Well, as soon as we leave here, I'll take care of it.
Thanks, Aidan.
I know your emotions are all caught up in some kind of twisted jealousy and need to protect me, but it would be really nice if you two could get along.
I’ll try to be nicer.
I guess that’s something.
~~~
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Allie and Darius wandered through the crowd, making a good show of watching the fights and socializing with the other young Immortals. Some congratulated her on her win, but most kept their distance, speaking only to Darius. It was a disturbing reminder of Allie’s life before she came to Kelleys Island, back when she didn’t know it was her power that made everyone uneasy around her.
“We need to get back there, Dare,” Allie whispered. “I can see it, you know. When my gift is telling me something’s important, everything goes all green in my peripheral vision, forcing me to pay attention. It’d be nice if it would just light up like a Saint Patrick’s Day parade with arrows pointing to the important clue. But I’m pretty sure that VIP room is where we need to be.”
“I see a way we can talk our way in.”
“How?” Allie followed his gaze to a sketchy-looking Immortal standing guard at the entrance to the VIP section.
“That guy works for Mom.”
“For real?” Allie couldn’t imagine Naeemah working with such a thuggish-looking dude. He was grungy with short dreads and a scraggly beard.
“Believe it or not, she has spies all over the world.”
“Will he let us in?”
“Let’s go see. But once we’re back there, you stick to me like glue. Do not let go of my hand, you got it?”
“I'm the honey on your biscuit. Let’s go.”
They walked casually, hand in hand, up to the lounge room, guarded by the scary-looking bouncer.
“Oh, no. What are you doing here?” The bouncer’s eyes widened at the sight of Darius.
“Same as you, but it seems like I might have more range. Seeing as how I fit the Amrita profile better.”
“She will murder me. Or worse … make me murder myself.”
“She won’t ever know. Let us back there and we’ll just hang out.”
“Make it quick.” The big guy stepped aside and let them pass. “If anyone asks, you got in on the other side. If she asks, I never saw you.”
“Will do.”
Allie and Darius skirted the edge of the room set up like a swanky, high-end club with gray leather sofas and white lacquer chairs scattered about. The loud music faded and a low murmur of voices hummed as everyone focused on the fights. Some were placing bets. Everyone was drinking and not paying them any attention.
“I don’t know about you, killer, but my Spidey sense is in overdrive right now. All kinds of crime happening here—or thinking about happening.”
“I’m definitely getting some sinister vibes. Not the nicest people here,” Allie agreed.
“Let’s just act like we belong. Watch the fights and see what we see.”
“Look who’s up.” Allie nodded to the arena where Aidan faced a much larger opponent. Aidan was tall and muscular, but next to this guy, he just looked lanky.
Good luck.
Where are you?
VIP room with Dare.
What? Allie! I told you to wait for me!
We had an opportunity and took it. Don’t worry about us. Just concentrate on that big wall of a guy in front of you. We’ll be fine.
Allie looked around the room at everyone placing bets—some in Aidan’s favor due to the strength of his power, and some in the other guy’s favor due to his size.
“Do we know who the small one’s parents are?” asked a woman sitting nearby in a leather armchair. She sipped a cocktail and discussed the fighters like she was trying to pick the best horse to bet on. Preferably the one with the right pedigree.
“That is exactly the kind of thing that’s guaranteed not to be discussed here,” Darius murmured.
“We aren’t certain on that one yet.” The Amrita executive spoke in a low voice. He was dressed in a sleek black bespoke suit and held an iPad in his lap as he took his client’s bet. He divulged precious information to his client about the fighters who were told they would be protected from this very thing.
“We’ve not encountered him before. He is young, and clearly powerful, but we will collect what information we can for next time. The other young man is the better bet. He is Jeremy Lang, the eldest natural-born son of Richard and Amelia Lang, the first lieutenant governor of the southeastern region. He attends Ohio University where he is a pre-med student. A good choice for this match. His strengths lie in his swordsmanship and brawn. He is powerful, although not particularly gifted.”
“Five thousand on the brawny one, then.” The woman looked bored and not at all concerned that she was doing anything illegal.
“Not cool.” Darius looked pale in the dim light of the bar. “So much for complete anonymity.” He stepped up behind Allie as they leaned against the railing, his arms on either side of her so they could talk quietly and not look suspicious. They were just a couple getting close as far as anyone could see.
“What, you think they’re using Amrita to gather information on people?” Allie asked.
“Let’s not have that conversation here. Let’s just watch.”
Aidan was making a good show of struggling against his opponent, but Allie knew how much he was holding back.
“He’s powerful enough to kick that kid’s ass. Why isn’t he even trying?” The complaints came from more than one person who’d bet on Aidan.
Give them a little something for their money. A little fire maybe?
I’m trying not to call attention to myself.
It’s having the opposite effect.
Let’s try a little flashy, then, but pull me back if I get in the zone, okay?
I’m here. I’ll call you back. Allie watched as Aidan circled the ring with his opponent. His weapons flashed in the torchlight and she knew what would come next.
The crowd roared their approval when it looked as if the fight would end with Aidan’s defeat. But just as their swords clashed and Aidan barely managed to avoid losing his head, fire rained down from every torch circling the arena.
Aidan, that’s mean! Allie laughed as she watched a stream of fire chase Jeremy Lang around the ring like some kind of fire-breathing dragon, hot on his tail. The crowd laughed and applauded the show of power, but Jeremy was furious and came after Aidan with renewed vigor.
She could see it in his eyes, even from here. As Aidan retaliated, his movements grew more fluid and graceful and he began to take the upper hand.
Aidan, snap out of it. But she didn’t get a response. He was battling Jeremy like an Immortal five times his age and he was showing way too much to far too many prying eyes.
Come on, Aidan. You can control this!
“What is he doing?” Darius said. “Is he trying to win this?”
Aidan? Remember that night in Agra? I was so mortified the next day but you were such a gentleman about it. I’ve never been so wasted in my life. I told you I didn’t remember anything … but I lied. I remembered everything. I—
You stinking little liar! Aidan gasped. You know how bad I felt about that!
Allie breathed a sigh of relief, happy her confession had brought him out of the zone. And you warned me about how intoxicating that would be, right? Mr. Liar-liar-pants-on-fire.
I guess we’re even. Glad you remember it. That was one of the top most frustrating nights of my life.
Agreed.
Thanks for pulling me back, Lex. You think I can officially lose this thing now?
Allie watched the spectators. Some were cheering him on and others were booing his sudden advantage.
Go for it. Yay losing!
You are such a dork.
Thank you.
“I don’t know what you two just did, but I�
��m glad no one is watching you right now,” Darius mumbled.
With a loud groan from the crowd, the bell rang and Jeremy was proclaimed the winner.
“Wait! No! He should have won!”
“You bet on the wrong horse, mate.”
“One more fight and I’ll pay what I owe.” Allie heard the desperate voice behind her. She and Darius drew back into the shadows, pretending to have their own quiet conversation.
“That was your last chance. You either settle for cash now, or we take the payment the hard way.”
“Uh-oh,” Darius whispered. His eyes lit with the golden light of his power and she knew he was seeing something with his gift.
“What’s happening?”
“The Immortal equivalent of busting some kneecaps.”
“What do you mean?” Allie turned to see two men escorting a third from the bar. They ducked through a curtain and Allie got a glimpse of another room, her vision tainted with green. Without thinking she ducked through the curtain to follow.
“Allie, no!” Darius tried to pull her back. Before anyone could see them, they hid behind a large crate of champagne bottles. The corner was curtained off like a makeshift stockroom behind the bar, but they had a good vantage point from their hiding place. The room beyond the storage area was huge, with dozens of important-looking people milling about. They were in the lobby entrance to the subway. The Amrita staff was busy setting up for the party that would happen there later.
“Will anyone sense us back here?” Allie asked.
“Too many Immortals around. With the sensations coming from every angle it’s impossible to pinpoint the direction.”
“No! Just give me a few more days and I’ll come up with the cash.” The guy who’d lost the bet on Aidan was desperately trying to talk his way out of a bad situation. The poor guy cowered with his back up against the wall as the two brutes towered over him.
“You’ve fed us that same line of bullshit for the last month. If you could get your hands on that kind of cash, you would have paid by now. Now it’s time for a visit with Selena.”
“No! Please, I—” But the man’s protests were cut off. He still talked and rambled, but no sound came from his throat.
“Thank you, Linus. What a useful gift you have. You know how I hate to hear them beg.” The striking Spanish woman joined the two men restraining the third. “How much does he owe?” Selena asked.
“About three hundred grand.”
“So much? His gifts must be useful to accumulate so much credit for one so young.”
“Just the one ability. It’s about all he has that’s worth anything.”
Allie and Darius watched in horrified silence as the woman gripped the young man’s head between her palms and his mute screams tore from his mouth without a sound.
Allie had never seen anyone lose a gift like this before. A vaporous glow floated around the unfortunate man and Allie had to look away. There was something revolting about the act. Seeing the man's gift laid bare like that was an abomination.
She flinched when they left him crumpled in a heap on the storeroom floor.
“You will learn from this, yes?” She nudged him with the toe of her shoe. “I don’t like doing this to people. Don’t make me do it again. Your debt is paid in full and it is within my power to give your gift to someone who can sustain it—and afford it. You would do well to seek another path for your fortune. Gambling obviously isn’t within your skill set. Now get him out of here.”
The woman turned to cross the wide room. No one showed the slightest concern over what just happened.
“Must be a common occurrence,” Darius muttered as the two men dragged the younger man from the club.
“I don’t understand what just happened, Dare. Why would that guy risk his power on a bet?”
“Why would a mortal risk his kneecaps on a bet? No one ever thinks it’s going to happen to them. Then you get in too deep and owe too much and there’s no way out.”
“Such a risk for money?”
“Living forever is expensive, Allie. And working a nine-to-five for a couple of hundred years with a week or two of vacation here and there, with no retirement in sight, living from paycheck to paycheck, struggling to pay the bills … it’s exhausting. We’re lucky we have family who are more established. Dad, Liam, Emma, George, they all lived through that same struggle over a thousand years ago. It was different then, but still a long road to get to the point where they no longer had to worry about money. But imagine a child born into a younger family without such wealth? Imagine how difficult and exhausting it would be to see your future stretched out before you with nothing but a long life of hard labor ahead of you? Now imagine a place like this where you can open a line of credit, putting your gift up for collateral. You make a few successful bets to set you up with enough money to invest and start earning a substantial passive income. The relief that kind of income could give a family would be an enormous weight off their shoulders. I can see the draw, but the price isn’t worth it if it goes badly.”
“I can’t imagine risking it.” Allie shook her head.
“Let’s get out of here before we get caught.” Darius grabbed her hand and they stood at a crouch, waiting for a chance to slip back into the VIP room unseen. Something tugged at Allie, though. Her peripheral vision was still green. They hadn’t seen the worst of it yet.
She glanced back into the lobby where people were beginning to settle down. A familiar face drew Allie’s attention—a face she never wanted to see again. It frightened her to her wit’s end that she would see him again in a place like this.
“What’s wrong, Allie? You’re white as a ghost.”
“It’s Jon … and Ella.” She scrambled back, pulling Darius down with her until they were back on the floor.
“Who?”
“The assholes who kidnapped me.”
“Why the hell is the Coalition here?” He rose up to peek over the crates into the open room beyond. “They’re just over there mingling with … damn.”
Allie knelt beside him and watched as even more people spilled into the lobby, like a meeting was about to start. Some were just workers setting up for the party, but others were preparing to watch something on a large screen.
“This is bad,” Darius said.
“What is it?”
“That is a group of Coalition and Senate members together.”
“What? Why?”
“No idea.”
“So Amrita’s working both sides? They’re luring in the youngest generations on the pretense of a fun night out and a chance to show off in a safe environment—and they’re using it as an opportunity to collect information on us?”
“Yeah, they’re looking for the ones to watch,” Darius said. “The best of our generation.”
“But why?”
“I think we’re about to find out.”
Allie watched as the large screen came to life, flickering with a vague image of a logo for the company Graham had told them about: Soma. The indistinct image of a serpentine figure around a challis caught her attention. It was eerily like the brand she’d seen on Jim’s neck.
The waiting audience fell silent as Ella approached a podium at the far end of the room. She looked different from the girl who had kidnapped Allie and Quinn just a few months ago. Her hair was still partially shaved on one side, but she was more polished and refined, like she’d suddenly come into an influx of cash. Apparently Ella had done well for herself after the fiasco the night of the ball.
“Thank you for joining us this evening, ladies and gentlemen,” she began. “Please have a seat and the auction will begin soon. Bidding will begin at five million and will increase as the quality of the product increases. Once your payments have been wired, your purchases will be delivered when they are ready.”
Murmurs of anticipation filled the room as the audience shifted anxiously.
“I don’t like this, Allie. We need to get out of here before we’re caug
ht.”
“In a minute. We have to see what they’re up to.”
“Sweetheart, this is a slave auction. We can’t be anywhere near this place.”
“We have to see what’s on that screen, Dare.”
“First up we have cadet number 00857.” Ella began her presentation of the “product” and the screen filled with the image of a beautiful young girl with a vacant expression on her face. “She will be fully trained and broken, but she is still very young, only thirteen. Already, this cadet will acclimate to any situation with little effort from her trainer. She will adjust to her new owners with ease since 00857 has trained with us nearly all of her life. She is extremely cooperative and will be quite gifted. Her training will be complete shortly after her Awakening. You can find further details in the dossiers you received last month. Bidding will begin at five million.”
Allie watched in horrified silence as the girl was sold to a Senate governor for seven million dollars. Neither Darius nor Allie could break away as they watched dozens of faces fill the screen, each with the brand she’d seen earlier on Jim. Allie was horrified, but she couldn’t make herself stop watching and waiting to see the one face she hoped she wouldn’t see.
“This is way bigger than anything going on in the VIP room,” Darius finally said. “That’s just a smokescreen to fool anyone snooping around.”
“It’s him.” Allie’s voice shook. He looked older. Harder. Stronger.
“Cadet 01015 is not fully trained yet,” Ella announced. “We will accept early bidding on this powerful young man. His training is expected to be complete sometime next year. Bidding will begin at twenty million.”
“Let’s go, killer. We’ve got what we need. Dad will know what to do.”
“Grab another three cases of champagne for the fountain; it needs refilling again.” The voice came from the bar behind them.
“Shit, what do we do?” Allie hissed as the bar-back stepped through the curtain.
“I’m so sorry about this, Allie,” Darius said and then he was kissing her. His arms snaked around her waist and she resisted before she realized what he was trying to do. She relaxed and kissed him back, putting on a good show for the guy who was about to catch them. But she felt ... nothing.
Emerge: The Judgment: (Book 2) Page 16