CHAPTER 17 

He assumed a stiff posture, crossing his hands over his chest and sitting back in his chair as if in a defensive position. 

"I asked you a question," he snapped. 

I wilted in my seat, paying languid attention to his demands. Of course, I needed to think of a plan, and it was imperative for me to remain calm while doing so. Whatever I came up with had to be believable. In the meantime, I couldn't afford to let him think that I was the least bit nervous. 

He came at me again, this time with an even sharper tone and heavily furrowed brows. "Answer me!" he plunged down on the table with both hands. 

I finally responded, "No can do." 

"Why not...?" 

I smiled and looked up from my bowl, smirking at him as if this was a game and I was only toying with him. "Because if I do... I would have to kill you." 

I threw him for a loop, and his jaw dropped open in surprise. He slammed down on the table again with both hands. The spoon vibrated against the bowl, and my hand jiggled against the table's surface. Only a few inmates close by bothered to inconspicuously look back; others were afraid to, while some pretended not to care. 

Maybe they weren't pretending... 

He rose up from his seat and walked away from the table. 

Shortly after, the alarm went off, signaling that it was time to get to work. I knew I was in a pickle, and sooner rather than later, I would have to deal with this problem before it got out of hand. But there was no way I could tell that brat the truth. 

There has to be another way... 

I spent the entire time at work going up and down the steps, calibrating the difference between the paces of my steps and how long it took to get from one floor to the next. I had an idea of how to bypass the detectors, but the plan just wasn't coming together. I still had no idea how to open the lock to the shipment room and countless other small details, and now this! 

Soon enough, I started thinking of my last conversation with Alaya, and then it finally came to me. 

It was lunchtime, and Alex had already found a seat near the back end of the room. 

Jesus Christ, kid! At least pretend like everything's okay. 

Alex wore his emotions on his sleeves, so his puckered forehead and irked expression were like a banner hoisted above his head and held in place by metal bars. I refused a plate and headed towards his table. As I approached, his rancor towards me grew even stronger and went straight to the tipping point the moment I sat down. He looked at me with contempt, and I ignored him. 

"Meet me outside in 7 minutes." 

"What?" he asked in confusion. 

"You want your answer, don't you?" I baited him. "Meet me in Recreation Area 1 in 7 minutes." 

Then I got up and walked away. When I arrived at RAS 1, I sat down with my elbows rested on the edge of the table, rubbing my hands together, and waited because I knew he would come. When he arrived, he sat down in front of me without saying a word. 

The breeze whistled for a few minutes as we sat in complete silence, engaging in the most epic staring contest of the century. Finally, I took a drink from my cup to quench my thirst and revitalize my parched lips. 

"Alex... I'm a spy." 

PRESENT 

That was only two days ago, but somehow it feels like more. The door opened, and two individuals wearing masks walked into the room. My position made it difficult to see their entire figures, but they were clearly male. 

I was met with a sudden onset of discomfort as the heavy feeling in my stomach, brewed from anxiety, turned to anger and confusion as both men removed their masks to reveal their identities as the Briston twins!