door sealed shut, leaving Grace alone in the barren room.
“Screw you, you pompous asshole!” Grace yelled at the door, knowing Faraday couldn’t hear, but relieved to get it off her chest.
A tiny red light above the door flashed on. She wanted to flip off the camera, but stopped herself. Better not to add anything else to the list of offenses. She sat on the cold floor and stared at the walls, multiple red lights now dotting the room. They were monitoring her at 360 degrees, leaving zero privacy.
She got up and stepped inside the small bathroom and tried to close the door, but it wouldn’t shut. A giant mirror covered one of the walls—definitely a two-way.
“Really?”
She switched off the light, but a backup light came on. Her temper shot up a few degrees, but she had to stay calm and conserve energy. The marble tub looked a lot more comfortable than the floor. She unraveled a massive wad of toilet paper to use as a pillow, tossed it into the tub, and climbed inside. Resting her head against the soft paper, she closed her eyes. Everything was too quiet. She was used to the orchestra of crickets and frogs, the rustling pines, and the delicate cadence of Christian’s breathing. She pictured his rosy cheeks and long eyelashes.
“Goodnight, little guy,” she whispered.
By now, his health had probably returned. Nurse Ruth had a big mouth, but Grace trusted she’d keep him safe from Faraday. She fell into an uncomfortable sleep, clinging to that one strand of hope.
*
In the morning, Grace woke up to tingling pain in her fingers. The metal bands wore grooves in her skin, turning them ashen gray, and her fingertips swelled like a dead carp. She sat up in the hard marble tub and stretched. Her legs wobbled under her weight so she had to steady herself. She went into the main room and waited in the silence, contemplating her case. The door slid open and two women in white jumpsuits entered.
“We’re here to assist you.” Her voice was as tight as the bun holding back her dark plastered hair. “I’m Miss Adams and this is Miss Parker.” She motioned to the perfectly proportioned woman with a short blonde bob. “I’m going to remove the bands, so we can take off that filthy clothing and give you a scrub down.” The sturdy woman grinned, showing off her dull crooked teeth. No way had she come from any of the city centers. She was an Outsider turned Insider.
“Yeah, sure.” Grace held out her hands.
“But before I do that, I’d like to warn you that Miss Parker has a powerful stun device that will knock you into tomorrow. I highly recommend that you fully cooperate.”
Grace glanced over to Miss Parker. The woman’s high cheekbones and flawlessly gleaming skin screamed Insider. Blondie held up the silver wand and winked her twinkling blue eyes. Grace felt the urge to kick her in the gut, take that wand, and …
“Do you understand, Miss Strader?” Miss Adams straightened her broad shoulders.
Grace considered escaping. She had been trained in combat and could impair both women. She might be able to drag the lighter Miss Parker over to the access panel and use her internal chip to open the door. But even if she did get out of the room and past the guards, which is statistically doubtful, someone would track her down. Besides, what good would escaping do?
“You wouldn’t get far. Guards would be on you before you made it into the hallway.” Miss Parker winked.
Miss Adams placed her hands on her thick hips. “Whaddya say? Think you can behave?”
“Of course. I’m not here to cause trouble.” Grace held out her sore, raw wrists. Miss Adams released the device and slipped it into her side pocket.
Grace reluctantly removed her boots and pants, and pulled the ratty sweater over her head. The pile of clothes looked criminal against the pristine floors. In her bra and underwear, she followed the women into the bathroom. Miss Adams turned on the water. Meanwhile, Miss Parker kept the wand in
“Screw you, you pompous asshole!” Grace yelled at the door, knowing Faraday couldn’t hear, but relieved to get it off her chest.
A tiny red light above the door flashed on. She wanted to flip off the camera, but stopped herself. Better not to add anything else to the list of offenses. She sat on the cold floor and stared at the walls, multiple red lights now dotting the room. They were monitoring her at 360 degrees, leaving zero privacy.
She got up and stepped inside the small bathroom and tried to close the door, but it wouldn’t shut. A giant mirror covered one of the walls—definitely a two-way.
“Really?”
She switched off the light, but a backup light came on. Her temper shot up a few degrees, but she had to stay calm and conserve energy. The marble tub looked a lot more comfortable than the floor. She unraveled a massive wad of toilet paper to use as a pillow, tossed it into the tub, and climbed inside. Resting her head against the soft paper, she closed her eyes. Everything was too quiet. She was used to the orchestra of crickets and frogs, the rustling pines, and the delicate cadence of Christian’s breathing. She pictured his rosy cheeks and long eyelashes.
“Goodnight, little guy,” she whispered.
By now, his health had probably returned. Nurse Ruth had a big mouth, but Grace trusted she’d keep him safe from Faraday. She fell into an uncomfortable sleep, clinging to that one strand of hope.
*
In the morning, Grace woke up to tingling pain in her fingers. The metal bands wore grooves in her skin, turning them ashen gray, and her fingertips swelled like a dead carp. She sat up in the hard marble tub and stretched. Her legs wobbled under her weight so she had to steady herself. She went into the main room and waited in the silence, contemplating her case. The door slid open and two women in white jumpsuits entered.
“We’re here to assist you.” Her voice was as tight as the bun holding back her dark plastered hair. “I’m Miss Adams and this is Miss Parker.” She motioned to the perfectly proportioned woman with a short blonde bob. “I’m going to remove the bands, so we can take off that filthy clothing and give you a scrub down.” The sturdy woman grinned, showing off her dull crooked teeth. No way had she come from any of the city centers. She was an Outsider turned Insider.
“Yeah, sure.” Grace held out her hands.
“But before I do that, I’d like to warn you that Miss Parker has a powerful stun device that will knock you into tomorrow. I highly recommend that you fully cooperate.”
Grace glanced over to Miss Parker. The woman’s high cheekbones and flawlessly gleaming skin screamed Insider. Blondie held up the silver wand and winked her twinkling blue eyes. Grace felt the urge to kick her in the gut, take that wand, and …
“Do you understand, Miss Strader?” Miss Adams straightened her broad shoulders.
Grace considered escaping. She had been trained in combat and could impair both women. She might be able to drag the lighter Miss Parker over to the access panel and use her internal chip to open the door. But even if she did get out of the room and past the guards, which is statistically doubtful, someone would track her down. Besides, what good would escaping do?
“You wouldn’t get far. Guards would be on you before you made it into the hallway.” Miss Parker winked.
Miss Adams placed her hands on her thick hips. “Whaddya say? Think you can behave?”
“Of course. I’m not here to cause trouble.” Grace held out her sore, raw wrists. Miss Adams released the device and slipped it into her side pocket.
Grace reluctantly removed her boots and pants, and pulled the ratty sweater over her head. The pile of clothes looked criminal against the pristine floors. In her bra and underwear, she followed the women into the bathroom. Miss Adams turned on the water. Meanwhile, Miss Parker kept the wand in
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