The Maze of Echoes was a labyrinth of glass walls that reflected holographic illusions—memories of inmates' pasts, designed to break their focus. Dr. Voss's voice boomed over the speakers: "Find the exit in two hours. Avoid the illusions—they trigger pressure plates that release nerve gas. First team out wins 200 Shrouds per person."
Rook's crew sneered as they entered the maze, their cybernetic enhancements glowing. "Good luck, losers," Rook said. "This one's ours."
The maze's walls flickered to life as we stepped inside. I saw my sister—Lena, who'd died in the nuclear bombings—standing at the end of a corridor. "Kael," she whispered. "Come with me."
My heart ached, but I shook my head. "Illusion," I muttered. "Focus on the floor—pressure plates are marked with faint blue lines."
Lira nodded, pointing to a plate hidden under a hologram of a dog. "There. Step over it."
We moved slowly, avoiding the plates, until we heard a scream. Rook's second-in-command—Grex, a man with cybernetic legs—had stepped on a plate, his body convulsing as nerve gas filled the corridor. "Help me!" he gasped.
Rook hesitated, then turned and ran. "Every man for himself!"
I sprinted to Grex, pulling a gas mask from my pack—stolen from a warden's locker—and slapping it on his face. "Come on. We don't leave anyone behind."
Grex stared at me, shocked. "Why… why help me?"
"Because the Spirit Guild isn't like Rook's crew," I said. "Now move—we're running out of time."
We found the exit twenty minutes later, emerging to cheers from the crowd. Rook's crew stumbled out five minutes after us, furious. Dr. Voss smiled. "The Spirit Guild wins. 200 Shrouds each."
As we collected our Shrouds, Grex approached me. "I'm done with Rook. Can I join the Guild?"
I clapped him on the back. "Welcome aboard."
That night, Rook's crew attacked the barracks. But we were ready—Grex knew their weaknesses, and we'd bought stun batons with our Shrouds. We fought back, driving them out into the rain. Rook glared at me from the courtyard. "This isn't over, Voss."
"Maybe not," I said. "But from now on, you don't run this island. We do."