“Uh, yeah sure, food sounds great.”
“Okay, and while we’re at it, I’m going to see if I can find you a pair of boots. No offense, but your feet reek!” He stands and pulls me up after him.
Keegan leads me down one dank hallway after another. The maze that makes up his hideout must’ve taken years to build. Each passage looks and feels the same with metal bars climbing up the walls, the musty smell, and the constant dripping of water from pipes above.
My feet sting with cold, but knowing I’m safe brings comfort I haven’t experienced in years. Keegan stops and slides open a black gate and continues down the hall. Then he swings a left and opens a large, heavy door. I wonder what Bruno, Cole, and Zeus are doing while we traipse around?
Just then, the door creaks open and I’m blinded by lights and noise. He holds it and motions for me to go in first.
The room opens up into a large area where people sit, eating from trays at their tables. Dirt doesn’t cover these walls. They’re all cement with white paint slapped over top. The fluorescent lights hang in rows over each table, making the room the lightest I’ve seen. Around the right side is an area where the people fill their trays with meat, potatoes, and vegetables. The smell wafts to my nose, making my stomach grumble with desire. I haven’t eaten a decent meal in ages. I have to restrain myself from sprinting to the line and filling my plate until it spills over in heaps, but then my eyes catch the black, bold words painted along the back wall of the cafeteria.
Humans will not be a form of entertainment. And remember, my brave friends, you can overcome anything short of death—so free them.
—C. Hamilton
My mouth drops open and my eyes begin to water. My heart wells with pride. The words are those of my father. I twist my ring around my finger, drawing strength from the inscription and feeling his presence with me.
“Sutton had someone paint it years ago. It’s our daily inspiration.”
“It’s incredible. I love it. Just wish Dad were here to see it.” I wipe a tear away, but although I’m crying, I feel hope spring up within me. Everything makes sense now—the personal guard attached to me from the beginning, Sutton’s hiring me at the hospital when I had no experience at all, and Wilson’s harassment. My family’s been involved with the revolt for much longer than I ever knew.
“I know. Me too. Come on. We’ll talk more later, but for now, you need to eat.” Keegan loops his arm through mine and gently pulls me in the direction of the line. He yells greetings to several people as he parades me through the room. People seem generally happy to see him and they even smile at me too.
Most of them have brands. They’re many colors, and sizes, but they eat together like family. They even joke around as if they have no cares. Children weave their way through the lines and dodge trays as they play tag.
I spot Cole and Bruno sitting at a table, gorging themselves. The sight of Zeus hovering over Cole’s plate makes me laugh out loud. His slobber drips onto Cole’s forearm, and I can see Cole’s face wrinkle with disgust.
“Come on, Zeus!” Cole complains. He pushes Zeus’s head away, but not before Zeus grabs a pork chop off his plate and drags it onto the floor.
“Dude, the dog’s gotta eat too,” Bruno says with a huge smile.
They wave at me and I smile. They haven’t showered and are still covered in filth, but they look happy. Cole’s perfect white teeth take my breath away. Keegan sits down to talk to them and I think about how perfectly Cole fits into my family. I think my father would approve of my choice.
I go through the line, picking up extra for Zeus, and then sit next to Cole. I enjoy the bantering around me, breathe in the relaxed atmosphere, and relish the thought of new shoes and a shower.
I shovel the food into my mouth and before I know it, I have to untie my pants to loosen them a bit. “You can have my fruit if you want. I think I ate way too fast. I feel like a balloon that’s about to explode,” I say to Cole.
He smiles at me while he scoops my fruit onto his plate with his fork. “It’s because your stomach shrank from not eating right. But I’m proud of you. You almost finished your plate and refrained from feeding Zeus.”
“Ha, I just did it without you knowing.” I wink as I reach under the table, and Zeus’s warm tongue runs up my hand. We laugh as Zeus swallows a piece of pork chop whole. He never seems to enjoy his meals.
Keegan examines us with a raised eyebrow and I clear my throat, trying to distract him. “So, when did you shave your head and cover yourself with all those tattoos?” I say.
The bright lights make his multiple tattoos more visible. They interlace the whole way down both his arms, and of course, I can’t miss the cobra wrapped around his head. I almost want to reach out and touch them.
He laughs. “The first thing I did when I got here was shave my head. My curls would’ve given me away, don’t you think?”
“Yes. I can relate.”
“Anyway, they didn’t hurt. You should think about getting one,” he says. “I know a fantastic tattoo artist sitting right over there.” He points three tables away, but I don’t bother looking.
“No way.” I rub my neck self-consciously. “I’ll never get a tattoo. I hate them.”
“So you hate mine?” Keegan says, drooping his eyes in mock disappointment.
“No, not exactly. Since they’re on you and not me, they’re fine.” I wave my fork at him before stabbing another piece of food for Zeus.
“Believe it or not, the girls dig it.”
“I’m sure they do. A cobra on a guy’s head is completely irresistible.”
“Tell me about it.” Keegan stands and stretches for a minute. “I have a meeting I need to run to. It’s probably best if you come with me. Then afterward, I’ll walk you to your room and the showers so you can clean off your nastiness.”
I glance at Cole, who shrugs, and then back at Keegan. “What about them?” I ask, referring to Cole, Bruno, and Zeus. “Shouldn’t they come with us?”
Keegan’s eyes narrow, but he nods. “I guess.”
After another long series of tunnels and some creepy stairs down, Keegan leads us into a dark room. “Welcome to the nerve center of the revolt. Here we keep track of the guards’ operations and our planned attacks. It’s really genius of Sutton, if you ask me. He procured the whole map himself.” Keegan presses a button, and a table in the middle lights up. “The red markers represent the guard bases we’re aware of, and the red lines are the routes they patrol and the training in our sector. The green represent the rebel bases and their routes. At this point in the game, we’re ready for a fight!” He turns it off before I can look twice. His face is proud, like my father.
“What do you mean by our sector?” I say.
“Since the Hole is so large, we have to divide it into sectors. A single leader runs each sector. The one we’re in now is mine to maintain.”
“Now we’re in trouble,” I say.
“Very funny,” Keegan says.
“So there’s an entire network?” Bruno asks, shifting on his feet.
“Let’s just say we’re a lot stronger, larger, and more prepared than the commander thinks.” Keegan holds his head high and even sounds a little cocky.
“So does the commander ever leave his headquarters?” I say.
Keegan squints his eyes and clenches his fists while glancing at Bruno and Cole. “I’m sure your guard could tell you that one,” he says with his eyes pinpointed on Cole.
His response renders me speechless. Why the hatred?
“So you know the guards’ routes?” Bruno says.
“We do. We’ve been watching them for years now. Of all people, I’d think you’d know that.” Keegan looks around the room, his eyes settling on my ring again.
I have to redirect him. “Wow, that’s impressive, Keegan. So… who built these tunnels?” My hands fidget as Keegan’s stare makes me uncomfortable.
“They were here before I came—we just needed to finish
them off. And we added some others.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” I say.
“And a lot of lives lost,” Keegan replies. “Anyway, we’re out of time and I’m sure you want to shower and sleep. Give me a minute to find someone to accompany you to your rooms.”
His words catch me by surprise since he originally said he’d take me to his meeting, but I nod in agreement and hug him one last time before he abruptly leaves through another door.
“That was strange,” I say.
“I thought so too. Something’s not right.” Cole pulls me to him and hugs me. “But at least you’re safe—that’s all I care about.”
“I hope our rooms are close.” I kiss his lips once, then twice. My hormones race and all I want to do is be with him.
“Yeah, um, I’m still here—standing right next to you,” Bruno says.
I laugh as Cole loosens his hands around my waist and then I see seriousness in his eyes. “I don’t know if we can trust Keegan yet… I think we should hold off on telling him.”
“It’s not hard to guess. I’d be willing to bet he already knows,” Bruno says with sarcasm.
I step away from Cole, feeling hesitant. Just in time too, because the door opens and Steven beckons us to follow him to the showers and our rooms.
My room is small and plain like Keegan’s. A lamp hangs on a hook in the wall and a cot protrudes from the right side of the room with a large wool blanket folded on the end. On the left side, I notice a tall chest where I can put my clothes, which I don’t have.
The showers are at the end of the hall. One entrance is for the men and one for the women. We’re limited to five minutes, but it’s the best five minutes I’ve had in days. The warm water running down my skin melts away the goose bumps.
Someone sets rugged clothes for me to wear on the sink for afterward. I pull on olive-colored cargo pants, thick wool socks, and a tight cotton T-shirt. I fluff my curls and put my ring back on. I peek out the door.
“Wow. You look incredible,” Cole says.
I jump back, hitting the back of my head on the tiles.
“You all right?” He laughs as he leans against the wall in the dimly lit hallway. His plain T-shirt matches mine, but he has black cargo pants. It doesn’t take much for him to drive me insane.
“Yes.” I rub the back of my head furiously. “And thanks. You’re not too shabby yourself.”
He pinches my cheek and gives me a smile that melts my insides. I love how he looks dressed, but I wish I had time to undress him too.
“A pair of shoes would be nice, although I’ve been wearing those worthless slippers for so long I think my feet are permanently flat,” I say while showing him my stocking feet.
“I’m pretty sure these might help,” Keegan interrupts, giving Cole a dirty look. “Here, these are the best I could do.” He hands me a sturdy pair of black leather lace-up boots. “Hand me your scrubs. We can rip them and use them as rags.”
“Oh, by all means! Please take them.” I slide my feet into the boots and lace them up. “They’re perfect! My feet thank you.”
“You’re still weird, you know that?” He grins while shaking his head.
“Yup,” I say.
“They’re pretty durable and they have steel toes, which you’ll find useful.”
I look at my new boots with pride and then glance up at him. His face fluctuates between anger and fear.
“Really—how?” I ask.
He turns away from me with agitation. “Just go lie down and get some sleep. We’ve got a strict schedule to keep and you’ll start training in the morning.”
“Training?”
“If you’re living here, then you adhere to the rules. Make yourself useful. Train with us, eat with us, and so on.”
“Should we train while we’re here?” Cole asks.
“No need. I’d expect you’ve had enough.” Keegan’s stiff posture and authoritative voice give me the impression that he doesn’t want us to ask any more questions. “Why don’t you get some rest? You’ll need it.” Keegan steers me toward my door, signaling the end of the conversation. And truthfully, I am tired. I haven’t slept in almost forty-eight hours. I just wish I could have Cole’s arms wrapped around me while I sleep. But the Sandman comes and my eyelids drop with ease.
* * *
I search for Cole and see him in the corner with a knife pressed against his throat. A man dressed in all black emerges from the shadows.
“Don’t move an inch or I’ll slice him to shreds right now,” he shouts at me.
My fingers flex around the trigger, ready to pull.
“Drop the gun!” The tip of his knife jabs into Cole’s throat as he clenches his jaw. “Don’t move!” he commands.
Cole’s jaw shakes and a growl escapes his lips. He swallows hard as blood trickles onto his chest.
I freeze in place, lower my gun to the floor, and slowly raise both hands in the air for him to see without breaking eye contact.
“What do you want?” I ask.
“His life,” he says in a detached, icy voice. He starts to press the knife deeper into Cole’s skin, cutting into the muscle. Panic chokes me.
“NO! NO! NO! Kill me! Not him. I’m begging you. Take me instead,” I plead.
I startle awake, feeling the sweat pour off my forehead and stick to the blanket wrapped around me. What an intense dream. My hands shake and I roll onto my back, staring into the shadows above me. I have no idea what time it is or how long I’ve slept, but there’s no way I can go back to sleep after that.
Sitting up, I pull on my new boots and stand. My legs feel a little shaky as I squint outside my room. Cole practically smacks into me and I panic.
“It’s okay. It’s okay, babe. It’s just me.” He puts his hands on my shoulders to calm me before I scream.
“God, you scared me. I had a bad dream and—”
“I know. I could hear you screaming from my room. I knew it was you. I’d recognize your scream anywhere.” He pulls me into his arms and I relish the warmth of his chest, his arms, and his body against mine.
“I screamed? That loud?”
“Scared the crap out of me. I thought… I thought something was happening to you. I was terrified.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” He kisses my forehead and I melt. There’s something about his lips touching my forehead that sends me over the deep end.
“What were you dreaming about?”
“Can we talk about it later? It’s too much right now.” I look up into his face, admiring his strong jawline and dark eyes. When was the last time we were alone? I run my hands over his chest and then pull his head down to meet mine. “Please, I need you right now.”
His lips touch mine and electricity surges through every vein in my body. I need him to erase all the bad images from my dream. My hormones take over and next thing I know, we’re stumbling to my cot and kissing passionately as he lays me down and positions himself on top. His hands grab at me, desiring more and more. They wander up my shirt and rip it over my head so my bare skin rubs against his. Then he unhooks my bra and I let him ravish me with his mouth.
He moans when I kiss his neck and run my fingernails down his back, pulling his hips into mine. His closeness intoxicates me to the point of irrationality. It’s a race to the finish and neither of us wants to slow down. His hands fumble with the button on my pants.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my ear. “I want you. I want you so bad.”
“I’ve missed you more.”
“I doubt that.” He kisses my lips and goes back to my ear.
“Please, come here.”
Just then, the lights in the hallway brighten and Cole jumps off my cot with alarm. We scramble to pull our shirts back on, and I button my pants, feeling frustrated.
“Damn it! You’ve got to be kidding me! Do they have a sex radar or something? I mean seriously, are we ever going to have time alone?”
Just as I put my hair into a ponytail, Keegan storms in. His expression tells me he’s not happy to see Cole in my room. “What are you doing here?” he says.
“She was screaming. I came to make sure she was all right.”
Keegan squints his eyes and clenches his jaw while deciding whether to believe Cole.
“I had a nightmare. Apparently I scream during them.” I put my hand on his chest and force him to look into my face. “Seriously, he’s being honest, Keegan.”
He scrutinizes me and exhales. “From now on, I’ll be the one looking after my sister, not you. Stay out of her room.”
At first, I want to punch Keegan for treating me like a child. He hasn’t been around for years and now he thinks he can just waltz back into my life and tell me who I can talk to? But then I see the anger flashing through Cole’s eyes and know I have to deflate the situation.
“Please, don’t be angry, okay? He was just doing his job.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet he was.”
“Look, man, I don’t want to cause any problems… but I’m still her guard.” Cole relaxes his fists and tries to placate me. He knows I wouldn’t want them to fight.
“Yeah, her guard up there. Not here. She doesn’t need your protection when she’s with me, and I can assure you no one down here will lay a hand on her.”
“Okay, enough. You were coming here for me—what for?” I say to distract Keegan from blowing a fuse.
His stiff jaw loosens and he breathes deep, trying to calm down. He reminds me of a caged cat, wild and unpredictable with his moods. “It’s training time.”
“Okay, then let’s go.” I gently tug at his arm to break his trance.
“Can I ask why she’s training? I mean, it’s not like she’s going to fight, right?” Cole asks.
The expression on Keegan’s face turns livid. I just got him somewhat calmed down and then Cole had to stick his foot in his mouth.
“Of course she’ll fight. We all are.” Keegan steps closer to Cole, and the air thickens with hate. I come between them, sensing the tension rising twofold.
“Oh no, she’s not! Sending her into war isn’t exactly what I call protecting her. I’ve worked my ass off to keep her safe—alive and in one piece. And you’re going to throw her into combat? Something she knows absolutely nothing about! You’re going to kill her!”