Jay POV
The rope around my wrists was almost loose.
Almost.
I kept my hands still so the guards wouldn't notice, my fingers slowly twisting against the knot behind my back.
Across the room Kaiser was still watching everyone like a man enjoying a show.
Kaiser Watson
Keifer sat tied to the chair directly across from me, water still dripping from his hair. His eyes never left Kaiser.
Hex stood nearby, jaw slightly bruised from earlier.
The rest of Section E were tied to their chairs too.
Everyone was awake now.
Everyone angry.
And everyone waiting.
Kaiser slowly walked across the room.
"You know," he said casually, "I expected more resistance."
Ci-N snorted.
"What, you want us to clap for your kidnapping skills?"
Felix grinned.
"Honestly the rope work could use improvement."
Yuri added, "Yeah, my grandma ties better knots."
Some of the guards laughed.
Kaiser didn't.
His eyes narrowed.
"Still talking."
Keifer leaned back against the chair as much as the ropes allowed.
"You kidnapped a bunch of teenagers," he said calmly. "Congratulations."
Hex smirked beside him.
"Big villain achievement unlocked."
I almost smiled behind my mask.
They were doing it on purpose.
Distracting him.
Good.
Kaiser's face darkened.
"You think this is funny?"
Felix shrugged.
"A little."
That was it.
Kaiser snapped his fingers.
A guard handed him a long whip.
The leather cracked loudly when he tested it in the air.
CRACK.
The sound echoed through the warehouse.
My stomach tightened.
"Let's see how funny it is now."
CRACK!
The whip lashed across Ci-N's shoulder.
He grunted but didn't scream.
Felix immediately shouted, "Wow! Still weaker than my gym trainer!"
CRACK!
Another strike.
This time Yuri clenched his teeth.
Hex muttered quietly, "He swings like a toddler."
Kaiser's temper was boiling now.
Perfect.
While all eyes focused on them…
Nathan slowly leaned closer to me.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"Plan?"
I nodded slightly.
"Hannah."
Nathan glanced toward her.
She was tied about two chairs away.
I slowly stepped closer while Kaiser kept whipping the boys in frustration.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Each strike echoed in the room.
I bent slightly as if my legs were weak.
A guard shoved me forward.
"Stand still!"
closer to Hannah.
Good enough.
I leaned my head slightly toward her.
"Hannah," I whispered.
Her eyes moved toward me.
"Yes?"
"Try to reach my jacket pocket."
"What?"
"Left pocket."
She blinked.
"Why?"
"Sleeping gas."
Her eyes widened.
"Oh."
"Quietly," I added.
Kaiser cracked the whip again.
Felix shouted dramatically, "Are you done yet?!"
Hannah slowly shifted her body.
Her fingers stretched carefully toward my jacket.
One guard noticed.
"Hey—"
Nathan immediately coughed loudly behind him.
The guard turned.
"What?"
Nathan shrugged.
"Dust."
Meanwhile Hannah's fingers slipped into my pocket.
She felt around.
Then her face lit up slightly.
"I found it."
"Don't release it yet," I whispered.
Across the room Kaiser stopped whipping.
Breathing heavily.
"You boys think you're clever."
Keifer wiped blood from his lip.
"Smarter than you."
Hex added casually, "And better dressed."
Kaiser raised the whip again.
But before he could strike—
I spoke quietly.
"Now."
Hannah pressed the small trigger on the capsule.
PSSSSSSHHHH.
A thin cloud of pale gas exploded into the air.
"What the—?!" one guard shouted.
The gas spread quickly across the room.
Guards started coughing.
"Everyone cover your mouth and nose!" Nathan shouted.
I quickly sealed my mask tighter.
Hex immediately covered his nose with his sleeve.
Keifer kicked the chair backward, snapping the loose rope around his wrists.
The guards stumbled.
One collapsed.
Then another.
Within seconds the room filled with coughing men dropping to the floor.
"Let go!" I shouted.
Nathan cut Hannah's ropes.
Carlos freed Miguel.
Hex rushed to untie the Section E boys.
"Oh thank god."
Ci-N rubbed his shoulder.
"Remind me to break Kaiser's whip later."
Keifer grabbed my arm.
"You okay?"
"I've been worse."
"Let's go," Nathan said.
We rushed toward the exit while the remaining guards collapsed behind us.
The cool night air hit my face when we burst outside.
Everyone ran across the dark yard toward the waiting vehicles.
"Go go go!" Carlos shouted.
Doors slammed.
Engines started.
The Van sped down the long road away from the mansion.
Only when the building disappeared in the distance did everyone finally breathe.
Felix leaned back in his seat.
"Well… that was fun."
Yuri glared at him.
"I almost got whipped to death."
Ci-N sighed.
"Same difference."
I looked around the vehicle.
Nathan.
Carlos.
Miguel.
Hannah.
Keifer.
Yuri.
Felix.
David.
Rory.
Blaster.
Everyone breathing.
Everyone safe.
Then my stomach dropped.
"…Wait."
Keifer looked at me.
"What?"
I counted again.
Once.
Twice.
My chest tightened.
"Where's Hex?"
Silence filled the car.
Hannah turned around slowly.
"…Wasn't he behind us?"
My heart started pounding.
I looked out the back window toward the
distant road we had just escaped from.
"He was," I whispered.
"But he's not here."
The realization hit everyone at the same time.
Hex never made it out.
And that meant only one thing.
He was still inside Kaiser's mansion. ⚡