Conspiracies - Mercedes Lackey [107]
She was about to go further into the room when Loch passed her, hands shoved in his pockets. “Train station. Now,” he muttered under his breath as he passed, paying no outward attention to her. She waited just long enough for him to get well into the boys’ dorm, then headed quickly for her own room to snatch up her coat and slip out the door. There was plenty of time before lights out, and even now, no one restricted movement on campus. Officially, anyway.
As always, the winter cold nearly took her breath away. But now there was the added hazard of having to avoid the military guys. She scouted carefully. Tonight there were only two of them on the school grounds: one guarding the stable and one the gym. But just to be sure, she tried to keep as much in the shadows as possible as she sprinted for the tiny rail station.
She reached it and ducked inside. “Hey?” she whispered into the darkness.
“We’re all here,” Burke said, in normal tones. “You’re the last one. Well, except for Murr-cat…” His voice trailed off.
“I passed her a note, but she was pretty wrapped up in Ovcharenko,” Addie said sadly into the darkness. “I don’t—”
But then the sound of light footsteps running toward them made them all fall silent and hold their breaths. Spirit felt someone grab her and stifled a squeak as arms went around her. “If it’s anyone other than Muirin, pretend like we’re making out,” Burke breathed into her ear. “That’s the plan.” He turned her so that she was facing into his chest, and put both his arms around her.
Her heart thudded and she felt a little dizzy. She had to lock her knees to keep her legs from trembling.
Nice plan—
“Guys?” Muirin said from the doorway.
Burke didn’t let go of Spirit for a good long moment. “We’re all here,” Addie replied. “Glad you could make it.”
“Are you?” came the uncertain reply.
“Yes!” Spirit said firmly, before anyone else could speak—and so that it wouldn’t sound as if they were hesitant. The others chimed in just as firmly.
“Okay then … ’cause I think if you aren’t sitting down, you’d better. Or, wait.” Spirit heard the shuffling of feet as Muirin worked her way along a wall. “Yeah, here, I thought I remembered right. There’s a closet here under the platform, sometimes people use it for making out. Let’s all get in there so I can make a light. Follow my voice.”
Now Burke let Spirit go, but kept a firm grip on her gloved hand as he led her toward Muirin. They all crowded into the closet, which was low-ceilinged, but bigger than Spirit would have thought. The door closed, and Muirin muttered something. Spirit winced away as a ball of light that was way too bright after the darkness of the station flared up in Muirin’s hand. The room was about six by ten and completely empty.
“So?” Burke said, once they were settled.
Muirin looked away from him uneasily. “Uh … I’m not sure where to start,” she said, finally, and sighed. “Okay, look. I’ve been hanging out with Anastus, not Dylan. I mean, come on, he’s Russian, he’s hot, and it’s a kick to be with an older guy, okay? So I knew that tonight was going to be ‘recruit the kids’ night for the Breakthrough peeps.”
“And you didn’t—” Loch began, then shrugged. “Yeah, no point in warning us, it’s not like we could have done anything about it.”
“Well … something happened today with Anastus.” She swallowed. “He met me after dinner and we went out in his car, but all we did was sit in the driveway with the heat on while he drank. My God, I thought Step could put it away!” she added, aghast. “I mean, straight vodka, right out of the bottle, like it was soda!”
“He’s Russian,” Loch said, as if that explained everything.
“Whatever! Anyway, I think he was trying to get me drunk, but he was so mad he didn’t notice when I just kept passing the bottle back to him, and pretty soon … he was talking. A lot.” Her voice took on an edge. “So that’s when I found out I’m second string to Madison so far as he’s concerned. I heard all about Madison and how bad he wants to get into her pants.