A jolt runs through Octavia's gut and chest. She is used to many eyes on her, but they never made her comfortable, though she never showed it. Her nerves are harder to hide this time with no bodyguards to buffer the eyes staring her down. She can see the way all these eyes look at her. Some, many from Chromies, are full of sneers and laughs. Most of the hostages' eyes are rounded, full of surprise and exasperation from Octavia being Octavia, and Octavia being Octavia with drastically different, unacceptable hair.

At least Shard did not check her.

Octavia gives Shard her most disdainful look yet.

"Was the introduction necessary?" Though her growly voice is at a whisper, it carries across the quiet courtyard.

"Of course, Darling!" His voice nauseatingly echoes in the Courtyard. "Now strut your stuff. Show off your new stylist's - moi," Shard twirls his hand and points it at himself, "work to your friends. Have fun and be pretty." He pushes her forward. "Ta-tah! See you at lunch my dear."

He slips back into the building. The door slams shut behind him. An awkward stillness possesses the fenced-in area. Octavia doesn’t leave the general area she stands and leans against the door she was pushed through. To distract herself from the many gawking eyes, she gazes out into the distance.

Nothing on the grassy horizon is familiar. Beyond the building and fence creating the Courtyard, there is nothing in the grass but crumbling structures being swallowed in vines, mosses, and trees. These plants crawl along the building the hostages are being held in. This makes it look just as desolate as the rest of the environment except for the Chromies occupying guard posts along the walls and roof.

Inside the Courtyard is nothing but concrete. All the concrete is worn from weather and vegetation. Benches and tables made from concrete are randomly placed around. Almost all of them are in a state of decay but are fairly firm in place. Only excessive force could break them. No missing chunks from the furniture big enough to cause real harm or damage is around. A number of hostages sit on more stable benches and tables that are not overgrown. The rest stand around in small groups.

The Courtyard's silence and Octavia’s concentration are broken by Mindy.

"Octi! Octi!" She calls as her feet shuffle towards her.

As Mindy makes her way to Octavia, she shoots enough deathly glares at spectators to get them to mind their own business. The Courtyard fills with quiet buzzes of conversation and stolen glances at Octavia.

Mindy throws her arms around Octavia. Octavia gives her a few pats on the shoulder.

"Octi," Mindy says sadly, "what happened to your hair?"

Mindy touches and tosses some tufts of Octavia's hair.

"Shard," Octavia says flatly. "And be careful with it. He's protective over it, and I don't want to face the consequences if it gets messed up."

Mindy stops messing with her hair.

"Poor thing. Are you holding out okay?” Mindy holds Octavia’s shoulders. “Other than your hair, he hasn't done anything to you, has he?"

"He hasn't done anything yet. But not from lack of trying. I've managed to convince him so far not to do anything, but I can tell he's playing games. I just don't know what yet. I feel like it's only a matter of time until he's done playing." Octavia squeezes her arms in her hands and shakes her head. "How about you?" she asks Mindy. "They haven't hurt you, have they?"

"No.” Mindy shakes her head. “They leave me alone. They gave me an old paper book, like one of those you see in movies, to read and hardly ever speak to me except to give me food and these musty clothes." Mindy gestures to the long, dark green shirt and brown leggings she wears.

"That sounds less irritating," Octavia says. "I'd rather be left alone. Shard is constantly in my cell talking to me and harassing me with stupid practical jokes."

Mindy lowers her voice. "What does he talk to you about?"

Octavia matches her voice level. "Nothing important or that can get us out of here. But..." Octavia pauses. "There's something wrong with him."

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"We all know that."

"That's not what I mean. We know he's a tyrannical, homicidal maniac, but I mean there's something else wrong. Something really off."

"What do you mean?"

"It's...Something he said on the way here..."

Octavia thinks on how to describe what she heard and saw in the halls with Shard. Through his delirium, she saw someone who was hurt and, maybe, damaged. Seeing Shard like this almost made him look human. She tells Mindy this.

"The Chromies are good at manipulation and out of all them, I imagine Shard is the best," Mindy says. "Don't let him take advantage of your heart, Octi. Out of all of us, he's going to mess with your head the most because of who your parents are. Stay on guard and stay strong."

"Hey!" a guard on the ground shouts from a distance. "No whispering! Speak louder or you're going back to your cells."

The girls glare at the guard.

"Watch those eyes and tones, cuties," the guard says. "Y'all ain't in charge here. And we have weapons." The guard waves a rifle around.

The two scoff and cross their arms. They think of what they can talk about at a normal volume. Octavia thinks of a topic first.

"Is Xander here?" she asks.

"No, unsurprisingly. He's a couple cells down from me, and he's tried picking several fights with his guard. They never got the chance to get physical because they sedate him. Just before taking us here, he threw a fit about not being able to go. They sedated him again but drug him off somewhere this time. I'm scared for him, Octi." The tears glossing Mindy’s eyes express her sincerity.

Octavia stares at her feet. "Me, too."

Mindy attempts a smug smile. "So, you do care about him."

"I hate him. But I don't hate hate him."

"You do put the 'heart' in Rhinehart."

"Shut up, Mint."

Mindy cracks a weak smile, and Octavia's face eases as she rolls her eyes.

A blinding flash and snap noise make them both jump. They bring each other down as they shield each other. Another flash goes off. When they realize they're unharmed, other than specks in their vision, they look up to see a smirking woman holding an odd plastic cube with various glassy squares on the front. A thick, shiny piece of paper hangs out of a slot in the cube. The woman pulls the paper out and whips it around.

"I'm sure that last picture'll get a good laugh outta Shard," she says before walking off.

A burly woman follows behind her.

"Where did they come from?" Octavia asks.

"Were those women?" Mindy asks.

They watch the women as they walk to the edge of the Courtyard and scale the wire fence. When they make it to just below the barbwire, the first woman makes her box flash again and the burly woman shouts to get everyone's attention and explains how the photoshoot will work.

First they line up and have individual pictures taken by several photographers with their old, instant-printing cameras and collect their photos in the leather bags they wear across their shoulders. After this, they roam around and take pictures of them 'being natural' until the photoshoot is over. They are warned not to mess with or touch photographers or their bags.

Octavia and Mindy stick close but don't say much as the photographers float around. They sneak around and startle the girls multiple times. The few words they get in are about their ransoms - or lack thereof; women Chromies - realizing how many guards around are actually women; Shard's pranks and threats; and technology. They mention the PrimBot and wonder if the Courtyard has a UV filter-shield or regulator. Neither have been sunburned before and don’t desire to be here.

Doors leading to the Courtyard boom open.

"Octavia Sweet-hart! It's our lunch time!" Shard announces. He has a tiny bell in his fingers that he rings before placing it in his jacket.

Octavia's fists ball as she glares at Shard. He can see the daggers in her eyes from there. This makes Shard's eyes crinkle more.

"You're not going back now, are you?" Mindy says.

"It seems I am," Octavia says.

"Come along, Dearest. Or do ya like me getting you?" Shard says.

Mindy grabs Octavia's wrist when she goes to take a step.

"You've barely been out here,” Mindy says. “I can’t let you go back. Not now. Especially when I know what that maniac has been threatening to do to you."

Octavia puts her other hand on Mindy's hand. "I have to. I don't want to cause trouble out here."

"I'm coming!" Shard sings.

"Mint..." Octavia pleas.

"I can't, Octi."

As Shard approaches, Mindy pulls Octavia behind her without letting go of her. Octavia holds Mindy's hand with her free one. She feels Mindy's hands shaking.

"You're being stupid, Mindy," Octavia whispers.

Shard stops in front of Mindy with his hands behind his back and peeks at Octavia before looking straight into Mindy's eyes.

"Excuse me," Shard says to Mindy. "You have my lunch buddy. I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd let me have her back."

Mindy straightens her stature. "No," she says.