Free State of Rebellion (Collapse Series) by Summer Lane

spot.
    The militia leaders are giving frag orders, preparation instructions, for the likely impending attack. I stand to the side, seething. Vera is right there in the middle of it, engaging in conversation with Chris and my father. Sophia is standing next to me, silent. And I’m burning with embarrassment. More than anything in theworld, I’d like to walk over there and contribute to the conversation, but something is keeping me rooted to the spot. Usually I have no problem offering my opinion. Maybe I’m just afraid.
    “Don’t feel bad,” Sophia says, hugging me from the side.
    “What makes you think I feel bad?”
    “Um, I don’t know. The fact that you’re staring over there like you’re going to shoot everybody?” She grins. “You’re kind of easy to read.”
    “Well…” I sigh. “Don’t you feel a little left out?”
    “You can go over there if you want.”
    “I’m not going over there unless they ask me to come.”
    “That’s not going to happen.”
    ‘Then I’m staying here.”
    A few beats of silence tick by, and I realize how stupid our dialogue is. What is this, high school? What am I afraid of? Rejection? Embarrassment? Am I
jealous
of the attention Chris is giving Vera?
    Flushed, I suddenly feel angry for allowing myself to be this petty.
    I square my jaw and march over there, standing behind Chris’s shoulder. He acknowledges me with a nod – and a slight smile. I immediately feel better. How hard was that? All I had to do was walk across the meadow.
    “…There will be contact on the main access road,” Dad is saying as I walk up. He’s turned, talking to Vera and Angela. “There will probably be scouts far ahead of this convoy. We’ll stop them before anybody gets too close to camp.”
    “I’ll go,” Vera volunteers, casting me a quick, sour glance.
    “So will I,” I say.
    “No, you’re not going,” Dad replies, frowning.
    “Yes. I
am
.”
    “Frank, how many men will you be taking with you?” Angela asks.
    “The road is already well secured,” Dad answers, flicking his gaze to her. “I’ll just bring my scouts.”
    “And mine,” Chris adds.
    Silence.
    Chris says, “Commander Jones and Commander Buckley will also be accompanying us. We expect the military convoy to send out scouts, and there will be a leader among them.Frank and I are coming in case we need to parlay.”
    “Very good, gentlemen,” Angela says. She nods at the group. “Be careful out there.”
    Late morning is fast approaching. The temperature is warming up. Glorious white thunderheads are climbing into the sky, spiking the humidity level. A summer storm may be on its way.
    “Stick with me,” Chris mutters to me under his breath, turning towards the
Freedom Fighters
. He gathers our scouts – a group that includes Jeff, Sophia, Max, Derek and Alexander – and we head towards the main entrance to the camp. The plan is simple. We, along with Dad and
his
scouts, will meet the convoy on the main access road. If they’re anything like us, they’ll have scouts out, too. We’ll talk to them. Find outwhat their purpose is. Take the necessary measures to keep them out if they end up being unfriendly.
    Yes, here we go again,
I think.
Meeting new and interesting people…and then killing them. What has happened to my world?
    I shake off the thought.
    “My dad is still mad at me,” I comment in a low tone.
    “He’s not mad,” Chris replies. “Just frustrated. Wartime environments are hard. Don’t worry about it.”
    “I don’t want him to think I’m taking sides with you over him.”
    “Aren’t you, though?” Chris gives me a thoughtful look. “What you said back at HQ…didn’t you mean that?”
    I nod. “Yeah, but-”
    “-Don’t be afraid to have your own opinions, Cassie. Go with your gut.”
    “I’m not afraid.”
    Chris shrugs. “People get mad sometimes.”
    True. I should know that by now.
    Dad is approaching the main gate with his cadre of scouts. The rest of the