"Eli, we've got a problem," I say, trying not to shout.

"I hear it, too," he says and then curses. He stops moving, and vibrations travel down the rope as he readjusts his stance. There's a click, and a beam of light momentarily blinds me.

I turn my face, following the light down to see a square block rising.

Fast.

"Should I jump?" Panic clenches my throat.

"No, wait..." Eli's voice trails off. "I think it's stopping."

I heard a ding as the elevator comes to a standstill on the floor below us.

"Now?" I ask.

"Slow and steady, remember?" Eli cautions, his voice low. "See if the roof will hold your weight first."

"Okay." I continue to rappel down the shaft until I reach the elevator's roof. I step onto it tentatively, still gripping my end of the rope. When it doesn't budge, I ease the rest of my weight down.

"Good?" Eli asks, the beam of light again blinding my eyes.

I squint and give a thumbs up. "I think there are people inside," I whisper.

I can't see Eli, but I feel the rope jostle once more, and a moment later, he's next to me, Harry still tied to his chest.

"Stay as close to the center as possible," he whispers.

I nod.

We sit there for several moments. "Whoever rode this up here has gotten off," I say. "Do we just wait for it to go down?"

Eli exhales. "Risky. This is all so risky."

"I know," I agree, "But, what–"

"Turn your halo-mask back on," Eli interrupts. "You hop into the car, take this key card, bring us to the basement."

"The basement?"

"Yes," he says, pressing the plastic card into my hand.

I think of the guard's face again and call up my disguise. Then I lift the roof access panel and slide it over, glancing down into the brightly lit elevator to ensure that it's empty. Then I lower myself over the edge and drop down, bending my knees with the impact.

I press the keycard to the black box and select the basement.

The whirring of the machinery starts up again as the elevator slowly moves downwards.

But too soon, it slows down again and comes to a stop.

Above me, the access panel slides back into place. The elevator lights flicker from his movement.

My insides churn as I wait for whoever is about to enter. Are they guards? Maybe even the guard, whose face I'm borrowing for my disguise?

Should I change my features again? Maybe to a bland, forgettable face. Something that matches this custodial outfit that I'm wearing.

But before I can decide, I catch sight of the tape on my palms and I shove them into my pockets.

The door slides open, and I stuff my bubbling fear down. Look bored. Overworked and ready to go home.

I adjust my stance and stare absently at the chrome plating as a middle-aged man in a brown business suit steps on, nods at me, then presses for the first floor.

Without a word, the elevator continues to go down.

At the first floor, the doors slide back open, and the man steps off without a word.

When the doors close again, leaving me once again alone in the compartment, I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding.

That was close.

Too close.

Before my heart rate has returned to normal, the top access panel slides open above me. I look up.

"Here," Eli says as Harry's feet dangle into existence. "Try not to give my brother a concussion."

Soon, more of Harry slips over the edge and I reach up, wrapping my arms around first his knees and then his waist. When Eli lets go, Harry's body slumps forward, over my shoulder, and I stumble, but catch myself before I fall.

As the elevator stops, Eli jumps down next to me.

The doors slide open, and thankfully, no one is there to greet us.

"Hurry," Eli says as he grabs one of Harry's arms.

Together, we share Harry's weight and we make a quick turn into the trash room. As we ease him against the wall, we are confronted with the heavy odor of decomposing food and damp mildew.

"What now?" I ask, trying not to gag from the smell.

"You made a mistake," says a groggy voice.

Simultaneously, Eli and I swivel our heads towards Harry, who is blinking up at us.

"Shit. Let me tie his arms up before he gets violent again." Eli steps forward and crouches down to grab the nylon harness that is still around Harry's waist and shoulders.

"That's not gonna save you," Harry mumbles. Then, with effort, he lifts his head and meets my eyes. "They put a fucking bomb in my head."

But before I can respond, he passes back out, his chin hitting his chest.

A beat passes before either Eli or I move.

"What do you think that was about?" I finally ask, breaking the silence.

Eli stands up, brushing his hands on his thighs, and shakes his head. "Beats me."

"What did you give him?" I ask.

"A benzo," he answers. "Should knock him out for another hour."

"Do you think he's hallucinating?" I ask, my eyes going back to Harry. What did he mean by having a bomb in his head? Does it have anything to do with the cryptic call for help he sent Christopher the other day?

Eli scrunches his mouth. "I guess a benzo could mess with your mind if you're not used to them. But, I dunno. He wasn't acting like himself before, either."

I nod. Eli's right.

Something is off. All I can hope is that we can get him out of the city and get him the help he needs.

Christopher will know what to do.

But first, we need to get out of here.

I look around the dimly lit room. Dumpsters line the wall. Several have chutes that empty into them. I wonder if any of the chutes lead to a room near an exit. Or if anyone would catch us if we just wheeled a dumpster outside.

"How often do you think they pick up the trash?" I ask.

Eli shrugs.

We both keep looking around, waiting for an idea to strike.

In the silence, I feel a vibration in my pants pocket.

My com-device.

I yank it out from my pocket and when the screen lights up, I see a stream of notifications. Three missed calls. One missed video call. And lots of texts. All from Marcy.

Are you safe?

What happened?

Did you find Harry?

Where are you?

Please let me know.

Charlie, are you getting these?

You're worrying me.

The last ones cause a hitch in my breathing: I'm on my way.

And finally: I'm here.

"Everything okay?" Eli says, startling me.

"Marcy is here. Somewhere." I say, looking up.

"Here?" he asks, his eyes darting around the room, almost like he is expecting her to jump out of a trash bag.

"Yeah, here," I say, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety flood my system. I tap out a quick message.

were in the trash room on b1 can you get to us

Almost immediately, my com-device buzzes with a reply.

On my way. Stay put.

"She's coming," I tell Eli, who nods and shifts his grip on Harry to make him more comfortable. We wait in tense silence, the smell of the room pressing in on us.

Minutes later, the door to the trash room creaks open, and Marcy slips inside, her eyes wide and alert. She takes in the scene quickly, her gaze softening when it lands on me.

"Charlie," she breathes, stepping forward. I move to meet her, and for a moment, everything else fades away. We embrace tightly, her familiar scent and warmth grounding me.

"I was so worried," she whispers in my ear.

"Me too," I admit, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. "But we're okay now."

She glances at Harry slumped against the wall and then back to me. "We need to move. There is a way out through the back alley. It's risky, but it's our best shot."

"Lead the way," Eli says, already hoisting Harry up again.

"You should probably untie him first," Marcy says, nodding at the rope still around Harry.

"He was fighting us," I explain. "He's not acting like himself."

Marcy shakes her head. "Looks too suspicious."

Eli considers, then nods in reluctant agreement, pulling off the nylon harness.

A moment later, Marcy leads us through a narrow corridor, her steps quick and assured. We navigate a maze of passages, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent basement. Finally, we reach a metal door with a rusted sign that reads, "No Unauthorized Entry."

Marcy pushes it open, revealing a dimly lit alley with stacks of wooden pallets and a pile of black trash bags. The cool night air is a welcome change from the stuffy basement.

"This way," Marcy whispers, pointing to the end of the alley, where a faint glow suggests an exit to the main street.

As we make our way down the alley, I turn to Marcy, wanting to express my gratitude. "Thank you, Marcy. I—"

A sudden noise behind us cuts me off. The sound of hurried footsteps and muffled voices.

Marcy's eyes widen. "Go! Don't worry about me. I'll hold them off."

"What? No!" I start, but she's already turning back towards the noise, determination etched on her face.

"Just go, Charlie! Keep Harry safe. I'll call you when I get back to the dorms." She gives me one last look, a mixture of urgency and affection, before disappearing into the shadows.

Eli and I don't have time to argue. We drape Harry's arms over our shoulders and drag him down the alley. Near the street, I glance back, hoping to glimpse Marcy. Instead, I hear her voice, calm and composed, saying hello to someone.

I force myself to focus on the task at hand.

The sounds of the Unity Day parade crescendo, a chaotic mix of music, laughter, and shouts. We slip into the crowd, trying to blend in despite our disheveled appearances.

I have to trust that she will be safe.

I have no choice. There is no other option.