I sit up, my body rigid. Vale doesn’t realize it, but he’s just given me a way to save her.
“We have a code,” I say in a low voice. “That’s what sets us apart. We don’t kill without certainty. We’ve never risked ending the life of an innocent person before. And you’re clearly notconvinced she’s guilty.”
“I’m only saying…” he grunts.
“There’s nothing to say. No one in this room has absolute proof that she knew what she was doing. Or that she even took it. We didn’t find the nanochip in her belongings. That settles it. We’ll figure out a solution to protect her, and protect ourselves, too.”
“Locking her up in the cell seems like a good start,” observes Logan.
Vale laughs bitterly. “Right, and if we keep her in captivity, she’ll go straight to the police the minute she’s freed. If she’s innocent,” he adds. “Otherwise, we’re only delaying catastrophe.”
Everest, the fifth member of Devil, lifts up his mop of curly blond hair from his own computer for the first time. “I agree with Damien.”
“Oh, so you’re joining the conversation now?” jeers Vale.
“Believe it or not, some of us actually work. Devil is a company first, remember? The killing people part comes after.”
In spite of my anger, I can’t help but exchange an amused glance with Logan. Everest is far from correct. But he’s an everlasting softie, and he’s always struggled to come to terms with his involvement in what is really nothing other than a glorified gang of criminals. The air of respectability that has allowed us to make powerful allies has nearly pulled the wool over his eyes too.
“Give it up, Vale, you’re outnumbered,” insists Everest, his eyes fixed once more on his screen.
“Why don’t you fuck off,” lashes out Vale, “and go suck some dick.”
An awkward silence settles over us, and even Vale seems to recognize he’s gone too far. He coughs uncomfortably and mutters, “Do whatever you want. I’m just trying to help. You’ll figure thatout one day.”
Then he stands up and walks off, shutting the door with a loud bang, leaving the rest of us alone.
“So, what’s her name?” asks Everest casually.
The tension evaporates as if by magic with Vale’s departure, and I find myself laughing.
“Didn’t even think to ask.”
5
Seraphina
Now that I’m not in imminent danger of being killed, my body seems to fall apart. The tense, nervous energy that propped me up has disappeared, but nothing has replaced it.
My eyes dart around the room, relief giving way to a sinking feeling. There are four dull grey walls, apparently made of concrete.The ceiling and floor are of the same dull grey material. There’s no window, only a sliver of light emanating from behind the locked metal door. No furniture at all, in fact, except for a metal toilet and sink in the corner. There’s not even a bed, and I wonder if that means I won’t be left here overnight. But then I notice scratches on a wall. Five lines. Could that mean five days?
Five days in this cell feels impossible.
I’d thought Ben’s basement apartment was small, but this is something else. I can’t stand all the way; I have to crouch. I can probably take all of three steps before hitting a wall.
This is literally a jail cell in a dungeon. At least there aren’t any spikes, or torture devices, or any of the other things I’ve heard whispered about. But something about being in this tiny grey space makes me feel like I really am entombed. They didn’t need to bother with killing me. I’m already buried.
I don’t even try to open the door or search for another way to escape. I heard the lock turn, and besides, I’m not stupid. Prisons don’t usually come with open doors.
I crouch against the wall, wondering how long they’ll leave me in here. Forever? Would he do that to me? I think back to his touch, his fingers stroking my hair, my back. He seemed to want to soothe me. Yet he also stripped me naked. He said he was going to hurt me, and he didn’t deny that we’d have sex.
Later, he said. Which must mean he won’t leave me here indefinitely.
Trying to find some comfort in that thought, I stare at the door. I realize I’m crouching at the far end of the room, though the cell isn’t big enough for that to make much of a difference. As the crack of light grows dimmer, I’m torn between wanting the door to remain shut, and hoping Damien will come back. Either one feelslike bad news. But if Damien comes, at least it will be something.
In the darkness of the cell, I suddenly realize I’ve never experienced this sensation before. Boredom.
I’m used to solitude, and boredom would, logically, go hand in hand with that. And yet, I’ve always walked. Spent each day going back and forth between Oakley and Astley. Even before I began to shoplift, I would go over to Astley Lake every free moment I had to admire its shadows. In school, I spent my time hyper-aware of my surroundings, tense at the idea of being spoken to. Though I didn’t need to worry, practically no one ever did. At home, first with my father and then for the short month I lived with my stepfather, danger kept me active. I was only fourteen when I moved in with Ben, and with having to figure out how to keep him satisfied, I never had much time on my hands.
