Prologue #2
For the past six months, I had been planting homemade bombs in various sections of the underground complex, including a few areas outside of here. I didn’t get far, so Razor hid the other explosives for me since he had full access to the under-and above-ground properties.
“Go tell the boys,” he said. “We have to act fast.”
“Why don’t you come with us?”
“I’ve got some unfinished business. Don’t worry about me.”
“I’ll come back for you.”
“Don’t.” He jabbed a finger at my chest. “Too risky. I’ll find you when the time is right.”
This was our plan: We would wait for the men to take Hawthorne out of the secluded complex in the woods.
They’d take the cars on the dirt road to a bridge where a booth with guards would open a gate for them to cross the bridge onto a paved road leading to the main road.
Explosives were hidden along the dirt road, under the bridge, at the gate, and in sections of the paved road.
Their cars would be destroyed at any of these given points when the hidden sensors were triggered.
The sixty-foot drop from the bridge to the rocky stream wouldn’t help them either.
It didn’t matter when, where, or how they died; I just didn’t want them to live.
Three hours later, Razor had turned off the cameras and security systems. I stared out the basement window, waiting for the three cars to leave.
The sun had set, darkening the area. This was my only chance—our chance—to escape this godforsaken place.
In order to ensure Victor didn’t come for us, I had to eliminate him.
“I can’t believe we’re escaping,” said thirteen-year-old Godfrey, tears gleaming in his eyes.
“I hope he explodes.” Timber pursed his lips. He was the same age as Godfrey.
“Me too.” Twelve-year-old Hudson looked at me with conviction.
These boys had been kidnapped and brought here last year. The horror they experienced would forever change their lives. But they were still young, so there was hope that they could move beyond this with enough time and care.
When the cars drove away, the sensor lights in the driveway turned off. A few minutes later, the first explosion erupted and rattled the underground complex. Electricity flickered as we stepped into the tunnel.
I looked at the boys. “Follow close, okay? Don’t step on the wrong area.” I gestured to the ground where hidden wires could trigger explosives.
They all nodded, looking scared yet hopeful.
The boys only had their clothes, whereas I wore a backpack filled with explosives connected to my controller, along with things I’d collected over the five years I’d been here.
With the controller I’d stolen and rewired, I walked into the dimly lit corridors made of dirt and concrete.
The boys followed me closely, stepping where I stepped.
Tables, bookcases, racks of supplies, stacked chairs and boxes, and other miscellaneous items filled the corridors.
It was easy to get lost in the tunnels as they all looked similar.
They were designed to trap his victims. But I’d learned the path from memory—from pretending to get lost so many times that Tony showed me a map, confirming that one existed.
I glanced at my forearm to double-check the direction.
I spotted the markings I’d left on the walls for my reference and darted toward freedom. When we made it outside, the boys and I inhaled a deep breath of fresh air and embraced each other.
“We’ll celebrate later,” I told them and pulled the compass from my pants pocket.
Before we headed out to the maze in the forest, I pressed a button on my controller.
A loud boom erupted behind us. A flash of light flickered into the dark night, and the ground shook, rattling the trees and leaves around us.
The tunnels and the underground complex were burning now. No alarm sounded, thanks to Razor.
I gave each boy a flashlight. “Let’s go.”
With my flashlight raised, I entered the maze and highlighted where vines hung like snakes.
Dangerous obstacles were hidden within the maze.
Razor and Tony had told me stories about victims who died trying to escape.
Shining a light onto my forearm, I looked at the map etched on my skin and used it to navigate the maze.
Razor had stolen the map of the maze from Andrew and given it to me.
I could have saved it for reference, but that was too risky.
Someone could’ve cleaned my desk or bed and discovered it.
When I didn’t need it anymore, I burned it.
Having the map tattooed on me was the safest place.
Thorns, leaves, and rose designs surrounded the map tattoo, making the entire composition intricate.
No one knew the meaning of the artwork but me.
As we turned and avoided hidden traps, more explosions erupted in the distance, and fire lit up the night.
“Yes!” the boys cheered quietly, probably imagining Hawthorne and his men dead, the awful room that stored the dead bodies, or the refrigerator that held the chemicals to protect and preserve the organs. All gone.
Another boom shook the ground as fire blazed into the night. Terrifying screams echoed on and on, creating satisfying music to my ears. The guards at the main gate were probably dead now. I prayed Razor had escaped safely.
When we exited the maze, I threw several bombs into the tangle behind us, waiting for the remote activation from my controller.
“Can I throw one?” Godfrey asked.
“No, you’re too young.”
“They made us harvest organs from dead bodies,” said Timber. “Throwing a bomb is way less scary than that.”
“Please?” begged Hudson. “Victor’s a monster. That maze represents him. I want to hurt him however I can.”
I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing or not, but I gave them each a bomb, all remotely controlled just like the others.
With emotion gleaming in their eyes, the boys threw out the bombs.
I pointed to the controller in my hand, hopefully giving them the power they needed to move on from this moment. “Press this button.”
Then we ran for our lives.