Madison nodded curtly, walking ahead to meet Roy.
"Madison, I want to discuss something," Roy said, his voice dropping. "It's about Allen and Ethan."
Madison gestured for him to continue, her expression unreadable.
"We all know Allen is your most trusted guard," Roy continued, "but that Ethan... something doesn't feel right about him."
Suddenly, Ethan's earlier warning flashed through Madison's mind: "...traitor." She looked at Roy, her pulse quickening. Who could the traitor be? she wondered.
"...Madison? What do you think?" Roy asked, breaking her train of thought.
"Do what you think is better," she replied simply, keeping her cards close to her chest.
Roy nodded. Madison turned and walked away, her mind racing. How can we find the traitor? Is it a teacher or a student? As she approached the house, she spotted Ethan entering. She narrowed her eyes, watching his every move.
The night passed in an uneasy peace. The girls occupied the upper floor while the boys stayed below, surviving on the supplies they had brought for themselves.
The next morning, Ethan stepped outside. He took a deep breath, looking up at the clear, bright sky.
"Ethan."
He turned to see Madison emerging from the edge of the woods. He remained calm, his face a mask of indifference.
"Regarding the traitor," Madison said, stopping a few feet away. "I went to see Mr. Henry."
Ethan nodded, waiting.
"I asked him to help us investigate," she said. "He agreed. He's going to look into the teachers."
Ethan gave a silent nod and turned to leave. He had only taken a few steps when Madison called out again.
"Ethan!"
He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder.
"Your mother," Ethan said, his voice low. "She—"
The safehouse door creaked open before he could finish. Roy stepped out, waving them over. "Ethan, Madison! Come here for a second."
Madison clenched her fists in frustration, but Ethan quickly finished his sentence . "Your mother... she was with me in Russia, I met her there. I didn't knew she was your mother, but at the hospital visit with Daisy, your grandfather told me the truth."
"In Russia? What was she doing there?" Madison pressed.
"I'll tell you more another time," Ethan said as they headed inside.
Inside, the students were huddled in small groups, whispering. Roy stood at the center of the room, commanding attention.
"Everyone, listen up!" Roy shouted. The room went silent. "We're going on a joint hunt. We need to gather food to pass the time. Everyone is going."
The twenty-five students began to divide themselves. Madison, Ethan, Allen, and Finn formed a group. But just as they reached the door, Enzo's voice rang out.
"Wait."
The rest of the students had already cleared out, leaving only Roy, Enzo, and Ethan's team. Ethan looked at Finn. "You go ahead. We'll catch up." Finn nodded and disappeared outside.
Roy's friendly mask slipped, replaced by a cold smile. Ethan and Allen immediately shifted into defensive stances. Roy took a slow step forward, his eyes locked on Ethan.
"Aren't you worried about your sister?" Roy asked.
Ethan's voice was like ice. "So, you're the traitor."
Madison's hands shook with rage. "Why, Roy?"
"Because I said so," Roy sneered.
The safehouse door was kicked open. Enzo marched in, followed by twenty of the men Ethan had seen near the cave. Where are the others? Ethan thought, scanning the room.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, 'School Queen'?" Enzo mocked.
"You'll pay for this," Allen growled, stepping in front of Madison.
Enzo laughed. "A dog shouldn't bark in the presence of its master, Allen."
"Don't talk to him like that," Madison snapped. "He's family. You're the only dog here, Enzo."
Enzo's eyes widened, then crinkled with amusement. "So, the Queen has a temper? That's a first for me. Anyway, do you have any last words?" He flashed a devilish smile, his gaze landing on Ethan. "You're that girl's brother, aren't you? The one currently at Olivia's mercy?"
Ethan remained unnervingly still.
"You shouldn't be here," Enzo whispered, his smile widening. "You should be worried about your sister."
Ethan's eyes finally widened. The realization hit like a physical blow.
"Kill them," Enzo commanded.
The men lunged. Ethan didn't hesitate, meeting the first attacker with a bone-shattering punch that slammed the man into the floor.
Elsewhere...
Daisy and Sophia crouched in the thick brush, their breathing shallow. Nearby, they could hear the crunch of boots on dry leaves. Olivia's voice drifted through the trees, sing-song and taunting.
"Where are you, my dear Daisy?"
The girls trembled, clutching each other in the shadows. Suddenly, two massive hands reached into the bushes, grabbing them both by the hair. With a grunt of effort, a large man hauled them out and threw them onto the dirt.
Daisy looked up, paralyzed with fear.
"Oh, here they are," Olivia said, stepping into the clearing with a wicked grin.