JUDE
My stomach was clawing at itself, and I hoped it would be food time soon. I didn’t know how long I’d been here or how often they fed me. I just knew it had been long enough that they should be bringing me something soon. It wasn’t a lot, but I didn't care much when I was this hungry. The rumble sounded loud in the space, and I wondered if everyone could hear it. Not that there was anyone around, but it felt nice to think there was.
All in all, being a captive of the Masked Kingpin wasn’t too horrible as far as being held captive went. Since it was my first time, I’d have to wait and rate it until I had more experience to judge.
He left me alone after the first day. Seeing Elijah be murdered in front of me was pretty traumatic, though. I was mad at him for lying, but I didn’t necessarily want him dead. It didn’t help that they hadn’t cleaned the blood off me, so I still had traces of my abductor on my skin. What I wouldn’t do for a shower at this point was very limited.
The Kingpin had said I was only useful as leverage, and he apparently meant it. I guess it was a good thing since I wasn’t tortured, but I was beginning to realize there were different levels of torture that weren’t physical and I wasn’t sure which was worse.
Especially as I sat in this stark white room, with nothing but my imagination to entertain me. Food was delivered sparingly, the men dropping it off were my only real visitors, and they weren’t very chatty. I hadn’t had a shower, been given clean clothes, nor access to a bathroom. Just a concrete room that I was slowly going crazy in.
Even Cameron’s cell had more than this one. I was beginning to think my brother had it made as a Mascro prisoner with his soft bed, daily shower, and hot meals. Though technically, I was a Mascro prisoner, too, I supposed. Just not the right one.
Dayton Mascro was an interesting man. I couldn’t believe he was Imogen, Nicco, and Atticus’ father. He was the furthest thing from any of them you could be.
Leaning my head against the wall, I thought about what I should be doing right now. If I had my day right, which was hard to judge, I should be in school with Imogen. It was weird to think about school at a time like this, but I really liked where I went. And the fact Imogen, the girl I was slowly falling in love with, would be there too, just made it all the better. I wanted to share things with her and do things teenagers did. It felt dumb in the grand scheme of it all, but I guess that was why it was important.
You never knew when you wouldn’t get to just be a teen in our world.
Playing my favorite game of ‘what I would eat if I could,’ I thought about all my favorite things that Loren had introduced me to. I was remembering the fried macaroni balls when the door opened. Peeking my eyelid open, I looked over to see which unfortunate guard got to bring me food today. Unfortunate, because at this point, I stank. When two walked in, empty-handed, I sighed, closing my eyes back.
“No food? Not cool, man.”
“Jude,” a voice whispered, and I opened my eyes fully this time, the sound familiar, and found a face I knew staring at me in a Delgado guard uniform.
“Am I dreaming? I really thought I would’ve been more creative with my rescuer. Like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, or I don’t know, Black Widow. Yeah, that’d be hot.”
“Sorry, my leather was at the cleaners. Now, do you want to stay here in this stinking pit or maybe deal with me being the one to bring you home so you can see that pretty girl you’ve been crushing on?” he asked.
“Wait. You’re real?” I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Jumping to stand, I wavered as I tilted to the side, the guy I didn’t know grabbing me to balance.
“Um, hi.” I looked to Beau, pointing. “Is he going to kill us?” I whispered.
“No. I’m not,” the man I didn’t know responded, and I accepted it as truth.
“Okay, cool. So, escaping?” I asked, hope filling me. The thoughts of Imogen and Loren filled my head, along with food and a shower.
I rushed forward, hugging Beau, holding onto him for a second, needing the assurance I wasn’t dreaming. “Thank you.”
“Of course, kid. I’m sorry we let Elijah take you.” He patted my head, hugging me tight. Beau had become a real friend, and I was glad he was here, rescuing me.
I shook my head; the tears I didn’t realize had fallen, wetting my face. “No, it wasn’t his fault. He was being blackmailed. They had his family.”
“It doesn’t matter. There’s a code. We don’t betray our own,” Beau bit out, and I decided to drop it. I didn’t get the mafia code, and it would be pointless to try and argue over semantics while we were still in Delgado’s place and Elijah was dead.
“Here, we’re going to make it look like you’re a prisoner. I need to tie your hands together. We’ll keep the hood off until necessary.” He tied my hands loosely together and moved me to the door. The stranger opened it, looked out, and then nodded for us to follow.
Each step I took felt like a million. Everything was buzzing around me, and I didn’t know if it was from the lack of food or if this was some weird alternate reality, and I was actually asleep, only dreaming I was being rescued. I still wasn’t convinced.
Something in my mind told me it was too good to be true, but I didn’t want to focus on it. If I was getting out of here, I wanted to leave, no matter what. I just hoped it wasn’t a setup.
“Shit,” the guard I didn’t know cursed, stopping Beau and my’s progress. “Follow my lead.”
“Sorry, kid,” Beau said before he tossed a bag over my head, and everything went dark. After being left in the dark for a few days, I wasn’t as scared of it as I had been. The material felt rough against my face, and it immediately became hot as oxygen was trapped inside with me. I could see a small amount of light filter through, but it didn’t allow me to know what was happening. Someone tugged me, and I stumbled, my body weak from malnutrition.
“Halt! Where are you going with the prisoner?” a deep voice asked.
“If you’re asking, then you’re not in the know,” the guard I didn’t know said in a bored tone. “Can I carry on with my job, or do you want to be the one to tell the Masked Kingpin you stopped the transportation?”