Girls with Razor Hearts

I realize what he means. If the investor knows he’s going to be charged with money laundering, he could take off. There’s no guarantee it’ll end up bringing down the corporation. We might lose our chance entirely. It’s something to consider.

“And Mena,” Jackson adds. “Even if the paper does run the story about Ridgeview, it’ll mean the girls involved will eventually get named. That’s the nature of the internet. Are they okay with that?”

“I don’t know.” Adrian didn’t report the incident to Mrs. Reacher. Is it okay for me to report it for her? I look at Jackson again. “But what if I record the boys admitting to crimes?” I ask. “Would that be enough to get them in trouble without dragging other girls into it?”

Jackson’s voice is sorry when he replies, “I don’t think so.”

I close my eyes, knowing he’s right. We need proof. Our word isn’t enough. Eyewitness accounts aren’t enough. Even if we have video of them admitting it, they’ll spin it. They’ll hire PR firms to discredit the claims, provide alternative theories.

There’s no accountability.

“We need to do something,” I say. “The boys at that school are out of control. They’re dangerous.”

“More dangerous than Innovations Academy?” he asks. “Than the corporation?”

And I think about it. I really do. Although I know we need to take down the corporation … I can’t sit by and watch the injustice of it all. The boys at Ridgeview need to be stopped. Otherwise, they’ll grow up to be the terrible men of Innovations Academy. Unchecked, they’ll continue to abuse their power, abuse it to get them elected to high offices so they can continue to hurt others. I can’t let that happen.

Even if not a single human girl would stand up for me, I have no choice but to stand up for her.

“You’re going to help them, aren’t you?” Jackson asks softly. “The girls at Ridgeview?”

“Yes,” I say. “It’s the right thing to do.”

“Just because one feels more urgent doesn’t mean both causes aren’t right,” Jackson says, running his fingertips along my wrist. The tender movement is comforting. “Is there anything I can do?” he asks. “Want me to come to the party with you?”

I smile. “I think that might change the dynamic, but I appreciate the offer.”

“Just promise to call me if you need anything. I’ll be there in a second, okay?”

“Okay,” I whisper.

“And could you … Would you mind calling or texting me when you get home?” he asks. “Just so I know that you’re okay.”

I promise that I will, and then Jackson flexes his hand so that my fingers slip between his. The movement feels surprisingly intimate, and he licks his lips.

Are you attracted to him? Anton asked me once during impulse control therapy.

The analyst didn’t think I could feel attraction; he told me as much. Neither do Leandra or Winston Weeks. And yet … here I am. Madly attracted to this human boy who’s reckless and curses too much.

I lean toward Jackson, ready to kiss him. Wanting to touch him. My eyes close, but just before I reach him, he turns his head away. His other hand immediately rests on the side of my neck and I realize it’s to gently hold me back.

“Mena, uh … ,” he whispers, sounding pained. “We shouldn’t, uh …”

I open my eyes, feeling humiliated when he stares back at me. I flash a quick smile to diffuse the embarrassment, and I straighten. I completely misread the situation, but when I try to apologize, he shakes his head to stop me. He looks tortured, and it occurs to me that he doesn’t want to kiss me because I’m not human. And that’s the biggest sting of the rejection.

But I don’t resent him for it.

When it comes down to it, I know that I can count on Jackson. Trust him to show up for me. For all the girls.

And I also know that despite everything, despite it not being part of my programming, I might be a little bit in love with him.

“I should check on Sydney,” I whisper, getting up from the bed. My fingers slide from Jackson’s hand as I move toward the door. I’m shaking, but as I walk into the living room, I do my best to pretend nothing’s wrong.

On the couch, Sydney is stirring. Brynn waits beside her, holding a glass of water for her to drink.

“We’re all set,” Raven tells Sydney, clicking a button on the computer before showing it to her. Sydney seems a bit out of sorts, probably due to the sedatives, but she doesn’t seem to be in any pain.

“Your programming looked great,” Raven explains to her. “Firewall installed, and I didn’t see any problems. Other than that small signal I blocked, everything was in working order. And beautiful,” she adds warmly.

There really must not be a kill switch. It would have shown up when Raven was in there—she’s too smart to have missed it.

I glance around the room and find Annalise staring out the window again with that unnatural stillness. I call her name softly, but it takes her a long moment to look at me. I walk over to join her at the window.

“What’s going on?” I ask. “Did something happen with—?”

“I’m still having headaches, you know,” Annalise says calmly. “Nightmares. I’m in pain all the time.” She turns to me, and it’s like there’s a shadow over her. Something deep and dark and lonely. I physically sway, putting my hand on my heart.

“Annalise,” I start, “we should—”

“I’m not going to make it, Mena,” she whispers. “You need to be prepared for that.”

“Raven can fix you,” I say. “She can rebuild; we can—”

“Trust me,” she says. “I know my own body.”

“Then we’ll figure it out,” I say, confused. “I’ll learn how and do it myself if I have to.”

“I know you’d try.”

Annalise smiles, but there is an indescribable sense of dread clawing at my throat. I would never be prepared to lose Annalise.

“Then what is it you want me to do?” I ask. She’s clearly thinking of something.

“I’m dying,” she whispers. I shake my head, but she takes me by the upper arms. “I’m dying,” she repeats.

I begin to crumple, but Annalise holds me up.

“But I need to make sure the girls at the academy are safe before I go,” she continues. “So while you’re at the party tonight, I’m going back there. I’m going to find our girls, and then I’m going to burn Innovations Academy to the ground. I’ll make sure they never come after us again.”

“What?” I ask loudly enough to make Raven look over. Annalise lowers her hands from my arms, but her eyes beg me not to say anything. I shift my position to block our faces from view.

“That’s … ridiculous,” I tell her. “How would you even get there?”

“I have a plan,” she says. “But I have to do it alone.”

“We do nothing alone,” I point out. And this time, I’m a little angry. “You don’t get to leave us,” I say. “We stay together, no matter what.”