Puck Master

by Kristen Echo

  He laughed as he helped Renee to her feet. “It is around eleven. I’m sorry we left you in the bunks last night. Unfortunately, something drew our attention, and we had to lock down.”

  “Why?” Renee asked, still holding his hands.

  “It’s for your protection and ours. You are strangers, but we’ll change that fast. While you’re here, we want you to feel safe, productive and wanted. Above all, you’re here to enjoy life and all its splendors.” He smiled like a game-show host. “My apologies for not introducing myself. I’m Rex and I run this place along with my family.”

  His speech sounded rehearsed. Hailey tried to place his accent and guessed Slavic, but she couldn’t be sure. So, this was Rex. He was way younger and better looking than she envisioned. She’d expected him to be covered in tattoos and be closer to fifty than twenty. Assumptions were useless and served no purpose. “Where are we?”

  “My farm. Some folks here call it the compound, but we all call it home. It’s your home too. Better than a night on the streets, right?” He pulled the teen’s hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

  Renee swooned, and Hailey resisted the urge to roll her eyes. A cute boy showed her an ounce of attention and Renee was a goner. It was obvious Rex used his good looks to his advantage. She wondered if that’s why so many young girls were missing? Had they been sucked in by the pretty face and then filled with drugs?

  Rex stepped closer to Hailey and touched her cheek. “You’re both very beautiful. I’m sure you will fit it in well. Let’s get you fed, then I’ll give you a tour.” His finger outlined her upper lip before he walked out the door.

  They fell into step behind him. All the doors they passed down the hall were closed and most had locks. “What’s with the locks? Aren’t people allowed to come and go as they please?

  “No. We don’t use locks all the time, only the first few weeks,” he said as if that was a common practice.

  She tried not to let her aggravation seep into her voice. “Makes sense. How many people live here?”

  “Not enough,” he replied without looking back at her.

  “Do you… um, have more of those candy pills? I liked those.” Renee added.

  Rex stopped and pulled a bag from his breast pocket. “We have plenty. I should have offered sooner.” He removed one from the bag. “Open wide,” he said and placed it on Renee’s tongue. Then he turned to Hailey and did the same.

  She closed her mouth, placed the pill under her tongue and swallowed. As soon as he turned away, she removed the pill and stuffed it in the back pocket of her jeans. As they ventured down the hall, they passed an open office and several more closed doors before reaching the kitchen. True to his word, Rex offered them food. A hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs. Hailey only nibbled because she wouldn’t put it past these creeps to add drugs to the food. Renee devoured her plate, smiling through each bite.

  Once they’d cleared and washed their plates, Rex took them outside for their first look around. The farm was huge with many out buildings. She counted three large red barns though there weren’t many farm animals. Half a dozen cows grazing and two full chicken coops. He didn’t take them inside any of the buildings, which she found odd. “Can we check out the barns? I love animals.”

  There were many more people milling about than she expected. She recognized several of the teenagers from their missing people’s reports, but at least a dozen more had gone unreported. Her heart ached for them. Hailey tried to count the number of people, along with the buildings to report to the authorities. There were close to thirty people and ten buildings, not counting whatever they had on the back of the property. If this was just a place for runaway teens to live, there wasn’t much the cops could do, but her gut told her there was a lot more to this place.

  “Maybe later. As you can see there’s plenty of room to roam for quiet reflection, but you never have to feel lonely,” Rex said, pointing towards a covered picnic area and the fields beyond. “This community welcomes everyone who’s interested in finding something beyond the mundane. We work together, helping each other. Our motto is work a little and play a lot.”

  “It’s so peaceful,” Renee said.

  Rex squeezed Renee’s shoulders affectionately. “That’s what we think too.”

  On the surface, she wasn’t wrong. Everything seemed fine, but the way he pitched the community aspect and togetherness rubbed her the wrong way. “Whose we and why did you start this place?”

  “You’re an inquisitive soul. Must be your military background shining through.”

  Hailey smiled and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “How do you know I used to serve? Have we met before and I forgot? That happens more than I care to admit,” she said, tapping her temple.

  “We have eyes and ears everywhere. Don’t feel bad about memory loss. A few birdies told me you’re on disability for an injury and your doctors can’t give you what you need for the pain. You’ve come to the right place.”

  It shouldn’t have surprised her that he knew her story, but it proved they were organized. “Thanks. It’s been rough, but I cope. Some days are better than others. I’m happy to be here, Rex. This place is amazing. How can we earn our keep?”

  They reached the edge of a field where the crop had yet to be planted. Rex looked out, placed his hands on his hips and inhaled deeply. A few feet over two steel silos caught her eye. They weren’t out of place, but there seemed to be an awful lot of activity around them. One door opened, and a man ducked to get out, giving her a view inside. Guns. She saw a lot of them before the door closed.

  “That’s a great question. We all do our part to keep this place running. Clean up after yourself, be respectful and help whenever someone asks. It’s simple. The world is full of rules and laws, we don’t need more. Renee, there’s a group of people heading out soon. I’d like you to join them.”

  “Yeah. What? Sorry, I zoned out.” Renee’s eyes were glazed from the drugs.

  Rex pulled her close for a hug. “Don’t apologize. Rusty and a few others will be running an errand shortly, and you’ll be joining them. He should be by the smaller chicken coop and can fill you in.”

  “Okay. Will I see you later?”

  He winked. “Count on it,” he said, waving her off.

  “Should I go too?” Hailey wondered what the errand entailed. She also didn’t like being separated from Renee.

  Rex threaded their fingers together. “No. Your skills will be better served doing something else.”

  “Like what?” She dreaded asking. “Milking cows?”

  He chuckled and pulled her away from the weapon filled silos towards one of the barns. “You’re not naïve like many who come here. You’ve seen how the world works. It takes money, power and influence to make change. That’s what we’re trying to do. Take back the power we’ve lost to the gangs and the authorities. Carve our own piece of paradise.”

  “Drugs aren’t free. It must cost a fortune to keep all these people fed and satisfied. You never answered who else runs this place with you.” She looked around again; the median age seemed to be seventeen.

  “Ah yes,” he chuckled. “It’s not cheap that’s for sure. This is a modern-day farm and a family run business. My uncles, cousins and I took over the farm when my parents passed away. You met my uncles last night. We’ve been slowly transitioning into a different business model. Far more profitable than growing wheat.”

  They held hands as they continued their stroll through the compound. He flirted, and she smiled back coaxing more information. He spoke freely about the drugs they produced on site. She didn’t have to fake interest because she found it fascinating. He truly believed they were above the law. He used people’s addictions and vulnerabilities to line his pockets.

  The barns had been converted into a meth lab and growing operation. They used sophisticated hydroponics to grow marijuana. The amount produced easily topped six figures. They used the teenagers as free labor. Rex expected her to help cut
the plants and sort them. He explained she wouldn’t be allowed to leave the farm for a while, but everything she needed would be provided.

  By the time they finished the tour, she wanted to break him in half. His exterior beauty hid an ugly and disturbed person on the inside. He left her to work, and she joined the assembly line. No one seemed upset about their job. They were more like drugged zombies going through repetitive motion.

  A few hours later a bell rang, and everyone stopped. She followed the group to the covered picnic area where dinner was served. Various drugs were laid on one table and food on another. She spotted Renee sitting next to Rusty, her eyes were still glazed, and she laughed at something. They shared a brief hug before he walked away.

  Hailey took the empty seat. “Hey, girl. Haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been up to?”

  “We got back not long ago. This place is intense,” she whispered.

  “What makes you say that?”

  “I’ve never broken the law before. Besides taking drugs. I can’t say that anymore.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  Hailey leaned closer. “What did you do?”

  “I followed Rusty and the others as they broke into someone’s house. We cleaned them out. It was crazy, but it had to be done. They like owed Rex money or something. My heart’s still pumping fast. What have you been up to?”

  “Sorting and cutting drugs. They have their hands in a lot of cookie jars.”

  “I’m going to grab food,” she said, climbing off the bench and heading towards the buffet.

  Hailey had seen enough. This operation needed to be shut down. She needed to reach the authorities, but she hadn’t found a moment alone all day. If Joe and Caroline had received her message, then they may have contacted them. It was doubtful. She should have contacted the cops when she’d had the chance.

  A few of the teens had grabbed a plate and drifted off to eat alone. Stacking a sandwich and veggies on a disposable plate, she ventured into the field where she’d noticed a tower a few miles away. She stayed within view, so she wouldn’t attract attention.

  Once satisfied no one could see her, she tucked the phone between her legs and turned it on. She’d been lucky they hadn’t discovered her phone when they patted her down. Having large breasts enabled her to hide it well. She held her breath, hoping she’d get a signal. A moment later, messages from Joe, Caroline and Mellie flooded in. She exhaled.

  Seeing his name flash on the screen made her heart skip a beat. She was still furious with him, but in that moment, she wanted to rest her head over his heart as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Being held prisoner overnight had shifted things into perspective. She missed him. Her finger hovered over his name, but she had to act fast. This was not the time to daydream about dark eyes and sinful lips.

  She sent a message to the city police emergency line with a pin to her location. Something she should have done the night before. In the message, she provided as many details as possible about the guns, the drugs and the amount of people involved. Her fingers moved with purpose over the touch pad. She pasted the same information in another text to her bosses and the detectives she’d been in touch with regarding the case.

  Since she’d brought Joe into this mess, she composed a different text for him. She poured her heart out. Asking for the friendship he’d offered and telling him she was sorry for being stubborn and pushing him away. She re-read the message three times and ended up deleting all of it. In the end, she settled on three little words. I miss you. She squeezed her eyes shut, scared to press the button that could change everything.

  A twig snapped behind her. Her heart stopped beating. She twisted to find Renee and she breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me."

  The teenager’s eyebrows lifted in surprise as she stared at the phone in Hailey’s hands. “What are you doing? We’re not allowed to call anyone or have phones.” She placed her hands on her hips and glanced over her shoulder like she was about to report her.

  Hailey swallowed hard. “It’s not what you think. I… I miss Joe,” she admitted. “I want him to know how I feel. See.” She showed Renee the message.

  “Oh.” Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. “He’s awesome and you guys belong together. You should totally send it.”

  Hailey nodded. Unfortunately, her phone died before she could hit send. She couldn’t be sure any of her messages were sent, but she would be ready for whatever happened next.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  N othing happened. The evening trickled into night and no one came. Hailey hung around the bonfire watching and waiting. She got the sense that some teens were there against their will, but no one came out and said anything. Most of them were too heavily drugged to speak.

  “Are you cold?” Blaze asked wrapping his arms around her from behind. “I know a way to warm up.”

  She’d been able to avoid him and his hands so far, but her luck had run out. “Are you and Rex related? He mentioned he had cousins. I wouldn’t have thought so until he said he ran this place with his family.”

  “People say we look alike. Guess the genes run deep,” he said, grinding his cock against her backside.

  “They must. Who else is in your family? Mine is so messed up; it’s nice to see one that can work together.” She kept her eyes and hands pointed towards the fire.

  “There are six of us. The three brothers traveled from the motherland and settled here. My father, uncle Hanz and Rex own the farm. The rest of us help run it. Do you want to stand here all night, or can we move this party inside?” He thrust again, poking his erection against her tailbone.

  “I like watching the fire. Does your nickname have anything to do with fire? You never told me that story.” She was stalling and praying the cavalry arrived soon. What the hell was taking them so long? She feared her messages had failed, but they’d shown as delivered.

  Blaze relaxed his hold but didn’t let her go. “It does, but remember I told you it wasn’t a cool story. I fucked up when I was a kid. Playing with gas and fire, I ended up torching a garage while my dad and uncle were inside. They survived but have permanent scaring from my mistake. See, not cool.”

  “Definitely not cool. Where’s your mom or any women past the age of twenty-five?” She turned and faced him when she caught sight of movement in the field.

  “Ma died in childbirth. My sister, Anna, survived. She’s around here. Probably in the bunks getting busy. Like we should be doing. Enough talk.” He took her hand and tugged her towards the house.

  The movement in the field loomed closer. Several loud bangs rang, followed by smoke as they deployed canisters of tear gas. Her eyes burned. A moment later, lights exploded through the haze as a swat team burst onto the scene with their guns drawn.

  “Police, everybody down! On the ground. Now,” they shouted.

  “What the fuck?” Blaze dropped her hand and took off towards a garage.

  There’s no way he was getting away. Hailey ran after him. Snot ran down her nose and her eyes watered, but she’d become desensitized to the gas as part of her military training. Blaze didn’t let the chemicals slow him. He was fast, but she caught up and tripped him. They both stumbled to the ground. “Sorry,” she yelled, landing on top of him.

  He grumbled and moaned, pushing her aside. “Bitch,” he murmured, scrambling to his feet. “You’re going to get us caught.”

  Blaze rubbed his eyes, hobbled the next few steps and pulled her to her feet. They made it no more than a few steps before gun shots fired. He went down. “Shit! Fuck, this hurts,” Blaze screamed as he rolled on the ground, clutching his legs. “Motherfuckers!”

  Hailey hesitated as more shots split through the darkness. Her leg burned as the rubber bullet struck her calf, bringing her to her knees. “Ahhh!”

  Beyond the sound of gunfire, Hailey heard the roar of engines and a helicopter in the distance. She rolled onto her side and watched three quads tear out of the garage. They traveled in different directions, makin
g it harder for the cops to catch them. Smart move, but she hoped they had the place surrounded.

  The sting from the bullet vibrated through her leg. She rubbed the area, bringing her knee to her chest. Had it been a regular bullet there would have been a massive amount of blood. She was lucky. The chemicals in the air scorched her throat, and she coughed as three officers pounced on top of her.

  “Stay down. Hands above your head,” they screamed in her face, forcing her onto her stomach. She did as they said and gave no resistance. A knee pressed against her back as they cuffed her hands behind her. They yanked hard on her arms, jarring her shoulders. She groaned as the pain spread through her back and wrists. The amount of force wasn’t necessary, but she understood.

  “Stay still!” An officer slammed his elbow into Blaze’s shoulder, forcing him down. They slapped the cuffs on him before continuing to arrest everyone on site.

  Blaze ran his mouth, cursing at the authorities. Hailey lay there with her face in the mud for over an hour not saying a word. Once everyone was in cuffs and the perimeter secure, they searched everyone. They patted her down and found the pills in her pocket. She cringed as they placed them in an evidence bag. Being charged with possession would destroy any chance at working for the police.

  Eventually, the paramedics arrived on the scene and treated the wounded. A few were loaded into ambulances while the rest of them shuffled into vans. They separated the men and women, but Renee wasn’t in the same van. She looked at all the young tear-stained faces and wondered what would happen next. Most of these teens wouldn’t be prosecuted. Where would that leave them and where would they go?

  When the van arrived at the holding facility, they lined up and waited to be processed. It took hours before she was finger printed and entered into the system. By the time they let her make a call the sun had crested over the horizon.

  “This is Caroline.” Her bosses voice sounded far more chipper than it should have given the early hour.