In the days that followed, I walked a tightrope of deception, nodding along with Logan's orders and pretending to be his loyal confidante. "Yes, Logan, I'll take care of it," I would say, my voice steady as I accepted his tasks. I would feign enthusiasm as I'd listen with false eagerness whilst committing every detail to memory.

With each passing day, Logan's trust in me seemed to grow, and soon enough, he began leaving me with certain items-keys, supplies, anything he deemed necessary for his operations. It was a risk, but one I was willing to take in order to secure our escape.

We had to escape. His control over us was suffocating and he threatened Ava from the first day we met, that's a fucking no no. He can't seriously treat us like this. Ok Logan, I get it. We shouldn't have stole from you and I am terribly sorry about it, ish. I am working on it. But at this point, I knew deep down, you weren't going to free us. We had to escape. 

I startled myself with my own ability to pull something as daring as this. I felt electrified with nerves and excitement at the thought of escape.

With Ava's quick recovery and Logan's gang taking care of us exceptionally well, I couldn't remain under the control of someone who sought to dominate us. Surely, I've fulfilled my obligations by now.

I have paid my debt to Logan.

As the afternoon sun crawled through the dusty windows of the safehouse, I stirred from my restless slumber. Blinking groggily, I sat up, my mind still racing with thoughts of escape that had been swirling in my head constantly.

Pushing aside the heavy blankets, I made my way through the quiet safehouse until I reached the room where Ryan and Ava were seated at a makeshift table, sharing a quiet lunch.

"Daphne!" Ava exclaimed, rushing towards me with open arms, enveloping me in a tight embrace. I returned the hug, my fingers tangling in her soft, golden curls as we made our way to the table.

"You're up early," Ryan remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, you know what they say; the early bird catches the worm," I retorted, playfully snagging a bite from his apple. With a sigh, I continued, "We got back around 1 am. Logan had us stationed near the bridge to watch for new survivors. Seems there's a group of them-a couple of men and a little boy. They're night hunters, it seems."

As I finished the apple, I tossed it into a nearby bin, scoring a goal. I hesitantly turned back to Ryan as I felt flushed with nerves.

Sensing the change, Ryan furrowed his brow in concern. "What's wrong, Daph?" he asked, his voice laced with genuine worry.

"We need to talk alone. Like right now," I quietly demanded, urgency lacing my voice as I side-eyed Ava, who was happily stabbing her grapes with a fork.

Ryan nodded in understanding, swiftly standing up and moving to a corner where he grabbed a few storybooks and a small tin of crayons to keep Ava occupied. With a shared glance, we retreated to a separate table.

"I know I haven't mentioned anything before, but I've been thinking," I began, steadying my voice despite the flutter of nerves in my stomach. "I think today is our best chance to escape."

Ryan's eyes widened in surprise, his voice barely above a whisper as he echoed my thoughts. "Are you serious?"

"I am," I confirmed, relief flooding through me at Ryan's understanding. "Logan's grip on us, especially Ava, is suffocating. He thrives on control, and I can't bear to let him hold power over us any longer."

Ryan's expression softened, empathy reflecting in his eyes as he absorbed my words. "I understand," he said, his voice gentle. "We can't let him continue to threaten Ava's safety. But why today? What's changed?"

"I've been carefully biding our time," I confessed, my voice trembling slightly.

"I've completed every task Logan assigned with utmost competence, earning his trust along the way. I've also studied everyone's shift patterns, finding the opportune moment for our escape. But... his trust comes with certain items, and the thought of betraying that trust weighs heavily on me. When he discovers we've escaped, I fear the consequences will be dire..." My voice trailed off, a wave of despair washing over me.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself to reveal the full extent of my knowledge. "I overheard some unsettling rumours about Logan," I admitted, my voice tinged with desperation.

"He's not just a gang leader. He's dangerous, Ryan. I heard whispers of men locked up in another warehouse, tortured by Logan himself. I didn't pry for details, but I knew then that we couldn't stay under his thumb any longer. We need to escape, before it's too late."

Ryan's expression morphed into a mixture of shock and concern. He leaned forward, his eyes widening in disbelief as he absorbed my words.

"Men tortured by Logan himself?" he repeated, his voice hushed with horror. "I knew he was ruthless, but this... This is on another level."

"I always knew the day would come when we'd have to make our escape, but I never imagined it would be this soon," Ryan admitted, his expression clouded with confusion. "I thought once you completed Logan's tasks, he'd release us. But it's been a week now..."

"Ryan, before anything else, I need to express my gratitude to you," I interjected, sincerity colouring my words. "Ava is thriving under your care, and I couldn't be more thankful. I haven't been present much, but I've always known she's safe with you. I'm sorry for involving you in this mess, in our mess. After we escape, please don't feel obligated to stay with us unless you truly want to. You're more than welcome to go your own way."

"You and Ava are like sisters to me now," Ryan replied, his eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and affection. "If I were to leave after our escape, I'd miss Ava terribly, and I'd miss my best friend. Besides, once we're free, we'll face Logan together. We're stronger as a team." Hope flickered in Ryan's gaze, igniting a spark of determination within me.

I reached for his hand resting on the table, gripping it tightly as tears welled up in my eyes. Ryan mirrored my gesture, as we shared an emotional glance.

I am truly grateful for Ryan. He may have accidentally gotten us into this mess but I saw him as a lifeline at the right time and I took it at that time, I cannot blame him. I am just happy he hasn't turned his back on us. Ava really likes him too, he is very good with Ava, I need someone on our side. If anything happens to me, I know Ryan would assume my role. I know we only met a few days ago but he is the closest thing I have to a backup plan for Ava. And we have been through alot this week, only bringing us closer. 

I wiped my eyes dry, my expression became serious. "Ava cannot know about our escape, she might ruin it with her big gob", I casted a wary glance at her as she sang to herself.

Ryan scoffed with mixed humour and love.

"What intel did you gather then to set our escape into motion?" Ryan leaned forward eagerly, his curiosity palpable.

"For the past four days, Logan has entrusted me with the keys to the garage," I explained, my tone growing more intense. "Every day at 5 pm, a car arrives with medical supplies from another district. My task is to inspect the supplies, compile a list, and hand it to one of Logan's workers named Tom. Tom then delivers the list to Logan before returning to ensure I've properly secured the premises and retired to bed. Meanwhile, the driver who brought the supplies is picked up by a second car, sometimes, leaving the original car behind in the garage. Then, another worker named Paul takes over and checks on me within 20 minutes."

"But here's the catch," I continued, a glint of determination shining in my eyes. "The last two days, Tom hasn't returned to check on me. He's left the responsibility to Paul, giving us roughly a 30-minute window of opportunity. It is perfect timing too because the rest of the gang will be at a meeting, conducted by Logan AND the original car will be in the garage today. They won't even hear the car! We need to use that time wisely and make sure we take the car to get as far away as possible".

"There's also a small, unused room in the garage," I added, my voice lowering as I outlined the plan. "I'll hide you and Ava there. Just tell her we're playing hide and seek. Once Tom leaves, we make our move. Your job is to make the beds look like we're sleeping, including mine. It might buy us some extra time with Paul."

This plan better work. If we fail, I would probably let Logan lock me up for thinking of a stupid, ambitious plan. I am actually excited to set my plan in motion too. This plan mainly rides on my research until it reaches luck. That is my issue right there. Luck. It hasn't been on our side lately. I am also surprised at myself. I didn't know I had enough observation skills to put this plan together. I really pray it works, only time will tell.

Ryan drew in a deep breath, the weight of the plan evident in the lines etched on his face.

"It's a risky move, but we're already in a tough spot as it is," I remarked, observing the stress reflected in Ryan's expression. "Just one more hour, and then we'll be free," I added with a forced laugh, though a sense of dread lingered beneath my words.

That one hour feels like an eternity. I hate waiting. I get too much anxiety from waiting - the diarrhoea, overthinking, paranoia, sweating, loss of appetite. No bananas to save me and I hate doing a shit in a public toilet. Sure it is their home but I am still a stranger. Air fresheners are a luxury too these days. Maybe I should just shit in their toilets, another good reason to release me. One more hour though till our freedom. Just one more hour and we'd be gone.

We spent the next hour, sitting with Ava as our thoughts drifted to the escape plan. Ava, oblivious to the tension that surrounded us, continued to play innocently, providing a brief respite from the daunting reality that awaited us.

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I got this. Don't even think about it. Just got to handle each task individually like I have done so in the past week. Just do it. I need to stop thinking, it is often the main cause for my fuck ups. I need to switch off. Less thinking, no overthinking.

I waited patiently, in my usual spot. Every second was ticking by slowly. Finally, a member of Logan's gang approached, handing me the key with a nod of acknowledgment before quietly retreating outside. With a quick scan of my surroundings to ensure no one was watching, I let out two deliberate coughs, signalling Ryan and Ava to make their descent down the stairs. Catching Ryan's thumbs-up signal, I breathed a sigh of relief; our beds had been arranged to deceive any observers, and Ryan had informed Ava that we were playing a silent game of hide-and-seek.

With my heart pounding out of my chest, we navigated to the garage discreetly, I slowly opened the door quietly and then quickly shoved Ryan and Ava into the small room.

"Stay down, whatever happens, stay quiet", I quickly whispered to Ava, planting a kiss on her forehead. Ryan and I shared a mutual glance of determination yet impatience.

As Tom entered the garage, we exchanged a nod of acknowledgment, both aware of the roles we needed to play in this orchestrated performance.

"We're expecting the usual supplies today," Tom stated casually as he settled into a chair beside me. I responded with a silent nod, my gaze flickering towards the door of the hidden room where Ava and Ryan were concealed.

A few moments later, a knock sounded from outside the garage. I pressed the buzzer near the shutter, allowing the car filled with Logan's supplies to enter. With practiced efficiency, Tom, the driver, and I unloaded the boxes and placed them on a nearby desk for inspection. I quickly grabbed the clipboard and meticulously documented the items and quantities before handing the list to Tom for approval.

With a sense of relief washing over me, I watched as Tom departed, signalling the driver to leave with a reassuring nod. As his car pulled away, carrying with it the evidence of our deception, I couldn't help but feel a surge of hope knowing that our escape was one step closer to reality.

After a tense minute of silence, I dashed to the small room, knocking twice on the door to signal that the coast was clear. Ava's face lit up with joy as she saw me, but before she could utter a word, I placed a gentle finger over her lips, urging her to remain silent.

"Shhh," I whispered softly, my heart racing with adrenaline as I helped Ava into her backpack and safely strapped her into the car. With every beat of my heart, I could feel the weight of our escape pressing down on me.

Ryan swiftly grabbed the keys and started the car, the engine humming to life as he carefully maneuvered out of the garage. As I pressed the buzzer from inside, signalling our departure, I stole a quick glance back at the closing shutters.

In that moment, as the realisation of our success washed over me, a surge of exhilaration and relief flooded my senses.

As I trembled into the front passenger side, I shot a look, over my shoulder at Ava to ensure she was ok. I felt a bag of nerves, excitement and fear, rooted deeply in my stomach, I laughed to myself, coaxing Ryan to join in too.

Glancing at my watch, I noted the time with a sense of urgency. "We have 30 minutes before we officially become fugitives from Logan," I announced, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves.

Ryan's anxiety was palpable, evident in the strain of his voice as he voiced his concern. "What if Paul realises the car isn't in the garage, Daph?" he fretted.

"He will notice, Ryan," I replied calmly, mustering all the confidence I could. "But as we discussed earlier, sometimes the car isn't even in the garage, so it won't raise any suspicions. Paul is only on night watch, and he won't think twice about a missing car."

As Ryan continued to drive at full speed, my deep thoughts sank in.

Did I do the right thing? If he finds us, will he be more mad? Maybe, I did enough work for Logan for him to hopefully leave us alone now. I don't feel bad at all for escaping, that was something that was bound to happen. I had only been here for a week and I had already escaped. I had no limits. My desperation is the key out of here, I just hope Ava doesn't pay our price.

I couldn't stop nagging myself, perhaps I crossed a moral line. Doubts gnawed at my conscience, questioning if I made the right choice for Ava. I acknowledged I placed us all in greater danger now but I had no choice. It was now or never. Logan had his hooks in us and he wasn't planning on letting go anytime. It was just too dangerous to stick around. I had to do this.

Like I said, I paid the debt.