“I know, but I promise you, you’ve got this, Evan,” I tell him, willing him to find strength in my words.

Swallowing, he nods and his eyes find the waiting room door. “I’ll see you soon, Piper.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

After the beating, he has been more withdrawn. We haven’t laughed in a while. I understand, but it scares me because he’s been rock solid since I met him. He’s the one who’s given me more courage to face whatever is coming. He makes me believe I can survive in here. After all, he has been doing it for months, and most of that time he’s been alone.

“Soon, Evan,” I say as he walks away from me.

The door clicks twice, once when it was unlocked for him and then again as he disappears through it.

He’s on his own now.

“Piper, you all right?” Theo asks.

“I’m fine,” I reply, pressing my hand against the ache in my heart. How much more can he take? I need to focus on something else, or I won’t be able to handle waiting for Evan to come back, thinking of the worst-case scenarios that could be happening.

Kevin might be somewhere in the building, but we don’t know for sure he’s alive. Caleb, Owen, and Matt might have got up close and personal with him. Or Evan could be sent to room zero with Kevin right now.

No, don’t think that. Distract!

Hazel. She is sitting down watching TV, her elbow resting on the arm of the sofa, finger tapping against her chin. I’ve seen her do that a million times before. Every exam at school, every time a cute guy in our class would talk to her.

She’s nervous. In here she’s never not nervous, but this is something else. She hasn’t moved in an hour.

“Haze,” I say, scooting a little closer to her. “What’s going on?”

Still looking at the TV, she shrugs the shoulder closest to me.

“Talk to me.”

Priya is the only person sitting close enough to hear us, and she won’t interfere. Lucie and Theo are playing cards at the kitchen table.

“Hazel, please, I’m worried about you.”

Her eyes slide to mine and well with tears. Her voice, rough, whispers, “I’m going to die in here.”

“Don’t think like that.”

“Why haven’t I been in any rooms? Everyone else has.”

“I think they’re trying to drive a wedge between all of us.”

“But why me? Why use me?”

Okay, good question. “I’m not sure why.”