Page 57 of The Most Dangerous Games

She only says, “I’ve told you over and over again, I have to do this.”

“For you?” Danyia asks.

“For us,” Alek says.

“And I’ve told you over and over that you don’t have to do this for me,” her mother says.

“Ya lyublyu tebe,” Alek says.

Alek feels the catch in her throat saying the words, afraid as always that after she ends the call, she might never hear her mother’s voice again.

“I love you too,” her mother whispers back, voice breaking just a little.

Alek ends the call and heads for Hannah’s room. After Hannah had returned from her walk with Wyatt last night—she quietly told Alek about the kiss she and Wyatt had shared—they had made a plan to head over to the main house together, both of them having no idea what to expect when they got there, but wanting to walk into the room together.

Hannah said she’d be waiting for her.

But there’s no answer when Alek knocks on Hannah’s door.

She knocks again and calls out her name.

Still no answer.

She knows Hannah is always on time, always does what she says she’s going to do. She is both ridiculously punctual and totally reliable.

Alek tentatively turns the knob and pushes the door open.

The room is empty.

The bed made.

Hannah’s gone.

40.

Alek doesn’t know for sure that something has happened to Hannah Wagner. But she’s like everybody else remaining in the competition, which means she’s grading high on paranoia these days.

Would Hannah have decided to quit the competition and go home because of something that had happened overnight, maybe on a call to her own parents? Anything was possible.

But it seemed impossible that she’d leave without saying goodbye.

Alek enters the ballroom. It doesn’t look anything like it had the night before, having been transformed into what looks like a vast computer room, rows of tables and chairs, oversized computer screens in front of chairs with headphones draped over the backs of them.

A lot of people are already sitting down. Alek looks for red hair, not wanting her to be gone.

Not wanting her to have pushed her red button.

Alek jumps when there is a tap on her shoulder, then sees Wyatt standing next to her.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asks.

“Did you happen to see Hannah this morning?” Alek asks him.

“No, why?” Wyatt asks. “Is she okay? She seemed fine when I left her last night.”

Alek’s eyes keep moving. “She wasn’t in her room.”

Wyatt’s face shifts—confusion first, then fear.