“That might be too late.” Sasha knew Natasia wasn’t listening; all the girl cared about was that she saw freedom beckoning and she was going to grab it. Sasha whirled and elbowed her way through the crowd of students to run back through the smoke toward the prisoner tent. Her eyes were stinging now, and she could barely make out the figures of several of Masenak’s soldiers who had escaped the explosion as they staggered across the camp in confusion.

Shots…She heard shots from the edge of the camp. Sentries?

Don’t worry about it. Concentrate on finding Jeanne.

Then she was back in the prisoner tent.

Fire!

Alisa had been right in her prediction; the north corner of the tent was now enveloped in flames.

Screams.

More smoke.

She was coughing, her gaze searching the tent. “Jeanne!”

No answer.

The smoke was growing heavier.

But she heard someone whimpering, coughing.

“Jeanne.” She made her way toward the sound. “Jeanne! Answer me. Where are you?”

No answer. But that coughing sounded a little closer.

And then she saw Jeanne Palsan, huddled on the floor near the guardroom door. She was gasping, struggling to breathe. But at least Natasia had broken her chain and dragged her this far before she’d abandoned her, Sasha thought bitterly.

She slipped her arm around her. “Come on, Jeanne. Help me. We’re getting out of here.” She half pulled, half lifted the young girl to her feet. She wasn’t heavy, but she was a deadweight. “Just help me a little. It’s going to be fine. We’re going to get away from them.”

“You bet we are.” Alisa had come back into the tent and was slipping her arm around Jeanne from the other side. “Keep walking, Sasha. We only have another few minutes to get out of here before this tent goes up in flames.”

“Natasia…told you I was…here?” Sasha’s throat felt raw, but she managed to get the words out. “She said…she’d tell someone.”

“Only after I cornered her. I saw her talking to you and then I didn’t see you.” She was coughing. “Hurry. Vogel already sent the first truck toward the border. I want you out of this damn country.”

“I am hurrying.” And Jeanne didn’t seem nearly as heavy now that Alisa was with her, Sasha thought. Everything was always easier when Alisa was there. Together they managed to get Jeanne out of the tent in the next few minutes, laying her on the ground to see if she needed resuscitation. She was pale and gasping a little for breath, but she didn’t appear to be injured in any other way. “She seems okay, but we have to get her to a doctor. They…did things to her. She was hurt even before this happened.”