“The point is that it’s a stressful time for all of us. But there’s no need for any of us to worry. Malcolm won’t let anything bad happen.” Tony’s soft comment curtailed his thoughts.
Will wasn’t so sure. He’d seen Malcolm lose control. Sometimes, seeing the calm, collected demeanor Malcolm continually displayed, Will wondered if he hadn’t imagined the entire scene in Malcolm’s bedroom. It was so at odds with the man who stayed quietly in the background. Malcolm guarded his privacy well. If the opportunity came to dispose of Will, he wasn’t sure Malcolm wouldn’t take it.
13
Thirteen
A few hours later, they were in the kitchen, changed and choking down Vitabars.
“Now, I’ll have a nice hot meal waiting for you when you return tomorrow. We’ll have a little celebration. All of your favorites.” Marcy stuck the box of Vitabars back in the pantry. They had a shelf life of close to a decade, and time did nothing to alter the already dismal taste.
“Keep your heads down, and stay out of trouble.” Poor Jess fidgeted with a hair on the back of Stu’s head that refused to lay flat. Her nerves seemed to rub off on Stu until he finally batted her hand away.
“S-s-s-sorry.”
“That’s all right, dear.”
Eval had always been rough for Zeds, but Will had never lived in a place where the Betas and Alphas even blinked an eye. A sense of solidarity permeated the house and provided, if not comfort, at least a bit of solace.
“Time to go. We’ll let you know when we’re on our way back, Marcy.” Malcolm nodded at the cook and left, leaving the rest of them to catch up to him in the garage.
“I want Will, Syrus, Carson, and Stu with me. Stu, you’re up front.”
Will climbed in the back seat behind Malcolm. As soon as the car pulled out of the garage, he stared out his window and stayed that way. There would be no talking with Malcolm present.
Once outside the compound, the dreary brown of the world almost suffocated Will. Malcolm lived away from the city and parks. Everything that wasn’t under the care of an Alpha or the city planners was a desolate wasteland. Supposedly, that was how the entire world looked right after the Great Destruction. It was only now that Will appreciated the protective bubble of Malcolm’s compound. He’d scorned it as a farce, a world of make-believe. He didn’t care. Make-believe was better than reality. He swore he’d be grateful from now on. What had he been thinking? And he needed to get out more. The library was great, but so were grass and trees.
“Are you g-g-g-going to be there the whole t-t-t-time?”
“Yes, Stu. Wasn’t I last year?” Malcolm reached over and placed a hand on Stu’s knee.
“I d-d-d-don’t want to t-t-talk to any of them.”
“You don’t have to. If anyone asks you a question, I’ll be there to answer it. Just look to me if you get scared. But there’s no reason to be scared. You know why?”
“B-b-b-because I’m yours.”
“That’s right. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Will caught Malcolm’s eyes in the rearview mirror. The message was clear: his words weren’t for Stu alone. Will went back to watching the scenery pass. Malcolm hadn’t earned his trust.
“Stay together, heads down. If anyone speaks to you, don’t say anything. Just get my or Kaleana’s attention.”
Will wouldn’t have wandered from the others if he’d been ordered to. After the serenity of the compound, the bustle of bodies in the Eval Center was disconcerting. Even with his head lowered, he noticed the stares. A disabled Zed was a rarity. Rather, it was a rarity for them to survive very long. A group of their size, so obviously debilitated was enough to make even other Zeds forget their manners. It would be expected for Rufus to get more than a little attention given his dark skin in a sea of tan, but his skin color was one attraction in a parade of physical deformities. Carson’s face garnered quite a few gasps, and Will’s leg was pointed at so often he thought he’d snap the next person’s finger that jutted in his direction.
Sterile gray floors turned to plush red carpet. They must be entering the Alpha accommodations. Eval was a two-day process. The actual physical examination and injection took place on the first day, but everyone was required to stay overnight in order to collect the results of their blood work the next day. Will had always stayed in the Zed quarters, so he’d never seen this part of the building.
Will crashed into Rufus and would have fallen on his ass if it hadn’t been for Nick catching him from behind. Will nodded his thanks and strained to see why they had stopped. Malcolm opened a door and then disappeared inside. They all followed.
“I’m going to my appointment. Listen to Kaleana while I’m away. Do not, under any circumstances, open the door or answer the comm. Don’t eat anything. I’ll be back as quickly as possible. Call me if there’s a problem, Kaleana.”
“Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine. Are you sure you don’t want me to go?”
“Yes. I need you to take care of them.”
Kaleana nodded. Then, as if it was an afterthought, she rose on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Malcolm barely acknowledged it before he left. As soon as the door slid shut behind him, Kaleana secured it, activating the internal lock that couldn’t be opened from the outside. “So we wait.”
“When are we going to our rooms?” Will wanted to settle in.
“We’re all staying here. Malcolm likes to keep us close. Unfortunately, they’ll only give him one Alpha room, so it’s a bit tight. He’ll see about getting some more bedding sent up once we’re done.”
“Come sit, you two.” Carson scooted over on the bed. All six of them were crowded onto it, but there was just enough room for Will and Kaleana to join them.
“What are we going to do if Malcolm buys another one before next year? Some of us will have to move to the floor.” Nick’s attempt at humor fell flat.
“No. We’ll make room for them on the bed.” Tony’s soft, firm voice left no doubt that they’d start sitting on each other’s laps before they relegated anyone to the floor. They were all touching, either grazing legs or holding hands. It was the most a part of a family Will had ever felt.
If there was one thing Malcolm had made clear in the time he had owned Will, it was that there was nothing as important to him as making sure his Zeds were fed. For him to specifically forbid them to eat anything heightened Will’s anxiety. There were rumors of Zeds disappearing from Eval, and conspiracy theories abounded, but he had always assumed it was confined to the world of Zeds—one more fear in a life full of them. An Alpha displaying such worry unsettled something deep inside him. A part of life he had always taken for granted shifted. As much as he hated the Alphas, he had always been secure in the knowledge that they ran the world, that they were impervious to the cares of Betas and Zeds. That assumption was proving faulty.
“It’s been over an hour. Something’s wrong.” Rufus’s deep, muffled voice broke the thick shroud of silence that had enveloped them. It was rare for him to speak at all, which only lent weight to his words.
“I’m sure everything’s fine. He would have found a way to message me on my tab if something was wrong.”
“More like he would have messaged you if he was going to be longer than normal.”
“Carson, stop stirring up worry. I swear it’s like you all turn into a bunch of babies come Eval time.”
“Not all of us have been through a hundred of them like you have, Syrus.”
“Nick, I don’t like your tone. We’re all here together. Nothing’s going to happen to us, and Malcolm can take care of himself. There’s nothing we can do except sit here and wait, so that’s what we’re going to do. No sense worrying about things we can’t change.”
Will found himself gravitating toward Tony’s soothing voice. He sought out the warm brown eyes that had come to mean love in the short time he’d known the man.
“With Malcolm’s appointment this late in the day, they were probably already behind s
chedule. Each year, it’s going to take longer while they harass him for not having a wife and little Alphas toddling around. I don’t envy him having to explain why he’s bought yet another Zed and hasn’t so much as been seen with a woman.” Kaleana, practical as always.
“C-c-can they d-d-d-do anyth-th-thing to him?”
“No, not really. There’s no law requiring Alphas to procreate. However, Malcolm says that doesn’t prevent them from giving him a nice long lecture on his civic duty to help rebuild the Alpha race. I’m sure he’s staring icicles at the Geneticist doing the talking. Once the man gets chilled enough, he’ll finish up and let Malcolm go.”
They all smiled at that. Kaleana didn’t appear to be lying, but Will had the distinct feeling she held something back. He hoped it was just a lecture. He’d never heard of an Alpha Malcolm’s age without a mate. The whole purpose of the Alphas was to pass on their superior genetics. After the Great Destruction, human DNA had been almost irreparably damaged. Their entire society was built around the imperative to rebuild the human genome to its former strength. If Alphas weren’t reproducing, there wasn’t much point to the rest of the caste system.
Fifteen minutes later, they were still sitting in silence, except they all took turns glancing at the clock sitting beside the bed. Ten more minutes had passed. Eight. Five. Three. One. No matter how long Will resolved to keep his focus off the clock, less than a minute passed between each glance.
They all collectively jumped at a light rapping on the door. Will’s heart leapt, racing so fast he felt its pounding as he held his breath.
“Kaleana, it’s me. Open the door.”
Will exhaled with the others. Malcolm’s voice had never been so welcome. Kaleana hurried off the bed and let Malcolm in. A quick appraisal revealed Malcolm’s black suit was as impeccable as ever. However, Will didn’t miss the fine lines that had deepened around the edges of his eyes. Nothing else indicated the ordeal Malcolm had likely endured.
“Sorry for the delay. We need to head down for your Evals. As soon as it’s over, we’ll get something to eat and relax.” Then Malcolm did something that unnerved Will more than his frigid stares ever could. He smiled. A slight lift of the corners of his lips. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to unsettle Will. Malcolm had to be more worried than usual if he was attempting to offer such foreign comfort.
Will stood with the others, letting himself be swallowed into the middle of their group, travelling in a little cocoon. These men knew him, loved him, and would protect him. There was security in that.
Down the hall they went. Together, they all squeezed into one elevator even though it probably would have been more comfortable to split up. The bell dinged, and they stepped out. Red carpet was replaced with the sterile gray floors Will had seen earlier. They stopped. A door opened. They crowded into a small room that clearly wasn’t meant to hold this many people on a regular basis.
A metal table stood in the center of the room. A sink and black cabinets were against one wall. A tall, strawberry-blond man with dark blue eyes sat on a rolling stool. He had the look of an Alpha. He turned his head to look at his Glass Tab, and the absence of a Beta mark on the back of his neck confirmed it. He was the Geneticist, then. It wouldn’t be so bad. Not like last time. This time, Will had the support of a family. There was less reason than ever to fear. No matter what his mind said, his stomach and heart wouldn’t listen. Luckily, his stomach was practically empty, so that was one less thing to worry about.
The gray metal, white walls, and black cabinets lent the room a foreboding air. It didn’t escape Will that this was the same color scheme as much of his new home. Odd that the same colors could feel so different. The Alpha stood once the door shut behind them, and they settled into a group in the corner. “Malcolm, a pleasure. I see your ragtag group is still intact. You even have a new addition.” His impossibly perfect face leered at Will. His features were more flawless than Malcolm’s, yet Will couldn’t find anything attractive about the man.
“Yes, Stanton. I’d appreciate it if we could get this taken care of as quickly as possible. I have work to attend to.”
“You’re welcome to go back to your room. I’ll send them along when they’re done.” How could such a thin, tinny voice sound so oily?
“No. You know I’m always present during Eval.”
“Yes, wouldn’t want to be like the other Alphas, would you?” Stanton’s smile was absent of all mirth. Will had never witnessed such tension between Alphas.
Malcolm’s stare was so icy Will felt a bit of pity for the Geneticist. He didn’t know how Stanton kept himself together. Must be the knowledge that, as an Alpha, he was immune to anything Malcolm could do.
“Just looking out for my property. I can’t trust you to keep your hands to yourself.”
“Hah, like I’d want a piece of any of these vermin. I have my own Zeds waiting for me at home, and they’re a sight prettier than yours.”
Will’d rather be a freak at Malcolm’s than pretty and at the mercy of this man. There were worse things in the world than a busted leg. The reminder did him good. He needed to remember more often.
“Let’s start with the girl. At least she’s not a complete eyesore.”
Kaleana lifted her chin in the air as she walked forward, and Will wanted to cheer. She looked like a queen walking to meet a peasant who had stumbled into her path. He wondered whether her confidence was the product of a lifetime belonging to Malcolm or if it was innate.
Will averted his eyes as Stanton examined her. He didn’t want to see him putting his hands on Kaleana against her will, humiliating her the way he would all of them. Everyone did the same out of respect. Malcolm was the only one who watched, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes never left Kaleana.
A high pitched gasp came from the table. Probably a result of the sterilization booster. The injection had to pass through a hole in the metal collar. There was something in the material that could detect the drug. If a Zed went too long without the injection, the collar would turn red and eventually electrocute the poor Zed wearing it. Better for Zeds to die than pass on their faulty genetics.
There should be a way for the Geneticist who administered the injection to communicate that information to the collar, but there wasn’t. This way, the sick sadists got to inflict the maximum amount of pain as they stuck it in the back of each Zed’s neck. Will clenched his fists. Sometimes, he doubted the injection had any purpose other than to cause pain. Zeds received it at every Eval, even before they were old enough to procreate. Supposedly, the drug also kept the sensors in the collar working properly, but no one really knew for sure.
After Kaleana, Syrus went. Then Carson, Tony, and so on until Will was the only one left.
“All right. Come here, gimp.”
If Will thought he’d be able to get more than one punch in before Stanton could subdue him, he’d go down happy. It was almost over though. Just a few minutes, and they could all go back to the room.
Will stood before Stanton and removed his clothes, folding them and laying them on the table behind him. He stood as straight as possible, trying to balance his weight equally on both legs while Stanton scanned his collar with a data reader.
“So, Malcolm, what do you need this one for? Get a lot of use out of a cripple, do you?”
“It’s none of your business.”
Will looked into Malcolm’s eyes, relieved that the sharp icicle stare wasn’t pointed at him. The absence of cold wasn’t the same as warmth, but it felt the same.
Stanton ran his hands all over Will’s body as if he were a horse, handling his genitals with the same rough touch he used everywhere else. When he reached Will’s legs, he gripped the twisted muscle and bone until his fingers were white. Will refused to flinch. “You really should let him die, Malcolm. You could be providing a home for Zeds who need it.”
Malcolm’s jaw twitched.
“Probably makes you feel more at home though, having these freaks around.
You know we could correct those eyes of yours if you’d just let us. We’ve come a long way since you were a kid.”
“My eyes are fine, Stanton. Proceed with the Eval.”
“On the table.” Stanton’s tone was noticeably harsher when directed toward Will.
The metal was cold under Will’s thighs, and goose bumps broke out on his legs. It took only a minute for Stanton to draw blood. Then he proceeded to examine the busted leg. He bent and twisted it in angles that would have been painful even if the leg were perfect. Will bit his lip until the coppery tang of blood leaked onto his tongue. The sharp pain of the bite was inconsequential compared to the agony shooting through his leg. Will had no idea how long it lasted. He only knew it couldn’t possibly be taking as long as he thought. It was almost a relief when Stanton reached for the syringe.
No matter how much he tried to prepare himself, the white hot pain of the injection always came as a shock. The stick of the needle pinched, and the drug burned as it flowed into his body. As soon as Stanton turned to dispose of the needle, Will jumped off the table and rejoined the others, carrying his clothes to dress out of the reach of the Geneticist.
When Stanton finished his notes, he seemed surprised that Will had moved. “We’re going to need to keep that one to do further tests.”
“And why is that?” Malcolm’s low tone would have scared Will into not answering.
“The leg. We want to see how it’s healed on its own, see how it responds to tests.”
The Vitabar Will had picked at earlier boiled in his throat, the acid burning on its way up—and again on the way down as he forcibly swallowed.
[In Distress 01.0] In Distress Page 9
