Clara
The alarms haven't stopped blaring.
They claw at my ears, making it impossible to think straight.
The room I slipped into is some kind of supply room. Rows of boxes stacked against the walls, heavy metal shelves lined with old supplies.
I press my lips together and glance down at my fingers. The makeshift bandages are holding for now, though not perfectly. I wrapped them up as best as I could with torn cloth from the shelves nearby. It hurts, but I can handle it. The bleeding's slowed, at least.
Outside, boots stomp against concrete. At least three of them, maybe more. Only when I'm sure they're gone do I finally exhale.
Then the door suddenly slides open.
I whip around, gun raised—
And freeze.
It's her.
She was there, back at the retreat. The awkward girl Alister talked to during the tour and one of the girls whispering and giggling—staring at him like he was some goddamn prize. The thought makes my blood boil all over again.
Her brown eyes widen in shock. She moves instinctively, hand darting toward her belt. For a radio? A weapon? I don't wait to find out. I lunge.
She barely gasps before I shut the door and slam her against the crates, knocking the radio from her grip. She struggles, but I twist her wrist behind her back, shoving her to the ground.
"Try anything," I press the gun against the back of her head. "and I won't hesitate."
She breathes hard, her eyes flicking up to mine. "You think this is smart?"
"Absolutely."
Her jaw clenches. But she doesn't fight. Just lies limp on the ground with me over her.
I reach down, sliding my hand over her belt until I find the gun holstered at her side. I yank it free and toss it across the room.
"Stand." I order.
She hesitates, but when I press the barrel just a little harder, she obeys. Slowly, she pushes herself onto her knees, then to her feet.
"Hands up."
Keeping my gun trained on her, I step back toward a crate near the wall where I had spotted a roll of duct tape. After fishing it out from among the clutter of clothes, I tear off a long strip with my teeth.
"Turn around," I command.
I grab her wrists and yank them behind her, wrapping the tape around them tightly until there's no way she's breaking free.
"What are the alarms for?" I ask.
She lifts her head. "Your friends escaped their prisons."
I keep my face neutral, but inside, relief and urgency war with each other. They got out. That's good. But if the alarms are blaring, then they are being hunted as we speak. I have to get to them as fast as I can.
After I make her sit, I move to taping her ankles together next.
"Where are they?" I demand.
She sighs heavily, as though the question's a burden. "Spotted near C-8, shooting out the cameras. They're probably heading to the control room in the Central Hub," she mutters, rolling her eyes like it's the last place anyone should want to go.
I keep my gun pointed at her, not trusting her for a second, but I can't afford to waste time. "How do I get there?"
Her gaze flicks toward the ground, clearly weighing her options before she finally gives in. "You'll want to head through the north corridor. At the first junction, take the left and keep going. Once you get past the third section, you should reach the Central Hub."
I narrow my eyes at her. "Is that the truth?"
A faint smirk tugs at the corners of her lips, though she tries to suppress it, and she gives me a light shrug. "Yes. Why would I lie?"
I can feel my insides twist with disbelief. This woman's been lying since the moment I laid eyes on her.
I need directions in this crazy maze-like place. I have no idea where I'm going, and cameras at the intersections aren't making anything easier. I have no energy left to use my ability again and can't stay here forever, trying to activate it.
The girl looks bored and tired. Doesn't look like she cares about what's going on. Or about finding ways to overpower me.
I rummage my hands into her pockets, looking for anything useful. But all I manage to pull out is a rock.
"G-Give it back!"
I glance down to see how quickly her expression has changed from unbothered to panic. Eyes staring intently at it.
"Is it important to you?" I inquire.
"Yes! It's very precious. I already told you the directions, so you don't need anything else from me."
I look back at the rock. It doesn't seem all that appealing. The jewels I used to have back in my jewelery box were way prettier. But this is something Alister was looking intensely at while the girl couldn't take her eyes off of him. Beaming as he showed even a mild interest. Even when I saw her with the other girls, she was always trying to say something, but no one listened. With hunched shoulders and hands clasped infront of her, I can tell she wanted to be seen and heard.
And today...someone finally did.
I try not to smirk as I let out a heavy sigh.
"So your the girl with the beautiful stone and oh-so-wonderful eyes?" I mutter under my breath. "I don't even know what Ali-Alec saw in you."
Right, we're using fake names.
Her head snaps up as she quirks a brow. "What do you mean?" she asks, curiously.
I ignore the bitterness that rises inside me. "Nothing, it's just that he kept going on and on about how nice and sweet you seemed. That even though I told him not to trust anyone, he insisted you were different."
She shifts slightly. "He said that?"
"Yeah." I reply with a tight smile. "He was...convinced we could trust you. Said you were fun to talk to... even though you were working for Everley."
I can see the flush creeping up her neck. Clearly flustered now, but she's still trying to play it cool. "You're lying," she accuses. "At dinner, when I tried to touch him, he snapped at me."
I freeze. The words hitting me harder than I expect. I can almost see it, her sitting next to him, trying to get closer. The thought of it sends a stab of irritation through my chest.
I clench my jaw, forcing my thoughts into a tight corner before I actually pull the trigger, even if my hand is itching to do it. No. I can't let my emotions slip out. I need her to believe me. Focus on the lie, Clara!
"Oh, he's just shy." The words coming out almost too smoothly, even though my stomach flips. "He doesn't really like people getting that close. But you must know, he was very smitten by you. Wouldn't stop talking about it in the cabin."
She's silent for a moment, processing the words. "He really thought that?" Her voice, a little softer this time.
That look. The hesitation, the doubt, the fleeting regret she's desperately trying to suppress. She's been playing her part. Acting like she doesn't care, like she's fine with betraying Alister. But she's not. The guilt has been eating at her. The way her shoulders slump, the way she avoids eye contact—it all speaks volumes.
I lean back against a crate, crossing my arms over my chest. "You're not so different from the rest of them, though, are you? You're all just playing your own game."
I get up and take a step toward the exit. "I can't wait to rub it in his face about how wrong he was about you." I smirk, ready to leave her behind.
"...I'll help you."
My hand freezes on the door. "What?" I ask, trying to look surprised.
"I'll take you to him." she says, begrudgingly.
I sneer as I turn around. "You want to impress him? Think he's gonna be grateful?"
"I just...want him out of here!" She snaps. "Him, and the rest of you."
I don't trust her. But if she's useful, I'll use her. And if she tries anything? I'll send her to an early grave. This isn't about morality. She doesn't care about the others locked up down here. She just wants to get us out. Because of a crush.
"Do you know about the man who was with me in the torture room? Did he do something bad?"
"He...I don't know. There was a request to have him and his family murdered." She sighs, staring down at the ground. "Everley says once a request has been made, the targets are already destined to die. That their lives are left in our hands, and we could do whatever we want with them before killing them off."
I swallow down the sickness that rises up my throat. "He...mentioned he had a son in here too. Is he dead or still alive?" I press on, recalling the desperation in his voice.
She frowns. "I'm not taking you to him. That'll be a waste of time."
Ah, so the kid is alive then.
"Well then tell me where he is and where the exit is. So that when I get to my friends, you can go away and not be caught with us. How's that sound?"
I really feel like threatening this imbecile and forcing her to do as I say. But I can't afford to make her back up from her offer or do anything that'll make her lead me to danger. All I can do is play it safe and make her believe she won't be putting herself at that much risk.
She hesitates for a second and nods. "Fair enough." She tilts her head a little. "There's a box in the back with staff uniforms. Disguise yourself."
I move toward the back of the room, stepping over the clutter of old crates and boxes. "Try anything, and I will put a bullet in you." I warn.
The box she mentioned is tucked away in the far corner. I rifle through it, pulling out a plain linen shirt and trousers. Even a blue cap. I strip out of my clothes and start changing, keeping my ears tuned to her every movement. "Where's the boy located? Is he far?"
"In the prisons near the central hub. Further east. In...hallway 4-E." She answers lazily.
Prisons? There are more people here? Is this place some kind of human trafficking area?
I don't think I'll be able to get every prisoner out, seeing as how escaping will lead to us being slowed down and them being killed off in an instant when a gun is pointed at them. Add Alister to the mix, and while he might be able to take down alot many, his powers too have a limit.
I'm only going to take the boy and escape. And hopefully, later, lead the authorities to discover this place.
"So," she says casually. "what were you and your friends after anyway?"
My fingers pause on the buttons. I consider lying. But if she's leading me out of here, she might end up leading me straight away from what I need.
"A dagger." I say shortly.
She stiffens. "Like...the one in Everley's office?"
I turn my head to glare at her. "You know about it?"
She hesitates. "It's not there right now. It's with Everley in her meeting room."
Something cold coils in my gut.
What do I do? I could go to them, regroup, make sure we're all in this together before we go after Everley. But that means wasting precious time, giving her more chances to lock us down again. And if we wait too long, we might lose the chance entirely. The dagger could slip through our fingers.
"Then take me to her."
She blinks. "Excuse me?"
"If Everley has the dagger, I need to find her now."
She stares at me like I've lost my mind. "You just broke out of a damn torture room, and you want to run toward the woman who put you there?"
"Yes."
She exhales sharply, looking away like she's reconsidering every decision that led her to this moment.
I grab the broken pen lying on the floor and use it to rip through the tape binding her legs before moving to her wrists.
She sits up, rubbing her hands. "Name's Gwen by the way."
"I'm...Julia."
I hold the gun steady, aiming it right at her. I'm not about to let her think she can turn on me now.
She eyes her gun on the floor. I move instantly, stepping in front of her, my weapon still raised.
"Not a chance." I assert. "You're not arming yourself."
Her eyes narrow, but she doesn't make a move. She turns toward the door, and I follow her out into the corridor. Despite the cap, the unease gnaws at me. I stay a few steps behind her, keeping my eyes trained on her movements.
A group of staff storms past us. I tense, every muscle in my body locking up. My breath stills as I brace myself for the moment one of them will stop, turn, and recognize me. My pulse pounds in my ears as I watch them disappear down the hall.
I release a slow breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "How far is it?" I whisper. "You better not be leading me into a trap."
"Not that far." Gwen whispers back.
The corridor feels longer than it is, stretching ahead with each step. The glow from the overhead lights makes every shadow sharp, every movement stand out.
As we round a corner, we spot three staff members near a red vending machine about fifteen feet away, sipping water. Their rifles hang at their sides, slung over their shoulders.
I keep my head down, my cap shielding most of my face. I try to look normal, like I belong here, like I'm just another member going about my business.
The closest one stares at us briefly before taking another sip from a plastic bottle.
Gwen doesn't falter, and I follow just behind her, but my eyes flick to their guns. The safety on the rifles is switched off.
We're almost past them. Almost—
"Hey, you there!"
My entire body goes rigid, and I stop. I can feel their eyes on us now. The way a boot scuffs against the floor as one of them adjusts his stance.
I glance at Gwen.
She's staring straight ahead, but there's something in her eyes. And in that instant, I know. She's going to turn me in. She's going to take my gun, shove me forward, and give me away.
I let my gaze flicker toward the camera up ahead. I can almost feel it burning into me, an unspoken warning that every second I stand here, I risk being exposed.
I close my eyes for a second, checking if my energy has returned, if I can activate my ability again. It's there.
Thank goodness.
The staff member speaks again, but this time, it isn't directed at me.
"You, tall one," he says to Gwen. "Where's your gun?"
She turns. Her face smoothed into something between sheepish and guilty.
"Sorry about that," she says nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "I left it in my locker. I was in a rush and completely forgot to grab it."
One of the men—a broad-shouldered guy with a deep scar running from his jaw to his cheek—narrows his eyes. "You forgot?"
Gwen nods quickly. "I know, I know. Rules are rules. It won't happen again."
The other two exchange glances, unimpressed.
The scarred man scoffs. "You're lucky Miss Everley's busy with an important call, or she would have fed you to the dogs."
"Yes, sir," Gwen says, ducking her head, her voice smaller now. She's playing her part well.
Once we're away from them and out of earshot, I stare at her back as she walks infront of me, still trying to make sense of it.
It should've been the perfect moment for her to turn me in. I was ready for it. I had already braced myself for that knife in the back. But then... she didn't.
She's still risking herself for our mission. To get me and my friends out of here with the dagger. All that for a stupid crush? I don't know if I should be angry or relieved. What makes her so loyal to the cause now, to Alister's plans, to me?
"Are you actually helping me?" I ask. "I mean, actually risking yourself for this? Just to impress him?"
She looks almost embarrassed as she reaches into her pocket and pulls out the dusty rock. She holds it out in front of me.
"I'm not just doing it for him." she answers. "It's... because of this."
She runs her fingers over the rough surface as we make a turn. I hear some staff move somewhere in the nearby hallways. "My dad works in the mines. And he's the only one who ever really cared about rocks and gemstones the way I do. We used to go out together, digging around, looking for something... interesting. I live alone, and I'm not that good at making friends, so I never had anyone to talk to about it, not until Alec."
...right, fake names. Almost forgot again.
"He was the first person here who seemed genuinely interested in what I found. He didn't look at me like I was crazy for obsessing over rocks. He didn't even think I was weird when I started talking about it at dinner. He listened. He actually cared. I felt like we could talk for hours if we had the chance."
Gwen's gaze drifts from the rock to my face, and she smiles faintly, but there's something bittersweet about it.
"I want to help you all get out of here, and maybe… maybe after, if there's ever a possibility, we could talk more. Like, really talk, you know?"
The way her eyes light up when she talks about him, it's obvious she's completely lovestruck. I can't help but feel...bad? No. I shouldn't. She isn't someone who deserves sympathy. Not when she's part of this organization who hurts people and innocent children.
"There it is." she says, snapping me out of my thoughts, pointing towards a big red door at the end of the hallway. It's color not only screaming danger but also drawing me in like something hypnotic. "The men said Everley was talking to someone there, so if you—"
"Gwen" I say lifting up the cap. "You need to go in and distract her." I turn to her before I continue. "I still have my doubts about you. I can't place my fate in someone who works for her. So, I'll also be keeping an eye on you."
Her lips press together in a tight line. I can tell she wants to argue, but she doesn't. Instead, she exhales sharply, ready to listen to my plan.