274 (Complex Series, #4)

Chapter Forty

Piper shares a terrified glance with me. A whimper escapes Christopher’s trembling lips. I’ve always known Ellen was a murder, but to see her easily kill Josh sends shudders down my spine. I swallow the bile creeping up my throat.

 ‘He was too smart of a spy to keep alive long anyway.’ He was helping Ellen the whole time.

It almost makes sense. His hurried typing every time we gave him a new piece of information. He wasn’t attacked by an Official. Josh wasn’t quite as afraid of Ellen as the rest of us were.

We told him nearly everything. That’s why Ellen got here so quickly, how she knew exactly where we were. She had the perfect number of Officials to accomplish what she wanted. She probably knew we had the Tasers too. She must have brought some sort of protection against those as well, killing our only advantage.

Josh ruined our entire attack.

Was he in the same situation as Charlotte? Did he spy only because his life depended on it?

Ellen strides forward again, the Official pushing me after her. I stumble along, each time I falter the knife scratches away skin on my neck. I blink terrified tears out of my ears, forcing myself to continue forward.

I run ideas of escape through my head, but nothing works. Any sudden movements would cause a knife to spear into my throat. If Piper couldn’t outrun the Officials, I doubt that my aching, wobbly legs would have a chance.

I decide to wait until we stop walking and Ellen lets her guard down. Surely Piper must have some type of plan. She always seems to be one step in front of everyone. Is she ahead of Ellen as well?

Ellen finally stops in front of one of the doors. It slides open and reveals four metal chairs placed in a circle. My Official leads me to the nearest chair, pushing me down on to it. He keeps the knife across my throat as he pulls tight straps across my arms, over my lap, and on my ankles. Thankfully, he removes the knife from my throat.

Although it decreases my chances of escape, I’m almost thankful for a chance to sit, resting my aching legs.

The other Officials do the same to Piper and Christopher. Piper resists until the Official slices away some skin on her throat, a blood trickling down, pooling to her collarbone.

Who is the forth seat for? Was it for Josh, Ellen not planning to kill him? Is someone else coming? Is it simply an extra seat that will remain empty?

I get my answer when an Official barges through the door, another prisoner in hand. Her tangled hair hangs in front of her face.

My heart stops when I look closer at the Official. Rather, who I thought was an Official.

Derek Windsor.

I’m in a room with both the Heads. Both the people who’ve controlled me my entire life, decided what I did, what I ate, what I said, how I looked.

Another person enters, this time a real Official. Derek nods to him, “Jonathan, glad you’re here. Tied this scum up with you?”

The girl’s head snaps at the insult. A small cry escapes Piper.

Miranda.

Jonathan grabs Miranda’s arms and forces her to a chair. He roughly pulls the straps over her. Miranda stares at us, most likely wondering how we managed to get ourselves caught. Her brow wrinkles when she sees Christopher as well. Christopher only glares as her.

Piper bites her lip, wanting to say something but too afraid to risk it.

Ellen and Derek stand bickering in the corner.