Page 18

M y heart is a steady thrum as we move in through the fence, Talon close behind me. The compound is dark, but overhead lights still shine enough that if we aren’t careful, we will be seen. I worked this perfectly for when I know the elders are having dinner. The kids come after them, so Miriam will be watching them in the main area. Lily should still be in the medical tent, at least, that’s what I’m hoping.

I point to the left, whispering low. “There’s a camera on that corner. Another one by the main eating area. We cut through here, we can get to the back of the medical tent.”

Talon nods, his eyes sharp, calculating. He moves with the kind of precision that comes from years of practice, and I'm grateful for it. He's a shadow, a ghost, and I follow, my breath tight in my chest. We duck behind anything we can, keeping as low as possible to ensure the cameras don’t pick us up if we accidentally trigger one.

We use a line of trees to get closer to the medical tent, and I point in the direction, my mind racing as I try to remember where the cameras are. I know this place. I can do this. Closing my eyes, I take a deep, shaky breath and then look around, seeing one right away.

“There’s another one,” I murmur, pointing up. “Just there, but I think that’s the only one here.”

We rush in the direction the camera isn’t pointing, my feet silent on the dirt, my heart a wild drumbeat in my ears. We can do this. We will do this. I promised Lily, and now it is time to keep that promise.

Then I hear it.

A voice.

Talon reacts before I can even process it, pulling me behind an old shed, his hand over my mouth as we crash back against the wall. He presses me close, his body a shield, his breath hot against my skin. I hold my breath, clenching my eyes shut, praying he was quick enough.

“Did you hear that?” a voice calls, closer now, and I hear footsteps approaching.

“Thought I saw somethin’ move,” another voice answers, rough, familiar. I bite back a gasp. Cyrus.

“Check it out.”

Talon’s grip tightens, and I know he’s got his gun ready, know he’s prepared to do whatever it takes. I can hear the footsteps nearing, and my heart feels like it stammers to a stop. The footsteps pause, and I know they’re close, too close. The seconds drag, and I feel Talon tense beside me, ready to fight, ready to run.

Come on, just give us this.

Then, the voice calls out, “There’s nothing. You’re hearing things.”

They move away, the footsteps fading into the night. Talon releases me, turning me to face him. “We need to be quick. If they hear us again, we’re done.”

I nod.

“Let’s go,” I say, trying to sound braver than I feel.

We move quickly, our footsteps light. My heart beats in my throat as I try to keep up with Talon, whose pace is relentless. We reach the edge of the tents, using them for cover so we can peer down at the medical tent. Talon glances around, and then holds up a hand, signaling that there is someone there.

I take a look.

Ahead, a lone figure stands at the entrance, a bulky silhouette against the canvas. Talon crouches low, the motion so smooth and practiced it seems unreal. I watch as he moves, circling wide, so effortless and sleek my mouth actually drops open. He is so silent, so deadly, that the guard doesn’t even hear him coming.

In a swift movement—Talon’s arm snakes around the man’s neck, pulling him back into a chokehold. The guard’s hands flail for a second, and he lets out a slight yelp, but Talon is unyielding. I can’t look away. It takes a few minutes, but eventually, the guard sinks, knees hitting the ground with a dull thud before his head lolls forward, unconscious. I don’t breathe until Talon’s eyes meet mine, a silent call to follow.

I rush over, impressed.

We slip inside the tent, and I blink, adjusting to the dim light. It’s surprisingly quiet, the air heavy with antiseptic. Only one nurse, her back to us, checking something on a table. Before I can even register relief, Talon steps forward, gun in hand, voice a low command.

“Don’t move.”

The nurse freezes, and slowly, she turns to face us. When she notices me, her eyes widen. I don’t know her well, but I do know she is only young and her name is Georgia. She puts her hands up, taking a step back.

“Just do as he asks, Georgia,” I say, calmly.

Talon keeps the gun aimed on her, ordering her to turn around. She does as she is told, and he fetches a length of cord, binding her wrists. He then uses gauze and bandages to gag her, ordering her to sit down and not move. If she makes a sound, he will kill her.

My pulse pounds in my ears, but I force myself to focus, scanning for Lily.

There, at the far end, behind a thin curtain. I rush over, my breath catching. She’s curled on a cot, small and pale, her hair a fan on the pillow. She looks so sick, I’m actually scared to reach down for her, in case she doesn’t respond.

I slowly stretch out my fingers, feeling Talon’s presence behind me, as I stroke her cheek.

“Lily.”

She groans, and I almost sigh with relief.

Rolling, she looks up at me, so unwell I’m scared she won’t make it through this. “Nia?”

Her voice is barely a whisper.

“Hi, baby,” I whisper, stroking her sweat-soaked hair from her face. “I’m here to get you, like I promised. We’re going to take you somewhere to get help, then you’re coming to live with me. This is my friend Talon, he’s going to carry you, is that okay?”

Her eyes move to Talon and I turn, staring at him. I’m shocked by his expression. Gone is the hard, angry face he has been carrying and, in its place, there is something kind and gentle. He is looking at Lily with a mix of pity, shock, and anger. Like he wants to burn whoever did this to her.

Maybe now, he’ll understand.

“Yes,” Lily whispers, hesitant.

“I promise you, he is going to take good care of you,” I say, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I won’t be far behind, I just have to get some things. I need you to promise me you’ll do whatever Talon tells you. Do you promise?”

She nods. Still unsure.

“C’mon, sweetheart,” Talon murmurs, leaning down and scooping her into his arms. “You ever ridden in a truck before?”

Lily shakes her head. “A truck?”

Talon smiles down at her. “You’re in for a treat.”

My heart swells.

It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

“Talon,” I whisper, as he carries Lily to the exit.

He pauses, glancing back at me.

“Thank you.”

His eyes flash, and he nods. “I’m comin’ back for you. Stay alive for me, darlin’.”

His words melt my heart.

I nod, fighting back my tears.

Then, he’s gone.

Now, it’s my turn.

I CROUCH LOW OUTSIDE the security shed, having made it over here with no issues. I’m thankful for that, because if I get caught now, this whole plan is ruined. The most important part of this plan is making sure that this is broadcast for the world to see. It’s the only way we can bring them down without bloodshed.

I have to wait for the operator’s schedule to work in my favor, but the minutes feel like torture, like an eternity as I continue glancing at my watch, waiting for seven p.m. That’s when he leaves to go for only half an hour, eating his dinner and returning. He locks the room, but I am hoping it is easy enough to get in.

My watch ticks over, and I hear the door creak, close, and then footsteps fading into the distance.

Right on time.

He’s gone.

I slip around the side, finding the window I need to climb into. It’s high, but I reach it and pull myself up, my muscles straining with effort as my shoes slide against the outside wall. I push the glass, praying it comes undone, and it opens with a reluctant creak.

Thank God.

I haul myself inside, landing awkwardly on the floor. The room is hot and stale, a small fan doing little to move the air and the smell is absolutely disgusting. Does this man shower? I scan the monitors, each screen showing a different angle of the compound. All quiet. No alarms have been raised— yet . I don’t have long.

I pull out the phone the hacker, Greg, gave me, and I call the number he instructed.

It rings once before his voice comes on, calm and steady. “Nia?”

“I’m in,” I whisper, glancing around the room. “What do I do?”

"Good. Head to the main computer, it should be the screen that isn’t showing any footage. You'll need to access the database first."

I locate the computer, it sits right in the middle of all the other large screens, and is the only one that doesn’t have constant footage running. I move the mouse around, going into it, and the first thing that pops up is porn.

“Jesus,” I mutter, going to click it closed, but realizing I can’t. He’ll notice.

I wonder what my father would think of his holy men watching such wickedness.

I nearly snort at the thought.

Anyway, back to it.

“I got it,” I tell Greg.

I follow every single one of his instructions, the ringing in my ears and the lump in my throat making me feel sick as I try not to make any errors. Everything relies on this. Everything.

I do what he asks and open a screen, typing in a heap of codes that I could never understand if I tried. "I'm in."

"Now, take the flash drive I gave you earlier and plug it in.”

I pull the flash drive from my pocket, plugging it in, and he guides me through how to start it.

“Now what?” I question, when the screen starts doing things on its own.

“Now, you wait for me to do my thing.”

Wait. That’s the hardest thing to do right now. I feel like every second is stretching me thin, like I’m a wire about to snap. I do as he says, my eyes flicking between the screens, the door, the clock. It’s only been five minutes, but it feels like a lifetime. I keep an eye on the security footage, and so far, nothing alarming has come on.

“Greg,” I whisper into the phone, unable to keep the panic from my voice. “What if he comes back?”

“He won’t. You know what you’re doing, Nia. Trust yourself.”

God, I hope he’s right. I focus on the screen, willing it to go faster, to be done, to let me breathe. It’s been ten minutes now, then fifteen. The heat presses in on me, suffocating and relentless. I think of Lily, and pray Talon got her out safe.

It won’t be long now before someone goes into that medical tent and they see Georgia tied up and raise the alarm.

Then, I won’t be able to hide any longer.

This needs to be done before then.

“Alright, we’re good,” Greg’s voice finally crackles through. “Leave the flash drive. Hopefully, he won’t notice, but it needs to stay in for me to remain connected to the system.”

Here’s hoping this guy is as boring as I remember. He spent most of his time in here, watching his phone, barely paying attention. Besides, he has some porn to get back to, so I’m certain he won’t be focusing on anything else.

I feel dirty just being in here.

"How do I shut it down?" I ask.

He talks me through it, his instructions clear but urgent. I move as fast as I can, setting everything back the way it was. The screen returns to its original state, and I feel a small sense of relief knowing we actually did it.

"Now, get out of there," Greg says.

I don’t hesitate. I slip out the front door, making sure to lock it again behind me so he doesn’t get suspicious. The cool night air is a shock against my flushed skin—that room was awful. I dart around the back of the building, crouching low and moving quick. I hear nothing behind me except the sound of my own breath.

As I round the corner, I catch sight of the security man heading back toward the office, his pace unhurried. He has zero care, and I wait, watching him go in. Five minutes, ten, and when the alarm doesn’t sound, I exhale a sigh of relief. I press the phone back to my ear, not having disconnected the call.

“I’m out,” I tell Greg.

“We’re running. Now, do your thing. Wolfe wants to speak to you.”

I hold my breath.

Wolfe’s voice comes down the phone. “You ready to do this?”

No.

But I will.

“Assure me again that you’re just outside the gates if something goes wrong?” I whisper, my stomach twisting with nerves.

“We’re ready and waitin'. Greg will tell us exactly when to make the call to the cops. We’ll get you out, Nia.”

I swallow. “Okay.”

“Talon called, made it out safe with the girl. Thought you’d want to know.”

A huge exhale of relief rushes through me.

No matter what happens now, at least I know she’s safe.

I saved her. Just like I promised.