24. Rhett
Riding in the back of a car across from Silas Balenheizer is something I hoped to never do in my life. I have so many questions, but I don’t trust this guy for the answers.
“Where’s Ana?” I demand.
Silas takes an assessing breath. “It was either save her or you. Alistair already had plans to hold her, and had I taken her in for safety, he likely would have moved you, or killed you, out of fear I’d allied with Ana to come for you.”
“You should have chosen her,” I snap.
Silas’s eyes flex, and I’m aware how dangerous his family name is.
“Alistair won’t kill her. It would be a tragic waste, and he’s not stupid. After he learns of this, he probably plans to sell her so you’ll have a hard time getting her back and she’ll be in tiny, broken pieces by the time you do.”
“Stop the fucking car.”
“We haven’t gotten to know each other yet.”
I reach for the door, but it’s locked. I’m locked in a moving box with him while Ana’s time is ticking fast.
“What do you want?” I snarl.
“As I told your little bird, who was so willing with me, trust is a coin flip. Show me inside your house, and I’ll tell you where she is.”
I understand what he means, but there’s no fucking way I’m giving up the location of any part of Xoid to him.
“I’ll find her myself,” I say, controlling the anger I have nowhere to unleash.
“Disappointing. I’m rather curious of your operation.”
“You don’t let a rat loose in a snake pit.”
“Because it would outsmart them all.”
“You’ve wasted your time if that’s all you want. I’m taking you nowhere near Xoid.”
“Your girl trusted me.”
“She wouldn’t for this, and you know it.”
Silas shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He taps on the glass behind him, and the car stops. “Good luck, Kaiser. And tell Ana I expect to see her soon.”
I get out without another thought, and Silas’s car doesn’t linger. I have no clue where I am. All I need is a phone. My body is aching all over, but adrenaline is a numbing drug to it. My dignity plummets with every disgruntled look as I ask to use a cell phone.
My last resort leads me into a small store. Usually, my finesse for theft is impeccable, but I’m desperate, jittery, and annoyed as fuck. I still have the gun Silas gave me, and I despise what I have to do.
At the counter the worker is reading a newspaper. The store is quiet, with only a couple deciding on snacks at the back.
“Don’t make a fucking sound,” I say quietly, but with enough threat.
The man looks up as I lay my hand holding the gun on the counter. Contrary to my warning, he launches up in fright, swearing and knocking into the back display.
Well, fuck me.
“I need a phone and sim now,”I growl.
“H-holy shit. Okay, all right, hold on.”
The couple at the back try to scurry out, but I point the gun at them. I can’t have the police scrambling in here before I get what I need and get far away.
“Just sit the fuck down, and if I see a phone, I swear to god, I’m not in the mood to be nice right now,” I warn.
I have no intention of firing the gun. They could take their chances and run out and I wouldn’t stop them. I must look as unhinged as I feel right now, as they cower into themselves in the corner.
“They make and model o-okay for you, man? I-I think I might have a better?—”
“Put the sim in and start it up,” I order.
His chubby, dirty fingers fumble with the packaging and I grow antsier by the second. He does what I ask, and as soon as the screen lights up, I snatch it from him.
“Thanks,” I say, not wasting a second to open the dial. “I’ll try remember to get someone to swing by with the cash for it.”
“No-no problem,” he mutters in a state of shock.
I leave and tuck the gun out of sight under my T-shirt.
I know many people’s six-digit Xoid code, but I dial Rix’s. It only rings once before static hums down the line.
“It’s me. Get a tracker on this thing right fucking now.”
The line cuts off. It isn’t designed for two-way conversation in case someone slips up or hacks us back.
I keep walking, cutting down alleys and keeping out of sight. I’m aware I’m supposed to be dead, that there’s a chance from all the press last year with Ana that someone might recognize me. The shop was a risk, but I had no choice.
It takes ten minutes too fucking long before a black car comes down the underpass I’m waiting in.
“Dude, you’re alive!” Rix calls out the window.
I slip into the passenger seat, and he takes off.
“Aw shit, is it good to see you, man! We’ve been a wreck without you. I know you don’t like sappy, but everyone is going to lose their minds having you back, so be prepared for the waterworks. I’m even holding back myself.”
My eyes flick up to the rearview, and I spin in my seat. “Sullevan?” I snarl.
Rix says, “Fuck. Shit. Yeah, a lot of explaining to do there, but keep a lid on that rage to hear it, will you?”
My lethal glare cuts from Adam in the back seat to Rix. “Tell me he hasn’t been there,” I say, low and deadly.
“Hey, it was not me who brought him to the Den, all right? You can save that pissed-off-ness for Ana.”
Adam grumbles, “I never did buy into your innocent transfer grad student facade, Kaiser.”
I have to close my eyes to collect my sanity. Ana. She’s all that matters right now.
“Alistair has her locked somewhere?”
“We know. I’ve been trying to get a trace, but her phone from us goes cold at a venue that was a setup. They knew we’d come for her and planted it there. We lost two guys,” he informs me with the terrible weight of sorrow. It never gets easier no matter how many we lose, nor how well they all know the risks.
“How’d you escape?” Adam asks me.
The mere sound of his voice is a trigger to my volatility.
“Silas,” I answer. “Ana has sure been fucking busy.”
I’m torn with pride and madness and incredulity. From the moment I met her, I knew she was one to be underestimated by many, but this is a whole new level of unpredictability.
“Incredible, right? She managed to convince Silas fucking Balenheizer to collude with her right under the nose of Forthson and Lanshall. She’s damn brilliant.”
Yeah, she is.
We get to the Den, and I’m slammed with the impact of this being one of the very few places I’ve ever considered a home. The elevator doors open, and it’s the first time in what feels like days that time finally slows as I take in the place.
People speak, some start clapping, until the whole room is alive with it, and I wish they wouldn’t applaud me. Not with the new stain I harbor and the failure I am for getting caught only to rot away for three months. There’s nothing to celebrate.
Rix makes sure no one approaches as I head to his desk. We need to get to work on finding Ana.
“First, man, you need those wounds seen to. You’ll be of no use if you catch an infection,” Rix says.
Yapping erupts, and I internally groan.
“In here, young man,” Oma croaks from across the room.
“Go. We’re on it,” Rix encourages.
I don’t know if I can sit still for even a moment long enough to get patched up. I head to Oma, but I have no intention of speaking to her right now when her sessions can go on for hours. I only lean down to kiss her head.
“Long time no see, Oma,” I say.
“Come inside, my boy. You need to stop for just a moment.”
“I can’t. Soon, I promise.”
I head back to Rix. His eyes reprimand me, but he says nothing. I sit in a chair as Coraline approaches, an ex-army doctor.
“You’re going to have to take off your shirt,” she says gently.
I look at her, all beautiful glowing brown skin and kind brown eyes. She’s an absolute credit to everyone here for her selfless work in patching us up.
I’m afraid to even look in the mirror to discover the mess left of my skin, but I pull my T-shirt off, and don’t look at anyone, for their reactions might give off the same effect.
“Holy shit—omph.” Rix cuts Adam off with a jab to his chest.
I’m still seething that he’s here, of all places, as if his mere presence wasn’t enough. He’s horrified by the bruises and scars over me, and I can’t blame him. He’s likely never sustained more than a nasty paper cut.
“Silas said he’s likely going to sell her,” I say through my teeth. I hiss at the alcohol as it’s poured over my bicep.
Rix runs a hand down his face. “I’m sure he’ll have a list lined up, no auction necessary.”
“Then she’ll be at the country club?” Adam says.
I snap my gaze to him, and he balks.
“Or not. What do I know? But you said it was pick-up point, no?” he directs to Rix.
Rix doesn’t answer right away, blinking at Adam. “You’re quick, Sullevan, I’ll give you that.”
“What country club?” I ask.
“We visited twice,” Rix explains. “Foxglove. We believe most of the members are completely oblivious, but now and then new guys show up just with day passes, and you need a private invite. Adam managed to create a distraction long enough for me to follow one of these new guys as he left. He didn’t go through the main doors on his way out—he went out a back way that leads down to a basement, and he left with a woman. You know how it is—by the time they get to that point, most are so broken down into compliance that she seemed to leave willingly, but I’ve seen this shit before. It has to be a collection cover-up venue in broad fucking daylight.”
“We’re going tonight,” I say.
Coraline says, “I would highly advise against that. You’re one hit away from shattered ribs and internal bleeding. If you don’t want to risk a hospital visit?—”
“Thank you, Coraline,” I cut her off.
She sighs her disappointment, knowing I’ll disregard her warning. I lay my hand on hers in thanks.
“Tonight,” I repeat to Rix.