I stare at him, the question taking me completely off guard. “It’s the only one? Really?”
He nods.
“I had no idea this was the only area where Radiasure was produced—I can promise you that. I’m sure my mother and brother didn’t know either. Our only goal was to get out of the syndicate.”
He has to know I’m telling the truth, and yet he doesn’t seem to care. “Maybe you believe that, but I can sense you have what I’m after.”
I can’t open my mouth. Nothing I say will prove me guilt-free on that account.
“You’re not as innocent as you act, and you will be telling me what you know one way or another. Guards!”
The door opens, and two soldiers come in. “Yes, sir?”
“Let the Mitchell boy go.” He looks at me, his smile turning sinister. “We have everything we need right here.”
Chapter 17
This is what I wanted, I tell myself over and over as the days pass in lonely silence. The rest of Saturday, all of Sunday, and now the last bell has rung Monday afternoon while I’ve been in this makeshift prison cell. They’ve only given me water, since after I got Brady out I’ve refused to talk. My stomach groans against my will, revealing my weakness when nothing else can.
“Hungry?” my guard asks. He’s the same one I saw at the waterfall, with nasty spikes on his knuckles and forearms. His tag tells me his surname is Tagawa, and that’s all I know about him.
“Nope.”
“Sure…” He laughs to himself. “Think you’re so tough.”
Even though I’m tempted to argue with Tagawa, I restrain myself. It’ll show Major Norton I’m craving human interaction. No one has come to see me—I assume because they aren’t allowed to. I wonder what they’re doing, how worried my mom is, if Seth is killing his head watching me.
I have to admit I didn’t think it would take them this long to get me out. At night when Tagawa starts to doze, I strain to hear if Mom’s out there unlocking doors with her mind. She could do it easily enough, but after The Phantom’s threat to do worse to me than the Army maybe she’s scared. If the military is already giving us so much crap, we can’t afford to officially break our deal with Juan’s syndicate.
Time slugs along. Major Norton brings me dinner as usual. It’s a big, greasy pizza that I want to stuff my face with more than anything. “I’d really like to let you eat this, but I need your cooperation first.”
“Eat it yourself.” I plug my nose so I don’t have to smell all that cheese and meat and fresh, hot bread.
“If you insist.” He pulls up a chair and opens the box. His bites are big and messy, and I turn the other way in disgust. I swear he enjoys this—I’ve never seen someone take such pleasure in someone else’s pain. Not even Graham or my dad. “You know, I was hoping we didn’t have to take this further, but I’m beginning to think you’re stubborn enough to starve yourself to death.”
“Probably.”
He nods, and the fluorescent lights gleam off his bald head. “I know you’ve ‘seen it all’ and talk big, but have you ever been tortured?”
I don’t answer.
“I didn’t think so.” He leans back. “It starts slow, something uncomfortable but not unbearable, just enough to fray the senses and weaken resolve. Then it gets worse, both mentally and physically, until you’ve been violated in every possible way and you’d do anything to make it stop.”
Closing my eyes, I tell myself to breathe slowly, to stay calm, to believe in myself. But I still can’t suppress a shudder.
“I’m only telling you this because step two begins tomorrow, and maybe you’d like to tell me what you know about the formula and the desert before then.” He sets the box on the floor and slides it under the bars. “Don’t want you dying. Yet.”
There’s no way I’m touching that box.
Major Norton clucks his tongue. “You of all people should know integrity died a long time ago.”
“No wonder no one trusts the government anymore.”
“Fight fire with fire, sweetheart.” He eyes Tagawa. “Tell me if she eats.”
“Yes, sir.”
Even though the night grows dark and quiet, I can’t sleep. I hate admitting the Major’s threats got to me, but they did. Torture isn’t something I plan on sticking around for. My mind runs through plans for escape. It’ll be hard, since I’m so weak from not eating.
Tagawa starts snoring, and I roll my eyes. He has fallen asleep every night he’s been on duty. The first day I tried to reach the keys latched to his chest pocket, but he was too far away. Pizza smell fills my nostrils, and I wish Miles was here to unleash a nasty smell that would make me too queasy to eat.
I crawl under my blanket and try to sleep, but my body aches from the hard linoleum floor. As I’m finally dozing off, I swear I feel someone nudge my shoulder.
No, I’m losing it.
Another nudge.
I pull the blanket down and recoil when I see a figure standing over me. In the darkness, it’s hard to make out who it is. Until I hear the voice. “Someone call for a fairy godmother?”
I scramble to my feet. “You.”
The Phantom snickers. “Had enough yet, Fiona?”
“You really think it’s funny, don’t you?” I hiss. “I’ll yell for the guard—he’ll sound the alarm and then the whole Army will be after you.”
“What’s new?” he says. “Besides, if you wake that guy up, how will I help you escape?”
My heart skips a beat. “What?”
“They starved you, no?” He looks me up and down, as if he’ll be able to tell. “If you haven’t eaten, I can make you like me with one touch. No Radiasure necessary, even.”
It’s tempting—there’s no denying that—but I can’t help wondering. “How’d you know they starved me?”
He waves his hand dismissively. “Standard procedure.”
“Yeah right. You have some kind of spy in the Army is my bet.”
“This is not the time to question me, is it? Look, I intended to teach you a lesson about keeping your word, not to permanently imprison you. These idiots were supposed to let you out days ago.” His eyes, dark as they are, still pierce me through the dimness. “If they’re keeping you, it must mean you know things they want to know. Things I want to know.”
I keep my mouth shut though he’ll take the silence as confirmation.
He nods, then holds out his hand. “Let’s go.”
I stay where I am. “Why, so I can give you information in return for getting me out of the place you got me into to begin with?”
“You are what they call savvy.” He smiles, and the kindness in it creeps me out more than anything. The Phantom is beginning to see me as useful, and that is not a trait I want to have. “I only want to get you out so you don’t crack and tell them what you know, but I won’t refuse extra information for myself. As a good faith gesture.”
“Good faith my ass.” I step toward the bars. “Thanks, but I’ll get out myself.”
He tilts his head. “Oh?”
“Yeah, I’m not owing you anything.”
Before I can blink, he swoops in, grabbing my shoulders and pinning me to the bars. The stupid guard doesn’t wake up. I struggle to push him away. “I’ll scr—”
He punches me in the gut, and it knocks the wind out of me. His fist smashes into my face next, and the pain is blinding. For how frail and ghostlike The Phantom appears, he sure can be solid when he wants to. The guard lets out a loud snore, while I’m left speechless.
“Go ahead. Scream.” The Phantom’s face is too close to mine, his breath stale. “Have you ever thought owing someone is better than making unnecessary enemies? I would not make a true enemy out of me, Fiona McClean.”