He still looked hesitant, but he gave her the key and the weapons and headed out. Several guards headed in her direction as Ajax disappeared down the corner, and she slipped around a corner. Her fingers fumbled as she tried to quickly attach the knives to her belt. The hooks caught, and she unsheathed two of them, listening for the footsteps.

They grew closer, and she tightened her grip. She was moving before the duo rounded the corner. The hilts of her knives slammed into their heads and they collapsed before they even realized they were being attacked. Most of the people in the cells stood then, realizing something was about to happen.

Amanda dragged the guards over to an empty cell and locked them inside, taking their key cards and weapons. One more. Outside, she heard the bidding continue on the latest slave. Considering how long she'd been out there, and how high the sum was getting for the recent one was getting, she figured she had five minutes at best.

She unlocked the two nearest cells and handed the occupants the extra key cards. "Unlock all of the cells," she ordered. "Once everyone is free, head for the woods. Sneak out the back and steal a few trucks if you need to."

They nodded and hurried off. She continued down the line, repeating the same instructions as fast as she could and releasing the prisoners. The look of gratitude on their faces as they hurried out of the cell made her even more certain that she was doing the right thing. Zephyr will get the information she needs with or without me there. This way, these people get their lives back.

It felt like an eternity before everyone was released, but when she checked her watch, she realized it had only taken three minutes. They gathered by the door and filed outside. She handed her knives to the most capable looking men and women. "Protect them. Get them home to their families," Amanda instructed.

They nodded and hurried to help guide the line outside. "Wait!" Amanda called. "Before you leave, slash the tires on the cars. And stick around as long as you can. I'm going to get the one they're auctioning."

"Got it," the guy in front said, giving her a little salute.

She smiled and watched the rest of them leave. A little pile of tags formed next to the door, and she ripped hers off, dropping it in with the others. Get home safe.

Everyone was out now. Everyone except the person they were currently auctioning. She could have left. When she looked back on that day, she always wondered if she should have. But she couldn't leave anyone behind. So she hid behind a small stack of boxes and waited. It wasn't long before the remaining guard came back inside, hauling a little girl with him.

Auburn hair framed her face, and her shoulders shook with sobs. She looked up, her face stained by tears, and her white dress clung to her thin frame. Her eyes were rimmed by red, likely from the crying.

The guard gripped her arm tightly, glancing around him. "Where are the slaves?" he yelled angrily. The shout brought the announcer running.

"What's going on in here, Jax?" he demanded. Then he saw the cells. His eyes widened, and his face went white. "They escaped," he muttered. "Miss Lexi will kill us."

Amanda crept forward, clutching the pistol she'd stolen off of one of the guards. She still hadn't mastered the weapon, but it was all she had. She'd given the rest of her weapons to the prisoners. Her foot hit a metal bucket, and she froze. The loud clang echoed through the warehouse, and the two men immediately looked in her direction.

"Come out now and we won't kill you," the guard, Jax, offered, his voice low and sickly sweet.

She rolled her eyes. That was never a good deal. Besides, who would surrender before even trying? Emerging from behind the boxes, she leveled the pistol on the announcer. "How about you let the girl go instead."

The girl looked up. Her jaw dropped and she stared at Amanda, her eyes wide. The two men glanced at each other, and the announcer frowned. "You won't shoot me." He crossed his arms and studied me. "You're just a slave."

"I'm no one's slave," Amanda spat. "And neither is she. Let her go."

"You're part of the rebellion," Jax stated, glaring. "What does the rebellion want with a business like ours?"

"That's not important. Let the girl go. She isn't your property," Amanda answered.

The girl looked between Amanda and Jax. Amanda tried to give her a reassuring look, but she knew things weren't going well. If she didn't get out with the girl soon, more guards would arrive and neither of them would escape. Not to mention the fact that the other slaves were waiting outside.

Sorry Zephyr. I'm about to break that promise I made. "Alright fine, I'm a rebel. I suppose that makes me more valuable than her?"

Jax looked down at the girl and frowned. "It makes you a target, not valuable. Her we can sell. You we just get to kill."

"Think about it for a second. Either I shoot both of you now, or I trade my life for hers. After all, your slaves my have escaped, but I'm sure there's some sort of reward for the capture of a rebel. Plus, how would your boss feel, knowing that you let a rebel release all of your prisoners and didn't take the opportunity to catch her?"

They took a moment to consider that. The announcer was the first to speak. "Fine. We'll let her go, but you have to keep your end of the bargain," he said.

For a moment, Jax looked like he would object, but then he reconsidered. Of course your life is more important. She'd been counting on their self preservation instincts when she came up with the plan.

"Good choice. Now let her go. When she's safely outside, you can have me," Amanda told him.

Jax gave her a harsh glare, but did as she asked. The little girl ran to Amanda the second she was free, her hands wrapping around Amanda's arm in a vise-like grip.

Amanda kept the gun on the duo and glanced down. "The others are outside," she whispered. "Find the vans and get out of here."

"What about you?" the girl asked, staring up at Amanda with wide, blue eyes.

Amanda smiled. "I'll be fine."

The girl seemed to accept the answer, and ran off. She paused at the door and yanked her tag off, dropping it with the rest.

"Well? She's gone now. Are you going to keep your end of the bargain, or are rebels all thieves and liars?" Jax demanded.

She almost left right then, but she wouldn't break her promise to the duo. For all she knew, if she left, their boss would be the one to kill them. At least this way, they might survive. Anyway, they probably won't kill me immediately. Zephyr might.

The gun hit the ground with the clang, and she stepped forward. Jax was on her before she got the chance to move any further. He pinned her to the floor and handcuffed her hands behind her. Then he yanked her to her feet and propelled her towards the back door.

Someone cleared their throat behind them and she turned her head to see Mersor standing there. "I believe that's my slave you have there," he said.

The announcer's eyes widened. "Y...yes, of course," he said, his voice trembling. "We were just bringing her out to you, sir."

Mersor rolled his eyes and walked up to Jax. "I'll take her from here," he said. "You should be handling the rest of the slaves."

"Of course, sir," Jax answered. He let go of Amanda's arms and disappeared through the door. Mersor gripped her shoulder, steering her towards the door.

"You've caused quite a stir," Mersor murmured in her ear. "Releasing those slaves was a bold move, but you know what surprised me the most? You didn't leave after the girl was gone. You could have, but instead, here we are."

His grip on her made her skin crawl. It was too possessive, as if he owned her. In a way, he did own her. But that didn't mean anything. She would be leaving the second an opportunity arose. The fact that he'd paid money to keep her meant nothing.

Mersor pushed her through the door and into the arms of one of the bodyguards she'd seen with him before. The bodyguard's hands clamped around her arms, and he dragged her towards a black limousine.

A crowd had gathered to watch, and as she was forced into the back seat, she saw the young man who had been with Mersor pushing his way through the crowd toward her. His mouth was moving, as if he was trying to say something, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of the jeering crowd.

His gaze grounded her somehow, pushing away the fear that was worming its way through her. Somehow, she sensed he cared, and it calmed her. Then the door slammed in her face, and she was alone.