Page 152 of Silver Elite

Neither of us even heard him breathing. Maybe Cross is wrong, and the kidcanbe an asset to Silver Block.

“A warning would’ve been nice.”

“Have I ever been nice, Eversea?” His chuckle travels through the darkness. “Also, in case I haven’t said it lately, you’re going to some pretty pathetic lengths to try to win my brother back.”

Ivy doesn’t answer.

“Won’t work, by the way.”

“Fuck you, Roe.”

“Such animosity. Where was that hostility when you were kissing my ass over dinners with the General? ‘Roe, you’re turning into such a handsome young man,’ ” he mimics, chortling to himself.

I can’t help but smile in the dark. I can totally see her sucking up to the General. Anything to win Cross’s approval.

“You wasted your time,” Roe tells her. “He was never going to stay.”

“Yeah. Why is that?” She sounds tired now. There’s a soft thud, as if she’s resting her head on the metal wall behind her.

“Because you loved him too much. He doesn’t want to be loved that hard.”

Surprisingly insightful from the little general.

“Anyway, to answer your question, Darlington, this will not be pleasant at all. My brother prepared me for this.”

“Cross?” Ivy snorts. “I highly doubt he helped you prep. He doesn’t even want you in the Program.”

“Not Cross. Travis. He warned me what to expect.”

“And what can we expect?” I ask, since apparently Ivy doesn’t want to share.

“Well, first off, say hello to the next five days of your life.”

A shiver runs up my spine. “Fivedays? Ivy, is that true?”

“I don’t remember how long it was last time. It felt like a long time,” she admits. “Every hour felt like two weeks.”

Neither of them is selling me on this exercise.

“They pull you out every few hours or so,” she continues. “Ask you to reveal something about the Command. Then they throw you back in here. No food, no water, no light, no sleep.”

“No sleep?”

“You’ll see.” She sighs. “No torture, though. Basic stuff. They slap you around, kick you. Sometimes waterboard you.”

“Oh, waterboarding. Just basic stuff.” I can’t help but laugh, and to my surprise, she responds with one of her own. “If you last the full five days without talking, then that’s it? They let you go?”

“Yep.”

“Okay. I guess it can’t be too awful, seeing as how you did thisbefore and survived. So…” I shrug even though neither of them can see me.

Ivy goes silent. Roe seems to be done talking, too.

I lean my head back and prepare myself for what sounds like the worst party I’ve ever been invited to, with the worst guest list known to humankind.

Although I suppose it’s better than being stuck in here with Kess and Anson.

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