Chapter 2: Meet 'n' Greet part two

"...There's going to be a bit of seperation between you all, as well," Clara continued. "I can't tell you much more; as it is classified."

Seperation? Wait, how is this going to work?

"But, we're going to start by seperating men and women from each other," Clara said. At those words, Ann was ripped right away. Somehow, I didn't even see it, but she escaped my view of her and was farther away. I suppose I was glued to the spot hanging on to every word for my own safety. Words couldn't describe how amazingly scared I was.

The guards didn't hesitate ripping me away with the other men through a sort of port in the boat. I desperately searched the crowd. It took me a good five seconds before I spotted Ann's red braid.

"Ann," I breathed. I watched hopelessly as she was half trampled and roughly dragged by guards to an opposite port.

Us men were taken down below back into the dank hallways. It had a strong pungent smell I couldn't describe. Why was this happening? Why?

I closed my eyes, still being forced to walk on. I bit my lip to the point tears shed. This was all a bad dream...a horrible nightmare that I'd wake up from soon. But someone suddenly tripped and their foot kicked the back of my knee, causing myself to lose balance. This was reality. I got up quickly, for fear of being stepped on by men three times my size.

Once we came to a certain hallway that was a little wider now, I could see doors. I expected nothing to be in the rooms, like last time. One by one, men were literally thrown into these rooms as guards opened up doors and shoved them inside. They treated these people like vermin crawling around, as if they were all inferior.

I could only wonder if Ann's little hallway somewhere on this boat was as bad as this situation. When it came to my turn, a rough hand gripped tightly on the back of my shirt and threw me inside. I half fell, half slipped on the wooden floor with a thud. My hands were burning from the sudden impact. I got up slowly and looked around. It was dreary. There was a tiny cot in the middle with dark brown sheets that radiated a sharp smell. I felt disgusting, the room felt disgusting.

I tried to calm myself down by eagerly listening to the clamor of voices still lingering outside of my door. I walked around and searched another side of the room, hidden by a wall just to give myself something to do.

But, guess who was neatly perched in a chair? KAI! My instincts automatically told me to jerk back. My heart couldn't have been any more startled.

"What? K-Kai?" I trembled. He smirked back.

" 'Sup, man? Looks like fate paid me a visit," Kai greeted, with elbows on the arms of the chair and a hand playing with a suspicious chain hanging from the ceiling.

I shook my head in disbelief. "What are you doing in such a nice chair? When the room is crappy?"

"Well," Kai pursed his lips. "The old man gave me this chair. You see, a little white lie can actually go a long way," he nodded to himself with bitter content.

"What old man?" I inquired.

"Cliff, bro, you never saw him?" he stared. I shook my head. Kai tightened his grip on the hanging chain and shifted around in the chair. "Then, let me do you the honor of explaining. When I woke up in this sort of, alien-looking prison place made outta chrome, I was dragged out. This guard guy, Max, was his name, he said I resembled a prince."

Kai stuck his head high and laughed. "Could you believe that? Total bull! But, of course, you know I had to improvise. So, I put on a phony accent and pretended that they kidnapped me, Prince Kai the Most Beloved And High From The Far East!"

I wanted to gag, throw up, and repeat at such self vanity. Deep down, Kai was a good guy, at times could be vain, but hard-working. "You lied to authority?" I said.

"Yep."

I stood motionless with crossed arms and a blank look. "Wow," was all I said in monotone. Kai just laughed loudly. "...so who was the old guy?"

"Ugh!" Kai groaned impatiently. "I'm getting to that part. Anyway, he isn't "old", maybe around fifty or so. He believed my whole facade and gave me this chair as some comfort away from home. He apologized and said I could return on land shortly! Awesome, right?"

I uncrossed my arms and scoffed. "I hate you. I hate this place. I hate this whole predicament, Kai!"

"Oh, c'mon. You don't really hate me. And hate is such a strong...accurate word," Kai looked down at his feet in thought and then looked up at me again. "The boss is someone you'll hate even more."

"Is he dangerous?"

Kai stuck a hand in the air. "Pfft! The guy's a total mambi-pambi! He looks quite mean, and could sure be dangerous if he wanted to be. But he's like every other ruler in total power; a coward. He's a coward and I could sense it. He's putting on a facade just like I am to escape. But, I, am not a bad guy."

"Oh," I said. "Well, I know you're not a bad guy. But he is?"

Kai looked at me with a solemn look cross his face and his voice lowered. "He just murdered three people four hours ago, Cliff. They didn't obey his ludicrous orders. What does that tell you? He's much more capable of evil than you think."

"Why are we here? What is it that you're hiding?" I inquired, feeling anger boil up inside.

Kai jumped up from his chair in self-defense, and suddenly waved his arms around in exasperation.

"What am I hiding? What are you hiding, Cliff? Huh? Tell me. Because I know just about as much as you do. In case you weren't briefed a while back, we'll find out everything about our own business here in a few."

"How long do we hav-" the door behind me burst open with Max standing in the hall.

"He botherin' you, Prince Kai?" Max growled. I inwardly rolled my eyes.

"Oh," Max said. "Boss wants to see you, LaRue. It's about your business here."

Without a word, he took me by the arms as Kai had the biggest look of a jerk, kind of grin cross his mouth. He waved goodbye arrogantly.

"Traitor," I mouthed silently. Kai knew more about everything than he was saying.

Next: Chapter 3, Mystery Woman