by Dawn, M. K.
She rushed into their room. “What’s the matter? Who’s that?”
“His name is Isaak. I took Molly to the playground and a bigger kid was beating the shit out of him while a bunch of others watched.”
Sloan sat on the edge of the bed beside him. “Are you serious? And that’s allowed?”
“They didn’t seem too worried about getting caught. Can you help him? The last blow he took was brutal and knocked him out.”
Sloan hesitated, which was out of character, especially when it came to an injured person. “I’m not supposed to be a doctor. What if he tells someone? The Boss will never let us leave if they discover the truth about me.”
Axel stared down at Isaak, bloody and bruised. “It’s a chance we’re going to have to take.”
“I don’t have any medical supplies, so I’m not sure how much I can do.” She took a few minutes to examine him. “I don’t believe there is anything seriously wrong with him. Can you fetch me one of the buckets of water, two clean wash clothes, one with soap, and I’ll clean the wounds?”
Axel retrieved the items with the help of Molly and put them on the nightstand. “Do you need me to go out and find anything else?”
She shook her head. “Too risky.”
“Why won’t he wake up?” Molly asked from the end of the bed.
“He probably has a concussion,” she explained as she wiped the soapy rag gently along Isaak’s face.
“That last punch…” Axel ran a hand through his hair. “I should have got him out of there sooner.”
Sloan frowned. “Another reason we have to get out of this place. Sooner, rather than later.”
Axel couldn’t agree more. “Yeah, but we still don’t know how.”
“I know.” Sloan continued to work on Isaak, who started to stir. “I believe he’s coming to.”
Isaak groaned and shifted with a wince. “Ow.”
“Remain still.” Sloan placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Isaak startled and tried to sit up. “Who are you?”
Axel moved into his line of sight. “Hey, kid.”
Isaak shoulders relaxed. “Oh. You’re the guy who stopped the fight.”
“Name’s Axel. How you feeling?”
“Like I got beat up.” Isaak closed his eyes.
Sloan rang out the bloody cloth and wetted it again. “Is there any place where you feel more pain?”
He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing. “My right cheek.”
“It does appear a bit more swollen and bruised than I like to see, but I don’t believe it’s fractured. Which is good.”
“It’ll heal.” Isaak said. “They always do.”
Anger washed over Axel. “This isn’t the first time you’ve been beat up?”
Isaak opened his eyes. “You’re new here, right?”
“We are.” Axel eyes drifted to Molly. “Sweetie, maybe you should go to the next room so we can talk.”
“But Isaak’s a kid, too. And he gets to stay.”
Isaak frowned. “I’m thirteen, what about you?”
“Almost nine.” She wrinkled her brow.
He rolled his eyes. “This is a really bad place. Worse for good people.” Isaak sounded older than thirteen.
Sloan patted his hand. “How long have you been here?”
“Me and my older sister, Liyah, we've been here since the beginning. Been tryin’ to get out ever since.”
“What’s stopped you?” Axel asked.
“My sister’s scared.” He hung his head. “Something about what happens after dark. Said I’m too young to know.”
None of them had ever ventured out after dinner. Axel might have to give it a shot if they wanted to get a better feel of the place. “Does your sister go out at night?”
“She don’t have a choice.” He shrugged. “Won’t tell me why.” His eyes grew wide and full of panic. “You can’t tell anyone what I said!”
“We won’t.” Sloan reached for him but he pulled away. “Please, try to relax and stay calm.”
“No!” His eyes darted around the room. “My sister is going to kill me. We aren’t supposed to talk to others about leaving.”
“We want to leave, too,” Molly blurted out over the commotion.
Isaak gawked at her confused. “You do?”
Molly rubbed her nose. “Yeah. This place is supposed to be nice but those kids are mean. They hurt you and pushed my dad. I’m scared, and I just want to go to the beach like we were supposed to go.”
Isaak’s eyes soften. “Yeah. Me and Liyah, too. But it’s impossible. No one escapes this place. No one.”
***
Isaak’s words played on repeat in Axel’s head the rest of the day.
Sloan kept a close watch over him for several more hours until he was strong enough to make it home without help
Before leaving, he promised not to tell anyone that Sloan had fixed him up, and they promised not to tell anyone that he and his sister wanted to leave.
Placing their trust in a thirteen-year-old kid put Axel on edge, but they had little choice in the matter.
A knock on the shared doors drew Axel away from his thoughts.
“Goldfish!” Molly shouted, tossing her cards in the air. A deck of cards was the only thing the kids had found in the drawers of their room, but it kept them occupied.
“Come in.” Axel raised an eyebrow at Molly. “How many wins is that in a row?”
She beamed. “Five. Blake is horrible at this game.”
Blake tossed his cards on the bed. “How do you know I’m not letting you win?”
“Whatever,” she shot back.
Archer leaned against the door frame with a smile. “Y’all ready to go to dinner?”
Molly froze, her face pale. “We still have to go?”
“Are you okay, baby?” Axel crossed the room and knelt by her side.
“I’m not hungry. Can we just stay here?”
Axel placed a hand on her leg. “Well, the rest of us are hungry, and you can’t stay here alone.”
Her body trembled. “Can’t we just bring our food back here?”
“I don’t think that’s allowed,” Sloan said as she joined them. “Is there something you’re not telling us?”
“I just don’t want to go!” She stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Axel slumped onto the bed and covered his face with his hands. “Shit. What do you think is wrong with her?”
Blake huffed. “Dad, really? She’s scared. Duh.”
Axel lifted his head. “Scared of what?”
“The kids that beat up Isaak,” Sloan clarified. “Poor thing. It’s one thing to witness people being hurt by the infested or even adults, but to see other kids acting in such a violent manner. That’s traumatic.”
How had he not thought of that? “What can we do? Let her stay back? She’s going to get hungry eventually. Hell, she’s probably hungry right now even if she won’t admit it.”
Archer paced the room a couple of times, arms crossed and head down. “She needs to go. We don’t want to give those kids any reason to think you and her are scared. That’ll only make things worse.”
“How do we convince Molly it’ll be okay?”
“I’ll speak with her.” Sloan knocked and let herself into the bathroom.
She and Molly reemerged a few minutes later, Molly hanging close to Sloan’s side. “We’re ready to go. Though I did promise Molly we would stay as far away from those mean kids as possible.”
Axel breathed out a sigh of relief. “Sure, we can do that, sweetie. We won’t let anybody hurt you.”
They made their way to the dining hall in silence.
Axel kept an eye out for trouble but saw nothing.
The dining hall was packed, as usual. The old convention hall probably held a couple hundred people, if Axel had to guess. It was the largest group of people they had encountered in a very long time, and being in the same room with all of them made Axel a bit claust
rophobic.
“There’s a table in the corner enough for all of us,” Archer pointed out. “Y’all get in line and Slash and I will hold the table.”
“Thanks.” Axel led the kids to the buffet line, grabbed a plate, and received two scoops of some unidentifiable mush. The meal they shared with The Boss had clearly been clearly used for recruitment purposes.
They took a seat, allowing Sloan and Archer to get in line. Axel pushed his food around with his fork, more interested in the room than eating.
Isaak and whom Axel could only assume was his sister, entered a little while later. No one seemed to notice or care how bad the kid looked. Most people kept their head down and focused on their food. Poor swollen and bruised Isaak. How could people sit by and not say anything?
“Oh no!” Molly scooted her chair closer to Axel.
He knew instantly what had changed. The kids involved in Isaak’s beating entered the room, laughing and cutting up without a care in the world.
“It’s okay, baby,” he whispered, “they’re not going to bother you.”
“What about Isaak?” she whimpered.
Axel spotted him in the crowd and watched as the wounded kid kept his head held high even though he must have been terrified.
The bullies seemed too wrapped in their conversation to notice him.
Funny how Axel didn’t remember seeing the delinquents before. Today couldn’t have been the first time they’d come in loud and with no regard for others.
“What’s that face for?” Archer asked as he and Sloan returned to their seats.
Axel cocked his chin. “That’s the kids I was telling you about.”
Both Archer and Sloan turned around. Sloan shook her head but said nothing.
“I’ve seen them around.” Archer clenched his fist. “They’re always causing some sort of trouble.”
“Anyone ever say anything to them?” Axel asked but already knew the answer.
“Nah.” Archer started in on his food. “Apparently, when The Boss said kids don’t have rules, he wasn’t kidding.”
“That’s such bullshit.” Axel shoved his plate aside, no longer hungry. “How does that help anything?”
“It doesn’t but asked around and the thinking behind it is that if these kids are allowed to do whatever now, when they turn eighteen, it’ll be out of their system and they won’t mind falling in line.”
That was the most ridiculous thing Axel had ever heard. “They’re creating a bunch of monsters.”
“Another reason we have to find a way out,” Sloan said in a hushed voice.
“Fuck,” Axel muttered as the bullies—a word he no longer thought strong enough for these douchebags—passed by Isaak.
Several of them gave him a sharp jab in his back but he never lowered his head. His sister scowled at the boys before whispering something into Isaak’s ear. He shook his head and continued to toy with his uneaten food.
“Do you think they’ll ever leave him alone?” Disgust tightened Sloan’s face.
“Maybe.” Archer tossed his fork on his plate. “Shit, probably not. Once bullies know they can get away with hurting someone, they’re not going to stop.”
The thought filled Axel with rage but also caused conflicting feelings. Protecting Isaak meant putting his own family in danger. Still, he couldn’t sit back and do nothing.
“I’m going out tonight,” Axel announced.
“What?” Sloan paused mid-bite. “Out? Have you lost all your senses? It’s not safe.”
“I know, but we need to get a better feel of what we're up against if we have any hope of getting out of here. Isaak said his sister refused to tell him what happened at night. There has to be a reason for that.”
“I’ll go with you,” Archer said.
“No, I need you to stay with the kids. I don’t trust these people and worry what might happen if someone gets wind that a woman and two children are alone.”
Sloan nodded her head in agreement. “You’re right, Archer should stay back. But what I don’t understand is what you hope to find?”
“I’m not sure.” He fixated on the douchebag bullies. “But maybe with a little luck, we’ll find some semblance of hope.”
***
Axel checked on the kids one last time as they slept in their beds. God, he prayed he was doing the right thing.
He headed into Archer and Sloan’s room, leaving the connecting door cracked.
“You ready for this?” Archer asked. “Because it kinda feels like you’re heading into a lion's den without a weapon.”
His insides knotted, but there was no way he’d show fear, for his sake and that of his family. “That’s a bit dramatic. I’ll be fine; it’s not like I’m going to start a fight.”
“Are you sure about that?” Sloan raised an eyebrow. She’d been trying to talk him out of it since he mentioned it at dinner.
“It’s not a big deal. We know there’s a big night life here, and I’m just going to check it out. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Sloan frowned. “Is that really a question that needs to be asked? Many, many things could go wrong. More than we could ever consider.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sloan. It’s really helpful.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I know you’re being sarcastic and don’t appreciate it.”
“All right, Slash.” Archer patted her leg. “We’re all under a lot of stress here. Our boy needs to get going so he can hurry back. You got an estimated time of when you think you’ll be back?”
Not knowing what he might encounter made it difficult to guess. “A few hours? Maybe three. I really don’t know.”
“Which is it?” Sloan huffed. “When is it we should start to worry?”
Damn, he knew she was against his little outing, but he didn’t realize how pissed she was about it. “Is there a problem?”
“Yes.” She jumped off the bed and stormed toward him, finger pointed. “My sister is dead and so is the father of her children. You are the only parent those kids have left. If something happened to you…”
His heart ached at just the thought of Britney. He missed her so much, it took everything inside him to get out of bed in the morning.
He pulled Sloan into a hug. “I’m going to be fine; I promise. Try not to worry.”
“I don’t understand why you have to do this?”
If he were being completely honest with himself, neither did he. “Gut feeling. We’ve been trying to figure a way out of this place, and tonight might give us the information we desperately need.”
She stepped out of his embrace and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Please stay safe, for all our sakes.”
“I promise.” With a quick jut of his chin at Archer, he left the hotel.
The desert air had cooled significantly since dinner. He popped the collar of his jacket and headed in the direction of the common area further down The Strip.
With no clue where he was headed, Axel figured he’d eventually run into someone who would lead him to action.
A way down, he noticed lights coming from the roof of one of the hotels across the street.
Must be the place.
The closer he got to the hotel, the more people he saw. If he had any doubts before, he didn’t now. He followed a young couple up the stairs, his lungs burning as he struggled to reach the top.
A burly, bald man stood at the entrance to the rooftop like an old-school bouncer, sizing up people as they passed. Axel had no idea what the requirements were for entering, if there were any at all, but he was let in without any problem. Maybe the guy was there for intimidation purposes only? Not that anyone here seemed to care.
The roof was bumping for a post-apocalyptic club, with dozens of people scattered about. The line at the bar went back ten deep. Several waitresses weaved through the crowd, serving drinks. They even had a band in the corner, rocking out the best they could without electricity.
Torches and candles lit up the place, a
fire hazard that kicked up his anxiety. He didn’t care much for heights. An empty swimming pool sat in the center of the roof, black and red stains on the floor, some fresher than others.
“What can I get you?” a woman with deep brown skin and angry eyes asked.
Axel recognized her from the dining room. “Liyah, right?”
She tapped her foot with a scowl. “Drink order or I move on.”
“Sorry. Whiskey on the rocks.”
Her eyebrow ticked upward. “Does it look like we have ice?”
Some habits are hard to break. “No. Whiskey neat will work.”
She stormed off without another word. Was she angry at him or the situation? He wasn’t sure. A little of both, if he had to guess.
He moved farther into the crowd. If he tried really hard, he could almost forget where they were and the state of the world. This could have been any party on any rooftop in Vegas.
A bell dinged, and Axel stood dumbfounded as the party-goers erupted in cheers.
Probably not a good sign.
“Here’s your drink.” Liyah shoved the glass in his hand.
“Thanks...um...I don’t have anything to give you for a tip.”
She gawked at him like he lost his mind. “I can’t tell if you’re serious or playin’ right now.”
He took a sip of his drink, not sure how to answer. “Do you know what that bell was for?”
“The show’s about to start.”
“What show is that?”
She placed a hand on a jutted hip. “Do you really not know what’s going on here?”
“Not a fucking clue.”
Liyah studied him for a second before glancing over his shoulder, eyes wide, and rushing away.
That’s not weird at all. Did he say something wrong? Surely, his language wouldn’t have offended her considering where she worked.
“Axel,” the deep voice of Mammoth spun him around. “What a surprise.”
“Yeah,” Axel cleared his throat. “Thought I’d come and check things out.”
“The Boss would like a word. Come, join him for the show.” Mammoth walked off, leaving Axel with no choice but to follow.
Through the crowd, they passed the empty pool which now had an old folding table covered in a sheet set up in the shallow end. There was definitely something underneath it, but what? Axel had a feeling he didn’t want to know.