Page 24 of Drop His Mask

He inclined his head.Are you okay?

Nodding softly, I raised a single shoulder just an inch.

Yes, as well as I could be.

Spinning to face forward, I returned my attention to the bloodbath below. 34 was sobbing and rocking herself on the ground while 32 and 33 made quick work of dismembering the man. I remembered Maverick saying that 33 was a biology teacher at a Facility. She must have dissected animals before because she moved very quickly, and when their timer ran out, they had six organs, which was more than any of the teams prior.

32 and 33 walked out of the room, but a guard was forced to physically carry 34. I had gone through enough breakdowns to identify one. When the three women were settled behind me, I turned to them. 34 was placed between her teammates.

“33 help her, she’s going to start hyperventilating. Get her to breathe full deep breaths.”

33 jerked her head in a nod before giving her attention to the woman.

When I twisted back around, it was time for the next round to begin.

Ivan and his team stood up, walking to the surgical room.

Once they made it inside, Ivan stared directly at me. He didn’t take his eyes off mine as he cut off the hood of the captive on the operating table. As he showed the face of the person.

My breath caught. I recognized the person tied to the table. It was one of his “pets” that had lived in the house when I had. He was a bit older now but couldn’t be over twenty.

Why? Why is this his person? Ivan won’t care about killing him.

As if hearing my thoughts, Ivan didn’t hesitate before gesturing to his men. They each brought down hatchets on the four limbs of the person that lay on the table.

A disgusting barrage of squelches combined with the spray of crimson.

Maybe one day I would block out the image, but I would never forget his blood curdling screams. One moment he was silently crying, the next he was screaming and begging for a god that would never save him.

Since these games had started, I had seen countless horrors. I had kept it together, not shown anything outwardly, but this time I could not contain it.

Tortured by Ivan until the very bitter end.

Will that be me too?

A mixture of anger, disgust,crippling sadnessspread to my core.As if the darkness of Ivan’s soul was suffocating my own.

I fell forward as best I could in my shackles, bile rising up my throat as I dry heaved. I hadn’t eaten in awhile, and all I tasted was sour acid as my stomach continued to purge all that it could.

My mind swirled uneasily as I stared at my knees.

I can’t do this. Ican’t.

Something touched the top of my head as I continued to unravel.

“He’s dead now. You need to look. You need to formulate a plan,” 197 grunted with a hint of warmth.

His words steadied me. Reminded me that I wasn’t alone. That Ivan would be able to witness my breakdown. As would the rest of the players.

Stiffening, I straightened back up, and found it was 197 that had leaned back against me. He and 195 were pressed shoulder to shoulder to shield me from most of the room’s watchful eyes.

“Thank you,” I murmured gratefully.

Neither 197 nor 195 turned around, but 196, who sat to the right of 195, did.

He sneered at me, his dead gray eyes engulfed in anger. “You aren’t worth it.”

195 elbowed him in the ribshard.

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