Chapter 21 - Liz

The rain has soaked me to the bone, each droplet merging with the sweat and tears on my face. My heart pounds in my chest as I huddle behind a thick cluster of trees, watching the traders as they reach their new location. It”s another secluded spot, even more hidden than the last. Towering pine trees encircle a large clearing, their thick branches creating a natural canopy that shields the area from any prying eyes above.

The place is expansive, with several makeshift buildings scattered around the clearing. There are no windows, and the walls seem to be made of corrugated metal and wood, giving off an ominous vibe. Barbed wire lines the perimeter, and I spot a couple of guards patrolling with rifles slung over their shoulders. It”s bigger than the last location, and a sinking feeling tells me this might be their headquarters.

My packmates are somewhere in there—my friends and family, all in danger. They need my help, and it”s up to me to get them out of here. I have no idea what to expect inside, but if I”m going to get them out, I have to go in. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart and the whirlwind of thoughts in my head. I can”t just barge in; I need a plan, a way to get closer without getting caught.

A man walks by, and an idea comes to mind. I duck low as I scurry through the woods, keeping to the shadows. The wind blows steadily across the clearing, shaking the branches above as raindrops patter onto the ground below. I move silently, doing my best not to be seen.

I creep closer to the edge of the woods, keeping my eyes trained on the guards. One younger guard separates from the group, heading towards the main entrance. Seizing the opportunity, I sprint towards him, using the element of surprise to my advantage. With a swift, calculated move, I knock him out, making sure he”s unconscious but unharmed.

Quickly, I strip him of his uniform, pulling on his clothes over mine. The fit is far from perfect, but it”ll have to do. I adjust the cap to shield my face and make my way towards the compound”s entrance, doing my best to mimic the guard”s casual gait.

As I enter the main area, I am greeted by a maze of buildings and fenced-off sections. The structures are crude but sturdy, built with the same corrugated metal and wood as the exterior walls. A large building in the center stands out, presumably where they”re keeping the prisoners.

Taking a deep breath, I head towards it. Inside, I find rows of prison cells. Through the bars, I see the faces of my pack members—Tala, Holly, Selene—all looking worn but determined. They spot me, eyes widening in recognition and hope, but I motion for them to stay silent.

Remembering Fisher”s words about wanting to free everyone, I make that my personal goal. I realize I can”t just spring them now. I need to understand the layout, figure out the guards” routines, and find a way to free them all without alerting the entire compound.

I wander further into the complex, keeping my eyes peeled for any useful information or items. Around a corner, I stumble upon a room filled with crates. Some are labeled with food and medical supplies, while others are stacked with weapons. This could be useful.

I rummage through the boxes, gathering gunpowder and dynamite along with a flint stick. My heart is racing as I stuff the items inside my jacket. I can only imagine how much chaos they will cause if my plan goes off properly. It might just be what we need to get everyone out of here.

As I”m about to leave, I hear footsteps approaching. Panic sets in, but I spot a nearby closet and manage to duck inside just in time. The door creaks open, and a guard steps in, muttering to himself as he searches through some files on a desk. He takes his sweet time, leafing through each document before tossing it aside with a grunt of dissatisfaction.

I breathe quietly, trying not to move even an inch. Please don”t find me, please don”t find me...

After a long moment, the man sighs and shoves everything into a drawer, slamming it shut with a bang. With that, he stalks out of the room. When I can no longer hear him moving about, I let out a long breath. My heart is pounding so hard against my chest, I swear it might explode at any second. The adrenaline rush from all that running and hiding has left me woozy, and for a moment, I lean against the wall, fighting off a bout of dizziness.

Once I regain my composure, I ease the door open and peer outside, checking that the coast is clear. Slowly, I slip out of the closet, doing my best to remain unseen as I slink through the hallways. From what I can gather, this building holds only one level of offices and sleeping quarters; there”s an underground storage area in the basement.

Continuing my exploration, I discover a control room with maps and surveillance screens. There are several monitors displaying images of different areas around the compound, including the forest, surrounding roads, and even the town of Stardust Hollow. They”ve set up security cameras throughout, monitoring our activities. I start punching buttons, trying to disable as many cameras as I can, but I soon realize there”s no way for me to do so without raising suspicion.

Instead, I focus on using the skillset I picked up as a lone wolf, laying traps throughout the compound—wiring explosives to door handles, setting up smoke grenades at the entrances, rigging trip wires in the hallways... anything I can think of that will create chaos and buy me as much time as possible to get my friends out of here. These sort of things saved my life more times than I can count when I lived on me own, and now, it’s going to save the people I’ve come to care about.

I”ve just finished setting a trip wire when a voice calls from behind me, ”Hey! You”re not supposed to be here! Why aren”t you by the stage? The auction is about to start.”

I whirl around, coming face-to-face with another guard. My heart races, but I muster all the courage I have to put on my best bluff.

”I”m here on orders from the boss,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. ”Checking security measures.”

The guard eyes me suspiciously but seems to buy it for now. ”All right, just be quick about it.” He jerks his head toward the entrance. ”They”re getting ready to start the auction in a few minutes.”

I nod, giving him what I hope is an innocent smile as I follow him inside. A makeshift stage is set up, and I can see a group of buyers gathering, eagerly discussing the upcoming auction. It churns my stomach to think that these people—if you can call them that—are so fucking excited for the opportunity to buy another person like they”re purchasing groceries or something. Any minute now, some poor girl is going to be hauled onto that stage and put on display like a piece of meat.

The memory of myself up on a stage just like that one nearly bows me over, but I steady myself, focusing on stopping this shitshow from ever happening again. If I don”t do this right, more than just my friends will pay the price. I can only imagine how much damage the hunters’ trafficking operation has done already—the lives lost, the families ripped apart by grief, the towns left desolate. They need to be stopped, and I aim to be the one who does it.

The auctioneer calls for attention as the crowd hushes, filling any available space in front of the stage. This is it—the perfect moment to strike. I discreetly activate the remote detonator I concealed in my pocket, the one I connected to numerous explosives and smoke grenades set up all over the compound. The silence in the room is deafening as they wait for the auction to begin, but after a few tense seconds, there”s a small pop followed by billows of grayish-white smoke beginning to drift around us.

Explosions then echo in the distance, causing panic and confusion. To intensify the chaos, I pull out my flint stick and set a fire near the storage area.

Pandemonium erupts. The traders scramble, shouting orders, trying to get the situation under control. It”s the perfect distraction. People shout and yell, some panicking and others running outside to get away from it all.

Seizing the moment, I rush to the cells. The prisoners—my packmates—are anxiously waiting, having no idea what”s going on. ”Everyone out now!” I shout, quickly unlocking the doors.

The stronger prisoners step up, assisting the weaker ones, helping them out of their cells and guiding them towards the exit. Together, we form a human chain, passing each person along, moving quickly but cautiously through the smoke-filled corridors.

Just as we”re about to make our escape, I feel a sharp tug on the collar of my shirt. When I whirl around, my blood turns to ice as I realize it”s the same guard I disabled earlier. ”You!” he exclaims, yanking off my cap, revealing my face.

The moment of recognition spreads like wildfire. ”It”s her! She”s the one causing this chaos!” another trader shouts, pointing at me.

I see the realization dawning on their faces. There”s no time to run, no way to escape without being caught. But I can”t let them catch all of us.

Thinking quickly, I shove the guard away and make a split-second decision. I spot a weak prisoner, the last one in line struggling to keep up with the others and in danger of being left behind. I can”t wait for her. If I do, we”ll all be captured, and who knows what will happen. But I still can”t bring myself to leave her.

”Go!” I yell at the escaping prisoners, urging them to move faster. ”Don”t stop, just go!”

The traders reach me, grabbing me roughly, pulling me away from the fleeing pack members. As they restrain me, I lock eyes with the prisoners one last time, nodding to let them know they need to keep going and not look back.

“The boss is going to want a word with you,” one of them sneers, and my blood turns to ice.