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Valeria had spent eight years alone in that room.
Time moved painfully slow for her. She was bored out of her wits, and the only moments she ever looked forward to were when her tutor arrived or when her father visited, which was occasionally.
At least they were being educated in here. One of the few privates she had befriended had accidentally let it slip that the other children were also being tutored for a few hours every day.
Valeria had begged her father countless times to let her join the others instead of being homeschooled alone in that suffocating room.
But he had refused.
When she asked why, he always gave the same answer.
To protect you.
That answer used to comfort her. Now, it was starting to get really annoying—really fast.
Today, Miss Ruth arrived as usual. She was Valeria's personal tutor and also the girlfriend of General Kevin, the intimidating man in charge of the base.
Miss Ruth was kind and easy to talk to, but when you were trapped in the same room for eight years and counting, anyone would have been easy to talk to.
"Hi, Val. How'd you sleep?" Miss Ruth asked cheerfully.
"Same as every other night," Valeria replied cheekily. She didn't mean to be rude, but her patience was wearing thin.
"Okay," Miss Ruth said. "I brought the book you asked for."
She pulled a novel from her bag, and Valeria's eyes instantly lit up. Reading had become her escape, her way of killing time, her way of surviving.
"Is it the latest edition?" Valeria asked eagerly.
Miss Ruth nodded with a smile.
"Oh, thank you," Valeria said, grabbing the book.
"You're welcome. And if you do well today, I'll bring another one tomorrow."
Valeria nodded enthusiastically. "Let's get started."
.
.
.
When the lesson ended, Miss Ruth left Valeria's room, while Valeria immediately curled up and returned to her book.
Miss Ruth headed straight to the General's office, two armed lieutenants trailing behind her. When they arrived, the soldiers saluted and stood guard outside as she entered.
"Looks like you're busy," she said, glancing at the stacks of paperwork on the desk.
The man behind it stood up. He was massive, broad and muscular even beneath his uniform. Dark-skinned, bald, with a thick gray beard, he radiated authority.
"Never too busy for you, baby," he said.
He lifted her effortlessly and placed her on the desk, sweeping the papers aside. Things escalated quickly. They kissed hungrily. He positioned himself between her legs, rolling up her skirt, touching her like a starved man as she unbuttoned his uniform. His kisses trailed down her neck, drawing a moan from her lips.
Then—knock, knock.
They ignored it.
The knock came again. Louder. More persistent.
"What?" he barked.
"Sir, sorry to interrupt," a soldier said from outside, "but Mr. Rojas is here."
The General cursed under his breath. Miss Ruth hurriedly adjusted her clothes, slipping off the desk.
"Shit," he muttered.
Outside, Mr. Martin Rojas stood beside his black Mercedes, flanked by bodyguards dressed in matching black suits. Strikingly handsome, composed, terrifying. He had earned an infamous nickname among the children.
The Man in Black.
Just hearing his name was enough to make them shiver.
General Kevin and Miss Ruth approached, both wearing polite, practiced smiles.
The General saluted.
"Mr. Rojas, what a pleasure. How long has it been, two weeks?"
"Three," Martin corrected coolly. "How is my daughter?"
"She's doing well," Miss Ruth said quickly.
"Healthy, intelligent. Very spirited. She has a real knack for learning."
"Good," Martin replied. "I'd like to see her."
"Of course. Right this way, sir."
As Martin passed her, he glanced briefly at Miss Ruth. "You missed a button."
He kept walking.
Miss Ruth froze, then looked down and flushed, quickly fastening it.
"Papa!" Valeria exclaimed when she saw him.
She leapt from the bed and wrapped her arms around him.
"How's my little princess doing?" Martin asked, pinching her cheeks lightly. "You've gotten tall."
"I'm fine, Papa," she said softly. "I just missed you."
"I missed you too, mijá."
He handed her a bag filled with food from her favorite café, onion rings and hamburgers.
"Thank you, Papa," she beamed, already eating.
"Miss Ruth tells me you're doing well in your studies," he said.
Valeria nodded. "There's nothing else to do here, so I figured I might as well focus."
"That's good thinking," Martin said proudly.
"And I promise, as soon as you turn fifteen and your powers emerge, I'll get you out of this place. Just bear with it a little longer."
"One more year," Valeria said, hopeful.
"One more year," he agreed.
"Daddy," she said hesitantly, "can I go outside? Why can't I study with the other kids and make friends?"
"Mijá," he said gently, "those children out there are dangerous. You could get hurt."
"Please," Valeria pleaded. "I get lonely in here."
Silence stretched between them.
Then "Okay."
Valeria's eyes widened.