“Will they let me come back?”

Janet leaned forward, almost touching the glass. “You dad says they’re just waiting for you to confess. Is that true?”

“I don’t know. They imply that if tell them everything about the conspiracy, they’ll let me go. But I was never a part of the conspiracy. I’m not even convinced it exists.”

“Does it matter? Do you know what the papers are saying about you?”

“I’m only allowed a newspaper very occasionally. They go through them first and cut out some of the articles.”

“You’re dangerous, carried away by poisonous ideology. People like you infiltrate these organisations and then use them to carry out your own ends.”

“Janet, you don’t believe that, do you?”

“It doesn’t matter what I believe. It’s in the Straits Times. All these Marxist Conspiracy people, everyone detained under Operation Spectrum. They’ve been running these stories for months. Everyone knows about you now. All the leftists have to be weeded out. Same in Malaysia, they just had their Operation Lalang. Copying us, as usual.”

“I don’t know how to prove that I’m innocent. How do you prove a negative?”

“You don’t prove it. You confess. What do you think would happen if they let you out now? For the rest of your life people will say you must have done something, they wouldn’t just lock people up for no reason. You’ll be under suspicion forever.”

“But if I confess—”

“Then you can say sorry, you’ve learned from your mistake. And the government will say you’ve been rehabilitated. Then at least some people will think that you deserve a second chance. Why are you making a stand like this? Who do you think you’re helping? You shouldn’t have gone against the government if you don’t want to pay the price.”

Stella felt breathless, and it was only with an effort that she stayed sitting. “Are you suggesting I should say I did it, just to get out of here? Make the whole story up? I never went against the government.”

“Those foreign workers. Why must you get involved with such people? The government sets the terms and conditions, they all know the rules when they come over here. Who are you to say no, this is unfair? If that isn’t going against the government, what is?”

“Janet—” It was like trying to stop a tsunami.

“Have you seen what you’re doing to your parents? Uncle Barnaby looks terrible, really terrible. And have you thought about me? How will Winston get elected if they know his relative is mixed up in all kinds of trouble? They might even drop him before the next GE.”

“Because of me?”