Counterfeit ✓

Chapter 48

THE BRIGHT FLUORESCENT light made Mila blink as she woke up in the lab. People walked around with lab coats and the leader stood over the map-a grin spread all over his face. Mila turned her head without a single person noticing, she controlled her breathing and searched for clues to figure a way out.

Once she had checked everything, she focused on the leader again. He had stuffed his hands in the lab jacket pocket, nodded, and the person next to him dragged an icon to the map. Mila held her breath-icons weren't ever a good signal. After the icon landed in some unknown area, Mila shut her eyes to avoid being caught. Her heart raced at a fast pace-she could feel the pulse in her neck.

Seconds later, she looked at the lab again. Stephen blinked. Mila frowned. He had closed his eyes again. Did she dream he was awake? He blinked once more. Mila's stomach turned when their gazes met. With a simple nod, he confirmed he was also awake.

Mila opened her mouth, then closed it again-communication wasn't a possibility with the glass tubes separating them. She couldn't make other noise either, or the leader would notice she was awake without his warning signal working.

The leader headed to a whiteboard, took a pen, and noted information Mila didn't understand. He returned to his position and repeated the action of the dragging icon for a second time. He was up to something horrible-Mila had to warn Oliver before it was too late.

She closed her eyes. Her attempt to head back to the forest didn't last long-Stephen coughed. Mika was startled; she couldn't believe she heard him. A glass tube separated them. How could she even hear him? She tilted her head as she faced Stephen opposite the room. He gave her a lopsided smile.

"Crazy how we can communicate, don't you think?" he asked.

Not one person in the room responded to his words. Like they didn't hear him at all. Mila frowned. She just stared at him-afraid to open her mouth. As of now, she didn't want the leader to connect the dots. Mila's stomach turned. She knew she couldn't let Stephen do all the talking.

"What's happening?" her voice trembled. "Why can we talk?"

Stephen shrugged. "I don't know, but I like it."

Mila didn't know whether she liked it-every action could lead to a consequence for the people in the forest, and she didn't want to put them through a difficult time. With a sigh, Mila pointed at the leader. Her lips pressed together.

"We need to beat him."

Stephen nodded. "Right. We need to wake everyone up. He can't defeat us if teenagers overwhelm his lab."

Mila stared at the floor. "Did you know he blackmailed our parents?" she whispered. "He showed a clip on his tablet."

Stephen's gaze lingered on the device that lay on the table in the corner. He cleared his throat, finding Mila's gaze. Mila bit her lip. Every piece of information dazzled her brain-she couldn't process it any longer. Stephen, on the other hand, didn't seem to have a problem.

"Okay. Think. We just communicate here."

"He threatened to kill me if I didn't work along."

"Right." Stephen rolled his eyes. "We will die if we stay in the forest. We need to try everything in our power to escape."

Thomas. His face appeared in front of Mila. For the moment, she hated herself for working together with the enemy. She couldn't even believe she gave Stephen a shot-he disgusted her. Mila clenched her hands into fists.

"I don't trust you."

Stephen sighed. "I've made mistakes."

"Mistakes? You're the one who pulled the trigger. Thomas is gone. He won't return. He confirmed his death."