MasukAmber POVThe hurricane reached the island fifteen minutes later.At first, it sounded like distant thunder.Then the entire mountain began to shake.The wind howled through the tunnels like some ancient creature trapped beneath the earth, slamming against the cave entrance with enough force to make the walls tremble.Oliver jumped awake at the first deafening gust.Several of the women instinctively covered their ears.Nobody said a word.Nobody complained.The safe house was cold, damp, and uncomfortably crowded. Blankets covered the floor, soldiers slept sitting against the walls, and the air smelled of wet clothes and exhaustion.Still, nobody dared complain.Because outside, nature itself was tearing the island apart.The first night was the worst.The second was simply endless.And by the third day, we had all stopped asking when it would end.Communication with Mr. Stait became sporadic.Sometimes we managed to talk for ten minutes.Sometimes only for thirty seconds.The signal
Amber POVNobody stepped into the hidden rooms.Not yet.Considering everything we had discovered on the island—the tunnels, the hidden women, the command centers, and the fact that people had apparently been hunted there for years—blindly entering an underground bunker seemed like a terrible idea.Jason was the first one to voice it."Before anyone goes in, we need to make sure there aren't any cameras."Franklin immediately nodded."Or microphones."Maurice, one of Cloud Country's guides, stood up from the corner where he had been studying the cave map."I'll help."Jasmine stretched on one of the chairs."You three have fun with your spy movie."Jason ignored her and grabbed a flashlight."Nobody enters until we're done."For the next twenty minutes, the three of them inspected every wall, every vent, and every light fixture.At first, they found nothing.Then Franklin suddenly cursed."Found one."Everyone crowded around him.Hidden behind a ventilation grate was a small black cam
Amber POVThe cave became strangely quiet after Noah, Jasmine, Héctor, and Daniel disappeared into the darkness.Nobody liked the idea of splitting up again, but letting those three soldiers continue roaming around the mountain was even worse.For the next hour, everyone tried to keep busy.Some soldiers inventoried ammunition, others checked the medical supplies, while Jason and I spread the island map across one of the tables."We have food for several days," Daniel had calculated before leaving. "Water isn't a problem either.""The hurricane is," Franklin muttered.He wasn't wrong.Outside, the wind had already started to whistle through the mountain paths, carrying the unmistakable smell of rain."We need to cover the entrance," one of the Lakeview soldiers said.I nodded. "If the storm gets worse, the cave will flood with wind and debris."Emory crouched beside several metal crates stacked against the wall."Maybe whoever built this place prepared for hurricanes."Jason looked ar
Amber POVThe scream echoed through the mountain a second time.Every conversation inside the cave died instantly.One of the guards was already halfway to the entrance when Jason grabbed his arm and pulled him back."Don't."The man frowned. "Someone could be hurt."Jason shook his head, lowering his voice."That's the oldest hunting trick in the book."The guard blinked."What?"Jason pointed toward the darkness outside."If you're hunting prey, you don't go looking for it. You make the prey come to you."The cave fell silent. I crossed my arms and nodded."He's right."Everyone looked at me."It's a classic kidnapping tactic. Serial killers have used it for decades."Franklin looked horrified. "You know way too much about serial killers."I ignored him."They pretend to need help. A broken car. An injury. Someone crying in the woods. People naturally want to help."Daniel slowly nodded."And when the victim approaches...""They've already lost."The guard stepped away from the ent
Amber POVNobody spoke for what felt like an eternity.Oliver was still clutching his blanket, looking at Alexander as if he were a complete stranger.Because, in many ways, he was.Alexander took a deep breath and sat down on the opposite side of the cave, as far away from the boy as possible."Start talking," I said.For once, he didn't make a sarcastic remark.For once, he looked tired.Not physically tired.Broken.He stared at the floor for several seconds before finally speaking."The old man has been blackmailing me for six months."That immediately got everyone's attention.Jason crossed his arms."Blackmailing you with what?"Alexander laughed bitterly."With my family."The cave fell silent."He asked for money. Ridiculous amounts of money. Every month, the price increased.""Why didn't you go to the authorities?" Franklin asked.Alexander looked at him as if he had asked the stupidest question imaginable."Because every time I refused, another member of my family disappeare
Amber POVThe cave had become a small city.Soldiers sat against the walls, medics treated cuts and bruises, and people from countries that had been competing against each other less than twenty-four hours earlier were now sharing water bottles and emergency blankets.At some point, the competition had ceased to exist.Survival had become the only objective.I stood in front of the map, trying to keep track of everyone."Status report," Jason said, kneeling beside me.I nodded and looked at my notes."Starlite has two teams accounted for. Three, if Alexander's team makes it back."Jasmine let out a tired whistle."That's better than I expected."I continued."Sum has all four teams."Franklin raised a hand from the back of the cave."Miraculously.""Snake City has three teams."One of the Snake City soldiers nodded."Cloud City has two."A woman in a blue uniform lifted her hand."Lake View has all four teams."That caused several people to sigh in relief."And River City..." I looked
It did not take long for Victoria to fabricate a lie, but the explosion didn’t come from the board.It came from a live broadcast.Victoria stood behind a polished podium, composed as ever. Cameras flashed. Reporters leaned forward.“I did not intend to involve myself publicly,” she began, voice s
They called her in. No delay. No warning. The door opened ten minutes later. Amelie walked in looking immaculate — refreshed, polished, perfectly styled. Not a trace of nerves in her posture. At least not until her eyes landed on me. For a fraction of a second, the color drained from her face
I didn’t cry. I didn’t shake. I didn’t look back, or mourned the life and the years i will never get back, lost forever. I just went home, time to pack and say goodbye to my old life. The penthouse doors opened with biometric recognition the moment I stepped inside. Floor-to-ceiling glass. Marb
We moved quickly through the hallway. Adrian walked behind me, gun raised, covering the corridor while I forced Henry Watson forward. The mansion was quieter than expected. Too quiet. Which meant either the guards were regrouping… or Jason was already on his way. I glanced over my shoulder.







