Tod stood motionless, unable to process what had just happened. His wide eyes darted back and forth between his mother’s lifeless body, her blood pooling on the floor, and the man in black who had just killed her. The splattered brain matter on the marble tiles seemed to mock him, rooting him in place.

  The man holstered his gun and began methodically checking each room. When he confirmed that only Tod and his mother were present, he returned to where Tod stood frozen. Without a word, he pulled out a dart gun and aimed it directly at the boy.

  Tod barely had time to react. The dart struck him in the right shoulder before he could even lift his hand. He tried to touch the spot where it hit, but his legs gave out beneath him. The cold marble floor rushed up to meet him as his vision blurred, and then everything went dark.

  ---

  When Tod reopened his eyes, he found himself in the back of a moving vehicle. Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, he realized it was a military-style truck. The cargo area was cramped and dimly lit, with rows of unconscious children lying around him—about fifty in total—all seemingly close to his age.

  At the back of the truck stood two armed guards, their eyes scanning for any signs of movement. Tod instinctively knew it wasn’t safe to let them see he was awake. He remained as still as possible, feigning unconsciousness while subtly observing his surroundings.

  Through a small opening in the truck’s side, Tod could make out flashes of light from vehicles trailing behind them—police cars, by the looks of them. He counted four at first but suspected there might be more. Gunshots echoed sporadically through the tunnel they were driving through, accompanied by blinding flashes from police sirens. The narrow tunnel walls amplified every sound, making it impossible for Tod to focus.

  After what felt like an eternity of sharp turns and jolts, the truck began climbing a slope. When they emerged from the tunnel, Tod squinted against the harsh sunlight streaming through the opening. Outside, he saw an endless expanse of desert stretching in all directions. The truck came to an abrupt stop.

  Tod’s heart leaped as he noticed the police cars closing in on them. For the first time since waking up, hope flickered within him. There were helicopters overhead—two of them—hovering like guardian angels above the convoy. Surely this force would be enough to save them.

  One of the guards jumped out of the truck carrying a device that looked like a remote control with numerous buttons. He laughed maniacally as he shouted something Tod couldn’t understand before pressing one of the buttons.

  *BOOM!*

  The explosion shook the ground violently as flames erupted behind them. Dust filled the air, forcing Tod to cover his face to avoid choking on it. When the dust settled, he saw that the tunnel entrance had collapsed entirely, trapping or destroying all but the two helicopters still circling above.

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  The helicopters began retreating—at least that’s how it appeared to Tod—but they didn’t get far. The man with the remote now wielded a rocket launcher with unnerving precision.

  *BOOM!*

  The first helicopter spiraled downward in flames before crashing into the desert sands below.

  The second helicopter attempted evasive maneuvers, banking sharply to avoid being targeted. But with an unblinking gaze and steady hands, the man fired again.

  *BOOOM!*

  Another direct hit sent it plummeting from the sky.

  Satisfied with his work, the man returned to the truck and exchanged words with his comrades in a language Tod didn’t understand—Arabic, perhaps? The guards began inspecting each child in turn, ensuring they were all still unconscious.

  Twice Tod heard screams from children who had woken up too soon.

  Twice he heard gunshots that silenced those screams forever.

  Tod’s breath quickened as panic threatened to overtake him. He knew if they discovered he was awake, he’d meet the same fate as those unfortunate children before him. He needed a plan—and fast.

  An idea struck him: if he could make himself pass out again, they might overlook him. Lying down carefully so as not to draw attention, Tod held his breath until his chest burned and veins bulged on his forehead. His vision blurred as dizziness set in, but he didn’t stop until consciousness slipped away entirely.

  When one of the guards reached him moments later, they prodded him roughly with the butt of their gun. Tod’s body remained limp.

  The guard leaned closer and pried open one of Tod’s eyelids. Seeing that his pupils were rolled back unnaturally far, he scratched his head in confusion.

  “I was sure this one was awake,” he muttered in Arabic before moving on.

  ---

  Tod woke up screaming sometime later, drenched in sweat. His mother’s death replayed vividly in his mind—the lifeless body on cold marble tiles and that haunting smile on her killer’s face burned into his memory like a brand.

  It took several minutes for him to calm down enough to assess his surroundings: complete darkness enveloped him like a suffocating blanket. No light seeped through; no sounds reached him except for his own ragged breathing.

  Fighting rising panic, Tod forced himself to focus. First things first—he needed information: where was he? Was anyone else here? Was there a way out?

  “Is anyone here?” he called into the void but received no answer.

  Determined not to give up, Tod began crawling slowly along what felt like concrete flooring until his hand brushed against a wall. Keeping one hand on it for guidance, he moved cautiously while counting steps under his breath.

  Eventually, he reached what seemed to be a metallic door—but there was no handle on his side. Desperation clawed at him as he pounded on it with both fists and shouted until his throat felt raw—but no one came.

  Exhausted and defeated, Tod slumped against the cold floor as questions swirled chaotically through his mind:

  A darker thought crept into his consciousness:

  As sleep threatened to claim him once more, another idea took root—a terrible yet tempting one:

  With that thought lingering ominously in his mind… darkness claimed him once more.