Intermix Nation

“By the way,” he says, “I covered for youyesterday with the bear.”

“I know,” Nazirah says. “I ran into Ani andshe told me.”

“If you’re going to keep missing classes,”Cato jokes, “you could warn me so I can come up with some bettercover stories. The one yesterday was not good.”

“Was I sick?”

“No, but your goldfish was.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.”

“You couldn’t think of anything better thanthat?”

“You know I don’t like being put on thespot!”

“Well,” Nazirah says, “luckily for you, Nikohad a talk with me about that yesterday. You were right. I have tostart going to class more, or else he is seriously going to maim mein my sleep.”

Cato whistles. “He was really scoring majorpoints with you last night, wasn’t he?”

“You have no idea.”

“If you’re pla

Of course they do.

“Great,” she groans. “You know, I neverthought we would get homework during recruit training. I get thecombat class, but essays, really? It’s like we’re still inschool.”

Nazirah gives Cato a crooked smile. Hehesitates for a moment and then gently strokes her hair. Nazirahtenses, but lets him do it. Before this whole mess happened, theyhad slowly been growing closer. Growing into something that wasalmost, but not quite, more than friends.

Nazirah has never been especially interestedin especially anyone. She knows Cato has feelings for her, but heis like her brother – closer than her brother. And, after herparents died, Nazirah has no desire to be with anyone at all. Shehas iced her heart, made it numb to the world and everyone in it,so that nothing could damage her again. If things were different,then maybe they could have been something. But the way she is now,Nazirah knows she would only wind up hurting Cato. It is yetanother reason why she hates Adamek Morgen. Yet another thing hehas stolen from her.

“I should probably go work on it, then,” shesays.

Cato pulls his hand away, watching asNazirah sits up, plants her feet on the floor, and rises from thebed. “Irri,” Cato begins, but Nazirah doesn’t want to hear what hehas to say. She is being selfish, she knows, but she can’t handleanything else today.

“Thanks for the tip about the bear.” Shelightly kisses his cheek. It’s not what he wants, but it’s what shecan give.

“Sure,” Cato says. “Don’t be stranger.” Heflashes Nazirah a smile so bright and warm it makes her frozenheart melt for him … just a little.

Chapter Five

Monday morning dawns too quickly, leavingNazirah sleepy and restless. After exiting Cato’s room Saturdaynight, she passed out on her bed for the next sixteen hours, wakingup midafternoon Sunday. She spent the rest of the day, and half thenight, in the library at headquarters working on that damn historyessay. It isn’t her best work by far, but it’s done and semilegible– and took her mind off Adamek Morgen.

Nazirah groggily checks the time andrealizes she has slept through most of breakfast. If she doesn’thurry up, she will be late for class. She drags her tired body outof bed, showers, and brushes her teeth. She dresses in a pair ofblack jeans and a shirt she finds in a pile on her bedroom floor,only slightly wrinkled.

So much for getting a fresh start.

Still half asleep, she towel dries her hair.Grabbing her bag, she stuffs her essay in.

Nazirah rushes downstairs to the mess hall,trying to score some breakfast in the five minutes before class.Frustrated as she is with Nikolaus, Nazirah did promise to try. Andshe always keeps her promises.

As she enters the mess hall, a group ofrebels spot her and begin whispering amongst themselves. Nazirahchuckles as she walks over to the fruit basket, thinking they mustreally not be used to seeing her in the morning. Nazirah picks up amealy looking apple, inspecting it for a moment before realizingthat the room has become eerily quiet. Completely silent, infact.

Apple in hand, Nazirah turns around, lookingat the tables suspiciously. No one is meeting her eye and no one isspeaking. All around, people clear their throats and coughawkwardly.

What is going on? Could the rebels knowwhere she went this weekend? Did Nikolaus make some sort of granda

At first, Nazirah thinks she’s just beingneurotic. But as she walks to class, she quickly notices peoplestopping their conversations to stare at her. She’s seriouslyu

Throwing her half-eaten breakfast into thenearest waste bin, Nazirah storms to the end of the corridor. Shequickly changes her destination, turning right instead of left intoBairs’s classroom. She walks faster, weaving through the crowd. Thehalls become less packed, but the stares increase. And the whispersfollow her every panicked footstep.

“Do you think she knows?”

“Poor girl. She’s already been through somuch.”

“Serves her right, coming here without anounce of appreciation.”

Nazirah tunes them out. She barges intoNiko’s office, slamming the door shut behind her. Nikolaus is thereas usual, with an unusual silver briefcase lying on his desk. Theoffice is otherwise empty, save for one other person. Nikolausjumps at the sound, startled, but the other man doesn’t move aninch. He is free of handcuffs this time.

“Nazirah, what are you doing here?”

Nikolaus looks borderline ashamed. Adamek,clean-shaven and cocky, watches silently, giving her the samecurious look as in the prison. The purple bruises on his face havefaded slightly and his split lip is almost healed.

“What amI doing here?” Nazirahyells furiously, storming up to Niko. “What am I doing here? Well, let’s see.” Shelaughs bitterly. “I’m here right now, stuck in this scummy compoundthat I hate, because both of my parents were slaughtered like pigs,in my own home. And you, my ever-protective big brother, told methat I couldn’t stay there, that it wasn’t safe for me there. Sothat’s what I’m doing here. And I’m here, in your office, to tellyou that you’ve lost your fucking mind! What am I doing here? What ishe doing here?” Nazirahstabs her finger at Adamek, standing a foot from its accusingtip.

“Nazirah,” Nikolaus says sternly, angerflushing his tired face, “I don’t have time for this right now. Itold you already, this is part of our agreement. It’s easier if hestays here.”

“He’s stayinghere?” she screeches,beside herself.

Nikolaus never told her this was part of thedeal! Nazirah assumed that Adamek would buy a private island andhide away until the war was over and he could safely return toMediah. She can’t be around him for more than a few seconds withoutwanting to throw up, and now they have to live under the sameroof?

Nikolaus looks between her and Adamekcautiously, clearly worried that one of them, maybe both, willsnap. “Do not question me,” he says. “I am your brother, and I amyour Commander. I am sick of your selfishness.” He walks past herto the door, holding it open and scowling at the nosy rebelslistening outside.

But Nazirah isn’t done yet.“How could you let him stay here?” she hisses, glaring at Adamek.She is addressing him now, spitting slander. “This disgusting,racist snake who is contaminating me with his presence?” Her eyesblaze. “This … murderer!”

Adamek stares hard at Nazirah before sharinga brief look with Niko. Adamek nods, walking towards the open door.He stops in front of Nazirah, who is suddenly aware of how tall heis. She hadn’t noticed in the prison because he was sitting theentire time, but he is only a few inches shorter than Nikolaus.Nazirah refuses to feel small and weak next to him, and holds herhead high. Adamek bends down. He whispers something in Nazirah’sear and then straightens and strolls out of the room.