“I know a place where we can go,” Rhett says, sitting next to me on my bed.

I’m in my room in ISAN. I’m dreaming. “Are you sure? If you’re wrong, then it will be the end for all of us.”

“It doesn’t matter, anyway.” Ozzie plants his hands on my chair. “If we stay, we’re dead. Leaving is our only choice. I’d rather try than go down without a fight.”

What’s he talking about?

Then they disappear. My mind goes blank. And then I’m sprinting with a gun. Ozzie runs ahead of me.

“Stay close to me,” Rhett bellows.

Stay close to me. Stay close to me. Stay close to me.

My eyes shot open to the white ceiling, my breath heavy and emotions flustered from the dream.

What time is it? How long had I been sleeping?

I sat up. Fresh clothes and toiletry items lay at the foot of the bed. Someone must have come in early that morning. I picked up the brush and combed my hair, and then changed into dark pants and a light blue sweatshirt. As I wondered when Rhett would come, the door slid open.

“Hi, Ozzie.” I smiled.

I needed to get on his good side again, just in case I needed information from him. He growled. Or maybe not? He didn’t greet me back.

“I’m here to pick up a few things.”

When I approached, he backed away. “Ozzie, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m really sorry about yesterday. This isn’t who I am.”

Ozzie headed to the medicine cabinet. “I know.”

“It’s just ... I’m so confused. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to act or be around people who think they know me.”

“Just be yourself.” He took out two small bottles and closed his fingers around them. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Is Ozzie your real name?”

He cocked an eyebrow, his blue eyes brighter under the light. “Yes. Why would you ask me that?”

“I thought Rhett’s name was Sniper.”

He closed the cabinet and rotated the silver latch to lock. “It kind of is. Sniper is his nickname. I know you don’t remember, but you gave it to him.”

“Why?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. He’ll gladly show you. You actually gave me one, too.” He shrugged sheepishly.

“Really? What did I call you?” I inched closer.

Ozzie smiled in a way I hadn’t seen before, a warm smile that said I want to show you.

“Let me explain.” He sat in a chair, and his fingers danced over letters. “I’m very good with technology.” He pointed to the screen. “You see that?”

“What is that?”

“It’s a server. It connects all the circuits. I can control it from one unit.” He swiped his fingers over the screen. “We’ve managed to post micro cameras around the perimeter, thanks to Rhett’s aim, and also ...” He paused, swiftly moving his left hand, then right, in a circular and diagonal motion, like some kind of hand dance. “This is the Leviathan Hotel. And this”—he moved them again—“is the ballroom. Like I said, we have micro cameras. I should go to jail for this.”

“You’re a genius.” I wanted to knock myself on my forehead for praising him. What the hell was I saying?

“No, I’m Einstein.”

Had I heard him correctly? My heart thumped in recognition. The word meant something to me. My eyes widened.

He bobbed his head. “That’s my nickname. That’s what you used to call me. You know, ’cause I’m so brilliant.”

Taking a step back, I placed my hand over my chest. “I’m so sorry. I hope I wasn’t ... I mean ... did I mistreat you or was I rude to you?”

Ugh! I wanted to take it back. Asking questions meant I believed their stories about me. But, I reminded myself, I needed to be on his good side.

“No. You were cool.” He shut down the TAB and shoved his hands in his pockets.

I blinked, surprised by his comment. “How did you know I would be at the hotel?”

Ozzie drummed his fingers on the table. “I can’t tell you.”

I pressed my lips together, not accepting his answer. I had to probe for more. Then a thought came to mind.

“You’re good with technology.” I restated what he had said earlier. “You hacked into ISAN’s network. You helped Rhett.” I emphasized a bit louder, putting pieces together from Ozzie’s words. “I know it was you.”

Ozzie covered his ears and squeezed his eyes together at the same time, as if my words hurt him, and then a heartbeat later he sat taller with a broad grin. “I’m glad I did. I would do it all again just so we could find you.”

It was not the answer I had expected. Something warm, yet painful tugged my heart, so I kept my lips sealed.

The door whooshing broke the comfortable silence. Rhett swaggered in with a hint of a smile, avoiding me. Wearing jeans and a gray sweater, bags under his tired eyes, stubble lining his jaw and hair disheveled, he managed to look messily attractive.

“What’s taking you so long?” Rhett asked Ozzie. “You were supposed to bring the bottles and take Ava to breakfast.”

Ozzie scratched the back of his head. “Just showing Ava some cool stuff I did.”

Rhett took the bottles from Ozzie and shoved them inside his back pocket. “Don’t tell her too much.” Rhett’s impassive eyes turned stone cold. “Breakfast is almost over and everyone will be moving out to do their jobs. Let’s go.”

“So, bossy.”

“Yeah, he can be.” Ozzie pushed in his chair.

“Are you two friends now? Ganging up on me?” Rhett’s tone became slightly playful. “Someone has to be bossy. Nothing will get done around here.”

Rhett led the way, and Ozzie and I followed.

“Bossy should’ve been his nickname. Is he always grumpy like this?”

“Only when you’re around.” Ozzie gave me a huge smile, seemingly more comfortable around me.

I thought I heard a soft chuckle from Rhett.

“Wow, that’s so romantic.” I mentally slapped myself for warming up to strangers I shouldn’t trust. But they made it so easy.

* * *

ISAN housed only females, but Rhett’s secret bunker seemed to be mostly males. Brooke would have loved it here. She always complained there wasn’t enough eye candy in ISAN.

Everyone ogled me as I followed Rhett to a table. Avoiding eye contact in the newly quiet room, I lowered into my seat. A tray sat in front of me—an apple and something oatmeal-like. But trying to elude attention didn’t last long. Rhett remained standing.

“Everyone, this is Ava, which you already know,” Rhett announced. “You know the history. Be nice and don’t bombard her with questions. Enjoy your breakfast.”

“Hi, Ava,” voices chorused, and normal chatter rose around me.

I didn’t say a word. Instead, I hunched lower in my seat, wishing I was invisible.

Rhett slid down next to me, picked the apple off his tray, and took a bite. A smudge of oatmeal lingered on his plate.

“What history?” I asked.

“Nothing that concerns you.”

“You always say that.” I grumbled and chomped down hard on my apple.

He took another bite and then lifted his eyelashes when Reyna sat on the other side of us.

“How did she sleep?” Reyna asked Rhett.

When Reyna took a sip of her drink, white liquid foamed around her lips. As she wiped her mouth, I wondered what she drank.

“Fine, I guess. I didn’t get any complaints.”

“Does she remember anything?”

Rhett tilted his head to Ozzie. “Einstein told her a few things. I think they’re friends now. Getting hit in the balls can make you do stupid things.”

Ozzie let out a soft growl. “You never told me not to tell her things.”

While they talked like I wasn’t there, I chewed my apple loudly in annoyance.

Reyna leaned in closer. “We can’t trust her, at least not yet. It’s too early.”

That did it! I banged my hand on the table harder than I meant and winced.

“Hello, I’m right here. Her and she are listening. Not to be trusted? I’m the one who got kidnapped. I didn’t ask to come here. Keep that in mind.” I tossed the apple core on the tray. It bounced off my tray and landed inside Rhett’s empty cup.

“Nice shot. Are you done eating?” Rhett asked.

Without answering, I got up halfway, but he pushed me down. “Eat.” He didn’t raise his voice, but it wasn’t a request. “You’re going to need the energy. We’re going hunting today.”

“How am I supposed to eat this mush? You didn’t give me any utensils to eat it with.” I sounded like a spoiled brat, but he made me angry.

Rhett poured the mush into my empty can. “We’re very low on supplies. Utensils are not of utmost importance to us. I’m sure Einstein already told you that.” He slid the cup. “We learn ways to eat with or without using our fingers. So drink up.”

If hunting—stealing— meant my ticket out of there and a way for me to find an escape, I was all for it. I grabbed the can and chugged it down, dulling my hunger.

“Here.” Rhett set another can in front of me.

“What’s this?” White liquid filled the can.

Rhett gave me a sideways glance. His lips perked into a sexy smirk, and then twitched his brow in a playful way. “Got milk?”

“Milk?” I wrapped my fingers around the can, as if I held something valuable. “How did you get milk? It’s been so long. I can’t remember when I last had milk.”

“It’s actually baby’s milk,” Ozzie said, as if he simply read the ingredient off the box.

Milk squirted out of my mouth like a fountain the second Ozzie spoke. They’d given me breast milk? My relentless coughing wouldn’t stop.

Rhett patting my back gave me no pleasure. I wanted to twist his arm and flip him over on the table, but nothing good would come of it except the satisfaction of hurting him. That sounded appealing, but I decided not to do it since I was surrounded by his people. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I wished for something to clean up my mess.

Rhett gave Ozzie an evil eye. “It’s not baby’s milk. It’s powdered milk.”

“It’s basically the same thing. I’ll bet it has the same formula. I won’t drink it.”

“It isn’t.” Reyna set down her can after taking another sip, but she grimaced.

“I’m the one with a brain around here, remember?” Ozzie smirked. “I know science, chemistry, and formulas. All you know how to do is—”

“Everything else.” Rhett rose to his feet. “Let’s go, Einstein. We have work to do before we go hunting.”

“Where are we going?” I picked up my tray and placed the plate and can in a large plastic bin how Rhett had done.

Ozzie gulped his last bit of mush and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “We have a little community here. It will blow your mind.”

Reyna swung around to plant her feet on the ground and held out her tray. “At least I don’t have to drink that awful protein drink and I don’t have to be shot up with Helix and forced to take lives.” She dumped the plate and wiped her hands on her pants. “Think about it.” Reyna strode out.

I followed behind Rhett. How did she know? How the freakin’ hell did she know? The truth was, I had been thinking about it.

A lot.