“Our enemy has declared war on us, and they have sent a spy into our home to try and take us down from the inside,” Grayson said, and I shrank farther down. “But we are not as weak or stupid as they thought. We’re not tricked so easily, and we are nobody’s fool.”

  Grayson’s voice grew closer, and I noticed the crowd stepping aside as she walked towards the back. I skirted to the side, pretending to get a better view while keeping away from where she moved.

  “They thought we wouldn’t find out, that we wouldn’t see them coming. But we have our own spies, our own allies, even when we are believed to be the enemy. We are strong, and we only want our people to live, while others wish to see our world torn apart.”

  I kept my head down, the voice so close now I could feel people parting and the crowd opening. I looked to the ground as the guards to my left and right stood back, and a walkway opened for Grayson to pass by.

  “We are not the enemy, we are the strong, the unyielding. What may be seen as power is protection. What may be seen as evil is necessary.” She paused before me. My gaze stared at her shoes as she turned to face me. “And what may be seen as heroic is actually a cowardly act of self-preservation and will always end in death.”

  A hand touched my chin, tilting my face up, so I was staring into Grayson’s eyes. “Isn’t that right, Jayla?”

  CASPIAN

  My body was tense and coiled with fear as Grayson made her way through the crowd. I kept to the back, my gaze darting from her to Simon. He gave me a subtle shake of his head as Grayson continued her speech.

  I didn’t see whom she was walking towards until it was too late. And now I was too far away to help her. Too many people stood between Jayla and me.

  “You can only hide from me for so long,” Grayson crooned, pulling Jayla by her hair into the center of the crowd. Grayson pushed her into the middle, and she stumbled for only a second before she caught her footing and turned her glare back on Grayson. “You didn’t think I would find out? You didn’t think even your own allies would know who the better option was to align with?”

  Over her shoulder, Simon’s gaze dropped to the ground. That slime. He’d been the one to give us up. And judging by the fact that Gunner was now positioned beside him, it was clear what he’d bartered for. The fool.

  “I’d intended to kill you, make a show of it for any others who might think they could play the hero.” My fists clenched at my side. I was to the right of Jayla, only a few men between us. I took a step forward before I saw Jayla’s hand twist towards where I stood. Though she hadn’t acknowledged I was there, she had seen me, and that gesture told me to stand down. “But, it would seem you have some useful information.”

  Jayla spat on the ground between her and Grayson. “Go to hell.”

  Grayson tilted her head to the side before she moved with lightning fast reflexes, and her hand connected with the side of Jayla’s face. The impact threw her back, and blood spilled from her mouth.

  Jayla stood back up, a bloody smile on her face. “That all you got?”

  Grayson smirked and circled around Jayla, resting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it tightly. “I don’t have to kill you to make you regret your entire existence.”

  Four guards stepped through the crowd, each taking up a corner surrounding Jayla. She marked each one with a glare.

  “I’ve heard stories of the Wraith but had never gotten a chance to see it with my own eyes,” Grayson crooned. “How about one last show? An encore, if you will.”

  Jayla flexed her fingers, rolling her shoulders back and tilting her head from side to side. “You think you can beat answers out of me?” she said, a cruel smile spreading over her face.

  Grayson positioned herself back beside Simon, who wouldn’t so much as look at Jayla. “Oh, I don’t need to force answers out of you. I doubt even you know what it is you possess. All that will come in time.” Em’s sister, Leah, took a step forward, positioning herself in front of Jayla. “For now… I just want a show.”

  Jayla kept her focus on Leah while she gestured to Simon. “What did you tell her I have? You know it isn’t good to lie to people, Simon.”

  “My brother told me everything I need to know,” Grayson said.

  “Brother?” Jayla said. “Well, that’s news. I guess you can keep secrets then, can’t you, Simon?”

  He shrugged. “I always keep a few to myself just in case they’re needed one day, like today.”

  Jayla hummed. “Any more you’d like to reveal? Such as why this bitch thinks I’d ever willingly give her anything?”

  “You will, Jayla. If you know what’s good for you, you will,” Simon said.

  “See that’s the thing.” Jayla took a step towards one of the guards circling her and Leah. “I was never good at doing what I was supposed to.”

  Jayla lunged, reaching for a guard’s gun before he had a chance to react and had it pointed at Grayson’s head. Leah didn’t flinch at the movement, but her hands grazed her side where she had a short baton hanging from her hip and took a step closer to Grayson. Jayla kept her focus on the other guards still circling, the crowd unsure what to do. She was a quick shot; she could end it before anyone reached her. But it’d be suicide, and she knew it. We both did. I couldn’t let that happen.

  My mouth opened to stop her, but I was cut off.

  “It’s just you against all of us, Jayla. What makes you think you can win? What can one girl do?” Simon said. “You can’t kill her, even a bullet to the skull won’t kill a Carbon… Come on, you’re smarter than that. How did you think this was going to end with no help and no way out?”

  I noted the slight tremor in Jayla’s hand as understanding swept through her. Simon wouldn’t spell it out, likely couldn’t, but he left enough hints for both Jayla and I to understand. Simon had given her up, but only her. And whatever he claimed Jayla knew was the only reason she was still alive. If they knew I was with her, I’d be shot dead before I could try and help.

  Jayla tilted her head to the side, considering, before she dropped the gun. “You always knew how to spoil my fun, Simon,” she said.

  The four guards in the middle of the crowd pulled Jayla back, gripping onto both arms. Jayla didn’t struggle.

  A wicked smile spread over Grayson’s face, and she gave a nod to the guards holding Jayla. They stepped back, letting her go.

  “I believe we were promised a show?” Grayson said.

  One of the guards tossed Jayla a baton, which she caught just before it hit the ground. Leah stepped forward and pulled her own out with a snap of metal. The thick rods, the length of my forearm, twirled in each hand.

  “Let’s see how impressive the Wraith really is,” Grayson said, and Leah attacked instantly, so quick I didn’t see it coming.

  Jayla blocked the swing with her baton, but a second smashed into her calf. My entire body shook, and I couldn’t help but be pulled towards her, pushing myself through the crowd until I was at the edge.

  She was on one knee. Leah’s baton flew overhead, narrowly missing her as she ducked down, managing to slam her own baton into Leah’s knee, but it was as if it was four against one. Leah was deadly quick and swung the batons hard with little effort. Jayla wouldn’t win.

  When she neared where I stood, I flinched, moving to take a step forward to grab her.

  “Don’t,” she hissed, low enough that anyone who heard may have thought she was talking to Leah, but it had me freezing.

  I glanced up to Simon, who, to his credit, had a pained look on his face and flinched just as I did with each strike hitting true. His gaze met mine and the slight shake of his head told me exactly what I knew Jayla was thinking.

  They wouldn’t kill her; they couldn’t if she had something they needed. But I couldn’t watch this. Every swing, every hit, I felt it. I couldn’t breathe, but I also couldn’t move.

  Jayla was putting up a good fight. She limped on one leg, but so far had avoided many of Leah’s blows. Leah, however, didn’t look like she had a scratch on her. Her eyes were black and emotionless. She was just as skilled as Em, better actually. And she possessed the speed and quickness of the Reek living inside of her.

  Jayla blocked a baton aimed for her head, but the next swing came down too fast and smashed into her ribs. She doubled over. Leah pounced. The sound of bones breaking was second to the sound of her screams. I couldn’t just stand there. I couldn’t watch them tear her apart. But I couldn’t save her if I was dead, and I was smart enough, trained well enough, to know when to fight back and when to listen. Yet, my entire body broke with hers.

  Blood poured from her face, her eye was instantly swollen shut, and more blood spilled from her ear. She was on both knees, unable to fight back, unable to move. Her hand was smashed by another blow aimed for her head. She blocked it, but the bones cracked under the impact, and her entire body began shaking against the pain.

  “I think you’ve proven your point,” Simon said to Grayson. “Humans have a tendency to die from the simplest things… I would hate for this to all be for nothing.”

  Grayson glared at Simon for a moment before she raised her hand and Leah stopped immediately.

  Blood pooled around Jayla’s broken body. The crowd of guards looked down on her. None of them had tried to stop this. None had so much as flinched. A few smiled, delighting in the torture this traitor felt. I did my best to keep the anger from my face as I balled my fists to keep them from shaking.

  “Fine, take her to Allard and tell him to patch her up only enough to ensure she lives.” Two guards pulled Jayla to her feet. Her head hung low, and she didn’t bother trying to fight any more. Grayson lifted Jayla’s chin up with one finger as she passed. “I want you to feel every bit of the pain.”

  Jayla spat, a bloody grin spreading across her face. “And so will you.”

  Grayson scowled, wiping her face. Her hand rose before there was a flicker from the lights, and the entire room went black. Within seconds small, red flashing lights began to circle overhead. I found Jayla still in the center looking at me under the spill of hair over her face. She mouthed the words, “Go,” but I shook my head. She repeated, “Go! Please.” Tears fell down her cheeks and she trembled. “Please,” she repeated, and even though the words weren’t spoken out loud, I sensed the urgency behind them. I clenched my jaw, taking a small step back into the crowd but keeping my eyes on her. I’ll never leave you, I silently promised.

  “What’s going on? Get the power back on, now! Secure everything.” Grayson turned to Jayla. “I don’t know what you’re planning but you won’t succeed.”

  “I won’t.” Jayla turned her bloody grin back on Grayson. “But they will.”

  Grayson’s eyes darted to the crowd now pushing their way out. She turned back to Simon who revealed nothing in his stoic expression.

  I hesitated, now was my chance, if I could just reach her in the chaos, but the two guards began pulling her away, and the crowd filtering out the room pushed me back. I was moving back toward her when someone caught my arm.

  “Get the hell out of here, now,” Simon growled.

  “You traitor,” I hissed, but he forcefully steered me towards the door.

  “Yeah, yeah. Tell me something I don’t know.” He shoved me one more time before I was mixed in with the crowd and able to sneak away unseen.

  My stomach clenched, and every part of me wanted to turn back and find Jayla, but if we all wanted to get out of here, I had to stick with the plan. I needed help. I needed Em. I would get Jayla back. I made a promise, and I would always keep it.

  So I ran, away from where they took her, in hopes I wouldn’t be too late.

  SIENNA

  The second the lights went black I knew it was time. It was earlier than planned, but it didn’t matter. The ID card hidden under my mattress still worked, and I made quick work of getting myself out. The hallways were empty, but they wouldn’t be for long, and I still had to get those doors open for the genetic kids.

  The path I took was so familiar I could navigate it in the dark. A few red lights flashed beyond the windows of closed doors, but the hallways remained black. After one more curve, I was there. My ID card opened the door into the small room. A red flashing light circled overhead and caused an immediate headache.

  Something crashed in the corner of the room, and I found Nurse Jane cowering behind a chair with wide eyes staring at me.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked. “What’s going on?”

  I closed the door behind me. “I need your help, Jane.”

  “What did you do? Why did everything go black?”

  I moved closer, and she adjusted the chair to stay between us. I halted my steps.

  “I’m not going to hurt you. You can get up already.”

  “No, I’ve seen what you guys are capable of,” she whispered. Her eyes were wild and darting around as if she was expecting more of us to come out of the walls. “They forced me to do this. I didn’t want to.”

  “I know that. I said I won’t hurt you and I meant it.” I sighed. “I’m trying to protect those kids you didn’t want to hurt. I can get them out of here. I can get you out of here.”

  Jane finally stopped squirming and focused on me. “How?”

  “I need your help,” I said, offering her a hand to stand up.

  She tentatively took it. “How can I possibly help?”

  “I need you to open all the genetic kids’ doors,” I said, my gaze bouncing to the wall behind her with the blinking lights. Nearly all were red except one. Her eyes widened again. “I have a plan, Jane. No one has to die or be hurt ever again. No one has to end up like Leah.”

  Jane shook her head. “I don’t think I can.”

  “You can, Jane. Please, we need you.”

  “No,” she said. “I want to but I can’t. I don’t have control over those doors. I can’t open them.”

  I swore under my breath, running a hand to the back of my neck. I’d told Caspian I could do this. I needed to do this. If I couldn’t get those doors open, if I couldn’t get Vic out, then this was all for nothing.

  “I thought those—” I pointed to the blinking wall but didn’t finish my sentence. I hadn’t ever confirmed that thing could open the doors, just that they showed which doors were open. Idiot, how could I have been so stupid.

  “I’m sorry,” Jane whispered.

  I paced back and forth and swore again under my breath.

  “I might know someone who can help,” Jane whispered.

  “Who?”

  “The doctor,” she said. “He’s always been nice to me.”

  I stopped my pacing. “Which doctor?”

  “Allard is his name.”

  “No,” I nearly screamed. “We can’t trust him. He doesn’t care about the genetic kids. We’ll find another way. Is there anyone else who has access to the doors? One of the guards? Anyone who could help us?”

  “I’m certain he would help us,” Jane insisted, grabbing her white coat from the hook it neatly sat on near the door. “He told me once he’d get me out of here, and that I wouldn’t have to do this anymore. He understands. The screams keep him up at night, too.”

  “Jane, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “I’ll go, I’ll speak with him. He’ll understand, I promise.” Her eyes were filled with hope, but I wasn’t convinced. Allard was nearly as bad as Dr. Merinda. He’d told me more than once not to trust him, and he didn’t care what happened to us. I didn’t listen to Gunner when he warned me and look where it’d gotten us. Why would Allard help now?

  “I have to get those doors open, Jane. If I don’t, we’ll all die.” I gripped her arm.

  “I know. You can trust me,” she said with confidence.

  I let out a long breath and finally said, “Okay.”

  She smiled, opening the door and stepping into the black hallway.

  I closed my eyes, throwing my head back with a silent prayer to the stars before I followed.

  Jane led the way down the dark hallways as though they were completely lit. I had to jog to keep up with her quick pace and nearly lost her twice, as her footsteps were silent. When she reached a door and slid inside, I stayed hidden in the hallway as best I could.

  The entire place was silent, too silent. That was because they thought they were safe, thought the kids were secure in their rooms, and they had nothing to worry about. Caspian had said they would secure the exit first. They would be right if we didn’t get those doors open soon.

  “You have some balls coming in here, Jane, and requesting—that.” Allards voice echoed through the silence, and I cringed at his tone. “She will kill you if she finds out.”

  “Please, these kids don’t deserve what we’re doing to them,” Jane begged.

  “Does anyone deserve what they get?” Allard asked. “Why are they any different than you or I?”

  “We may not have chosen this, but we aren’t being treated the same way as they are. It’s different and you know it.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Allard said. I could hear the smirk in his voice. “You may not have chosen this life, Miss Jane, but I did. You never should have come here tonight.”

  “Please,” Jane begged. “I thought you were different.”

  “I wish I was but I’m not. And I can’t risk anything, even for you. You shouldn’t have come here,” Allard repeated.

  The sound of a gun blasted through the silence and my heart stopped. No, no! He killed her.

  The door opened, and I slunk back into the dark hallway, covering my mouth from shock.

  “You can come out now, Sienna.” I didn’t move. “Don’t make me ask twice.”

  I took a step forward then another until I was in front of Allard who held the door open for me to walk in. On the floor, with her eyes still wide in shock and blood soaking into her white lab coat, was Jane. I covered my mouth.