Counterfeit ✓

Chapter 33

MILA STARED AT her hands as the documents scattered across the table. As of now, she had no idea how to convince Stephen to show she was on his side. She had already taken a test earlier in the day, but she knew her assignment to involve Oliver and Thomas in punishment was a second test.

Sighing, she paced through the room. She took the first document in her hands and tore it to pieces. Stephen wasn't going to accept it anyway, it was too weak for Oliver and Thomas. Mila realized she had to let the boys suffer. But how could she let her friends suffer?

She plopped down in the seat by the window, took a deep breath, and stood up again. Mila couldn't give them up now, they were counting on her to come up with a plan to escape. Rushing to the table, she sat down on a chair and took the last document she'd been working on. Mila wrote tortures on the side of the paper, hoping it was bad enough for Stephen, but not life-threatening for Oliver and Thomas.

Once she was done, she folded the paper and walked to the door. Before she could open it, the latch lowered, and Mila stepped back. She crossed her arms to show the intruder she wasn't pleased with the unwelcome visit. Even if it was Stephen.

Her mouth dropped open. Elody stood in the tree house. The girl quickly closed the door and stooped. Her hand rubbed under the tabletop, she looked behind the mirror, and also surveyed the bathroom. A few minutes later, she tugged on Mila's arm and showed the microphones she'd found. Mila's hands trembled. She realized Stephen didn't trust her, but this was a sign. Elody turned on the sink faucet.

"Give me the documents," she whispered. "I know how Stephen thinks."

Without hesitation, Mila handed the documents to Elody. She didn't put her finger on whether she trusted her, but it was better than nothing. Mila closed the tap again so that Stephen wouldn't suspect how long the water was running. Elody leaned over the paper and made some adjustments. She pushed it against Mila's chest and opened the tap again.

"He'll like this more. It seems awful. Thomas and Oliver will live."

"Why are you helping me?"

"We'll talk about it later."

Elody closed the tap again, patted Mila on the back, and disappeared from the tree house. Squinting her eyes, Mila bit her lip. Help was in the most unexpected corners. She read the document. Chills ran down her body. Elody had written the most horrific manners, but somehow she knew this was the way to convince Stephen.

She put the document in the center of the table and threw away her other ideas. Mila then took another document, copied Elody's ideas, and folded the original one. No one could find Elody's paper or Stephen would know she'd had someone's help and her fate was sealed.

It took ten minutes for Stephen and Amy to get back to the treehouse. Amy stood by the door, her hand on the butt of her rifle. Stephen grinned and urged Mila to share her ideas. Her throat thickened. Instead of saying it out loud, she handed the document to Stephen. He raised his eyebrow, but read the ideas.

"If someone does something wrong, we can burn Oliver at the stake and let the fire lick his skin. Pull him off the stake in time."

Amy let go of the gun. "Did you find that idea?"

Mila shrugged her shoulders, her stomach turned. "Who else?"

"Why did you open the tap twice?" Amy asked instead of answering Mila's question.

"I was thirsty. The first time was for water, the second time to wash the glass."

Stephen raised his hand. "You have good ideas. Welcome to our team."