So Cora had missed out on the fight. Daz wondered how she had been arrested prior to the attack. She must have done or said something to show her true affiliation to the rebel group. He wasn't sure if it meant she had been in the maze for longer. For all he knew, they could have been released at the same time, or she could have been tortured longer.<br/><br/>Daz wondered if Cora had ever shot a gun or used a weapon of any kind before. He wasn't exactly an expert himself, but learned to shoot from the rebel leaders, and had constantly carried a knife to protect himself in the lower levels. Cora likely never had to use a weapon for true self defence in her life, but perhaps shooting was a popular game to the elite. If Cora had been in the attack, she probably would have ended up as a corpse like so many others. Lucky her.<br/><br/>Betrayed the council, of course. The statement was about as generic as Daz's first comment to her questioning. He didn't expect them to become close friends. Both were beaten and frightened for their lives, leaving little room for a feeling of compassion and camaraderie.<br/><br/>The ice would be good for his ankle, but it would also unfortunately be a cold and slippery path to take. Daz didn't know how long ice would last if they simply took some from the walls and went another way. He looked at the ground ahead, where the hedges began to transition into the frozen walls. He couldn't tell if the ice took over the ground as well, but if it didn't, perhaps it was the best option.<br/><br/>For an upper level girl, Cora seemed to know a lot about taking care of a wound. He had had little interaction with upper level people of his age, but Daz had just assumed they were never taught that sort of thing, since their injuries could be cured in a moment by doctors always prepared to help. There were doctors in the lower levels too, of course, but not the overly trustworthy kind. It was better to let a wound heal over time than to gamble money on someone who may or may not be able to help.<br/><br/>"You're right." Daz kept his thoughts of the pampered people of the upper levels out of his tone, though he longed to ask Cora if she had been as indulgent and selfish as them. "If the ground is safe, we can try going that way." Daz wondered if Cora was beginning to grow tired from him using her as a crutch. Even when trying to avoid putting most of his weight on her, he couldn't help relying on her to keep from walking on his injured leg.<br/><br/>Whatever this maze was, it wasn't just a throwaway project. To create and maintain ice like that in a single area seemed impossible, even with the technology of the time. Daz looked up to the sky again, realizing that it was likely fake for the first time. Why would they let them see open sky? They had to be contained somehow. Every aspect controlled, everything decided. They could and would only escape if the council let them.<br/><br/>It didn't seem likely. Even so, they had to try.