Pipe Dreams

by Destiny Allison

  “Shut up,” the man said. “I’ll pay you for these three, but then we’re finished.”

  “No, Mr. Lewis. No! Look, I got this one special for you. Here, I’ll show you.” Jeb picked up a long pole from a pile of conduit and moved toward the cage. Ashley jumped to her feet, glaring at him as he jabbed the pole through the wire panel. Hopping around the cage to avoid his pokes, she spit at him, cursing him with every swear word she could muster.

  “Enough,” Lewis said. Jeb dropped the pole. It fell with a loud clank and rolled a few feet on the uneven floor.

  “You see. I told you. And nobody touched her. I made sure of that,” he wheedled. Lewis said nothing while he looked Ashley up and down. Then his lips curled in the faintest of smiles.

  “Jeb, I’m tired of hearing your voice. I want you to be quiet. Do you understand? Don’t say another word.”

  “But, Mr. Lewis…” Lewis spun around and slapped Jeb’s face.

  “If you whine again, I’ll kill you.” Jeb put a hand to his bleeding mouth and nodded, finally silent.

  “Put the girl in the van. Do what you want with the others. I don’t need them anymore. My man will make the final payment next week. If I were you, I wouldn’t tell the rest of your gang about this. I’d just take the supply and run. You can probably survive for quite awhile if you’re not sharing, but, Jeb, I don’t want to see your ugly, sniveling face again. Is that clear?” Though Jeb pouted, he called for help and two of his men came bounding down the stairs.

  Ashley screamed when the cage door opened and they rushed inside. One held a pitchfork at the ready while the other reached for her. She twisted away, but he lunged again, gripping her torso firmly. She struggled, clawing at him. When the sharp prongs of the pitchfork pressed against her neck, she stilled.

  In the van, she rattled the metal grate and yelled until Lewis signaled to his chauffeur. The tall man, clad in a tight, black tee shirt and black cargo pants, walked to the back of the vehicle, opened the grate, and smacked her jaw with his balled fist. Pain burst like popcorn in her head. Before crumpling on the prickly, carpet covered floor, she tasted blood. Stunned by the cruelty of her new captor, she silently cradled her face.

  They drove a long way before stopping. Then the chauffeur opened the rear door and plucked her from the van. In the clean, well lit parking garage, a silver Mercedes, maroon Bentley, and black, Chevy Blazer were parked in a neat row.

  The chauffeur carried her into an elevator and dumped her on the floor. Neither of the men paid her any attention as they rode to the penthouse. When the door slid open, the chauffeur took hold of her foot and dragged her into an enormous room furnished entirely in white. Her aching jaw throbbed as her head slid along the polished, marble floor.

  “Where do you want her?” the chauffeur asked.

  “Put her in the small bedroom,” Lewis replied.

  Ashley was hauled down a hallway, into a room, and across a carpet that chafed her bare skin. Slamming the door shut behind him, the chauffeur turned a key in the lock. Alone in the room, she curled into a tight ball and willed herself not to cry.

  It took awhile before she worked up the courage to move. She crawled across the floor and pressed her ear against the door. Voices murmured in the distance and she strained, without success, to catch their meaning. Then she rose to her feet and explored her prison. At the window, Ashley caught her breath. She had never been in a penthouse and the view awed her. The lights of the Zone twinkled like stars and the lake shimmered in the moonlight. She placed the tips of her fingers on the cold glass as if the fragile barrier would break. For all its spectacular beauty, the height was dizzying.

  Footsteps clicked on the hard floor in the hall. She hurried away from the window and kneeled in the center of the room just as the door opened, revealing Lewis’s silhouetted frame. Swaying slightly, he stepped all the way inside and flicked on a light switch.

  Ashley closed her eyes to shield them from the blinding glare. When she opened them, Lewis was standing over her. He undid the clasp on his belt and pulled it through the loops on his dress slacks, savoring the sight of her. Ashley wrapped her arms around her breasts.

  “I liked you much better in the other position,” Lewis said in a loose, wet voice.

  He staggered around her, dangling the belt. “Jeb mighta been right. That could be a first. Good thing for you I came to talk to him personally. No telling what mighta happened to you if I wasn’t there.” He traced her back with the belt. Ashley cringed as the soft leather trailed over her skin.

  “Hmmm. Would they of had you for themselves? Or would you of rotted in the cage? I wonder…” Suddenly, the belt snapped, lashing her tender skin. She lunged away in a rush of pain.

  “That’s better,” Lewis purred. “I like to watch you move. I don’t think Jeb’s got the balls to have at you, measly coward that he is. No, he’d a let you rot. I’m gonna to make sure they burn his place first. I might even bring you to watch.” He giggled while Ashley crawled further away. Putting his foot on her back, he pressed down hard. She froze and he laughed.

  “I think I will. You can sit with me while the prickly, little bastard squeals. Whadya think? Hmmm? Do you wanna watch him burn?” Lewis lifted his foot, teetering around to face her. As he bent unsteadily to lift her chin, Ashley smelled the strong odor of alcohol. Her heart racing, she twisted her head free, ignoring the pain in her jaw. He slapped her shaved skull and a shock of pain coursed through her entire body.

  “You bastard!” she screamed, rolling away from him. A murderous rage took hold of her. Instantly, she was on her feet, charging him. He raised the belt and swung it. As the leather made contact, her thighs burned, but she didn’t stop. Lewis whipped her face and the edge of the belt caught her nose, cutting into the flesh. A cascade of blood poured down her chin and onto the carpet. She staggered back, crashed against the wall, and fell to the floor.

  “Oh, you are fun! After the purge, I think I’ll keep you jus’ like this. Isaac doesn’t need his shot anymore so I’m gonna give it to you. Keep you feisty. It’s not half the fun when they don’t fight. Didn’t think it would matter, but you know what? Does. Then you can stay here and I’ll have my Lucy an’ you. I’ll go back an’ forth. One who likes it and one who doesn’t. Fun.”

  Ashley’s blood went cold. The mere thought of a purge was terrifying. Nothing else he had said made sense, but she knew what a purge was and didn’t ever want to experience one again. She had to escape and warn Jeremy. Cringing against another attack, she held her hands to her face and tried to staunch the bleeding.

  Lewis fumbled at the button on his pants, tugged at the zipper, and let them drop to the floor. He wore no underwear and his weak erection jiggled like a fat worm as he wobbled toward her.

  “Let’s have some fun now. I wanna watch you move again,” he said, raising the belt.

  With his pants tangled around his legs and his arm raised, she had a clear shot at him. Not hesitating, she sprang up and hit him in the groin. He fell back, groaning. His head smashed into the bed frame and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Snatching the belt from where it had fallen, she whipped him savagely with the buckled end, slashing his face, chest, and legs. Her fury knew no bounds. When spent, she flung the belt across the room and sprinted out the door.

  In the basement parking garage, she bolted toward the smell of fresh air, not waiting to see if she had been spotted. Free of the building, she relaxed. She knew how to disappear in the streets and was feeling confident until she caught sight of her reflection in a storefront window. Well inside the Zone, streetlights illuminated the sidewalks and her pale, naked skin was a luminescent beacon. Her face was caked with blood from the gash on her nose. Coupled with her shaved head, she looked like something from a nightmare.

  There was no obvious method of camouflage in this clean, ordered world so Ashley ran, zigzagging through streets and alleys until she found a dumpster. Climbing in, she pulled the lid shut and blindly searched for somethin
g to cover her naked body. Finding a garbage bag, she ripped off the knotted top end and emptied its contents. She turned it inside out, tore holes for her head and her arms, donned the makeshift garment, and climbed out of the bin.

  On the street, the purr of an engine made her heart leap. As the vehicle approached, she squatted against a building, tucked her arms and head inside the garbage bag, and willed it to pass. When it did, she furiously scanned the area for a safe place to hide. A storm drain under a street lamp was her best option. She sprinted across the street and pushed herself in feet first. The going was easy until the thick, plastic bag bunched around her hips. She ripped it to shreds, rushing to get free before she was spotted. Finally, the bag gave. With one last shove, Ashley was in the cold, metal pipe. She wriggled backward several feet until the pipe ended and her feet dangled in midair.

  Gasping, she tried to pull herself up, but the sludge of dirt and debris on the slanted floor of the pipe were slippery. She didn’t have the leverage she needed. Afraid to drop into an unknown darkness, unable to move forward, aching from her numerous wounds, and exhausted from exertion, Ashley lay still in the grime and rested.

  CHAPTER 26

  Ignoring his injury, Jeremy paced. The leaders of the other cells hadn’t arrived yet and he worried his efforts had been in vain. Glancing out the window, he sighed. Only a fat crow hopped on the sidewalk below. As if aware of his gaze, the crow cawed, its harsh call muted by brick and glass. Turning, he crossed the room again, his feet burning a path on the dusty, blue carpet.

  The cell had been morose since Ashley’s disappearance. Fear of the bone people was paramount and no one wanted to leave the safety of the basement. Finally, angry, Jeremy had ordered them to resume normal activities. They had obeyed, but their resentment was tangible. The junkie in the infirmary compounded his frustration. A babbling, dripping, oozing mess, the savage was useless until the drugs worked their way out of his system. The days of waiting had frazzled everyone’s nerves.

  Hoisting his knapsack and setting off alone for the meeting place had been a relief. The other men had pleaded to accompany him on the several mile walk, but he didn’t let them. He needed the time to himself. In the end, he had left Michael in charge. While still hobbled by a broken leg, Michael was out of the infirmary and lucid.

  Now, nervous, Jeremy withdrew a metal water bottle from his pack and stared out the window while he drank. If the other cells didn’t show soon, he would have little choice but to return home without answers or help. The crow flew away as something moved in the shadows across the street. Jeremy grinned when Mohamed stepped into view, swinging a canvas bag in his right hand. Julia was right behind him. In contrast to Mohamed’s big, black bulk, she was tiny. Her long, unruly curls bounced against her slim shoulders and made her seem younger than her years.

  In minutes, the two joined him in the comfortable waiting room of what had been a successful dentist’s office. They exchanged hugs before settling in to wait for Evan and Doug. Sharing stories, they passed the time until finally Jeremy broached the main subject. The afternoon was waning quickly and the others had not arrived.

  He brought them up to speed on Ashley’s abduction and what he had learned about the NSO. Julia frowned.

  “Okay, so we know it’s evil, but what do you want us to do? Honestly, Jeremy, I’ve got my hands full,” she said.

  “I know, Julia. We’re all so busy surviving, but Ashley’s abduction may have revealed something important.” Jeremy went on to explain the situation.

  “Look, we suspect the bone people are in collusion with the NSO. I want to know what that’s all about. We’ve been so damned afraid we never imagined we could do anything to stop them. But Julia, they’re not invincible. We’ve proved that. I want to know about the van and I want to know where they live. I don’t want any more of my people going missing.” When Jeremy finished speaking, Mohamed cleared his throat and told him about two recent abductions in his neighborhood.

  “I know what you mean, and I’m lucky they didn’t take my people, but what do you expect us to do?” he asked.

  “There haven’t been any kidnappings in my area, but one of my guards saw the van. It came down 48th street with its lights off several nights ago. It wasn’t the first time either. My guys have seen it a few times and didn’t think to mention it until I questioned them. What is it with people? I couldn’t believe they didn’t tell me! I was thinking of calling a meeting myself when we got your message,” Julia said.

  Jeremy extracted a city map from his pack, spread it on the floor, and pointed out where the van had been spotted. Julia showed them where it had passed through her area and Jeremy marked the two routes with a pencil, forming an arrow on the worn, crinkled paper. It pointed to the slums. As a low veil of clouds obscured the afternoon sun and cast the office in shadow, Jeremy frowned, silently cursing their predicament.

  “We need to get some people up there and see what we can find. I don’t have the resources to send a full team. Can either of you spare anyone?” he asked. Mohamed and Julia nodded. They spent the next few minutes sketching out a rough plan.

  “Any serious shit goes down while they’re out there, they split up and hightail it home. No one’s a hero, okay?” Jeremy said. The others gave their assent. Nobody wanted to risk a cell member, but they had no choice. The NSO’s probable involvement in the kidnappings and Vanessa’s information presented an immense threat to all of them.

  Jeremy roused himself and folded the map. “We need to get going if we’re going to get home before dark,” he said, hoisting his pack. On the street, they hugged each other before moving off in separate directions.

  As Jeremy walked the slow miles back to the Gate, it started to rain. He did not seek shelter from the gentle sprinkle. Instead, he opened his mouth to the sky, letting the sweet, clear drops tickle his tongue. When the storm intensified, Jeremy picked up his pace. His pack flapped against his long back and the water ran in fast rivulets down his face, blurring the details of his surroundings. By the time he reached the Gate, he was soaked and shivering.

  The living room was quiet when he entered. Slipping off his shoes, he removed his wet socks before padding to his private quarters to change. Ramirez was waiting for him when he returned, pacing back and forth in front of the long, green sofa.

  “How’d it go?” Ramirez asked.

  “Hard to say. Some of the cells didn’t show, but we’ve got a plan.” Jeremy took a seat, gesturing for Ramirez to join him, and explained.

  “When do we leave?” Ramirez asked.

  “Whoa. Who said anything about we? I’m sending Paul and Mark.”

  “No fucking way. I’m going whether you like it or not.”

  “You’re a cop, Ramirez. Not one of them would trust you enough to work with you. If this thing has any kind of chance, it’s got to be done carefully. You go, you’ll fuck it all up.”

  “Fuck you, Jeremy. So what if I’m a cop? I’ve got more experience and training than any of you. And I’ve got a gun. Anything goes down, I’m the only one who’s got a shot at getting us out of there. Besides, something happens to me, it’s no big deal. As you’ve so sweetly pointed out, I’m not one of you. I don’t belong and won’t be missed. Have you been paying attention to what’s happening here? This place is like a morgue. You’ve got a big morale problem that’ll just get worse if anybody else goes missing. Anyway, you don’t own me and you can’t stop me. I’m going. That’s final.”

  “Okay. You made your point, but it goes down like this. First, you take off that uniform and put on some regular clothes. I can’t believe you’re still wearing that shit,” Jeremy said.

  Ramirez touched the uniform he had worn day in and day out for most of his adult life. Fingering the lapel, where his rank was brightly embroidered, he sighed.

  “Fair. What else?”

  “You don’t let anyone know you’re a cop and especially don’t let them know you have a weapon. You don’t do a damned thing on your o
wn. You go as part of the team, or you don’t go at all.” Jeremy narrowed his eyes and Ramirez shrugged.

  “Yeah, I got it. Incognito. So, when do we leave?”

  “You need to be in place at the blockage by noon. Mark will go with you.”

  “No. Not Mark. He’s a good guy and all, but if we’re doing recon, I need someone who knows how to be quiet.”

  “Okay. Take Paul. He’s not as steady as Mark, but he’s quick,” Jeremy agreed. After discussing the details, the men dispersed. Jeremy went to the infirmary to check on the savage, hoping the man had begun to recover. His body ached and the chill he had picked up in the rain had not abated. He rolled his neck, trying to loosen his muscles, then pushed open the long, white curtain and strode into the room.

  CHAPTER 27

  Michael scribbled in a thick, leather bound book, oblivious to the goings on around him. Like a still pond reflecting the sky, the smooth surface of his face obscured a vast deep. Vanessa watched him through half-closed eyes. In recent days, they had exhausted the subject of Isaac and their shared memories had made it easier to bear his passing. That Isaac had loved him was no surprise.

  Shifting her weight, Vanessa rolled sideways on the comfortable couch. Michael sat in Jeremy’s chair, though she had learned he preferred being second-in-command. When Jeremy returned, wet and miserable from his journey, a faint relief had lightened the lines around Michael’s eyes and a trace of a smile had tilted the corners of his lips, but he did not stop writing. Instead of vacating his chair to hear the news and be part of the action, he focused on the movement of his pen across the page.

  Vanessa was content to feign drowsiness and be near him. She imagined he wrote poetry and wondered about the rhythm of his lines. Would they be lyrical and slow? Or would they have a drumbeat pulse that reverberated in blood and bone? The first man she had met since the rebellion who wanted nothing from her but company, Vanessa was safe in his presence. She was also more.