Diamond

by Tigris Eden

  Nope.

  Not.

  At.

  All.

  Then why is your heart beating so fast?

  Chapter 6

  Diamond woke to see his little captive still sound asleep. She wasn’t little by any means. Her hair, no longer a rat’s nest, was fanned out around her back and shoulders. The strands a tar-black with a slight curl at the ends. Her shirt was bunched beneath her arms, displaying the ink on her hip and down the side of her rib cage. She’d do. The dust from yesterday’s events was gone, and he could see the beauty of Nadya. She’d be worth pure Wave and a lot more. Lindy had been loud last night on purpose; she was all about staking her claim. He could have done Lindy in the front room, but he hadn’t, and he knew that made him that much more of a bastard. Lins had been all too happy to put on a performance for Nadya. Why she felt threatened was completely lost on him. Lindy had no claim to him, and the female currently asleep was not a distraction. Nadya was someone who could get him what he needed. In order to do that, he needed to get her family. She was different from the men and women who came seeking work. She didn’t understand how significant it was that he was obliging her. She would owe him big. It still pissed him off that he had to sacrifice his time.

  “Get up!” he roared. No one had him by the balls. Ever. Then why are you letting it bother you? His mind tried to rationalize. He didn’t do these types of runs anymore. He had people to do this shit for him. Why go, then? He could argue with himself all day about why he was going. He knew the answer. If anyone else were sent on the job, they’d fuck it up, or worse, get illusions of how good things could be for them if they went and sold Nadya to the highest bidder themselves. You wanted shit done around here, you had to get up off your ass and do it yourself.

  Nadya woke with a start, jumping into a crouching position, her eyes wild, a liquid mercury. Her hands were balled into fists and her stance unmistakable. She was on the defensive. Well, at least she knew how to be on guard. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be wasted, after all. When her eyes focused on him, she let out a breath she’d been holding and settled back on her pallet.

  “Did you sleep well?” he asked, knowing the answer.

  “Not particularly, but what choice did I have?”

  “True.”

  “Can I at least put my clothes back on, use the restroom, and possibly get some food before we leave?”

  “Yes to all three.”

  When she stood, the chain attached to her ankle rattled.

  “And this, I definitely want to be rid of this.”

  Diamond took in her form from head to toe. Now that she wasn’t curled up on the floor, he could examine her more closely. Her skin was the color of honey and amber. It looked like she’d lived in an area where there was a lot of sun, which was next to impossible. There was nothing but constant cloud coverage nowadays, rarely letting in even a few rays of sunshine. Since the comet, if the sun did shine through, it was accompanied by enormous dust storms that tore through the city.

  Diamond looked his fill, noting the lush curve to her hips, the tight contours of her stomach, and the muscle tone in her arms. Her breasts were small but still held fullness, and the slender column of her neck proved very attractive. He could admit, if only to himself, that she was beautiful in an exotic way. Her eyes held a slight slant and were surrounded by thick lashes, making her grey-blue eyes sparkle against her warm skin tone. An anomaly he still hadn’t figured out. It had to be her ancestry. He looked closer. She had a smattering of freckles on her cheeks and shoulders. Her face, together with her exotic eyes, gave her character. It was also apparent that she wasn’t a stranger to hard work, he could tell by the roughness of her hands. There wasn’t anything feminine about her. Her entire body looked honed for war. She’d have been a great candidate for his program. The Mugenix program itself was still in its infancy, but Phyr promised him the recruits would be properly trained. Nadya would have fit in, but there, she’d not have brought him anything he could use to further the Quarry—Wave or resources.

  “Yeah, I’ll have Lip unlock you. I’m in the shower first, then you. This time, try not to plug up my drain. I want you ready to go in ten; we’ll eat on the way. Our backpacks have already been packed for the three-day journey.”

  “Three days? It should only take us a day and a half. If even that,” Nadya complained.

  “It’s going to take three days. Don’t question my actions. Be happy I see you as a true investment; otherwise, I’d have tossed your sorry ass back out on the street.”

  “My sorry ass?”

  “Yes, your sorry ass.”

  “I wasn’t aware that my ass needed to apologize for anything.”

  She looked down at her feet before looking up at him again. Her face a complete mask. There wasn’t a single emotion in her eyes. Not one. That too, he could use to his advantage when it came to offering her up for sale. An inkling of guilt threatened to nibble at his insides, but Diamond tamped it down. The girl was either truly serious about her situation, or this was all some elaborate setup. Was she really who she said she was? Or was her entire tale a fabrication? There would be no emotional attachment to her. She was his payday, nothing else.

  V

  They all set out in the pre-dawn morning, heading northeast. Diamond was in a black, double-breasted, belted jacket. One side longer than the other. It concealed a long serrated knife. The buckles on his jacket were leather with silver clips, and each clip held sharp objects she knew could be used as weapons.

  His collar was large and covered his face, stopping him from breathing in the dust outside. He wore gloves similar to hers, only his had spikes on the back. His pants had multiple pockets and buckles. On his back was a mean-looking knife made from an old street sign. Two handguns on his side belt and sharp, retractable hooks sticking out the back and front of his boots completed the ensemble.

  Lindy was dressed similarly to Nadya but was outfitted with a crossbow and bolts. Lip wore dark tan pants that held knives and disposable guns. Each gun had four shots each. He also wore a huge belt with large loops that held more weapons. Inside the lining of his leather jacket were even more weapons, attached to the lapels. Both Lindy’s and Lip’s hoods were retractable. And they all wore goggles.

  As they made their way down the street, Nadya counted her steps and memorized landmarks. She wanted to map out the entire area. There were guards stationed in and around the Quarry. She had to make sure to locate each one. She wasn’t supposed to have more than one weapon, but she’d made sure she had a couple. They were concealed in her leg satchel strapped to her thigh. It held medical supplies and some protein bars. Diamond was prepared for almost anything. He’d told her injuries would be a high probability and kept reminding her to stay close to him. Nadya didn’t need his protection; she was more than capable of looking out for herself. If he weren’t so concerned his investment might die, he’d see she was an invaluable asset to the group. Males were always blind to the things right in front of their faces. She’d use his ignorance to her advantage, though.

  The first block they passed was teeming with life. People were out, milling about. Setting up items to sell or trade in the section known as the trading corridor. Fog floated amongst the darkness as they quietly made their way down the block. Buildings were overrun with mangled vines. Roots thick and gnarled with age pushed through the concrete, leaving gaping holes big enough to cause serious injury. This was what Nadya was used to. Not the cleanliness of Diamond’s rooms, or the bright shine that accompanied their splendor. A row of rusted vehicles lined the streets. She’d thought they were empty, but as the pre-dawn light tried to break through the blackened clouds, Nadya could see movement within.

  “Stay close, and don’t go near the windows,” Lindy warned. Gearheads. She could tell by the way some of the vehicles were outfitted. Some had barbed wire, others huge metal fronts meant to kill. Gearheads spent a lot of time going through scrap metal, looking for parts to add to the non-moving v
ehicles they lived in. They also used bolts and nails as facial adornments. For the most part, they left people alone as long as they weren’t disturbed. Some Gearheads were known for thievery, but it was usually because the victim wore something shiny or made of metal. They loved their shiny trinkets.

  Nadya spent a lot of time hiding and running inside the city. She remembered there was an old garage a few feet ahead. Wait. Where had that come from? Nadya tried to focus. Tried to grab the memory and hold on to it, but wasn’t surprised at the swiftness with which it left. Her memories were vague and forever elusive.

  The farther north you went, the deadlier the streets became. They passed an old church, eerie sounds of worship coming from the inside. Purists. They were radicals who embraced all things Earth related. Even if it were contaminated, they would partake. It was the reason the majority of them were deformed. Purists would drink Dark Water, claiming it was their transformation. Those with weak immune systems would die or succumb to the Rage.

  It was Lindy who fucked up their plan of action. She’d said not to go near the windows, yet her choice of footwear destroyed all hopes of making it out of Gearhead Alley unnoticed. Lindy’s three-inch high-heel boots got caught on a vine in front of a rundown theater. The sound of her body slamming into a rusted car as she tried to break her fall echoed through the vacant streets. Whispers started first, low and ominous. The cars began to rock back and forth. The sounds coming from the windows rose until every car within the two-block radius rumbled to a collective roar. Thwarted by shoes.

  “Get away from the windows!” Diamond yelled, pulling Nadya forward and heading towards an abandoned movie theater. Lindy’s entire left side made impact with the ground as one of the doors burst open and a man with nails imbedded in his cheeks and mouth shot forward. Lip ran right past Lindy, following her and Diamond inside the building.

  “Where’s Lindy?”

  “She’s coming. Stupid female. I can’t believe we’re not even an hour into the trip and she’s already causing problems. What the fuck is wrong with her, man?”

  Diamond’s brows drew together as he eyed Nadya. “Stay right here with Lip. Do not move.” He didn’t wait for her response. Instantly, he was back outside, helping Lindy fend off the Gearheads. The one thing Nadya knew about herself was that she was a fighter. She wasn’t one to stay out of danger and wait it out. Lindy may not like her, but the female and Diamond needed help.

  “We should go out there and help them.” Lip’s head turned sharply in her direction at her words. He eyed her from head to toe. Like she’d lost her mind. She knew he was sizing her up, trying to figure out if she were worth her weight. The sounds of a gun being fired at close range echoed in her ears, and Nadya didn’t think, she reacted, pulling the knife from her pouch and the knuckle knives from her back pocket. She didn’t like close-range combat, but because Diamond hadn’t armed her properly, there wasn’t much she could do.

  Things outside were completely out of control. Diamond and Lindy were barely holding their own when Nadya and Lip arrived. The Gearheads were surrounding them. Some of them had purposely sharpened their teeth. Their skin was showing, as well, not covered against the elements like she and the rest of her crew were, and what skin did show had boils and wounds seeping with pus. Lip tossed Nadya a longer blade and a disposable gun.

  “Don’t touch their skin. Don’t let it come in contact with your clothing. It’s poisonous,” Lip yelled over the roars and war cries. They were going to have more trouble because of the noise. It was four against many, and the odds didn’t look good for them. Nadya held off two males as they tried to attack her, one on either side of her. She gripped the blade Lip had given her in her left hand, and made sure her knuckle knives on her right were secure. She shoved the gun into her pocket and kept it securely inside; she’d use it as a last resort. She slashed at one male while leaning away from another. Careful the entire time to not touch their skin. She danced back and moved forward, barely avoiding contact with a Gearhead’s blade as it sliced through the air, just missing her face.

  She couldn’t be concerned with what the others were doing; she had to worry about herself. There was a loud screeching sound, and Nadya knew without even looking what it was. A reaping machine. The Ragers had stepped up their game. Instead of stalking their prey one by one, they were now herding them like cattle. The loud engine clanged loudly as it came veering down the street. The Gearheads thought twice about fighting the four of them and scattered into the alleys and side streets.

  “Lip! Why the fuck are the two of you out here? Lindy and I had this.”

  Diamond’s large hand painfully grabbed Nadya’s shoulder, tugging her towards the theater. Lindy and Lip followed closely behind. Screams of those being captured could be heard as they took shelter behind a counter inside the theater. Shadows ran past the window as the people tried to escape the Ragers. She couldn’t stop the bile rising up in her throat. A memory of being hauled down a street surfaced. She’d been caught by a Rager once. Tied and dragged like a piece of meat. She’d escaped, but barely. Her ears grew hot, and her breath felt as if it would choke what little life she had left. Her gut was telling her to go out and fight. She wasn’t a coward. She didn’t duck behind counters and wait out danger. She faced it head-on. She’d seen plenty of reaping machines in Inwood. Had even been privy to a war party or two.

  Nadya’s body tightened. She was ready. The noise of the machine carried into the theater. It felt like the thing was right on top of them. They were all quiet. No one said a word as the procession of Ragers passed by. Nadya popped her head over the counter for a look and cringed at what she saw. There were people on chains being led by one person in the front while another person brought up the rear. She could smell the captives’ desolation. It clogged her throat and made her stomach curdle. There were even children in that procession of doom, following one right after the other, tears tracking a clean path down their dirt-covered faces. Gearheads and inner-city gangs and people from some of the surrounding areas walked single-file to their deaths.

  This was Diamond’s city, it was why Anna and her people had stayed near the marsh. He should have patrolled more, trained the people for combat. It would have given them the proper tools to protect themselves. Instead, he wanted to peddle ass and harvest organs, and hide behind a fucking counter. Keeping the city in a perpetual state of oppression. He gave them things, but it wasn’t what they needed. He didn’t give them hope for survival. That was no way to live.

  The same guy, who seconds earlier had tried to run his knife through her face, ran up to the door, banging against the glass. Nadya watched. Her emotions muted to his needs. She wanted to feel sorry for the guy. Feelings are for the weak, her mind supplied. Every time she thought to let someone in, allow them to get close, her gut warned her. There were no written laws, but the spoken ones were clear. Trade or negotiate. Gearheads did neither. They’d attacked today without cause. Attempted to take them by force. The male at the door picked up a rock and launched it through the window.

  “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

  Lip was the only one to comment as the four of them looked to the other for a solution. It was Diamond who pointed to a set of double doors.

  “There should be an exit through there.”

  “Should be and is are two different things. I need reassurance,” Lindy challenged.

  “Lins, there will be an exit. If it wasn’t for your fucking shoes, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” Lip shot back.

  “Fuck you, Lip!”

  “Sweetheart, I wouldn’t hit that if you were the last pussy left in all the universe. I’d quit cold-turkey.”

  “If you guys are finished. I’d like to live instead of becoming someone’s meal.”

  Which is exactly what would happen if they didn’t leave. The procession may have kept moving down the block, but Ragers were known to have scouts. There was always someone who stayed behind, making sure they’d rounded up every possi
ble food source they could. They didn’t bother to try and cultivate their food or go out in search of animals. To them, humans were the natural things to eat.

  Nadya followed Diamond through the double doors. There was an exit sign down at the very end of the aisle on the left, but they had bigger problems. They’d walked out of one fire and fell face-first into hell.

  V

  “Lip, take care of the idiot who smashed the window. I don’t want his trail anywhere near ours. I want you to take his fucking head off. I mean that in the literal sense, brother, not the metaphorical. Because of him, we have to deal with this shit.”

  The theater belonged to one of his people. Clancy dealt in waste and harvest cleanup. The male was going to be pissed as hell that a window had been broken. Finding a replacement would be almost impossible.

  Diamond was pissed himself. Eightball had slaughterhouses all over the city, and he knew Clancy oversaw a few. He’d thought for sure he had all of Clancy’s spots mapped, but apparently not. This building was supposed to be for removal only. Instead, it was fully functional, complete with operational packing. There was always someone trying to fuck the other person over. Clancy knew the consequences of going behind his back. Diamond was looking forward to hearing the other man’s excuses. He doubted the male spoke the language of lies well. Lost in thoughts of how to make Clancy sorry for going against him, he almost missed the sound of death at his back. The moans and cries of desperation on the other side of the door were muffled by the Ragers and Gearheads. He needed to pay better attention to his surroundings.

  This building had been marked as cleared. Someone was sleeping on the job, or Eightball was trying to take a little extra on the side, this site had not been approved for anything other than waste and removal The site in front of him was nothing short of horrific. He hated coming to slaughterhouses. He was a son of a bitch, but he wasn’t a sadistic son of a bitch. Nadya, for reasons he didn’t try to understand, dug her nails into his forearm. He hadn’t realized she’d even grabbed him. He didn’t move her. He should have, but he didn’t. This was probably the first time she’d seen an actual slaughterhouse. It would be far more unsettling for her to witness than those who knew what went on in places like this. Not everyone knew what happened to the bodies that he harvested organs from. This would serve as a reminder of where she’d end up if she didn’t follow his rules.