Gracieta

The Brave Girl

At just six years old, Alexa's life takes a terrifying turn when she is kidnapped on her way home from school. She wakes up on an airplane, surrounded by strangers, with her captors threatening to drop her from the sky. She soon realizes that she is not alone—other kidnapped girls of various ages share her fate. They are taken to a mysterious island, completely isolated by the ocean, where escape is impossible.  

The girls are forced into an institution that resembles an orphanage but is far from a safe haven. There, they are subjected to brutal training, rigorous studies, and cruel experiments that push their minds and bodies to the limit. Stripped of their past identities, they are given new names, all beginning with the letter "A." Alexa clings to the only connection to her real self—a hidden note with her true name, buried deep within the institution’s grounds.  

In this merciless environment, Alexa finds solace in Alexandra, a frail yet brilliant girl who becomes her closest friend—her sister by choice. To protect Alexandra, Alexa pushes herself to become one of the strongest among the girls, enduring every hardship and mastering every skill thrown at her, from combat to strategy, music to deception. The institution molds them into highly trained individuals, but their purpose remains a mystery.  

As Alexa grows older, she learns that girls who reach the age of sixteen are sent on dangerous missions. What awaits her beyond the institution’s walls? And will she ever reclaim the life that was stolen from her? *The Brave Girl* is a gripping tale of survival, sisterhood, and the unbreakable will of a girl who refuses to be broken.

The brave Girls

The dense forest concealed their movements as Alexa, Alexandra, and Lila pressed forward through the undergrowth. Their bodies ached from exhaustion, but the thought of reaching safety pushed them onward.

"This way," Lila whispered, leading them down a barely visible path.

The safe house wasn't far now. After escaping the institution and nearly being caught by Kieran's patrols, every rustle of leaves sent Alexa's nerves on edge. Alexandra clutched her wrist tightly, her breathing shallow.

Then, Lila suddenly stopped. She knelt, brushing aside a patch of dead leaves to reveal a hidden steel hatch beneath the forest floor. With a few quick presses on a concealed keypad, the hatch hissed open.

Alexa and Alexandra exchanged a glance before climbing down the metal ladder. The moment their feet touched the ground, the hatch sealed shut above them.

The underground safe house was nothing like the abandoned shack it appeared to be from above. Fluorescent lights hummed overhead, illuminating a network of **high-tech workstations, weapons caches, and surveillance monitors displaying live feeds of the institution.** Soldiers moved with quiet efficiency, their eyes trained on screens filled with data and encrypted messages.

A tall man with graying hair approached. He had the posture of someone who had spent years in command, his sharp gaze scanning Alexa and Alexandra before turning to Lila.

"You made it," he said, his voice deep and measured. "Are they the ones?"

Lila nodded. "Yes. This is Alexa and Alexandra." She turned to Alexa. "And this is the man in charge—Commander Raines."

Raines studied Alexa for a long moment before extending a hand. "We've been watching that institution for years, but we never had an advantage strong enough to take them down." His voice lowered. "Until now."

Alexa shook his hand, feeling the weight of his words. She had spent years trying to escape, and now they wanted her to **go back in—on her own terms. No way

Raines led them to a large table covered in maps, mission files, and security blueprints of the institution. Lila tapped on one of the screens, displaying live footage of dimly lit hallways and white-coated figures moving between rooms.

"These are real-time feeds from our undercover officers inside," she explained. "We have medics stationed in the facility, disguised as staff. They send us intel whenever they can."

Raines folded his arms. "But even with their help, we can't access the institution's secure files. That's where you come in."

Lila gestured to a sleek black laptop resting on the table. "This is yours now."

Alexa picked it up, her fingers gliding over the smooth surface. It was far more advanced than the outdated computers she had worked with before. She **knew** exactly what this was.

"This is military-grade," she murmured.

Lila smirked. "We pulled some strings."

A soldier nearby raised an eyebrow. "It's not a pet, you know."

Alexa turned to Alexandra with a grin. "Now it is. Meet Baby.

Alexandra chuckled. "Of course you'd name it."

Lila shook her head with a smile. "Alright, genius. You'll start in the morning. Get some rest—you're going to need it."

For the first time in years, Alexa and Alexandra lay down without fear of being dragged out of bed for training or experiments.The room was small but warm, with real blankets instead of thin sheets.

Alexa turned to face her sister. "Are you okay?"

Alexandra nodded sleepily. "We're safe now… right?"

Alexa didn't answer right away. Safety was temporary. As long as the institution existed, none of them were truly free.

She glanced at Baby on the desk beside her. Tomorrow, she would start bringing that place down from the inside.