Unforsaken by Sophie Littlefield

men had managed to find her, despite the new identities, despite how careful she had been, then all was lost. The General would have sent teams to the apartment, the preschool, everywhere at once, giving them no time to warn each other.
    But Hailey was something special. She was smart and gifted and brave. And she had the blood running strong in her. She was the most powerful Healer Prairie had ever known, the hope and the future of the Banished.
    Was it possible that Hailey could have escaped?
    When the sun finally slipped under the horizon, leaving an orange glow on the water, the door opened and one of the men from the lab walked into the room. He was still wearing the black jacket he’d had on earlier, but he’d taken off his earpiece.
    He looked around and nodded in approval. Prairie had smoothed the bedcovers neatly; the room looked undisturbed. She stood and faced him silently.
    “We didn’t have time for proper introductions,” he said, extending a hand. He was about her age, handsome in a bland way. “I’m David Graybull. We’ll be working together.”
    Prairie ignored his hand. Working together . Was he serious? “You dragged me out of my office at gunpoint. I’d say that’s all the introduction I need.”
    Graybull’s expression tightened, and he let his hand drop. “You don’t need to make this harder on yourself,” he said, but as he ushered her out of the room, he didn’t try to make further conversation.
    The hall was quiet and thickly carpeted. Graybull pulled a key ring from his pocket and worked at the locks of the next room down. Prairie looked up and down the hall and saw that it was oddly short, with only four doors and a single elevator. Prairie guessed they were on the penthouse floor, one that had been customized at what was no doubt a very high price.
    “After you,” Graybull said with an exaggerated sweep of his arm.
    Inside, the drapes were drawn, and the room—twice the size of an ordinary hotel room—was dim. As Prairie’s eyes adjusted, she saw several beds lined up along the wall and, on the opposite wall, two people working at computers, their faces illuminated by the monitors’ glow. One of them was her other kidnapper, and one was a woman with a mass of curls around her face.
    “Ah, Ms. Tarbell. Welcome. I’m Phil Cutler.” The man rose from his computer.
    “She’s not feeling very friendly,” Graybull said.
    “Really.” Cutler considered her for a moment. “Well, I suppose I might be a little … irritable myself. Maybe it will help to know that the boy is doing well. We just received a report from the lab. He had two chicken nuggets and someapplesauce for dinner. Didn’t think much of the Tater Tots, apparently.”
    “I want to see Chub,” Prairie said quickly, trying to keep the desperation from her voice.
    “All in good time,” Cutler said. “Your niece, on the other hand, managed to … have other plans this afternoon. Most distressing.”
    Prairie bit down on her lip to keep from reacting. So it was true—they didn’t have Hailey. Good girl, she thought, staring at a crack in the curtains, where the evening light filtered through.
    “I’m sure you’re hungry,” Cutler continued. “We’ll find you some dinner in a moment. We’ll do everything we can to keep you comfortable here tonight, and tomorrow we’ll get you acquainted with our setup.”
    “What setup?” Prairie demanded.
    Cutler raised his eyebrow. “Oh, I think you can guess, Prairie. I understand you are a very resourceful woman. Still, our partnership will require your cooperation and … focus. Please. Take a look at our current subjects.”
    He gestured at the beds lining the other side of the room, and Prairie took a closer look. In the dimness, she hadn’t noticed the banks of medical equipment at first, exam lighting and surgical spotlights focused here and there. Two of the three beds were occupied, the motionless figures covered with sheets up to the chin and