In The Clear: Interlude III
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The blare of an overhead alarm pulls Mina unceremoniously from sleep. She re-closes her eyes tightly as flashes of light disorient her further. Between flickers of white, the room is coated in swathe darkness.
What year is it?
She fumbles to pull the thin blankets from her body and blinks the sleepiness from her eyes. It's too loud. She can't think. Where am I? Mina firmly believes that she knows the answer, but right now it's inaccessible. Three others move on their respective bunks, but for a moment the only one speaking is the alarm. Mina presses her hands over her ears but that does almost nothing to block out the sound.
"What the fuck?" Zoe. Mina throws her legs over the side of her bunk but one of her feet catches on the end of her sheets. She hits the ground, but if she makes a sound no one's able to hear it.
Rajan has one eye still closed as he leans down to help her. "What's going on?"
At least that's what Mina thinks he says. Truthfully, she doesn't hear a single word. That would be the most logical thing to leave his lips, but that doesn't mean she has an answer. She doesn't know any more than they do about whatever this alarm situation is. "I don't know."
"What?" He asks, leaning in closer and she repeats herself. "Should we go check?"
Mina is about to nod when she remembers. The door's been locked every time one of them has been bold enough to try it. It's not the sturdiest, nothing in this place is. She's half-confident they could break it down if they needed to. There's no question in her mind that they need to. Mina is just starting to come around to something resembling full mental capacity. This doesn't feel like some kind of drill; the ones they've had have never been like this.
"Zoe-" Crash. Mina looks over but the door's already dented and another swift kick opens it completely. Zoe looks wide eyed back at the other Winners, but none of them argue. It seems they'd all been thinking the same thing.
For almost a minute they all just stand there. They don't know the Tower beyond the couple hallways past this room. Hell, Mina's not sure the others even know that much. She's the one that's been given the most freedom, but she's never seen an exit. She's not even certain that's where they should be headed. She doesn't know what's happening but they can't just stand here.
"Find Vito." She turns first to Calvin and Rajan, who nod. "Left then to the end of the hallway. The door has a bit of faded yellow paint near the knob."
She doesn't know where these instructions are coming from. Mina has no desire to be in charge of whatever's happening, but someone needs to be. She closes her eyes for a moment, trying to block out the alarm for just long enough to think. Who else is here? Do we hide? Should we be evacuating? The simple answer is that she doesn't have any right now.
Levi, we need to find Levi. Mina turns to Zoe. "Follow me."
"Where to after?" Calvin's hand is tight on her shoulder, preventing her from running out the door like every instinct is screaming at her to do. His eyes almost look like his own again. They've been empty since news about his farm reached the Tower. She can't help the tiny smile of relief that slips to her lips.
"Find people, go with them." She doesn't even know if there are people to find. If what Levi's told her is correct, most of the members left last week. He told her that some of the Winners would be able to leave in the next two to three days in preparation. He asked her if she would be willing to stay behind. Mina never gave him an answer.
Does this have something to do with the broadcast? Levi said that it wouldn't start until the Tower was cleared but did that plan change? The other Winners know as much as she does - that the Protestors are planning a nationwide broadcast set to overtake all Canadian media channels regarding The Cut. Mina doesn't know what it entails. The others don't know that she's been asked to stay and join it.
She never agreed, but that doesn't mean she wasn't going to. Truthfully, Mina didn't know what to do. Levi didn't even seem to truly believe that she should stay. He said the Commander had asked for her specifically and that Levi wanted her to be aware. He told her that he didn't know what would happen after the broadcast started, but the fact that the Commander planned to evacuate the Tower speaks for itself. It would be dangerous to stay. Levi didn't argue that fact.
But if it could make a difference… Mina had to take the time to consider it.
Her and Zoe move carefully through the hallway, but it looks deserted. None of the Winners have been out of their bunk in the last two days, and it looks like even more members have been relocated in that time. Most of the doors are open, but after looking inside the first few they stop checking.
She doesn't know how long it takes before they run into Levi, but Mina almost cries with relief. He grabs both of them and shoves them into the nearest room. Zoe is only stupid enough to fight him for about five seconds. The look of panic on his face is what probably convinces her.
"What's happening?" She doesn't know if the words come from her lips or Zoe's but at this point it doesn't matter.
Even in just the flashes of light, Mina can see that he's shaking. The bags under his eyes look even more pronounced and he glances around like someone might be following them. She wonders if someone is. "There's been a breach."
"What?"
"We don't know yet but they're persistent. They haven't broken through but we don't have a lot of time."
Mina swallows as she looks at Zoe. At this point it hardly matters that the other Winners aren't supposed to know about the broadcast. "What about the plan?"
"There is no plan anymore," Levi says hurriedly. "We need to get out."
With the alarm still blaring overhead, it should be impossible to argue. This is serious. Mina can read between the lines - the only people who they'd be concerned about breaking in would be FFN or the government, at this point they're one in the same. Still, they were so close. Mina had started to believe that their plan - the broadcast - could actually work. If they could show the country what was happening, what was actually happening, maybe they could stop it. The Commander apparently had been gathering evidence for months.
There was still a season going on. There were still at least thirteen contestants alive. There was still time if they could just-
"But the Commander said-"
"Mina it doesn't matter!" He raises his voice but quickly lowers it again. "He's leaving. We're all leaving. They're going to get in and they've had no issues killing us before. We need to go."
Mina bites her tongue and nods sternly. He's right. She knows he's right even if the hope that something could actually change feels like it's being pulled out from under her. The Protestors need to survive. They can't allow the network to wipe them out before they've even had the chance to fight back. It's not worth the risk to stay, even if there are kids out there that could still be saved.
She turns towards the door. Mina has to stop thinking about them because, if she does, logic isn't going to win out. Of course they're worth it because Mina wants to believe that someone would've thought the same thing about her, about Zoe, about Rajan and Calvin and Guiliana and all the kids that died around them in the last decade.
They're worth saving, but so are the people left inside the Tower. They can regroup, recollect all the data that Levi's promised exists on the Commander's computer. They can still enact the plan, but not now. For now, they need to get out.
Except, when she turns to grab Zoe, she's already gone. Levi realizes it at the same time and his eyes widen as their gazes meet. The alarm must have covered her tracks.
"I'll go find her." Once again, Mina doesn't know which of them says the words but both of them take off running.
Vito doesn't remember how he got out of his room.
His entire body is warm as he floats through the hallways, half running except he can't feel his feet underneath him. He doesn't know where he's going. There's something that looks like blood dripping from his knuckles and a shooting pain in his heel, but they're barely a thought in his mind. In fact, there are no thoughts. All there is is the alarm that feels like a heartbeat in his skull.
Vito doesn't see her until he stumbles straight into her. The older girl pushes him away before pausing, a startled expression on her face. He reaches up and realizes that there are tears coating his cheeks. He doesn't know how to make them stop. "What's happening?"
"Go find the others." He doesn't remember the dark-haired girl's name, but he recognizes her as one of the Winners. Mina told him that four of them have been here for almost a year. She doesn't look particularly confused to see him here. Vito wonders if Mina told her about him.
"Where?" He croaks. She hasn't answered his question, but he almost doesn't care. Vito hasn't seen anyone else in these hallways since leaving his room. He was beginning to believe he'd been left behind. Part of him couldn't blame them if he had been.
"I don't know."
Vito reaches out but stops just shy of touching her. "Please."
He doesn't know what exactly he's asking for. He can't think with all the noise.
"Just go find them," she says, her tone almost gentle. She points behind her as an indication of where to go. "The other Winners are still here, so is Levi."
He nods, but another thought crosses his mind even before he can start moving. "Where are you going?"
Vito doesn't believe for a moment that she's going to answer. He doesn't know her, can't even remember her name. She obviously recognizes him but they've never met. She also doesn't seem the type to want to talk and this isn't exactly a situation that warrants it either. When she glances behind her, Vito mentally prepares himself for her to simply walk away.
However, when she turns back there are tears in her eyes. "I have something to do. Don't worry about it. When you find them, tell them I already got out."
"Are you going to get out?"
She doesn't answer, but he doesn't need her to. Vito recognizes the expression even if he has no idea what it means in this context. He's seen it in his own eye every time he remembers what happened last year. Regret isn't nearly a strong enough word, neither is fear. She looks just like she did at the beginning of her season. Vito remembers watching her hold dressings to a boy's leg long after his announcement. It's the same expression.
He understands just how heavy it must feel.
"I'll come with you."
She shakes her head and the earlier determination overtakes her eyes. "No. You'll go find them. You'll get out. You'll tell them exactly what I just told you and nothing else."
Vito doesn't respond, but when she starts moving past him he doesn't go the other way. He's not sure if she realizes that he's following or if she's just decided to ignore it. Either way, Vito has to run to keep up.
He doesn't recognize this part of the Tower, and by the look of it neither does she. The doors are a bit thicker, the walls a little bit cleaner. It felt like the floors were tilting slightly downward, making Vito believe they might be heading further underground. It's hard to tell. The older girl stares at a few of the doors as they pass, but doesn't try any of the doorknobs. Some of them have labels, but none of them mean anything to him.
She finally stops at a door labelled with the word 'Commander'. It's not locked, and Vito wonders for a moment if any of the ones around here are. He hasn't been out of his bunk for long enough to use a real bathroom let alone make it all the way down here. As they head inside, the room is bigger than he expected. It has a few chairs and a worn couch on one end. On the furthest wall is a second door that is half-open.
"Where are we?"
She doesn't jump when he speaks, confirming Vito's suspicion that she knew he was following. Instead, she heads towards the interior room. "I told you not to come."
He doesn't respond.
"Zoe?" Vito recognizes the voice and the face in front of him, but he once again can't place it. The man looks to be around the same age as Mina, maybe a couple of years younger. He's sitting on one of three chairs inside the smaller room, the majority of which is taken up by an ancient-looking computer system.
"Where's Mina?" Zoe asks quietly.
"She went to look for you and the others." He looks behind her. "Good, you found him. They're going to head towards the lower exit. Mina knows where to go."
"What are you doing?"
Vito can't help but be unsettled by the emptiness in her voice. He can't see her, but there's no sign of the earlier tears. Come to think of it, he doesn't remember seeing one fall. Meanwhile, his face feels tight with the salt from his own. Vito reaches up and wipes at his cheeks, but he can already feel their replacements leaking down his skin.
He's no closer to finding out what's actually happening. The alarm is even louder down here. In fact, Vito's surprised he can hear either of them through it.
"I came down here looking for you. I remembered that I have to wipe the system, the Commander left me and Zach the codes but I haven't seen him."
"Here." Zoe moves in closer to the screens. "I can do it, just guard the door."
The man nods appreciatively and allows her to take his place in front of it. He moves past Vito, the space so tight that they brush shoulders. Vito doesn't take his eyes off her, though he doesn't know why. Her cursor moves around the screen, but she doesn't appear to be closing any of the open programs. In fact, she opens another one.
"I think I heard something." Her voice is the same strange calm as she turns around and looks straight at him.
"I didn't-" Vito starts.
"Go check."
He doesn't want to. Every instinct tells him to stay put to the point where his feet feel like they've been encased in cement. Vito doesn't know what's going on. He can't think with the alarm still blaring in his ears and the light flashes making his vision permanently out of focus. Still, he hesitates to do as she said.
"Please," she asks and he sees another flash of the earlier emotion. He has even less of an idea of what it means here than he did in the hallway. Vito nods, but his legs still refuse to take even a single step.
"What are you doing?"
His voice is so quiet he doesn't expect her to hear him over the noise. Zoe doesn't respond, but instead gets up and takes a step towards him. He still doesn't move. "I have to do this."
"What do you mean?"
No sooner have the words left his lips than does Vito feel a sharp shove that sends him stumbling backwards. Zoe's shorter than him by almost a foot, but she's far stronger than she looks. He barely manages to touch the doorframe on his way back, but even that doesn't right him. Thankfully the man keeping watch is able to catch him just outside the door.
Vito leaps forward as soon as he's caught his balance, but he's not nearly quick enough. The door slams in their faces and, even with the alarm still blaring, he hears the click of a lock as it settles in place. He tries to force the door open, but it's far sturdier than the ones upstairs.
The man joins Vito in banging his fists on the door, yelling for Zoe to open it but she only watches blankly from inside. Vito can't hear what she says, but the man seems to. "We're not leaving you!"
She shakes her head, but comes no closer to unlocking the door. Vito still can't hear her, but this time he's able to read her lips.
I won't take you down with me.
Rory can't tell which is louder - the overheard alarm or the pulse beating in her ears. She slams her fist against the door but she's shaking too hard for it to make an impact. She's exhausted despite the fact that all she's done lately is sleep. She can't remember the last time she ate more than a few bites of a stale protein bar.
All she knows is that she needs to get out of here. Tears cloud Rory's vision as her fist hits the door again, but there's no strength behind it. She slides further down until she's resting on her heels. There's nothing behind her to break the door down. She's already checked. She's not sure she could even if there were.
Her hands shake as she forcefully retightens her fists. Truthfully, Rory is almost surprised to find these instincts still under the surface. She hasn't fought this hard for anything since the prison illusion shattered around her. Rory can't even promise that she's the one that fought for that. Val did. Val pulled her through the minefield of bullets when no thought should've been enough to get her there. They're the reason they escaped. They're the reason she's still alive because, in the end, Rory doesn't believe she would've been able to win without them.
And they're gone. And the fight that Rory's pretended to have since coming here seemed to go with them. She argued with Levi when he told her that Val didn't want to see her, but she didn't fight. Rory doesn't even remember getting up from the floor.
Why fight now?
"Val." Rory wants to scream, she means to scream for the hope that they'll be able to hear it. She doesn't want to believe Val really wanted to leave her. It's the only thing keeping her going. Yet, when she wants to scream their name the only thing that escapes is a whimper.
The doorknob moves above her and Rory can only stare up at it. It's them. She knows it's them even if she can't hear them and the door hasn't opened yet. It has to be them. Rory pushes on the door, yelling words that don't fit together in hopes that Val will keep trying. Help me.
"Move away from the door." She barely registers the words. The voice isn't them, but Rory wants it to be so badly that she can almost convince herself that it is. She crawls back into the corner, for once not pulling the tattered blanket over her for comfort. It has nothing to offer her anymore.
She doesn't recognize the girl that stands on the other side of the broken hinges. Rory stares wide-eyed and she does the same. It's as if Rory isn't the person she expected to see.
"You-" Rory ducks her head even further, making herself as small as she can. The girl looks to be in her mid-twenties, her clothes and hair barely in place just like every other person that's come through her door. Her eyes, however, don't take long to soften. "Come on, we need to go."
"What's happening?" Rory asks tearfully. Her entire body is shaking; the alarm is so much louder without the door as a barrier. Suddenly, someone she does recognize runs up behind the girl.
"Mina there's no time." Levi looks inside and his expression falls before he can stop it. Rory looks back at him and she knows without him saying it. He forgot about me. Rory has no love for him, not when she first arrived and certainly not now. However, the feeling that freezes in her chest can only be described as betrayal.
"I'll take her," he says finally, turning to Mina as if Rory were an object to be transported. "You have to go find the others, I sent Vito towards them."
"Where's Zoe?"
He pauses. "She said she'll catch up."
"Where is she?"
"She won't- Mina," he tries. "We already don't have time. She won't come. You have to get everyone else out."
"I'm not leaving her."
"Where's Val?" Rory interrupts. She doesn't know who they're talking about, where Levi is telling her to go, any of it. In reality, she doesn't care. This is the only question that matters to her.
Levi turns back as if only just remembering that she's there. "I'll take you." He motions for Rory to leave the room and she does. Levi turns back to Mina. "You have to go, they won't leave without you. It's the network. You know what's going to happen if they find you. Zoe isn't coming. There's no time, please."
Mina stares at him with what Rory can only describe as hatred. Her strong expression is cut with tears that Rory doesn't remember seeing appear. Mina doesn't drop her gaze nor does she make any move to do what he says. The pair stay locked in some kind of nonverbal fight that Rory can't even begin to understand.
"I can't lose her too."
Levi nods. "If you don't go now, you could lose all of them. Zoe knows what she's doing. She isn't being forced into it, like he tried to do to you and Val. She chose to stay and finish this."
"Finish what?" Mina is visibly shaking, but she still doesn't show any indication of backing down.
Levi opens his mouth to answer, but the sound of television static beats him to it. The noise seems to crop up in all directions, through the dozens of open doors in the hallway, until it's almost louder than the overheard alarms. It feels like it's been ages since Rory heard a news broadcast, but even she can tell that this one sounds different.
"Canada, I'm asking you to give me your attention. My name is Zoe Sanford. I'm alive, but that might not last too much longer. I'm going to tell you what really happened to us. I'm going to tell you the truth about The Cut."
Mina doesn't feel her feet drag against the floor as she's pulled further down the hallway. Her limbs are tired, her legs shaking as if they might give out but it doesn't matter. Levi's hand is tight around her mouth but she can't force herself to fight it off anymore. Her entire body is trembling so hard that she doesn't believe she'd be able to stand without the bodies on either side of her.
Zoe. She's still hearing the words but her mind hasn't been able to process them fully. You were supposed to be safe. Mina hasn't seen the screens, but she can picture Zoe on them, alone. I should've never told you. She kicks again in an effort to turn them around but of course it doesn't work. We have to go back.
"Our government is raiding a base full of people whose only crime is asking for change. We know the truth and both FFN and our politicians want to silence us. But we won't be silent anymore. Canada, please listen."
"Take her." Mina doesn't see who Levi's talking to; she can't see anything through the tears. New arms lace themselves under her armpits but there's not enough time to free herself. Mina doesn't know where she would go if she could. She has no idea where they are anymore. Her weight collapses on whoever she's been passed to. She sobs into the ground but her feet come back under her in seconds. They hold absolutely none of her.
"Mina." She recognizes Calvin's voice and when she opens her eyes that's exactly who's in front of her. His face is blurry and red, they're moving but Mina can't even feel that anymore. "We have to go."
"I'm taking her to find her friend." Levi, he must be talking about the girl. When Mina opened the door, she had expected the green-haired one. Mina hadn't even known that the girl was here. "We'll find you."
"We need to get her." Not even Mina can understand what her own lips are saying.
"We will," Calvin promises, but he's lying. They're leaving her. That's what Levi said they had to do but he's wrong. They can't leave her. They can't leave her. They can't-
"I, Zoe, came here to the Protestors of my own free will. I worked with them to get the other Winners here because I knew it was the only place that they would be safe. They didn't know what I was doing. I acted alone and trapped them here."
"No!" Mina shrieks, collapsing further against Calvin but he holds her easily. She knows what Zoe's doing. It was the same thing she was going to do, from the same script that she's only had glimpses of. It was a condition of being involved if Mina chose to be. She would take the blame so that, if things went south, her family would be okay.
Calvin cradles her against his chest and she can't do anything to pull away. She won't get there in time. Zoe probably wouldn't open the door if she did. It doesn't matter; logic doesn't matter. Mina looks tearfully up at Calvin, begging him to listen even if she knows that he won't. "We have to find her."
"The Cut wants you to believe that they're lethal methods are justified, that the people who die on screen deserve it or that they chose it. They've been lying to you."
Calvin just shakes his head. Mina cries harder against him but she knows he's right. They have no idea how long it's been since the alarm started. They have no idea how long it will be before there's no longer a hope of getting out. Levi said there were three emergency exits beyond the one at the front of the Tower. They need to find one or the network will have them again.
Even if it means leaving Zoe behind.
Even if it means Mina will never forgive herself.
"Here!" She recognizes Rajan's voice. He's still with them. Three of them when there should be four. Mina can't look to see what he's found. She doesn't care. She's no help. She knows she needs to pull it together but she can't.
She hears a door open heavily in front of them and sees brightness as it collects against her eyelids. The new air is cold, much colder than the stale inside air behind them. It's frigid against her damp cheeks. Mina shivers into Calvin, but he's gone stiff. His hand is frozen over her shoulder.
"Put your hands up! All of you!"
Zoe's legs are tucked underneath her on the chair, her hands holding so tightly to the microphone that her knuckles have gone white. She knows that they can see her. The world is watching Zoe Sanford, Winner of The Cut, and she looks anything but victorious. She stopped looking at herself the moment the broadcast started. She hated what she saw.
I'm supposed to be brave…
Zoe doesn't feel brave. She isn't even certain that she's doing the right thing. She doesn't trust the Protestors, not fully, but she trusts Mina. If she thought the broadcast would work than it will. She bites the edge of her lip as she pauses. She thinks about El, which has become almost a ritual since she got here. Most times, it was to wonder if El had ever been in the Tower, to ponder how much she knew about any of this. Now, Zoe thinks of the messages they all received on the night that she was murdered. She wonders if El was scared, if it was in fact her that sent it to the Winners or at least organized it. She wonders if she knew what was going to happen to her.
She had a plan to save them even after she died, whether she knew it or not. Now, Zoe's just read out the same. If this doesn't work, if the network does find them, they'll be safe. Everyone will believe that this was all her fault.
Zoe swallows and scrolls down the screen. It's all here, a dozen things that Zoe doesn't know anything about but each one makes her more and more certain. She just has to say it. She forces a calming breath through her teeth. She's already made her choice.
Zoe's never believed in heaven or any of that, but her next breath is spent staring at the ceiling. It's as dusty and stained as the rest of the building, but she smiles up at it anyways. I miss you, El.
The computer has access to all the security systems in the Tower. Zoe knows that they're already inside. She expects that she doesn't have much time left before they find her. She takes a deep breath, telling herself that once she starts she won't stop until she's dead.
I might see you soon.
"The waivers are fake," she starts, at first reading off the screen but then adding in her own recollection. "We woke up already on the set, alone in a cell, and they promised us things. They didn't tell us where we were and didn't let us read what we were signing. They promised-" She hesitates but decides she has nothing to lose. "They promised me that if I signed I would never have to go home again." Zoe returns to the script. "We only agree to it because they lie to us, and if we don't agree they keep us there until we give in. The delay of contestants arriving in the common room is because it takes some longer to be coerced into signing."
Zoe's hands are shaking so violently she's surprised they're still attached. She's never spoken about the waivers with the others. It was one of those things that none of them understood enough to speak aloud. The first time Zoe mentioned it was in her meeting with the Commander, when he asked about it point blank. She skims the next few lines but decides to skip to the most recent notes, the ones from the last couple of years. The ones about her own season's contestants are too painful to even acknowledge.
"The contestants weren't who you thought they were either. They lied not just to us but about us, to make us into the villains that deserved to die," Zoe begins. She doesn't remember all or even some of the names but that doesn't make seeing them any easier. "Season 8, Giovanni Abruzzo had been assaulted by the teacher that he was arrested for harming but that part of the story was silenced. Moe Osman had stayed on scene when he could have gotten away and attempted CPR on the girl who he was later sentenced for murdering. Private investigator Lara Demille found that Bronte Davis had been framed and that the video evidence wasn't even her, but that news never made it to the press.
Countless others in this season had been failed by CPS, youth shelters, and police. Three of them - Bronte Davis, Lior Rivkin, and Eden Sorrenti - are still alive being used as test subjects by the network in the basement of Toronto General Hospital. Their graves are empty."
Zoe takes a breath. Her hands are shaking even harder around the microphone. "Matthew Belmont had evidence planted on him. Dash cam footage proving this was found in the deleted folder of the Abbotsford Police Department's database."
She sends all of the evidence forward with the click of a button. The seconds count down on screen until she'll need to speak again. It feels like they're both going far too fast and far too slow. The alarm blaring in the adjacent hallways feels like a second heartbeat.
"Season 9, Savannah Caron was a victim of police brutality and sentenced for a crime greater than what her possession should have allowed. The amount of substance found in her car shouldn't have been enough to send her to prison at all." Zoe flashes the police images on screen. "Nora Brecker kidnapped her sister to get her away from an abusive foster home, which Nora had reported twice before the incident."
A tear runs down her cheek as she looks at the next name on the list. Her voice cracks as she forces herself to say it. "Aviv Vasilevsky was arrested for stealing a birthday cake for his mother. There were no other incidents on his record, and he was killed for it. Tell me that's justice."
Zoe squeezes her eyes shut to stop more tears from following. "Jared Tomaras was a volunteer firefighter at the North Dumfries Fire Department. He took the firetruck alone that day in an effort to put out a fire at the local park."
The alarm stops entirely and the room falls into a strange kind of silence. Zoe swallows. She can't imagine that she has much time left.
These next four names she doesn't recognize at all. Zoe skims and stops cold. She had no idea. "Jesse Huang, Aidan Mitchell, Nitya Kurien, and Frankie Onal - you might not recognize these names but they were pulled from their respective prisons before seasons 9 and 10. Footage proves that they were transported to set along with the other eighteen but there's been no sighting of any of them since."
A crack at the far door is the loudest thing she's ever heard. Zoe braces herself even though she's nowhere close. They'll come inside and they'll be able to see her. She knew that this would happen eventually but it feels too soon. The room is reinforced, she found the plans for it herself. Zoe doesn't expect that fact is going to mean much in the next couple minutes. Her eyes glaze over the screen as she scrolls; there's still so much left. There's not going to be enough time.
"They made mistakes, they were kids." She isn't reading anymore. Zoe doesn't have time to scroll to the bottom to see how the Commander wanted to end this. She has to end it. She flinches as the far door splits around the knob. "We made mistakes. There's consequences, but their lives are not meaningless."
The army seal on their uniforms is the only thing Zoe can bring herself to focus on. Her voice is shaking but she has to keep going. Nothing is going to change what happens to her, but that doesn't mean nothing will change at all.
"The government has already broken into where I am," Zoe says quickly. "They don't want you to know the truth; they want you to allow it to be swept under the rug but you can't. This game needs to end. These kids aren't expendable, they never were. Please."
The glass shatters across the computer screen and Zoe curls herself around the microphone. Footsteps storm around her. It's over. She knows it is but she isn't done. Far too much of her wants to beg for them to help her, but there's no point. This isn't about her anymore, it can't be. Somehow, Zoe's been dragged into something much bigger than she could have ever imagined. The older Winners tried to protect them, protect her, but that was never going to last. This is up to all of them, together, and maybe that means there has to be sacrifices.
If only that brokenhearted teenager would've known before she'd signed her name all those years ago.
"You're their only chance."
Guiliana stares at her hands clasped together on the table. Despite the bleached linen blanket draped over her shoulders, every part of her is cold. It feels like time itself has been frozen; she has no idea how long she's been sitting here.
She doesn't want to look around. The room looks just like the one she stayed at when she first arrived at the hospital - clinical white and wiped chrome. Even her clothes have been replaced with scrubs that probably used to be teal. They're so big Guiliana had to tie the waist just to keep herself proper. It feels familiar and foreign at the same time. It's been so long since she was here, but the memories were fresh and waiting when she arrived.
No one has told her anything. Yet, the tears have been stale in her eyes since Guiliana sat down. The last time she was brought to the hospital was after Vito ran away. Even then, they hadn't put her in a room that felt so permanent. Guiliana can't help but wonder if she's done something wrong.
There's not even anyone around for her to ask.
She brings the blanket tighter around her shoulders and realizes her hands are trembling again. She dips her head down against the table but no position alleviates her discomfort. Guiliana expects this has something to do with the others, but how? What could've happened that would warrant bringing her back here? There's been no questioning. There's been no indication that this is temporary, in fact her change of clothes suggests the opposite.
Guiliana looks at the door, tempting herself into believing she heard someone coming but after several seconds she gives up on the thought. There's no clock in the room, no way of knowing how much time has passed because she doesn't remember if it was already light outside when she got here.
She tells herself she imagined the knock at the door, if for no other reason than to save the heartbreak. She peers up at it, but after several seconds it feels like she really must have dreamed it. Guiliana almost doesn't care. She knows that, even if someone were there, it wouldn't be any of the people she wants to see right now.
"May I come in?" Guiliana hadn't even realized the door was cracked open. She lifts her head off the table and nods softly, though she still can't see anyone. She knows this voice well.
It's strange to see him in anything but scrubs. So much so that, when Dr. Liu walks in wearing a sports coat, she almost believes that her ears are playing tricks on her. The slight unevenness of his smile, however, gives him away.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come to see you earlier," he starts as he eases down into the chair opposite her. "I unfortunately had other duties to attend to."
Guiliana nods but she doesn't say anything. She's not sure what she's supposed to say. She's always been good at playing nice with the staff here, not just because she understands their role but because it's in her nature. This time, however, she senses something different in his demeanour.
"We found them."
Her eyebrows furrow. There's not a moment where Guiliana wonders what he's talking about. She knows exactly who 'them' is referring to. Dr. Liu has promised that the network would be looking for the other Winners since she arrived here last year. He couldn't be talking about anyone else.
"You did?" She's trying so hard to sound excited, and part of her is. If the network has found them, that means they're alive and likely safe. Guiliana hasn't heard from any of them since they were announced missing. She would be lying if she didn't sometimes believe that the very worst had happened.
He smiles. "We did."
She tries to return the grin but it's difficult. Guiliana is relieved, but at the same time afraid. Did they mean to be found? "Are they alright?"
Dr. Liu nods. "They're going through a quick assessment before they'll be brought here for a more thorough one. Reports say that they're all doing well."
Tears fill her eyes as she closes them. They're okay. Guiliana takes a few deep breaths and allows herself to feel every bit of relief before opening them again. "Can I see them when they get here?"
"I'm afraid not right away," he says regretfully. "They've been through a lot and we want to make sure we're not pushing things along too quickly." He must sense her disappointment because he cracks a tiny smile. "If they're cleared early you'll be the first to know."
"Thank you," she says softly. There's a pause as she considers her next question. "How long will I be staying here?"
Dr. Liu stands and she instinctively shrinks down slightly in her chair. She had expected him to stay longer like he usually does. The two of them have had several chats in the last few months especially. More often than not, he's brought her books to keep her occupied and they talked about the last ones he brought by. Especially since her acting lessons and performances were halted for safety, they kept her mind somewhat occupied.
"Not too long I hope." He gives her a curt nod and turns towards the door. Guiliana is even more confused. "I have to go, but I'll send someone by if there's any updates."
And before she can even think of a response he's already gone.
Matt paces the edge of the white-walled room. He used to have a count of how many laps he'd done, but that's long gone. It feels like he's always been here, even if memory tells an opposite story. The thin clothes he was made to change into feel like they've become a permanent part of his skin.
This isn't anything like the rooms he's used to staying in at the hospital. Those have furniture and a window beside the bed with a view that's always looked fake to him. Here, the scenery is familiar but for a completely different reason. Matt is used to looking inside, not being trapped himself.
He wonders if they're watching him. He wouldn't blame them at this point.
Matt knows he must look just like his neighbours - Bronte who flips through the same book, Eden who's still at the edge of her bed, and Lior who sits on the floor in front of the door. He's not as bad off as Lev, who was strapped down to his cot the last time Matt was allowed to see him. In fact, Matt isn't as bad off as any of them. He knows where he is. He knows that, eventually, they will let him back out. If for no other reason than to prove to the world that he's thriving as they say.
None of them will ever get out.
Matt crouches down as the thought hits him in the gut once again. It's so easy to forget as he paces the bright room. Nothing feels real here, not even the steps he's taking. The memory of Dr. Liu shouting for the nurses to get him under control could easily be false. It's not.
When the doctor told Matt what they were planning to do, he wanted to kill him.
Matt had nothing but his bare hands with which to try, but he did it anyway.
He didn't even have to think about it.
He leapt across the table and heard the chair clatter to the floor behind him. Matt reached for the doctor but he kept backing away. He stood on the table. He couldn't feel anything below him, he couldn't feel anything beyond the anger shooting up his throat. All he could think about was wrapping his hands around the doctor's throat.
How dare he?
"We'll be shutting down this program in the coming weeks."
How fucking dare he?
Matt wraps his shaking hands around his legs but no part of him feels steady. Dr. Liu was talking about Lev, about Bronte and Eden and Lior. He wouldn't even say their names, but Matt knew. He's spent almost every day here for months. He's more familiar with the ex-contestants than with Guiliana or Alexis at this point. Matt doesn't have to know exactly what 'shutting down the program' will entail. He knows they won't be released. He knows they can't be, the entire nation believes that they're all dead.
In between these white walls, he's helpless to do anything about it. Matt didn't think. He saw red the moment the doctor even suggested the program ending and Matt couldn't do anything else. He should've thought about it for one second and then he would've known that attacking the man wouldn't change a thing.
Afterall, no matter how hard he's tried, Matt's never been able to change anything.
A/N: I'm a day early! Never thought I'd say that but it's true. I was pretty excited to write this one, it's been living in my head rent free for approximately a year. Let's hope I can keep the motivation up for the remainder of the story. Next chapter we'll continue with the regular games events, but I hope you enjoyed this little look at what's going on outside. Oh and happy 200k.
Happy holidays! I'll see you all in 2024.
~ Olive