A stinging sensation on Jude’s cheek forced him to open his one working eye. He peered blearily at the shadow blocking out the dawn light.

“Jude! It’s Lincoln. Shit! You need to wake up.”

Jude struggled to fight off the fog of unconsciousness. The last thing he remembered was trying to get away and making sure the State didn’t find him while he waited for backup.

“Can you stand?” Lincoln’s hands were already under his arms, forcing him up.

Gritting his teeth, Jude nodded. He bit down on a curse as his ribs protested but made it to his feet.

“Give him a shot of serum now.” It was Annie.

“What are you doing here?” Jude slurred out.

“Saving my man,” said Annie. “There was no way I was going to wait behind at the base.”

Lincoln pushed up Jude’s shirt sleeve and injected him with a shot of dragon serum.

Instantly, some of his pain subsided. Jude scraped dried blood from his closed eye, inching it open. He looked around and saw Lincoln was also accompanied by his other brother Tobias, and Zane Blanchard, from Hive One.

“Are you sure you’re fit to be out here?” Jude noticed the way Tobias held one arm to his side. He was still suffering from the Dinnorm attack.

“Anything to save you from this mess.”

Jude snorted a laugh. “Thanks for coming to save my butt.”

“As if we’d leave you out here to rot,” said Lincoln. “We didn’t expect you to be sleeping on the job, though.”

“What can I say? I got tired.” Jude tested his ribs and winced. “I don’t suppose you’ve got any more of that serum? I need to heal in double quick time.”

“Let the first shot get to work,” said Annie. “Sophia’s given us six vials. We have no idea what condition the others will be in when we find them.”

Jude nodded. “Of course.” He could feel heat trace through his system as the serum healed him.

“What can you remember about the attack?” asked Lincoln.

The wall of fogginess slowly lifted as Jude focused on the events of the previous night. “I went to the air raid shelter to collect equipment with Octavia. In the time we were away, Heath and Malachi must have been ambushed. Maybe a State patrol passed by, or a drone spotted us. Whatever happened, by the time we’d got back to the location, they were gone, along with the Foxhound. The militia came out of the trees and took us. I got separated from Octavia.” His breath caught in his throat as he remembered seeing her dragged away by the soldiers.

“They’ll want information,” said Lincoln. “The others will still be alive.”

“But not for much longer,” muttered Tobias. “Once they get what they want, they’ll execute them.”

“They haven’t yet.” Annie’s voice was laced with concern. “We’d know if they’d done that. They’d be bragging about it all over the comms channels.”

“And we’ve heard nothing,” said Zane. “Everyone is listening to see what their next move will be.”

“You’ve heard nothing from the others?” asked Jude.

“No comms from anyone,” said Lincoln. “We’ve got a signal, though.”

“What is it?” Hope grabbed at Jude.

“We’re getting a signal from Heath’s wrist comm,” said Lincoln. “He’s only ten miles from this site.”

“Then we need to go.” Jude turned, and the world spun. He cursed under his breath. This damned serum needed to work faster.

“We all want them back.” Annie grabbed his arm and held on tight as they hurried toward the vehicle. “Me more than anyone.”

“Octavia is still out there,” he said. “I can feel it. She’s not dead yet.”

“None of them are.” Annie’s grip tightened. “We’ll get them all back.”

Lincoln disengaged the Invis Tech from the Cobra and they all climbed inside.

Jude accepted the water Annie handed him as he slumped down in relief. “What’s the location of the signal?”

“It’s out in the open.” Lincoln sped through the trees and out onto the road, re-engaging the Invis Tech to avoid detection.

Jude looked over his shoulder and shuddered. “They threw me into a death pit.”

“We know,” said Tobias. “We went there first.” His mouth turned down, and he looked away. “Those sick bastards. There were still a few people taking their last breaths in that pit. None could be saved. We checked.”

“They must have thought I was already dead,” said Jude. “It’s why I ended up in there.”

“We can’t get a fix on Heath’s exact location from his wrist comm.” Zane had a port screen on his lap and was studying the information on it. “It must be faulty.”

“They destroyed mine.” Jude held up the smashed device on his wrist. “Maybe they did the same with Heath’s but didn’t succeed.”

“We’re glad they didn’t,” said Annie. “It’s the only signal we’ve been able to connect with. And it’s on the move.” She gave him a hope-filled smile. “Which means he’s still alive.”

“Here’s a map of where we’re going.” Tobias projected a 3D image on the side of the Cobra, which displayed a map. “It’s an urban area. A State housing zone.”

“Why would they take them there?” asked Jude.

Tobias grimaced as he zoomed in on a large, slate-gray wall. “This is one of their death walls. We think they’ve taken Heath and Malachi there for a public execution.”

The breath rasped out of Jude’s lungs. “Can you get any sharper images? Maybe we can spot him or the others?”

“This is as good as we’ve been able to get with a drone,” said Zane. “If we get any closer, we’ll be spotted. We don’t want the State to know we’re coming.”

“We’re almost there,” said Lincoln. “I’ll get us as close as I can. We’ll need to go the rest of the way on foot.”

Jude’s gaze remained on the map as the vehicle slowed. He’d fight every dragon damned soldier there if they were intending to execute Octavia or any of his family.

Lincoln edged the vehicle past rows of identical houses. They were glorified prisons. A way to keep tabs on the population and ensure no one caused trouble.

“This is as close as we can get.” Lincoln turned off the engine.

“We’re half a mile from the death wall,” said Zane.

Annie touched Jude’s hand. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

“I have to be,” said Jude. “For Octavia. For Heath. For Malachi. Let’s go.”

***

OCTAVIA KICKED AND spat at the doctor as she tied the last restraint around her wrist.

“A feral little creature like you deserves to have her mind wiped.” The doctor wiped her hands down her white lab coat, as if touching Octavia offended her. “You’ll soon have the fight knocked out of you.”

“Go to hell.”

The doctor sneered. “It looks like you’ve already been there once.” Her fingers traced the scars on Octavia’s cheek. “Remove her hair.”

“No!” The traitorous word flew out of Octavia. Her hair was her barrier, it was her protection. They couldn’t take it.

“A mind wipe is more effective if the hair is gone. It ensures full contact with the skin. I want to test a mind wipe on you before we remove the plate in your skull. See how effective it is,” said the doctor.

“Keep away from me.” Octavia glared at the tall, male medic who approached her with an electric shaver in his hand.

“Remove her hair,” repeated the doctor. She didn’t look up from the port screen she scanned. “Don’t worry. If you survive, it will grow back.”

Octavia tried to kick the medic, but her arms and legs were tied too tightly. She could do nothing but glare at him as he switched on the shaver and cut through her hair. Hot tears slid from her eyes. She couldn’t fight back. They were taking everything away from her.

“You should be happy,” said the doctor. “You are fortunate that you have a use for the State. You can provide a valuable service to them.”

“For how long?” growled Octavia. “They’ll kill me once I’ve done what they want me to.”

“Quite possibly. But isn’t that what should happen to traitors?”

Cold air slid across Octavia’s bare scalp as the medic finished shaving the last of the strands away.

The doctor turned and placed the port screen down. She tilted Octavia’s face to one side. Her fingers ran over the scar where the metal plate was fitted. “Most interesting. I am intrigued to see what materials they used to repair your damaged head. I hope I can do the same.”

“Commander West won’t be impressed if you kill me.”

“Accidents happen. He will understand if I cannot save you.”

Octavia snarled in despair. This bitch would torture her and kill her for the fun of it.

The door to the medical room opened. “Doctor, an inmate is having a seizure.”

The doctor sighed. “How bad is it?”

“She’s been fitting for five minutes. Commander West wondered if there is anything you can do.”

“Most likely the prisoner is too sick to save. Medic, you’re with me. We might need to restrain the prisoner.”

Octavia grimaced. It sounded like this doctor got off on tormenting the sick, not helping them.

The doctor glanced at her. “Don’t go anywhere.” She left the room with the medic, leaving Octavia alone.

She felt cold and lightheaded as she lay on the table, her arms and legs pinned down. Everything seemed hopeless. What had happened to Jude? Where was he? How was she going to make sure she never forgot him no matter what they did to her mind?

She slammed her fists against the bed, and it juddered underneath her. She paused and shoved down hard again. The bed moved. It must be on wheels.

Octavia tried shifting the bed again. Yes, it was definitely mobile. Her gaze went to the port screen the doctor had left on the equipment table. All she’d need to do was move the bed a couple of feet to reach the port screen. She could access it and send a message to Jude or back to the bunker, let them know what was going on.

She jumped her body up and down several times. Each time, the bed edged closer to the port screen.

“Come on, come on.” She didn’t have much time. Any second now that evil doctor and her minion would return.

Sweat drenched her body as she continued to slam against the bed, getting ever closer to the port screen and the chance to send a message. The chance to let people know she was still alive.

Octavia’s fingers brushed the edge of the table. She sucked in a huge breath of air before arching her back and shoving down with her arms and legs. Her fingers closed over the edge of the port screen. With a relieved sigh, she tilted it up so it faced her.

The screen showed medical records. She dismissed them and opened a comms link. She didn’t have time to make it secure, but sent a short message to Jude’s encrypted message box. He always had an active link to it. If he could, he’d reply immediately.

She hit the send button and waited. An error message flashed up: communication failed.

The door to the medical room slid open.

Octavia dropped the port screen and lay flat on the bed, squeezing her eyes tight shut.

“You’re all alone.” It was Commander West.

She ignored him.

“I wanted to oversee your transformation for myself. See just how effective our procedure will be on someone with... limitations.”

Octavia squinted up at him. His gaze ran over her body before his eyes landed on the port screen.

He shook his head as he tutted and moved it out of her reach. “I admire your spirit. It shows you are a worthy adversary. I have made the correct choice in keeping you alive. I will be fascinated to see how well you work against the resistance fighters when we are together.”

“We will never be together,” growled Octavia.

“It’s possible we will,” said the commander. “I have been looking for a pet. Despite your disfigurement, I have a feeling you will do.” His fingers traced up her arm. “Will you behave if I let you loose, little pet? You can show me how grateful you are for my gracious intervention. I have saved your life, given you a second chance. Few people get that opportunity.”

He had to be kidding? The second she was free of these restraints, she’d rip his eyes out. Octavia pulled her face into as calm an expression as possible, and slowly nodded.

“You have lost your beautiful hair,” said Commander West as he eased open a wrist restraint. “It is no matter. I can dress you how I desire. It will be amusing having you as a brunette one night and a redhead the next. Do you have a preference as to what color you are?”

She felt the restraint ease around her wrist. “I’ll let you decide.”

His eyes widened a fraction. “Yes. We will get along. Obey me and everything will be fine.” His hand tracked across her chest, lingering on her breasts, before moving to the second wrist restraint.

Octavia forced herself not to react, letting him think she was too scared to move, that she would obey his commands and become his pet.

“I need you for another reason,” said Commander West.

“What do you need me for?”

“A bargaining tool. You know things about the Ember brothers. You can access their servers, and get into their secure systems.”

She gritted her teeth. “I can’t.”

“There’s no use lying. I know your full history. You are more than capable of doing that.”

“I won’t do it.”

“You will,” said Commander West. “They want you back. They definitely don’t want you in my hands, in case you give away their secrets.”

“They told me nothing.” There was no way in hell she’d tell this creep anything.

“We’ll see how important you are to them,” said Commander West. “I will suggest a trade.”

“They won’t trade me for anything. I’m not valuable to them.”

“I think you are.” His hand snaked up her arm.

Octavia yanked her wrist out of the restraint and slammed her fist into the commander’s face. She pulled her hand back and punched him again. Her fingers went to the other wrist restraint. She fumbled with the clasp, desperate to get away from him.

“You treacherous bitch.” Commander West slammed his fist into the side of her face.

Octavia gasped in pain. Her other hand came free. Ignoring the sharp pain in her cheekbone, she pushed herself up and attempted to hit him again.

He grabbed her arm and twisted it hard. “You will have less fight in you when your mind has been fixed.” He shoved her back on the table and slapped her.

Octavia resisted, forcing her weight against him. He was too strong. She couldn’t stop him.

“I will break you,” said Commander West. “And you will enjoy every second of being broken.”

His fist slammed into Octavia’s face again, and she blacked out.