Rebel Grey

  ***

  Beth stared down at the pile of papers with narrow eyes. She didn't say anything for several seconds. Her expression was unreadable. She rifled through them again. Finally, she looked up at Petra.

  "Well?" Petra demanded.

  "Petra...I think this is the first real proof we've ever had that Scarlet is setting his people up. Everyone knows he's doing it, but no one's ever been able to get anything on him before. Even knowing hasn't been enough. These are real names. These are real people. Maybe this will finally get people to move against him. This could bring many people to our side."

  "Will it help your people be ready to take him on?"

  "What we need are more numbers. Too many people won't join or are scared, but now...they can finally see they are in real danger. We might finally be able to do something about this, Petra." She looked at her sharply. "But are you sure?"

  "Do we really have any other choice?"

  "No. Not really."

  Petra grimaced. "Is it really safe for Dante to meet them?"

  "They won't do anything to him if that's what you mean. Not with Lux around, anyway. Even the Uprising is afraid of her. He'll be able to walk away, even if the meeting doesn't go like he wants it to."

  "So you'll set it up?"

  Beth nodded. "I'll set it up. Bring these documents. They'll help." She pulled out her cell phone and punched up a number. The voice on the other end answered so quickly, Petra didn't think the phone had had time to ring. "We need to meet. I have some information you will want to see." She glanced up at Petra as she listened to the person on the other end. She didn't even say good bye to them. She snapped her phone shut and nodded at Petra. "They'll meet us."

  "Where?"

  "In the outlands. At a bar. It's where we always meet when we bring someone new. It's a safe place." She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "I don't think Dante should come. Just you."

  "He won't like that."

  "We don't have a choice. I think it's safer to keep him here for now."

  Petra sighed, but she didn't argue. She would rather not place Grey in the line of the Uprising's fire, even if he was determined to be involved. "I'll try to convince him. He won't like it, but I don't think it's a good idea for him to be traipsing around the outlands with the rebels just yet, either. I'll find a way to make him understand."

  He was lying silently on a cot staring up a the ceiling when she poked her head into the office. He hadn't left the tiny room since he'd snuck back into the safe house, and only the inner circle knew he'd returned. The rest of the kids had never even known he'd ever been there. No one had argued about giving up the only private room to the prince. In fact, they'd insisted. They didn't need another Shaw, especially now.

  Grey shot to his feet to meet her. "Well? What happened? Will they meet with us?"

  "Yes, they want to meet. But we're meeting one of Beth's contacts first, not the leader. And Beth thinks it's best if you stay here for now."

  He scowled. She braced herself for a fight. "This is my fight, too, Petra. I want to be involved in this."

  "I know that. But it's not safe for you to leave here, not yet. If someone in the outlands spots you, we'll be in for trouble. And we can't be sure the rebels won't try to double cross us if they think they can use you to get what they want. You need to stay here until I can be sure it's safe for you to meet with them."

  His scowl deepened. "What do you expect me to do, then?"

  "Sort through more paperwork, I guess. We might be able to get more on him. We could convince more people to mobilize. It's not people who want to take Scarlet down they need; they have enough of them. They need people who are willing to do something. To fight. Beth thinks the information we've found will help push them to act. The Uprising needs more numbers to stage a rebellion if it isn't going to be crushed before it ever begins."

  Grey sighed. "All right, but I don't like the idea of you going without me. I won't be able to protect you if something goes wrong."

  She smiled in amusement. "I'll be perfectly safe. We've been doing things like this since we were hardly big enough to look over a bar. I'll be with Beth. I trust her. She would not send me into a dangerous situation. I'll bring Lux, too. She's a good bodyguard. No one messes with her."

  He didn't look happy, but he pulled her into a tight hug. "Okay. Just be safe. If it starts to look dangerous, I want you to run. Don't try to salvage it. I won't let you get into trouble for me."

  She smiled. "I've done pretty well so far keeping myself alive."

  "You're still young."

  She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine. We'll give them the list and let them take it from there. They will know what to do with it. Maybe we can learn more about what they are planning to do. This probably won't change it; it will just get them to move more quickly."

  "Just be careful."

  "I will. I'll see you again soon."

  He pressed his lips to hers. He didn't move away for a long moment. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, and she hoped she'd make it back to him in one piece. Despite her confident words, she wasn't entirely sure Beth was right about her people. She could be walking into a death trap. He didn't need to know that. When he pulled away, she smiled up at him.

  His expression was deadly serious. “You'd better make it out of there, Petra. I did not come back here just to send you out to get killed for my sake.”

  She smirked. "No. If I remember right, you came back because you didn't have anywhere else to go."

  "Yes. That's pretty much exactly the reason. I feel a whole lot better about all this now. Thanks for pointing it out."