Chapter 21
Conversation continued as Jo walked into the cabin, Zane behind her. He didn’t stay there for long. Dax raised a hand to him, and Zane tapped Jo on the shoulder before he went over to say hello. Everywhere she looked, groups of people were swapping stories or getting reacquainted. Some were laughing, as if they were caught up in the glory days of the past. Others were clearly irritated or even downright angry about what LIGHTS had become. A few of them smiled when they caught her staring, but no one approached, and Jo wasn’t sure what to do.
She felt like at least a half hour had passed as the groups ebbed and flowed, people shifting to other parts of the room or disappearing into other parts of the house. No one said anything to her, which wasn’t too surprising considering she didn’t really know anyone save the people she’d arrived with--and Scott. From some of their expressions, it was clear she wasn’t necessarily welcome by everyone either. There was no doubt rumors about her had met many of their ears, and chances were most of the nasty things people were saying were true. Frustrated, she found a corner and leaned back against the wall, waiting for someone to get the group under control so they could get the show on the road.
A few more people came in, faces she didn’t recognize, but the second group included a woman with really long blonde hair and a brunette with glasses who looked like she had to know a thing or two about computers. The way that Cass ran over to great them made her think these must’ve been her friends--Lucy and Emma. Looking around the room, it seemed as if everyone was there now. Hours had passed. She sighed, shifted her feet, and waited.
“What are you doing?” Brandon asked her in a friendly voice, coming out of the kitchen with a beer in his hand.
“What do you mean?” Jo was just shocked anyone was speaking to her.
Brandon surveyed the room. “Everyone’s here now. We gonna do this?”
Confused, Jo stood up straight, her forehead furrowed. “Do this? Why are you asking me?”
“Uh… because you’re in charge, remember?”
Jo’s stomach tightened. “Yeah, I’m in charge or whatever. But I’m not in charge of this.”
“What are you talking about, Jo? Of course you are. Who else would be? You’re the leader. You’ve gotta call us all together and start the planning.”
“Me?” She pointed at herself like he might be talking about someone else. “Are you crazy? I don’t know how to run a pre-hunt meeting. And this is huge. This is… a multi-level organization. I don’t even have any intel.”
“You don’t… but they do.” He pointed toward the group that included the Russians and Mila. “You’ve gotta get everyone to tell you what they know so we can synthesize, analyze, and come up with a plan. It’s not gonna run itself, Jo.”
She was shaking her head before he even finished. People were watching them now, even though they pretended not to be. “I can’t do this, Brandon.”
“Yes, you can.”
“No, I can’t. Dad was wrong. Let Cass do it. Or Mila. Or you.”
He laughed. “Jo, everyone already knows you're the leader. You’re not gonna back out now. You most certainly can do it--and you’re going to. You’re not gonna let your folks down again.”
“Brandon….”
“Josephina?”
She growled and then ran her hands down her face, muttering curse words under her breath. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Think about what your dad would do, and then fake it until you make it. They won’t know you don’t know unless you tell them you don’t.”
“Or show them I don’t.”
“So… show them you do.”
Narrowing her eyes, she burrowed holes through his green orbs, but he didn’t blink or flinch. She was going to have to do this. “Fine.”
“Fine.”
Unwavering, he continued to stare at her. “Now?”
“No, next Tuesday. Yes, now. Come on, Jo. Get their attention, and let’s get on with this. Holland isn’t going to dance her happy ass through that door.”
Imagining how easy it would be if that happened, Jo paused a minute. He nudged her in the shoulder. “All right, all right.”
With a deep sigh, Jo took a few steps closer to the center of the room and cleared her throat. “Excuse me?” No one even looked at her. She cleared her throat again and said it slightly louder. “Excuse me? Can I have everyone’s attention?” They kept talking. She turned and looked at Brandon, who was the only one who seemed to even know she was talking. His eyebrows were raised expectantly.
Jo put her hands on her hips, wondering how many people standing near her were just ignoring her. “Excuse me!” she shouted. A few of them looked at her, but most kept talking. Frustrated, she stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled so loudly, they might’ve heard it in Moscow.
That did the trick. Everyone turned to look at her, wide eyed, some with hands over their ears. Feeling her face heat up, Jo refused to look embarrassed. “Hi, everyone. Uh… we need to start planning this hunt so we can get that stupid bitch and get one with our lives. I’m Jo… McReynolds. Aaron and Cadence’s daughter. That’s my brother Cadon over there.” She pointed at her twin who was scowling at her in the opening of the kitchen. “I’m sure you all already know my Aunt Cassidy and Uncle Brandon. I’ve never led a hunt before, but with the three of them to help, I’m sure this will be successful.” She took a deep breath, trying to stop rambling. “I don’t know most of you, but I’m looking forward to learning about you. I know that this hunt will be successful because we have so many talented team members. Now, if you will all gather around, let’s figure out what we know and what we don’t know.”
Again, she sucked in air as every eye in the room was glued to her. With her chin up, Jo waited to see if they would comply or start talking again. Had she convinced them she was the right person for this job, or was there about to be a mutiny?
Scott stepped forward first, and Jo kept her expression from shifting, waiting to see what he would do. It wouldn’t surprise her at all if he told everyone she was a fraud and they needed to elect a new leader. With her heart in her chest, she watched him as he moved across the room toward her, closing the gap quickly. Everyone else was watching as well to see what the Healer would do and then follow suit. Had she faked it well enough to make it, or was this the end to her very short tenure as leader?
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