Free Escape from Harrizel by C.G. Coppola Page B

from your window. You can hear it. They drag them
right through the Courtyard and into the evibola for upstairs.”
    “So obvious?”
    Her voice lowers. “They want us to
see.”
    Shit .
    So escape may not be the best plan. Not yet
at least. But I can’t live here. I can’t let this be my life. This isn’t my life. But him—that boy. He got out of here and
returned. They haven’t taken him so it’s possible that I could do
the same. I’ll just never come back.
    “What?” Raj winces, watching me work through
things.
    But I can’t give away my plan. To find
him—whoever he is—and get the secret; and find out how he was able
to leave without being dragged back. For now— right now—I’ll
have to stay put. Endure this until I’m able to do something about
it. But if I’m going to stay, I’ll need to know more about how this
whole system works.
    “Raj… I need you to do something for
me.”
    “What?”
    I draw her in close, whispering into her ear
again, “I need you to point out the Clans. Who’re the big
players?”
    “But you can’t—”
    “I’m not going to talk to them. Just
want to know who they are.”
    “I…”
    “You know, don’t you? Tell me. You’ve got to tell me.”
    “Um…” her eyes shift nervously before
finding mine again. “Okay, but you cannot talk to them. I’m
serious. They’re just as bad as the Dofinikes if they feel
threatened.”
    “Then… think of it as warning me who not to bother.”
    “Okay.”
    She links her arm in mine as we casually
meander. She’s quiet for a few minutes, just as we reach the North
Wall and then she leans into my ear with a whisper. “A lot of them
aren’t here. They’re mostly in the Maze.”
    “Do you see anyone ?”
    “A few Scouts. Low level.”
    We continue around the Auditorium,
completing a near lap until we pause by the Southwest wall. Raj
motions ahead, keeping her voice to a low mumble. “That’s him.”
    “Who?”
    She gestures again before turning toward my
shoulder, “Straight ahead. Light brown hair. Blue eyes. That’s
Tucker—the Rogue’s Leader.”
    I follow her gaze and pinpoint the
candidate. Tall and muscular, he falls in with everyone else,
donning the same well-fitted scratchy blue scrubs. But instead of
dancing along with the amorous crowd, he hovers close to the West
Wall, arms crossed as he listens to three guys all attempt to
explain something at once.
    “Rogues,” Raj whispers.
    “And you can’t approach them?”
    “No!” she squeezes her arm with mine,
speaking into my shoulder again. “I told you. It’s suicide. We’re
probably being watched right now, watching them. Come on,” she
directs us through the entanglement of bodies grinding together
around the iridescent trunk in the center of the room. Once we’re
through and Tucker and the Rogues are no longer visible, she
slows.
    “Okay,” I recap, “so no approaching
Clans.”
    “And oh!” her eyes flare, “same goes for
Rox. But, like, a thousand fold.”
    “Who’s Rox?”
    “The one who’s really in charge. You
want your Kingpin, that’s him. Tucker is the Rogues’ Leader, but he reports to Rox.”
    “So… is Rox in charge of both Clans?”
    Raj shakes her head. “Just the Rogues. But
he’s lethal .”
    “Okay…well where is he? What does he look
like?”
    “He’s normally not here during Leisure time.
Probably in the Maze.”
    “If you find him, point him out.”
    “Will do,” she nods, “and with Grisham too.
He’s the Kings’ Leader.”
    I can’t believe I came to Leisure Time
expecting to get an inch of information and came away with the
whole damn dictionary. I guess it’s good though. Better. I need to
know everything I can. It’s the only way to survive before I can
leave again. And I will. Once I find him and I know his secret, I’m
gone.
    With no other purpose for being down here, I
eye the closest stairwell. I’m about to head for it when I stop and
turn to Raj. She didn’t have to tell me any