Day 15

  The cage stank of sweat, blood, and shit. Sophie sat with her knees tucked to her chest, her small frame wedged into one of the back corners, ensuring she could keep an eye on everything that was going on. Across the cage, Mia crouched beside Tessa, her face set in a grim expression.

  Sophie’s red eyes scanned the room beyond the bars, lingering on the guards. There were three of them, each stationed at intervals near the cage. All carried firearms, mismatched and poorly maintained, but dangerous nonetheless. One leaned against the wall, the dull glow of his optics cutting through the dim lighting. Another sat slouched in a chair, absentmindedly twirling a blade in his hand. The third stood closest, arms crossed and gaze fixed on the cage with cold indifference.

  She motioned to Mia, who quickly came over. “We can’t stay here,” Sophie whispered, keeping her voice as low as possible.

  Mia leaned forward slightly, her ears catching the words. “You have a plan?” she whispered back. The two of them were mentally in the best condition, meaning they had to work together to find an escape.

  The younger girl glanced at the others, a ragged collection of kids ranging from her own age to seventeen or so. Many were too injured or too weak to move, their bruises dark under the pale light. “We need to take one of them down. The big one, when he comes in to check the cage. The door will still be open.”

  “And then what?” Mia pressed, her heart pounding.

  “We grab his weapon if we can, and use him as a shield to get to the exit. We’ll need to move fast and quiet,” Sophie explained. Her voice was almost steady, though both girls could tell the plan wasn’t the best. Then again, it was the best option they had.

  “What about the injured?” Sophie glanced at a boy in the corner, his arm wrapped in a makeshift sling, and a girl who hadn’t stirred in hours.

  “We’ll carry them if we have to,” she said. “We’re not leaving anyone behind.”

  Mia nodded. “Okay. I’m in.”

  The two girls quickly whispered the plan to the others. Those who could still fight agreed, their faces filled with determination. They positioned themselves strategically in the cramped cage, ready to spring into action when the opportunity came.

  As they waited, Sophie debated whether or not picking a class or buying something with her coins would help. In the end, she was sure they wouldn’t. Even the Escape Artist class wouldn’t be of much help, considering everything was stacked against them and she had no way to train that kind of class. If she tried to escape the cage as practice, she’d probably be killed on her second attempt.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the opportunity they’d all been waiting for. The guards had all disappeared and they knew what that meant.

  The heavy door to the room creaked open, and the bulky scav lumbered in. His steps echoed in the relative silence, and he cast a menacing shadow as he approached the cage. He retrieved a key, similar to the house keys in Sophie’s previous life. She found it odd, considering how advanced the world was but she also didn’t have much time to think about it.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “It’s time for some fun,” he sneered, his rough voice grating on the ears. He unlocked the cage door and stepped inside, his massive frame blocking the only exit.

  Mia lunged first, her wounded and wiry body striking with surprising force. She aimed for his head, using the element of surprise to land a solid hit. The scav staggered back, cursing, but before he could recover, Sophie darted forward, her small hands reaching for the keys.

  The other kids joined the fray, attacking the scav with everything they had. Fists, feet, and whatever scraps of debris they could find became weapons. The cage erupted in chaos as the scav fought back, swinging his massive arms and roaring in rage.

  Sophie managed to grab something from the man’s belt, but a wild blow to her ribs sent her sprawling. Pain flared, but she gritted her teeth and scrambled to her feet. Mia was on the scav’s back, clawing at his face, while another boy landed a hard kick to the back of his knee.

  Finally, with a sickening crunch, the scav went down, collapsing in a heap on the grimy floor.

  “Let’s go!” Mia shouted, grabbing Sophie by the arm.

  The injured kids were already being lifted by the others, their groans of pain muffled by the urgency of the moment.

  However, the noise made by the fight brought reinforcements.

  The heavy door slammed open again, and over ten scavs stormed in, their weapons drawn. The kids froze for a moment, fear rooting them in place.

  “Move!” Sophie screamed, shoving one of the other kids toward the exit.

  They barely made it two steps.

  The scavs descended like a pack of wolves. Sophie felt a hand grab her hair and yank her back. She twisted, kicking wildly, but a heavy fist connected with her stomach, driving the air from her lungs.

  She hit the floor hard, her vision swimming.

  Mia’s voice cut through the chaos, shouting orders and rallying the others, but the scavs were too many and too strong. One by one, the kids were subdued, their desperate struggle crushed under boots and blows.

  Sophie tried to crawl away, her vision blurred by tears and pain. She reached out, her fingers brushing against something solid; a foot. She looked up, just in time to see the very same limb come crashing down on her arm. At the same time, the scav swung a baton at her head. She almost picked a class, hoping it would provide a chance.

  The world went dark.

  -----------------------

  When Sophie opened her eyes, her head throbbed with a dull, relentless ache. She shifted slightly, realizing her head was resting on something soft. She turned, realising she was lying on Mia’s lap.

  Sophie blinked, trying to focus on Mia’s face. It was battered and bruised, her lower lip split and bleeding. But her eyes still held a burning determination. That and sadness.

  “You’re awake,” Mia said quietly, brushing a strand of hair from Sophie’s face.

  Sophie tried to sit up, wincing when she put weight on her arm before Mia gently pushed her back down. “Don’t move. You took a bad hit.”

  Sophie swallowed before responding with a dry rasp. “I’m sorry…I messed up.”

  Mia shook her head. “No, you didn’t. We tried. That’s what matters.”

  The cage was quieter now, the other kids either unconscious or too broken to speak. The scavs had left, their mocking laughter still echoing in Sophie’s mind.

  “Are you…alright?” Sophie whispered, her voice barely audible.

  “I’m…not sure. Y’know, it’s funny. Obviously you don’t know but I was born into the Valentinos. As a legacy member. I hated it. My Mother held an important position but Dad, who I was close to, died when I was young. Mother and I didn’t get along after that.” She gave a sad chuckle and continued.

  “It wasn’t all bad. I had a little sister, Maria. She was such a sweet little angel. I stayed with the gang, hoping I’d be able to tough things out, if only for her. One day though, I realised I’d had enough.” She paused and Sophie didn’t speak, aware that the story was important to her friend.

  “I went home, thinking I’d escape with my little sis. She wasn’t there. I never found out what actually happened but the house was empty. So I left. Ended up meeting Jay and Lyra. Our family slowly grew, until now.” A tear trickled down her face.

  “You remind me of Maria, actually. I think that’s why I’m so attached to you. I couldn’t protect her back then but I can protect you now. But god, I wish I could see that little angel again. If-when, we get out of here, I’d like to try and find her. You willing to help me with that?” The older girl looked down at her.

  “Of course I am. When we get out, I’ll help you look.” Sophie reached up with her uninjured arm and wiped Mia’s tears away. “It’s a promise.”