Project R.A.R.E

Chapter 9 – Sleepover Strategy

The six girls huddled in the hidden room, the faint hum of security bots rolling down the halls outside barely a concern now. For once, the lab was quiet. No orders. No training. Just the low, cozy light of their secret safe haven and the buzz of something important: hope.

Coral sat with her knees pulled up, sketching escape routes onto a scrap of napkin. "Okay, so if we time it right... lights-out gives us exactly thirteen minutes before the cameras reboot."

Willow leaned forward on her elbows. "And Wither can teleport with coordinates. If we get her to the outer hall, she can start taking out the door locks."

"With a little help from your wolves," Wither added with a grin. "I want the black one again. He bites."

"I like the brown one!" Daisy chimed, flopping upside down off the couch. "He's the fluffy one that sneezed on me once."

Sakura giggled quietly, tucking a pillow under her chin. "He's allergic to your plant powers."

"I knew I was irresistible."

Winter sat cross-legged beside Coral, her icy blue eyes scanning the napkin-map. "We'll need more than fluff and fire to break through the back corridor. There's a security gate and a wall thick enough to stop my ice."

Coral nodded. "I might be able to short it out with enough electricity... if I don't fry myself in the process."

"Let's not make that the backup plan," Willow said, smirking. "We've got three days. We'll do this smart."

There was a short silence. The weight of the mission sat heavy for a moment. Then Daisy sat up and broke it with a sudden, wicked smile.

"...Soooo. Since we're not training tomorrow..."

Willow raised an eyebrow. "Daisy, don't—"

WHAP. A pillow smacked her in the face.

"Too late!" Daisy cackled.

In a blur of motion, Willow leapt across the room and tackled Daisy to the floor, both of them laughing as Coral shielded her map with a squeak of "Hey! Watch the plan!"

Wither swung a pillow like a baseball bat, knocking Winter off balance. "Glitch away, snowflake!"

"I will freeze your toothbrush," Winter threatened through laughter as she returned fire.

Sakura levitated a pillow into the air while still seated, guiding it with gentle focus—until it bonked Wither right in the head. "Stealth strike."

By the end of the night, the room was a chaotic mess of feathers, laughter, and warmth. The girls were bruised, breathless, and beaming.

In three days, they'd be making the most dangerous move of their lives.

But tonight? They were just kids.

And they were safe.