“To town,” he answered easily.
I took another steadying breath. This had to be the same town that Hendrix and Nelson were “visiting.” So whether they’d been captured like us, or were still working out a way to find medicine for Page, we would mostly likely run into them.
“You look…. well fed,” I commented dryly. I didn’t understand my need to talk to him, but it seemed to unrattle my nerves; by starting conversation and forcing him to answer I felt like I had some control of this situation.
“I am.” Another answer. He wasn’t very secretive.
For some reason I imagined cold killers to be secretive. He was throwing me.
Although he wasn’t very forthcoming either.
“How?” I asked incredulously. “How are you well fed?”
We had come to the edge of the forest. A high school spread out before us- football field and track with metal bleachers on both sides. Beyond that a soccer field and baseball diamond. And then the school itself- completely brick, with no visible windows on this side of the building.
The sun was finally a presence in the sky and early morning light spilled across the school property bringing the empty silence that surrounded us into sharp display. Two years ago this was probably brand new, or relatively new. The bleachers were still shiny, the buildings still intact and the grass almost green.
My stoic captor shot me a grave look and admitted, “We eat our prisoners.”
I had no idea if he was serious or joking. It seemed odd that he would joke with me, but then it seemed worse that he could be serious. I stared at him, deep into his gray eyes and looked for truth. There was nothing but a challenge meeting me and it unnerved me worse than his gun to my head.
“Don’t worry, darlin’,” his friend hollered from behind, his drawl thick and heavy. “I never heard not one of Kane’s prisoners complain!”
“Oh, god.” My stomach roiled and convulsed.
Kane cleared his throat but didn’t offer an explanation. Two things were clear in that moment. The first was that neither Kane nor his friends actually ate people.
The second was that Kane was used to getting his way with girls.
Shit.
We were quiet the rest of the way. I could practically feel Vaughan’s protective shield as he walked behind me. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to me. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to us.
At the door to the school, we paused while Kane took a moment to pull out a large set of keys. I looked up and took note of the men patrolling the roof and then swung my gaze wide, realizing there were armed men everywhere. The front of the school sat on a little plot of property but beyond that was a tiny, closely built town with an adorable downtown. Neighborhoods sprawled to the sides of the main street and extended beyond my visibility.
Someone called out Kane’s name just as he pulled up the right key and grabbed his attention. While the guard walked over with two more in tow. Vaughan’s guards turned to the other men too and I took the opportunity to have my own meeting with Vaughan.
“What the hell!” I mouthed.
“Reagan, listen to me,” he whispered sternly. Apparently, he saw the same precious seconds as I did. “Whatever happens, you need to meet me tonight. Under those bleachers.”
“Why are you-“
“I don’t know what they’re going to do to us, or where they’re going to keep us. But if I had to guess….. Kane is…. I don’t think they’ll keep us together.” Vaughan’s words were bitter and hard steel. He glanced over at the man in question and then back to me, imploring me to listen. “Whatever happens, you need to get there. By midnight. Can you?”
I nodded. “Can you?”
“Whatever it takes,” he agreed.
“Whatever it takes,” I echoed. “And Hendrix and Nelson?”
“I’ll find them. Don’t worry about them.” When I snorted as if that were impossible he bit out. “Just worry about taking care of yourself, yeah?”
New fear built like a raging volcano inside me, “Yeah.”
“They’re going to ask questions,” he dropped his voice to barely above a whisper and I had to read his lips to understand him. “Have you ever played that game, Two Truths and a Lie?”
I looked at him like he was crazy. “Yes.” I finally admitted, feeling like we would be ripped apart at any moment.
“That’s the key to interrogation,” he explained quickly. “Remember that. Give them more truth than lies. Always.” I nodded but that wasn’t good enough for him, “Say it back to me.”
“Two truths and a lie,” I whispered with my heart in my throat.