《6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命》第23章

arage。 “You’re　brave；”　he　mented　in　a　very　low　voice。　“Or　really　trusting。　I　thought　it　would　be　more　work　to　get　you　upstairs　with　the　sun　up。” Whoops。　I　should　have　been　more　skittish。　Too　late　now。　I　
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shrugged。 “So　you　and　Diego　are　pretty　tight；　right？”　he　asked；　just　breathing　the　words。　Probably；　if　everyone　were　silent　in　the　basement；　they　would　still　be　able　to　hear　him；　but　it　was　pretty　noisy　down　there　right　now。 I　shrugged　again。　“He　saved　my　life；”　I　whispered。 Riley　lifted　his　chin；　almost　but　not　quite　a　nod；　and　appraised。　Did　he　believe　me？　Did　he　think　I　still　feared　the　day？ “He’s　the　best；”　Riley　said。　“The　smartest　kid　I’ve　got。” I　nodded　once。 “We　had　a　little　meeting　about　the　situation。　We　agreed　that　we　need　some　surveillance。　Going　in　blind　is　too　dangerous。　He’s　the　only　one　I　trust　to　scout　ahead。”　He　exhaled；　almost　angrily。　“Wish　I　had　two　of　him！　Raoul’s　got　too　short　a　fuse　and　Kristie　is　too　selfabsorbed　to　get　the　big　picture；　but　they’re　the　best　I’ve　got；　and　I’ll　have　to　make　do。　Diego　said　you　were　smart；　too。” I　waited；　not　sure　how　much　of　our　story　Riley　knew。 “I　need　your　help　with　Fred。　Wow；　that　kid　is　strong！　I　couldn’t　even　look　at　him　tonight。” I　nodded　cautiously　again。 “Imagine　if　our　enemies　can’t　even　look　at　us。　It　will　be　so　easy！” I　didn’t　think　Fred　would　like　that　idea；　but　maybe　I　was　wrong。　He　didn’t　seem　like　he　cared　anything　for　this　coven　of　ours。　Would　he　want　to　save　us？　I　didn’t　respond　to　Riley。 “You　spend　a　lot　of　time　with　him。”　
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I　shrugged。　“Nobody　bothers　me　there。　It’s　not　easy。” Riley　pursed　his　lips　and　nodded。　“Smart；　like　Diego　said。” “Where　is　Diego？” I　shouldn’t　have　asked。　The　words　just　ripped　out　of　their　own　accord。　I　waited　anxiously；　trying　to　look　indifferent　and　most　likely　failing。 “We　don’t　have　time　to　waste。　I　sent　him　south　the　second　I　found　out　what　was　ing。　If　our　enemies　decide　to　attack　early；　we　need　the　advance　warning。　Diego　will　meet　up　with　us　when　we　move　against　them。” I　tried　to　imagine　where　Diego　was　now。　I　wished　I　were　there　with　him。　Maybe　I　could　talk　him　out　of　doing　Riley’s　bidding　and　putting　himself　in　the　line　of　fire　in　the　process。　But　maybe　not。　It　seemed　like　Diego　was　thick　with　Riley；　just　like　I’d　worried。 “Diego　wanted　me　to　tell　you　something。” My　eyes　snapped　to　his　face。　Too　fast；　too　eager。　Blew　it　again。 “Sounded　like　nonsense　to　me。　He　said；　‘Tell　Bree　I’ve　got　the　handshake　figured　out。　I’ll　show　her　in　four　days；　when　we　meet　up。’　I　have　no　idea　what　that　means。　Do　you？” I　tried　to　force　a　poker　face。　“Maybe。　He　did　say　something　about　needing　a　secret　handshake。　For　his　underwater　cave。　Some　kind　of　password。　He　was　just　kidding　around；　though。　I’m　not　sure　what　he　means　now。” Riley　chuckled。　“Poor　Diego。” “What？” “I　think　that　kid　likes　you　a　lot　more　than　you　like　him。”　
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“Oh。”　I　looked　away；　confused。　Was　Diego　giving　me　this　message　as　a　way　to　let　me　know　I　could　trust　Riley？　But　he　hadn’t　told　Riley　I　knew　about　the　sun。　Still；　he　must　have　trusted　Riley　to　tell　him　so　much；　to　show　Riley　that　he　cared　about　me。　I　thought　it　would　be　wiser　to　keep　my　mouth　shut；　though。　Too　much　had　changed。 “Don’t　write　him　off　yet；　Bree。　He’s　the　best；　like　I　said。　Give　him　a　chance。” Riley　was　giving　me　romantic　advice？　This　could　not　get　weirder。　I　bobbed　my　head　once　and　muttered；　“Sure。” “See　if　you　can　talk　to　Fred。　Make　sure　he’s　on　board。” I　shrugged。　“I’ll　do　what　I　can。” Riley　smiled。　“Great。　I’ll　pull　you　aside　before　we　leave；　and　you　can　tell　me　how　it　went。　I’ll　keep　it　casual；　not　like　tonight。　I　don’t　want　him　to　feel　like　I’m　spying　on　him。” “Okay。” Riley　motioned　for　me　to　follow　and　then　headed　back　to　the　basement。 The　training　lasted　all　day；　but　I　wasn’t　part　of　it。　After　Riley　went　back　to　his　team　leaders；　I　took　my　spot　beside　Fred。　The　others　had　been　divided　up　into　four　groups　of　four；　with　Raoul　and　Kristie　directing　them。　No　one　had　picked　Fred　for　a　side；　or　maybe　he’d　ignored　them；　or　maybe　they　couldn’t　even　see　that　he　was　there。　I　could　still　see　him。　He　stood　out the　only　one　not　participating；　a　big　blond　elephant　in　the　room。 I　had　no　desire　to　insinuate　myself　into　either　Raoul’s　team　or　Kristie’s；　so　I　just　watched。　No　one　seemed　to　notice　that　I　was　sitting　out　with　Fred。　Though　we　must　have　been　somewhat　
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invisible；　thanks　to　talented　Fred；　I　felt　horribly　obvious。　I　wished　I　were　invisible　to　myself that　I　could　see　the　illusion　so　that　I　could　trust　it。　But　no　one　noticed　us；　and　after　a　while　I　could　almost　relax。 I　watched　the　practicing　closely。　I　wanted　to　know　everything；　just　in　case。　I　wasn’t　planning　on　fighting；　I　was　planning　on　finding　Diego　and　making　a　break　for　it。　But　what　if　Diego　wanted　to　fight？　Or　what　if　we　had　to　fight　to　get　away　from　the　rest？　Better　to　pay　attention。 Only　once　did　anyone　ask　about　Diego。　It　was　Kevin；　but　I　had　a　sense　that　Raoul　had　put　him　up　to　it。 “So；　did　Diego　end　up　getting　fried　after　all？”　Kevin　asked　in　a　forced　joking　tone。 “Diego’s　with　her；”　Riley　said；　and　no　one　had　to　ask　who　he　meant。　“Surveillance。” A　few　people　shuddered。　No　one　said　anything　more　about　Diego。 Was　he　really　with　her？　I　cringed　at　the　thought。　Maybe　Riley　was　just　saying　that　to　keep　people　from　questioning　him。　He　probably　didn’t　want　Raoul　getting　jealous　and　feeling　second　best　when　Riley　needed　him　at　his　most　arrogant　today。　I　couldn’t　be　sure；　and　I　wasn’t　going　to　ask。　I　kept　quiet；　as　usual；　and　watched　the　training。 In　the　end；　watching　was　boring；　thirsty　work。　Riley　didn’t　give　his　army　a　break　for　three　days　and　two　nights　straight。　During　the　daytime　it　was　harder　to　stay　out　of　the　mix　we　all　were　crammed　so　tightly　into　the　basement。　It　made　things　easier　in　one　way　for　Rileyhe　could　usually　catch　a　fight　
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before　it　got　ugly。　Outside　at　night；　they　had　more　room　to　really　work　around　each　other；　but　Riley　was　kept　busy　darting　back　and　forth　to　catch　limbs　and　get　them　back　to　their　owners　quickly。　He　kept　his