Page 18 of Sadistic Retribution (Rise of Phoenyxx #2)

Phoenyxx

I creep to the end of the dark hallway, hoping to get through to the golden-eyed boy.

I don’t know why I even care, honestly, but I do.

I have no one outside of here. Nothing to lose, that’s for sure.

I'm just too much of a fighter to lay down.

Sometimes I wish I could stay in a catatonic state forever.

I wait a minute, then realize that all the cages open during free time. I hesitantly try the door, and it opens. Breathing in, I slowly entering the cell. I lean down, thinking he’s likely under the bed again.

“Hi,” I whisper. “Remember me?”

He scoots forward a bit, golden eyes wide. He's still naked and shivering. I hold out my hand. “What’s your name?”

He shakes his head frantically.

“Okay,” I try again. “What’s your number?”

He goes very still, then lifts a shaky hand, holding up three fingers.

I grin. “Nice to meet you, 3. Would you like some clothes? I can ask the masks, if you want.”

His eyes water, tears slipping down his face. Poor guy, he must be so miserable.

“Can I touch you?” I try, needing to make contact for some inexplicable reason. I’m oddly drawn to this sad boy.

He scoots out from under the bed, not taking his eyes off me. I reach out, touching his shoulder. He makes an odd sound in his throat and propels himself into my arms.

My heart flips a bit, surprised I can still feel anything. I put my arms around him, whispering assurances. “Can you talk?” I ask in a low voice.

He shakes his head again, trembling in my arms. He must be mute. At least he can hear me.

I rock him back and forth, sitting on the cold floor with him. We just sit quietly, until the bonging sound indicates free time is over.

“Shit,” I mutter. I’ve got to get the fuck out of there, quick. “Let me help you onto the bed, 3.” He lets me, sinking down on the mattress. I put my fingers under his chin. “I’ve got to go, but I will be back next free time. Okay?"

He whines, but leans forward, pressing his lips against mine briefly.

Shocked, I look deep into those mesmerizing golden eyes. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

I get up, slipping out the door, moving fast toward my own cell, pushing myself inside just in time.

“Hey, 6?” I call out, hoping she can hear me. I'm in desperate need to talk to anyone besides the fucking masks, plus I want to check in with my new friend.

“11! Hi, hello, my wife! What are you doing? Missing me?”

I laugh softly. “Need a friend, is all. You want to tell me anything you remember about yourself?”

She makes a sound in her throat. “I don’t know, nope, sure don’t! I'm 6, I guess. I don’t remember anything at all before here—if I wasn’t born here. I don’t knowww!” she wails, clearly distraught.

“I’m sorry, 6, I didn’t mean to upset you. What about any information about this place?”

“Hmmm... you know all I do, honestly. It's just fighting and sleeping, repeat every day. Don't know who the masks are, but they’re really bad!”

“Okay, it’s alright,” I try to soothe her. “I’ll let you get some rest.”

“Okie-dokie! Goodnight, wifey!”

I sit on my bed, waiting for those fuckers to come fuck with me. I need to help 3, somehow. I don’t have anyone left. Although I care for 6 and 3, it’s not the same wave of emotion I feel for the guys and Valley. I’m so damn alone.

A tear slips down my cheek as my thoughts wander to Valley, and the guys—and Hunter.

Val was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

She was pure light, and radiated love. I thought I’d found true love with my guys, but I was so wrong.

I choke on a sob, the pain still cutting so deep, it steals my breath.

No one ever tells you what your soul being ripped from your body feels like.

The pain is unlike anything I’ve ever known.

It's a physical ache—a sharp stab in the chest. It hurts so bad, you feel like you’re dying.

Your stomach flips, and you get physically sick.

Then, you get hit with wave after wave of fresh hell.

It doesn’t stop. It's impossible to live with.

That's probably why people kill themselves.

My musings are interrupted by my door whishing open. I look up to see Demon. He’s alone—odd. They always come in pairs.

“Got your food coming, 11,” he tells me. Weirdly, he just stands there, watching me.

The fuck?

I wait him out, trying to see his angle. He doesn’t move at all—just stares. It's freaking me out, so I say something.

“Okay... well, since I have your attention, I have a question. The patient at the end of the hall, in the dark corner? Can you please give him some clothes?”

He startles. “What? How do you know about him?”

I shrug. “Just saw him when I was walking during free time.”

He tilts his head. “You’re not supposed to know about him.” He lunges forward, grabbing me threateningly by the neck, squeezing. “Tell no one, or what you’ve been through already will feel like a picnic!”

I cough, my eyes watering once he lets go. “I won’t say shit.”

He stares for another few seconds, then nods. “To answer your question… I suppose, if you’re willing to part with a set of your clothes.”

Huh? “I have more clothes?”

He laughs. “Yes, 11, everyone does. You'll be down to three pairs if you give one pair up.”

“Fine, fine, do it.”

I hear footsteps, and Skull walks in, carrying a plate and a bottle of water. He silently hands them to me, and they both walk out.

Hmmm... very interesting. Why wouldn’t I be informed about extra clothes? At least 3 will have some now.

Purge

Synn and Razor burst through my door, giving me a fucking heart attack.

“We have to talk,” Razor rushes out.

“I had to make a deal with Des,” Synn starts. “She told us a lot. She knows about the tunnels. She also confirmed The Morgue is real, and that Pazessca is likely there.”

“And she said they experiment on the patients,” Razor adds, his restless hand fiddling with his blade.

I jump out of my chair, sending it rolling backwards. “Wait, what? First, what deal did you make, Synn?”

He purses his lips. “I have to be her fiancé for real, give her ass a ring. Show her attention in public—and sex at her demand.”

“The fuck, Brother? Why would you agree to all that? You love Iskra, don’t you?”

He looks me right in the eyes. “I do. And she may never fucking know.”

Wow. The unshakeable Synn fell in love. “As far as what she told you, you think it’s real info, and not bullshit?”

“Yeah, man,” Razor answers. “It was too detailed not to be.”

I blow out a loud breath. “I need help with this shit...”

“We called Harris,” Synn says, shocking the shit out of me. “He won’t tell us where he is, but said he’d be looking into it too.”

“Honestly, the only way we’ll have a chance to find that place is by searching the tunnels. All the hacking in the world won’t uncover something there might be no record of.”

“We have searched them all—repeatedly. There has to be something we missed!” Synn yells.

“Maybe it’s somewhere else on the property? We searched the buildings, the forest- but not anywhere between. Feel me?” Razor muses.

Well, I'll be damned, he has a good point. “That’s a possibility, man. Let me try some dark web searching, I’ll dig deeper than I have already. Just know the deeper I go, the more chance I’ll get caught. But Iskra is worth it.”

They both nod.

“Let me get to work,” I say, dismissing them. I take my seat, settling in for a long search.

Hunter

I make eye contact with Thor and Bill as I walk into the computer room. “There’s news.”

“Yeah?” Thor says, chewing the inside of his cheek.

“That’s what he said, idiot,” Bill mutters.

I ignore their constant bickering. “We got intel that The Morgue does exist, and that's it’s somehow attached to the tunnels. There’s a strong chance that Phoenyxx is there. I was also informed that... experiments... are done there.”

“I don’t know, man. We've searched all over, and have come up empty,” Thor says, an apology written on his expression.

“Search harder,” I growl through gritted teeth. “Jax said this is top priority.”

“Then join us,” Bill suggests.

I roll my eyes. “No shit.”

I sit at the computer, thinking what we could possibly search for that we haven’t already. An idea forms. “What if we chase the Mafia/Bratva angle? There could be intel there we aren’t privy to yet.”

“Yeah!” Thor yells, fist pumping the air. “Of course! Let's do this, team!”

“Shut up, moron,” Bill tosses back.

“Shut up, BILL!”

“For the love of God—please stop,” I tell the bickering idiots. “Now, while we’re working and waiting, tell me more about you guys. You all single, married?” I try to make small talk with them to diffuse the environment.

“As if someone would marry me,” Thor quips. “Sure, I've had a ton of chicks, just haven’t met the one yet, you know?”

“Oh please. As if any women would willingly sleep with you,” Bill can’t help himself from yet another sarcastic dig.

Thor flips him off, sticking his tongue out.

“I’m single. I was married once—and no, I don’t want to talk about it,” Bill insists.

“Fair enough,” I say.

The two of them start bickering again, so I tune the idiots out, typing quickly as I get to work.