Deception | Sequel

MISSING: ELIAS ALVARN, PREVIOUSLY BLANK SLATE

STORM CELL TEAM SEARCHES FOR 'ESCAPEE' FROM THE VRC

HEROES CALL FOR RUBY ALERT; SEARCH CONTINUES

"WE WILL NOT GIVE UP" STORM CELL'S CITIZEN AFFIRMS HIS INTENTIONS

I scroll past the headlines, my heart a lump of iron in my throat as Edison's serious face stares me down from the multiple holowindows hovering around Wraith's watch. In each and every one Edison is in, he repeats the same message addressed to me: "If you are listening to this, not everything has failed. We're coming for you."

He's coming for me. He's searching for me, just like he did before when I first disappeared from Ten School, just like he has done for the past eight years. And maybe soon he'll find me, just like he found me before.

Or maybe I'll find him this time, if I can get out of here or leave a clue for the heroes. I have Wraith's watch which, unlike my own, can leave comments. If I can think of something non-suspicious but helpful enough to comment, I could leave a clue for Edison. Or maybe a message like, "I'm alive and Deception's got me'—just something to help him. Something to put out there and get help.

It would be easier if I knew what kind of comments Wraith leaves, if any. I press my lips together, setting the watch down in my lap, staring at the headlines hovering over the screen. I could ask her...maybe. Would she help me more? She's already given me her watch, she's warned me several times, and she's obviously not happy to be here. But would she be willing to help me escape? At least, knowingly?

I don't know. I am not sure if I can know for sure if I don't ask her.

With a long, harsh sigh, I let my head fall back on the couch, staring forlornly at the ceiling. It's just so risky. If she tells on me, I might be even more screwed than before. If I don't ask her, and try to do this myself and get caught...I am in the same amount of trouble, if not more. But if I ask her and she, for the same strange reason she has been helping me in little ways, agrees...my chances of escape rise significantly.

"Gah!" I press my palms into my face with a groan, sinking deeper into the couch and sorting through my options for what feels like a millionth time. Edison's serious face stares me down as I do, his message repeating over and over. Not everything is lost. We're coming for you.

I know not everything is lost. I'm still here. I'm still trying to escape, I answer, but his face and answer doesn't change.

With a sigh, I turn from my problems and instead count the seconds that tick past, measuring each one to every wish and if onlys that crosses my mind. Silence hovers around me, making each thought even louder than the last and the rest of the world fainter than before.

So when the silence is broken by my holowatch's ringtone, I let out an involuntary screech, shove Wraith's watch under the cushions, and leap to my feet like the couch just bit me. Winter fangs snap down my arms in a searing rush and I blindly snatch the pack of pens on the coffee table, letting the winter sink into them.

The entire packet clatters to the floor, pieces of plastic, metal and other things scattering around my feet. Closing my eyes, I breathe out a shaky breath, the tips of my fingers chilled to the bone and an icy burn scraping at the nape of my neck like someone scrabbling at a sheer cliff in order to escape a tsunami. "Terabytes," I whisper.

The ringtone sounds again, louder this time, and I grimace, scooping up my holowatch and glancing at the pillow that Watith's watch is under. Would it be excusable if I just didn't answer? Seemingly hearing my question, the call automatically accepts and I stare in horror as Deception's icon of a snake eating its tail in an infinity loop pops over the screen.