When she was supposed to join us in Badger Lake, I’d still hoped we could be friends again. Now, being with her and Maya, and Daniel and Derek, I had to face the truth, that my friends were those who’d stuck by me—these three and Simon and, yes, even Tori. I wanted to help Rae. I wanted to bring her to Badger Lake, if that was the best thing for her. And I was sure we’d get along, the same as I did with Sam, Corey and Hayley, but it might never be more than that. Too much had happened. I forgave her mistakes, but I couldn’t trust that she wouldn’t keep making them, and that endangered all of us. So, as we reached the truck, I agreed when Daniel suggested he drive, putting me in the back with Maya. I had taken the driver’s seat earlier to shield Rae from Derek, but she didn’t need that, and I trusted he wasn’t going to do anything to make her take off.

“We need to deal with Moreno,” Maya said, raising her voice to be heard over the rumble of the truck’s tires on the dirt road.

She showed me her cell. Our half-hour grace period had ended ten minutes ago, and he’d texted eight times since. She’d started replying that we were almost done, which had worked for about five minutes. Then:

10:33. Moreno: U know I can track yr phone, right?

Maya: But u r not supposed to. Company rules.

Moreno: Not until I need to, my discretion.

Maya: Is that a threat?

Moreno: Does it need 2 b?

Maya: It’s PIZZA.

Moreno: No, it’s not.

Moreno: Don’t play the irresponsible teen, Miss Maya. doesn’t suit u.

Moreno: Five minutes & I turn on tracking.

“Ask where he is,” I said.

She did, and he replied that he was at the campsite, where we should be. We discussed our options. Then, I rapped on the divider between the truck bed and the cab. Derek opened it.

“Moreno’s had enough,” I said. “He knows something’s up. Maya and I think we should agree to meet him back at the campsite. Go in prepared for ambush. It’s that or ditch our cell phones and hope the Nasts haven’t implanted tracking devices during our medical exams.”

“Oh, they have,” Daniel said. “Guaranteed. And if anyone has access to that data, it’s Moreno.”

“That’s a ‘yes,’ then? Meet him at the campsite?”

“It’s our only option,” Derek said. “Best case, we prove he’s not the one who sold us out. Worst case?”

“Take him down and interrogate him,” Daniel said.

Derek nodded, and I returned to Maya.

Nine

Nine