As terrible as Kingston’s truth had been, it had given me that faith.
Two hours into the day of brainstorming with mygang, our group had a plan to get toSilk. His name still made me want to shudder each time I heard it. But we found a way to avoid his gang and our rivals while we escaped from the prison. We just couldn’t agree on what to ask him next to lead us to what he wanted.
And we had to figure it out, because our plan hinged on getting help from the last place we wanted it. Silk, himself.
I rifled through the lost and found box for about the hundredth time since I’d spotted it.
But the random assortment of useless items couldn’t contain what Silk wanted. There was nothing of obvious value, nothing that looked like it could be used to escape, and while he was a cold-blooded criminal, I even searched for something of sentimental value. Nothing appeared useful.
Vivian hadn’t shared one piece of information the other day, but since then, I’d learned that each of us had a chance to approach and ask Silk one question while he was in his cellwithoutgetting thrown to his gang. I’d been searching for something he might want. Convinced our escape hinged on it, and now supported by the rest of my group.
So far, we’d used three of our five questions.
From the looks of things across the prison, Izzy’s group wasn’t faring any better. One girl looked close to tears, and Vivian’s icy glare pinned on each of them while she said something that could only be heartfelt and encouraging.
It still sucked that if our group won, theirs lost.
When Izzy caught my stare, her frown told me she thought the same thing. My mind warred between thoughts of what the obstacle in our path wanted, thoughts of leaving without Izzy, and thoughts of my warring Knights, who stood stoically in the corners of the room.
Landon had given me a proper greeting this morning, but I’d barely been able to speak to Max. Other than to find out he was okay after I’d gone to see Landon, too. He’d been distracted, and I wanted a chance to be with him for longer before that time became limited again.
“Stop paying attention to them and focus on us, Quinn.”
Ignoring Elaine, I asked Morgan, “Don’t you think it’s weird that we have to do this with five questions from one inmate?”
“Well, I didn’t…but now, I do. What are you thinking?”
“Landon said something on our way in yesterday, after the wholeyou can leave them behindthing. We’re clearly not supposed to do that.” I skirted my gaze to Elaine. “Unfortunately.”
Morgan snorted. “It’s probably the collaboration aspect of this challenge. We need to show we can work as a team, right?”
“Yeah, but…Landon also said we’re here for crimes we didn’t commit. He said they’re our rivals, but the same applies to them. What’s more of a challenge? Working with people who are on your side or bridging a rivalry to succeed together?”
Her eyebrows rose, and she glanced at the other group. “You think we’re supposed to join forces, put our answers together, and get all of us out? But Landon made it sound like we weren’t supposed to do that.”
“Yeah, but I think it’d be a bigger test. I mean, most of you went to school together. Wouldn’t they assume working together might be easy on the same side?”
“Probably. You’re the drama.” She smiled as she said it, assuring me she was teasing.
“Exactly,” I laughed. “So, without getting into a fight, can we approach them?”
“It’s not like they could use it against us if we’re just throwing the idea out there,” Camille from my first group said. “I was on the cheer squad with V and Izzy. I could run it by them.”
A tall, beautiful girl with long brown hair and olive skin, Luna, spoke up, too. “I’ll get Claudia and Lynette on board.”
“Perfect. That just leaves Angela. I’ve only talked to her twice, but I think I could sell her on it.” I shrugged.
Morgan clamped a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. “I’ll handle Angela. She’s a tougher nut to crack than she seems. But you can join me. Or maybe think on the clues a bit more?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll do that.”
An hour later, and a few close calls over disagreements, both of our gangs approached Silk.
Vivian had voiced obvious distrust for my plan, but even her scoffs didn’t have the same bite behind them as they once did. Izzy had thrown her arms around me and declared her love for my brain.
That turned my cheeks an embarrassing shade of red, and it pissed off Elaine. But she couldn’t bother me anymore. Not after what Max had said. And not as we approached the big bad in the prison. Together.
I hadn’t seen him up close, but I gave props to whoever had done his costume. The tattoo on his neck, specifically, looked completely real. And I zoned out as one girl asked our next question, staring at the black snake.
