Escape from Eden (Original Series book 2) by Rachel McClellan Page B

rapid succession.
    “This is Enfield, isn’t it?”
    Stella nods. “I drew these while I was there, most of them anyway. They are the only things I took with me. I knew some day they would be helpful.”
    “Good thinking. These are amazing. I’m sure you’ll make HOPE’s mission a success.” I turn them over in my hands, taking mental snapshots of each one. Just like my father taught me.
    “I don’t think so,” she says. “There’s still the problem with security.”
    “I’m sure they will figure it out. Don’t worry.”
    She takes her time standing up, but I don’t think it’s because of her health. Even though she’s a small woman, I’ve seen her garden outside. She’s very agile for her age.
    “Will you come with me when I give my answer to Jerry and Tank? I have one hour.”
    “Of course. Whatever you need.”
    She presses her warm palm to my face. “Keep looking over those papers. I’ll come back for you soon.”
    “Where are you going?” I ask.
    “To take a walk. I want to make sure I make the right decision.” She disappears out the door.
    I stare after her, feeling sympathetic to her burden. On one hand, she has the opportunity to save hundreds of lives, but on the other, she might be sentencing many more to death. Maybe there’s something Tank can say to ease her mind. If Colt really has convinced many Primes to join HOPE, then our numbers could be greater than we think. I make a mental note to ask Tank when I see him next.

    S tella returns as promised . She looks down at the folded up papers that I had placed back on her bed. “Did you go over them really well?”
    I furrow my brow. “Yeah, but I’m not the one who’s going to need those maps. They will be a great help to whoever uses them, if that’s what you mean.”
    “Good.” She gathers them up. “Ready?”
    “Did you make a decision?” I ask.
    “I did.”
    I slide off my bed. “And you feel good about it?”
    She shakes her head, her eyes sad. “My decision is sure to kill someone.”

7
    I keep my hand on the small of Stella’s back the whole way to Jerry’s office. For the first time since I’ve met her, she looks her age. Her back is slightly hunched over, and she’s clinging tightly to the old papers.
    Tank’s voice carries out into the hall as we round the last corner. He’s complaining about the island’s communication system.
    “There has to be a better way,” he says just as we enter the room, but he doesn’t stop talking. “What if the island was attacked? How would we know?”
    Jerry’s gaze flashes our way. When he sees me, he frowns and looks back to Tank. “It’s not like we can’t communicate, we just choose not to because of the risk.”
    “You have a couple of Techheads on the island, right?” Tank asks. “Can’t their big brains figure something out?”
    I sit in a chair next to Tank and offer one to Stella, but she scoots by me to stand by the fireplace behind Jerry’s desk. Within its small hearth, a fire burns low.
    Jerry rubs the back of his neck. “One of our Techheads is still mad he got dropped and won’t do anything to help us and the other has the Kiss. He’s in no condition to be doing anything. Can we discuss this later?”
    He doesn’t wait for Tank to answer. He turns to me. “What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you this doesn’t concern you?”
    “I asked her to come,” Stella says.
    Tank looks at me questioningly, but I just shrug.
    Jerry sighs and slides his hand from his neck to his cheek as if trying to rub out all of his tension. “Did you make a decision, Stella? Will you give Tank the information he asked for?”
    She lifts the papers in her hands. “It’s all right here. Years of work detailing the layouts of most of the buildings at Enfield. There’s even a map on how to get there.”
    Tank stands and walks to her. “Wonderful! Just what we need. I’ll take them off your hands.”
    Stella’s eyes flash to mine, and just before Tank reaches