by Mia Hoddell
“Where’s ‘here’ exactly?”
“The bathrooms.” A smile lit up his face as he watched Cora’s expression go from realisation and slowly morph into annoyance.
“Really? This is your big surprise?”
“Well what did you expect? A grand ballroom with diamond chandeliers, a concert pianist and mood lighting all set up for us? I did tell you I was showing you around and you had told me you’ve been in the underground before. I thought you would have known there isn’t much besides tunnels down here.”
“Yeah I do, but I thought showing me around meant there was something more impressive to see. The bathrooms aren’t exactly the most interesting thing to look at.”
“No, but they’re necessary and about the only thing around here besides the main meeting room. I thought it would be better to bring you out here rather than have you bruise Marc’s ego any more than you have.”
Cora shrugged. For someone who hadn’t met her long ago he sure could read her well. That was where Cora’s thoughts stopped. She remembered he was the one who had been leaving her notes so that meant he had been following her for years.
“How long have you been watching me for then? And how did you always manage to get a note to me ahead of Rogan’s men?” Cora asked but Jed only mimicked her early response and shrugged.
“You’ll find out everything soon enough. For now just accept that we are well connected. We’re not some group of amateurs. We are serious about taking Carvelli down and we will soon have the ability to do it.”
Cora nodded, she wasn’t going to let on that she had heard their conversation just yet; she needed to find out more before she dropped that bomb.
“So where am I sleeping then?”
Jed looked at her quizzically. “Sorry but you’re working for Carvelli and the last thing we need right now is for him tailing us. You have to go back to your flat and keep to the deal you arranged with him. He won’t be able to get a hold of you down here so it’ll end up being quite obvious where you are hiding if you’re constantly out of signal.”
“But that’s not fair. I’ve joined you. I don’t want to work for him and I’ve got a group of friggin’ babysitters up top. How am I meant to get back here if I need to?” Cora complained, aware of how childish she was sounding as they were heading back in the direction they had just come.
“We’ll come to you or we’ll give you information on how to do it. We’ve helped you before Cora, it’s not going to stop now you’ve agreed. You’re important.”
Cora said nothing as they emerged on to the platform once more, glad to be back in the light.
“Come on, I’ll lead you out and show you how to find us again,” Jed said and Cora couldn’t be bothered to argue.
Chapter 17
“Okay, so to find the base, you start at the Circle Line, or the yellow one if you don’t remember the names. From there, when you reach the first platform, you will find signs to adjoining tunnels. If you look close enough at the signs, you will see little symbols painted on them. A black square will lead you to the base, a red circle to an exit. The red triangles will lead you to dead ends and are there to confuse anyone who may happen to stray down here—not that it happens. Stick to following the squares and you shouldn’t go wrong.”
“Great, that sounds just brilliant,” Cora muttered sarcastically as they walked down the dark tunnel Jed had brought her through to get to the camp.
“The Circle Line is the main one so it should be accessible from most of the colours.”
“Great,” Cora exclaimed again, not thrilled about the idea of having to find her way around dark tunnels on her own. They were the size of London for crying out loud and they expected her to be able to find one platform she didn’t even know the name of?
“You’ll be fine. I can’t see why you’d be entering somewhere other than Victoria Station to be honest and from there it’s only a few changes between tunnels.”
“I do go out you know. I may need to enter from another station. And what if I’m running from Rogan’s men?” Cora didn’t think it was very likely now she had got some freedom but it was the only reason that came to mind.
“If you’re running from Carvelli’s men, you are not to lead them here. This is the last place you run to, all right?”
Cora shrugged but she didn’t know if he saw in the dim light behind the torch. They had reached the wooden panel that concealed the tunnel and slipping through the entrance quickly, they were back in Victoria tube station.
“Look, if you get lost, don’t know which lines to take or are in trouble, you have my number. If that one doesn’t work phone this one, it’s the direct line for Mayana’s office and will always be answered,” he said as Cora felt another scrap of paper being pushed into her hand.
They began to climb the stationary steps of the escalator which seemed never ending in the dark. Every time Cora thought she’d glanced the top, she had to climb twenty more steps before she’d take another peek. Finally, her foot found no more steps and taking a second to catch her breath she placed a hand on Jed’s shoulder to make sure he didn’t continue on without her.
“Come on fat ass, it’s not that bad.”
It was obvious Jed had been up and down the steps numerous times as when he spoke there was no laboured breathing, pants or gasps, which Cora envied him for.
“Fat ass?” she panted in between breaths as she righted herself back into a standing position.
“What? You get to give me a nickname and I don’t?”
Cora heard his footsteps start up again and reluctantly she compelled her feet to move and follow him.
“Not when they’re mean.”
“Tinker Bell isn’t mean?”
“You’re a guy, you can handle it. You should know that you never call a girl fat; even if she happens to be slim and in perfect proportion, like me. It’s not polite or sensitive. Seriously you could give someone a complex,” Cora babbled as the natural glow of daylight started to emerge before them.
“Has anyone ever told you that you talk way too much?” Jed sniggered, the crooked smile Cora was quickly becoming familiar with forming in his face.
“And? What’s your point?”
“Nothing,” Jed stated, his eyes glazed over as he looked into the distance.
Clicking her fingers in front of his face, Cora snapped him back into the real world. A part of her wanted to know where he had gone but she refrained herself from asking—for all of two seconds.
“What was all that about?” she asked and Jed’s head snapped in her direction quicker than she was expecting.
“You’re going to have to go the rest of the way by yourself. I don’t think it’s smart to be seen with me.”
Cora tilted her head to the side in question. She couldn’t be bothered to argue or question his decision verbally.
“It’s best Carvelli’s men don’t see us together. I don’t want them linking you to our cause yet. If he finds out you’re siding with us what do you think he’ll do?”
Cora flipped her head so it was tilting in the opposite direction, asking another silent question.
“You trying to act cute or something? Because if you are, it’s nowhere near working.”
Cora thumped him hard on the arm, causing Jed to reach up and rub the pain.
“That cute enough?”
Jed only ignored her, continuing his orders. “Stop messing around. If you’re caught with me I can guarantee that Carvelli will revoke your privileges instantly, because that’s what they are, Cora. I don’t know why he’s being so lenient with you but it works to our advantage. You can’t help us if you’re locked up in a basement.”
Cora almost didn’t detect the false note in his voice as he spoke the lines quickly and moved on before they could register. Cora didn’t want to miss what he was saying next so for once wasn’t paying as much attention to the words as she should have been.
“You do know. Why is he being so lenient with me?�
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Jed cursed himself mentally for not being more careful around her. In the playful banter he had dropped his guard, forgetting that she was able to pick up lies. Thinking on his feet, he tried to come up with a lie that was really the truth. He needed something that wasn’t the real answer he was hiding but was a fact.
“Because you’re his prized possession. You have an ability that no one else has and for him you’re like a trophy. He’s not going to let you go because of something small like your temper but he won’t tolerate certain actions, I know that.” Jed stopped himself before he got too carried away and said something that could give him away.
“I’d like to see him try and get me back in that mansion,” Cora snorted. Jed’s answer had satisfied her. He waited a moment, but when she didn’t question him further, he felt a sense of relief rush through his veins that he had deceived her with truth.
“You’re not invincible, Cora and you’re not as strong as you think you are. Wise up and stop playing games. Carvelli always wins and we need you.”
“What’s the point in trying to take him down if he always wins then?”
Jed sighed in frustration. He should have let the issue drop when he had the chance. “You know what I mean. In regards to you he will always win. He has an enormous network at his disposal, hundreds of men to do his bidding, and you’re just one girl who happens to have an unusual ability. You may be useful but you’re not indispensable and it would be better to learn that now rather than later. Don’t push him Cora, he will only bend so far for you.”
She shrugged, not caring what Jed thought. Cora had fought with Rogan and come out on top on more than one occasion. If she stopped acting like normal Rogan would know something was up.
“Whatever Jed,” Cora said dismissively.
“You should probably head back now. We’ll be in contact when we need you or you can come by anytime. The only thing is, make sure you’re not followed, all right?”
Cora nodded and, without another word, turned towards the open hole in the wall that served as an entrance and exit. She tried to keep her mind occupied but eventually her thoughts turned to the men who were going to be waiting for her back at the flat. She had seen hardly anyone as she walked around, however, as she rounded the last corner two sets of eyes found her instantly. It wasn’t like she was hidden well in the middle of a deserted pavement. Abandoned cars lay scattered around the streets. Some were still intact while others lay on their roof or had their windows smashed causing fragments of glass to still litter the tarmac. Shops that had no way of re-opening were left untouched. Broken, some still had cars driven into the frontages, strewing rubble across the pavements. Inside most of the premises had been ransacked, the contents removed by looters and some then torched. The smell of burnt plastic and wood still lingered in the air, it all a constant reminder of what went on. The men continued to watch her as tentatively, she walked on until without realising she stopped.
For a moment, she thought about throwing her herself behind a car but it was obvious she had been spotted. The men had recognition shining in their eyes as they looked at her, their faces drawn tight in annoyance. They had made no move to approach her though.
Deciding it would be better not to start a fight, Cora picked up her leaden feet, her calves aching from the distances she had just walked. To her, the men standing there symbolised her lack of freedom since signing on to Rogan’s workforce. She knew there was no way they could stop her going out unless they used physical force but she didn’t know if Rogan had ordered that.
“You were ordered to stay in the flat,” the dark-haired man to Cora’s right said. His posture was stiff and his arms hanging by his side were rigid, fists clenched in irritation.
“I just went for one last walk, it’s not like I was buying a plane ticket to another country—just walking,” Cora let her voice fill with an impatient exasperation as she spoke through a sigh.
“If you don’t mind, I want to go and lie down.”
The men didn’t move from in front of her door and Cora wondered how she was going to explain their presence to the other tenants. Not that it needed much of an explanation, everyone knew what one of Rogan’s employees looked like.
“Get out of my way,” Cora said with increasing frustration. “Once I’m up there, I can’t get out without getting by you, can I?”
Slowly they both took one step to the side, revealing the chipped and weathered door that was once a deep shade of red. Unlocking it, Cora didn’t look back as she kicked it shut behind her and climbed the two flights of stairs to her flat. The hallway was just as shabby, with black marks on the wall, patches of filler where previous repairs had been made but never finished and dirt trodden into the threadbare carpet. It wasn’t five star accommodation but it was the best Misty and Cora could afford as Cora didn’t want to waste her limited funds on an expensive flat; it wasn’t something she needed.
Reaching her door, Cora pulled out her keys to unlock the multiple locks that had been installed for security. However as her hand hovered near the first brass slot, an annoying and repetitive tone Cora hadn’t heard in a while, started emitting from her bag. Her phone was ringing and that meant only one thing…she was being summoned.
“Really? You couldn’t even give me a day to myself?” she groaned as her finger slid over the answer button.
“You seem to have forgotten phone etiquette Cora, not surprising seeing as not many people can afford them nowadays. When you answer, you are meant to say hello.” Rogan’s patronising tone rang out through the speaker and it took all of Cora’s control not to hurl it at the wall.
“I have a job for you. Get one of the guys to bring you up to the house now. And I mean right now Cora, not whenever you feel like it. You have twenty minutes or our deal is revoked. The basement cell is begging to be used.”
Before Cora could respond, the line went dead. Bringing the phone down from her ear Cora was only slightly aware of the crushing pressure she was applying to it. Only when she released her hand did she realise how tightly she had been holding the device.
Thundering back down the stairs she opened the front door forcefully, allowing it to crash against the dented wall. The men that were waiting outside turned to face the noise instantly, sensing a threat. At the sight of Cora they inflated themselves, their bodies tensing and leaving no opportunity to pass through.
“Oh stop with the tough guy act. Your boss just called and wants me at the house now, so get out of the way, get the car and drive me back,” Cora stated, stepping out and pulling the door shut behind her. Meanwhile the dark-haired man had pulled a phone out from inside his black, leather jacket and nodding to his partner signalled that Cora was in fact telling the truth.
Arriving at Rogan’s within eighteen minutes, she knew she was cutting it close. However that was something she had no control over. The man driving was agonisingly slow and anything Cora said only made him slow down—a lesson she had learnt the hard way.
Standing outside Rogan’s office, she thought about just entering but decided knocking may make him slightly more lenient on how close she was to the deadline.
“Enter,” Rogan’s voice boomed out from the other side of the door and Cora stepped in confidently.
Automatically Rogan glanced down at his watch, an amused expression on his face—not the reaction Cora was expecting.
“Do you have to test everything I say? Or push everything to the limit? Because it is only you who is going to suffer. You do know that, don’t you?” As he spoke, he got up from the leather chair behind his desk and paced round to the front, his arms crossed in front of his chest, clearly displaying the thick layer of muscles he had built up.
“I’m not testing anything. I arrived before your deadline. If you want me to be earlier, hire a driver who doesn’t drive everywhere at twenty miles an hour like a little, old granny.” Cora matched his stance, determined to hold her ground.
Rogan grinned at her. “I’ll tell
Sully that…” It only lasted a moment. “Anyway, I don’t have to justify my choice of staff to you,” Rogan said, his voice becoming thick with authority.
Cora only shrugged, sensing Rogan was not in the mood to be tested.
See? I can shut up, Cora thought, smiling smugly as she took in his arched eyebrows and questioning stare.
“I have two men I need testing so you’re just going to have to listen like last time.” He was leaning against the desk casually but his tone gave the impression he wasn’t to be messed with.
“Okay.”
At her response Rogan picked up the phone behind him and with a few curt words he ordered for the men to be brought in before slamming the handset down with a little too much force.
Cora heard the lock on the door opening and as she turned she saw two of Rogan’s men enter, tightly restraining two prisoners with their arms tied behind their backs with plastic ties. The men resisted and had to be forcibly dragged in backwards, their legs flailing around, trying to land a kick or loosen their grip but all they succeeded in was looking like a dying fish that was flapping uselessly on a dry beach.
As each man was spun round to face Rogan, Cora’s eyes moved to the first man’s face, who was closest. She had to hold back a gasp of shock. In front of her was Marc. His eye was blackened, his lip was split and he had a few other open cuts on his face that were oozing blood as they began to swell, but it was definitely Marc. Cora couldn’t understand how Rogan had caught hold of him so quickly but then again he had men everywhere so it wasn’t really a shock. What Cora was more worried about is where the next few minutes were going to take her.
The man who was violently thrown in behind Marc wasn’t someone Cora recognised, he could have been one of the others from Mayana’s camp but there had been too many faces to recall. He had the same injuries but as Cora noticed from his escape attempts they were less resistive—a fact Cora assumed had saved him a few less bruises and cuts.
