“We’ve got a problem.”
Ryan groaned. “Spill it.”
“Vasquez just stole Shannon and drove off.”
“Fuck,” he muttered. “You know we can’t go after her. There’s no way the three of us will be able to get her away from him. We don’t even know where he conducts his auctions anymore.”
“Well, I can’t ignore what I saw. I can’t just let them sell her off like a fucking cow.”
Ryan sighed. “Let me call Luke. I’ll fill him in and get back to you.”
We disconnected and I sat there for a long moment, contemplating.
When Logan and Nishi had been kidnapped by Senator Collins and his Company soldiers a few weeks ago, I’d had to do a search of condemned properties in Augusta in order to find them. During that search, I’d uncovered several hundred abandoned properties, including newer condos and apartment buildings that the gangs hadn’t taken over. I had saved that search in my phone, and now I pulled it up, scrolling through it.
If we planned to go after Shannon, we would need a place to hide. The maze was compromised, so we couldn’t go back there. Vasquez was in Augusta somewhere, probably at another university. We needed to find his location, so we could find Shannon.
An idea struck.
We could hide in plain sight.
In Augusta.
Even The Company wouldn’t think to look for us there.
It would be dangerous. Risky.
Brilliant.
My phone rang.
“Yeah.”
“Got Luke on speaker with me,” Ryan said. “Tell us what you want to do to free the girl.”
They were willing to help? Even though none of us trusted Shannon? What if she turned out to be another Darcy? Didn’t matter. Even Darcy hadn’t deserved what Vasquez had done to her.
I cleared my throat. “First, we need to find a place to hide. I’ve got a list of abandoned properties in Augusta. One in particular that stands out. It’s a newer, abandoned triplex that would be a good place to hide out while we search for Shannon. The apartments are fully furnished, since their owners fled and left everything behind. All we have to do is break in. Each unit has its own garage, so we’ll have a place to hide our cars.”
Luke let out a low whistle. “In Augusta? Are you crazy, man?”
“Well, we can’t stay at the maze. Do you have a better suggestion? The Company will never suspect us of moving to Augusta. We sneak in tonight under the cover of darkness, move ourselves in, and only come out when necessary. No one will ever suspect we are even there.”
“Hiding in plain sight,” Ryan murmured. “It’s actually a brilliant idea, though I don’t like being near the gangs.”
“Me neither,” I agreed, “but we know where most of the gangs hang out now. And these units are on the opposite end of town.”
“As dangerous as it might be, it is the last place The Company will think to look for us,” Luke agreed. “It will give us a place to hide while we figure out how to free the girl. Let’s do it. You said this triplex is clear across town from the gangs?”
“Yeah. And it’s in a nicer area, so we won’t have concrete floors or a cold, drafty hallway like we did at the maze.”
“And no ghosts,” Ryan added with a chuckle.
“And no ghosts.”
“But it’s in the city,” Luke pointed out. “In Augusta.”
“Yeah.” Unfortunately, it was. A very dangerous city. But it would be the perfect place to hide from The Company while we found a way to save Shannon.
We were all silent a moment, contemplating.
“So what are we going to do about the senator’s daughter?” Luke asked.
“I’m going to do some investigating and try to find Vasquez’s new location. In the meantime, we can check out the triplex, and if we like it, we can move in.”
“Text us the address,” Luke said. “And we’ll go check it out.”
“Ten-four. I’ll meet you guys there.”
We disconnected. I turned the Jeep around, heading for Augusta.
While it was true I was part beast, the human in me wouldn’t allow me to ignore Shannon’s plight. First, we had to find Vasquez’s new location. Then, we had to get Shannon out of there before he sold her. Vasquez generally auctioned off his prisoners within days after capture, probably to help eliminate the possibility of them escaping. Which meant the three of us would have to go in after Shannon on our own. Because we couldn’t wait for the other dregs to get here. She would be gone by then. Unfortunately, none of us had Tony’s ability to make himself invisible. It would be virtually impossible for the three of us to free Shannon.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. What could I do? How could I get her out of there?
Then it hit me like a cold spray of water in the face.
My stomach twisted.
There was only one way to save her.
I would have to participate in the auction.
Outbid the others.
Win her.
I would have to buy Shannon Collins.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Shannon
Yes, I had heard of the Flesh King. Who hadn’t? He was the man who caused girls to have nightmares of capture and rape, of being sold into the sex trade. Of being bought by some sick freak who got off on purchasing woman like cattle and turning them into his own personal sex slaves.
Except the Flesh King was real. Not a nightmare. And if he captured you, then all those things were not only possible, but very likely.
The Flesh King’s thugs had attacked me by my car, binding my hands and gagging me, before tossing me into the back of a van. Then they stuck a needle in my arm, drugging me with something. Terror spiraled in, squeezing me in its grip as the drug took hold.
No. How had this happened?
The Hacker. Had he called them here to pick me up? Was this his way of getting rid of me?
My head spun, spun…then I passed out.
When I woke, I got my first good look at the Flesh King.
How did I know it was him? Instinct. The way he stared at me, considering, weighing my value, told me he was the Flesh King. I cringed, rearing back, eyeing him warily.
Honestly, he wasn’t quite what I’d expected. Of average height, the Flesh King was rather normal-looking, not particularly ugly, but not handsome, either. Just…average.
His eyes, however, contained a coldness that made my breath catch and my heart skip a few beats. I cautiously glanced around, noting I was in some type of college dorm room. Two thugs stood behind the Flesh King, watching me.
“Shan-non Coll-ins,” he said, his English stilted, but not as bad as I’d expected. “We meet in the flesh.”
I gasped. “You know me?”
“Si.”
“How?” I whispered. “Did The Hacker tell you where to find me?”
He quirked a brow. “A dreg? No. No. No dregs.” He scowled. “I see you on T.V.”
Ah. He’d seen me on television. I should have guessed. Did that mean The Hacker hadn’t told the Flesh King where to find me? Had it been mere coincidence that the Flesh King’s thugs had shown up and kidnapped me when they had?
“You’re the Flesh King?”
He smirked. “Si. And you are numero sesenta y cinco.”
I was fluent in Spanish, having lived in southern California until I was thirteen, and having a best friend back then who was a Mexican immigrant who had taught me Spanish. I had found my understanding of the Spanish language helped me greatly in my career as a reporter, as there were many Spanish-speaking people in America. So I easily interpreted his response.
Number sixty-five? What was he talking about?
I must have had a dumbfounded look on my face, for he pointed to my wrist and repeated, “Numero sesenta y cinco.”
I glanced down. On the inside of my left wrist was a tiny tattoo. The number sixty-five. What the hell? They’d branded me? I stared at the tiny mark, stunned. I lifted my gaze back to the Flesh
King’s.
“W-Who you are?”
He puffed his chest out. “I am Enrique Vasquez.”
Enrique Vasquez.
“I have money,” I offered. “Lots of money. If you let me go, I can pay you. I can give you more money than anyone will pay to buy me.”
Enrique shook his head back and forth. “No. No. That would be no fun. You celebrity. Men will pay top dollar for you. I sell you. Get highest price ever. Si?”
He was right. In this gang-ridden city, with no law enforcement, the Flesh King could carry out his illegal auctions, and people could attend without any fear of getting caught. There was no telling how high a price a woman might fetch at one of the Flesh King’s auctions. Only evil people would attend. Evil, depraved men.
Fear clenched at my gut. Tears burned my eyes. No.
Enrique’s eyes gleamed with something sinister. “Already have mucho interés. I post on web. Many responding. You will bring highest price ever.” He let out an eerie cackle. “Enrique very pleased with Shannon. Si?”
I cringed. Much interest. He’d posted about me on the web? Oh God. He must have some type of secret webpage where he’d listed my picture so perverts could see. Bile threatened its way up my throat. It was all I could do to keep it down.
Breathe, Shannon. Be strong. Don’t let them see how scared you are.
This couldn’t be happening. I must be having a nightmare.
A very bad nightmare.
“What if no one buys me?” I asked. “Then will you let me go?”
Enrique grunted. “You will sell, chica. You will make Enrique rich!” He grinned.
I glanced back down at the brand on my wrist. Number sixty-five. I was nothing but a number to him. Something to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
How had this happened? Enrique had said he’d seen me on television. But how had he known where to find me? Had his men followed me somehow? He’d said “no dregs”, but how did I know that The Hacker or one of his friends hadn’t made an anonymous call and told them where to find me? That seemed more likely.
Damn The Hacker, anyway. It was his fault all of this was happening. His fault my father was dead. And either directly or indirectly, it was his fault I would soon be sold off into the sex trade to the highest bidder.
Enrique rose from where he’d been leaning over me. He motioned to his thugs, who stepped forward. I cringed back, glaring, as they forcefully bound my wrists with zip-ties. Then they shoved me back on the bed.
Enrique turned toward the door. “Auction is on Saturday,” he informed me. “Anticipo una gran participación.”
I anticipate a huge turnout.
He sent me a leer, then went out, his thugs following, the door slamming behind them.
The breath whooshed out of me.
Then dread settled in, snaking around me like a python, choking off my air.
Somehow, I had become a prisoner of the Flesh King, who intended to auction me off on Saturday. I had no idea whom might buy me on Saturday. Or what that person planned to do with me.
But I wasn’t naïve enough to think it would be anything good.
I had had many advantages and privileges growing up in a wealthy family, and then being a senator’s daughter. My father had always been there if I’d ever needed him. I had never lacked for anything in my life.
But now I had to face the bitter truth.
My father was dead. And none of those advantages or privileges would save me now.
Terror sank in deep, chilling me with its iciness.
This time, I was on my own.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Noah
Two hours later, Ryan, Luke, and I had all moved into the vacant triplex in Augusta. It was easy to break in, and under cover of darkness, no one saw us. I was in the apartment on the south end, Ryan was in the middle, and Luke was on the north end. Since each unit had a two-car garage, I backed the trailer in, unhooked it, then drove the Jeep in and parked beside the trailer, before closing the overhead door. Each unit had two stories, with three bedrooms and two baths on the upper level, and a kitchen/dining area, a living room, a smaller half-bathroom, and an office/den area on the main level. Mine and Ryan’s units were fully furnished, while Luke’s ended up being only partially furnished. Ryan and I both offered to share with Luke any items he was lacking. These places were definitely nicer and more spacious than our tiny apartments in the underground maze. But we were in the dangerous city of Augusta now, so we had to be extra careful. We didn’t plan to stay in these abandoned apartments any longer than necessary, so we didn’t bother getting too comfortable. Once we freed Shannon, we would take her home, then head across country for Idaho.
While Ryan and Luke got settled in, taking some extra items from my apartment or Ryan’s and carrying them over to Luke’s, I unpacked my main computer system and set it up in the office/den area.
It took a lot of digging, a lot of searching the deepest, darkest parts of the internet, the underground world of criminals on the web, but after an intense half hour of searching, I finally located Enrique Vasquez’s flesh auction site.
I had used my hacking skills many times in the past to delve into the criminal world, finding monsters and exposing their identities to the FBI via anonymous tip. I personally had helped the FBI catch over sixty criminals and wanted felons who were now locked up behind bars. I alone had helped the FBI bring down many illegal websites, child pornography rings, gambling sites, illegal sex, drug, and weapons sites, and other criminal webpages that the FBI wouldn’t have been able to uncover on their own. I spent a lot of my spare time searching for criminals on the web and helping the FBI take them down. Though the FBI doesn’t know my true identity, and they probably won’t acknowledge that they use my help, I often receive emails from them seeking my assistance in taking down another online criminal. And each time, I happily oblige. Each arrest means one less criminal out there…
Vasquez had someone very smart on his team, someone who did a good job at hiding his auctions from regular internet users. From law enforcement. But I am The Hacker, and no information is safe from me. Not even the Flesh King’s illegal auction site that was hidden where only criminals knew where to find it. I copied the link and emailed it to one of my contacts at the FBI field office in Atlanta. Now the FBI had Vasquez’s site, which would give them some ammunition to help take him down. Whether or not they chose to venture into the gang-ridden city of Augusta to shut the Flesh King down remained to be seen.
I had noticed a higher military presence in the city as we’d entered tonight, so maybe the government was gearing down to put an end to the gang wars once and for all. Far too many people had been kicked out of their homes, lost their jobs, and fled in terror. Far too many had been molested, injured, or killed at the hands of the gangs. It was time to give those people their lives back. Time to rid this city of the violence and put the gangs behind bars where they belonged.
The dregs had recently done some serious damage to both the Black Dragons gang and the Rapsters gang. Once the strongest gang in the city, the Black Dragons had dropped significantly in power after Nishi and Logan had killed their leader—Nishi’s own father—and the dregs had taken out over half of their members. The Rapsters too were suffering a great loss of members after we’d killed their leader, Malik, and a good chunk of them the night they’d invaded our hideout. Now the most powerful gangs in the city were the Spartans and the Sureños. And if I could somehow help take them both down while I was here in this city, then I would happily do so. The FBI now had the location of Vasquez’s illegal site and his current location in Augusta. Soon, I imagined they would close in and take him down. Ridding the world of the Flesh King would be beneficial to everyone.
Enrique’s webpage was titled, “Chicas.” Girls. Nothing more. A regular search of the web for “girls” or “chicas” did not bring in his site. It had taken some deeper digging for me to locate it. But now that I’d found it, it was time to move forward.
Anyone who was interested in participating in the weekly “flesh” auctions had to first create an online login, then sign in and pay an attendance fee. I snorted in disgust at that. Buyers had to pay just to attend one of the Flesh King’s auctions? Once the attendance fee was paid, the user was given access to the auction’s time and location, and a list of women up for bid, along with a photo of each woman. Most of the women were unknowns, kidnapped from their homes or the streets of Augusta or the surrounding areas. Shannon Collins was the main attraction for Saturday night’s auction. She was the only “famous” woman scheduled to be auctioned off on Saturday. If you were interested in one of the women, you placed your vote beneath her picture. The page kept a tally of votes, showcasing the woman with the most interest.
Shannon already had the highest number of interested votes. By the time I’d created a user ID (dataman52), paid my fee, and scrolled through the photos of the various women up for bid, searching for Shannon, then spotting her, she had 152 votes. I added my vote to Shannon’s picture, then printed out my “receipt” that would allow me access into the auction on Saturday night. I then rose from the chair and stretched. It seemed Vasquez had moved his location to Troy University across town. That was where the auction would take place.
The sun was rising, so I went around the house, closing all the blinds. It was time to get a little shut-eye so I would be refreshed for the upcoming auction and the task ahead.
I wasn’t sure how high the bidding would go at the auction, but I had nearly two million dollars in which to bid with. If I needed more, I knew Ryan and Luke would offer some of their money to help. If a bunch of wealthy men arrived and began bidding on Shannon, the price could go much higher than two million. And in that event, Shannon might be doomed. Even though I hardly knew the woman, and certainly didn’t trust her, I would give up all of my money to see her safe. How could I not?
Whether she was the senator’s daughter or not, she didn’t deserve what some of those sick freaks out there might have planned for her. Just because her father had been a bastard didn’t mean she was anything like him. I wanted to believe she was innocent, but I was still wary, and deep down, I was still undecided about the woman. Darcy Waters had fooled us. I wasn’t about to let Shannon fool me, too.
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