Page 67

"What's going on?" Elise asked.

"It's the drogin," said Helen.

"What drogin?"

"Other prisoners like us. Drogin soldiers. The Red Blades didn't kill them all. Some they took to try to gain information. Or they are trying to force them into joining their gang," Helen said. "The Grayhart team has been communicating back and forth for some time now."

Elise shifted closer to the wall. "What have they been saying?"

"They usually just ask how we are holding up. Sometimes little pieces of information get passed. They know who we are. We know they are being interrogated."

An answering tap came after the woman paused, and she waved for them to be quiet.

"We've told them about one of the head officials being in league with the Red Blades," Helen whispered. "They think we are right. They've told us that the Red Blades are going to make a move soon. That their leader is readying supplies...and ships. If they can find a way out, they can free us, and we can make it to the supply room. Obviously getting out of this room is the issue, but they claim if there is a way to power off the reactor, it will cause an outage to all the systems, unlocking the doors."

"How do they plan to power off the reactor?" Elise whispered.

"They don't. They’re stuck like us, but they think the last outage—the one that helped the engineer get away—wasn't an accident."

"They think there is an agent on the inside?"

Helen shrugged. "Maybe. But this person hasn't let themselves be known to the other drogin, so there's no way to tell. Either way, we're still stuck here with just theories, but it helps keep spirits up."

The woman tapped back one last time on the wall then stepped aside. "They say they've heard guards talking outside. Looks like we will be shipped off soon. They think in a matter of days now."

The others, now awake entirely, began to talk amongst each other, many of their faces tight with fear.

"I don't want to go. Oh god, where are they taking us?" one cried.

"What are they going to do to us?" asked another.

"Make us slaves, I'll bet," came a reply.

Slaves.

Elise saw the jungle again, now lit up in red.

"Tell me you saw Jerico or Adrien alive," Elise asked, gripping Helen's arm. "Tell me they were still alive before you were taken."

Helen shook her head. "We only had time to drag them out from under the vehicle. I couldn't get a proper read."

Elise released her and stood. She went over to the door, ready to pound on it, and instead placed her palms against the cool metal. She rested her forehead against the door, trying to keep her body from shaking.

She would rather die.

But that was just it, wasn't it? They wouldn't kill her. They would immobilize her, strike her down. But they wouldn't kill. Because they wanted her and the others alive.

The next time this door opens, I'm going to fight.

She repeated it to herself over and over. She would go kicking and screaming all the way. And eventually, someone had to let their guard down.

"Elise?"

Elise stepped away from the door and turned back to her team. She had no words for them. She was not her sister. But, like her, she was going to fight till the end.

A sick feeling swirled in her gut as she thought again of Nezka.

If things were different, she imagined he'd be proud.