard was on a chair by the table.
“Tim’s right. It kills me to say it.” Jackson shot him a cocky smile. “His being a Servant and all, but turning yourself in won’t do anyone any good.”
“I know. Even if I insisted that they free them first, they’d probably scoop them back up to teach us rebels a lesson.” He rested his head against the wall. “I don’t care what you say, this is my fault.”
“No, it’s not. You have to stop blaming yourself for every bad thing that happens.”
“And you’re such an expert on this.” These lectures were getting old and they didn’t change his mind. This was, at least, partially his fault.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Why did you leave Kim? And don’t use freeing me as an excuse.”
“It’s not an excuse.”
“Right.” He laughed. It was a harsh empty sound. “You could’ve figured something else out or she could’ve lived with you here.”
“As a fugitive?” Jackson shook his head. “No way.”
“At least, you’d be together.”
“It won’t work and you know it. I’ll only hurt her.”
“Stop blaming yourself.” It felt good, throwing that back at the Guard.
“It’s not the same thing.”
“No. Not exactly.” He stood. “Being a Guard doesn’t make you a lesser creature. Kim sees that, why can’t you?”
“You don’t know anything about Guards, not really. Sure, you were a kind master but you were still a master.” Jackson stood, fists clenched at his sides.
“I may not know much, but I do know that Guards are equal to Almightys.”
“Really? You had all your Guards altered so they couldn’t reproduce, didn’t you? Did you do that to your Almighty friends?”
“You have no idea how sorry I am for that.” He’d been an arrogant fool and he’d hurt so many.
Jackson barked a laugh. “Not as sorry as them, I’m sure.” The Guard’s false amusement vanished. “Think about what would happen if Kim and I continued to be together. We’d have offspring eventually. Even with protection, it happens. Plus, she’s the type who’d want them.” He shifted his gaze toward the door. “Where would our young belong in this world?” His eyes gleamed slightly as they met Hugh’s. “Look at Trinity.”
“What about her?” No one was going to say anything negative about her around him.
“She doesn’t fit in anywhere and who is she supposed to mate with? She’s got three different classes in her blood. What will happen to her offspring? She doesn’t belong anywhere. Her kids certainly won’t.”
“They’ll belong anywhere they want.” He was done with this conversation.
Jackson snorted. “In what world? It sure isn’t this one.”
The Guard was right. Trinity had told him herself that she wasn’t accepted by any of the groups. That had to change. “In the world that we’ll make. Together.”
“What are you saying?” Jackson’s eyes caught his.
He began to pace. He’d change this world for Trinity, for Jackson and Kim and for all the kids in the future. “The Almightys aren’t the only ones who can retaliate. We’ll strike back but our purpose won’t be a lesson or revenge.” He stopped pacing. “Our purpose will be to win this war, but first we need help.”
“You’re joining the Allied Classes.”
“I’ve always been with you.”
“You’ll fight with us? Lead us?”
“Yes. Until I get my lab.” He held up his hand to stop Jackson from speaking. “I told you the deal that I made with Trinity. I have to make that serum, but right now we need to figure out how to free the House Servants and Guards.”
“The Midtown Shelter is going to be heavily guarded this time,” said Jackson.
“I know. We won’t be able to sneak in like before. We’ll need another plan.” He continued to pace, mumbling to himself. “We have other problems too. We can’t win a war without an army. The Almightys have an army. They have weapons.” He froze, surprised at his own thoughts. “I got it. They’ll never expect it. It’s perfect.”
“What won’t they expect?” Jackson followed him out the door.
Hugh stopped right outside his tent. He had to send Birdie back to Townsend to gather information on the shelters, but Trinity was alone by her tent. Her eyes were red from crying. He wanted to go to her, but he needed to know the facts first. He turned to Jackson.
“I’ll tell you the plan in a minute. First, what happened at Kim’s?”
“She’s seeing some Almighty. They kissed. For a long time.” Jackson’s face was hard with anger.
“Trinity’s seeing an Almighty?” He took a step in her direction. Oh, they were going to have a talk. Who was this guy and why was she sneaking to Kim’s to kiss the man?
“What? No. Kim.”
The pain around his chest loosened. He refused to think about why that was as he glanced at Jackson. The Guard’s lips were curled in a sneer but his eyes were defeated. “I’m sorry, Jackson.”
“It’s for the best.” There was no conviction in the Guard’s words.
“I don’t agree, but it isn’t my decision.”
“You’re right. It isn’t.”
“While you were there, were you able to get Jethro’s DNA?” Hopefully, his lab would be ready soon and he wanted that sample.
“Shit. I forgot.” Jackson’s frowned. “I’ll go back and talk to Carla.”
“No. Not yet. We have other more important things to do.” His eyes landed on Trinity. She’d better not have gone to Kim’s to see Jethro. “Can you tell me what happened at Kim’s that made Trinity so upset?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t go inside.” Jackson stared at him.
“She was inside the house?” He was going to kill her.
“Yeah, and Jethro was home. Carla told me.”
“I know he’s your friend and Kim’s brother, but if Jethro hurt her...” The only way he’d find out was by talking to her.
“Let it go.” Jackson grabbed his arm. “Leave her alone. Until you fix this world, you should stay as far away from her as I am from Kim.”
“It’s not like that. We’re friends. That’s all.”
“Please. I recognize longing when I see it.”
“I swear. There’s nothing between us. There can’t be. Ever.” She was too pure, too innocent for him, but Jackson was right. He had to stay away from her. He hurt everyone that he cared about.
Jackson patted him on the shoulder. “Welcome to the club.”
He glared at the Guard as they headed toward Birdie. He’d win this war and make the world right for Trinity and her children. The only way to do that was to gather scientific proof of the genetic similarities between the Almightys and the other classes and that meant he was going to have to break his word. She’d be furious with him, but only if she found out.