Shelby and I spent the entire night awake, but unlike the nights where we amped up on caffeine with our heads buried in notes to study for exams, we were strategizing. She filled in the blanks on where their weapons were held and the protections of them by five men. She took me through everything she knew about the schedule of those who guarded the perimeter of the city, which apparently doubled at night. With at least three days until Gideon's return, I accepted that it would be safer to get out before.

Just as much as the university had been known for parties before the apocalypse, it still was. Apparently there was to be another party, more casual than the departing ball, to welcome the men home on the night of their return.

There was no way to get me to sleep in her and Gideon's bed so I convinced her to make a palette for us to sleep on the floor, her fluffy blankets creating a cushion thicker than the mattress I slept on at the prison.

"By the way, we'll probably be sleeping on the ground in the woods once we're out of here." I half smiled as we lay face up next to each other.

"That's the part I'm worried about." She sighed, blinking up at the ceiling.

I chuckled, turning my head to look at her. "You're worried about being without your fancy blankets?"

My mouth lost its smile when I noticed the tears in her eyes, spilling over from the corners down the side of her face. "I have no idea how to survive out there. There's this thing Gideon says to me." She started, ignoring the way I scoffed at his name. "This is as good as it's going to get for me. Him losing his temper will never be worse than what's out there."

"That's not true. Well, maybe a little part of it is because being out there is terrifying, but I'll teach you everything. Remember you're talking to the girl who used to stop everything to panic about a bug on the wall." I lightened the mood with a joke, remembering the many times I called her in a frenzy, standing on the couch in fear of the beetles that showed up in my apartment every now and again.

"So you're not afraid of bugs anymore?" She raised a brow in disbelief.

We were both giggling before I could finish my response. "I'll always be scared of bugs. It's in the top three reasons why I befriended seven men to kill them for me."

When our laughter died down her mouth turned down in wonder. "Seven?" She questioned.

It was a slip up that I made easily, still hard to picture them as six. "Yeah, we lost Hobi at the prison." I clarified, closing my eyes to rid myself of the stinging sensation behind them.

Shelby could tell it was hard for me to talk about, her hand meeting mind to hold in the middle of the covers. She took the reins, continuing our conversation with a confession. "The two fighters. They're in there because of me." When she felt my body move away from her she explained further, her voice carrying a soft pain. "On the day they got here they met with us just like you and the others when you arrived. One of them made a stupid joke that the only thing that could make Gideon more ridiculous would be a pet dragon. I laughed and he grabbed my arm so hard that I screamed. They didn't tie up the one you talked to first and he lunged at Gideon. I thought Gideon would just kill them after that, but I guess he figured he could do more damage by dragging things out. Anyway, I shouldn't have laughed at the joke."

I watched the way she seemed to carry the blame for everything, barely taking full breaths like she was punishing herself just for being alive. I squeezed her hand, cuing her to look over at me. "None of it's your fault." I confirmed, hoping that she could at least accept it from my voice until she was able to hear it from her own.

While Shelby slept I laid awake, racking through our plan for the next few days. The easiest part would be getting information to the others, but we'd be challenged in getting Taehyung and Jungkook out. I hadn't revealed to Shelby that there would likely be bloodshed.

We were woken the following morning by Abigail, surprised to find us and carrying a tray of food that she set on the dresser. I didn't have time for breakfast, nudging Shelby awake and ready to jump into action.

She moved slowly, her sense of urgency lower after spending most of her time without it. The incessant tapping of my foot alerted her to my impatience.

"If this is going to work it also has to appear that things are normal. We can't do that if you're rushing around like you're on a deadline." She chuckled, tugging the zipper of her dress up.

I took a few deep breaths to soothe the racing of my heart, calming myself so much that she had to call me twice to come along for the day's activities that would act as a cover while we connected with the others.

Jin was the easiest to get to, busy picking vegetables in the garden. We leaned into planning for the welcome home party first, stopping at the dress shop and butcher's shop to discuss food before making our way through the gardens, Shelby setting up our interaction with Jin to avoid suspicion.

"Alena, I'd love to have some cucumbers with lunch today. Those over there look wonderful." She nodded toward the basket Jin squatted next to. "Would you grab a few while I talk to Jeanette about the flower arrangements for next week."

"Of course." I nodded curtly, stepping through the rows of produce. Jin was in his own world, an expression filled with gloom as he filled his basket.

I cleared my throat, his eyes flickering up to mine. He stood, brushing the dirt from his hands onto his pants. "I'm supposed to get some cucumbers from you." I spoke plainly, noticing the guard who appeared to be keeping an eye on him over his shoulder. "I also saw Tae and Kook. See if any of you can find a way to sneak out and to my window tonight so we can talk about how to get out of here." I continued, speaking quickly as the guard already creeped closer to hear our conversation.

Jin caught sight of him in his peripheral view, reaching down to grab the three greenest cucumbers from his basket. "For you and the queen." He smiled, his eyes a little more hopeful as our fingers brushed together with the exchange.

We were provided a bag for our goods before leaving, Shelby keeping a smile on her face as she confirmed that I'd been able to connect with Jin. We made our way to the other side of town, giving the impression that we were on an afternoon stroll and making small talk while I scoped out the amount of space between men who lined the perimeter and those who stood outside of the armory.

The worst part was waiting. First while Shelby had a polite tea with some of the women in town and then through the evening, after pacing back and forth until Shelby made me sit for dinner.

"To get out of here we'll probably have to kill a few people." I revealed the comment too casually as we stuffed our mouths.

She put her fork down with a clank against her plate, dabbing her lips with a napkin. "Why?" She replied plainly.

I whispered, knowing that members of the staff could be just beyond the doors to the dining room. "The guards won't let us out of here without a fight. It'll be easier to kill less of them quietly so that we don't call attention to our escape."

She nodded, the frown line in her forehead letting me know that she was dissatisfied with the method. "Gideon's men are well trained, dangerous." She noted, chugging the rest of her drink.

"Jimin and Yoongi can take them." I confirmed, no doubt that Gideon's men wouldn't stand a chance.

They were the two who showed up for me that night. I watched through the window for hours, surrounded by the blankets and sheets I tied together to rig a climbing mechanism. I'd been looking for them, stealthy with no sound or sight that gave them away until a small pebble tapped at the glass.

I cringed at the creaking sound the window made when it opened, pausing to listen for any noise before lowering the stream of fabric from my window, secured to the weighty footboard of my bed and held with tension from the dresser.

They wore the darkest clothes they'd been provided, light and barely audible steps against the side of the house as they climbed up, both breathing raggedly once through my window. I pulled them in for a hug, Jimin sinking into my shoulder and Yoongi with little time for an embrace.

"Where are they?" Yoongi questioned.

"Next door in the basement." I confirmed. "We have two days now until Gideon will be back so everything needs to happen before then. The hardest part will be breaking into the armory and it's the first thing that needs to be done." I reviewed the plan with them listening intently.

I retrieved the map I'd drawn up, a sloppy guide to the city that helped me explain every move down to our meetup at the restaurant I pointed out on the way into town. Yoongi and Jimin were set to take the armory, to equip us with enough weapons to fight our way out and survive after. Namjoon would keep an eye out for the guards who had obviously been set to watch them in Gideon's absence and distract them with his own, authentic charm until it was finished.

Despite wanting to get them myself, I entrusted Taehyung and Jungkook's rescue to the three of them. Shelby and I would be on the other side, feigning a need for more produce with Jin so that we could take out a few of the guards at the perimeter by the gardens using the shanks that Yoongi made since our arrival. Apparently there were enough for our entire group.

When I finished, Yoongi looked at me with only one change. "It's a good plan, but it happens tomorrow."