She raised her chin, and I knew her stubborn side was about to kick in. “I never said those three little words back to you because I never felt the same. I still don’t.”

He closed his eyes, released a heavy breath. “I don’t care. I think I love you enough for both of us. I won’t let them do anything else to you.”

“Like you’ll be able to stop them. They’re already starving us. And one day, when I’ve outgrown my use—” or died “—your dad will kill her and you know it.” I knew I was scaring her, but I considered the results worth it. If Ethan feared for her life, he might aid in our escape. And with his aid, food was of little consequence. “She knows too much, has seen too much.”

“No,” he said, again shaking his head.

“Oh, yes.”

“I’ll talk to my father.”

“And you’ll believe whatever he says? You’ll believe the man who’s already betrayed you and locked up the girl you love?”

Ethan’s mouth opened and closed, and I knew he was searching for a response. When he found none, he turned on his heel and marched out of the laboratory.

“Good riddance,” Kat muttered.

I turned and found her in the spot she’d occupied for the past several hours. Her skin was pale—too pale—and her body shaky. Her eyes were glazed, as if she were in tremendous pain.

“Kat,” Reeve said, concerned.

“I look terrible, I know. I got myself a set of bad kidneys. Sorry I never told you.”

“What?” Reeve rushed to her side.

“What can I do?” I asked.

“I’m okay,” she assured me. “Really. I’m just so hungry I’m considering having Paula Deen tattooed on my stomach when this is all over. She makes these scallop sliders I’d stab my dad to have.”

She needed dialysis, like, now, and I knew it. From this point on, she was only going to get worse. And with kidneys, there was no recovering from the damage. I’d checked.

“This is my fault,” Reeve said with a trembling chin. “I never should have trusted Ethan.”

“We all made mistakes,” Kat said, and with a confident smile added, “But Frosty will come. He’ll save the day. He won’t let anything happen to me. Or us. Mostly me.”

Reeve played along, saying, “Maybe he’ll bring Bronx and I can beg for his forgiveness.”

“Beg while naked,” Kat suggested. “He’ll agree to anything then.”

I patted Kat’s hand. It was limp, cold. I couldn’t wait for Ethan to grow a conscience or a pair of balls. Couldn’t wait for the boys to find us, or food to strengthen me. I had to act now.

How?

I moved to Jaclyn’s side of the cage and studied the lab, searching for things I might have missed. Anyone coming or going had to flash an ID badge over the box on the door. There was a glass case on the far wall with several tranq guns inside. I’d seen the lab coats use those weapons on the collared zombies.

The guards had the keys to the cells. Maybe the lab coats did, maybe they didn’t, but I couldn’t see evidence either way. The guards were the sure thing.

I needed to steal a key the next time they came for me.

“What are you thinking?” Jaclyn asked.

“Probably the same thing you are.”

“Yeah. Blueberry pancakes would be awesome.”

I almost grinned. “No. I’m thinking it’s time to go.”

We both looked at Kat. She yawned and rested her head on Reeve’s shoulder.

“She shouldn’t be this bad this quickly,” Jaclyn whispered, unable to mask her worry.

“It’s the stress of the situation,” I replied. “It’s making everything worse.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Kat said. Then, “What are we going to do?”

“Let me worry about that.” I held Jaclyn’s stare until she nodded.

“I wish there was something I could do,” she said, “but they don’t even open my cage anymore. I could try, but they’re used to me, expect my tricks and just ignore me, whatever I say.”

I motioned Reeve over.

She eased Kat’s head to the floor and closed the distance. I put my mouth to her ear and whispered, “When the guards come for me, and they will, I want you to attack one. He might hit you, and I’m sorry for that, because it’s going to hurt, but I need him out of the way for just a few seconds. Can you do it? Can you remember what Veronica taught you?”

She gave a determined nod.

“Enough of that, you two,” a hard voice snapped. A stick was rubbed against the bars.

I looked over. One of the guards stood at the door of our cage.

“We’re hungry and thirsty,” I spat at him. “Why don’t you reduce the number of crimes you’ve committed against us and fix that?”

He looked us over, lingering a bit too long on Reeve, before pivoting on his booted heel. “Get them something to eat and drink,” he commanded one of the lab coats. “Now.”

We were each given a bag of peanut butter crackers and a bottle of water, even Jaclyn.

As hungry as I was, it was like a four-star meal. How sad was that?

“Protein isn’t good for me right now,” Kat mumbled. “Makes my kidneys have to work too hard.”

“We’ll scrape off the peanut better and you can eat the crackers,” I replied, “because you’re eating something.” Words Cole had once spoken to me. I got it now.

Kat and Reeve fell asleep soon after they’d eaten, and I paced the cell, watching the clock. As the day wore on, the labs coats thinned out, just as before. By 2:00 a.m., there were only two people left in the lab. Again, just as before. By six, the others returned. Hello, pattern.

I’d have a four-hour window to act.

I wondered how many guards were stationed at the monitors at 2:00 a.m. One or two I could take. Any more than that, and I’d have big-time problems.

I’d have to risk it. Tonight.

Tomorrow, Kelly would try to use Kat against me.

The guards returned for me at 10:00 a.m.

“You two,” said the one who—pressed his thumb into a keypad. Crap! No actual key to steal. “Get against the back wall.” His attention moved to me. “You, stand in the middle.”

“Forget my plan,” I whispered to Reeve, and she blinked with surprise.

Her eyes were wide, her body quivering as I was cuffed and led out of the cell. I knew she wanted to help me in some way, any way, but I couldn’t cut off the guy’s thumb, so there wasn’t anything to do.

I was escorted into the torture chamber. Kelly was already there, sitting, waiting for me.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Gotta admit I’ve had better days.” As I looked him over, another plan took shape. It was dangerous. It was stupid. But there was no other way.

“I’m sure you have,” he said, and nodded to the guards.

Have to act now. The moment I was uncuffed, I lunged for Kelly, purposely slamming my body into the cart of syringes and scalpels along the way.

We hit the floor, and I grabbed the first thing my fingers found and shoved it into his neck. As the guards scrambled to catch me, I grabbed the second thing my fingers found and shoved it into my pocket.

Everything happened in two, maybe three seconds.

A hard fist slammed into my temple, throwing my body to the side. Stars. Pain. A heavy weight crashed into me, forcing me to my stomach. My arms were roughly twisted behind my back and the cuffs reapplied.

“Get her...out of here...” Kelly gasped.

As I was hauled to my feet, I watched him sit up and pull a syringe out of his neck. Only a syringe. Too bad.

The guard shoved me forward, and I tripped my way back to the cage. Once inside, I did the same thing I’d done yesterday. I threw myself into the far corner, hiding my face—and my actions. As stealthily as possible, I reached into my pocket. Felt...a scalpel.

Perfect.

Whatever’s necessary.

Reeve approached, placed a soft hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay? Your hand is bleeding.”

I looked down and realized the scalpel had sliced through my palm. My adrenaline must be riding high, because I didn’t feel it. “I’ll take care of it.” My shirt was already torn and easy to rip with my teeth. I tied a strip of material around the wound, applying pressure.

“Get some rest,” I told her. For what came next, she was going to need it.

* * *

As I paced the cage, watching the clock yet again, waiting, waiting, I felt as if my sanity...my emotions...my everything hung at the end of a horribly frayed rope. Any second the threads would snap, and I would fall, crack open and all the darkness inside me would spill out.

Death and destruction would ensue.

No one would be safe.

I just... I had to hold it together for Kat, Reeve and Jaclyn.

Fatigue rode me harder than ever, but I forced myself to look past the burning eyes, the quivering limbs and the aches and pangs. I could sleep when the girls were safe.

Finally 2:00 a.m. arrived. The moment of truth.

All but one lab coat had left. The straggler was a heavyset man around forty years old. I could take him in a fight, no problem. The only unknown was how many guards were monitoring the camera feeds.

Actually, no, that wasn’t true. I also didn’t know how many people were in the building. Or how many security clearances I’d have to go through to reach the front doors.

That wasn’t going to stop me. Whatever’s necessary.

I glanced back at the girls. Kat was asleep, though not at rest. Her eyes rolled behind her lids, and violent shivers racked her body.

Though Reeve was awake and watching me, she lay behind Kat, arms curled around her, offering warmth.

Jaclyn sat at the edge of her cot.

Now, I mouthed, then faced Lab Coat.

“Let us out,” I shrieked, the sound startling the guy enough that he actually glanced over at me. I rattled the bars with every bit of my strength. “My friend needs help. Where’s your heart? How can you leave us like this? To starve? To face torture?”