Brody came to stand beside her and leaned to whisper in her ear, “Pull it back, Lydia. You’re going to need it.”
Lydia closed her eyes and pulled the energy back inside of her. Brody was right. She was going to need all of the strength she had if she was going to be doing it alone. The best thing she could do was just agree, but she didn’t. “You’re right. You do your surveillance, make sure you got the right one, but don’t expect me to sit here and wait until you’re satisfied that I picked the right place.”
Lydia stormed passed the general. “I’m going, even if I have to do it alone.”
The general placed his palm on her shoulder. “Your family wouldn’t approve.”
Lydia narrowed her eyes. “My family wouldn’t expect anything less.” She shrugged his palm from her shoulder. “You’re not in this to help me. You’re just as bad as Floyd. You want to use me the same way he does.”
Lydia stomped from the room, almost knocking Marlaina over as she passed. She got to her room and slammed her door. She pulled the extra coffee pot from the cupboards and shoved it in the coffee maker, starting a fresh pot. She was going to drink the entire thing before she left. Lydia spotted the gun that Rick had given her. She shook her head. She wasn’t going to be needing it, not as pissed as she was. She picked up the gun and turned in place looking for a good hiding place. She shrugged her shoulders and stashed it under the couch.
Lydia walked into her room and pulled out a backpack from the things she’d purchased in town. She’d only purchased it, if the need to escape had suddenly overwhelmed her, but it looks like she’d need it now. She changed into some black jeans, pulled a green top from her closet, and changed before she returned for her coffee. She’d take the damn thing with her if need be.
Briggs pushed her door open and closed it behind him. “This isn’t smart.”
Lydia studied the silent giant. “No, smart would have been to leave fifteen minutes ago.”
Lydia pulled the thermos from the cabinet and started to fill it. “What do you want, Briggs? Can’t you see I’m trying to get my stuff ready.”
Briggs placed his palm on her shoulder. “I’m not the bad guy, Lydia. I’m here to help you.”
Lydia paused in pouring the coffee and turned toward Briggs. “You are?”
Briggs chuckled. “Well, of course I am. I may not be an official Bennett, but all of them…including you, are like family to me. I wouldn’t let you do this alone.”
Lydia glanced down at her watch. “Time’s ticking. I’ll be ready to leave in five minutes.”
Briggs moved to sit in her recliner. “Wake me when you’re ready. If you’re anything like your sisters, five minutes is more like twenty in Bennett time.”
Chapter 16
Lydia felt her lips tilt up in a grin as she resumed pouring the coffee into her thermos. Briggs had surprised her. She was definitely going to need his help since she was running off halfcocked to go take on Floyd or whoever stood in her way of getting to Rick. And besides, he had a better sense of direction. Even though her decision had been made, finding the damn buildings might be difficult.
Lydia glanced over her shoulder. “You think we’ll be able to find the warehouses?”
Briggs shrugged. “I’ll find them.”
He pulled the two printouts out of his shirt pocket and waved them at her. “I can find any place that has an address and I’m pretty sure you could too.”
Lydia picked up her bag, and Briggs stood “You think anyone is going to try and stop us?”
Briggs shook his head. “Not after what you did to the security system. Just watch out for any doctors in white lab coats aiming needles at you. I think they’ll all stay clear, but just in case…” He shrugged. “Be prepared to toss them around like rag dolls.”
“Ready?” Lydia asked Briggs as she pulled the door open and stopped short. The three people she’d recently thought of as friends stood on the other side of her threshold. Brody, Jamie and Marlaina blocked her exit. They were probably here to try and talk her out of leaving. “You can’t change my mind.”
Lydia pushed through the blockade and stormed down the hall.
“Wait up, Red. We weren’t going to try and stop you. We’re going with you.”
Lydia spun on her heel and faced Brody. “Why would you disobey a direct order from the general?”
“We didn’t.”
Lydia was confused. He’d told them not to go. She’d heard it with her own ears. “I don’t follow. How is it you aren’t disobeying him, but you’re coming with us?”
“If you wouldn’t have stomped off, you would have heard what else he had to say. All he wanted to do was pull up the satellite images and see which one had heat signatures,” Brody said.
Lydia could feel her eyes widen. Okay, so maybe she shouldn’t have accused the general of being a monster. She was just worried about Rick. No one could have faulted her for that. Lydia’s heart raced with renewed anticipation. “Well, which one was it?”