* * *
As I enter her office a few minutes later, I’m caught off guard to find Chris sitting there. Even after the exertion of the course, he still smells wonderful. He stands, seemingly nervous, when he sees me. I stop and take a step back and say, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—um, Clara told me to meet her here.”
“Because you finished last,” he states, then sits back down, his body language tight.
“Well, yeah, I guess.” I sit down in a chair next to him to wait for Clara. My brain explodes with the realization: Clara did know I’d be going on the delivery, but as the slowest.
Chris must have placed first, and that’s why he’s here in Clara’s office.
He confirms my thoughts by saying, “We’re supposed to select a third for the assignment. I’ve chosen Justin Macintyre.”
“Justin? Beth’s boyfriend?” I cough out my response and turn halfway in my chair to face him. Of all the people in the clan, Chris and Justin seem to be the ones who have some problem with me. “Why?”
“I don’t need your approval.”
“You just said we have to choose the third,” I point out. “We means both of us.” I’m not in the mood to take his attitude.
He glares at me. “You don’t know anything about what’s going on here, Calli. You don’t know the other guys like I do. You shouldn’t even be here at all.”
“Who peed in your Cheerios?” I mutter.
Ms. Winter enters the room, ending our conversation. “Have you two come to a decision on who’ll be the third?”
“Justin will be the third.” Chris glances at me as he informs her.
“Are you good with Justin, Calli?” Clara asks.
“I guess.”
Chris pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to her. “Here’s my list of the preferred twelve for the accompanying group.” His tone is all business.
She looks over the list. “It’s evident you’ve planned this out well, Chris. You have a good equal representation of different skill levels.” She looks at me. “What do you think, Calli?” She passes the list to me.
I find this interesting, considering I still don’t know most of the people in the compound as Chris has so arrogantly pointed out. The names all run together in my mind, except for Beth’s—that name stands out real well. Near the bottom of the list, one name has been crossed out and another added. The crossed-out name is mine.
I hand the list back to Ms. Winter and say, “This list looks good to me, except for the fact Chris obviously didn’t want me on the team. He scratched my name out.”
Chris answers my retort before Ms. Winter can. “You came in last and that automatically put you in the trio. I had to add someone else.”
So he originally wanted me on his team. The fact he’d already drawn up the list beforehand means he knew he’d be the fastest. That doesn’t escape my attention. He also didn’t think I’d finish last, so he was expecting me to be faster than a muck.
I’m not sure what to think about that, given his behavior towards me.
“All right, Chris,” Clara says. “Alert everyone else and be ready to run in thirty minutes.”
Chris stands and leaves the room in such haste I can’t help but be offended. Not even a “see you later, Calli.”
Clara turns to me and says, “Calli, don’t worry about your speed. You’ll get faster over time. Your powers are still developing.”
“Clara, this doesn’t make any sense. Why send me on a running assignment when there are so many others who could do this better? I’m so slow compared to them.”
“Everyone starts out slow, Calli, and everyone starts out by going on an assignment. There’s a reason for this procedure. What better way for you to learn how your new world operates?”
“But my slow speed could jeopardize the safety of the other Runners.”
“We’ve always divided up the responsibility of assignments by using an equal representation of the fastest, the slowest, and an average Runner. This way, if a trio is ever overtaken and lost, the clan will still have members who can replace those who are lost—we can’t afford a total wipe-out. Our missing clan members right now are a prime example of this. Chris was already on a delivery when we received a second assignment, so we held another time trial and a different trio was selected: Dirk, John, and Macey.
Doesn’t she realize she isn’t giving me any comfort at all? “Do you think this assignment could end badly?” I ask.
“Every assignment is dangerous, Calli, this one no more than the next. I know you’re worried about your speed, but your position in the trio is non-negotiable. You’ll need to hold someone’s hand to draw upon their speed for a while.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Of course I’m serious. Your participation in this assignment is non-negotiable. That’s why we held the trial.”
“No, not that part—you’re saying I have to hold someone’s hand when I run?”
“Yes, either Justin’s or Chris’s. They can both boost your speed.”
Oh, brother. This just keeps on getting better and better!
“Here.” Clara hands me Chris’s list. “Learn the names of your teammates.”