TWENTY-FOUR

Two weeks pass with Juliette outwardly cooperating with Warner because Adam’s escape plan is now only one week away. Warner parades Juliette through the compound as a trophy and secret weapon, touching her and speaking as if they will conquer together. Juliette remains repulsed, but she also begins to pity Warner, recognizing his loneliness, his damaged upbringing, and his need to believe Juliette understands him.

During stolen nights with Adam, Juliette learns why Adam volunteered to retrieve Juliette: Warner had spent months investigating Juliette’s past, including the grocery-store death, and Adam recognized Juliette from the details. Adam explains that Warner is increasingly obsessed with Juliette and wants Juliette to choose him rather than simply obey him, a fixation that is making Warner unstable. Adam also shares information about The Reestablishment’s structure, including other headquarters and Warner’s powerful father at the capital.

As Warner grows more suspicious, Warner limits Juliette and Adam’s time together, sometimes ordering Adam to guard Juliette from outside her door. Still, when possible, Adam sleeps beside Juliette on the floor, and their closeness becomes Juliette’s only comfort. Juliette begins to worry that the dangerous routine is becoming too comfortable before their escape can happen.

At breakfast, Warner gives Juliette revealing exercise clothes and says she must take an aptitude test. Juliette changes reluctantly, terrified by what the test might involve. When Warner leads Juliette into the hallway, Adam sees Juliette’s outfit and recognizes that something is wrong, but Warner orders Adam to stay behind.

Warner takes Juliette deep into a basement area filled with soldiers, guns, and locked metal doors, then pushes Juliette into a bare room with a large mirror. Mechanical spikes begin erupting from the walls, floor, and ceiling, revealing the room as a torture chamber. Warner speaks through speakers and reminds Juliette that, because Warner removed Juliette’s cameras, Juliette must fulfill Juliette’s side of their bargain.

When Juliette refuses to touch Warner, Warner sends in a blindfolded, terrified toddler as a replacement. Warner tells Juliette that if Juliette does not save the child, no one else will. Juliette understands that rescuing the toddler requires holding him away from the spikes, but touching him could kill him, forcing Juliette into an impossible moral test.