Hope wasn't sure how long she spent in the cell; time lost all meaning, and she soon found it hard to distinguish the difference between day and night. She never saw another soul during her time there, and in any case, she was forbidden from speaking to anyone unless they addressed her directly. Her dull grey prison uniform marked her as an outcast, so no one save Jhansi spoke to her. And even then, the policewoman was curt and to the point, making sure Hope knew how deeply she'd screwed up. The odd thing was, she most often did it in public, but whenever she came to the cell, she was civil, if not exactly warm. Hope didn't really care one way or the other; to her, Jhansi represented the worst Pandoran society had to give, and she wasn't inclined to view her one time friend as anything more than an enemy now.
A week, or maybe more, passed before Jhansi came to the door after breakfast. Normally it was one of the orderlies who collected the used dishes, and Hope was a little surprised. But renewed bittnerness swallowed that emotion as the policewoman ordered her curtly to her feet. She said no further word after that, and Hope followed her silently, head bowed. She could feel the gaze of other police officers on her, but to her continued relief, Arjun wasn't among them. She had no idea what her former husband was doing, but she considered herself fortunate he didn't have her in his care; there was no telling what he might do when they were alone. Hope didn't relish the idea of letting any man near her ever again.
Her thoughts were soon interrupted when Jhansi pushed open the door of the communal bathroom. "Get inside and shower," she directed. "There'll be clean clothes for you when you step out, and don't even think about complaining or muttering to yourself; I'll be right outside the shower door."
Hope bit her tongue hard enough to almost draw blood, but she did as she was told, and as the hot water cascaded over her hair and body, she felt a bit better for the first time since being forced to leave her daughter behind. She wondered how her lost baby was doing, but she knew better than to inquire of Jhansi, who'd probably give her yet another lecture. Hope finished her shower in renewed bitterness, and once she'd dried and dressed, this time in dark brown, Jhansi led her out of the bathroom and eventually, they emerged onto the street. Hope felt her heart sink in dismay, but she supposed the council had come to a decision regarding her fate; Earth would be waiting on the other side of the tunnel, and while she didn't relish going back to the place that had hurt her so much, she didn't relish the prospect of staying on Pandora any longer than was necessary.
However, when they got to the station, Jhansi stopped her and produced a blindfold. "I won't have you guessing where the entry point is," she said coldly. "The council have agreed not to mind wipe you, but that doesn't mean you can come here and try to steal a child that no longer belongs to you."
Hope finally snapped. "You know there's something more going on!" she said angrily. "That's why you've kept me locked away like a common criminal! You know what's happened to my daughter! And you also know she's not the first baby to taken from her rightful mother. Is that what you did to Saanvi's mother sixteen years ago!"
Jhansi went rigid. "You have no idea what happened when Saanvi's mother gave birth to her," she said through clenched teeth. "And if you don't want to be stung again, and this time thrown in the river to drown, you will keep your damned mouth shut! You have no idea of what is going on!"
"I do," Hope insisted. "And I won't be muzzled or locked away! Where is Saanvi's mother? And what happened to Emily's son? They all say she miscarried, but she told me he was almost old enough to survive!"
"You will say nothing more," Jhansi warned, pulling out her baton. "You speak of matters that are forbidden for the likes of you and me."
Hope stood her ground. "You know something is going on," she said, refusing to be budged. "And I will not rest until I get to the bottom of it!"
Jhansi glared at her. "Stop," she said. "Either you go in peace, or I knock you out and throw you in the river. Which is it going to be?"
Sensing how close she was to peril, Hope backed down. "I'll go," she said. "But I won't go blindfolded like a criminal. You have my word I won't try and find the way back, but neither will I stop my daughter when she decides to go looking for her mother! And when that day comes, I'll tell her the truth!"
"Your daughter will never leave Pandora," Jhansi said, her voice thin and tight with an anger Hope had never seen in her before. "She is Pandoran by birth, and she will never be permitted to go through the portal to Earth so her head can be filled with lies."
Hope snorted. "Try," she said. "Now get me on this train so I never have to see any of your smug, lying faces again. Oh, and tell Eldon to get fucked. If he ever tries recruiting more women to be brood mares, he's going to find it very hard to find anyone willing to come here and be used, then thrown aside like wet rags!"
Jhansi said nothing to this, but her face was black as thunder as she prodded Hope up the steps and into the station. The girl went passively, but she was seething with a rage equal to and surpassing Jhansi's. With her memories intact, she could spread the news far and wide; Eldon would have to cast his net elsewhere to find willing broodmares for whatever twisted experiment the Pandorans had going on.
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