Flesh

Chapter 13~Fresh Start

The walls were a dark forest green and had a smooth texture. I ran my fingers along the wall, realizing that I was finally here. All of these secrets would soon be discovered.

I then saw a huge sign that said "Fresh Start" blown up on the wall.

This wasn't the Utopian headquarters. It was where the food was processed.

Great. The whole time I thought the truck was taking me to the headquarters but I wounded up in the factory that was right in the center of town. Nobody could access it though.

I quickly climbed the flight of stairs, realizing that if I was here I might as well snoop. Each step I took my blood pounded with angst.

I still had to keep quiet and hidden because who knows what evil was contained there. It was surrounding me, and that was enough to send a chill down my spine.

Out of my right peripheral, there was a corner that was just wide enough for me to hide. Just beyond the corner was a door that had a sign: No Entrance without Identification.

The silver door was beckoning to me as I hid from a group of people walking in the hallways.

My heart was pounding in my chest as

more people passed me. They were laughing and making small talk. The uniforms were a forest green that matched the walls. My green sweater was camouflaging with the wall.

All of a sudden I heard a familiar laugh in the distance and everything inside of me froze. It was the laugh that echoed throughout our house as he joked with my brothers and I. It was the laugh that made me feel safe. But here it is now, so out of place. No longer the warm laugh, instead it was cold and laced with vile.

Mark's POV

"Everyone please gather around," chimed the bosses voice through the intercom.

All of the workers were called to a meeting and we all piled into the vast factory where we would be lectured and possibly humiliated.

I would be one of the bosses victims today, and I know exactly why.

The leader of the Utopia was standing before us on an elevated wooden platform. He was the one who was in charge of everything, and I was one of his wingman.

His posture was perfect as always and his hands were folded- right over left. The navy blue suit he wore was tailored perfectly and made him seem ageless considering his short buzz cut hair.

His name was Red.

"Sorry for interrupting all of your hard work and duties but this is rather an important meeting," he said, his voice crisp through the speaker.

Everyone in the room turned their heads and focused their eyes on me. I pretended not to know by staring at my hands and fiddled with the loose strand at the bottom of my suit.

"Mark," spoke Red and the room went silent.

"Red, you need to believe me I will do it immediately when I get home,"

Everything humane inside of me turned off. How could I tie up my wife who I loved dearly. How could I kill her?

"Julie is tied up and she can't go anywhere to get the kids. Even if she did escape from the handcuffs because I inserted a tracker in her. It will be all over tonight," I said, letting the words flow like it was a normal thing thing to say.

"And remember: do not kill the two boys. Beckett and Zander are there names?"

I nodded.

"Well The Rules say if you have an heir to your last name they can live and that just happens to apply to you."