Scum, the lot of them.
I memorize the list of names and say, “I’ll look into it. I can set up creatures in the blind spots until we have them covered with cams.”
North nods and clicks around on the keyboard without looking up at me. “We need to go on a supply run as well. Get bottled water to get us through until the clean out happens.”
I nod, sipping at my coffee again.
The door swings open and Gryph stalks through, jerky in his movements, like he’s frustrated. I would’ve thought a morning on the mats with the girl would’ve fixed that, but apparently not.
He takes one look at me and says, “Oli healed you.”
It’s not a question and I’m careful with my answer. “She was asleep when it happened, but yes, she healed me.”
Gryph nods, hearing the truth in what I’d chosen to say, and it’s only when he turns to the coffee pot that North shoots me a look. He doesn’t need to be a Neuro to hear what I’m not saying. He’s good about keeping Gryph out of it though, ever the loyal brother.
I don’t really give a shit though.
“Her bond spoke to me. I said it could heal me if it needed to. That’s it, brother. That’s what happened. Your Bonded won’t remember it, and I never attempted to touch either of them.”
He doesn’t look at Gryph, but when he doesn’t interrupt to call out a lie, North nods and gets back to whatever he’s doing on the computer.
“Who’s going on the supply run? If there’s a plant, then we can’t all go.”
North shrugs. “You and Gabe can stay. You can keep looking for the plant, and Gabe can keep going with the building. He’s better than any of the rest of us at it, and he’s a good backup for you.”
Gryph nods and takes the list from me, looking it over. “Half of these names are lower families who are training with me in the mornings. I can give Sawyer some ideas on where to look for them to rule them out.”
North nods and then pauses, letting out a slow breath. “Show them to Atlas. The list and then point out the people to him. See if anything rings a bell.”
Over my dead body. “No. Absolutely not. I’m not going to give what little information we do have to someone we know is a part of the Resistance.”
Gryph and North share a look, but I shake my head at both of them. I don’t care what they say, I don’t care if he’s part of the Bond Group, he’s a fucking Bassinger.
He was the first sign of the poison the girl is.
“I’ll take care of it myself, so leave him out of it. I’ll have the sympathizer by the end of the week.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Oli
As much as building houses is actually fun and rewarding, going on a supply run with three of my Bonds is exactly what I need right about now.
I’d slept in Nox’s room, and even though I’d gotten in a solid eight hours of sleep, I’d woken up feeling as though a truck had backed over my decaying corpse, so I chalk it up to an uncomfortable atmosphere and get to training with Gryphon when he comes for me.
An hour later, North arrives, not yet in his suit, to tell us about the water contamination issue. It’s a little concerning because I’d showered and already drunk a coffee brewed with that water but as far as Sawyer can tell, the contamination happened between six and seven in the morning, so I should be safe.
North and Gryphon still drag me to Felix for a check up, just to be sure. I point out that Gryphon also drank the coffee, but neither of them give a shit about that. Felix, who was asleep when we showed up to the house he’s sharing with his Bond Group, Sawyer, and Grey, slaps a very gentle but tired hand over mine for half a second before declaring me fine and stomps back to bed, still wearing nothing but a pair of haphazardly shoved on boxer shorts.
Sage pokes her head out of the room but when I tell her I’m fine, she stumbles back to bed without a word, still half asleep and not coherent enough yet to form words.
I chew North and Gryphon both out using our mind connection as we leave, but neither of them seem to care.
“Someone who knows our morning routines did it. They know that you’re an early riser,” North says, pulling his sweater off and shoving it over my head. It’s still warm enough, even in my gym gear of a tank top and a pair of shorts, but Gryphon helps him to straighten it over me until I’m covered to my knees.
I don’t get why he’s trying to cover me up until I see the hordes of workmen walking along in the opposite direction, all of them waving or tipping their heads respectfully at North, who I’m sure is absolutely thrilled to be wearing nothing but sweatpants right now.