But none of that mattered. Soon, she’d be back inside the walls of Prime. The one place she’s hoped never to see again. Hatred for Bones pumped through her veins with every step she took, and she vowed she’d kill him if she got the chance.
As they drew closer, she became more and more desperate to escape. Her eyes darted around, but there was never a good opportunity to run. At one point, she even wished they could be attacked by something. Anything that would draw Bones’ attention, but nothing showed. The area was deserted. Just my damn luck.
And then she saw it.
Prime City.
It rose from the ground like a gigantic toad squatting on the landscape, surrounded by moss-covered walls and topped with a thick cloud of smog.
Rogue had to scramble up a steep incline before the ground evened out. Along the way, she noticed a pipe sticking out of the embankment, its length buried deep in the earth. It stank of raw sewage, and a trickle of the foulsmelling gunk flowed from the end. She eyed the dark opening, wondering where it led. It was obviously part of the city’s plumbing. Could it also be a way in?
“Move faster,” Bones commanded.
“I’m going as fast as I can.”
“You’re stalling.”
She flashed him a nasty look, but the crossbow never wavered, and she quickened her pace.
Finally, they reached the wall, and Bones shouted at the top of his lungs. “Hello, the wall. Anyone there?”
It took a while before someone answered, and Rogue began to hope nobody would. Still, their position was precarious, standing out in the open, all exposed. She shivered as she looked around, remembering her last encounter with a flesh-eating dinosaur at that exact spot.
Then a head popped over the edge. “Who’s there?”
“It’s Bones, a member of the Watch.”
“Bones, the deserter? What are you doing back here? Piss off.”
“I need to see Senator Douglas or General Sikes.”
“Didn’t you hear me?” the man replied. “Piss off before I shoot you where you stand!”
“I’ve got valuable information for the senator.”
The man snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“It’s true. He’ll want to hear this, I swear.”
The guard looked at Rogue. “Who’s the girl?”
“An exile like me.”
The man shook his head. “No, can do. Once you’re out, there’s no coming back.”
“Trust me, you’ll welcome us once you hear what I’ve got to say.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“I swear on my mother’s grave, I’m not lying. It’s important that I speak to either the senator or the general,” Bones shouted. “There’s a rich reward to be had, I promise.”
The guard hesitated. “A reward?”
Bones nodded. “Riches beyond your wildest dreams.”
The guard mulled it over. “Alright, I’m tossing down the ladder, but if you’re lying, you’ll wish you never came back.”
“Deal,” Bones said.
The rope ladder tumbled down the wall, and Bones looked at Rogue. “Ladies first.”
Rogue eyed the ladder and swallowed hard. This was her worst nightmare come true. “I can’t.”
“I’m not telling you again. Move,” Bones growled.
“What if I fall?”
“For your sake, you’d better hope not,” Bones said, not budging an inch.
Rogue gripped the ladder with sweaty palms, her heart in her throat. Step by step, she began the immense climb. Halfway up, exhaustion set in, but she couldn’t stop. Not with Bones prodding her onward whenever she faltered. With his nasal voice ringing in her ears, she went up the wall despite her misgivings.
Rogue had almost reached the top when the guard’s head appeared above her. She jerked with fright, and her left foot slipped off the rung. With a terrified yell, she dangled in the air, clinging to the rope. “Help. Help me!”
“Just hold on,” Bones cried, grabbing her foot.
He pushed it back onto a rung, and she heaved a sigh of relief. But her body remained frozen in place, and she couldn’t get herself to move. A glance at the bottom showed her how far up they were, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Don’t let me fall. Don’t let me fall.
“Calm down,” Bones said. “You’re almost there. You can do it.”
Rogue shook her head, frantic. “No, I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. You’re the strongest person I know, Rogue, and the bravest,” Bones said.
“You mean that?” Rogue asked, desperate for reassurance.
“Of course, I do. Now move before you grow too tired to move at all.”
Rogue took a deep breath and forced her quivering body up the rest of the ladder. When she reached the top, the guard gave her a helping hand over the edge. Once both her feet were on the wooden platform, she sank to her knees. “I made it. I can’t believe I made it.”
Bones followed, and moments later, they were lowered to the ground where a trio of guards waited with spears and bows. Curious onlookers crowded the square, and she wondered how the news of their arrival had spread so fast. I wonder if Moran is among them. Watching. Will I ever see her again?
“Come with us,” the leader of the guards barked.
Bones grabbed her arm with a vice-like grip, and she was dragged toward their destination against her will. Their path led toward the Prime Hotel, and they entered its echoing halls through the massive front entrance.
Rogue didn’t know where to look as they progressed. She’d never seen such magnificence in her life. A dolphin fountain in the foyer spouted streams of water while beautiful paintings graced the walls. A thick carpet muffled their footsteps, and artificial lights shone above their head.
A set of double doors loomed, guarded by two more members of the Watch. The leader of their group announced them. “We have the prisoners.”
“You may enter.”
The doors swung wide, and Bones ushered her inside. An uneasy smile was plastered on his face. “This is it,” he whispered. “Let me do the talking.”
Rogue shot him a grim look but remained silent. She wasn’t stupid. Far from it. The less she said, the better. Not that this is going to end well. That’s for sure. Either one or both of us will be in a cell by the end of the day.
Behind a polished desk sat the plump form of Senator Douglas, his double chin bigger than ever. He was flanked by General Sikes dressed in full regalia, his thin lips set in a straight line.
The senator eyed her and Bones with displeasure, his fat fingers rapping on the table. “What do we have here? A deserter and a thief. Give me one reason not to have you both killed on the spot.”
“I’m Bones, Sir, and I’ve brought you valuable information,” Bones said.
“And what information might that be?” Douglas asked.
“There is another settlement not far from here—a thriving city filled with all manner of supplies. Anything you could dream of,” Bones said.
Senator Douglas leaned forward. “Really? How do you know this?”
“I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Bones said with an eager nod.
“What else do you know about it?”
“Everything. I know everything about it. Its location, its defenses, the number of guards they have, and their rotation. I even know how many people live there and what weapons they have.”
“Now that is interesting, isn’t it, General Sikes?” Douglas said, his eyes gleaming.
“Perhaps,” the general replied. “We shall see.”
The senator turned back to Bones. “What do you expect in return for this information?”
“I don’t want much, Sir.”
“Come now,” Senator Douglas prodded. ” We all want something in life, don’t we? Nothing is given for free.”
Bones bobbed his head. “I only ask for a full pardon and a prominent position within the Watch.”
“Is that all,” Senator Douglas said, forming a steeple
with his fingers. “And what about the woman?”
“She goes with me,” Bones said, dragging her closer to his side.
“You like her, do you?” Douglas asked with a sneer. “I can’t see why. She doesn’t look like much to me.”
Rogue bit her lip, infuriated. She hated the way they stared at her as if she was nothing. Just a gnat to be squashed beneath their heels.
“Nonetheless, Sir. She’s mine,” Bones said, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
“I’m afraid not, er… Bones was it?” the senator said. “While I might be inclined to grant your request, the same doesn’t go for her.”
“But, Sir. I must insist,” Bones said.
“You are in no position to make demands,” General Sikes thundered, changing from a silent bystander to judge and executioner in the blink of an eye. “She’s a thief and a murderess. Even worse, she dared to speak ill of the senator in public.”
Rogue closed her eyes, her heart sinking to the floor. There it was. The reason she’d never leave Prime City alive. She’d tried to warn Bones, but he wouldn’t listen, blinded by his visions of a future that could never be. All because she’d dared to speak out on the day of her sentencing. Even worse, she’d spat in the senator’s face. They’d never forgive her for that.
She could still remember it like it was yesterday: The breeze that tugged at her hair, the people watching from below, the creak of the platform beneath her feet, and Senator Douglas’ pompous speech.
Afterward, he’d placed a hand on her shoulder. “May God make your end swift and painless.”
Rogue had shaken off his hand with a quick jerk, the anger bubbling up inside her and boiling over before she could stop it. “You’re the one who should go over the wall!” She spat in his face. “You hoard everything for yourself while the rest of us starve! I wouldn’t be here if you took care of us the way you claim to. You’re a monster!”
He’d struck her then before sending her over the wall. No doubt, he’d hoped she’d be torn to pieces by a vicious carnivore. Instead, here she stood, alive and well. But not for long, that she was willing to bet on.
“Senator Douglas, please. I’m begging you,” Bones said. He’d let go of her arm and now wrung his hands together in a desperate bid for mercy.
Senator Douglas’ lips curled with distaste. “Do not waste any more of my time pleading for that filthy creature. She’s nothing more than a street rat and not worth one more second of my time.”
“But—”
“You must decide. It’s either her or us,” Senator Douglas continued, cutting the hapless Bones off mid-sentence. “You can let her go, or you can join her in prison.”
“I…I…” Bones mouth flapped like a fish, his shocked gaze going from her to the senator. “What will you do to her?”
“She’ll die, of course,” Douglas said, waving a negligent hand.
Bones stared at Rogue, their eyes locking for a brief moment. She offered him a mocking smile. I told you so.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know.”
“This is becoming tiresome,” the senator said. “Your decision, man, before I sentence you both to death.”
Bones pulled his gaze from hers and turned away. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse. “Take her away.”
Douglas tilted his head. “What was that? Speak up.”
“Take her away,” Bones cried.
Douglas smiled, his expression smug. “Excellent choice.”
General Sikes waved a hand at the guards. “Get that thing out of here.”
The guards hastened to obey, and Rogue was dragged from the room without further ceremony. Her mind was numb, and she hardly noticed where they went. It didn’t matter, anyway. She was doomed.
Chapter 18
The guards marched Rogue straight to jail. There they handed her over to the man on shift. After a cursory search for weapons, he locked her into her cell. “There’s fresh water in the jug and a bucket for your needs. Don’t make trouble for me, and I won’t make trouble for you. Got it?”
“Got it,” Rogue replied.
He slammed the door shut behind him, dunking the cell block into darkness. The only light filtered in through a couple of windows set high up in the wall, and it reeked of damp. This is it, I guess. The beginning of the end.
“Rogue? Is that you?” a voice sounded from the cell next to hers.
Rogue gasped, shocked to the depths of her soul. “Moran?”
“I can’t believe it’s you,” Moran cried, thrusting her arms through the bars. “When I saw you walk in, I thought it was a dream. A delusion.”
Rogue flung herself into Moran’s embrace, tears of joy streaming down her face. “It’s me. It’s really me. I’m so happy to see you.”
“And I,” Moran said.
Rogue drew back a little, and her eyes took in every detail of Moran’s battered face. She raised a tentative hand and traced her fingers over the woman’s bruised and bloody features, noting each cut and contusion.
Next, she examined Moran’s hands. Three of the fingers had no nails, the exposed flesh raw and bloody. One knuckle was swollen to twice its size. “What happened? What did they do to you?”
Moran laughed, but it contained a bitter note. “It’s not a pretty tale.”
“Maybe not, but I want to know. Is it over? Is the Rebel Faction gone?” Rogue asked, her stomach twisting into knots.
“No, not all of it. Patti is still out there with the others while we’re stuck in here,” Moran said.
“We? Who’s we?”
“Bruce is here. So’s Bear and Steven,” Moran replied.
Rogue gasped. “They got all of you? How? But you’re always so careful.”
“We were betrayed by one of our own,” Moran replied. “She was a new recruit. I knew she couldn’t be trusted, but I ignored my instincts. Even Patti warned me. I should’ve listened.”
“Who is this woman?” Rogue asked with growing anger.
“Her name is Kat. Kat Mewes. She’s mistress to the General,” Moran explained.
Rogue’s eyes narrowed. “Kat Mewes? What does she look like?”
“Black hair, porcelain skin, tall, built like a Greek goddess,” Steven said with a sigh. “I had such a thing for her.”
“Had a thing, I hope,” Bear rumbled. “Because when I get my hands on her—”
“Sorry, but I called dibs,” Moran said with an evil chuckle.
“No can do,” Rogue interrupted. “I’ve got a prior claim to that bitch.”
Moran drew back, wincing with each movement. “How so?”
“She’s the one I told you about. The one who dumped me at the orphanage.”
“That was her?” Moran exclaimed. “I wish I’d known.”
“How long have you been in here?” Rogue asked, her concern for Moran growing by the second. It was clear the woman was in pain, and she’d obviously been tortured.
“It’s been a few days. I’m not sure how many. Time’s different in here,” Moran said.
“Are they questioning you?”
“Every now and then. They pick one of us at random,” Bruce said, shifting closer to the bars.
“We’re holding out so far,” Moran said with a proud grin, but Rogue spotted the fragility hidden below the surface.
She studied the men through the gloom. Though it was hard to make out specific details, it was clear they’d all been through hell and back. And it would only get worse. Sikes didn’t have a merciful bone in his body. Eventually, he’d ramp up the questioning until he got what he wanted. After that, they were all as good as dead. We need to get out of here, but how?
“Is there no hope of escape?” Rogue asked.
“None that we’ve been able to find, and trust me, we’ve looked,” Moran said, breaking into a hacking cough.
“Sit down,” Rogue said. “Don’t overtax yourself.”
“It’s too late for that, I’m afraid,” Moran said, lowering herself to t
he floor.
Rogue sat down next to her, their shoulders touching. While she’d dreamt of their reunion, this wasn’t what she’d imagined at all. “I’m so sorry, Moran. I should’ve been there for you.”
“And then what?” Moran asked. “It wouldn’t have made any difference.”
“Maybe not, but—”
“Enough doom and gloom,” Bruce cried. “Tell me something, Rogue dearest, because I’m dying of curiosity.”
“What do you want to know?”
“How the hell did you survive out there? And what are you doing back here?” Bruce asked.
“It’s a long story,” Rogue said.
“Well, we’ve got plenty of time,” Moran said. “And I’m sure we could all use the distraction, right guys?”
“Right,” Bruce, Steven, and Bear replied in a chorus.
“Okay, you asked for it,” Rogue said, settling in for the long haul. Gathering her wits, she mused, “Mm, where to begin?”
“At the wall, dummy,” Moran said. “I watched you climb over the edge, and my heart nearly broke in two.”
“That was after she told the senator to stick it,” Bear said with a chuckle.
“Oh, I remember that. Good for you, girl,” Steven added.
“I had nothing to lose, right?” Rogue said, “but that changed once I had to climb the wall. That’s when everything went to hell in a handbasket.”
“Don’t forget the dino attack,” Bruce prompted.
Rogue rolled her eyes. “I won’t. Besides, there are lots of attacks and narrow brushes with death in this story.”
“Ooh, so it’s gonna be a good one,” Moran said with an exaggerated shiver.
“Sure, it will. If you’ll let me tell it,” Rogue said in an exasperated tone of voice.
“Sorry, sorry, go ahead.”
“That’s better,” Rogue said. “So, anyway. I told the senator to stick it, and they made me climb the wall. I’ll start there.” Her eyes glazed over as she dug deep into her memory banks. It was all there, tucked away in storage—hidden gems to be taken out and examined at will.
***
The way down was long and treacherous. It required every bit of strength she possessed to hold on and not plunge to her death. When her feet finally touched the ground, a sigh of relief escaped her lips. It faded when she realized she was out in the open. Alone and vulnerable.
The Extinction Series | Book 2 | Primordial Earth Page 11
