I could clear my name while bringing this person to The Elders, and there’s no doubt in my mind they’ll kill him—if I don’t first.
I’m already halfway down the ladder when the choice is made for me. It’s as if my body knows what to do without my mind even telling it.
It’s a long walk, but I make the trek because Maddie is worth it—because my life is worth it.
It won’t be long until Neo tells Crew and Jagger where I am. They’ll see Jagger’s sled, and with any luck, they’ll come down, too. At least then I won’t be alone. Although, as I walk these tunnels, I really hope Iamalone.
One minute turns to many. And many minutes turn to almost an hour when I finally reach the door.
My shaky fingers grip the dial and I begin turning the combination. It’s engrained in my memory from my trip down here with Jagger.
Eight, thirteen, nineteen, eight, four.
Wait.
Eight, thirteen, nineteen, eight, four.
As in…August 13, 1984
My mom's birthday.
The hairs on my arms stand tall as my limbs quiver.It has to be a coincidence.
It just has to be.
Once the lock clicks, I turn the handle and push the door open.
Taking care not to make a sound, just in case I’m not alone, I move slowly. Before I step fully inside, I poke my head through the crack and look around. I'm surprised to see a beam of light coming from a lantern and it’s a warning that someone is here.
Movement catches my eye, and my heart drops.
Just as I go to close the door, I see two hands holding a stack of papers.A black hood pulled over his head.
If I could just see his face. That’s all I need.Show me your face.
He turns to the left, setting down the papers on the desk and sifting through them. My eyes drag to the fingers turning the pages and like a knife straight to the back, I see something I can’t unsee.
Neon orange nail polish. Polish I painted on those fingers.
This is a girl.
But not just any girl—it’s Riley.
I close the door as quietly as I opened it, and once it’s latched, I take off running through the tunnel, back the way I came.
How could she? Or is she? This could be the same situation Melody was in. But why wouldn’t she tell me? Either way, I can’t wait to find out. On the off chance that Riley is working with the BCA Stalker, I need to get the hell out of here and go tell the guys.
Unable to mentally process what I just saw, I refuse to think. Right now, I just want out of here. My mouth is dry. I feel faint. I’m breathless, and I’m almost positive I pissed myself.
Tears pool in my eyes, clouding my vision. I stumble over my own feet, catching my fall by pressing my hands to the cement wall.
How could I have been such a fool?
I feel betrayed. I feel sick. I stop walking and curl over, throwing up everything in my stomach. I haven't eaten much today, so fortunately, it’s not a lot. I spit and sputter and cry some more then pull myself together and keep on moving as quickly as I can.
The sound of voices rings in my ears, but I can’t tell if I’m imagining it, or if they’re real.
As I approach the exit, the voices come closer and closer until I’m full-on sprinting toward Jagger and Crew, who are running just as fast to me.