Getting Out While You Can

Nothing Went To Plan

I leaned my head back with a sigh, the cold brick stark against my scalp. But the coldness soothed the throb in my mind. If I wasn't worried about the cleanliness of the cell, I probably would have pressed my face against it too. I felt a little claustrophobic in the small cell, but they wanted me to squirm, so I couldn't let them see me squirm. Nothing went to plan.

Absolutely nothing went to plan.

I heard the slam of the doors and I sat up straight, giving off a look of boredom. I kept my eyes focused on the brick wall across from me as footsteps approached but it was hard when my vision swayed. I could almost guarantee that I had a concussion. A man approached the bars. He was obviously Moroi and wore a sharp suit. The briefcase in his hand screamed money, and I noticed three Guardians that lingered beside him.

"Ms. Hathaway?"

"Clearly," I said dryly.

The Moroi smirked and turned to the Guardians behind him. "As Ms. Hathaway's attorney, I am entitled to meet with her in private. Unlock the door and leave."

"We aren't leaving the doors unlocked for a murderer to escape."

"Then lock them after I go in," the Moroi replied with a tone that implied that the Guardian was being an idiot. The Guardians looked at him, but the Moroi glared at them until they unlocked the doors. Once he was inside, he pulled the chair away from the corner and set it down in front of me. I looked at him as the Guardians locked the door and walked away. Neither of us said a word until we heard the exterior doors close. I noticed that one of the Guardians didn't depart, but simply leaned against the wall at ease.

"Don't mind him, he's with me," the Moroi said as he set his briefcase down.

"I do mind. Who are you?"

The man cracked a smirk that was familiar. "Oh, little girl, did you think I wasn't going to find a way in here?"

I furrowed my brows as he slipped a ring off his finger and his appearance changed. No longer was the Moroi I didn't know, but my father instead. I let a sigh and sagged back against the wall.

"Now, I know for a fact that you did not do this."

I nodded and swallowed. "But I planned it." Just not like this.

"Not like this," he said softly. "We'll get you out of here. I promise."

_________________________

Twenty-Four Hours Earlier.

I slide the ring onto my finger and watched my form change. It made me a little taller and made my flaming hair darken to almost black. My face became blurry, almost non-descript. It made my head hurt to look at my reflection too long, so I turned my face away from the mirror.

"It hurts to look at myself," I grumbled at Adrian.

"That's the point," Adrian laughed with a snort. "It's designed to make anyone who looks at you to not look too hard. You won't look familiar at a glance, but looking at you too long will make the viewer uncomfortable.

"So that's all? I just slip it on and it will change my appearance?"

"That's it. I also added a little something-something to help with any darkness that might be lingering," Adrian said with a smile, leaning back in his chair.

I smiled at him and then looked down at the ring in my hands. "You didn't have to do that. Don't work yourself too much."

"He didn't do all of it himself," Sydney said coming into the room and perched herself on the arm of the chair Adrian occupied. "I helped with the brunt of it. Adrian just the finishing touches."