Read Online Rebel Nation by Shaunta Grimes - Free Book Online

either way,” Clover said. At the very least, they’d get the Foster City kids out. “You’ll be there.”
    â€œI will, half hour before curfew, tomorrow.”
    And then she was gone.
    â€”
    Jude started to set up a blanket pallet on the floor in front of the fireplace, but Clover stopped him. “The couch pulls out,” she said. “West and I sleep—slept—on it in the winter.”
    She pulled the cushions off the couch, like she had a thousand times before, and stacked them against the wall. Jude yanked on the handle and the bed unfolded.
    â€œI can make a bed out of the pillows,” Jude said.
    It took a minute for Clover to figure out what he was talking about. She’d shared that bed so many times with her brother. Jude wasn’t her brother. And he was trying to do the right thing. Clover didn’t know how to argue with him about that, so she didn’t.
    They sat cross-legged on the pulled-out bed and ate the sandwiches they’d brought for their lunch at the Dinosaur. Clover didn’t realize how hungry she was until she bit into hers and her stomach cramped. “What are we going to do about the boys in the Dinosaur?”
    â€œWe’ll go tell them tomorrow. Have them go back to Foster City and bring the ones who have it the worst.”
    â€œWest said six total.”
    Jude took another bite and chewed silently.
    â€œWe need to talk about this,” Clover said. “Going back to work for the Company might not be the worst thing—”
    â€œYou aren’t going back there.”
    Clover bristled against the surety in Jude’s voice and looked down at her hands clenched together in her lap. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
    Jude waited until she looked at him again before he spoke, his voice low. “I can ask. I know going through the river scares you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
    Clover finished her sandwich without talking to Jude again. She wanted to tell him that she wasn’t scared, but that was such a lie that she couldn’t even get it out. She was irritated by being treated like a child who couldn’t make her own decisions, and even more irritated that she couldn’t decide whether she was arguing because she really thought going back to work for Bennett was an idea with merit, or because she didn’t like feeling pushed around. She was being pushed around either way—by Jude or by Bennett.
    â€œDon’t be mad at me,” Jude said. “You want to go back to the ranch as much as I do. I know you do. We don’t belong here anymore.”
    â€œI don’t want to drown.” Clover stopped when she realized that wasn’t all. “I don’t want you to drown.”
    â€œI won’t. And you won’t either.”
    â€œI want to do the right thing. We came back to the city for a reason. We haven’t done what we came here for.”
    â€œYou going back to work for Bennett isn’t the answer. That’s like setting the house on fire to stay warm.”
    â€”
    The living room was cozy enough, with the fire glowing in the fireplace. It was a warmer-than-usual autumn, which Jude was particularly glad for now. The river would still be very cold, though. And they’d had two good rains in the last month, so it was running fast.
    â€œWe’re still going to have to convince Bridget. I don’t think that’s going to be easy.”
    He moved around so that he leaned against the back of the sofa. “She’ll want to bring Isaiah.”
    â€œDo you think we should?”
    Jude ran a hand over his face. His eyes felt gritty with exhaustion. “You know there’s something going on with him and Bridget, don’t you? I mean, I don’t know how far it’s gone, but it’s there. They’re together all the time.”
    â€œThat’s his job.”
    â€œIt’s more than that. And if they both come