Apex

Chapter 24

•Kriss•

I should have run when I had the chance. I was free. Free of the lab, of the giants, of the past. I could have run, but I stupidly trusted these people. My fellow humans. I cringed as Connor let out a particularly loud scream in the tent next to mine. As soon as I heard the saw make a wet scrape against bone I nearly vomited. But my stomach was empty so I could only manage painful dry heaves.

I pulled at my wrists, testing the rope binding my hands together. A rough wooden beam kept the tent up. They'd bound me to the beam like the prisoner. Splinters cut through my ragged shirt and my hands were tied together on the other side of the wood.

I freed myself only to be trapped again. I had no one to blame but myself.

These people were resourceful. The city may be patrolled by the aliens, but this subway runs for miles. Even if they found out that people were surviving in these tunnels, they'd have too much area to comb through. That would likely give everyone here enough time to evacuate. 

I had no doubt that this place would be found eventually. With the technology and resources the giants have on hand, it's impossible for this camp to last indefinitely. I have to admit, it was impressive nonetheless.

The opening to the tent swung open and in walked the king of my captors, the one who introduced himself as Samuel. His bald head shined in the candlelight like a freshly waxed bowling ball. He stretched and rolled his shoulders, grinning at me.

"Someone doesn't look happy," I dropped my eyes and kept my head down.

"Oh, don't be like that," he squatted in front of me, forcing himself into my line of sight. "You are a guest here. As long as you play by the rules and answer my questions you'll be fine."

I have no idea what he thought I knew, but he'd come to learn that I wouldn't be telling him anything.

Not after making me a prisoner on the spot.

A tall figure pushed open the tent flap.

His clothes were covered in fresh black stains and his hair was a ruffled mess. Scratches lined harms, his clothes were torn beyond repair, but he was all in one piece.

Asher's eyes rounded when they landed on me.

"Sam, what is this?" he breathed.

"What is this?" Samuel scoffed. "I should be the one asking you that question. What could've possibly possessed you to bring a stranger into our camp? This is not some social club. I have people to keep alive and you go out without a word, without permission, to look for guests?"

"You know why I left," Asher growled. "You know exactly what I was looking for."

"And I told you to stay put!" Samuel shouted. "You had one job, Asher! One order: stay here. Instead, you blatantly disobey me to run a fool's errand and for what?"

Asher glared at him, his jaw clenched. I could see a vein pulsing in his neck from here. Connor howled in agony.

"'Dozens of people', that's what you told me. That Sye was carrying 'dozens of people' off in a cage on the outskirts of the city." Samuel raised his arms, motioning around the interior of the tent. "Does this look like dozens of people, Asher?"

Asher's eyes drifted back to me, something akin to pain flickering through them.

"We tried to find them," he said, voice hollow. "We followed as long as we could but lost the tracks. Instead we found her." He nodded at me.