Lucy shambled through the peaceful quiet of an early suburban Sunday morning. Her sneakers scuffed along the pavement—the only sound besides the occasional chirping of birds. She glanced at the phone Ravi had returned to her: barely six A.M. In an hour or two, the neighborhood would be a flurry of lawn mowers and kids playing in their yards. Not now. Now there was silence and all Lucy could hear were her own swirling thoughts and pounding heart.
She fingered the tourmaline pendant. Idly, she wondered whether Cole and Megan had enjoyed an after-prom party for two at the White Hart Inn. Lucy could only imagine the two of them swapping stories about flying staplers and volatile lighting systems. That night in the hot tub with Cole, Lucy had scared herself—but not enough. She’d still been in denial.
Until she saw Jess lying, almost lifeless, on the High Line, Lucy hadn’t fully comprehended how dangerous she truly was.
Ravi said she didn’t scare him. He was a fool. Lucy scared herself.
She stopped in front of Claudia’s house.
Her friend’s phone was doubtless still in the possession of the Freelancers so Lucy couldn’t text her, and it was way too early to dial the landline and risk waking Claudia’s parents. Lucy shuffled down the driveway toward the back garden, which Claudia’s room overlooked. They never locked the gate. She scooped up a handful of gravel.
Lucy sucked in a breath as she swung open the gate. No pebbles required.
Claudia was slouched on the tire swing, head tipped back, gazing up at the big blue sky. The metal links twisted back and forth. It was going to be a beautiful day.
Lucy remembered when Mr. O’Rourke had installed the swing in the old oak tree. It took months of begging her mom before she agreed to let Lucy try it out and then only if she wore her helmet. As Claudia had pushed her higher and higher, Lucy hadn’t minded about the helmet, thinking life couldn’t get any better.
Slowly, Claudia pulled herself upright. She was wearing Jess’s Ceci n’est pas une pipe T-shirt. A weight pressed on Lucy’s chest.
“Clauds,” she said in a hush. She weaved between Mrs. O’Rourke’s prize rosebushes toward the swing.
“You’re okay?” Claudia asked, expression drawn. Her gaze lingered for a moment on Lucy’s black eye.
“Yeah.” Lucy pointed at the bandage peeking out from beneath the sleeve of the T-shirt. “You okay?”
“Ravi patched me up. No stitches, even. Just Steri-Strips.” She shrugged. “And I’d been hoping for a sexy scar. Ladies love scars.”
Lucy swallowed a laugh. Claudia’s tone was light but off-key.
She came to a halt in front of the swing, shoving her hands in her pockets to keep them away from the chains. Hanging her head, she said, “I don’t know where to start, Clauds.”
“I don’t either, Luce.” Her friend pushed her feet against the grass and began to swing. She looked Lucy up and down. “I take it you haven’t been home yet.”
Lucy pulled at the baggy sweatpants. “Not yet.”
“I’ve been briefed on the cover story,” she said. “You were with me all night. I’ll confirm it with the Drs. Phelps.”
The crater inside Lucy expanded. “What else did Ravi say?”
“Not much. National security may have been mentioned—although he’s not American, so I don’t know how that works. I gather he’s not a college student or a teacher’s assistant.” Claudia arched an eyebrow. “Keeping my mouth shut was the general gist.”
“I’m so sorry. So, so sorry.”
Her best friend’s face remained impassive. She kicked herself higher.
“I didn’t mean—I didn’t mean to hurt Jess. I need you to know that,” Lucy said, because it seemed the most urgent of the things she needed to make her best friend understand. “I could never … on purpose…” Lucy’s entire being recoiled as the other girl’s twitching body flashed through her mind.
“How?” Claudia asked softly. “How did you do … what you did?”
Lucy exhaled. Ravi thought it was safer for Claudia not to know anything about the Orders, but that ship had sailed last night. Claudia deserved the truth. How could Lucy ever regain her friend’s trust with so many secrets between them?
“Well, for starters, I don’t have epilepsy,” she said.
“But I saw you seize. On the High Line. I’ve never seen you seize that badly, I was so— I thought you were going to die, Luce.” The broken quality in her friend’s voice made something inside Lucy unravel. “Both you and Jess.”
Lucy dared a step closer, wanting to touch her best friend, yet still too afraid.
“I’m sorry you had to see that.” She could only imagine how terrifying it had all been for Claudia to witness. Even Ravi seemed torn up about what he had seen, although Lucy wasn’t ready to discuss it with him yet.
“It was a seizure,” Lucy explained. “But it wasn’t caused by epilepsy.”
“Then by what?”
“A different kind of genetic disorder. A mutation.”
“Oh-kay…”
Lucy interlocked her fingers. “That’s how … what happened with Jess.”
“I may not be a scientist like you, but I’m pretty sure that’s not possible.”
“It shouldn’t be.” Lucy drew in a breath through her nostrils. Perhaps people like her shouldn’t be allowed to exist.
“Have you always known?” Claudia raked a hand through her knotty curls.
“No. I only just found out. My parents don’t even know.” Claudia cocked her head at that revelation, and Lucy continued, “Ravi works with scientists who’ve been studying my mutation. He says they can help.”
Her friend dragged her feet along the ground, stopping the swing.
“Scientists,” she repeated. Lucy nodded. “Scientists with guns.” Lucy nodded again. “Right.” Claudia’s shoulders hunched forward. “How does Jess fit into all of this?”
Lucy wet her lips. “Jess came to Eaton to watch me for the people she works for.”
“The people who took me.”
“Yes.”
“So what was I?” Claudia rubbed a glossy sheen from her eyes. “What was I to Jess? Bait?”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t believe she wanted to hurt you.”
“It’s not worth much.”
“I’m sorry.”
Claudia frowned. “She’s gone, isn’t she?”
Lucy sure the hell hoped so. Wherever the Freelancers had fled, she didn’t want them anywhere near Claudia, ever again.
“I do think she loved you.” Despite everything, Lucy actually did believe that.
Claudia hiccupped a laugh. “I don’t know what love means anymore.”
The pain on her face broke Lucy. She grabbed for Claudia’s hand and the other girl pulled back on the swing. Out of reach. Lucy’s hand brushed the metal chain and a small green flame appeared. Frak.
Claudia’s eyes went wide.
Flushing, Lucy shoved her hands back in her pockets. “Please don’t be afraid of me, Clauds.” Her lips trembled as her eyes began to water.
Maybe Lucy was destined to become untouchable, and maybe that was for the best.
“I’m not afraid of you, Luce—I’m furious about the fact you’ve been lying straight to my face. Over and over!” Claudia raised her voice at the same time she dissolved into tears. “All the trips to New York, all the excuses. I would have listened. I would have helped. I’ve known you my whole life, but I don’t know you at all—and not because of your powers. You were my best friend!”
“Were?” Lucy yelped, staggering back another step. She clutched the tourmaline. “I’ll do anything to make this right, Claudia. No more secrets. Tell me what you need. Anything.”
“Some things you can’t make right.”
“I can, I swear. Let me try. Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”
“I don’t want to know any more.” Claudia swiped angrily at her tears. “Both my best friend and my girlfriend were deceiving me for months and I had no idea. What does that make me, Lucy? Tell me that!”
“Trusting. Loyal. Better than I deserve.”
“I’ll keep your secret, Lucy, but what I need is for you to leave me alone.”
“I love you, Clauds,” Lucy rasped.
“Please, Luce. Just leave.”
Lucy nodded, unable to speak. Sorrow burrowed into her bones. They had never felt so heavy. Silently she turned, barely able to force her feet to move.
Each of Claudia’s soft sobs punctured her heart.
The swing resumed its squeaking as she walked away. She didn’t chance a final look. She might not leave if she did.
After last night, nothing would ever be the same.