“That’s not the point. I can’t let you go through something like that just to get proof of what they’re doing. It’s notright.”
“Hunter, please. You know we need to get something real, and this is the only way I can think of to get it,” I said. “Can you think of anythingbetter?”
He let out a short sigh and shook his head. “I can’t right now. But there must be anotherway.”
“There isn’t,” I insisted. “They aren’t stupid, so we can’t just follow them around, sneak into their next party, and hope we don’t getcaught.”
Hunter lifted his brows. “Well, that’s clearly bullshit. You’ve managed to sneak into two of their parties so far. One at our house during the alumni party, and one on the island when you rowed over there after the Friday the 13thparty. No one caught you then, didthey?”
I crossed my arms. “That’s different. I wouldn’t have been able to get clear shots of anyone from where I was hiding, and like I said, we needrealproof, which includes decent footage when their masks start to come off. That means we need to be right in the middle of everything. Andthatmeans we need them to think I’m part ofit.”
“Or we could just set up surveillance cameras on the island or in that secret room in my house andwait.”
I arched a brow. “That won’t work. You know perfectly well that your dad has every inch of your house swept for bugs and cameras twice a week, probably because he’s worried about getting caught. I bet he does the same with Harker Island, too,” I said. “Also, if theydofind cameras like I just said, they’ll know someone is onto them, and they’ll find somewhere else to hold their events. Somewhere we can’t track them anymore. They’ll probably also assume it’s me behind it all and come after me even harder. And I know you don’t wantthat.”
Hunter’s face softened. “Look, I get what you’re saying, but this plan of yours… do you really want to do something likethat?”
“Of course I don’twantto do it,” I said, rolling my eyes upward. “But there’s no other way they’ll let us in and allow us to get what we need fromthem.”
He shook his head slowly. “There’s so much shit that could gowrong.”
“I know, but that might never happen,” I said. “So we can’t let that worry stopus.”
Hunter closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. A muscle was ticking in his jaw, and his hands were clenching and unclenching rapidly at hissides.
“Please just think about it,” I said. “These guys are powerful as hell and their gross, slimy tentacles are practicallyeverywhere, so the only way to destroy them is to take drastic measures. Cut off all the tentacles atonce.”
“I told you, I understand that, but I don’t want to risk it. They’ve already tried to hurt you, and they could do it again,” he said with narrowed eyes, gesturing to the hole in the floorboards. “I can’t fucking stand the thought of anything else happening toyou.”
“I know that, and I love how much you care about me,” I said softly, stepping closer to him. “But these men might’ve killed a girl back in the nineties for going against them, and last year, they might’ve killed Lindsay too. If we don’t do anything to stop them, they might get away with it forever. I know you don’t want that tohappen.”
His hands clenched up again. “I guess I can’t argue with that,” he replied in a low murmur, staring distantly at the oppositewall.
Adam cleared his throat. “Do you really want to walk back into our house and look at Dad, knowing what he might’ve done, and do absolutely nothing about it?” heasked.
Hunter glared at him. “Of course Idon’t.”
“Then listen to Laney,” Adam replied. “Yeah, her plan is wild as fuck. But I can’t think of a better way to get everything we need so we can throw a grenade right into the Network and blow them toshit.”
Hunter set his jaw. “Fine,” he said, leveling his gaze at me. “If it’s what you want, we can do it. But I’m not letting anything happen to you in there. If anyone else eventriesto touchyou—”
Adam cut him off. “You’ll make them regret it. Weknow.”
Hunter managed a sheepish half-smile and moved closer to me. “Maybe I’ve said that too many times,” he murmured. “But I meanit.”
“I know,” I said, taking his hand. “And I love hearingit.”
“Good.” He squeezed my hand tightly in his. “Now let’s start planning this thingproperly.”
* * *
Itooka deep breath and straightened my shoulders. It was Tuesday lunchtime, and Hunter, Adam and Trina were all in the cafeteria, awaiting my return from Stage One of our master plan. I was standing in an isolated hallway on the other side of Royal Hall, staring at the golden snake insignia on the Medusa Societydoor.
I finally lifted my hand andknocked.
There were footsteps on the other side of the door, and then it opened. Hazel was there. When she realized it was me, her eyes narrowed. “You,” she hissed. “You have a lot of nerve coming back here after what you did on Fridaynight.”
“I just want to talk,” I replied, raising mypalms.