No Escape

Chapter 15

By the time Ellie Maisie got back to her cell, Ariana, Nanette, and Mo were all waiting for her with wide smiles on their faces. They were

partly happy that she was on their side now but also snickering at the fact that she was angrier than ever.
"How'd it go?" Mo asked.
"Terrible," Ellie Maisie sighed, sinking into her bed.
"I can tell from the hand-shaped, red mark on your cheek," Nanette chuckled.
Ellie Maisie touched her face and immediately lowered her hand after realizing how much that slap had actually stung.
"I'm glad you're all enjoying my pain," Ellie Maisie joked, "But how about some moral support here?"
"We're not enjoying your pain," Ariana said calmly.
"Speak for yourself," Mo said.

"Yeah, this is karma," Nanette added.
"I know, I sucked, I'm sorry," Ellie Maisie said apologetically.
"It's not your fault," Nanette said, "They got to you."
"But that's the thing, Nanette," she huffed, "No one ever gets to me. I'm this steel wall, no one has ever weakened me in any way."
"You obviously allow a crapload of affection in, don't ya," Mo said.
"Thank you for that!" Ellie Maisie snapped sarcastically.
"I want to help you guys, for real. I want to do something to get rid of this horrible man," she whispered.

"Now we're talking!" Nanette exclaimed.
"I'm glad you feel that way," Ariana smiled.
Before they could get any further with their conversation they were interrupted by Dominic.
"Dominic?" Ellie Maisie asked, "Is it nighttime already?"
"Yeah, that's why I'm here," he explained, "Why are you still here? You didn't leave?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Ellie Maisie complained, "I've had a long day, and I have a lot of stuff to do, we all do."
"Okay, I just thought I could help you with your plan to overthrow Keres' government," Dominic said.

"What?" they all yelled.
"It's pretty obvious, and I want to help," Dominic explained.
"Does Keres know anything?" Ariana asked.
"No, he's an idiot. He doesn't understand women at all"
"Oh, and you do?" Nanette spat.
"Well, I was raised by two of them, so yes, a little bit."
"You are so complicated. You had two moms and yet you're standing there working for this terrible organization?" Ellie Maisie sighed.
"That I am not willing to discuss," Dominic stated, "This, however, I can help. I'm closer to Keres than any of you. I can communicate with

anyone." He pulled out a black cellphone.
"How do we know you're not recording that for Keres so that every time we have a call, he listens?" Nanette asked.
"Because I'm technically not supposed to have a phone," he muttered, "Just let me help. I'm in as much danger as you."
"It's always that last line," Nanette scoffed, "You will never be in as much danger as us you ignorant, privileged-"
"Nanette! Just let him help," Mo pleaded. Nanette looked at Ariana and Ellie Maisie, and then back at Mo.
"Alright fine," she sighed, "This better not backfire?"

"It won't, I promise," Dominic said.
Mo, Nanette, and Ariana resumed their conversation, completely ignoring Dominic, but Ellie Maisie approached him.
"Hey," she called.
"Hi," he said.
"Can I ask for a favor?"
"Sure."
A couple of minutes later, Ellie Maisie was hidden in a small corner outside her cell with Dominic making sure no one was looking at her as she fumbled through Dominic's phone.
"What are you doing," he asked.
"I just need to make a call," she said as she typed in her brother's number and held the phone up to her

ear. The phone rang for a while until the other end picked up.
"60 seconds before they start listening to the call," Dominic warned.
"Hello?" Ellie Maisie said.
"El!" Harry exclaimed, "I can't believe we're talking. Where are you?"
"I don't know," she chuckled, "But listen I don't have a lot of time, I just need you to contact Laurel Douglas, you know, the old vice president."
"Why?" he asked.
"5 seconds," Dominic said.
"I can't tell you, love you, bye!" Ellie Maisie yelled and hung up. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Dominic asked.
"I just wish I had more time to speak to my brother," she sobbed, handing him his phone back.
He grabbed it and put it back in his pocket.
"You'll be out of here soon enough, and then you'll be able to see him again," Dominic reassured her.
"Thanks, but every day that is getting objectively less true," she sighed.
"I promise you you're gonna see him again. You're gonna see all your family, and hopefully, I will too."
"Hopefully. Hey, and thank you for wanting to help. It's nice to see men helping."

"Yeah, well I mean this isn't just a women's issue. It's a human issue, right? We're all affected by it. Some way more than others, but we all have to help."
"That's a great way to put it."
She waved goodbye to him and went back to her cell since she needed to fall asleep.
She ran back to her cell and slammed the barred door shut. She flinched at the sudden sound of the door closing and looked over to Ariana, but she remained sleeping. She climbed up as noiselessly as possible and curled up on her bed, resting her head below the wooden board. She looked up to see Nanette standing in her cell, resting her fingers on the bars, and looking right at her.

"Hi," she whispered.
"Hi," Ellie Maisie said, sitting up straight on her bed and then slouching her shoulders.
"Are you okay? Where were you?"
"I uh, needed to make a call"
"Did anyone see you?"
"No, just Dominic." Ellie Maisie said.
"Can I ask you a bit of an awkward question?"
"Depends. What?"
"Are you involved with Dominic? You know, romantically?"
"God no!" she yelled, "Never, why would you say that?"
"Just a question, it doesn't matter"

"Can I ask you a bit of an awkward question too?"
"Sure"
"Are you involved with Mo? You know, romantically?"
"Yeah, why?"
"No reason, just think you guys are cute together."
Ellie Maisie and Nanette both grinned, and for a second, both their troubles seemed to vanish off into the distance.