Jebediah suddenly stuck his tongue out of his mouth and hissed in my direction. His tongue was forked like a snake, with two metal balls on top of each point. I’d seen some body modification in my time, but nothing like this. It explained the weird lisp he spoke with. He flicked his snake-like tongue at us a few times before beginning to laugh in that hysterical, crazy manner I was quickly becoming familiar with. Then as quickly as his outburst began, it stopped, and his composure became eerily calm.
“I see you,” Jebediah sung, pointing my way and leaning forward, his eyes wide and grin once again manic. “I see you,” he repeated. “Clever, clever, clever. I see you watching my men.” He leaned back and kicked one boot up on a tree stump. “Watch away, Ink, you won’t find fault with my soldiers. Some of them may not be the sharpest tools in the shed, but they are loyal.”
“Where will you be manufacturing the product?” I asked through gritted teeth.
Jebediah smiled, leaning back and linking his hands behind his head. “I was thinking of using the infirmary. They will have all the supplies I’ll need.”
“You’re going to make NIM in our hospital? Are you crazy?” Gracie practically shouted in an incredulous tone.
Squeezing her hand in censure, I didn’t take my eyes off Jebediah and Jeze, just in case they decided to punish her for her little outburst. The corner of Jebediah’s eye twitched, but neither of them made a move toward Gracie.
“You know, I’m not fond of having my sanity questioned, and that’s the second time since we’ve sat down that you’ve suggested I’m not of sound mind,” Jebediah murmured. “Perhaps you should keep those thoughts to yourself, else… I might have to do something a little… crazy.” He pulled his jacket aside and brushed a finger over the gun holstered there. Gracie’s face paled, and she kept quiet, though I could practically see her temper brimming with barely leashed anger. Jebediah broke the silence with a chuckle and glanced away from Gracie as if she weren’t worthy of his time. Jeze’s gaze, however, never left her like a snake waiting to strike.
“I was joking, don’t you have a sense of humor?” Jebediah shook his head in disappointment. “The hospital isn’t secure enough, we will manufacture in the basement below my men’s barracks. That way it will have constant protection.”
“How often will you have a delivery?”
“Once a month,” Jebediah replied, his amused pale eyes darting around the men surrounding us.
“I get to pick the team for delivery.”
I knew I wasn’t in any position to make demands, but I’d be fucked if I wasn’t going to have my own men at my back.
Jebediah offered me a lazy nod. “You may choose two men, and you’ll take two of mine.”
“When is the first delivery?”
“Three weeks.”
I didn’t want to be a part of this, I wanted nothing to do with Jebediah or his NIM production. But choices were limited right now. In fact, there really wasn’t a fucking choice at all.
“And the people of Liberty?”
“The Arena,” Jebediah shouted, spittle flying from his lips as he leaped to his feet in an unexpected fit of rage. My fists clenched, ready to protect myself and Gracie, but Jebediah simply stood above us, grabbing at his white hair, pulling and twisting in frustration. “Why is it so goddamned hard to get that through your thick skull? I was told you were smart, Ink, but now I have my doubts.” Neither Gracie nor I said anything as we watched the man take a long deep breath before settling back into his seated position, leaning back as if nothing had happened.
“The people of The Arena go about their life with minimal changes,” Jebediah said, his hand waving away my question.
I raised a skeptical brow. Jebediah didn’t seem the type to let things move forward with the simplicity Liberty had been run under Viv’s leadership. He was a complicated man, and I had no doubt it would make life complicated for everyone trapped in his radar.
Jebediah giggled like a child. “Itty, bitty, teeny, weeny changes,” he said, squeezing his fingers together in front of us to show me just how small the changes would be.
I didn’t believe him for one moment. We’d have to take each day as it came and tackle these so-called minimal changes as they reared their ugly head.
Jebediah grew quiet, almost pensive and the few of his men who were drinking grew rowdier. I’d had enough of this night. In fact, I’d had enough of this entire day. I was done sitting with this fucker like some sort of willing business associate. Standing, I drew Gracie to her feet, her hand still firmly wrapped in mine. That connection felt like a lifeline. If she was living and breathing, then so was I. We could survive this, we had to.
“Meet me outside the storage facility tomorrow at seven a.m. We have more things to discuss,” Jebediah quickly said, apparently not bothered by the fact we were leaving without his permission.
With a short, sharp nod, I began to guide Gracie away from the fire, my men falling away from the crowd when they noticed our departure. Max, Ace, and Charlie followed behind us while the other men would spread out around Liberty and continue their nightly patrols. Only now, they were watching everything happening inside our walls. Gracie’s gaze lingered upon the flames for a short time, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. She’s stayed so strong today, not a single tear slipping off her lashes, and she still held them at bay as we retreated to her cabin.
My life had taken plenty of sharp, unexpected turns over the years, but this was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I’d been an only child born to a military family that was torn apart when I was just seven years old with the death of my father. My mother had been present in body only after that, her mind and heart were broken. She passed away from an overdose of sleeping pills when I was fifteen, and I was sent to live with grandparents I’d never known. My grandma was a bitter old woman, with never a nice thing to say about anyone. Especially, a belligerent teenage boy who had just lost his mother. My grandpa was a former soldier. A hard, strict man who would often get lost in memories that left him with a haunted look in his cloudy eyes.
As soon as I turned eighteen I enlisted, meeting Trigger, otherwise known as Sean Clarke, in my first week. Trigger and I hit it off, even though we were complete opposites. I was dark and brooding, where he was light and easy going. He came from an affluent all-American family with three sisters and a younger brother, I was an only child of a broken blue-collar family. Our friendship was groomed over the hell that was being a soldier and was solidified through our mutual discord with the government’s policy on a zero tolerance on crime, and the military’s blinding willingness to enforce such a law.
Crime wasn’t as black and white as our leaders tried to pass it off as. Gracie was a perfect example of that, and the innocents born in the underground prisons were proof that the system wasn’t working. Restless and opposed to the direction our country appeared to be headed, Trigger and I finished our second year under U.S. command and joined the rebel forces.
So yeah, life had thrown me plenty of curve balls, and I rolled with each one. This latest turn of events had me twisted in ways I’d never been twisted before, though. No longer was it just my future on the line, it was Gracie’s future too, and everyone else trapped within Liberty. I felt the weight of that responsibility resting heavy on my shoulders. The sharp fear that Gracie could be taken from me at any moment left me feeling restless and desperate, two feelings I was unaccustomed to.
When Gracie squeezed my hand, I glanced her way. She looked so beautiful as the retreating flames behind us lit up her pale face, a hesitant smile which didn’t quite reach her eyes made me feel about ten fucking feet tall. It was a smile for me because she knew I was struggling, and her smiles always felt like my salvation. I’d never told her that, but somehow, she knew. She was offering me that salvation right now, even though she didn’t feel it in her heart.
“No fear,” she whispered.
“Yeah, buttercup. No fear.”
CHAPTER 5 – Grace
It had been almost a week since Jebediah infiltrated Liberty and ruthlessly took away our freedom. Even though I’d lived the last seven years within the walls of a compound that left me feeling somewhat claustrophobic, I’d never been scared. That anxiety now bled out like an open wound, making me jumpy, my sleep coming in fitful spurts, even though Ink demanded I sleep beside him every night tucked safely into his shoulder. I felt constantly wired, and the lack of control over my present situation and any possible future made me restless.
When I found myself close to the walls of the compound, my gaze would linger on the high, rough iron, wondering about the world beyond.
Was it safe out there?
Was it safer than in here?
Then I’d wonder about Skye and if she was okay. The cave, our rendezvous point was well stocked with canned food, blankets, a couple of weapons, some clothes and wood for a fire, but it wasn’t meant to be a permanent home. Neither Ink nor Trigger thought it was safe to go check on her, not yet, but admitted someone would need to soon. Not that we had any idea how anyone would get out of the compound. The walls were well guarded on all sides, the front gate locked up tight, and our underground tunnel inaccessible. We were trapped.
Ink had done well to keep me busy. My job in Liberty was to cut hair, and on a good day, I might see two or three clients. Today I’d seen six, and they were all soldiers. I was grateful for the distraction, even if Max and Toddy’s hair had been so short the clippers didn’t take a single strand off their buzz cut heads. Working was meant to keep me busy and distracted, but my mind always managed to find its way back to worrying about the psycho who was Jebediah and his scary as hell sister.
Sighing, I dragged my gaze once again away from the northern compound wall. A couple of hours ago I’d found my quiet spot on my swing. I’d swung gently back and forth, daggers of light spearing through the high canopy, and the dried pine needles under my feet filling the area with the scent of the forest. Birds darted amongst the trees, and the normal noise of Liberty’s central township was lost in the distance. This was my peaceful place, a spot I could lose myself to nature and wonder about what my life might have been like if I hadn’t killed my father.
Would I still be living at home?
Would he still be hitting me?
Would he have eventually killed me, perhaps?
I hated getting lost in thoughts of ‘what if’ but coming back to reality, in the cocoon of Liberty, always helped refill me with positive energy. Today, all that positivity was missing, and I couldn’t find a single ounce of happiness in my own little paradise.
Ink would have tanned my hide if he realized I’d been out there all on my own. Just like he’d be furious to know I’d taken a jog around the perimeter, also all on my own. Breathing deeply, I sucked air into my over-exerted lungs and stretched my rubbery legs. Like a stubborn magnet that wouldn’t let my eyes go, I was drawn back to the compound wall. That barricade was meant to feel safe, a barrier between Liberty and the rest of the world. Now, all it resembled was entrapment and fear.
Trying as best I could to shake off those violent thoughts, I headed toward the long path which led me away from the wall and back into the center of Liberty. Several minutes later, I passed the enormous barn and took a moment to rub the nose of Mildred, my favorite dairy cow. She chewed her grass with a cool indifference I wished I could possess. Another several minutes passed, and I wandered around the corner of the infirmary, waving to Hadley, Ashlynn’s daughter. She smiled back, no sign of fear or shock on her pretty face. She was either good at blocking it out or knew something I didn’t. Hadley was a sprite of a girl, one year my junior, with a fierce personality. She had a terrible stutter which made speaking challenging and at times frustrating, but she didn’t let that keep her down. She worked tirelessly with her mom, learning everything she would need to become the next generation of health care for Liberty.
“W-w-why don’t you h-h-h-have Ink s-s-s-stop by sometime,” she stammered out. “I’ll ch-ch-check his w-w-w-wounds.”
Raising a brow, I chuckled. “Do you honestly think I haven’t tried to get him here?”
Hadley smiled. “M-m-m-maybe I should come t-t-t-to him.”
Snapping my finger, I pointed her way. “Thinking outside the box, I like that.”
With her grin still in place, Hadley waved and entered the small facility we used as our hospital. As I passed by a few more people, they offered strained smiles, some even glancing at my hair with a worried frown. Why would they be concerned about my hair? Because I never left my room without it looking immaculate, or at the very least, crazy and wild. Today it was thrown into a tousled mess on top of my head, and the few curious looks were making me feel a little insecure about it. It had been a long time since I’d given my locks such a halfhearted effort, but I’d been too tired this morning to give it any thought. People were staring, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t because they were shocked by the style, but rather the lack thereof. When a dark dressed figure suddenly dropped from the low roof of a building, I yelped and took a good jump away.
“Holy crap, Slink,” I gasped, my hand clutched at my chest.
Slink was our fourteen-year-old resident sneak. His real name was Peter, but he’d earned his nickname for obvious reasons. The boy could sneak up on just about anyone without being detected. His slim, lanky build was perfect for creeping around the shadows. Today he was dressed in baggy black jeans and a faded black jumper, his dark hair a chaotic mess that made me wonder if he’d managed to put a brush through it when he woke up this morning. My fingers itched to reach out and fix it. His sharp, dark eyes looked guilty, and he swallowed hard, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing with the action.
“Sorry, Grace,” he murmured.
“What are you doing up there?” I chastised the boy. “You scared the crap out of me.” His pale cheeks reddened.
“I was just watchin’ that ghost man… he’s talkin’ with Robbie.”
“Ghost man?” I wondered out loud.
Slink took a few steps to one side and pointed around the corner of the building. With movements which obviously helped him maintain his charade of being sneaky, he crouched low and peered carefully around the building. Intrigued, I followed suit and did the same.
Jebediah’s hyper laugh drew my eyes straight to what had captured Slink’s attention. His pale form was clear amongst the buildings and trees. With a feverish grin on his face, he stared at Robbie, a nineteen-year-old Liberty civilian who had recently begun training with Ink and his men to become a soldier. They stood close together, close enough that Jebediah could reach out and touch Robbie if he so wished. Although Robbie was tall and had recently gained some muscle, Jebediah still seemed to tower over him, not physically, but in personality. Their posture couldn’t be more different. Robbie’s shoulders hunched forward, his face downcast. Jebediah stood tall, his shoulders back and head held high.
“Head home, Slink.”
The boy didn’t need to be told twice. He scampered away without a word. The thought of confronting Jebediah made me feel physically ill, but I refused to allow him to subjugate or hurt the people I felt so protective over. Pressing my shoulders back, I rounded the building and walked right up to the two men. A pair of insipid eyes turned my way, and I didn’t miss the spark of interest as I approached. Robbie’s reaction as he turned my way took me by surprise. His shoulders tightened, and his lips pinched as his eyes narrowed. He looked livid… at me.
“Hey, everything okay here?” I asked with far more bravado then I felt.
“Little bird, you look ravishing,” Jebediah purred.
Somehow, I avoided glancing down at my yoga pants and figure-hugging zipped cardigan. It was my usual exercising gear, but I felt vulnerable standing before Jebediah without a few extra layers. From the look he was giving me he wasn’t averse to the sweat that clung to me following my jog. Ignoring him took everything I had as I turned to the frustrated looking Robbie.
&nb
sp; “You okay, Robbie?” I asked.
Robbie rolled his damn eyes.
“Everything is fine, Grace. Why don’t you mind your own business and keep walking?”
His quick, cruel words shocked me speechless.
Jebediah muffled a giggle as my brow lowered and settled into one of slight irritation accompanied by a large helping of confusion. Robbie had never spoken to me with anything but respect, and up until a few months ago went out of his way to be nice to me. His little crush had been clearly evident, but once he began dating Prudence I assumed he’d finally moved on, amicably. I had no idea where his hostility had come from.
“Calm down, Robbie. Little bird is simply protective of her flock,” Jebediah murmured.
“I’m not her flock,” Robbie spat out. “And I sure as shit don’t need her protection.”
I wanted to grab Robbie’s arm and pinch the shit out of his ear like I’d seen old Nanna Suzie do with the grouchy teenagers. Instead, I pretended to be unaffected by his outburst.
“I was on my way to find Ink. Want to walk with me?” I asked Robbie in an attempt to get him away from Jebediah, who continued to leer like a creeper.
“I’m meeting Pru, my girlfriend. You do remember I have a girlfriend, don’t you, Grace?”
What the hell? Did he think my interest in his wellbeing meant I was interested in him in a more than friendly way?
“I’d be happy to walk with you,” Jebediah inferred, interrupting my thoughts. The way his eyes dragged up and down my body with unrestrained lust made me shiver. I’d rather shove needles in my eyes than suffer through Jebediah’s company.
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