ELIANO #7
A low growl escapes me as adrenaline floods my system, rage rumbling in my chest while I step through.
I find myself in a vast space. I sense it more than I see it, and I immediately know something is very wrong.
The air is thick with the stale stench of sweat, blood, bodily fluids, and dried semen.
But what pushes through the haze dazes me. I feel the vibration of life. I hear it; seven hearts are beating in this room.
What the hell? My pulse skyrockets as shock and disbelief tear through me.
Scanning the space with my phone, I manage to locate a light switch on the wall.
I flip it, and the room fills with dim fluorescent light.
"Holy fuck," I breathe, my head spinning.
Cages… damn. This is all too familiar. Seven big cages in the room, all of them covered with dark fabric.
And I know, I just know, that there are living people inside.
Where’s Ennio? I immediately try to make a call, but nothing happens. There is no signal down here.
"Damn!"
The room is silent. Whoever is in there does not speak, does not move, does not make a sound.
I know that my first priority should be finding an exit. I quickly spot a pale square of the door behind me, probably the one Tanner uses. But I cannot leave without first checking what’s under the blankets.
My heart is pounding as I approach the first cage.
Whoever is inside hears my footsteps, and their heart rate spikes violently. That reaction is not a good sign.
I grab the fabric and rip it away in one hard pull.
"Oh fuck," I blurt out.
On the filthy floor, a small omega is curled into himself, his body covered in blood, bruises, and grime. His hair is matted, impossibly dirty. From beneath the tangled strands falling over his face, eyes stare back at me like a wild animal’s.
I turn away, fighting the urge to vomit as shock rolls through my body in heavy waves.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, what the fuck is this…"
Like I’m moving in a trance, I step up to the next cages and rip the fabric covers off them one by one.
Everywhere it is the same. Naked, filthy, bruised omegas.
Having seen enough, I spin around and sprint toward the door. To my shock, it is open. Beyond it, there is a staircase.
Wooden, of all things! I guess I finally found it.
To the right, I notice a panel. I touch it, and I hear it. Beep, beep, beep. The same sound I heard back then.
I rush up the stairs and see a metal surface in front of me, slowly sliding away.
It moves forward on four rails, extending outward.
A second later, I understand exactly where I am.
Behind the giant refrigerator.
It slides fully forward, and suddenly I am standing in the kitchen.
But something is immediately wrong. I hear muffled sounds.
I bolt into the studio and skid to a stop when I see an alpha lying on the floor, his hands cuffed behind his back.
Next to him stands Ennio, calm as ever, staring down at the screen of his phone.
"Chi cazzu succidìu ccà?" (What the fuck happened here?) I snap.
"Tanner came back," Ennio says, astonishingly calm for someone who must have just dealt with an alpha a head taller than him. "He walked in like nothing was wrong, grocery bags in hand. The bastard never saw it coming." He taps the holster at his hip, where the dart gun rests.
I stare at Daniel Tanner in disbelief. However, there is a much more pressing issue.
"We got him, Ennio," I whisper hoarsely. "What I found down there… fuck. You won’t believe it!"
Ennio snaps his head up sharply.
"What did you find?"
"Seven cages with omegas in horrible condition, all still alive."
Ennio’s eyebrows rise. "Ohhh, yeah, you’re not wriggling out of that one, buddy," he murmurs toward the unconscious alpha. Then he adds, "I want to see it with my own eyes."
"Yeah… just be warned. It’s a horror scene."
Without a word, Ennio follows me into the kitchen. When he sees the refrigerator, he nods, almost approvingly. "I have to admit, that never would’ve occurred to me. Clever."
"You were right. Perverts really do go to extreme lengths to hide their perversions."
"They always have. They think whatever waits for them on the other side is worth it."
We head down the stairs and step into the horrifying space below.
Only now, when I really look around, do I realize there are not just seven cages.
In the far section, there is a full-on torture room connected to the recording studio.
Looks like my instincts were right after all.
That part upstairs was just for show. This is the real thing.
Two tables standing there, are fitted with chains, and the walls are lined with tools. Torture tools. And tools for very kinky sex. It all blends together down here.
There are cameras too, all aimed at the tables.
"Tanner recorded everything," I mutter.
"Looks like the police are going to have a very unpleasant job," Ennio replies.
"What a sick bastard," I murmur.
Ennio approaches the first cage. The omega inside has his eyes open and is staring at us, but there is barely anything left behind that gaze. He does not seem to understand who we are. Hard to blame him. We do not look like the police.
Ennio moves on to the next cages, studying the omegas inside.
Every cage holds an omega in a varying condition. Some are slightly better off, some far worse, but all of them are dirty and covered in bruises.
Finally, he stops at the last cage.
Something about it draws my attention too.
My heart starts pounding as a horrifying, impossible thought forms in my mind.
I step closer. We both look at the person inside.
Curled up in the corner is a naked omega, impossibly filthy. The dirty clumps of hair framing his face might once have been blond. His face is so caked with grime it is hard to make out any features at all.
But in that dirt-streaked face, I see his eyes.
Large, hazel eyes.
Well, a lot of people have hazel eyes, but then my gaze wanders to his dirty hands. The omega has them pressed to his chest, and I can see some tattoos on the lower part of his forearm. Could they be part of the word "FOREVER"…?
And something inside me clicks.
"What’s your name?" I blurt out, my throat tightening painfully.
I can barely believe what I am seeing, but with every second, my certainty grows.
The omega does not answer. He shrinks further into the corner, pressing himself against the cage, completely frozen in fear.
I look around, but I do not see anything that would easily open the padlock.
"Step back," I mutter to Ennio.
With one powerful downward kick, I smash the lock apart.
The omega curls in even tighter, almost trying to disappear into the corner of the cage.
"You’re safe now," I whisper. "Can you come out to us?"
It is useless. He is completely shut down.
"My name is Eliano. Is your name by chance Senu?"
I drop to my knees, my hands shaking, then I turn my head to look at Ennio, who is watching me with open surprise.
"You know him?"
"You won’t believe this," I say. "I think this is Salt’s brother! The one this whole thing started with. The one who was supposedly murdered by the Tanners."
Ennio shifts his gaze back to the omega. "Well, damn. So he’s been down here all this time? How long has it been now? Four months?"
"Probably even longer, close to five. Fuck… poor guy."
On impulse, I pull out my phone and take a photo. His filthy face and those eyes are captured in the image.
"Listen," I say softly. "We’re here to help you. Your nightmare is over. You’re going to be free."
The omega does not move. I do not think I can get him out of here on my own.
Ennio places a hand on my shoulder.
"Eliano, I think my part in this ends here. You need to go upstairs and call the police. With this much evidence, Tanner is going to prison for life, and if they find certain things on those recordings, the death penalty is very much on the table. I’d bet some captives he made sure they disappeared forever. "
I nod and sigh. "You’re right."
I glance back at the omegas. All of them are watching us, but there is only silence. They are unbelievably traumatized, utterly broken by that sick bastard.
"Don’t be afraid," I say loudly. "We’re coming back for you. We’re going to get the police."
Silence answers me. Tanner clearly shattered their will. They sit motionless in their cages.
We head back up the stairs. I go straight to the studio to make sure Tanner is still there. He is, lying unconscious on the floor.
I feel the urge to kick his head in and beat him to death right where he lies, but I know that would be stupid.
"I need to make a few calls," I say after a moment. "Before I call the police."
"Go ahead. I’ll look around the house and try to shut off the cameras. That way I can leave without worrying about being recorded. I’m not climbing down the downspout again."
"Okay."
Ennio leaves, and I call none other than Storm.
Before the phone even starts ringing, I send him a text with Senu’s photo.
Storm answers a moment later.
"What the fuck is this? What kind of poor wreck did you just send me?" he snaps, his voice breaking. He clearly sees the state that the omega is in.
"I’m at Daniel Tanner’s house," I say. "I found seven cages with live omegas in his basement, all in terrible condition. Right now would be a very good time to get Jordan’s brother involved. Detective Arnold."
"Holy fuck! Are you serious?"
"Hundred percent."
"I knew it!" Storm says. "I had a feeling you were dealing with Tanner because of Salt."
"Yeah. I have to do this for him."
"He supposedly hates you."
"That doesn’t matter. I took away his chance at revenge. I want to give him back whatever I can."
"What do you mean you took away his chance at revenge? Ah, never mind, it’s not important right now. You can explain later."
"Can you contact Jordan and his brother? I don’t want to call the general police line. I’d rather have someone we trust handle this. Jordan’s always helped us."
"Jordan’s at the firm. Give me a second."
I hear his footsteps, fast, almost running.