"Wow, an escape plan?!"

Shon and Honorée are just as shocked as the vampires were. We are in the library, talking in low voices. Next to our table, there are some sofas where people are sitting, reading books. We must keep quiet so as not to let them hear of our plan. 

I've disclosed the details only to Shon and Honorée as my close friends. We are telling the other prisoners only about the existence of the plan because we can't trust everyone yet. Later, we will have secret meet-ups with the volunteers, to whom we will explain the details. That is how Rufus has advised me, and, I think he's right - we must operate as carefully as we can. 

"Yeah. We will cross the yard from the southern part," I whisper. "Honorée, you will play the crucial part. You must break the barrier for us, as you've done before."

"What? A-Are you sure? The first time I did it, I got caught..."

"Yeah, but you crossed from the north, and you were alone. The warden won't be able to get us in the water. I've heard from Knut before - he's a fire elemental. So, he must be weak against the water."

"A snow leopard and a fire elemental?" Shon raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I too found it hard to believe, at first," I reply, "but it is the truth. The warden is an impure deviant - son of an infected human. So, he's anomalous."

"Wow, that's some news... Okay, let's assume Honorée breaks the barrier, and we escape from the water. How are all of us going to cross? It is a vast ocean, and there will be fire elementals among us too. Even Honorée is one."

"Well, she can fly." I shrug. "As for those of us who don't fly and can't cross the water either - we will be carried by the water deviants. Annabelle is informing the merpeople right now. I'll get rid of their headman Derek, and we will escape together - all the prisoners from all the districts."

"I don't know..." Shon shrugs. "Sounds like a decent plan, but I fear you might've still overlooked some things, Theo. Like, there are cameras everywhere, and even without those, we are marked so our locations show up in the prison data. On Knut's computer too, which you've so carefully studied, as you say. As long as those devices are intact, we won't escape no matter how hard we try."

"That is why I'm involving all the prisoners and creating a massive break-out. Like, didn't you once tell me that you were the best programmer in your school?"

"Huh?"

"Shon, you too are crucial to my plan." I smile. "You and I will deactivate all those cameras and Knut's computer, on the day of our escape. Some minutes before the break-out, to be precise. It is, of course, a risky move, but it is the only way. I'll accompany you so that I'll act as a decoy and let you escape if the worst comes to happen."

"What? I won't let you put yourself in danger because of me! You might be Knut's friend, but when he finds out you've betrayed his trust, he won't help you again. If we're doing it, we must do it seriously. I might manage to deactivate the computer and the cameras, but if the worst comes to be, we will escape together, guarding each other's backs. You've got that?"

"Haha, okay!" I laugh. Shon truly is a good friend. "So, you're in?"

"I'm in. I'll inform the canine district."

Shon puts his hand onto mine. We look at Honorée. She still seems hesitant.

"Will it really work?"

"We must make it work," I reply. "If we operate together, we'll be successful. We won't let you down, Honorée. I promise."

"Well... okay. I'll tell the other fairies."

She puts her hand onto ours. We make the promise and let one another go. I break the silence once more:

"Inform everyone only of the existence of the plan. Tell them the rumours are being spread by Theo Sinclaire."

"Huh? You're telling us to denounce you? Never!"

"Come on, Shon. It is a part of the plan. If worst comes to worst, I must be the only one to blame, as the initiator."

"Do you realise you might die?"

"Yes. I am ready to take responsibility for my actions."

Shon puts his hand to his forehead. I guess he's still against such self-sacrifice on my part. But I've no other choice - if we get caught, I don't want the warden to punish all the prisoners because of me. If they know I am the initiator, they all will denounce me when questioned, so I'll be the only one punished. The warden might be a beast, but he wouldn't create a massive bloodbath because of an unsuccessful break-out. Most likely, only the leader will be punished to death. That leader must be me. If this plan fails, it will be purely my fault - I am the one who came up with it, after all. What's more, if I am to remain in this disgusting prison forever, I might as well die.

"So, when are we starting?" Shon asks.

"Inform your respective districts right away. When everyone is ready and you know who's taking it seriously, we will meet in the dungeon of the vampire district, to discuss our further strategies."

"Okay, Theo. But please, be careful. I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to you. You're my first friend here. You... You're precious to me."

"Aww! Thank you, Shon!" I smile. "I'll be careful, no worries."

"All that is fancy, hun, but you've overlooked an important detail - if Knut has a computer with the prison data in his room, so does the warden."

Someone's overheard us from the sofas! I turn back to check who it is.

A young man of over thirty-five years is looking right at me, leaning on the back of the sofa with his hands. He has horrible burn-marks all over his face as well as the neck and the hands, almost as if he's been on fire. His hair is short and pitch-black, while his feline eyes are crystal blue. His arms up to his elbows as well as his legs up to his knees are covered with snow leopard fur. He's barefoot, which makes me think that he's already long been turned into a complete deviant (Deviants prefer to walk barefoot since their shoes get torn when they transform). He's not an administrator, though – he's dressed in a shabby white t-shirt and black trousers. 

Rufus has once mentioned that the old prisoners act like bosses here and aren't afraid even of the administrators. They often walk barefoot like the inborn deviants. I guess this guy must be one of them. He does look prideful, calling me "hun" so out of the blue when we don't even know each other.

The old prisoners are usually the ones who inform the administrators about our misbehaviour, to get promotion from them. This guy's overhearing our conversation was the worst possible outcome.

That arrogant smile on his face reminds me of the one Knut often carried. Maybe it's what all snow leopards have in common.

"Who are you?" I frown. 

"Is that any way to talk to your elders, hun?" He chuckles, "Maybe I should go to my district right away and inform you-know-who about what you've just been discussing?"

"Don't you dare!" Shon springs up in a rage. He's already long been able to control his transformations, so it's made him cocky. I'm glad he's trying to support me, though.

"Or what, pup, you'll chase me?" The man grins in the most teasing manner, "Boo, I'm so scared!"

"Oh, you_"

I grab Shon's shoulder to stop him. I figure we must rather proceed with caution here. This guy might be annoying, but he's still an old prisoner, so he must have a lot more experience than us. There is no way we can beat him. 

So, I pull a raven fledgeling face instead:

"Wow, you must be a snow leopard?"

"Yes, and I eat birdies like you for breakfast." He licks his claw in the most beastly way. I guess he's too old of an infected human, to have forsaken humanly ways so much.

I let go of my strategy - it only works on Rufus, it seems. This guy's not buying it.

"Fine. What the hell do you want so you wouldn't denounce us?" I ask.

"Hmm, I'm not really sure, hun. You see, I've learned not to trust fledgelings like you at all... But alright, I'll have mercy." He swings his hand. "Just tell me your whole plan in details and if I like it, I won't denounce you."

"Are you for real?!" Shon frowns, "Ugh, I really will tear you to pieces!"

"Shon, calm yourself!" 

More people are watching us now. We must keep our voices down. I turn back to the snow leopard:

"How come we should trust you?"

"You've no other choice."

He shrugs, still licking his claws. He really is disgusting. But I guess I have no other choice indeed.

"Alright. My time here is up. If you get me a special permit, I'll come to your district this evening, and tell you all of it. Sounds good?"

"Sounds perfect. Here you go." He hands me a card of the special permit to access the feline district and walks off. "Don't be late, hun."

It's a golden card. How come he's had it at hand? I've seen only Knut and Bob have this!

"Wait!" I run after him, "What's your name? Who's this card from?"

He stops and turns back with a smile. It reminds me of Knut's one, with all its unexplainable majesty.

"The name's Dagur, Miss Sinclaire. The card is from the warden."