Rebel Nation by Shaunta Grimes Page B

Clover lifted her head. “Don’t look at me like that. You can’t go back through that portal. All he’d have to do is leave you there.”
    A slow, deep shudder went through Clover. If Bennett left her longer than thirty minutes in the future, she’d start replacing her memories with memories made out of time. If he left her long enough, she’d eventually lose everything that made her who she was. “Why would he do that? He obviously thinks I can do something for him. We need to know what.”
    â€œNo we don’t. We need to survive. We need to—” Jude bit off his words, but Clover knew what he was going to say. They needed to get the kids out of the city. “Please, Clover.”
    There was real pleading in his voice, and it made Clover uncomfortable. It made her doubt herself in a way she wasn’t used to. “The water is freezing. We can’t get out that way, anyway.”
    â€œIt won’t be comfortable, but we could,” he said. “We all could.”
    All. She was right. He was thinking about the boys in the Dinosaur. And maybe the rest of the kids in Foster City. “We can’t save them all, Jude.”
    â€œSave all of who?” Leanne asked.
    â€œThey don’t all need to leave,” Jude said, ignoring her.
    â€œAre you talking about the kids in Foster City?” Leanne rubbed a hand over her face. “You need to get out of here, Clover. Bennett—it won’t be good if you go back to the Company. You understand that, right? If he forces you back to the Company, if he makes you travel, it won’t be good.”
    â€œYou don’t know that.”
    â€œYes, I do. So why are you talking about kids in Foster City?”
    Clover looked at Jude, who shook his head again, once, just enough for Clover to notice. She kept her mouth closed, which was the best way to make sure she didn’t say the wrong thing.
    Leanne hesitated a minute, as if she were still considering pursuing the Foster City line of questioning. Her face tightened, too, and Clover thought she was frustrated. She didn’t blame her. “Can you find your way to where your brother is, once you’re on the other side?”
    â€œWe haven’t decided to go.”
    â€œFine,” Leanne said. “If you decide to go. We can seal some clothes and towels in a plastic bag, so you can get dry once you’re through, but you’ll need someone on the other side.”
    â€œIf we go— Come with us, Leanne,” Clover said. “Bennett will realize that you warned me.”
    â€œHe will if I’m gone, too. It’s essential that he never figures out how you get out of the city, Clover. If he does he’ll be waiting for us.”
    â€œIf you’re not here, he can’t question you.”
    â€œIf I’m here, you’ll have more time to get away.”
    â€œIf you come with us,” Jude said, “you can’t turn us in.”
    That hung in the room like a dark cloud.
    â€œDo you know where the wall crosses the river?” she asked. “Are you certain?”
    â€œYes,” Clover said. “I’m sure.”
    â€œMeet me there tomorrow, just before sundown. You’re going to have to travel on the other side in the dark, but it’ll be safer for you that way. Bring warm clothes, coats, socks.”
    â€œYou’re not leaving.” Clover sat up, startled enough to ignore that Leanne was still talking like leaving the city was a done deal. “It’s after curfew.”
    â€œI can’t stay here.” She stood up and, when Clover did, too, pulled her into a hug. Clover stiffened against the sudden contact but didn’t pull away.
    â€œYou should stay,” Jude said. “If you’re caught out after curfew—”
    Leanne shook her head. “I’ll be okay. I have to be at the barracks in the morning.”
    â€œWe’ll see you at the bridge, then,