The next few days I tried to stay busy and avoid as many people as possible. The infirmary was still on lockdown, which meant no more fixes for Stacy, Justin or Melissa. And by now the effects were wearing off, so it was only a matter of time before they started withdrawing.

And I was preparing myself for confrontation.

Paige was the only one I talked to now, even though Melissa and I had a breakthrough the other day. I was avoiding her because she was still pressing me about letting her explain herself, but I just didn't think I could hear it yet. I knew once I did it would change everything.

It had been five days since the lockdown and there was still no word on what had been stolen or who had done it. I was growing more and more nervous with each passing day. And Chapman was impatiently waiting for me to get back to him with a picture of some sort.

There was more pressure than ever, and it was getting to me.

I was folding my laundry when the door to my dorm opened. I jumped at the sudden noise.

"It's just me, Alexa," Paige comforted. "Why are you so jumpy?"

"You know why I'm so jumpy," I accused.

She raised her brow. "You're really afraid Stacy's gonna try and come after you."

"I wouldn't put it past her," I confessed. "She did threaten me."

"Threats are just words."

"We'll see."

Paige sat on her bed. "Well, if she does then I'll help you fight her off. Two against one."

I saved my clothes with a smile. "Thanks."

I watched Paige grab a set of night clothes. "I guess I could go shower while everyone's still at dinner."

"Good idea," I agreed. "I'll probably go soon too."

She left the room and I waited a few minutes before retrieving my cellphone. Chapman hadn't sent another text since asking for a picture of Diaz, but there was another person I wanted to talk to.

I typed in Anna's number and texted, "Hey, it's Alexa. Don't ask how I'm texting you at camp. I'll just tell you when I see you. I miss you so much."

I knew it was a school night, but maybe she had her phone on her. I was desperate to have some kind of contact with my sister.

Then my phone buzzed.

Anna wrote, "If this really is Alexa, what's my favorite color?"

"Teal. When did you get so suspicious?" I responded.

"Since I found out my entire family is involved with the government. I can't believe you're actually texting me from camp! I miss you so much! How is it over there?"

"Intense. But I'm learning a lot. How's everything back home?"

This time it took her a while to text back. I wondered if that was a bad sign or her just texting me a novel.

My phone buzzed.

"It's been great. I feel like mom and I are the closest we've ever been."

I read the text twice, and to be honest, I had expected a little bit more.

Then she texted me again.

"I've hung it with dad a few times too."

I stared at my phone for what felt like hours. Anna had hung out with dad? Had mom been with them too? I wish she'd elaborate more, but deep down I didn't know if I was ready to hear that.

I exhaled some of the heaviness in my chest before KI responded.

"That's great Anna. I'm glad you took that step. I've gotta go, but I'll try to text you as soon as I can. Don't be afraid to send me random messages. I love you."

I tucked my phone away and tried to bury the pain I felt. There was no reason for me to feel this way. It was good that Anna had hung out with dad, right? That meant she was trying to forgive him. That meant she was strong.

But I wasn't there to see it, and the realization hurt me.

I grabbed my clothes and shower bag and headed to the washroom. Maybe a shower would help me feel better.

But when I walked in I heard whimpering. Was that Paige?

"Paige?" I called.

I found the stall and knocked, but she didn't answer. Yet, I could hear her on the other side.

"Paige I'm coming in," I said.

I pushed the door open and found her wrapped in a towel, with another pressed to her head. There was blood. Lots of it. The sight terrified me.

"What happened?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know. I was showering and then someone hit me..." She choked up.

I grabbed her clothes. "I'm taking you to the dorm tenant."

She shook her head. "I'm fine, Alexa. It's just a little blood."

I grabbed her shoulders. "Paige you're bleeding really bad."

She looked down and saw the blood escaping through the drain. That's when she realized I was right.

"Oh my God," she panicked.

I helped her put her clothes on and helped her out the bathroom. All I could wonder was who the hell would do something like this. Had it been Stacy? Justin? Diaz?

When the dorm tenant saw us she immediately called someone and we were led to the infirmary. I assumed since it was an emergency they would open the doors to us.

Paige was taken to the back and I was asked to stay in the lobby. I tried getting through but they denied my pleas. I had no choice but to wait it out.

I sat in the lobby for about ten minutes before I felt someone else's presence next to me.

When I looked up, the face of nurse Diaz startled me. I jumped away from him and stood from my chair.

"Woah, I just wanted to tell you Paige is fine." He held his hands up in a comforting manner. "She needed a few stitches, but she's okay."

I eyed him but not for a second did I trust him.

He dropped his hands. "Did you see what happened?"

I just shook my head.

"Paige said she slipped in the shower and hit her head."

Why had Paige decided to lie about what happened? I needed to talk to her but for now I had to go along with her story.

"Yeah the showers are kind of slippery," I said.

That's when my eyes traveled to the I.D. clip on his shirt. It's exactly what Chapman needed from me. But how in the hell was I gonna get it?

"I know it was you that left that syringe in my room," I started.

His dark eyes studied me, but I kept my voice low. I stepped closer to him.

"I didn't ask for it," I claimed.

He tilted his head. "Well, you seemed curious enough."

Okay, maybe I was getting somewhere.

I raised my brow. "I am, but I don't feel comfortable using it without a professional present."

Maybe I was being stupid. Or ingenious. I wasn't sure yet. But if I could take one for the team and get him alone to grab the I.D., then I would.

He sighed. "So you want to try it?"

"Do I have to spell it out?" I flirted.

This got him to smile. "Alright then."

He disappeared into the storage and then appeared with a syringe and a bottle of unmarked medicine. My heart began to race at the sight.

Was I really about to do this? Just to score his I.D.?

He led me to a room closed the door behind him. I watched him measure the dose. I could feel the clamminess of my hands. My skin was hot but inside I was freezing.

I didn't want to take it, but I needed his card. And this might be the only opportunity I would get.

I sat on the table and extended my left arm. He took it in his left hand and held the needle in his right.

That's when I let my free hand rest on his shoulder, close to his card that was dangling from his shirt.

He looked at me with an odd expression.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I'm not a fan of needles."

He gave me a reassuring smile and lowered the needle to my arm. My hand traveled down his shoulder and to his card. My fingertips grasped the clip as the needle broke skin.

When he was most distracted I gently removed the I.D. I held it in my hand and kept it behind his back so he wouldn't see.

"Ow, that burns," I admitted with hopes to distract him further.

"Yeah but tomorrow morning you'll feel superhuman," he assured.

I forced a smile. He hadn't noticed a thing.

He pulled back and disposed of the syringe and gloves. In this moment I hurried to sit on the I.D. card. Then his eyes flipped back to me.

"Maybe I'll see you again?" he wondered. "For another fix."

My arm was burning but I tried to hide the fact that I was terrified.

I smirked. "Or I'll just come for the view."

He gave a small smile before he opened the door to see if it was clear. Then he looked back at me and winked before leaving.

Once he was gone I grabbed his card and stuck it in my pocket. I tried my best to ignore the burn in my arm but it didn't seem to be letting up. Did everyone experience this?

I exited the room and continued to wait for Paige, and when she emerged from her room she looked distraught.

"How is it?" I asked.

She shrugged. "A few stitches but no concussion. Whoever it was must've just wanted to scare me."

"Why did you lie to the nurses?" I asked. "About what really happened?"

She looked over her shoulder and then out of the infirmary. It wasn't until we made it outside that she decided to talk.

"Diaz was there," she stated. "I couldn't accuse anyone of hitting me because they would've asked who. Then what? I would've had to lie to cover my ass. Plus, I'm pretty sure Diaz was silently telling me not to say a word."

I just looked at her with worry in my eyes. As much as I wanted to tell her the good news about Diaz's I.D. card, I knew I couldn't. She couldn't know any more about what I was doing. She knew enough and look where that had gotten her.

My arm was starting to feel better but that didn't stop my brain from worrying. The fact that I had taken a dose just to grab Diaz's I.D. was insane. What if I ended up having a bad reaction? Chapman had told me not to, but in the moment it had felt like the right thing to do.

This would show Diaz I wasn't on his back for the wrong reasons, even when I was. I had gotten what Chapman needed to identify him. And hopefully this scare would open the infirmary back up so the others wouldn't feel the need to hurt me or Paige again.

If that's even who attacked Paige in the first place.

I wanted to believe it had been Stacy because it would be easy to piece together. She had motive. She had the crazy to do it. But was it that simple for her to bash Paige on the head?

I got my roommate to bed and lied down myself but my mind raced. I was worried. The pressure of everything had heightened significantly, and with Paige getting hurt and me getting a fix of that stuff... things were now a lot worse.

And for the first time in along time, I was scared.

* * *

The next morning my eyes opened as if I had slept for years. I felt rejuvenated. I felt like a brand-new person. It was almost surreal the way I felt, but I knew this would all wear off.

Paige turned in her bed but I knew she wouldn't be attending classes today. The nurses had ordered her to take a day to herself, and I'm sure she would have no problem doing that.

I practically jumped out of bed and went about my morning routine. All my brain wanted to think about was the I.D. card sitting in my shower bag. I would need to text Chapman a picture of it today.

At workouts, I tried to play it cool but I found what Diaz had told me last night was right. I felt different. I could run faster and longer than before. I lifted more weight. I felt stronger and managed not to hurt myself. It was obvious why Stacy and Justin were desperate for it.

But I knew I needed to talk to Melissa about it, and that's what I planned to do at lunch.

I found her sitting alone and joined her.

"Hey?" she greeted.

"I have to tell you something," I said.

She picked at the food on her tray. "What did you do now?"

"I got a fix," I revealed. "Last night, in the infirmary."

It was like I had just told her there was a meteor about to hit earth. All her attention fell onto me and the look on her face was priceless.

"Are you insane?" she whispered.

"It was completely circumstantial."

"How on earth was that circumstantial?"

I sighed. "Paige got attacked in the shower last night. I found her with her head bleeding and... I brought her to the infirmary. Diaz was there and I needed his I.D. card for Chapman. I let him give me the shot to distract him and... it worked."

"Wait, hold up..." She stopped me. "Paige got attacked?"

I nodded. "Someone hit her from behind. She had to get stiches on her head, Melissa."

It sounded bad every time you said it aloud. Just the image of that happening to Paige made me want to vomit.

"And she didn't see who it was?" Melissa asked.

"No," I answered. "But you don't think Stacy could've mistaken Paige for me?"

Melissa shook her head. "You and Paige look nothing alike, even from behind. Whoever did that knew it wasn't you."

I exhaled a heavy breath.

"Well is she okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah she's fine. Nurses told her to rest today."

She shifted in her seat. "So you got his I.D. card... Now what?"

"I'll send a picture of him to Chapman as soon as Paige leaves our room. I'm hoping he finds something in time to help," I revealed.

We continued to pick at our food in silence, but there were unresolved conversations between her and I. After getting that shot I just wanted a little bit of comfort, considering I've been freaking out since last night.

"Did your arm burn when you... you know...?" I wondered.

She nodded. "Yeah it doesn't feel too good at first."

So it wasn't just me.

She gave a small laugh. "Your commitment is impressive."

As I studied her I tried to find just the slightest hint of annoyance, but I couldn't. She was acting rather... happy. And the fact that it had been an entire week since her "last" dose she should've been completely different. But how had she gotten it when the infirmary hadn't been opened until last night?

"It's been a week since your last dose," I observed. "How are you feeling?"

She stayed silent for a while, but she didn't have to answer me. I knew the truth. She must've gone this morning at the news of the infirmary being back open. Someone must've let her know.

"Alexa, look..." she started.

"You're just as bad as the rest of them," I accused.

She shook her head. "When your benefits wear off, let me know how you plan on stopping yourself from going back."

I stood. "I won't go back. I'm stronger than that."

I turned by back to her but stopped for a moment, then I turned back around.

"And I thought you were too," I finished.

Then I left her and proceeded to my morning classes.

I was so upset with her, but why? I should've expected this. She had broken down before. She wasn't as strong as I thought she was. It was disappointing.

When lunch came I went to check on Paige. I found her getting dressed.

"Hey." I closed the door behind me. "How are you feeling?"

She smiled. "Better. The headache went away. But I'm starving."

I smiled. "You plan on heading to lunch soon?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but I need the restroom."

Before she left she stopped at the door.

"Wait for me?" she asked.

"Of course," I obliged.

When she was gone, I grabbed my phone and the I.D. card I had stolen last night. I quickly snapped a picture and sent it to Chapman's number with a note explaining what it was. He would know what to do with it. Then I turned it back off in a hurry.

Then the door to my room opened. Stacy stood in the doorway. She closed the door behind her.

I stood tall. "Can I help you?"

Her hands grabbed my collar and pushed me against the wall. My heart was pounding out of my chest at the sudden violence. I grabbed her hands but realized she wasn't trying to hurt me.

"If I get cut off again I'm going to make you regret coming here," she threatened. "Understand?"

I shoved her from me. "The lockdown wasn't my fault."

"It's not about the lockdown!"

I furrowed my brow. "What are you talking about?"

"Diaz cut us off because he thought we were giving you information, even when we didn't" she admitted. "This was our punishment."

I just watched her.

"But he told me the truth," she revealed.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"That you were just looking for a fix."

I decided to let her believe that was the truth.

She laughed. "You're no better than the rest of us."

Then Paige opened the door and spotted Stacy. She opened the door and pointed to the hallway.

"Get the hell out of my room," she demanded.

Stacy just looked back at me and laughed.

Then she left.

"Why was she here?" Paige panicked. "Did she hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine," I reassured. "She just threatened me."

"For?"

"Told me if she ever got cut off again she would make me regret coming here." I played off the lie. "You're right. She's all talk."

I still couldn't bring myself to tell her about me taking the steroid or scoring Diaz's I.D. card. That would only lead to me having to explain the cellphone and what I was doing with the gathered information, and I couldn't tell her. From now on I was on my own.

So there was nothing to do but wait for Chapman to find something on his man that didn't seem to exist. I hoped he would work with a sense of urgency but if he didn't believe this to be a priority... Well, that wouldn't be good.

But I had done my part, and now it was Chapman's turn to do his.