* * * *
As soon as Mendoza left, Adrian jumped out of bed and went into the little bathroom. He was not used to having unprotected sex and Mendoza's cum was running down his thighs. He washed himself quickly, then stole a T-shirt and a pair of boxers from Mendoza's backpack. At the foot of the bed, he found a pair of muddy boots. They were too big for him but he put them on anyway.
The door's lock didn't look very sturdy; one push with his shoulder opened it. Adrian peered out into a deserted hallway immersed in the darkness. He ventured outside, limping slightly from his wounded leg. He took a few steps before a door swung open.
Adrian jumped. He faced a man in jeans and tank top, his muscled arms and chest fully tattooed with thorny bushes of black roses. His head was shaved, except for a strip in the middle, Mohawk style.
"Who the hell are you?" the man said.
"I'm Mendoza's slave," Adrian said quickly.
The man raised his eyebrows, leaning against the door frame staring at Adrian's bare legs under Mendoza's T-shirt with interest. "Shit. I want a slave, too. Don't tell me you were the one to scream a little while ago."
Adrian's face became hot. "Are you a criminal, too?"
"You can call me Black Rose."
"Well, Black Rose," Adrian said, tilting his head to study the muscles on the man's tattooed shoulders. "Do you by chance, have a spare pair of pants?"
Black Rose grinned. "Maybe. Mendoza won't beat the shit out of me if I give them to you, right?"
"I'm not running away. Outside, night is falling, and I'd be a fool to run away from one that makes me scream like that. Right?"
Black Rose laughed. "Wait here."
He went back into his room and rummaged among the disorder, returning with a pair of battered jeans of questionable cleanliness, but Adrian wouldn't be squeamish. He took them and put them on right there.
"If Mendoza finds this out the pants are mine…"
"He won't, thank you. I'm looking for Serpent. Any idea where I can find him?"
"Maybe he's in the canteen, down the hallway."
"Thanks, Black Rose, or whatever you're called."
"You're welcome… um…"
"Adrian."
"You're welcome, Adrian."
Adrian walked off, and he had the impression that Black Rose stared at his ass.
* * * *
Mendoza lifted the unconscious man and took him away. He went to the cellar, a large concrete space in which the generators hummed. In a corner, there was a small utility room with brooms and buckets and other cleaning equipment crammed inside that they used as a detention cell.
Mendoza deposited the man on the ground with his back against the wall then went upstairs to get a blanket and a bottle of water. He returned to the man and spread the blanket on the floor before dragging him on to it. He poured a small amount of the liquid in his face. The man opened his eyes and winced.
"Don't worry, you're safe now. Are you really a doctor?" Mendoza asked.
The man remained silent, studying him.
"Answer me, because I could save your life."
"Yes," the man said. "I'm a surgeon. That is, I was."
Mendoza crouched in front of him. "Is what I hear about some people gathering to the north true?"
"It's true," the man nodded.
Mendoza wanted to know more, but couldn't take the time to question him. He was in a hurry to return to Adrian because he didn't want to leave him alone.
"Okay," Mendoza said. "Now I go and I lock that door. I'll try to keep you alive, so you'd better behave. A doctor can be useful in times like these. Is that clear?"
The man nodded. "Thank you. What's your name?"
The question surprised him. "I'm Mendoza."
"My name is Ian. Ian Livermore." He held out his hand.
It had not been Mendoza's intention to make friends, but he squeezed the man's hand anyway.
"You're the first with an ounce of dignity that I've met in this place," Ian said.
Mendoza thought about his words. He had also tried to help Black Rose. And then, those old people on Adrian's plane.
He came to the conclusion Adrian had changed him in some way.
"I have to go. I'll get someone to get you something to eat and some aspirin."
"Nice to meet you, Mendoza," the man said as he left.
Chapter 9
Adrian wasn't in Mendoza's room.
For a moment, Mendoza panicked. He picked up his rifle, ready to rush into Ghost's room and kill him. Then he noticed the door was still locked. It had been pushed from inside with a shove.
Mendoza put down the gun, his heart thundering in his ears.
Adrian had fled. Had he gone for a walk in that nest of criminals naked like a worm?
Mendoza couldn't believe Adrian's stupidity. He had never met someone so terribly naive, passionate, or full of such unconscious courage. His face flushed at the thought of him, like a teenager in love. Damn. Adrian was ready to throw himself at Mendoza, firmly convinced that Mendoza was his Prince Charming, not even bothering about all the horrible things Mendoza had done in his life.
Mendoza didn't deserve someone like Adrian.
His only way of getting someone so special was holding him captive.
* * * *
When Adrian entered the canteen, all the jailbirds fell silent. Ghost or Mendoza weren't in sight, and he sighed in relief.
"Good evening, gentlemen," Adrian said. No one answered. He saw Serpent alone at the end of the table and walked to him.
Serpent ate some cereal straight from the box, reading a magazine, utterly absorbed.
Adrian straddled the bench beside him. "Hi, Serpent."
"Hey," Serpent said, smiling at him. "Want some flakes with honey?"
"Thanks," Adrian said, fishing a handful of cereal from the box Serpent handed to him.
"This is the prize," Serpent said, showing him a small plastic spinning top, still wrapped in a transparent bag. "Who the fuck can enjoy this stuff?"
Adrian smiled. "Are you okay?"
He took Serpent's chin to look at his face. Mendoza had hit him, and his cheekbone was a little swollen.
"It's not the first time a man's hit me," Serpent said, munching on the cereal.
Adrian didn't understand the reason, but he'd grown fond of Serpent. "What are you reading?"
"I found this old copy of Rolling Stone," Serpent said. "It's fun to read, although almost all the names are gone."
"What?"
Serpent showed him the magazine. "All the names of people have disappeared, and even their pics. Except one."
Adrian wiped some crumbs off his hands before picking up the magazine, frowning.
Serpent was right. The words were meaningless and jumbled, and moreover, characters that were difficult to decipher had taken their place.
"He's one of the survivors," Serpent said, pointing to a singer on the cover. "Otherwise his picture would have disappeared."
"Lucian Seagrave," Adrian read with some difficulty. "I've never heard of him.
"Are you kidding me? He's famous in something like half a universe. I love his songs. And I like him, too. He's hot, right?"
"Definitely," Adrian agreed. "What do you think has happened, Serpent?"
"To everything, you mean?"
"Yes, to everything," Adrian said, putting away the magazine.
Serpent shrugged. "I think it's something too broad for us to understand."
Adrian studied the guy. "Why you were in prison?"
Serpent smiled and took back the box of cereal. "I lost myself."
"How do you know so much about other people?" Adrian pressed.
"Easy," Serpent said, eating a handful of flakes. "I simply observe them."
"Can you read minds, Serpent?"
"Oh no," Serpent said, laughing. "I can see auras."
"Auras?"
"The colors of people. That is, they aren't quite colors, but sensations. You have a tremendously strong
and bright aura. People can follow you as if you were a lighthouse."
"But a psychological test said I'm not suited for a leading role!"
"That's bullshit," Serpent said. "You can't choose who you are, but you can lose yourself at a crossroads and take the wrong path, as I did. You've chosen the right path in life."
"You're wrong. I haven't done anything decent in my life. I'm not a pilot and I've lost myself in silly convictions about soul mates."
"Hope is the right thing in your life," Serpent said. "Your gift is hope. Hope moves you on in spite of everything."
Adrian remained silent for a while. "How did you know about me and Mendoza, Serpent? You said I've always dreamed about someone like him. How did you know?"
"Each of us is born with the desire for someone else that will complete his life," Serpent said. "Mendoza is the one for you."
Adrian's heart raced fast. "But soul mates aren't real."
Serpent smiled at him. "Why do you say this if your heart knows the opposite? Soul mates were real in my world and are real now. And they are precious."
Adrian shook his head, dazed. It couldn't be real. And yet… perhaps he wasn't formally a pilot, but he had managed to land the plane and save people. Maybe he should just trust his heart and his dreams. "So it's him."
"Oh, yes," Serpent said. "But he's too…"
"Hey, guys."
Black Rose and another man approached their table. "Weasel says you're the captain of that aircraft. Is it true?"
"Yes," Adrian nodded.
"Cool. I brought a beer for you." Black Rose sat down and handed him a bottle of beer from a cooler, the glass covered with condensation.
Adrian accepted it. "Thanks."
"Hey," Serpent protested. "Nothing for me?"
"You have to pay for the beer," Black Rose teased.
Adrian sensed something between them.
"And why the hell do I have to pay?" Serpent snapped.
Black Rose shrugged. "You didn't land a jetliner."
"But I have no money."
"I don't care about money anymore. What can you offer?"
"I'll give you my spinning top," Serpent proposed.
"Fuck your spinning top!"
Serpent rolled his eyes. "Okay. I'll give you a blowjob." He seemed anything but sorry.
"I'll take that," Black Rose said with a satisfied grin, handing a beer to Serpent. "You can pay for that later. Now I'm here to hear about the landing."
Black Rose sat in front of Adrian. The guy seemed a bit out of place among the jailbirds. His appearance and hairstyle, perhaps deliberately aggressive, contrasted with his sharp and smart eyes. Adrian had the impression he tried to appear worse than he might really be. And Serpent had a crush on him, judging by his adoring gaze.
"There is nothing to say, really," Adrian said, drinking his beer. "I just did what I had to do. I was the only pilot."
"Did you not realize everything was going to hell?" Black Rose asked.
"Yes, when I saw the cloud," Adrian replied. "It was like a wall, a green wall. I thought some damn terrorist had set off a nuclear bomb."
"Then you must have swerved?" Serpent asked.
"Swerved?" Adrian laughed. "A 767 isn't a bicycle. You can't swerve! We ended up straight in the middle of that stuff. And just at that point, Captain Santoro disappeared as well as nearly everyone else on board."
"Fuck," Black Rose commented.
Adrian realized the other people had closed in to listen.
"All gone," Adrian said. "With a rustle of falling clothes."
"I heard it," Black Rose said. "In a place like the fucking prison, where people are crammed in like sardines, the rustle of clothes was deafening. Like a deep breath."
The other men approved with nods and grunts.
"So what did you do?" Serpent asked.
"I had to land, but some giant jellyfish-type creatures crept in both engines, making them explode. We were gliding without engines and I was scared shitless, and then…"
Adrian felt a presence behind him.
Serpent jumped up. "Uh, guys, it was just a blast, but I have to go."
"I'll come with you," Black Rose said, getting up quickly. "See you, Captain."
All those present ran off until Adrian remained the only one sitting at the table.
Adrian knew who they had seen behind him. He put the empty bottle of beer on the table and stood up slowly. "Hello, Paul."
Mendoza stared daggers. Shit. He was really, really pissed.
"My room," Mendoza ordered. "Now."
* * * *
Mendoza closed the door so hard, it almost became unhinged. The whole room shook. Adrian jumped.
Mendoza looked at him in silence. Adrian sat slowly on the edge of the bed, waiting, trying not to show how much the man scared him.
"Those out there," Mendoza began slowly, "aren't your classmates. They're rapists and murderers."
Adrian didn't say a word.
"And that's not including Ghost. Police found human remains in his refrigerator!"
"Good," Adrian said, putting his hands on his thighs. "You take orders from a serial killer, and I'm the stupid one?"
"Do not draw conclusions on topics you don't know about. I'm saying there was a reason why I told you to stay here. A good reason."
"Then you could have explained that to me instead of locking the door."
Mendoza sighed, obviously striving to maintain control. "We're not married, Adrian. We're not a couple. I took you by force and now you belong to me!"
"Okay," Adrian said. He took a chocolate bar from the things Mendoza had given to him earlier and unwrapped it. "What will you do if I make you angry?"
Mendoza stopped in front of him. "You don't want to find out, believe me."
"You'll punish me? Beat me?"
"Why are you trying to provoke me?" Mendoza asked narrowing his eyes.
"Because," Adrian said, leaning against the headboard, "I don't feel like being someone's slave."
"That's not for you to decide. You can't call the cops on me. I'm the strongest, and you're my property."
"So, I can't leave?" Adrian teased.
"No, you can't leave!" Mendoza yelled. "Now I'm going to handcuff you to that bed."
Adrian bit into the chocolate. "And if I flee anyway?"
Mendoza became furious. He paced back and forth before sitting on the edge of the bed. Even if Adrian tried to seem indifferent, he winced, expecting Mendoza to hit him. But he didn't.
"Adrian, listen to me. We're not staying with Ghost forever."
Adrian's eyes widened in surprise. His heart knew Mendoza wasn't as insensitive as he tried to appear.
Adrian dropped the chocolate bar and took Mendoza's face in his hands. "Please, Paul. Let's get out of here tomorrow morning."
Mendoza didn't react as he had hoped.
He frowned. "Where would we go?"
Adrian bit his lip. "If I tell you everything, you won't betray me to Ghost. Will you?"
Mendoza narrowed his eyes. "I have nothing to do with Ghost. Our paths crossed and I simply had no other place to go. What are you talking about, Adrian?"
Adrian hesitated. But Mendoza was his soul mate. Serpent had confirmed this.
"I have hidden two children on the Boeing. I couldn't let Ghost take them. But I promised to go back to them. They were on my flight, and both of them have lost their families. I'm the only one that can take care of them. Please, Paul."
Mendoza simply stared at him.
Adrian couldn't decipher his expression. "You have a place to go now. That is, stay with me. And we could…"
Mendoza stood up and went to the window. "I'm not your Prince Charming, Adrian."
"Well," Adrian said, standing up. "Forget that. Maybe you're not my Prince Charming, okay, but you don't want to remain with Ghost, so why don't you come with me?"
Mendoza turned to him. His stare scared him. "Because I'm a criminal. I can't come with you and live happily eve
r after. This is not possible. Ever."
Mendoza had something wounded inside. Adrian had already sensed it. If only the man would give him the opportunity, Adrian would be happy to help. "I need you with me, Paul."
Mendoza took his chin. "You don't need anyone, Adrian. You're strong. You landed that plane alone. You always did the things you did alone. You don't need someone to tell you what to do because it's you who has all the answers. Do you understand this? You don't need me, Adrian."
Adrian's eyes filled. "Then I'm going to leave without you, Paul."
Mendoza let go of Adrian's chin.
"I'm going to leave tomorrow," Adrian insisted. "I don't intend to stay with a mass of filthy jailbirds who are only able to get drunk, fuck each other and go around shooting, not when there are people waiting for me out there, kids who have confidence in me and expect me to save them. If you won't come with me, I'll have to leave you behind, Paul. If you don't want me to leave you'll have to kill me. Is that clear, Paul Mendoza?"
Mendoza studied at him for a long time.
"I didn't scare you enough," Mendoza said at the end, narrowing his eyes. "You still think I'm your fucking Prince Charming and I couldn't really hurt you. But you're wrong."
Mendoza unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of the loops. "I'm going to punish you. Naked."
Adrian stared at him, incredulous.
"I said, naked."
Adrian undressed slowly, without a word.
"On the bed, on your hands and knees."
Adrian obeyed, trembling with fear.
"Open your legs."
Adrian complied.
Mendoza moved behind him, and Adrian could feel his icy stare linger on his ass and balls. He blushed.
"You can scream," Mendoza said, behind him. "You can cry and beg and everyone will hear you."
No way, Adrian thought, biting his lip. Forget it. He held his breath. Mendoza wanted to scare him. Right?
The first sting came so unexpectedly that he almost screamed. Almost. Mendoza had hit Adrian on the back of his wounded thigh. The bastard.
"Your cock is hard," Mendoza said with a grin.
True. Being naked, showing his ass and balls to Mendoza had aroused Adrian, but it didn't change the fact that Mendoza was an asshole and a blockhead.
The Landing (Apocalypse) Page 7
