Unplugged: The Hidden World (#2, Unplugged Trilogy)

Chapter Twenty Four

Enna

After Josh caught me up, he had fallen asleep right against the side of his cage. I wish my mind would shut down like that. Instead, Josh's words swirl around my memory annoyingly, causing anger to soar through my veins: "I'm so sorry, Enna. They knew you'd come for me, for all of us. My father told them so. He's working with them, somewhere in the labs. At first I thought he might try to save me, that he was a prisoner just like us, but all he did was save himself." That lying, two-faced, evil, cowardly... I force myself to calm down and forget about Sam for the time being. I'll deal with him later. For now, I'm just relieved that Josh is alive and as okay as he can possibly be. You know, considering him being trapped underground in a cage. He kept tripping over himself trying to apologize to me, but I simply wouldn't accept his apologies. He did nothing wrong. It was I that should have saved him, should have sent him along to leave me behind in the first place. But playing "who to blame" is beneath the scope of our situation at the moment.

Gale groans in her sleep next to me, and I situate myself so I sit up, hunched over, instead of lying on my back, facing the empty cages stacked above me. In the dull fluorescent light I can barely make out the lock that holds my cage door shut. There is no key hole, only a ten-digit number code. Thousands of possibilities. Possibly several hours to crack it. Maybe--just maybe--I can figure out the right code and find a way to help everyone escape. The voice from my dreams echoes in my mind: You alone hold the key. Taking a deep breath, I force my hand through the thin bars of the cage. Instantly, a searing hot pain rips through my skin and I let out a scream that mixes with the groans and moans of the other prisoners. I feel sticky, warm blood start to run down my arm. The bars must have tiny blades along them to discourage escape. Of course. Gritting my teeth, I pull my forearm back through the bars, cradling it against my worn t-shirt. My blood drips onto the top of the cage below mine, and I hiss air out through my clenched teeth. As if locking us in cages weren't cruel enough. Tears slowly build in my eyes, and, to my horror, I can't stop them from spilling over. I bite my unscathed knuckle to keep from making any sound.

Josh told me that since he'd been here, he had watched Workers fetch Depot members and take them away, one by one. None of them returned. How long will it take until I am snatched away, no doubt murdered? How long will it take until Matthew's true nature as a rebel is unmasked? Suddenly, I hear a deafening slam as the door at the end of the hallway is thrown open. Painful light pours into my eyes, and the nonsensical mutterings of the other prisoners grow louder, more desperate, more urgent. They're pleading. I bite my lip, determined not to beg at the feet of these pieces of scum. Even, rhythmic footsteps grow louder as Workers make their way into the room, dragging new prisoners along behind them. I press my face close against the bars to have a closer look at the proceedings.

And the first piece of scum is... Matthew!? I blink. It's really him, tightly escorting a tall, pale man and a small, black-haired girl. Everything about him reveals his discomfort: the way his eyes dart around emphatically, the tightness of the muscles in his forearms, the stiff way he walks. I'd call out to him if there wasn't a second guard following behind, also guiding two more prisoners. As the guard passes each section of cages, he cruelly shakes some of them or sneers at the unfortunate soul inside. I recognize him from the hotel lobby: Willis. When he reaches my section--the last section of occupied cages--he pays special attention to each of the prisoners. I watch as he taunts people who must be from the Depot. Matthew stands nearby. It looks like he's holding his breath, struggling not to do something drastic. When Willis gets to Josh, he shakes the cage, waking him up. Josh's head slips and he cries out, cutting his ear against a wire blade.

"Hey! Stop it!" I shout, unable to contain my fury. Both Matthew and the guard swing their heads towards me. Willis smiles cruelly, while Matthew turns so pale that I worry he might pass out. I'd hoped he would never have to see me like this.

"So... Enna Price," the Worker mutters, sending chills up my spine. He sets his mustached face directly in front of the cage. I clench and unclench my fists, over and over again. If I could just reach through these bars and grab his neck...

"I see that you've attempted an escape." His eyes narrow meanly, glinting black in the absence of light. I'd almost forgotten about my arm wound, and I look down to see that my hand is drenched in blood. My vision starts going black at the edges. When I look back up, I see Matthew staring at my hand in horror. Willis turns to taunt Gale when Matthew's low voice breaks through the screeching of the prisoners. I can't make out his words.

"What's that, Elliot?" The guard asks dangerously.

"I said," Matthew retorts, "that she needs bandages. Look at her. She'll bleed to death." I hold my breath.

"I'm starting to wonder if you're cut out for this, Elliot," the guard growls, putting his face close to Matthew's. "Starting to grow... soft?" He grabs some of my hair through the bars and pulls. I squint my eyes, biting my tongue so I don't make a sound. The metallic taste of blood spreads throughout my mouth.

"The Master wouldn't want to lose one of his most prized test subjects, would he?" Matthew replies coolly. The other Worker grimaces. I expect him to walk on, but he grudgingly pulls out a roll of gauze from his large front pocket and shoves it-hard--into Matthew's chest. Then he turns and unlocks the door of my cage.

"If you so much as cough weird," he starts angrily, "I will shoot you in the head." The guard holds up his flashgun then moves on to the empty cages, starting to force the four new test subjects into them. Matthew rushes forward, trying not to seem too eager.

"That was close," I whisper, barely moving my mouth. The words slur together and I start to feel lightheaded from the blood loss. "You can't make them doubt you like that."

"It's too late for that now," he whispers tenderly. The brightness in his eyes tells me that he still cares, still believes that everything is going to be okay. That's what hurts most of all. "Enna, what are you doing here?"

"I don't know... I guess they want me for testing." Matthew hurriedly unrolls the gauze and starts wrapping it around my lower arm.

"Oh God, Enna, who did this to you?"

"I did." I laugh mirthlessly. Matthew pulls his eyebrows together but doesn't question me any further. A quick glance informs me that the guard is almost done locking up his new prisoners.

"Matthew? Is that you?" Josh's small voice pierces through my clouded haze. I feel myself starting to grow unconscious.

"Yeah, buddy, it is." Matthew's voice is warm. His hands are warm, too, against my cold ones. I feel him finish wrapping the gauze around my wrists. He bites off the end with his teeth and secures the loose end. "So listen, Enna. I... Enna? Enna?"

"I'm okay, just... going to sleep," I slur, unable to cling to consciousness. The last thing I remember is an angry growl and the slamming of my cage door.

Then a voice bellowing, "Enough is enough!"