CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE – FINDING A WAY OUT

Later that night, Maxwell knocked softly on Cassie's door. "We need to talk," he said, his voice low. Once inside, he explained, "We can't do this alone, Cassie. We need help." Cassie frowned. "Who can we trust? Everyone here is loyal to Sergei." Maxwell shook his head. "Not everyone. There are always cracks in any organization. We just need to find them." "What are you suggesting?" Cassie asked. "We build our own network. Slowly. Carefully. We find others who might be willing to help us." Cassie nodded slowly, her mind racing. "I think I might know where to start." The next day, Cassie approached Alissa, one of the maids she'd grown close to over the past months. "Alissa, can we talk?" she asked casually. Alissa glanced around nervously before nodding. They retreated to a quiet corner of the garden. "Alissa, how happy are you here?" Cassie asked bluntly. Alissa's eyes widened. "Miss Cassie, I... I don't know what you mean." Cassie leaned in close. "I think you do. I've seen