The first floor is blocked off by another door. I scan the card again and type in the same code, relieved when the door shifts slightly with a click.

The corridor in front of me is dark, though a slither of light spills out from underneath a few of the doors that line it. I make it to the end of the hallway, poking my head around the corner in time to see two guards rounding the other end. I press my body harder into the wall, wishing my heart would stop racing.

"Truck comes in two days," one of the men says. "McKinley will have a coronary if those scratch marks aren't gone by then."

The click of their shoes draw closer and I hold my breath. "We'll find someone to cover them with makeup," a different man says.

"And when it rubs off?"

"It will be the buyer's problem. The voices get quieter as they move into one of the rooms lining the corridor.

My fingers tremble, seeking out the compact mirror tucked away in my pocket. It gives me the courage I need to scoot along the wall as quietly as I can, pressing my key card to the nearest door before stepping inside.

The ceiling light flickers to life. I blink a few times, trying to adjust to the glare. The kitchenette is the first thing I see, followed by the open-plan living room.

To my surprise, I've somehow found myself in my old living complex, or at least one that looks like it. Same oak coffee table, same L shaped sofa with a stack of books beside it–this is the place I'd spent most of my childhood l, and yet it doesn't feel like home; it feels like a place I never knew I was running from.

I move to the bedroom, opening the door before scanning the the room. Disappointment tugs at my stomach when I find the bed untouched. I turn, about to leave when I spot something etched onto the surface of the table. I shift closer, taking in the funny looking A I'd made with a pen when I was thirteen. This is my room, which means the facility complex I'd grown up in was hiding in plain sight all along. I'd always imagined it to be in some far-off location deep within the park–not right in the heart of it.

My bag starts to buzz and I delve inside, pressing the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Are you all right?" Reece asks. He sounds calm, but he's unable to mask the underlying fear in his tone.

"I'm fine," I say, "but I haven't found the Testing facility yet. I'll call you in ten minutes."

"Be careful, Aura. I can't see you on the cameras if you get into any trouble."

"I'll be fine," I repeat. "See you soon."

I hang up and move towards the complex front door. Quietly, I press my ear to the wood for signs of footsteps on the other side. When things remain quiet, I slip back into the shadows, afraid of what I might find in the next room. I have no weapon, nothing to defend myself should it be a guard on the other side. My only saving grace is that I know they won't kill me–I hope.

I swing the door open and something moves slightly, a fleeting figure in the dark. The light takes a few seconds to flicker on, but I see the shadow of a body on the sofa.

I take a step forward, my hand outstretched. "It's all right," I say, finally able to breathe again. "I'm here to get you out, Asia."

She sits up now, her shadow growing bigger like a bird hatching from an egg. She straightens up, pushing back a mass of knotted, blonde hair, and only now can I make out her features.

Not Asia.

Crystal.

Hey guys, this is the last chapter for today! What do you think? Were you surprised? 🧜🏻‍♀️