A Wolf's Heart

Chapter 1

Danielle "Dani" Sullivan, age 17 years, ten months, fifteen days, and falsely imprisoned for multiple counts of murder, woke with a gasp. Amber eyes snapping open and looking wildly about. She found herself sitting in one of the many seats surrounding an opening in the middle of the floor. The last thing she remembered was the door of her cell opening and being rushed by guards. Now, she wasn't sure where she was but with hearing that had become sensitive after two years in Solitary, Dani could hear the cheers and yells of many young voices. Furrowing her brow in confusion, Dani removed straps that had held her in place and slowly stood. Her body protested each movement, and she felt the unmistakable muscle spasms of being shocked streak across her back. She bit back a moan and continued to lever herself up until she was leaning against another seat.

Dani noticed that she was no longer in her prison garb when she took a minute to let the pain and spasms subside. Instead, she was wearing what could only be categorized as tactical. Black pants with multiple pockets and reinforced padding around her knees and thighs tucked into black, calf-length combat boots. Black jacket with more pockets and reinforced elbows, shoulders, and padding along her lower back. Underneath her coat, a black hoodie, long-sleeved Henley, and a tank. Even more, confused by her attire, Dani ran a hand through her thick dark locks only to find someone had cut her hair. It was back to a style that she had favored before being locked up. Cut to just above her jawline with the right side shorn short but not bare.

Confused and curious, Dani began checking her pockets. They were all empty except for an envelope in an inner jacket pocket. Opening it, she began to read, and the more she read, the angrier she became. The letter all but admitted that her father, council member Jonathon Sullivan, had orchestrated many of the horrible things that had happened in her short life. From spreading rumors about her to facilitating the guilty charge of multiple counts of murder. Unfortunately, the letter gave Dani no reason as to why he had done what he did.

The letter then directed her up to the third level and a hidden compartment. Inside, Dani would find everything she had stashed away years ago when she had planned to escape the Ark. Dani had taken to exploring the Ark to avoid her father shortly after her mother's execution. She had discovered that Earth was habitable and had been for an exceedingly long time. Which was something the Ark council either hid or had remained unaware of. The letter seemed to point to the latter, which in Dani's opinion was just foolish. But then again, she didn't think much of the council, especially after her father convinced them to ignore evidence.

Lastly, the letter stated why Dani woke up on a dropship. The Life Support System had finally failed. It could no longer produce the oxygen needed for nearly three thousand people. Ignoring her father's attempts to cull the prisoners in Lock Up, the council had decided to send one hundred to the ground. It was still a culling but disguised as an attempt to save the residents of the Ark. This made Dani scoff because she was sure it was to protect the council members and their cohorts. But it gave Dani precisely what she wanted. Freedom from the Ark and the people who had terrorized her for years. From the man who seemed intent to bring her life to an end. It gave her a chance to live the life her mother had wanted for her. A life she deserved.

Folding the letter back up, Dani tucked it into her pocket and climbed the ladder to the third level. She found the secret compartment and a familiar bag inside. Pulling it out, she began to take its contents out. First was a personal med kit stuffed to the seams. Next was a rucksack that held camping equipment like a fire starting kit and even cookware. There was also a topographical map made from satellite images Dani had pulled three years ago. It was already marked with possible bunker sites, and someone had circled the Mount Weather facility bunker and labeled it as a landing zone. There was a solar-powered and crank flashlight, tactical compass, and rangefinder binoculars. Then there were dozens of small pouches for plants, several water bladders, a small notebook, and several pencils. After packing everything back into the ruck, Dani couldn't stop the grin from forming on her face. Underneath it all were bladed weapons. Several hunting knives, a couple of skinning/gutting knives, a set of throwing knives, a machete, and a hatchet. They all looked brand new and came with nylon sheaths and belts. Underneath those was a pouch of arrowheads and extra string, a quiver of twenty arrows, and a recurve bow.