Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

Author:Lilliam Rivera
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

CHAPTER 15

HEARTBREAK KID

What are you talking about? Where is Nena?”

It’s been a few hours since we left the Gurl Gunnas. Truck needed the time to recover, so we stopped at a clearing. Shi and Smiley will not look me in the eye. Their anger is palpable. They tended to Truck’s injuries without saying a word. Ignoring me even. Now Truck is awake and her first words are accusations. We gave in, Truck thinks. She’s dead wrong. I made the right decision. I negotiated her freedom.

“How are you going to give them one of your soldiers?” she yells. If Truck weren’t in so much pain, she would throttle me.

“I did what I had to do,” I say, gritting my teeth. “I saved you.”

“After what them Gurls did to me, you rewarded them for their actions? What kind of negotiation is that?”

“You were unconscious. You don’t know what went down.”

She grabs Smiley’s collar. “What happened?”

Smiley sheepishly looks at her. “The OG wanted Nena.”

“Naw. Not good enough.”

She takes Smiley’s Codigo and punches in information. The others gather around her. I know where this is heading. Nowhere. I build up my mental defenses.

“We can sneak in around the back. I think I know where they’ll keep Nena,” Truck says. “We’ll need to empty our tronics. It will be quick. They won’t even know what hit them. If we send Smiley in front, create a sort of diversion, then we can sneak around the . . .”

The others are in on the plan. They don’t bother to question whether Truck’s motives make sense, whether or not it’s even a good idea. They’ve forgotten the mission and are willing to jeopardize how far we’ve come. I’m not letting that happen. Truck has to come to her senses.

“No,” I say. “My deal is sealed. I don’t break it for anyone. Nena will be fine. Now let’s move. Miguel, where do we go from here?”

“You shut your trap,” Truck says to Miguel. He moves away from us. This is madness. We can’t act this way. Why aren’t they listening? The deed has been done. There is no turning back.

“No one breaks a trade,” I say. “I made a pact with the Gurl Gunnas. My word is bond. This thing with Nena is temporary. We will get her back.”

Truck stomps toward me, grimacing through the pain inflicted by the Gunnas. We stand toe-to-toe.

“How dare you use Nena? I would have never given up an LMC. As our leader, your job is to protect us, not sell us out.”

My hands form into fists. I don’t care if before me stands the only person I trust. I will knock Truck out if I have to. I quickly raise my clenched hand. My reaction is immediate. It’s what I do with anyone threatening me. Truck doesn’t flinch. If I throw this punch, I will cross a line. Our partnership will dissolve right here and now.

Time stops.

She glances over to my fist. What am I doing? Am I about to fight Truck? My hand goes down.

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