chapter 6 - beneath the mask

"We should finish this soon."

The words echoed in Sarah's mind, bouncing around like a warning bell. She was crouched behind a weathered crate, her heart pounding against her ribs as she processed what she'd just overheard. Greg, the city's protector, had spoken those words in a low, urgent tone, his hand gripping a strange device. Sarah's brow furrowed in confusion, her thoughts immediately racing to the disappearances and the mysterious ship. She felt a chill run down her spine, knowing she had to act quickly.

Without wasting another moment, she dashed towards Ally's workplace at the water filtration plant. The rhythmic sound of the ocean filtering through the pipes was almost soothing, but Sarah was far from calm. She found Ally deep in concentration, working with the machinery.

"Ally!" Sarah hissed, trying not to draw too much attention.

Ally looked up, surprised and a bit irritated. "What now, Sarah? If you're here to insult me, I'm not in the mood."

Sarah rolled her eyes, exasperated. "No, idiot. I overheard Greg saying something suspicious."

Ally's expression changed, her annoyance fading into concern. "Greg? You mean the protector of the city? What did he say?"

Sarah nodded urgently. "Yes! He said, 'We should finish this soon.' We're running out of time, Ally. Come on, let's go."

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Ally quickly shut down her station. "Alright, but we need to be careful. We'll meet the others this evening, but don't make any suspicious moves. Go back to the bakery and finish your work without drawing attention."

With a final look at Ally, Sarah turned and hurried back to the bakery, trying to steady her nerves. As she worked, her thoughts kept drifting back to Greg and the mysterious device. The evening slowly settled in, painting the sky with hues of pink and orange, the sun casting a warm reflection on the ocean that surrounded the town. The tranquil beauty of the sunset contrasted sharply with the turmoil in Sarah's mind. The day was giving way to night, and with it, the time to meet the others drew closer.

Sarah made her way to the library, where Ally and the others were already waiting. The atmosphere inside was tense, filled with unspoken fears and unanswered questions. Sarah wasted no time. "I heard Greg say, 'We should finish this soon,' and he was holding something I've never seen before. I think it's connected to the disappearances, but I'm not sure how."

Mark's curiosity was piqued. "What kind of device was it? Can you describe it?"

Sarah shook her head, frustration evident. "I'm not really sure, but I think he was talking into it. Like, a phone or something similar, but I'm certain it wasn't a phone."

Danny, seated at the edge of the room with his mask still on, leaned forward slightly, his voice steady but lacking warmth. "Does it look like this?" He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small device and placing it carefully on the table.

Sarah examined the device closely and nodded. "Yes, it looks like this exactly."

Joan looked up, surprise in his voice. "Since when did you get that?"

Danny replied, "The ones who come with the ship gave it to me so we can keep in contact if we need supplies or any other assistance."

Ally broke the silence, her voice filled with uncertainty. "Do you think that Greg could be working with them? I mean, after all, he's the city's protector."

Danny's expression remained impassive as he replied, "I mean, if he were, I should have known."

Just then, a voice from outside cut through the tension, smooth and mocking. "Well, well, well, I think you kids have discovered my little secret."

The group froze, turning towards the source of the voice, their anxiety mounting as they waited to see who had just exposed themselves.

As they turned to see who had spoken, they were met with the sight of Greg standing in the doorway. The group froze, their surprise evident.

Mark was the first to break the silence. "What are you doing here? And what do you mean by, 'We discovered your little secret'?"

Greg stepped into the library, a wry smile on his face. "I knew this charade couldn't last forever. It was only a matter of time before someone uncovered the truth. But I didn't expect it to be a bunch of kids."

"What do you mean?" Ally asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Greg continued, "Yes, the disappearances are real. And no, we do not provide a safe place for those who've been taken. They're just used, nothing more."

Danny, visibly taken aback, interjected, "What do you mean by that? I've talked to them. I asked if they wanted to leave or not, and they all accepted."

Greg's laugh was cold and bitter. "Do you really believe they're provided a safe place? Do you think they care about us? They're simply using us. I've found a way to survive by aiding them. They don't provide safety they only offer a false promise. The kidnapped individuals aren't given a better life they're taken to face unknown horrors."

Sarah, her frustration mounting, demanded, "Can you please speak more clearly? What exactly are you saying, old man?"

Greg's eyes narrowed as he addressed the group. "That's all you need to know, kids. And now, I'm afraid I must get rid of you."

At his command, a group of men stormed into the library. The group's protests and cries filled the room, but their voices were drowned out by the noise of the men as they forcefully subdued them. The men held them down, pressing cloths soaked with a faintly sweet-smelling substance against their noses. Slowly, their cries turned into muffled groans, and one by one, they lost consciousness.

As the men worked, Danny's mask slipped off his face and fell to the ground. Ally's eyes were filled with tears as she glanced at Joan, then at Danny, whose attempts to escape were futile. Her gaze shifted to Sarah and Mark, who had already succumbed to the effects of the drug. Danny's struggles grew weaker, his efforts to fight off the drug ineffective. Joan was next, her consciousness fading rapidly.

Ally's vision blurred as she looked one last time at Sarah and Mark, then at Danny and Joan. Her eyes closed, and darkness overtook her.

The men transported the unconscious group to an unremarkable ship. The vessel was soon set adrift, its destination unknown as it cut through the dark, churning waters. The ship sailed silently into the void, carrying its passengers towards an uncertain fate.

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Greg entered his office and approached a large digital command center built into one wall. The center was an intricate setup of screens, each displaying different surveillance feeds and live data. Greg walked over to a control panel, activating the screens with a few precise keystrokes. The screens flickered to life, showing various angles of the town, capturing every movement of the townspeople.

He took his seat, his gaze fixed on the screens. As he waited, a voice came through an intercom connected to the large screen on the wall.

"So, Greg," the old voice asked, "how did you manage to pull this off? I thought you were just an old, useless man, but you actually did a great job."

A flashback began to unfold in Greg's mind. He recalled the day of the gathering when he had gone back to his office. The screens from that day had shown Ally and her friends discussing the disappearances and the strange happenings in the city. They were piecing together the information that Greg had hoped to keep hidden. He had watched them closely, knowing they were getting closer to uncovering the truth.

Returning to the present, Greg's lips curled into a smug smile. "It was quite simple," he said, looking at the old screen with a sense of triumph. "Just one word was all it took to make these bunch of stupid kids fall right into my trap. I merely had to call my men to take them away once they were all gathered in one place."

The old voice responded with a tone of approval. "Excellent work, Greg. You've managed to keep everything under control."

Highlighting his control over the situation, Greg leaned back in his chair and gazed at the screens, feeling the weight of his success. The town's activities continued to unfold before him, and Greg's smirk widened as he reflected on the flawless execution of his plan.

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After two hours on the ship, Ally slowly regained consciousness. Her vision, initially shrouded in darkness, gradually cleared as she tried to piece together what had happened. When she realized her hands and feet were bound, she looked around, taking in the sight of her friends, still under the drug's influence, scattered in the same confined space. Danny was the only one who appeared awake. When their eyes met, he instinctively tried to shield his face, knowing only Joan and Ally were familiar with his true identity.

Danny broke the silence with a bitter tone. "What a joke. I've been a fool all this time. And now, not only have I been played, but the others will see my face—the face I've tried so hard to keep hidden."

Despite her fear, Ally's voice was gentle and clear. "You don't really have to hide your face anymore, I guess. We're all your friends."

Danny responded with a hint of resignation. "You accepted me, you and Joan, but what about the others? Maybe they'll think I'm a monster."

Ally was puzzled. "A monster? What do you mean by that?"

Danny's voice carried a note of uncertainty. "I mean, you look handsome. I'd date you if I had feelings for you," Ally said with a light-hearted laugh.

Danny smirked slightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks, though Ally didn't notice. "Maybe you're right," he said.

Just then, one by one, the others began to stir. As they woke up, their groggy voices filled the ship. "Where are we?" they asked, confusion evident in their expressions. Sarah's gaze shifted to Danny. "Who is this?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in recognition as she studied his face. "Wait, Danny? I didn't know you were hiding this pretty face under that mask."

Danny looked surprised, but Ally gave him a reassuring smile, silently acknowledging his vulnerability in the situation.

Mark, trying to make sense of their dire situation, asked, "How did we even end up here?"

Sarah, her frustration apparent, replied, "I told you guys not to get us killed, but look at us. We're all tied up like this. We look so pathetic. And oh my god, look at my hair. It's a mess."

Joan shot her a disappointed look. "Really? We're about to die, and the only thing you're thinking about is your hair? We should focus on coming up with a plan to escape."

Ally, keeping her voice low, said, "Keep quiet. We don't want them to hear us. Don't forget that they're on the same ship as us."

Danny interjected, "I think it's my fault."

"No, it's not your fault," Ally responded quickly.

Danny cut her off, his tone filled with regret. "No, Ally, it is. It is my fault for being stupid. It's my fault for choosing to help them and for being blind all this time and getting you all into trouble. And now, I think it's time to fix that."

Sarah looked at him with confusion. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Danny smirked and said, "I might not have known about them kidnapping people, but I have enough information that might help us."