Perfectly Scarred

The Unexpected Ally

I'm left standing on the rooftop in absolute shock, while an army of Whistleblowers streams into the compound below. Their red suits are gaudy and warn of danger; it's like they bleed into the courtyard.

They're dressed in their riot gear, with their black helmets and shields. What do they think is going to happen? A shoot-out? And then I realize it's all for the media.

To show the public just how dangerous Roseanne Park is.

It's too late for me to hide anywhere now; I'm completely exposed on the rooftop, all they need to do is look up. I'm surrounded. There's no way of getting down off this roof, not alive anyway.

The Whistleblowers climb the metal fire escape, and the first feeling of panic consumes me. It's over. After all this, it's over. But then a hatch opens in the ground beside me and a head pops up. I leap away and retreat to the corner, thinking it's a Whistleblower.

"Come on!" Louis says impatiently, nervously.

I have one second to judge his honesty. I curse myself for not going with Lisa when I had the chance. She's the only person I trust. I hear the Whistleblowers' boots on the metal stairs. Louis's face is open and honest and I wonder if I will break the first rule again; Lisa said I could trust Louis. I trust Louis. Granddad said don't trust anybody. I trust Granddad. My head spins.

With no other options open to me, I take a leap of faith and hurry toward him. He's standing on a ladder and offers me his hand. I take it and lower myself inside while Louis shuts the hatch quickly and silently above us.

We are in a narrow passage, I'm not sure if it's for ventilation or heating, but the air is tight and it's close. We're crouched down, hunched over.
Louis holds his fingers to his lips to keep me quiet, but he doesn't need to tell me that—I'm terrified, and I know he is, too, from the sound of our short breaths in the tight space.

We hear the Whistleblowers' boots clambering around above us trying to figure out the magic act: How did Roseanne Park disappear?

My heart pounds, and sweat glistens on Louis's brow; I can smell the fear emanating from him.

People I love have surprised me by hurting me, and it's been the people I've least expected who have redeemed and restored my faith. It never ceases to both break my heart and amaze me.

Jisoo could probably have predicted this, she always understood people and situations so much better than I did. If she was watching me from anywhere she'd probably be saying, "Now you're getting it, Rosie!"

The heavy footsteps above us are circling, scurrying around in panic, all order lost, like a trail of ants that have lost their scent. I didn't know the hatch was here until it opened, the outline faint and flush with the surface. I'm hoping they won't see it, but they're Whistleblowers—they're trained to see everything; they don't miss a trick.

"They won't be able to open it from up there," Louis whispers, his hot breath on my neck. "They can't gain access from outside." He points to the panel on the ceiling, which opens with the swipe of a security key card. "But it's only a matter of time until they try to find their way to us from another angle."

The stomping on the hatch ends and we begin to hear pounding on Bahee's door instead. I think of Lisa's parents, Cary, little Ella, and Niki, all huddled inside, thinking they were safe.

You brought this on yourself. I direct Bahee's words back at him angrily.

Bahee, the peace-loving leader. Why didn't I thought of it? Dahee and Bahee, they do sound alike, they are both spawn of satan. If he has orchestrated this search to get rid of me, then it's his fear of change that brought greater change than I ever would have, and will inevitably hurt the people he loves the most.