The Memory of After by Lenore Appelhans

Author:Lenore Appelhans
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

twelve

I TURN ON MY HEEL and make a break for the door. Praying it works for me, I pound out Neil’s code to open the hive door. Long, long, long. Short, short, long. And I’m out.

I’m so disoriented by the sudden view of the looming white hives, I forget which way we arrived. But right now I need to run. All I know is that Virginia needs me. And I don’t let my friends down.

I haven’t gotten far when something slams into me from behind. As I tumble, I’m twisted upward, and I land on top of a human form. The tingling sensation tells me it must be Julian, and I try to fight my way out of his grasp. But he’s too strong.

“Felicia! Calm down!”

I let my body go slack, and he loosens his grip. I roll off him and jump to my feet, pulling successfully away.

“Don’t bother running again,” Julian warns as he gets up, his eyes flashing. “What were you thinking? You’re too weak yet to get far on your own. You can’t even evade me!”

I throw my arms up. “I knew you were up to no good! How could I be stupid enough to trust you again?”

“Okay, so maybe I left some of the details out—”

“Some?” I hiss. “Like you don’t care who gets hurt as long as you get your way?”

“Keep your voice down.”

I step forward, closer to him than is comfortable, but I want him to feel the full force of my rage. “I am done with you.” I only barely restrain myself from spitting in his face. And then I walk away.

“You can’t do this.” Julian changes tactics now, a pleading note in his voice. “Going out on your own—against the Morati—it’s suicide! If they catch you, you’ll find out there are worse things than death.”

I turn and face him. He looks wild. Desperate. “Is that what Beckah found out? Please, just give it up.” I run.

“I won’t.” He runs beside me. “I can’t.”

I stop, and he stops too. His expression is so wrecked, a sliver of doubt creeps in. Is it possible he does have my best interests at heart?

“Why did you get involved with the rebels?”

He shakes his head wearily. “Look, I know some of the rebels’ methods may seem questionable.”

“Questionable?” I sputter. “That’s an understatement.”

“But honestly there are only two sides here: the rebels and the Morati. I know what side I’d rather be on. Do you?”

“How can you even ask that?” I curl my lips with disgust and start running again.

He catches up to me in a flash and spins me around. “You’re going the wrong way.”

There’s a cracking sound. A few white pebbles trickle down the nearest hive and scatter in front of my feet.

Julian scoops them up and squeezes them to dust in his fist. “Ahh . . . you see? This is another sign that the Morati are weakening. Eli’s ops must be more successful than he thinks.”

“Better beam him that message,” I say angrily.

“What do you mean?”

“I know you can communicate telepathically with them.

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