lifetime of on-air questioning conditioned her into stone. This is the woman I’ve put my faith in all these years? The face of reason and truth? “Again, I didn’t expect Charles to go so far off the rails. Even when he did, I tried to reach out, to offer him his job back, but he was too far gone.”
Roy towers over her, rage boiling deep within. “This is what’s going to happen,” he says coolly, a sudden surge of confidence taking over. “We are going to draw out Siege and put an end to all of this. Immediately afterward, you will schedule a press conference, announcing your resignation.”
“I will do no such thing,” she spits. From the back of the room, Teddy starts replaying the tape, her recorded voice offering all the evidence needed to lock her away. Her lip trembles; she’s trapped, she knows she’s trapped, and after several seconds of increasingly uncomfortable tension, she finally whispers, “Fine, then.”
It’s as close to an admission of guilt as we’ll get. From day one, Siege was not a mystery. While the city was in panic and my whole world was falling apart, Millie did nothing, choosing to stay quiet instead of launching into action. She shut out other chapters, cut off the public in an attempt to cover her own ass—and secure a promotion—even as others suffered.
Has it always been this way? Has every rescue, every life saved, just been some calculated power play? No…no…My heart seizes, ventricles collapsing against each other, making every movement, every thought impossible. How could I have wasted so much time and effort on this? Am I stupid? Am I blind? There must be something wrong with me that I loved something so wretched so passionately.
Roy makes a few calls, and moments later, Millie is in handcuffs, her tiny body dragged away. My eyes squeeze tight, trying to hold back the tears that won’t stop coming. I’m not sure how there’s any left, yet my soul keeps wringing them free. I feel a pair of arms wrap around me: Bridgette, whispering in my ear. It’s gonna be okay. It’s time to save the day. But I shake my heavy head, chin touching my chest.
“I can’t do this,” I weep. I can barely stand. I can’t save anyone. And I certainly can’t face my hero in his villainous role.
“Yes, you can,” Bridgette insists, her face a blur before me. “They need you. I need you.”
No one needs me. What good am I?
I can’t even tell a hero from a villain.
To: All Staff
From: Roy Masterson
Subject: Urgent Update
For reasons that will later be disclosed, all current internal and external communications will be handled by either myself or junior communications officer Teddy Sizemore. No one is to interact with Millie Montouse, and anyone who has had recent involvement with her should report to me immediately.
We are still on lockdown, but do not panic. I know the past couple days have been extremely stressful, but as your chapter president, let me relieve your tension by saying we know none of you had anything to do with Siege, and we are currently formulating a rescue plan to bring the heroes home. Details to come.
Please be on alert for any instructions regarding the upcoming rescue mission.
It is an honor to work with you.
—Roy
I DIAL THE NUMBER, EACH RING SENDING a shiver down my spine.
“Hello?” Charles answers, audibly confused about seeing my name on his cell phone screen. “Bridgette, what’s going on?”
“Charles!” I scream. “I need your help!”
“What? What is it?”
“It’s Claire! She’s been kidnapped!” I warble, digging deep from my worries over Matt as Claire sits safely by my side. Teddy and Roy stand by, solemnly watching my performance.
“By whom?” Charles asks on the other side.
“Someone named…Frenzy?”
He pauses. “I don’t recognize that name.”
Of course you don’t; I made it up. “I don’t know. I got a text from an unknown number; that’s the name they gave.”
“Bridgette.” His voice drops, patience waning. “How did this happen? I told you to stay away from this.”
“I know you did, and we tried to be smart. But we couldn’t stop, especially since Warrior Nation isn’t doing anything to take down Siege.” I look up at Roy, who bows his head sheepishly. “Claire and I were tracking some clues and got separated…. The next thing I know, this Frenzy guy is asking for ransom!”
“What does he want?”
“Some kind of weird decoder ring of Matt’s. I went by his place and got it; Frenzy wants me to