Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 19 - End of the World, Redux - III

  The Greywoods camp was eerily silent as Hailey and Jessica landed, but there was smoke issuing from Cinza's chimney nonetheless. Yusuf and Joe looked up from the field curiously as Hailey landed, since she wasn't expected. She ignored them, heading straight for Cinza's cabin. She tried to compose the words in her head to explain what had happened, but she couldn't think of anything.

  She didn't have to. Cinza and Ruby were sitting together on their wide chair, both staring at the monitor. There were tears on Ruby's cheeks. As Hailey entered, she turned away and hid her face in the thick cushions.

  "I will end him," said Cinza, her arm around Ruby's shoulder.

  "I couldn't find him," Hailey sighed, taking one of the chairs opposite. Josh bolted into the room a moment later, his mouth open.

  "Cinza—"

  "We already know," Hailey interrupted.

  Josh glanced at her. "When'd you get here?"

  "Like thirty seconds ago. We had to outrun a helicopter that chased us across Tacoma. Jess made us invisible, but I could've sworn it was still following us, then it made a few wrong turns and we got away." She leaned back in the chair, stretching out from the hard flight. "Also, I got outed too."

  "By your own choice," Cinza said quietly. It wasn't an accusation.

  They're gonna know all of us sooner or later... "...Yeah." Hailey looked back at her. If Ruby was so devastated, Hailey expected Cinza to be doubly so—but she was practically radiating pure, focused rage.

  If she weren't so angry at him herself, Hailey might have pitied Nate in that moment. Cinza would tear him to pieces if she got her hands on him.

  "Ruby..." Josh started.

  "Don't look at me," snapped Ruby, her voice muffled by the chair. "You both saw it, right?"

  "Well... no," said Hailey, glancing between them. "As soon as I saw the first couple channels talking about it, I flew straight to the lawyers Nate hired. I didn't really have a chance to look at anything. I read a little bit more when we stopped halfway across to eat, but my phone was almost dead."

  "Ruby got outed," explained Josh, before Cinza could speak.

  "...I mean, that's not surprising," said Hailey.

  "No, I mean her real name and everything. Her dad. Where she's from. Age, birthday, appearance, preferences, favorite foods. A whole fuckin' profile." Josh glanced at Cinza oddly. "That was some diary."

  "No one was ever meant to read them. They were private," she snapped.

  "Ruby's real name?" Hailey asked, surprised. For some reason, she'd never really considered the idea. She'd always doubted Cinza's name, but she'd never bothered to consider that her girlfriend's might be fake, too.

  Josh looked over at Cinza again, as if seeking permission. Cinza sighed. "It's public record now. You'll hear it sooner or later. Her name is Hannah Newman, and she's from Tacoma. She ran away from home at fifteen and ended up in Rallsburg, May before last."

  Hailey did the quick mental math. "So she's... oh. Oh god."

  "Cinza, don't let them—" Ruby started, still muffled. Hailey could barely hear her over the crackling fire and the rain that was beginning to pour down on the roof. Jessica opened the door, letting in Scrappy, who ambled through and sat down next to the fire.