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Our walk is brisk. We’re in single file formation because there’s so little elbow room. Unfortunately, we get to the office before I’ve had much chance to explore, a whole hallway before me yet undiscovered. The exit has to be somewhere down there. I can feel the faintest hint of a breeze on my skin. Maybe we’re closer to the surface than I first thought? Given how barebones and rushed this place was made, I doubt The Trinity and their lack of resources were able to fit a ventilation system in here.
I try not to get ahead of myself. Hope is only useful in small doses; otherwise, I might risk heartbreaking disappointment when things don’t go my way.
“Get to work,” Jerome grumbles, forcing me into my seat. The two of them stand directly behind me, same as the day before, to keep track of my progress.
“You two got the short end of the stick, huh?” I comment casually as I boot up the PC.
“What do you mean?” Calvin asks.
“I mean, you’re trapped down here with me all day. Can’t be fun. I’m sure there were other more appealing roles you could have been assigned. Do you even know anything about coding?”
“No,” Calvin admits sheepishly. “We just gotta keep you off of any chat boxes and make sure you’re not slacking—”
Jerome strikes Calvin against the back of his head. “Dude,shut the fuck up. Haven’t you ever heard the expression loose lips sink ships?”
“What does that mean?”
I roll my eyes and face the computer screen. As stupid as he is, Calvin has been incredibly helpful. First, I now know that while they’ve been tasked to guard me, they know nothing about what I’m doing on screen. I just have to make itlooklike I’m complying.
And second, Calvin is the weakest link. If I’m going to break someone, it’s got to be him. I’m sure I can work his loud mouth and simple nature to my advantage. The only question is how? Jerome likely won’t let me get a word in with him. I’m just going to have to wait for the right opportunity to make my move.
So, I work. I appear to, anyway. It’s not exactly easy, coming up with my plan of action as I go. But if there’s anyone in the world who can pull this off, it’s going to be me.
* * *
Jerome wasn’t particularly keen on Calvin giving me the time. Little do they realize that my desktop computer has a small clock app in the bottom right corner of my screen. 7:00 p.m., which means I’ve been working for twelve hours straight. To anyone else, this is useless information. To me and Dani, it could be the key to our survival.
“That’s all I’m able to do for today,” I tell them. “Take me back to my cell.”
Jerome sneers. “You don’t tell us what to do.”
He takes me back, anyway.
Once again, the walk back to the cell is hasty, but I see no other guards whatsoever. I think we’re the only four people down here, which bodes well for us. But the question remains: how many guards can we expect up top?
When I arrive, I find Dani curled up in the back corner on our shared mattress. Her eyes are red rimmed and puffy, but she puts on a brave face when she sees our captors. With a hard push, I enter the cell and they close the door behind me, leaving without another word. Reaching out, I use the wall to guide me to her.
“How long?” she asks.
“Twelve hours. That’s our window.” I take a deep breath. “From seven to seven, you’ll dig. We’ll rest for a few hours, then I’ll dig throughout the night. If we work in shifts, we’ll be able to make significant progress.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Luka. Leave the digging to me.”
“You can’t do it by yourself, Dani. You’ll burn out faster that way.”
“Your hands,” she says. “They’ll be covered in dirt and grime. Jerome and Calvin will know the second they look at you that you’ve been digging, and then it’ll all have been for nothing.”
“What about the water?” I ask. “If we can spare a little for me to wash up and the rest to drink…”
“There’s next to nothing to begin with. Digging is going to work up a sweat. We need to stay hydrated. I don’t think it’s wise to use it for hand washing.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek, the gears turning inside my skull. “Did they ever retrieve our food tray from this morning?”
“No, I think they forgot. It’s still in the corner.”
A light bulb goes off. “Then let’s spend the next few days hoarding water. Take it easy for now, gather a few glasses. They’re feeding us by the spoonful on purpose.”
“To keep us weak,” Dani says in agreement.
