Chapter 26: Whispers of Rebellion

Another day at Frigid Rock. The cold has settled in my bones like an old friend, and I’ve grown used to the biting wind and the relentless gray that hangs over the place like a shroud. The prison is a hive of tension, always simmering, always on the edge of boiling over. The guards keep a tight grip, but even they know it’s only a matter of time before something snaps.

I’m in the yard with the rest of the Sevens, pretending to be focused on the weights in front of me, but my mind is a thousand miles away. Specifically, it’s on Liberty Lockwood. Ever since that dream—no, nightmare—I can’t stop thinking about her. She’s gotten under my skin in a way I didn’t think was possible, and it’s driving me insane.

The yard is as it always is, a mix of muscle and malice. Inmates lift weights, play cards, or just lounge around, but it’s all a front. Everyone here is always watching, always waiting. And today, something feels different. There’s an undercurrent in the air, something dark and dangerous that sets my instincts on high alert.

I’m just about to shrug it off, chalk it up to the usual paranoia that comes with being in a place like this, when I catch sight of a group of Aryan Brotherhood members huddled together in the far corner of the yard. They’re speaking in low tones, their heads bent close, and from the way they keep glancing around, it’s clear they don’t want to be overheard.

Curiosity piqued, I motion to Maks, who’s been keeping an eye on them too. He gives me a nod, and we casually move closer, pretending to be focused on our own conversation. But my attention is locked on the Aryans, every word they say filtering into my brain like a bad tune I can’t shake.

“Tonight’s the night,” one of them mutters, a guy named Riker. He’s a mean son of a bitch, covered in tattoos that make his allegiance clear. “We’ve got everything in place. The guards change shifts at midnight, and that’s when we make our move.”

“What about the Sevens?” another one asks, his voice a harsh whisper. “They’re not gonna just sit back and let us take over.”

“We’ll deal with them if we have to,” Riker replies, his voice dripping with disdain. “But they’re not the priority. The key to this whole thing is the professor. We grab her, and we’ve got leverage. Without her, this whole damn experiment falls apart.”

My blood runs cold. Liberty. They’re talking about Liberty.

“Yeah, but she’s always got guards around her,” another one chimes in. “How the hell are we supposed to get to her?”

“Leave that to me,” Riker says with a twisted smile. “I’ve got a guy on the inside. He’ll take care of the guards. We just need to be ready to move when the time comes.”

“Once we’ve got her, we make our demands,” Riker continues, his voice low and confident. “We get the warden to open the gates, give us what we want, and we’re out of here before anyone knows what hit them.”

“And if they don’t give in?” someone asks, a note of uncertainty in his voice.

“Then we make an example out of her,” Riker replies coldly. “We show them we mean business.”

A surge of anger burns through me, hot and fierce. They’re planning to use Liberty as a bargaining chip, to hurt her if things don’t go their way. I clench my fists, every muscle in my body coiled tight with the need to do something, anything, to stop this. But I force myself to stay calm, to think. I can’t just storm over there and start swinging. That’s exactly what they want. I need to be smart about this.

I motion to Maks again, signaling for him to keep listening while I head back to the weights. My mind is racing, trying to piece together a plan. I need to get to Liberty before they do, warn her, protect her. But I can’t do it alone. I’ll need the Sevens behind me, and that means convincing them that this isn’t just about protecting some government experiment. This is about protecting our turf, our power. If the Aryans take over, we’re all screwed.

I take a deep breath, forcing the anger down, letting the cold logic take over. I’ve been in worse situations before, and I’ve always come out on top. This time won’t be any different. But the stakes are higher now. This isn’t just about survival. This is about Liberty.

I glance over at the Aryans again, catching Riker’s eye for a split second. He looks away quickly, but not before I see the flash of arrogance in his gaze. He thinks he’s got this all figured out, that he’s going to walk out of here with Liberty as his bargaining chip. But he’s dead wrong. I’m not going to let that happen. Not on my watch.

As I head back to the Sevens, I run the plan over in my mind, every step, every detail. I’ll need to move fast, get to Liberty before they do, and make sure she’s safe. And then, when the time is right, I’ll make my move. Riker and his crew won’t know what hit them.

But as much as I try to focus on the plan, on the logistics, I can’t shake the image of Liberty from my mind. Her bright blue eyes, her fiery spirit, the way she looked at me like she could see right through me. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, never cared this much about anyone’s safety. But there’s something about her that’s different, something that makes me want to protect her, to keep her safe from the darkness of this place.

I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts away. I can’t afford to get distracted. Not now. Not when so much is at stake.

As I reach the Sevens, I motion for them to gather around, keeping my voice low as I relay what I just heard. Maks listens intently, his expression darkening with every word.

“Those bastards,” Dmitri mutters, cracking his knuckles. “They think they can just waltz in here and take over? They’ve got another thing coming.”

“We can’t let them get to her,” Kolya adds, his eyes narrowing. “If they do, we’re all screwed.”

I nod, my mind already working through the details. “We need to act fast. Tonight, during the shift change, they’re going to make their move. We need to be ready. I want eyes on the Aryans at all times. If they even think about going near Liberty, we take them down. No hesitation.”

The Sevens nod, their expressions grim. They know what’s at stake, and they’re ready to do whatever it takes to protect our turf, our power. But for me, it’s more than that. It’s about Liberty. I can’t let anything happen to her. Not when I’ve just started to figure out what she means to me.

As we break apart, each of the Sevens going their separate ways to keep an eye on the Aryans, I take a deep breath, trying to steady the storm inside me. The plan is in motion, the pieces are falling into place. But there’s still a part of me that’s worried, that knows how easily things can go wrong in a place like this.

But I can’t let fear control me. I’ve faced down worse odds before, and I’ve always come out on top. This time won’t be any different. I’ll keep Liberty safe, no matter what it takes.

As the hours tick by, the tension in the prison grows, the air thick with anticipation. The Aryans are moving, setting their plan into motion, but so are we. The Sevens are ready, watching, waiting for the right moment to strike.

And when that moment comes, when the Aryans make their move, I’ll be ready.

I’ll be ready to protect Liberty, to keep her safe from the darkness of this place.

And if I have to tear this prison apart to do it, so be it.

As night falls, I take one last look around the yard, my gaze settling on the spot where Liberty stood earlier, her presence still lingering in the air. I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight, how things are going to play out, but I do know one thing:

I’m not going to let anything happen to her.

Not on my watch.