What's the point in doing homework if I'm only going to be here for a few more weeks? I groan and flop back on my bed, papers and pencils sprawled around me.

Blake said the map should be done by the end of the night. I just need to keep myself busy until they've sent it over to me. Homework, sadly, is the solution to that.

A whoosh sounds, and I sit up to find Sam in the doorway. Her hair is still up in the ponytail she wore to school, but now she's dressed in a white skirt and a little blue shirt. A quick glance at my chip tells me it's been two hours since schools let out. "What's up?" I ask.

Sam's gaze settles on me. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." I move over on my bed and sweep some of my school work out of the way. Some of it falls on the ground, but I could care less. "Is everything alright?" I ask as she stops at the edge of my bed.

She won't meet my gaze. "We need to talk."

Something like worry and fear sinks into my stomach. "About what?" I can't help but notice how the skirt slides up when she sits down. When my gaze slides up to meet hers I find our faces are only inches apart.

"I just... I feel like we've been having these moments lately, and I'd like to make sure I'm not imagining them."

My heart picks up its beat. "I don't think you are."

Her eyes light up before dimming just as fast. "Really?"

I nod, and start to close the gap.

Sam leans in, her eyes drift close, telling me I can close mine. There's a momentary pause before we collide.

Her lips are soft, and they taste like cherry and chocolate. I bring my hand up and run my fingers up the back of her neck until they're stopped by her ponytail.

Her hand grips my wrist that props me up.

I lean back and gasp. My wide eyes find hers. A blush has crept up onto her face, warming her cheeks.

"That was-" Sam leans in and kisses me again, interrupting my thought. This time she's rougher. But I can't find it in me to care. I push back with the same amount of energy. The next thing I know she pushes me back onto the bed. A gasp escapes me. "Aren't we going a little fast?" I ask when we break apart.

Her gaze flicks to the door. "I'm sorry," she says.

My brows lower and clench together. "What?"

As my bedroom door slides open, Sam brings a cloth to my mouth and nose. My eyes widen as she holds it against my face. I try to fight her off but she has me pinned down.

"Good job, Samantha," a female voice says.

As my vision gets blurry I'm still able to make out the two figures who entered my room. Her parents.

They come to stand behind Sam, looming over her shoulder.

"You really thought you could spy on us?" Mrs Mars asks.

"You should know we have eyes everywhere," Mr Mars says, placing a hand on Sams shoulder.

My gaze slides to her. My eyelids are really heavy. The only thing I can make out in her eyes is guilt. It's the last thing I see before darkness consumes me.

***

Bright blinding light smacks me in the face. I blink as I try to focus my eyesight. My neck throbs with pain. I reach back and rub it, trying to massage the pain away.

Where am I? What happened?

I look around and find I'm surrounded by glass on all sides. My stomach drops.

I've been caught.

It all comes back in a flash. Sam kissing me, Sam drugging me, her parents. Bits and pieces of being carried here.

I've failed.

Warm, hot tears prick my eyes. How did I fail? How did they find out I was a spy? I thought I was careful. I'd taken all the precautions I could think of. What did I do wrong?

My aunt and my parents will be so disappointed. They had such high hopes for me. And this was my best and only chance to prove that I could follow in their footsteps.

How did I fail?

I lean my head back so it rests on the glass.

Will they even realize I've been captured? That I failed? Or will I be trapped here for who knows how long?

Taking a few deep breaths I try to not let the worry and fear close in on me. But it's hard in such a small space. How am I not supposed to worry and panic?

"You're awake."

I open my eyes to find Mr and Mrs Mars standing in front of my cage. I don't give them a reaction. Mrs Mars' hands are folded behind her back. She sneers down at me with a triumphant smile. Mr Mars stands with his arms folded, and an unreadable expression except for the frown his lips make.

"Glad to see you're awake, Emma," Mrs Mars says. "I hope it's comfortable in there."

I don't say a word.

She sighs. "Shall we just get right into the questions then?"

"I'm not going to answer anything."

"It'll be easier for all of us if you do," Mr Mars says.

I fold my arms across my chest.

"Who sent you here?" Mrs Mars asks.

We stare at each other, a war happening between our gazes. I turn my head to the side, breaking it. Allowing her the win.

"Do you really want to make this difficult?" she asks.

I do. I'm prepared to. I've been trained to keep all the information I know to myself. They will never get it out of me.

"I hate to see that you've chosen the hard path," Mrs Mars says, fake disappointment coating her words.

I glance over at them out of the corner of my eye. Mrs Mars has a wicked grin on her face, while Mr Mars looks at me with disappointment. Did he really expect something else from me?

"Well, I hate to see this," his wife says. She spins around and heads to a console that sits across from my cage. Buttons upon buttons line it. All of them have different colors, and some even flash.

"You going to torture me? I ask, trying and failing to keep a waver out of my voice.

Slowly, she turns her head to look at me. The wicked grin has grown. "That is the best way to get information out of you." Then, she presses a button.