“You’re going up there?” Nam’s head tilted all the way back. “It’s so high.”

“Yup. It’s how we scout. You’ll learn.” Rose didn’t hesitate any longer. She launched herself up the trunk like French had taught her, hand over foot like a monkey. When she reached the first thick branches, she climbed them, swinging from one to the other, using momentum and that first push to keep up her speed. Nearing the top, the footholds got thinner and the trunk began to sway, so she matched her movements to the tree’s and found a spot to perch.

There it was, like a black creek with a cracked bottom: the road, stretching out through the sticky pines and birches. Rose felt excitement pouring out into her chest. Even better, about a mile up as the crow flies was a squat brown building. The school. She took a minute before she climbed down to do something she hadn’t done since Minerva died—purposely head to the road to attempt a rescue. The wind and height making her feel huge, the anticipation and fear making her feel small, she closed her eyes and prayed.

Her feet hit the ground, and she immediately shouldered her pack. “School’s a mile north. Let’s go.”

Nam and Derrick exchanged worried glances, then followed her determined steps, each one bringing them closer to what they knew was certain death. They made good time now that there was wind in their sails and a destination in sight. They stopped once for half an hour to drink some water, share a couple of cans of tuna, and rest. Rose wouldn’t sit down, not even while she ate, using two fingers to spoon the fish into her mouth.

“What’s the plan, exactly?” Nam was nervous, both about getting to the school and about pissing off Rose.

“We get there. And we look for any entrances, any weak points, any ways in.” Rose spoke around the food in her mouth.

“And then what, Morriseau? We friggin’ storm in with one hunting rifle and a sharp stick?” Derrick was less worried about Rose’s reactions at this point. He was either an hour away from dying or an hour away from losing Rose. He was in no rush to get to either.

“No, smart-ass. We see where we can get in and out, and then we…” She waved her dirty fingers in the air. “We just figure it out.”

“Figure it out? We just figure it out?” He raised his voice. “Oh, that’s rich.”

“And what’s your plan, then?” she spat back.

“My plan is to go back to the camp. This is a suicide mission, and I didn’t just survive a horde of bloodthirsty—literally bloodthirsty—maniacs to die at a school!” He was on his feet.

“You survived the maniacs because of us!” She pointed to Nam and herself. “You need us, not the other way around! So maybe sit the hell down and let the grown-ups talk!”

“Uh, guys…”

“Shut it, Nam!” Derrick turned on them.