Jade puts her plan into action

Half an hour later, the woods have begun to turn golden from the light of the setting Sun, and Jade watches the Trap House from behind a large tree.

Even if I didn't know it was a trap in advance, I'd know it now, she thinks, shaking her head slightly. Look at that thing! That's no shack hidden in the woods, it's practically a vacation home. It's even hooked up to plumbing, they've probably got a full bathroom in there. Right now, a shower would almost be worth getting caught! You'd have to be a real dumb-ass to fall for it, though...

As if on cue, Jade sees a girl emerge from the woods across the clearing, running fast for the house. That's it! she thinks. I've got to get to the door at the same time she does, so she doesn't lock me out... Now!

Jade leaps out from behind the tree, slides down a short grassy hill, and then runs. She's on the front porch just as the other girl reaches the door. "Wait!" she calls out.

The girl turns to look at her, startled - Jade sees that it's one of the sisters, she can't recall which one. "Fox?" she says, her eyes going wide.

The moment of surprise is enough for Jade to reach her, and when she does she practically shoves the other girl in and then follows, swinging the door shut. On the inside of the door is a gray steel box instead of a doorknob, with a slider switch; Jade flips it over and hears a metal bolt activate and lock the door securely.

"What the fuck was that about?" the girl asks, picking herself up from the floor.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to close the door on me!" Jade replies. "Plus, you were kind of standing in the way, and it was either shove you in or shove you aside."

"Well... I guess I'm glad you picked the one you did." She looks uncertainly at Jade, and then Jade recognizes her.

"You're Eve, right?"

"Mm-hm."

Jade looks out the window by the door, into the darkening woods. "Where's your sister?"

"We got separated," Eve says. "We were trying to get to this safe house where the map showed there was water, but about five or six men were waiting. Anna screamed at me to run... it wasn't until I was back in the woods again that I realized she wasn't running with me. She stayed behind, s-so I could get away." A sob catches in her throat. "I should have gone back... I was just t-too scared!"

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Jade says, approaching the crying girl and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Anna made her choice, and that choice was to help you get away. If you'd gone back, do you really think she would have been happier about it?"

"I g-guess not," Eve says, and takes a deep breath to collect herself. "You're right... going back wouldn't have helped. Besides, she'd been talking about making a deal with the men, she figured it was our best shot and we'd already been caught by them, so it's not like we had that left to lose." She looks at Jade for a moment, then says, "Um... are you still, you know..."

"A virgin? So far, yes." She got over that awfully quickly, Jade thinks. Maybe she's faking it... but what could she gain by that? She might just be emotionally exhausted.

"Wait... where's the girl you were with?"

Jade feels a lurch in her stomach. "Kayo got hurt," she says quietly. "I had to call for an airlift for her."

"I'm sorry. But I have to be honest with you, maybe not too sorry. She's out of this nightmare, that's something I'd almost be willing to break a leg for."

Jade nods, then looks around the interior of the house. "Damn, they really pulled out the stops on this one," she says. "There's a shower over there, and a bed with actual sheets! They even put a clock on the wall so we can tell when we have to leave."

"It's a... nice house," Eve says.

Except you were going to say, "It's a trap," but you changed your mind, Jade thinks. "Well, we certainly seem to have scored a win here. Tell you what... there's a shower over there which I intend to use, and since I don't entirely trust you to not take my pack and run, you're coming with me."

"What?" Eve exclaims, and then she blinks a few times and seems to calm herself. "I mean... sure, I guess. I think I'd feel a little safer that way anyway, you know? I mean... you obviously know what you're doing."

And I know what you're doing, Jade thinks. So let's find how how far you're willing to take it!