This factory was massive-so huge that ra had only managed to check out the outermost edges so far.


    Gun in hand, she made her rounds through the dim corridors until she spotted Charles doing the same. Their eyes met for a split second, both silently acknowledging the other''s presence before looking away. No words needed- they both knew what the other was up to: using their cover to dig for answers.


    The ce was a mess of ents andnguages, but thankfully, the workers came from all over-even a few from her own country.


    During lunch break, ra sat down next to another guard on patrol. Here, nobody had a real name, just a number. She was 211. He was 107.


    "Hey, 107, have you noticed all the deathstely? It''s getting out of hand," she asked, keeping her voice low.


    107 nced over, barely pausing as he ate. ra was about to push for more when he spoke first. "How''d you get in here?"


    Her hand tightened around her spoon. That was fast. She''d only asked a question -how had he pegged her as an outsider so quickly?


    He looked up, studying her for a moment before finishing his drink. "People are dying because the boss is nning to partner with some billionaire. You must know by now-whatever they''re making here sells for a ridiculous amount. The boss has made a fortune, but he''s stuck in this dump of a country. He can''t leave -he''s still on the wanted list. If he steps outside, he''s dead. But now, a big shot''sing to make a deal. If they can pull off the drug this guy wants, they''ll finally move the operation somewhere else."


    No one had any clue where "somewhere else" was.


    ra just watched him, noticing the emptiness in his eyes. She figured why he was talking-he knew she wouldn''t make it out alive. No one ever did. To 107, she was just another lost cause, something to distract him from the routine.


    Maybe he''d snuck in once, too, only to realize there was no escape and end up blending in, just like everyone else.


    ra stood up to leave, but he spoke again. "The guying for the deal is a real heavyweight. He''s tied to one of those old North American families. He even brought a little kid can''t be more than five or six. But there''s something weird about the kid. Doesn''t talk. Gives you the creeps, honestly."


    ra froze. A kid? Here?


    She sat back down, lowering her voice. "You know a lot. Why haven''t you tried escaping? You were an outsider once, right?"


    107 stared at


    ather,


    calm as ever.


    "You''re the hundredth person to ask me that. Every one of them died. I hope youst longer. This ce isn''t like the world you know around here life''s worth nothing one wrong move, and you''re dead. I''ve been here four years. Every day, I see ten people die right in front of me."


    s


    ra saw the numbness in his face and eyes. He''d stopped fighting a long time ago.


    She nodded, a silent thank you.


    When she finally reconnected with Charles, she asked quietly, "Can you find out who the billionaire is? who Supposedly they brought a kid with them. can''t be Dn he''s chasing Walter, remember? So is it Walter himself? But when did he pick up a kid? There aren''t any little kids in the Ferguson family, as far as I know."  s


    Charles kept his voice low. "Security''s tight here. Keep your head down. Tonight, I''ll check the perimeter and see if I can work my way inside. I''m betting Dn''s hiding somewhere, too he''s staying put, probably because someone found his weakness. Think about it-what''s Dn''s weakness? Maybe I can help get him out."  s


    Dn''s weakness?


    ra couldn''t help but smile a little to herself. In the Capital, everyone knew:


    Dn''s weakness was her.<fn3977> The source of th?s content is find?novel</fn3977>


    Even Richard had said so.