Night School - Endgame Read Online Free

science teacher who had betrayed them all – who’d cost them Jo’s life when he sided with Nathaniel. It would make sense if he’d done this, too.
    But Raj shook his head, lips tight. ‘It wasn’t Jerry. Isabelle was close enough to see it all. It was Gabe. And there’s something else you should know.’ He met Allie’s gaze. ‘Isabelle swears Gabe was aiming at Nathaniel.’
    Allie took a sharp breath. ‘What?’
    ‘I didn’t see it myself,’ he said, ‘but Isabelle’s convinced Gabe was aiming at Nathaniel and, at the last minute, Lucinda stepped into the path of the bullet. Isabelle thinks…’ He hesitated as if deciding how much to reveal. ‘Well, it seemed to her Lucinda saw what Gabe was about to do. And she took the bullet. To save Nathaniel.’
    Allie’s lips moved but no sound came out. She felt as if she was sinking. She couldn’t breathe.
    Lucinda let herself die? She left me on purpose? 
    She shook her head so hard her stitches stung. ‘No, Raj. Isabelle’s wrong. Lucinda wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t. Not for Nathaniel.’
    He didn’t argue with her. ‘I find it hard to believe myself. I’m only offering it as a qualified explanation.’ He paused. ‘Allie, I’m not going to tell you what to do. But Isabelle is heartbroken about this – about everything. I wish you’d talk to her. Get her side of things.’
    Allie’s expression hardened, but Raj didn’t back down. He lowered his head to catch her gaze. ‘Leaving Carter wasn’t Isabelle’s call. Carter knew what the drill was going in. He knew everything that could happen – every possible way it could go wrong. He was ready for this.’
    She didn’t want to argue with him but cold anger was creeping back into her veins like ice water. She squeezed her hands into fists, waiting to speak until she had her emotions under control.
    ‘Where is he, Raj?’ she said, letting the earlier conversation drop. ‘Is he alive?’
    He didn’t answer right away. When he spoke, his voice was low.
    ‘I wish I knew.’

4
    T he rest of the day passed in a haze of exhaustion.
    Allie went to the dining hall at lunch time to prove to the others how fine she was.
    Completely fine.
    As soon as she walked in the room, though, Katie Gilmore ran to her and wrapped her in an entirely unfamiliar hug.
    ‘Thank God you’re OK.’
    After hating her for years, it felt weird being her friend. Not bad weird. Just… weird weird. And yet, Allie found herself hugging her back, clinging to Katie’s lean shoulders, her face buried in her long, red hair. She smelled of the world’s most expensive perfume.
    ‘It was awful,’ Allie heard herself whispering. And she wished she would stop.
    How was anyone going to believe she was fine if she kept saying she wasn’t?
    But Katie seemed to understand. Her beautiful face looked sombre – all of her arrogance stripped away.
    ‘I’m so sorry about Lucinda. I admired her so much.’ Katie’s voice was low; her words were meant for Allie alone. ‘She was a giant.’
    Mention of her grandmother made Allie’s heart lurch.
    Unlike Allie, Katie had grown up with Lucinda Meldrum – always head of Orion, always a tangible part of her life.
    It would have been wonderful to grow up with Lucinda always there.
    ‘She was amazing,’ Allie agreed softly, ‘wasn’t she?’
    The two exchanged a look of understanding. Then Katie cocked her head to one side and narrowed her gaze. ‘You should eat. You look like crap.’
    And just like that the moment was over.
    Lessons were cancelled, of course. And Night School. Having nothing to do felt like failure. If Allie hadn’t been so exhausted she would have run back to Raj and shouted at him. Demanded they all get back to work. Find Carter. Fix this.
    But she didn’t. What good would it do? The truth was, they had lost. They were defeated. They’d failed.
    Besides, the teachers were locked away somewhere having secret strategy meetings. She hadn’t seen any of