The guard paused, ladle in hand. His gaze moved from the cups to her face. “One cup per person, Doctor.”
“She’s injured.” Harper nodded toward Sasha’s bunk. “She can’t stand in line.”
“Not my problem.”
“She needs to eat.”
His smile was stiff. “Then she gets up.”
The women stilled behind her. The weight of their attention pressed against her back. This was a test. Everything here was designed to train obedience.
Harper lowered one cup. “Fine. I’ll share.”
He filled it. Then he smiled and spat into the stew. The gobbet of saliva floated on the gray surface.
Walk away. Don’t engage. Don’t give him a reason.
Her vision narrowed to the cup, the spit, the smile waiting for her to swallow it.
Harper lowered the cup slowly. “Give me another.”
“No.” His smile widened. “Bitch. Eat it or don’t.”
The barrack had gone silent enough for Harper to hear her own pulse.
She should stop.
Apologize. Survive. But if she bowed her head now, they all would.
“You’re pathetic.” She stared right at him, her throat dry. “You’re so fucking pathetic you have to brutalize terrified women to feel powerful.”
The guard’s face went dark. “What did you say?”
She couldn’t stop now. “I said you’re pathetic. Big man with a gun, beating up women who can’t fight back. Is this what you tell your mother you do for work?”
His hand came up fast. Knuckles cracked against her cheekbone. The cup flew from her hand, stew spraying across the floor. She hit the ground, tasted copper, her pulse searing her veins.
She pushed herself up on her hands, ears ringing, cheek throbbing. Her tongue found the split inside her mouth where her teeth had cut the soft tissue.
The guard grabbed her by the arm, yanked her to her feet. He reeked of meat and sweat. His fingers dug into her bicep withenough force to bruise, then dragged her toward the door. Polina made a small sound and cut it off immediately.
Harper stumbled, trying to find her footing, blinking back scalding tears.
I will not cry.
Behind her, the women were silent.
Harper didn’t look back.
She lifted her chin even though it cost her.
Let them see.
Let them see and remember she fought.
6
The helicopter’srotors beat against frozen air, a rhythm Pav had spent three years trying to forget.
