Project Starfall (Completed)

Chapter 4

Tap. Tap. Tap. Pierce's eyes snapped open. Without making a sound, she pushed back the sheets of her bed and swung her legs over the side. Madigan was asleep in her own bed, fiery hair just visible in the dim light.

A man stood outside her cell. There was a small circle of holes in the glass so that guards and inmates could converse. "Who are you?" Pierce whispered, bringing her face close to the ring of holes.

"Darius. I'm a friend," the man said. "I'm going to get you and the others out of this place."

"You're joking, right?" Pierce had trouble keeping her voice low. "They can hear our conversation right now. If you really are a friend, then you're dead for betraying them."

"No one can hear us," Darius said. The whites of his teeth showed in the dark as his lips parted into a smile. "I'm wearing a device that is currently filling the microphone on your collar with white noise. We can talk freely."

"What about the cameras?" Pierce asked, pointing at one high up on the wall.

"I'm not the only friend you have here," Darius explained. "Right now one of them is managing the security room. After we finish speaking he'll delete the footage. It will be as if our conversation never happened."

"Let's say you're telling the truth about all of this," Pierce said. "How do you plan on getting us out?"

"I need more time to make preparations," Darius said. "But soon."

Pierce realized something. "The file that was delivered to my cell. Was that your doing?"

"I thought you could use the information," Darius answered. "The new hybrids are wild cards. I want you to be able to keep them under control."

"But why?" Pierce asked. "Why are you entrusting this information to me? And who are you working for? Why do you want to help us?"

"We're trusting you because you have the qualities of a leader, Pierce," Darius said. "As for who I'm working for and why we're helping you ... I will explain soon enough." He turned to go. "If you need to talk I'll be manning the knife-throwing stand in the training room."

"Thank you," Pierce whispered as he melted away into the shadows.

"Pierce?" a voice said from behind her. Madigan was sitting up in her bed, eyes wide.

"Shh." Pierce gestured at her collar. With Darius gone the microphones would be working again. "Go back to sleep, Madigan."

"Okay," Madigan said with a voice full of hope. "Goodnight, Pierce."

"Goodnight."