Meanwhile, Lily feared she might already be a victim of R10. She endured another day in her confinement, a life she never imagined could be so unbearable. Once confident and hopeful, even in the face of danger, she now felt utterly hopeless, unable to find even the smallest opening.
“This isn't right! I must be in Hyderland, in Kingsland. While I doubt the Russell family's influence extends to shaking Kingsland itself, they should have found me by now. Am I outside Kingsland's reach?” She tried every method she could conceive, but lacked any helpful tools to determine her location.
The room's glass was soundproof. Despite the appearance of a hotel corridor beyond her door—a deduction from two days of probing—her instincts screamed otherwise.
The man from yesterday hadn't returned. Her routine remained unchanged: someone delivered food and cleaned, but she suspected further attempts at a hostage exchange would be futile. Trapped without a phone or computer, and with a signal jammer in place, she'd spent days meticulously examining the room. Surveillance cameras, listening devices, and the jammer itself testified to the organization's meticulous security. The bathroom, lacking surveillance, offered her only sanctuary, but even its solid walls and lack of windows offered no escape. She couldn't break through them, despite her strength.
Escape from within seemed impossible. She could only wait for Alexander's external intervention.
Gently caressing her abdomen, she considered her approaching due date. “I wonder if I can even wait that long,” she mused.
Lost in thought, she heard footsteps and the rolling of wheels outside—a sound that wasn't the usual meal delivery. Checking the time, she turned towards the door, which opened shortly after.
Several people stood outside, their faces partly familiar, including the doctor she'd held hostage the previous day. His nervous demeanor and tightly buttoned attire spoke of unwilling participation; he likely wouldn't choose to be here.
Lily found his tense gaze and careful preparations somewhat amusing, a fleeting amusement that vanished as she took in the array of medical equipment they'd set up. Instruments were being carefully removed from a medical kit, nurses preparing for something… something to be done to her.