Fury had Morgan practically charging back into Colton’s camp, Max and Jacqueline in tow.

There was no sight of Nevaeh—the campfire looked empty without her lackeys. Instead, Colton sat there with a few of his friends. He had a split lip, but otherwise looked fine.

Rising, he nodded to Morgan and gestured to the cargo container. Apparently, he wanted this conversation to be private.

She hesitated, the first tingles of fear creeping in. What if there was some truth to Nevaeh’s rumors? Stepping into an enclosed room with him might not be a good idea. But she wasn’t going to be seen as a coward, either. She followed him in and was glad when he didn’t try to shut the door.

“Morgan—”

The sound of his voice made her see red. She struck him hard with closed fists, aiming for his chest. He ducked away and she ended up hitting his meaty shoulder. “You ass! What the hell is wrong with you? You kicked him when he was down!” She struck again and again until he grabbed her wrists.

“Knock it off!”

“Screw you!” She tried to kick him, but he pushed her away. Morgan fell back against the wall. Straightening, she pushed loose hair out of her face. “Lucas is your friend!”

“I know! Things just got out of control!”

“Out of control?!” Her voice raised to a screech that made Colton wince. She didn’t care. “You broke his kneecap, Colton! And there’s not exactly a doctor around to fix him.”

“I know,” he said again, lower. “Shit… I messed up. Is that what you want to hear? Fine. I didn’t mean for it to get that far, but he attacked me first!”

That part of the story had been left out in Lucas’s version. Morgan wasn’t surprised. “So what if he did? You finished it.”

“I wish I could take it back. I got caught up in the moment and…” There was a look in Colton’s eyes Morgan hadn’t seen before. Grief mixed with desperation. “I knew the second it happened—God, I fucked up. Is he okay?”

“I don’t know.” It hurt to say that, and despite the fact she hated Colton right now, she didn’t like seeing his flinch. “The aliens didn’t drop an X-ray machine along with everything else. His knee is messed up, bad.”

Colton cursed and turned away, running a hand back through his hair.

Arms crossed, Morgan watched him. “Nevaeh told him that you liked me. That had better not be true.”

“She took something I said out of context. Probably on purpose,” he said stiffly.

Which wasn’t exactly a no, but Morgan would take it. “You realize this is a win-win-win for her, right?”

He glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“Once word gets around—and it already has—no one will mess with Nevaeh because she has proved she’s got you on a short leash. That increases her power, which is a win. She’s tested your loyalty and got you to fight for her, another win. Finally, she pushes me out of the group, and puts Timberly, Leah, and probably Jacquelin on notice that they’d better fall in line with her, or else. Win again.”

Colton barked a laugh. “I promise she’s not thinking about things that deeply.”

“Maybe not, but this kind of crap is how she gains power. You’re telling me she never played this game at school?”

Morgan was guessing, but by the dark look flitting across Colton’s face, her words had struck true.

In the next moment, Colton shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I kicked her ass out, and now we have to figure out what to do next.”

Morgan’s uneasiness flooded back. “There is no ‘we’ here, Colton.”

“Yes, there is.” He straightened. In the firelight flickering in through the half-open door, he looked dignified and in control. The stupid jock was gone, and someone stronger had taken his place. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said.”

“About what?” It took a good deal of self control not to inch toward the door. He wouldn’t actually…. try anything here, would he? Not with everyone (all of Colton’s friends) probably listening right outside? Did Lucas have a point? Was she an idiot for coming alone?

“About a few things. People listen to me,” Colton said. “I think I could really pull everyone together, but I don’t know what I’m doing. None of us do.” He hesitated. “What are the chances we’re not the only group those aliens dropped on this planet?”

This new subject threw her for such a loop that it took her a few moments to catch up. “We’re not,” Morgan said. “I saw lights—like city lights, near a coastline as the ship flew in.”

“Yeah, that was on the girl’s side of the dome. One of Nevaeh’s friends said the same thing.” He stepped forward. “Here’s what I think: We’re falling apart. Yes, we have the containers and some tools, but we don’t know shit about using them. We’re burning and destroying stuff we need because we don’t know better. Soon, it’ll be gone. We need help before this whole place turns into Lord of the Flies.”

“That’s rich, coming from you.” She paused, noting the expression on his face. “Have you ever read the book?”

His lips crept up into a smile. “Watched the movie.”

“Ugh.” She wanted to hit him all over again. “Well, we can’t abandon this field and go out searching for others. Those tools and stuff are too important. Besides, I don’t think people would go. No one likes sleeping out in the open.”

He rolled his eyes. “If only there was someone who brought their own supplies, knows how to live in the woods, and can hunt for herself.”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Morgan stared at him. “I’m not leaving Lucas. Not after what you did to him.”

“Not even to find him medicine?” he asked. “Antibiotics? Painkillers? How about a freakin’ doctor? Do you really think the aliens just kidnapped one high school’s worth of teenagers, and that’s all?”

No, she didn’t.

“I don’t trust you,” she added, “I especially don’t trust your girlfriend.”

“Hey, your boyfriend started the fight today,” Colton replied irritated, and waved off Morgan’s objection. “I’ll handle Nevaeh. And if you don’t trust me… fine. Leave Lucas with Donuts. He’s a good guy.”

It annoyed her that Colton had apparently known where Lucas was this whole time. Max had probably clued him in. “What if I don’t come back with anything? Or I don’t come back at all?”

“You will. You’re a survivor. It’s what I first noticed about you.” He met her gaze, a look of respect in his eye that Morgan didn’t care to see. “I’ll get things organized here, while you’re getting us help. I can do that. Trust me.”

Morgan hesitated for a long moment, running back over their conversation to find the loopholes, where she was going wrong. She couldn’t find anything.

Finding answers was all she wanted to do since they landed here. She sure as hell didn’t need Colton’s permission to do it, but he was right. Lucas needed a doctor about his leg. Even if it did heal… Eventually, other people would get hurt and sick, too. If there was a way to find help, she had to leave.

Stepping forward, Morgan stuck out her hand. Colton took it in his own. His grip was warm and steady.

“Deal,” Morgan said.

* * *

Morgan took a moment to grab her tactical backpack out of the cargo container, the first-aid kit, and the box cutter she had been using in place of a knife. There was a blade on her multi-tool, but if something had to break due to overuse she’d rather it be the razor from the box cutter.

Then, she had a chat with Donuts.

She didn’t know the former stoner well, but he had done good for himself by hooking up the still, and was currently experimenting with a smokehouse made from another cargo container. That told her he had a business frame of mind.

She showed him the giant fish she’d speared that morning. That, along with the spear, was enough to secure a promise that Lucas would be allowed to crash with his group while he healed up.

Privately, Morgan thought Donuts realized it would look good on him to keep Lucas safe. Colton might see himself as the leader, but people would also see what happened to Lucas, and would know that when push came to shove, Donuts had been the one to take Colton’s former friend in from the cold.

Lucas was asleep in the same position she had left him in. His skin was waxy and pale and there was a frown on his face. Morgan’s heart clenched. He was probably in a lot of pain.

Someone had rolled his pant leg up to splint it. Another had thrown an old T-shirt over the wound. Carefully, Morgan lifted the shirt away. Lucas’s knee was purple and black and swelled grotesquely.

I should have hit Colton harder, she thought.

But he was right. Lucas needed a doctor.

“Morgan?” Lucas stirred, wincing.

“I’m here.” Morgan dug around in her bag and brought out the scant first aid kit. Most of the store-bought stuff was useless; cheap Band-Aids, a pair of scissors, and some gauze.

Being her father’s daughter, she had added her own items. Now, she plucked out a few of the precious ibuprofen pills and handed them over with a half cup of water. “Take these. It will help with the swelling.”

“Where did you get this?” he asked.

“Where do you think?” She held up the first aid kit. “In case of emergency, right?”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but pain won out. He knocked two pills back and drank the water. Then, to Morgan’s surprise, he gripped her hand. “Are you okay? Colton—“

“I’m fine,” she said quickly, reaching up to brush hair back from his face. “We had a talk. That’s all.”

“That’s all?” he repeated doubtfully.

She nodded. “I think he feels bad about what happened, but Donuts said he would put you up here until you’re feeling better.”

She hated to give Colton even that much credit, but her first priority was to make sure Lucas felt safe and secure, because he wasn’t going to like what she had to say next. “I’m going to get help.”

“What?” he rasped.

“There have to be other groups out there, like us.” They had had this talk before, between the two of them. But as exhausted as Lucas looked, she wasn’t sure he remembered. “There might be somebody who knows how to help with your leg.”

He shook his head back and forth. “You don’t know that. I don’t want you traveling with him…”

With Colton? She wrinkled her nose. “I’m going alone.”

“Alone?” The word seemed to jolt him completely alert. “No, you can’t. I don’t want you to—“

She squeezed his hand and gazed directly in his eyes. What was it with boys and thinking she had to have their approval to risk her own life? “I’m not asking. I’m going to head east. I saw lights in that direction when we were landing, which might mean people, or the aliens that brought us here.”

“Or it’s someone else,” he said. “I don’t want you to do this for me. If you died—if you didn’t come back—“

Lucas wasn’t the type to cry, despite her teasing him about it when they were both little. His eyes looked suspiciously wet now, and it broke her heart. He had gotten hurt because of her.

But Morgan had not asked Lucas to fight for her, and he had no right to ask her not to do what she could for him.

“I’m coming back,” she said. “I’m the only one who has a chance of surviving out there. I’m coming back,” she repeated more firmly, “and I’m bringing help.”

He stared at her for a long moment, then visibly sagged. “Just promise me… If it’s between bringing back help or coming back at all, I want you here. I don’t give a damn about a doctor.”

He doesn’t now, but if infection sets in… “I promise,” she said, then leaned over and kissed him again.

* * *

It was late at night by the time Morgan left the cargo container. She stayed until Lucas had drifted back off to sleep, and had left behind all the painkillers she had.

Most of the camp was asleep. Donuts and his crew were sacked out around their campfire. No one had started a large bonfire tonight. Morgan thought she was the only one left awake until she saw Timberly and Leah.

The other two girls rose from their seats on a log without a word. Together, they stepped out of the camp and into the darkness. Once they were away, Morgan quickly filled them in.

“Donuts promised he would help take care of Lucas, but could you guys keep an eye on him, too?” she asked.

“Of course,” Leah said promptly.

Timberly winced. “I will do what I can, but I have to be honest with you: it’s going to be really important for me and Max to stay in Colton’s good graces. He acted nice to you now, Morgan, but we know it’s a matter of time before Nevaeh gets her claws back into him.” She glanced Leah. “It might be best if you hung around Donuts’ campfire more often, before Nevaeh starts giving you the hairy eyeball.”

Part of Morgan wondered if she should be mad at her, but… no. Timberly saw the currents of society as Morgan didn’t — it was why, when push came to shove, she had ditched her cheerleader friends and latched onto the smart girls.

Colton had called Morgan a survivor, but Timberly was the one who would always keep her head above water.

Morgan could respect that. Actually, she could use that. “Do either of you want to come with me?”

Timberly shook her head. “I have a good thing going on here. And if there are any problems… Max won’t go down like Lucas—no offense.”

“No,” Leah said. “I don’t think I would be much help out in the wilds.” She shrugged. “I’ve… never liked camping.”

Timberly drew Morgan into a tight hug. “I’ll do what I can for Lucas. I might be able to make sure he has a place back around our campfire, once things settle down.”

That helped. It wasn’t that Morgan didn’t trust Donuts, but she would feel better if Lucas had a place among friends. Or, former friends.

Goodbyes said, Morgan peeled off and headed across the field for the tree where she had stored her MREs and extra supplies a few months, and what felt like a lifetime, ago.