Counterfeit ✓

Chapter 50

WITHIN SECONDS AFTER shooting Oliver, Mila woke up in the lab where not a single person noticed she was awake. She bit her lip as she gazed around and attempted to find Oliver-right now, she couldn't let him down.

Once she caught sight of him, she put her index finger in front of her lip. Oliver's eyes narrowed. She pointed at the side of her head, pulled the patch from her head, and showed how he had to repeat her actions. After five minutes, Oliver worked it out.

Mila shifted from one foot to the other. She now had to speak to see if she could have a conversation with Oliver-she knew speaking was a big risk and could ruin every single plan she had created.

With one breath in, Mila opened her mouth and closed it again seconds later. She scratched the back of her neck as she stared at Oliver, who shook his head in frustration. Finally, Mila folded her arms over her chest.

"Do you hear me?" she asked.

Oliver nodded. "What's happening?"

Mila stared around the lab-no single soul responded to his words. She sucked on the inside of her cheek while her gaze rested on the screen in front of her. Oliver's information still looked normal.

Mila gazed back at him-Oliver looked desperate because of all the information that flooded inside. Mila reached into her pockets, cleared her throat, and stared back at the boy she once trusted with her heart and soul. She did not know how to approach him. She could imagine how betrayed he felt after the shot to the head.

"You'll remember it," Mila said. "The forest doesn't exist. We are living in a simulation. This lab is playing with us."

"How are you so sure about it?"

With a suppressed smile, Mila pointed at the information board containing Oliver's details. He followed her finger with his gaze. His mouth was half open once he discovered the information. Meanwhile, Mila's shoulders relaxed. She pressed against the back of the glass tube, her breathing quickened as she monitored Oliver's response.

For a few seconds, he closed his eyes. Oliver then opened them again, took a deep breath, and stared at Mila. "Unbelievable."

"They're using us as puppets. We can only escape if we work together."

"How?"

Mila smiled-she was one step closer to the truth and had convinced Oliver she made a point. Mila shrugged-she did not know how on earth they could escape from this hell. The only thing that worked was to kill everyone, but that was simply not possible without committing mass murder. The burden on Mila's shoulders only grew.

"I see it worked out, anyway."

Without thinking, she immediately looked at the glass tube where Stephen was. She bit her lip and observed Oliver's reaction. His head turned bright red. With a sigh, Mila shoved her hands into her pockets and squeezed her eyes for a few seconds. After that, she watched Oliver and Stephen again.

"We can't kill everyone." Mila stared at the ground. "People should know what happens when they pick this choice."

Stephen suppressed a laugh. "Just thinking is not part of the possibilities. This game lasts long enough now. There's no end to it."

"My people can choose when they want to escape. I'm not killing them."

With his eyes rolling, Stephen shook his head. "I'll see you in the real world."

"Wait!"

A minute later, Stephen opened his eyes again. He suppressed a sigh. Mila, however, smiled when their enemy hadn't left the lab yet-as much as she hated the fact, she needed him to survive the cruel world.