Lisa struggled with the heavy crate in her arms, her face damp with sweat under the rising sun. She spotted Kelvin ahead, hauling sacks of rice toward the storage shed. Seizing the chance, she hurried over, her voice low and urgent.
"Kelvin," she said, almost dropping the crate. "We need to talk about Tori. She's been gone for days now. They said it was just a medical check… but she hasn't come back."
Kelvin paused, wiped his brow with the back of his sleeve, and gave her a flat look. "Forget her, Lisa. If she hasn't returned, it means she's gone. That's the way things are here. You either move up, or you disappear."
Lisa's mouth fell open. "That's all you have to say? After everything? She was one of us. She—"
"She's dead weight," Kelvin snapped, slamming the sack down harder than necessary. "If you keep clinging to people, you'll end up dragged down with them. I'm not making that mistake."
Lisa's throat tightened. She searched his face, hoping to find even a flicker of guilt, but all she saw was cold determination.
"You're selfish," she hissed, trembling with a mixture of anger and grief. "Heartless. Do you even care about anyone but yourself?"
Kelvin's eyes narrowed. He leaned close, his voice like a blade. "No one cares, Lisa. Not really. Stop pretending this is anything more than survival."
Their heated exchange drew curious glances from other workers nearby, but before Lisa could fire back, an officer's bark shattered the moment.
"Enough chatter! Back to work!"
Kelvin straightened, shot Lisa a glare, and stalked off without another word. Lisa stood frozen, her chest heaving, fury and helplessness twisting in her gut.
In her private room, Lexi stirred awake, the faint hum of the hidden camera in the vase nagging at her ears. She ignored it, rose, and bathed quickly, steam curling around her as she washed off the exhaustion of yesterday's trial. She slipped into her clean combat uniform — sharp, tailored, and nothing like the tattered clothes she had worn when she first arrived.
When she stepped into the cafeteria, the buzz of voices filled the space. Survivors in blue jumpsuits clustered around wooden tables, guards patrolled casually, and the smell of boiled porridge clung to the air.
As she collected a tray, a sharp voice cut through the noise.
"Well, well…"
Ezra.
He stood across the room, his arms folded, eyes narrowing as they landed on her. His usual smug confidence faltered, replaced by something colder. His gaze lingered on her black combat uniform, on the insignia stitched at her chest — a mark of higher rank.
"You," he said, striding over. "What the hell is this?"
Lexi glanced at him briefly, her face unreadable. She moved past him, poured herself a cup of water, and sat down at a corner table without offering an explanation.
Ezra followed, his frown deepening. He leaned close, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "You were supposed to be nothing. A bullied little outcast. That's what I saw in you. And now you're—" He gestured sharply at her uniform. "This? How?"
Lexi spooned porridge into her mouth calmly, not even looking at him. Her silence was deliberate, infuriating.
Ezra's jaw tightened. He searched her face, trying to catch some crack in her mask, but she offered nothing. Just a faint, almost mocking curve of her lips as she continued her breakfast.
For the first time, Ezra felt something he didn't like — something not within his control.
Ezra's pride stung like an open wound. For years, he had climbed the ladder of the camp hierarchy, charming and manipulating his way up, treating every survivor as a pawn on his board. He relished control — but now, in less than a week, a girl he had written off as a frail outcast stood in uniform, ranked and respected. Every approving glance from officers who once answered to him, scraped against his ego.
He told himself she was nothing — an anomaly that would eventually break. Yet deep down, his pride simmered, feeding into an obsession: if he couldn't control her, he would destroy her.
Later that day, the inspection line was tense. Survivors stood in ragged rows under the watchful eyes of armed officers. Lexi, clad in her black uniform, walked alongside a team as they checked for orderliness, health conditions, and discipline.
Kelvin spotted her first. His eyes widened, his jaw slackening. Lisa, who was beside him carrying supplies, nearly dropped her basket.
"What the hell…" Lisa whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Lexi's boots clicked against the ground as she passed, her gaze sweeping the rows. She didn't acknowledge them, not even a flicker of recognition. Her expression was calm, detached — the face of someone above them.
Lisa's stomach burned with jealousy. 'She was supposed to be beneath us. How did she—'
Kelvin's fists clenched at his side. 'Shit.'
Neither dared approach her. But both, silently, began weaving schemes in their minds — anything to drag Lexi down.
Lexi, from the corner of her eye, noticed their stiff postures, the bitterness flickering in their expressions. She smirked inwardly. She didn't need to hear their words to know their thoughts. They were plotting, but she was already three steps ahead.
At dusk, the camp was quieter as the last rays of sun slipped away. Most survivors had returned to their tents after dinner, guards rotated in shifts at the gates, and the faint hum of the electrical fence filled the air.
Kelvin, however, had no intention of sleeping. He slipped through the shadows and made his way to a side office, where Ezra had been waiting. Knocking once before stepping in.
Ezra looked up from behind his desk, candlelight throwing sharp lines across his face. "You said you had an important information" he asked impatiently.
Kelvin closed the door and leaned in. "It's about Lexi."
At the mention of her name, Ezra's eyes narrowed, though he masked it with a smirk. "Go on."
Kelvin's voice was low, conspiratorial. "I can give you information about her. Things that might… ruin her standing here."
Ezra leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Information?" He scoffed. "Do you think gossip will get you promoted? That's worth nothing. Anyone can whisper."
Kelvin's jaw tightened. "Not just gossip. I'll get you evidence that she is not who you think she is. Something you can use to prove she's dangerous. Something that will make the higher-ups trust you more than her."
Ezra tilted his head, studying him. His lips curved into a slow, wolfish smile. "Now that… that might be worth something."
He rose from his chair, stepping close enough that Kelvin felt his breath. "Bring me proof. Real proof. And maybe—just maybe—I'll consider putting in a word for you."
Kelvin nodded, determination and greed flaring in his eyes. "You'll have it."
As he left the office, Ezra's smirk lingered. 'Just maybe he might turn out useful'
That night, in her private quarters, Lexi sat cross-legged on her bed, the faint glow of the hidden camera humming in the vase. She ignored it, her mind already elsewhere. Tonight, she would move. Tonight, she would peel back the layers of this camp's facade.
She slipped on her combat suit, strapped her dagger to her thigh, and checked the silenced gun at her hip. Her expression hardened in the mirror — calm, sharp, unreadable.
The camp thought it was watching her. But in truth, she was the one watching them.
And tonight, she would begin her investigation.