“Ana?” Brutus’s voice takes my attention back to see John approaching. I inhale through my nostrils, steeling myself for whatever he’s got to say. I anticipate an “I told you so” or perhaps some mockery.
“John, I’m glad you’re here,” I greet him as he gets close, deciding to try a different tactic. “I was hoping to get your help today.”
His eyes only widen, and I have to stifle a laugh as his mouth opens and closes several times like he can’t decide how to respond.
“I-Uh…”
“You may recall there’s a Pit battle scheduled today?” I continue. “I’m hoping you can finalize things and make the arrangements.”
His look of surprise turns to suspicion. Most people know I’m not a huge fan of the fights and the fact I am asking him just compounds it.
“That’s Ethan’s job,” he replies, neither confirming nor denying my request. I stare at him, giving nothing away and relish the moment he squirms for my response. Apparently, my display with Desmond did more than I thought. I make a mental note to follow up on that fucker later too.
“I think you’ve been with us a long time,” I finally reply, like I haven’t been here a fraction of the time he has. “And I think it would be appropriate to have you assist me with facilitating certain things.” I notice the interested gleam in his eye and have to resist patting myself on the back. “With everything going on, I could use a man like you around.” I finish delivering the final ego stroke. It does grate a bit, but at the same time, it’s true. If I had him on my side working with me, that could be handy. Certainly, better than against me.
“I can arrange the fight,” he replies in a bit deeper voice than usual. I have to keep the smile from my face when I nod to him and only crack when he walks away. I look to Brutus for a laughing buddy, but he doesn’t seem to get it.
Oh well.
Sitting down on my shitty throne-chair, I watch, and I wait, and I wonder what Ax is doing.
Thirteen
Axle
“Are you sure it’s still down here?” Ethan asks doubtfully while holding up the flashlight.
“No,” I grit out as my foot splashes in something. This is fucking disgusting.
“I still can’t believe you never told me,” Ethan accuses as we move forward slowly. I really don’t have a defense for my secrecy, so I say nothing.
Twenty years ago, I came down here with a creepy man named Crow not knowing it would change my life forever. Since then, the maze of sewers below solitary has remained hidden both from sight and mind. The days following mama’s death were and still are, a blur. I suppose I’ve always known this was an option, but I’ve never had the drive or reason to pursue it. For a decade I grew up with revenge as my only goal. When I killed Brenan and took over, somehow it all got skewed. Rather than get revenge on the guards who were truly behind her death, I took up the mantle.
Fuck, I even made deals with those slimy fuckers. Violence and bloodshed have blinded me for years and because of that, the real enemy has grown and is now flexing his strength to try to takemywoman from me. Heat and rage fill me at the thought, coursing thick through my veins.
“What’s Ana doing?” Ethan asks, breaking me from my downward spiral of thought. I don’t answer immediately, jumping over a puddle onto the concrete ledge opposite.
“Distracting,” I reply through tight lips. Ethan chuckles lightly.
“Fuck!” I shout again as I step in another puddle. Chitters of rats running away echo through the sewers.
Beyond the solitary area and deep in The Tomb there is an old facility closet. Filled with broken parts and junk, it hid a broken chunk of wall. Beyond, winding sewers deep into the earth.
Last time I came here I was led. How Crow knew the way, I have no idea, but with what I’ve gleaned about the man over the years, I’m not overly shocked by that. He was a powerful man on the outside with fingers in a lot of pots, if rumor is anything to go by. I knew him for only a short time, but he kept his promise all those years ago to help me. His influence has gotten me supplies and more than I never could have gotten on my own.
I bring my attention back to the task at hand, stopping to mark the wall with blue paint. Even if I had been paying close attention it would be near impossible to find the right way and now it’s just a crapshoot guessing game. It would be incredibly easy to get lost down here and I absently wonder how far the tunnels go.
“So, when we get there, what then?” Ethan asks as we move forward. I shrug.
“We see what the exit looks like now,” I reply, thinking back to all those years ago.
Somewhere in here is a grate that leads outside these walls. A grate with tight bars that a grown man’s hands could not fit through. But a boys could. Or a woman. I don’t know what’s on the other end, only that Crow did get out.
I also know the earthquake four years ago may have changed things down here. We move on slowly but surely, and even though I’m impatient, the presence down here is downright macabre, even for me.
It’s time to get this over with and get Ana the fuck out of here.
Fourteen