Page 30 of Drop His Mask

“I guess it’s best to know. Maybe it isn’t.” 197 tore open the hood of the prisoner to reveal…

Fuck this probably is his mother.

“Congratulations! You have secured fifty organs.”

195’s attention searched outside of the surgical room until he found what he was looking for.

Piercing icy blue eyes staring into his soul.

Will she forgive me for this? Will she accept me how I am?

Hell, does she even carewhoI am?

195’s lips curled, and he inclined his head to Raven. In his opinion, she was the only prize worth winning in this game.

That is, if they made it to the end.

After all, 197 had other plans.

Chapter 16

She Was His Daughter

The Prisoner

Four Years - Two Months Ago

Months had passed since Nightingale’s last visit. Even longer since he had seen Sparrow.

Were they feeding her? Keeping her alive?

When he had been captured, they had questioned him at length about her mother, about his connection. He had claimed she was his daughter.

And in his mind, Sparrowwashis daughter.

How much longer until I get my chance at freedom?

The thought swirled around his mind hundreds, if not thousands, of times a day. Sometimes he guessed it might be a different type of torture. A promise of an escape that would never come.

A possibility that would instill hope, but nothing else. And then every morning when he awoke to the same barren space. The bitter cold. The bruised body. The empty stomach.

He would be forced to remember that he was still trapped here.

He didn’t know if Raven or Sparrow were safe.

They were his only tether to this plane. The onlyhopethat kept him alive.

But his mind was beginning to unravel. He had been in this prison formonths.

A bare room with four brick walls, a concrete floor, a solid metal door, and a single window that only served to allow in the elements and pests.

What if the doctor never returns to Raven? What if he does? What if Raven wakes up without her baby?

The Prisoner leaned back against the cold brick, shutting his eyes and willing his anxiety to not swallow him whole.

She’s going to be alone and scared. Her child ripped from her body. And what about the doctor? What will he make her do?

In the middle of his spiraling, a noise cracked.

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