19. Iris
Iris
I swear I’ve been hit by a bus. My head is throbbing and my body feels heavy and weak.
The small amount of energy I had when I first arrived and spoke to Carly is long gone.
I don’t know what they gave me, but I’m in and out of sleep, unable to stay awake as hard as I try.
Brent was dragged in looking terrible—I’m not sure if that was minutes, hours, or a day ago.
I’m desperate to speak to him but I’ve barely moved from this dirty mattress on the floor.
‘Iris?’ Carly whispers. ‘Are you awake?’
My eyes flutter open and I’m relieved it’s darker in the warehouse now. The light that came in through the window earlier did nothing to ease the throbbing in my head.
‘Mmm,’ I say. ‘I’m sorry, I’ve been on the mattress for ages.’ Carly had insisted I sleep off the drugs on her mattress and I didn’t have the energy—or desire, really—to argue, but I do feel bad about it.
‘It’s fine,’ she says. ‘I can rest my head here at the bottom.’
Using my arms, I slowly push myself up to sitting. The change in position makes the room spin and if there was anything in my stomach, it’d be on the floor now. It’s like the world’s worst hangover, but without the fun part the night before.
‘No, you won’t,’ I say. ‘We can both fit lying down. I’ve had my twins and my husband in one bed before. I’m an expert bed contortionist.’
Carly smiles, though it doesn’t reach her eyes. ‘Okay.’
She’s a darling young girl, although the oldest one here. I can tell she would’ve been beautiful and athletic before she was taken. There are still hints of muscle around her calves and arms but most of her is now skin and bones. Her red hair is matted in places and completely gone in others.
‘What time is it?’
Her eyes narrow.
‘No, I know you don’t know the exact time. But you know, is it late night or early morning?’
‘Dinner didn’t come, so it’s hard to tell.’
‘Those bastards.’
‘I’m not bothered. You and Eddie being here is troubling them and that gives me hope.’ She shrugs. ‘Some of the kids were crying, but most of them are asleep now. I’d say it’s night.’
‘Have you seen Brent… uh, sorry Eddie?’
She shakes her head. ‘Taj says he’s sleeping.’
I bite my lip, still unsure what his involvement is.
Eventually I can’t hold my head up any longer and I lower myself back onto the mattress. I gesture for Carly to lie in the space next to me. Her tiny frame makes my thoughts turn to my own children, and the tears fall.
‘You okay?’ Carly whispers.
‘I’m thinking about my kids, as I’m sure your parents are thinking about you.’
She says nothing but snuggles in a little closer, and I stroke what’s left of her hair until she falls asleep, like I do for my own children.
***
I’m already awake when light starts to filter through the window and my headache has finally eased. I’m ready to figure out what the hell is going on.
Carly’s breathing is heavy and she doesn’t stir when I move off the mattress to stand. I steady myself with a hand on the bars of the cell and take in my surroundings. It’s quiet, but the eyes of a few young faces stare out from behind the same bars, letting me know I’m not the only one awake.
I walk over to the corner where Carly’s cell joins with Taj’s. Peering in, I can see both Taj and Brent are awake, talking quietly. Brent is still lying down, and Taj is hugging his knees in front of him, rocking back and forth.
‘Brent,’ I whisper, and both heads turn to me.
Brent pushes himself up so he’s sitting next to Taj, and the full extent of his injuries become clear. His face has been beaten severely, his left eye invisible behind purple swelling. Dry blood covers much of his skin and his nose looks as though it took a heavy hit.
‘Iris,’ he says, his voice raspy. ‘What the hell have you done?’ His good eye darkens, and if there weren’t heavy metal bars between us, I’d be scared by the way he’s looking at me.
My mouth hangs open. I’m shocked because I feel as though he needs to answer for the same thing. Why is he hanging out with these people? What happened to his career with the police force?
‘Me?’ I say. ‘What have I done? What the hell have you done, Brent? What happened to you? You were a good cop.’
Brent looks around, panic etched on his face. ‘Shut up will you.’ He looks at the door to the warehouse and lowers his voice. ‘I’ve been undercover for almost two years now. Not long after the arrest in Rosewood.’
My stomach drops, heart hammering in my chest.
‘I haven’t seen my wife for four months now because things are heating up and it’s too dangerous.’
My head spins and I bring a hand to my mouth. All this time, I thought the cops were doing nothing, but they were. They were risking their own asses, their own families, to try and get answers.
‘Does Sam know?’ I ask. Even though I know it’s probably the most selfish question I could ask after that revelation.
Brent nods his head. ‘Sam’s promotion to Cobal Gully is linked to my undercover operation. He’s there because they suspect someone high up in the organisation lives out there. But there’s been no luck in working out who.’
Matteas. My heart is racing. ‘You’re telling me Sam moved us closer to where these people live?
He told me we were getting away from them.
That I was obsessed and needed my distance.
But instead he’s been in the thick of it.
’ I press my fingers to my temples, rage building in me like a fire.
‘If you’re undercover and you know about this warehouse, why the hell hasn’t it been shut down and these kids returned? ’
‘It’s more complicated than that. I only recently got promoted to this position where I see the assets and the warehouse—’
‘Assets?’ I snap.
Brent hangs his head. ‘Sorry. The kids. I’ve had to practise the language for a while so I don’t get caught.
Since I’ve been coming to the warehouse, not a single sale of an asset has been made.
I’ve been able to convince my bosses it’s too dangerous right now.
That’s why there are so many kids here. All the while I’m buying time, I’m trying to collect more information. ’
‘That’s ridiculous. These kids are being traumatised, they’re malnourished. Look at them!’
Tears well in Brent’s good eye, but I refuse to feel bad for him. I can’t believe Sam allowed this to happen.
‘We believe there are more warehouses like this. Dozens more children. If I couldn’t find out more about the organisation before we rescued these kids, we’d lose the others.
’ He shakes his head. ‘Not a day goes by where I haven’t wanted to tell the team to get in here now.
Not a day goes by where I don’t feel so ashamed to see what I’ve seen and pretend I’m okay. ”
‘What more do you need to know?’
‘Who’s working out of Cobal Gully for starters.’
‘Matteas,’ I say.
Brent shakes his head. ‘No, I’ve met him a few times and he’s in on it but he’s not the only key player in all this. There’s someone else in Cobal Gully. We didn’t want to move in on them until we had the names of everyone.’
The man had a photo of Carly, seems pretty key to me but I don’t say anything.
‘It doesn’t matter anymore,’ he says. ‘They’ve worked out who I am. I’ve failed.’
My stomach drops. ‘I’m sorry. I fucked up. I should’ve listened to Sam.’
Brent looks up at me and I can tell he’s still pissed. ‘It’s done now, and we need to work together. The big boss is Gregor, I’ve never met him. He’s coming over from the U.S to see the team and find out why we aren’t moving asset—kids.’
‘What are we supposed to do? We’re locked up.’
‘They’ll almost certainly move the kids now they know I was feeding information to the police. That’s when we make our move.’
Brent speaks a little while longer before he has to lie down again. I worry he has internal injuries far worse than the ones I can see.
Carly stirs and starts talking quietly to some of the younger kids nearby, trying to convince them it’s going to get better soon, and that she’s sure breakfast will be here any minute.
Breakfast doesn’t come.
I sit, pouring over my conversation with Brent, my stomach rumbling and I can’t help but feel angry. Mostly at myself.