Rebellion: Starship Renegades, #9 by S.J. Bryant

Author:S.J. Bryant
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Saffron Bryant
Published: 2020-05-16T13:52:53+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Sweat poured down Atticus' face, but now from more than the heat of the furnace. He turned his back to the flames and did his best to savor the small cup of water he'd been given. An enforcer loomed a short distance away, gun held across his chest, while the ragged prisoners clutched their metal cups as if their lives depended on it. Ryan had swallowed his whole cup in one go and now his glazed eyes stared at the empty metal, as if willing more water to appear. Atticus took another sip from his cup, barely enough to wet his parched lips, let alone stave off the aching headache that pounded in time with his heart as a result of worsening dehydration. No wonder people didn't last long on furnace duty. A few days like this and Atticus knew his brain would fry, and starved of water he'd go mad. Then how long before the glow of the furnace started to look like a good way out?

All the more reason to act now.

He lifted his cup to his lips but didn't drink, instead using the tin to hide his mouth from the enforcers. "I have a plan."

A few of the newer prisoners glanced up at him, but the others, like Ryan, continued to stare with glazed eyes at whatever held their attention.

"If we don't get out soon, we'll all die here," Atticus said. He gave Ryan the slightest nudge, not wanting to draw the enforcers' attention, but also knowing he needed as many helping hands as possible. Ryan didn't look up.

"How are we supposed to get out?" one of the new prisoners—Sid—said. "This place is locked down tight. Don't think I didn't look."

"There's only one way," Atticus said. Or at least, only one way he'd been able to think of that they had even a chance of carrying out before the furnace took his sanity. He leaned over, pretending exhaustion, and spoke in a fast whisper.

The prisoners protested at first, called him crazy, but what choice did they have? It was either his plan, or let the furnace burn them.

"Right, break time's over," the enforcer said, his heavy boots clunking on the metal floor. "Back to work."

Atticus ran his gaze over the ragged group of prisoners. "We're agreed?"

The more able-bodied among them murmured agreement, a couple more gave dull nods. The rest, including Ryan, shuffled away at the guard's command as if Atticus hadn't spoken at all.

"It has to be now," Atticus said.

Sid lunged forward, large hands landing in the middle of Atticus' chest. "I said give me your water."

Atticus staggered under the weight of the blow but managed to grab hold of Sid's stained shirt. He clutched and pulled, tearing away a strip of fabric.

"I'll kill you for that—"

But before Sid could get to Atticus, the enforcer stepped between them, slamming the side of his rifle into Sid's chest. "I said back to work!"

Sid pressed a hand to his side where the gun had struck but shuffled toward the depot, casting one last glare at Atticus.

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