“We need to continue with the plan,” I said.
“No, it won’t work. We need a Plan B,” Jackie said. “Eva was gonna unlock our doors and get us past some of the security, and she was lining up that Jeep. We have to fend for ourselves now.”
“The security part is nothing,” I said. “I can put them in sleeper moves or knock them out. The problem is all three of us getting out of our dorm rooms. No matter what we do, we can’t guarantee that we can all get out at the same time.”
“You’re right,” Asia said. “We need to be together to even attempt an escape.”
“What about the infirmary?” Jackie said.
“Won’t it look suspicious if we all get sick at once?” Asia asked.
“Not really. It could be something...universal,” Jackie explained, “like carbon monoxide or maybe food poisoning.”
“That’s brilliant!” I said, then looked around and quickly lowered my voice when I saw several teary-eyed mourners looking at me oddly. “We all eat the same things at the same time, and the infirmary is right next to the main gate. It’d be much easier to escape from there. We still need to make it happen Wednesday, like Eva said, because that is when security is at its weakest. Then we get to the gates and hotwire a car somewhere along the way.”
“It’s doable,” Asia said. “We can take one of the Jeeps they use to patrol the city. They’re always full of gas, and it would help us blend in until they figure out what’s up.”
“I love it when a plan comes together,” I said with a grin.
* * *
When I went back to my room, I thought a lot about Eva. She had saved my life the very first day I’d arrived, given me a second chance. I was indebted to her, and the only way I could think to pay her back was to do my best to live and fulfill that destiny she believed I was meant to fulfill. She had thought me extraordinary, but I hadn’t done much to save her, and I knew that would forever eat at me but also motivate me to get the most I could out of life. I hated that she was gone, but I knew she was finally at peace.
As I sat there thinking about all the death that had surrounded me and almost taken me, my hands began to tremble. I didn’t feel like the same person anymore. I’d survived the zombie apocalypse, only to be forced to live in a harsh, violent world. I still hoped I’d one day conquer the nightmares that plagued me, but my view of the world had changed. I wasn’t as naïve as I’d been that very first day I fought a zombie off in the forest. I now saw life in high definition, in living color, and each moment, each breath was a gift to be cherished. I had grown stronger than I ever thought I could be, but at the same time, I now had a colder, harder edge to me. My emotions were all over the place and I began to worry that I was damaged goods. Would I be as cold as Nick?
How do I survive all this without completely losing my mind? I wondered. I feared I would always see zombies in my dreams, every time I closed my eyes. Those ghost-white eyes and rotting faces would be forever etched in my mind, like a deep scar on my psyche. I could only hope that the world would heal and that I would heal along with it. I had told Eva I wanted a normal life, but I wasn’t sure that was even possible anymore.
Chapter 22
I anxiously waited for Wednesday. After seeing Kirk so callously shoot Eva, I knew the man was a homicidal maniac who could kill without batting an eye. He’d always been cold with strangers since I’d known him, but it was quite a shock that he’d killed someone that he assumed to be a loyal follower. I knew from that that none of us were safe.
The next morning, they refused to let me see Jackie and even fed me some bogus story about how she was deep in training and couldn’t be interrupted. That infuriated me, but I knew I could at least see Asia if I got to the gym at the right time. As I waited for her, I punched away on the bag, releasing my anger and imagining it was Kirk’s stupid face. I couldn’t stand being held prisoner. Worst of all, Jackie and Asia were prisoners too.
A little while later, I sparred with an opponent. I fought hard, jabbing him high, then hitting him roughly in the gut.
Clapping erupted, and I heard a familiar voice cheering me on.
“Good job,” Asia said.
“Hey,” I said, out of breath. “Thanks.”
“You almost done here?” she asked.
The other guy nodded, struggling to breathe in his own right. “Yeah, man, go on. I need a break.”
“I guess we’re done,” I said.
We chatted as we did our workouts, and no one seemed to mind. Even Kirk didn’t seem bothered by it, probably because he was too proud that we were working so hard, sweating up a storm. He didn’t tolerate laziness of any sort, and I’d seen him punch fighters in the face or gut for being what he considered slackers.
He watched us for a few minutes and smiled. “Hold up, Dean,” he said, his voice filled with enthusiasm. “I’ve got a new guy, and he’s really going to shake things up around here. He’s amazing.”
“Who is he?” I anxiously asked, noticing the excitement in his eyes.
His face lit up. “Want to meet him?”
“Um, sure,” I said.
Kirk smiled proudly. “He’s fast, smart, and has quick reflexes. I’ve never seen anyone fight like him. No amateur leagues for this guy. He’ll eat you for lunch.”
I swallowed hard, expecting Hulk Hogan to walk out and shake my hand, but what happened next absolutely floored me and Asia.
“Tony!” Kirk yelled.
My jaw dropped as the new fighter walked out of the office. I wasn’t sure if Asia was more shocked than I was, but we both had to struggle to contain our joy. Right there in front of us, in a clean t-shirt and shorts, was one of the best fighters I knew.
Lucas walked up to me and smiled. “Hey. I’m Tony.”
It took a minute for my voice to come back. Finally, I choked out, “Uh...nice to meet you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Asia said, stifling her smirk. “Kirk’s been bragging about you.”
“Hmm. I guess my reputation precedes me then. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing,” he said with all his usual snarkiness.
“It’s a good thing,” she said. “Welcome aboard. I’m sure you’ll do well here.”
He looked at her and grinned. “I hope so. I already love the place.”
“Great tat,” she added.
He looked down at his tribal ink. “Thanks. Got it in Afghanistan.”
“Cool.”
He turned to Kirk. “Please tell me who this beautiful woman is and why you haven’t introduced me to her sooner.”
Asia smiled shyly and introduced herself to someone she already knew quite well. “I’m Asia.”
Kirk clapped Asia and Lucas on their shoulders. “As it turns out, lovely Asia is currently...unattached. If you two would like to spend some time together, that is fine with me,” he said, looking over at Lucas. “We’ve got to keep our prize fighter happy! I’ve got some things I have to deal with anyway.”
Lucas stared at Asia like he was infatuated. “There’s nothing I’d rather do.”
“Then she’s all yours,” Kirk said, patting Asia on the head.
Asia smiled, but I could tell she was ready to bite his head off for treating her like property. I admired her for handling it so well, because she usually had no trouble flying off the handle.
Kirk looked at her. “You don’t mind showing Tony around, do you?”
She flashed her perfect white smile and batted her eyes at Lucas like he was some sort of post-apocalyptic Brad Pitt. “Not at all.”
“Good. I feel more comfortable knowing he’s with you. He’s our VIP now, so make him...happy.”
Her face lit up. “Yes, sir.”
With that, Kirk smiled, then excused himself.
We pulled away from everyone and walked over to the bench press, which was situated in a deserted corner.
Lucas smiled. “Surprised?”
I cocked a brow, still completely shocked. “How’d you find us?” I
said under my breath.
“You didn’t think we’d track you down, buddy?”
Realization suddenly struck. “You’re that suicidal, Hulk Hogan fighter Kirk told us about, the one that joined up on his own.”
“Yep. I went undercover. I knew what they were looking for so I played the part up good. I just said what they wanted to hear. Even put a gun in my mouth when they found me. They told me there was a better way and that I could have a better life.”
“And Kirk fell for it line, hook, and sinker,” I said.
Lucas nodded. “Yeah, I should’ve gone into acting.”
“They kidnapped us,” Asia said. “We’re stuck here. They keep us locked up all the time, under heavy security. They also have numerous armed guards surrounding the outside of this compound. I tried fighting and even attempted escape in the beginning, but I got beaten up pretty badly. There are way too many of them to take on.”
“What clued you in on us being here?” I asked, stumped.
“One of their guys lost to Jim in a street fight. That Kirk guy was pissed and left him for dead. Before the guy blacked out, he told us Kirk’s goons were abducting people from Fairport. When we realized you guys were missing, we did everything to save him, because we knew he had vital information. We didn’t think he was gonna pull through, but he came to a couple weeks later and started singing like a canary. He was furious with Kirk for abandoning him, so when we told him who was missing, he was happy to elaborate. He had seen you, Asia, and Jackie fight before the other group took you. His group was left behind to nab Jim, because this Kirk idiot wanted him too. After his group isolated Jim from his buddies, our informant picked a fight like Kirk told him to, so they could test Z’s brother out. Jim roughed him up good, and nobody dared to stop the fight. They just left the loser behind in the alley, like a pile of garbage, and told him he was weak and pathetic.”
“That’s their motto,” Asia said. “The weak die young, deserve to be annihilated. Even if you lose fights here, you have to at least show them some killer moves. If you don’t get a few punches in, they throw you away with the trash.”
“Wow,” Lucas said. “Kirk made it sound like Club Med.”
“More like Club Dead,” Asia said.
“Well, the guy we found in the alley kind of warned us, and we decided somebody should come here undercover.”
“And you’re the guy, huh?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at him.
“Well, Val’s still too torn up about Max, and her head isn’t on straight. Nick’s trying to command the other people and keep everything in line since Max is...well, you know. And besides, do you know anyone else who can act like a suicidal gladiator and pull it off with a killer smile?”
“It’s a huge risk,” Asia said.
“We can’t take on this big compound, and the people of Fairport didn’t want to get involved. We don’t have numbers on our side, but I had to get in somehow to tell you our plan. You need to be ready to roll. Nick’s sure that if we use the element of surprise, when everyone is already at the gate, we might be able to get you out of here alive.”
“At the gate is one thing,” Asia said, “but how do we get out the gate? They aren’t just going to open the door and give us a farewell party.”
“We’ve got that covered. We’ve been staking the place out for days, and we know the schedule of their security detail. Just be by the main gates at two a.m. this Tuesday.”
Asia shook her head. “Tuesday is no good. They’ve got their best security on duty that day. Wednesday would be better, because this slacker named Lex just sits around playing poker. Not only that, but the guys get drunk after the fights. We can easily get to the gates on Wednesday.”
“Nick, Claire, Val, and Kate are coming tonight for more recon. We just have to leave them a note to tell them if there are any changes on our end.”
“Gee. Let me just get a Post-it, and I’ll stick it on the fence,” I said.
“Nice, Dean. Real freaking nice.”
That wasn’t me, but the stress was overwhelming. Maybe I was losing it. I just had to stay strong and focused. “Sorry. This place is just ticking me off.”
“Understood,” he said, looking around. “Look, all we’ve gotta do is just leave the message under the dirt, under the fence, by the boulders on the south side.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Asia said. “Kirk is on your butt since you’re a rookie, and Dean is watched pretty closely.”
“How did you get yourselves into this mess?” Lucas asked.
“We were fighting and they just grabbed us. We thought it was Z’s gang.”
“You’re lucky I’m crazy enough to come in.”
“We’ve been trying to figure out how to break out, but never in a million years would I have thought you’d break in. I didn’t even know if any of you were still alive after that raid.”
“Once the dust settled in Fairport, we questioned everyone we found. Fortunately, that guy was pissed at Kirk and ready to sing. We didn’t even have to bribe or threaten him.”
“I’m glad for that.” I sighed. “Is Val gonna be okay? I’ve been so worried about her.”
“She’s hurting, man. Losing Max was a huge blow for her. We gave him a proper burial and everything.”
“I wish we could’ve been there for her,” I whispered sincerely.
“It isn’t your fault. You didn’t know this psycho was gonna kidnap you.”
“How’s Val shoulder?” I asked. “Right before they took me, I saw her get stabbed in a fight.”
“It’s healing well. Luckily, it was shallow.”
“I’m glad she’s alright.”
“I can’t believe you went out on a limb like this for us,” Asia said.
He smiled. “That’s what friends are for. The plan is to get out nice and quick.”
“Good, because I don’t wanna stick around here one minute longer than I have to,” I said.
Chapter 23
“Time for a little field trip, Dean,” Kirk said. He then escorted me to the local jail. He led me inside, and I saw Marcus, Elliot, and Theo. A dozen of Kirk’s men were seated at tables, playing cards.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Kirk looked at me. “These men were caught trying to escape last night.”
I swallowed hard; I knew Kirk’s wrath would be hard and swift, and there was nothing I could do to help those guys, because there were far too many guards. They’d overpower me in a heartbeat, and then I’d be in the same shoes as Marcus and his companions. Sure, Marcus had fought me in the ring, but outside the squared circle, we were just two guys caught in the same nasty net.
“I want out of here,” Elliot said.
“You killed Lewis and Toby in cold blood, man!” Marcus yelled. “I grew up with Toby. He carried me five long miles in the woods when I was attacked by a bear. He risked his life to save a baby when nobody else would because zombies had broken into the house. And Lewis risked his life to save my grandmother when her house burned down and zombies surrounded her. Those were honorable guys, and now you’re holding me against my will, making me fight, you murdering pig!”
Kirk walked over to the table where the guys were playing guards, their rifles leaning up against the wall. “What do ya think, fellas? Should we give these boys a spot on the Blood Fest roster?”
“Oh yeah!” a guy said. “Make ‘em fight each other. It’ll be a good riddance either way.”
“I won’t fight my friends!” Marcus said.
“Can’t you just give them another chance?” I pleaded. “So they messed up. They deserve one more shot.”
“That’s not how it works,” Kirk replied. He walked back over to the cell. “Blood Fest rules are...a bit different. One of you will live, and I’d put my money on Marcus.”
Marcus glared at him. “Live? You call this living? Man, you killed us all a long time ago by keeping us here like prisoners, making us fight against our will. Why don’t you just get it over
with?”
I blinked, stunned that Marcus would try to call a crazy man’s bluff. I knew he was playing it tough because that was what Kirk liked. Maybe he was trying to show how tough he was so Kirk wouldn’t kill him, so Kirk would find him too much of an asset to be wasted.
Apparently, Kirk didn’t feel that way at all, because in the blink of an eye, he pulled out his gun, aimed at Marcus’s head, and pulled the trigger. I ran over to stop him from doing the same to Elliot and Theo, but I was quickly jumped by four men when they toppled their table and scrambled to get me, knocking playing cards all over the place.
Two more shots rang in my ears.
“Consider it over with then,” Kirk said, smirking down at the bloodied heads of the men.
“No!” I said as my face was pressed down against the floor, till I was staring right into the eyes of the queen of hearts. “How could you do that?”
Kirk held the gun up to my throat. “I had to kill them, Dean. Marcus challenged me, in front my men at that. Nobody does that and lives to tell about it. Blood Fest was his chance to live, but he blew it.”
“You were forcing him to kill his friends!” I said, fuming.
“They should not have tried to escape. No matter though. That only proves they weren’t fit to be part of our community.” He shook his head and looked at his cronies. “Whew, it sure is a lot of work keeping people locked up, but I suppose they did add some variety in the fights for the short time they were here. I tried to convert them, to show them a good life here, but they clearly wanted nothing to do with my city.”
Ned shifted his weight. “It’s a darn shame you had to gun them down, Boss. I had a lotta bets out on that Marcus. That guy packed a punch.”
“I know. I guess my temper gets the best of me sometimes, but we can’t afford to have hotheads around here, men who won’t cooperate and be grateful for this opportunity.” He looked at me and sighed, then looked back at Ned. “Send a team out to find some replacements as soon as possible.”
Replacements? I thought, dumbfounded by his lack of concern for human life. None of those guys deserved that fate, and Kirk just wrote them off like yesterday’s garbage.
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