Broken World (Book 6): Forgotten World Read Online Free Page A

his life.”
    Corinne presses her lips together as she glances around, and Dax takes another step toward our group like he thinks he’s going to strong-arm us into doing what he wants. Axl meets his gaze, not the least bit intimidated by the larger man, and Dax frowns.
    “He has to say yes.” Corinne shakes her head. “We have so much riding on this.”
    “We’ll talk it over,” Axl says firmly.
    The people standing around us start murmuring again, and the mood changes from excited and hopeful to slightly hostile. For a second, I worry a fight’s going to break out. Maybe we shouldn’t have told these people where we live. What if they follow us? What if there’s a fight or they kidnap Angus in the middle of the night and drag him to Atlanta? We can’t fight all these people off. There’s no way.
    “We just need some time to prepare,” I say, flashing Dax a smile. I don’t know him, but I don’t want to risk him running off and doing something we’re all going to regret. “This has all been such a big shock, but I’m sure Angus will understand how serious the situation is.”
    Axl shoots me a look, but I force the smile to stay on my face.
    “Yeah,” he says, slowly. “We gotta get movin’ so we can talk this through. Our people are gonna be wonderin’ where we’re at. We’ll be back tomorrow.”
    Corinne nods, but with the way her eyes narrow on Axl, I don’t think she totally buys it. I’m starting to get really concerned that these people will resort to force if they have to.
     

     
    Axl is practically running when we step out of the building, and even though I have to jog to catch up, I don’t blame him. I can’t wait to get back home. So much has happened. Sophia’s baby, Hadley and Jon, Atlanta and the CDC, and now a possible vaccine. We need to talk about it all, but I also want some time to absorb it with people I know and trust. Away from all the chaos.
    I only hope no one tries to follow us.
    “What are you thinking?” Joshua asks, keeping pace with Axl and me.
    Axl doesn’t slow. “They ain’t gonna let Angus say no.”
    “I agree,” Joshua says.
    “Will he say yes?” I ask.
    Saying no would be selfish, which has been one of his defining characteristics since he first picked me up on Route 66. Only, for some crazy reason, I think Angus will be okay with doing this. That giving up his life won’t matter as much now as it would have. Which is crazy, because I’m pretty sure he hated everything about himself before all this. Now, though, he has a purpose and a reason for living. Which is exactly why I think he just might be okay with making such a huge sacrifice.
    But it should be up to him. It’s his life, and if he wants to say no, it’s his right.
    “Not sure,” Axl says.
    “Vivian!” Hadley yells from behind me.
    Axl swears and doesn’t slow, but I do. He’s not going to leave without me.
    Hadley and Jon hurry our way, and I let out a deep breath. They’re part of our group, but they’re also part of Hope Springs, and I’m not sure if bringing them back with us is a good idea. Then again, it’s not like they have the ability to force Angus to do something he doesn’t want to do. None of us have succeeded in that, except maybe my mom.
    “We want to come,” Hadley says when she catches up with me. “I want to see everyone, but I also want to be there to talk some sense into Angus if he needs it.”
    “You can’t force him,” I say. “You know that, right? This is his life.”
    Hadley narrows her eyes, and I brace myself for some sort of verbal attack, but instead she says, “They’ve already started planning. They’re going to want to head out as soon as possible. This is important.”
    “I understand, but so is Angus’s life.”
    I end the discussion by turning to head after Axl and Joshua. Hadley and I can go back and forth about this for hours, but it’s obvious neither one of us is going to back down. The best thing we can do right now is head