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“My little friends overtook your Central District. They’re going to take this one next.” Then the West, which would unite the entire country for the first time in over three decades. The first time since the Fall.
“I’ve already told my men that you cracked. That we’re up here having a lovely family reunion right now. How long before those words get back to your group? How long before they learn the truth?”
They already knew the damn truth.
But Hayden didn’t say that. Instead, he focused all of his attention on the knots behind his back, moving slowly while Greene continued to pace, knowing that loosening that last rope was his number one priority. Do not engage, do not antagonize.
A fist pummeled into his face, taking him by surprise. Blood filled his mouth while stars danced across his eyes. The injury to his head must have been worse than he thought, because he should’ve seen that coming, and it shouldn’t have throbbed as badly as it did.
Hayden squeezed his eyes shut, squeezing his hands into fists to fight off a new wave of nausea. Hayden would not black out. Would not slip into unconsciousness. Would not let his father win. He refused.
“Don’t worry—I won’t kill you.” Hayden cracked his eyes opened to see his father smiling down at him. “Your friends will do that once they learn of your betrayal.”
Mouth shut. Mouth Shut. Mouth Shut.
Dammit.
“My brothers are more family to me than you’ll ever be. They know I’d never betray them.” He spit out more of the blood that had accumulated in his mouth. “Even the scum working for you aren’t dumb enough to believe that I’d turn.” He grinned, knowing it must’ve been a sight to see with his bloody mouth, new wounds, old scars. “How long before they turn on you? Hm?”
When Greene threw his next punch, Hayden was prepared. He focused all of his energy into taking the punches, moving his head with the throws so they didn’t land quite as hard, and any little bit of energy left went toward slowly and discreetly loosening the ropes on his wrists.
So damn close…
? ♥ ?
Anna was shocked over how well things were going. Slipping through the back entrance into the compound should’ve been much more difficult, but the heavy foliage must’ve made the officers more comfortable with leaving it unguarded. Their mistake, her way in.
She walked around slowly, acting as if she’d belonged there. They moved in one at a time, making sure nobody was around and nobody remained in a large group. The inside of the compound was brimming with officers, both on duty and off duty. There were also plenty of redcoats, the only members of the UNR that carried real firepower aside from the higher ups.
She’d been in this compound once before, though it was so long ago, she’d barely recognized it. She wasn’t well at that time, so it wasn’t all that surprising that she didn’t remember much.
The entire morning, from leaving with the group, to splitting up, to making their way into the Compound, Anna had felt the steady building of anticipation. It pumped through her veins, hot and hard and fast, urging her to move forward, to take out her target, to rescue Hayden, and to kill anyone that got in her way.
“Hello there,” a low voice murmured behind her. She turned to see Sawyer, internally swearing at his approaching her.
Upon looking around, she realized they were in the clear. The officers in the compound were relaxed, not looking for threats, the high cement walls around them quelling the worry of a surprise attack. They wouldn’t see it coming.
Anna, Sawyer, the others? They’d just look like family of officers, higher-ups, and so on. Nobody would suspect a thing.
“Hi,” she returned. Sawyer moved into step beside her, moving slowly, both of them keeping their eyes forward as if they’d made this walk a thousand times and were simply on the way home from visiting a friend. “All good as of now?” She kept her voice low.
“All clear. Everyone’s in.”
She nodded and smiled, nodding in the direction of an officer that walked past. He muttered a greeting and continued walking, obviously having better things to do. Perfect. This was going perfect.
All she needed to do was get into the large building in the compound’s center. The building they were now only a hundred feet or so away from. There, she’d be able to let go of the restraints she’d put on herself. That’s where they’d be keeping Hayden, that’s where she’d find Greene, that’s where—
“Anna!” Her name echoing across the street made her heart sink.
She kept that fact out of her features as she turned to see an officer walking toward her. “Mark,” she grinned. “What a lovely sight.” She forced out the words, the hairs on the back of her neck standing as she stared at the man she’d worked with before the Resistance’s takeover.
“What the hell are you doing out here? I thought we lost you in the attack.” He stepped closer, his eyes darting between her and Sawyer. She prayed he didn’t recognize the man beside her. She cursed Sawyer again for coming over to talk to her. His face… there was a very good chance someone here may know it.
Be vague, but not too vague. Don’t offer many details, as that will seem overcompensating. “I was stuck in hiding for a while, but I finally found my way here.” Simple. Direct. And best of all, honest. Lies worked best when they were a mostly true.
“Thank goodness for that.” He dropped a hand on her shoulder, squeezing. “We were all worried we’d lost you.”
The skin on her neck prickled once more, but she kept the fake smile on her face. This was annoying, yes, but her plan hadn’t been unraveled. That was all that mattered.
