“I never said it would be easy. Giving up is easy.”

I grumbled.

“Vinco isn’t very smart. If you do decide to try resisting, there is a package for you in the heating duct right near the vent.”

“Who—?”

“Logan rigged Zippy to deliver it to you.”

“Hard to get it out with solid iron bars acting as a vent cover.”

“Think about it,” Riley said.

I grudgingly realized Logan would know about the bars and had probably packed the gift so I could pull it through. I wiggled my fingers. My hands felt swollen, and my wrists felt as if the metal cuffs had ripped off my skin.

“All you need to do is free yourself from those cuffs,” he said as if commenting on the food in the cafeteria.

“The Force of Sheep don’t really need me. You have Logan for the computer stuff and Anne-Jade building anti-stunners. In fact, by staying here I’m keeping Vinco and Karla busy for you.”

“That’s mighty nice of you. But don’t you think you’ve suffered enough? Or do you still feel guilty for Cog’s loss?”

I sputtered, fuming. “You act like I can just saunter out of here. I didn’t ask to be tortured. If it were up to me, I’d have been Chomper’s dinner hours ago.”

He sighed. “It’s going to be hard to tell Sheepy that Trella has given up. To tell him that fierce, spunky scrub I first met is gone.”

I refused to comment.

“Poor Sheepy will be sad. He’ll miss his best friend.”

“He’s a toy, Riley. He’ll get over it.”

He remained quiet for a moment. “You’re right. He will recover. But you’ve gotten a lot of other things wrong.”

Now it was my turn to sigh. Here we go again. “I don’t have the energy to argue anymore. My throat hurts.” Every word burned and my dry tongue kept sticking to the roof of my mouth. I rested my head on the bunk and closed my eyes.

“Then just listen to me. I’ll tell you all the things you’re mistaken about. First, you’re not going to be able to resist Vinco much longer. Cog eventually broke. He’s the one who named you and told Karla that Domotor was still alive.” He paused, probably to let the news sink in.

No wonder Cog had been so frantic when I had visited him the second time. But I couldn’t blame Cog for anything. He suffered enough for me.

“Second, you’re wrong about no one needing you. The Force of Sheep has been working to infiltrate the security systems, but they need motivation only you can provide. Doctor Lamont needs her intern back, and I need…”

I waited, but when he didn’t continue, I looked up. He sat on the bunk in his cell with his face in his hands. We both startled when the heavy clang of metal sounded as the main doors to the holding cells were unlocked. For me, it meant Vinco returning for another dreaded session.