Chapter Twenty-One
Ididn’t spot the man the next day and I knew he had to have been hiding from me. The camp wasn’t that large and I was actively searching for him. My frustration built and built as the day wore on, Aiden and the twins catching on by the time dinner rolled around.
“What’s up your ass? You’re freaking the kids out,” Aiden muttered in the food line.
Trying to put a smile on my face, I spoke through clenched teeth. “I’ll tell you about it tonight.”
Aiden seemed displeased with my answer but sighed with resolve, piling some potatoes onto his plate. The kids were sandwiched between us, each holding their own plates, when a group of guards came walking toward us.
Their gazes were trained on us, so there was no confusion about who they were stomping toward. Aiden’s shoulders hunched at the sight of them, his lips flattening in a grimace. I knew what this meant and I so badly wanted to stop it, but I wasn’t sure how.
However, when they approached, I realized it wasn’t my twin I should be worried about. “Alessia Accardi, come with us.”
It was clear their direction wasn’t a question, simply a command. I wanted to fight, but I worried what would happen to Stephanie and Lucas if I did. And I also knew there was no point in delaying the inevitable. I had given them a fake name and yet somehow they knew exactly who I was.
“She doesn’t know anything,” Aiden pleaded with the guards, but they ignored him.
Handing my plate off to Aiden, I pleaded with my eyes for him to take care of the kids for however long I was gone. Once my hands were free, two guards gripped my arms, pulling me toward the building.
Dread filled me with each step closer we took until one of the men unlocked the door and shoved me through. Based on the living arrangements outside the building, I had been expecting some sort of shack. Instead, the entire first floor was filled with desks and computers, large screens dotting the walls.
A few couches were pushed against the far end of the room, people lounging on them as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Stairs led to a second floor, but I couldn’t see anything besides a long hallway. The two men holding me dragged me past everything, stopping at another door, before leading me down a set of stairs.
The stairs creaked under our feet, the sound eerie in the tinted light, and shivers wracked my body. I didn’t know what to expect, Aiden had been so hesitant to share what happened to him, but now I wished he had told me everything, so I could have prepared myself.
Leading me into a bare room with a single chair, the men shut the door behind them, locking me inside. Walking around the empty room, my feet slid across scratches on the floor, most likely there from furniture being moved. My gaze caught on a few small holes in the wall, presumably where pictures were once hung.
I didn’t know what this building used to be, what this room used to be, but I had a feeling it was something much happier than what I was about to endure. I was staring at the door, realizing there was no lock on this side, when it swung open.
Large boots clambered into the room, the door loudly slamming behind the body. My eyes trailed up a pair of thick legs, an even thicker chest, landing on a man’s bearded face. A comically wide grin hid beneath the thick beard, his bald head shining under the dim singular light hanging above the chair. He held a chair in his hand, dragging it behind him until he sat down with a thud.
“Alessia, I’m so glad I can meet you. My name is Vex.” He gestured toward the chair and I followed his instructions.
Maybe if I was compliant, I wouldn’t end up with a bruise across my cheekbone like Aiden. Sitting across from each other, the two of us sized each other up as the man and I had done last night. But instead of the curiosity from the night before, my eyes were wide with fear.
“Now I have to tell you, I was surprised Aiden’s sister was here. According to our records, your name was Lauren Califorie.”
I didn’t answer his unspoken question, knowing it would be futile to lie. They knew who I was, knew I had given a fake name. I just had to hope they left the kids out of whatever this was.
“Did you know I knew your dad?” My heart jolted at his words, my hands twitching by my sides. “Ah, I see you didn’t.” Chuckling, he continued, “He and I worked on a few projects together. Such a brilliant man and such a shame he passed.”
A cruel smile spread across his lips, stretching his beard, and I suddenly wanted to yell. My dad didn’t pass, he was murdered. And I had a feeling Vex knew that, maybe even had something to do with it.
“I didn’t know much about my dad’s work. Very confusing to me,” I finally spoke, trying to sound like a ditzy woman that couldn’t possibly understand the science my dad worked with each day.
Vex smiled wider. “Ah yes, quite complex things. But he must have been so excited to tell you about his most recent discovery?”
There was an underlying threat beneath the question and I knew that it didn’t matter how compliant I was, how dumb I acted, they wouldn’t believe I knew nothing. Just as they didn’t believe Aiden.
“He didn’t mention anything, no.”
Vex stood up then, circling my chair. His hands landed on the arms of the chair, my body curling in on itself from his nearness.
“Are you sure? Sometimes we forget. Or maybe he even mentioned his colleagues. They were probably great friends after all the time they spent together.”
Trying to get away from his voice, I bent forward, shaking my head. “I didn’t know any of his colleagues. I didn’t live at home anymore.”
Vex circled the chair once again, bending down until his eyes were directly lined with mine. “Maybe so, but family dinners were quite important, weren’t they? Weekly dinners, am I correct?”
Terror flooded my veins at his words, realizing this man knew more about me and my family than I anticipated. I had no clue how he knew so much, but I knew that it wasn’t a good thing.
“I don’t know anything, I swear.” My voice was so small, so soft, and I hated it. But I was terrified.
Vex leaned back, sighing in disappointment. “I had hoped one of the Accardi children would be helpful. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to speak to the other one before he tried to escape.”
Bringing his hands up to his chin, he scratched his beard, a maniacal gleam entering his eyes. “Unfortunately, I don’t believe that neither of you know nothing. Fortunately,” he paused, grinning like a madman, “I know that sometimes we only need a nudge in the right direction.”
Before I could prepare myself, a fist was flying at my face. My head jolted back immediately, my ears ringing from the force of the punch. My teeth felt loose while my jaw felt tight, a contradiction.
“Now, I’ll ask again, what was your dad working on? And who was he working with?”
Shaking my head, I wanted to stay strong, pull some confidence from what Rainer and Murphy had taught me, but when another blow landed on my opposite cheek, I broke.
Tears streamed down my face, my body shaking, wanting to shut down already. If I knew anything at all, I would have already spilled the truth, and I think I hated that the most. Knowing that I was this weak.
“Hmm, still have nothing to say? Well, that won’t do.”
Vex continued to land blow after blow on my body, hitting my ribs and stomach, my body feeling every inch of pain he exploited. Sobs wracked my body, my limbs shaking with pain, and yet no matter how many times I told him I didn’t know the answers to his questions, the abuse never stopped.
The hits finally stopped after what felt like hours. For all I knew, it could have been hours. My entire being felt like a large bruise and I wondered how I would stand, let alone walk back to my tent.
“Stubborn like your brother. And your dad. Let’s see how long that lasts.” Vex grabbed his chair, the metal scraping against the floor like nails on a chalkboard.
The door slammed behind him, but I didn’t dare stand, my body hanging limp in the chair. Moments later, the door opened once more, the two armed men from earlier pulling me up, not bothering to be gentle.
Walking me through the building, nobody gave me a second look, used to this. Once we were outside, I realized the sun had set, and it truly had been hours. The guards pushed me aside, not even bothering to see if I could stand.
My legs faltered, trying to hold up the rest of my harmed body, but thankfully, I didn’t face plant into the dirt. Taking a heaving breath, I tried to collect myself, knowing I needed to get back to the tent. And then I needed to compose myself before the twins woke up in the morning. If the feeling of my face was any indication, it was bruised to high heaven, and that alone would terrify them.
Limping through the rows of tents, nearly everyone already inside for the night, I reached my tent. To my surprise, the cunning man was standing only a few tents away, close enough for me to see his face. Instead of a smirk, he wore a quizzical frown.
Not bothering to entertain him tonight, I creeped into the tent, relieved that the twins were asleep. Aiden, of course, was wide awake. His lips flattened when he took in my appearance, anger brimming in his green gaze.
“I don’t care what I said before. We’re getting out of here. Dead is better than this.”
He gently led me to my sleeping bag, helping tuck me in, coddling me like I was a little kid again. Black spots dotted my vision and I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay awake for much longer, but there was one thing I needed to say before sleep took me.
“Dead isn’t better than this. We’re going to escape and we’re going to survive.”
I blacked out then, sleep taking me, although nightmares kept me restless throughout the night. Visions of Vex’s vicious fists mixed with images of my dad, making me wonder what he had gotten himself mixed up with.