by Amy Hale
Colt cleared his throat, and Jeremy jumped. He looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “So, Jeremy, Jane says you know the layout of the compound really well. Probably better than she does.”
Jeremy nodded in confirmation. “I’ve explored most of it over time. Because my gifts weren’t as strong or as valuable as the others, I was granted a little more freedom sometimes. I guess they didn’t see me as a threat.”
“That’s good. Jane says it’s a bit of a maze down there. We need to make the most of our time and get the hell back out.”
“Jane doesn’t think it’ll be a big deal. I take it you don’t agree?”
“Let’s just say I’m over cautious. I plan for the worst and hope for the best.”
“Sounds like a smart way to live.”
Colt smiled. “It hasn’t failed me too often.”
Jeremy walked toward Colt and stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. “Listen, man. I want to say thanks. I know you didn’t have to take me in. You did it for her, I get that, but I appreciate it all the same. That moth-eaten mattress and lack of a bathroom was starting to get to me.”
Colt folded his arms across his chest and looked Jeremy in the eyes. A move he knew made him look intimidating, much like a bouncer or bodyguard. “I’d do anything for Jane. Anything.”
Jeremy nodded. “I get the message. If I screw up, I’m out on my boney ass, right after you break both of my legs.”
Colt grinned. “Exactly. But I don’t think it’ll come to that. I suspect you care about her and don’t want to see her hurt any more than I do.”
Jeremy nodded once again. “She’s always been important to me—to all of us, really. She knew what to do and say when we felt hopeless or lonely. I don’t think many of us would have made it as long as we did without her.”
Colt stepped forward, his hand outstretched in a peace offering. “So we agree? Jane’s safety and happiness comes first.”
Grasping Colt’s hand in a firm grip, Jeremy shook it. “Absolutely.”
He gave Jeremy a pat on the back. “Okay, kid. Let’s do this.”
Colt put the truck in park and stared at the sight before him. Jane sat in the middle next to him with Jeremy sitting by the passenger door, both silent as they took in the building that served as their prison for so many years.
Colt reached for her hand. “Are you okay, baby? We don’t have to do this.”
She swallowed a lump of fear, but was determined to push past it. “No, I have to do this. I have to be sure we haven’t missed anything.”
He raised her hand to his lips and placed a light kiss on her palm. “I’m with you all the way.” She smiled at him.
Next to them, Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Would you two like a room? I know of several inside. Or I can get out of the truck and give you some privacy.”
Jane turned and gave his shoulder a playful shove. “Hush.”
Jeremy acted injured. “I don’t know what is worse, your bullying or the threat of sending me to the lady next door.”
Colt made a strangling sound. He got out of the cab and helped Jane out as he worked to get his coughing under control. Jeremy exited his side and came around the cab looking at them both oddly. Colt finally found his voice. “Trust me, Jeremy. Take the bossiness.” Then he grabbed the backpacks full of gear, handing one to each of them.
Jeremy shook his head. “One of these days you guys are gonna have to explain why she’s so scary.”
Jane slipped one arm through the pack and grinned as she walked toward the compound. “Someday.”
Colt and Jeremy were close behind. As they neared the gate, they all slowed their steps. Jeremy’s eyes were wide. The large iron gate was barely hanging from its hinges. The once immaculate grounds were overgrown with weeds. Windows were broken out and some parts of the building were riddled with bullet holes. He looked at Jane. “Did you do this?”
Her expression was solemn as she nodded. “Yes.”
Colt took just a moment to recall the day he thought he’d lost her forever then pulled his gun out of its holster and took a few steps forward. “Let’s get this over with.”
They entered through the front doors, which gave every impression that it was nothing more than an office building. Jane stepped in front to lead the way. A long, dark hallway was just to the left of the reception area, and she grabbed a flashlight from her bag. She turned it on with a small click that seemed to echo through the eerily empty rooms. An ominous feeling swept over her and she had to fight the urge to turn and run.
She motioned for the guys to follow, without looking back to see if they actually had. She was pulled into the darkness as if led by an invisible force. Jane continued down the hall until she reached a small door that lead to a basement. She carefully made her way down the stairs, her feet moving of their own volition. It had only been months, but it felt like years since she’d been…down there.
She heard Colt and Jeremy behind her, trying to catch up. They’d just made their way down the stairs when she reached the hidden hatch in the back of the room. She moved the flashlight up to shine on the cold concrete walls. Jeremy quickly moved to her side while Colt stood directly behind them.
Jane handed her flashlight to Jeremy, and he directed the beam at a specific spot on the wall. To Colt it didn’t seem to look any different than the others, but for Jane and Jeremy something stood out that he couldn’t see. Jane put her palms flat against the spot, then spread her fingers out and pushed. A grinding noise could be heard from somewhere below them, then the floor opened up to reveal a dimly-lit staircase. Colt peered down, noticing the emergency lighting system was still working.
Jane stepped back and retrieved her flashlight from Jeremy, then she moved to Colt and grasped his hand tightly. Her palms were sweaty, and she seemed genuinely terrified. He turned her to look at him, placing his free hand behind her neck. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Remember that. There are three of us. You two have gifts that no mortal man can combat, and I’m a pissed off boyfriend with fighting skills and weapons. No one will dare screw with us.”
She smiled at him, thankful for his levity, even if he was mostly serious.
Jeremy interrupted their small moment. “I’m going down.” Despite the small lights lining the steps, he positioned the flashlight in front of him and took the first few steps down until his head was the only thing visible from the hatch. He stopped and looked at them. “Coming?”
They both nodded and followed behind him. Once the trio reached the bottom of the steps, they found themselves in a small corridor lined with doors. A large freight elevator filled the far end of the passageway. Jeremy jogged to it and started pushing buttons. When the elevator roared to life, he smiled. “Great, we can use this to go down.”
Colt looked unsure. “Is it safe? It looks kind of neglected.”
Jeremy nodded. “It’s always looked this way, but it works fine. It’s how the bosses got around most of the time. We could take the stairs, but believe me, this is faster and not as exhausting.”
The elevator reached them, and Jeremy pushed up the gate as the large doors opened. He motioned for Jane to enter. “Ladies first.”
She stepped inside, her hand in Colt’s. Jeremy joined them then pulled down the gate and pushed the button for the very bottom level. They rode in silence, and Jane found it harder to breathe with every floor they passed. When they reached the lowest floor, she was trying not to hyperventilate. Colt coaxed her out of the elevator with the promise that the sooner they completed their mission, the sooner he could take her home.
She blinked back tears as she stepped through another set of doors and into the arena before her. This was the main area where the experiments took place. It reminded her much of the Roman Colosseum, except that it was underground. They were surrounded by tiered seating for spectators, with an exit door at one end and an entrance door at the other. There were lights placed high overhead, as well as a speaker system. The ceiling wa
s at least fifty feet high, which only emphasized just how deep underground they were. How very trapped they all had been.
She gave a sideways glance at Jeremy. He was looking at the center of the room. His face was rigid and she could see the pain and anger taking over his demeanor. He was tortured in this room—over and over and over. She reached out to comfort him, and he reacted out of old habit, lost in his memories. He flung her back without ever touching her, and in the blink of an eye he was at the other side of the room. She landed on her back with a thud, and the impact knocked the wind out of her. Colt ran to her side, and she waved him away.
“I’m okay,” she wheezed. “I just need a minute.”
Colt’s face blazed in anger, and he turned to glare at Jeremy. She placed her hand up. “No, Colt. Don’t blame him. It was just his defense mechanism. Remember how I was at first?”
He nodded his understanding, but it didn’t soothe his anger that she’d been hurt, however minor or unintended that injury was. He reached down and helped her to her feet. She dusted off her clothes and then smiled at Jeremy who was now standing in front of her with a horrified look on his face.
“I’m so sorry, Jane. I… I didn’t mean to. I don’t know what happened.”
She smiled at him. “I do. You were defending yourself. It’s okay; I did that a lot at first, too.”
He frowned. “But you weren’t trying to hurt me.”
“This is a place of pain for both of us, Jeremy. We look around this room and see suffering and misery. We see what was done to us, and what happened to others. I surprised you, and you reacted. Don’t ever feel guilty for that. It may save your life one day.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t argue with her, either. Meanwhile, Colt was doing his best to remember that Jeremy was confused and lost just like Jane had once been. He was about the same age as Brett, and Colt wanted to think of him as a little brother that needed help and guidance. If he could keep Jeremy from killing them all in the process, they might make some headway.
Jane looked around and shivered. “I’d like to keep moving. I hate this room.”
Without waiting for them to respond, she strode to a small door to the left and opened it cautiously. Inside, she could see student desks and a chalkboard—the classroom, where they were lectured about their weaknesses and strongly encouraged to overcome them. The encouragement was in the form of a variety of threats and punishments, depending on the perceived weakness to be corrected. While normal kids were learning math and science, they were taught to fight, manipulate, and torture on command.
She took a step inside and flipped the light switch, surprised when the room filled with light.
Jeremy had quietly entered and was near the front of the room, blinking as he adjusted to the light. “The backup generators must still be working.” He ran his finger across the chalkboard still covered in the scribblings of a madman. His finger swiped through a sentence about exploiting the weakness of your opponents. He looked at his finger and then frowned as if the neurosis of the words would somehow soak into his skin. He quickly wiped his hand on his jeans. “I didn’t think there’d be any electricity since they abandoned everything.”
Colt neared the chalkboard, reading some of the still legible sentences. He backed away and looked at Jane with concern. She seemed frozen in place. He took a step toward her when she grabbed the nearest desk and sat down. She placed her head in her hands and cried.
Colt moved to Jane’s side and placed a hand on her back. He knelt down and spoke softly.
“Are you okay, baby?”
Jeremy let out an annoyed snorting sound. “No, she’s not okay. Do you have any idea the hell we suffered through in this place?”
Colt didn’t take his eyes off of her, but he spoke to Jeremy. “Only what little she’s told me. But it was enough to know that no one deserves that kind of treatment.” His voice was calm and full of concern for her. He didn’t acknowledge the bitterness in Jeremy’s voice, reminding himself that it wasn’t truly directed at him.
Jane sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s just a bit overwhelming. I’ll be okay in a moment.”
Colt rubbed small circles on her neck with his index finger. “You have every right to be upset, sweetheart. Don’t apologize. If you want to leave, just say the word and we’re out of here. No questions or judgment.”
She lifted her head and looked at the chalkboard. “The memories are harder to cope with here, but I’ll be fine.” She stood and looked at Jeremy. “Did you say you knew how to get to Julia’s private quarters?”
“I do, but…” Jeremy hesitated. “Do you really want to go there?”
“I do. I know she hid things from Professor Russell. Maybe she left something behind that will give us a clue to her newest residence.”
Jeremy nodded. “Okay, then, follow me.”
He led them out of the small room and through the exit doors at the far end of the arena. He took the stairs stopping at the next level up. Jane and Colt followed him down another long, cold, and impersonal corridor until he stopped at red door. It stood out among all the other plain white doors that lined the hallway.
Jane stepped forward and grasped the doorknob. It turned easily in her hand, and she pushed it open carefully. She was full of trepidation as she entered the room. Shining her flashlight around, she noticed it was lavishly furnished and was surprised to see that Julia had left such beautiful belongings behind.
Jeremy was thinking the same thing as he surveyed the room once belonging to The Curators new leader. “They must have left in a hurry. No way she’d have left without this stuff otherwise.” With a curious glance from Colt, he explained further. “Julia was disgustingly materialistic. She only cared about two things: Professor Russell and her fancy stuff.”
Colt nodded in understanding as he looked around the room. Jane dug through drawers and turned over cushions but found nothing. She blew out a frustrated breath. Jeremy wasn’t actively helping search the room and seemed distracted. She watched him for a moment before speaking up.
“Something on your mind, Jeremy?”
He gave her an odd look. “I guess I’m a little creeped out. I’d prefer to have more than just flashlights and emergency lights to guide us. We should go to the control room. I think we can turn on the main power switch in there and get all the lights back on.”
Jane chewed her bottom lip then looked at Colt. “That would be easier.”
Colt agreed. “Lead the way.”
Once again, they were walking down the dismal hallway, and then they ascended two more flights of stairs before stopping at a landing with light brown walls. Jane knew that behind that specific access door was a maze of hallways that led to many of the rooms they lived in while being held prisoner by Professor Russell and his associates. She could already envision each door, resembling something from a dungeon. Dark, heavy, wood planks ran vertically to form each barrier. Iron hinges, locks, and latches adorned the doors, and a small window with bullet proof glass rested at the top. It was just high enough that the average person couldn’t see inside. Although, that rarely mattered to the child behind the door. They were often happiest when left alone.
She followed Jeremy but kept Colt close as they walked slowly past each room. Jeremy was already jogging to the heavy metal doors that contained the controls to most of the compound. In just a matter of seconds, the faint hum and flickering of florescent bulbs filled the air and then steady light filled the entire area.
She was only a few doors away from their intended destination when she stopped and turned. Jane’s hand trembled as she reached for the door in front of her. With a push, the door opened and the accompanying groan of the hinges spoke of years of use and a lack of maintenance. Her heart beat faster as she took a tentative step inside. Colt was behind her, saying something she couldn’t quite hear. The roaring in her ears seemed to drown out everything around her as she looked at the bed. Her bed. The metal frame was in pla
ce, but the mattress, bedding, and every other item in the room had been overturned.
She walked to a small dresser that had been tipped on its side. Clothes spilled from the busted drawers that were lying around it. She crouched down and pushed clothing and wood remnants aside, giving her access to the inside of the dresser. She reached inside and felt around the underside of the top until she found what she was looking for. For a moment, she wore a genuine smile. Colt knelt next to her, watching her intently. She turned to him, unshed tears in her eyes, and handed him the small envelope that had been carefully taped in place to hide its location.
He looked at it in confusion then opened it to find a tiny oval photo inside. “What’s this?”
A tear trailed down her cheek. “It’s my parents. I had it in the locket I wore when I was kidnapped.” She took the photo from him and ran a finger over the fading picture. “They took the locket shortly after I arrived, but I had removed the picture before they got it away from me. I kept it hidden inside my pillow until I managed to get an envelope to keep it in. I had to hide it because we had daily room inspections and anything considered contraband was removed immediately.”
Colt frowned. “They wouldn’t even let you keep a photo of your parents?”
She shook her head. “No. Professor Russell told us that we no longer had any family but him. Reminders of our past lives were not allowed.” She stood, gave the photo one last look and then tucked it into the pocket of her jeans. “I’m so glad they never found it. It’s all I have left of them.”
Colt hugged her. “I’m glad you got it back.” He was about to mention finding Jeremy when they heard him yelling for them.