The muffled sound of whimpering and cries drew me from my dreamless state of unconsciousness:
Will.
"Will?" I tried to speak, but nothing came out, my throat was so dry; my breath seemingly stolen from me as it passed my lips. Struggling to move, I was careful because if memory served correctly, I was still injured. I realized I was on a cot; a springy, cheaply made cot, but it was something. I felt shocked that I wasn't restrained, and I was even more surprised to find myself anywhere other than a cell back at the BCA headquarters.
No, instead the place seemed to be a warehouse; an old one that thanks to the universal shortage of supplies, didn't house much of anything…
"Oh look, he's up."
A voice came from across the room.
My eyes darted to the origin of the voice, only to see a big, burly alpha approaching me. His demeanor was anything but friendly, but he hadn't killed me nor left me for dead up to this point, so I had to have faith that he at least wanted something from me; that he wanted me alive; for now.
"Well, well well… If it isn't Hannibal Lecter; we meet again."
His voice sounded familiar; a Cockney accent. I quickly concluded that he was the Alpha that had threatened me on the street the other day.
Some of the pieces were coming together now, but my mind got distracted by the far off sound of whimpering that I was certain now had to be Will.
"What have you done with my mate?" I said in an accusing tone.
"Your mate? Now now, I didn't see any marks on him. In fact he doesn't smell like you've claimed him at all. What's wrong old man? Couldn't get it up? Or are you too afraid of commitment..."
A sharp pain shot through my side, and I finally looked down at my abdomen to take a look at the damage. Surprisingly, my stomach was wrapped with gauze. The cotton material looked clean and new, but there was a small amount of blood starting to seep through, no doubt caused by my sudden increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
"The girl stitched you up, but you're goin' to be down for the count for a while yet."
My rising frustration with my incapacitating injury caused me to growl out the next question,
"Girl? What girl?"
Not two seconds after I'd asked, a smaller form appeared into my blurry field of vision. But I didn't need a set of working eyes to know who it was. The scent said it all:
"Alana."
"Sorry, no." The girl said in a lofty tone.
"I let you believe I was Alana so you'd think I was a good-guy. Truth is, Alana died; weeks ago. I'm Margot, Alpha Sebastian's favorite. I figured when I met you that since you and Will were so closely… acquainted that he would have mentioned me; would have mentioned that I am subservient to our Alphas and that I helped keep him in line whenever he forgot his place."
"His place?" I felt woozy, likely from the lack of blood, but I sat up anyway. I was trying to force myself to be strong; to bear the pain and get up; I had to do it, for Will.
"His place here with us; he ran away, of course, because just like Alana, he is weak and dumb and does not understand his role in life." Margot sounded like a truly brainwashed psychopath.
"I need to see him. Please, let me see Will."
"That's not going to happen, Doc." The Alpha, apparently named Sebastian, asserted gravely.
Anger and fear boiled beneath the surface of my skin, but I hid it well. I decided to go with a diversion, in order to allow my anger to dissipate.
"You… you have an inside man, don't you? One of the border guards. That's how I ended up here in your lair instead of in a cell at the bunker."
"Ah, so you do have a brain, at least. Good. The old man was right; maybe we could use you…"
I wasn't sure who he referred to when he said 'the old man,' but I had more important things to worry about.
"You want information on the inner workings of the BCA? Why don't you just ask your inside man, whoever he is?"
"No, not the BCA, who gives a flying fuck about the BCA anymore? They are untrained cowards with guns. I mean the people on the streets."
"Recruits." I made an educated guess.
Sebastian nodded.
"For what? Your little breeding club?"
"Hardly." He scoffed.
I didn't exactly have much reason to believe they were running an operation solely bent on breeding, but it was a decent guess; one that I was a little relieved to be wrong about...
"You'd better sit back, Doc, your wound is bleeding again."
I complied, simply because the pain of sitting up was becoming too much. I laid supine on the bed, as that was the least painful position I could find. I felt vulnerable and weak; a feeling I was not used to, being both an Alpha and independent for all this time.
"Look, we're bringin' in the new revolution; the rebellion is back, stronger than ever. And I'm well on my way to rising to the top of the heap."
That comment made me scoff, and I regretted it instantly, because I felt a tight pain in my abdomen; more than just a normal, residual gunshot wound pain; it was the kind of pain that made me think something was truly wrong; like I'd possibly come close to popping a stitch.
"God…." I sighed out of exasperation; I was shaking from how much pain I was in.
"Why… Why am I still alive? What is it you really want from me? Who is this guy you said wanted to use me?"
"There's plenty of time for that, mate..." Sebastian mysteriously left it at that.
...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo...
Margot stayed with me while Sebastian left, she was obviously keeping watch just in case I somehow mustered the strength and wherewithal to get up and attempt an escape. I could already tell that was not going to happen. In fact I was already wondering how on earth I was going to manage taking a piss in a few hours.
"You know I'm not going anywhere." I said to the female Omega, sounding every bit as defeated as I felt.
"I know. I did a shitty job stitching you up to ensure that."
I had to give the girl credit; it was clever, on her part; she probably left the suture strand connected to each knot, so that any movement will pull on the other stitches, causing great pain and threatening to rip right out of my intestinal tissue.
"That was very keen of you… I'm surprised you're still with that idiot, Sebastian. After what he did to you? Leaving you to rot in that cell?"
"What are you talking about? Sebastian didn't know I'd been incarcerated. He thought I was dead."
"If that's the case, he certainly didn't look too broken up about it. I met him out on the streets a couple of days ago. He was more concerned about getting Will back from me than he was about losing you. Seems to me he has a favorite alright… And it's not you."
She seemed a little flustered by my words, but not nearly as shaken as I needed her to be, if I was going to turn her.
"You're lying. Sebastian was worried sick."
"What were you in for, again? Oh yes, that's right; stealing from a pharmacy. I'll bet he sent you on that little suicide mission, didn't he? You're disposable to him, Margot. He doesn't even call you by name, does he? Keeps referring to you as 'the girl.' You mean nothing to him. You're blind if you don't see that."
Margot set her jaw, her buggy eyes turning to slits.
"I see what you're doing. You're trying to turn me against him. Oldest trick in the book, old man."
Her words projected one sentiment, while her demeanor projected another: that what I said started to sink in with her; that the seed I'd planted just might take root.
Margot did leave, then, because another figure was walking towards me. My vision had cleared considerably, but I still did a spit take when I realized who it was, looking free as a bird and not under any form of duress.
Jack Crawford.
He sat on the edge of the cot I was laying on, coincidentally in just the right spot so I didn't have to crane my neck to make eye contact with him, given my supine position.
"Hey, sleepy head. Get any rest?"
"I…" I felt confused. Jack looked casual; relaxed, even.
"What's going on, here Jack? I would think they would have you in chains right now. How do they know you won't escape? And where are we exactly? And where's Will?"
Jack frowned a little, no doubt disappointed in my near frantic state, considering how calm I normally was. (Though normally I didn't have a debilitating bullet hole in my gut.)
"It's a long story, Hannibal." Startlingly, I thought I detected a hint of… shame in my friend's tone.
Slowly but surely, the blanks were being filled in. My demeanor turned grave.
"You… you know these guys? These filthy Alphas who raped and enslaved Will?"
"Hann… It's not like that..."
"How could you be associated with monsters like them?"
"They share our same cause, Hannibal. They're part of the rebellion, like us."
"Like you, you mean."
"Like us. Come on, you know you believe in the same thing as me; freeing the people; ending the quarantine, taking down our oppressive government."
"Not if it means we work with people who do what these people do. Do you even know what sort of abuse Will suffered under the hands of Sebastian and his underlings? What they're probably doing to him right now?"
Jack put his hand up, indicating that I should lower my volume.
"Will is fine; for now. They haven't laid a finger on him."
"Yet." Anger boiled in my veins, realizing that my friend was no longer the man I thought he was.
"How long have you collaborated with them, huh?" Disgust wrenched at my stomach, making my injury hurt even worse.
"Ever since I was incarcerated. Most of the guards in max security are part of our cause; I was able to get a hold of a computer and work from there. The guards offered to facilitate my escape, but the timing wasn't right. At the time, I was safest in prison, knowing how many enemies I had; if I turned up missing it would have incurred a manhunt, and who knows how many of my operatives would have gotten caught or killed in that time. But now our numbers have exponentially grown. And those pills you slipped me were perfect, because now the paperwork says I'm dead. And we've got BCA witnesses to attest to that. No one is looking for me. But you on the other hand… you're a wanted man."
My heart was pounding like a jackrabbit as I fully realized the grave mistake I'd made, busting my former friend out of prison.
"I should have left you there. I should have left the city with Will and Jakov, and we all would have made it out alive; scot-free."
"It is too bad, about Jakov. He went really slowly. Took forever for his lung to fill with blood, and even longer for him to drown in it. If it means anything to you, I do wish he hadn't been caught in the crossfire of all of this. He didn't deserve to die. He was a good man."
"Was he one of yours?"
"No. Jakov had no idea I was still leading the rebellion from my little cell. I always had a feeling he idolized me, the poor sap. Ironically I think he was a better hacker than me."
"How the mighty fall." I said bitterly.
"Still. You know I can help you, Hannibal. I can make sure Will stays safe here. I can protect him."
"In exchange for what?"
"Your loyalty. To the cause."
"Never."
"Never is a strong word."
"I mean it. I will protect Will myself."
Jack scoffed, but it sounded more like a laugh.
"And how are you going to do that? Are you going to challenge all these Alphas, in your condition?"
"I'll die before I sit by and let Will get hurt again."
"Be careful what you wish for. You might just die anyway. Looks like you're getting worse. I think it's time for you to realize that some things are outside of your control. I know it's not an easy thing for you to surrender. But Will belongs to these Alphas. And like it or not they're going pump him full of pups as soon as his heat rolls around, or maybe before."
This time I couldn't hold back my nausea. I stiffly rolled to my side just in time for a stream of vomit to pour out of my mouth, and splashed onto the floor. I noticed the redness of blood in the puddle, indicating that I was probably still bleeding internally.
"Ah, fuck… I just cleaned that floor." A shout of complaint came from somewhere in the warehouse, though I couldn't tell from whom.
Jack got up and started to leave. He obviously wasn't going to be the one to clean up after me, and I'm sure the acrid smell hit him even before it did me.
"Margot. Clean this shit up."
I made wary eye contact with the scrawny Omega when she eventually arrived at my side again, this time carrying a bucket of soapy water and a rag. She looked reluctant and disgusted, understandably so.
"I'm sorry..." I apologized genuinely.
"It's alright. It's not your fault." She sounded surprisingly gracious.
"I'm going to have to… use the facilities soon, too. I… I don't think I have the strength to get up."
"I've got a bedpan around here somewhere; you can cover up with a sheet if you want."
As if I couldn't get anymore humbled or humiliated…
...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo...
Hours later, I noticed the warehouse becoming darker; the sun was setting. I hadn't heard any distant whimpers from Will in a long time, and I hoped that was a good sign; perhaps he got a chance to rest, wherever he was.
A smaller-build Alpha named Rex made himself known to me, strutting around like a boastful victor, and although he said nothing for a long while, I knew his behavior had something to do with Will.
"What are you so goddamn smug about?" I said long after I'd gotten sick of his silent presence.
"Just thought I'd come check out the man who was too fucking pussy to claim his Omega while he had the chance. You had him for what, a week? I mean you're either the straightest fucking man on earth, or your not even a man at all."
"As if claiming him would have made any difference at all. You Alphas don't care either way; you would still treat him the same; still rape him; wouldn't you?"
"Well now 'rape' makes it sound like he's got any right to say no in the first place. He don't. We own his ass; he's our fuckin' bitch. His mother sold him to us when he was a young pup; six or seven years old I think."
As sick as that thought made me, it didn't surprise me all that much. It was not unheard of for impoverished parents to sell off one of their kids to support the rest of the litter.
"Bought or not, he is still a human being. And… And I need to see him. Please, let me talk to him."
Rex laughed, seemingly because of my pitiful request.
"Yeah sure..." He said sarcastically. "I'll get right on that." He left then, going off to do God knows what. I could only hope that our conversation didn't spark the inspiration to go mess with Will; or worse… to harm him.
...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo...
Margot seemed to have warmed up to me, marginally. She was less guarded around me, and despite what I did, not even twenty-four hours earlier, she gave off the impression that she trusted me; if just a little.
"Margot. I have to know Will's alright. I'm worried sick."
"Yeah? Well Will is the least of your worries right now. You're burning up. I think you might have an infection."
I shook my head stubbornly, at the same time realizing that I was having a difficult time swallowing.
Margot noticed my affliction and she gave me sip of water, most of which ended up spilling because of my inability to sit up.
"At least here Will can be kept alive; you on the other hand, I can't do much for. I have no meds, and the Alphas would never approve of risking any of us to pinch any for you."
"What about… those duffle bags that were in the box truck? Did the guards confiscate it? Or…." There were some leftover antibiotics in one of those bags; but they were likely gone, now.
"I don't know, but they're not here. Alpha Sebastian was the one who brought you here when Ricktor caught you just outside the border. He didn't bring anything else but you, the Omega, and Alpha Gragon."
"Ricktor. That's the name of the inside man?" I tried to ignore the residual anger I felt when Margot referred to my former friend as "Alpha Gragon," reminding me that they were so well acquainted…
"One of them. Alpha Sebastian has many people who are sympathetic to our cause, even in the BCA."
"Then why haven't you all escaped the city? Surely it can't be that difficult, if you have so many rooting for you."
"We don't have any plans to leave. Alpha Sebastian says that the rebellion is strongest here, where the quarantine is."
"You mean people are more desperate, here; willing to do anything. That's why someone risked their life to assassinate the President. I'll bet your Alpha had something to do with that, no?"
"I don't know anything about that. I just do what I'm told, around here."
I scoffed, and I could tell that my disapproval affected Margot, even a little.
"Look, what did your Alpha do when he found out I'd used you as bait in my little escape plan? You could have been killed, all because of me."
"He… He knew that it was all in an effort to help Alpha Gragon escape. It was… justified."
"You don't sound like you believe that at all." I stated the obvious. "Do you even have an original thought of your own? Or are you just Sebastian's little parrot?"
My words clearly angered Margot, but the emotion seemed to be directed at herself; like there was an internal struggle going on.
"Look.. I can help you get a chance to talk to Will." The internal struggle seemed to have produced some sort of resolution.
"How?"
"The lead Alphas all go out for gambling at night; I'm sure as soon as they're gone I can bring Will here to you. But.. I have to warn you… after they come back, they're usually in the mood to… you know..."
My imagination filled in the blanks: they would be in the mood to fuck.
"Thank you for your candor. Now how long until these bastards leave?"
...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo...
Seeing Will again made me feel better, almost instantaneously. My fever still raged on and I was sweating bullets, but my pulsing headache cleared up as soon as I smelled Will's intoxicating scent while he ran up to me. He looked worried as he practically flung himself onto the creaky cot with me, paying little attention to my painful wound as he embraced me in desperation.
"I've been so worried about you." I he said exactly what I'd been thinking about him.
"I'm alright, Will." I lied.
"Margot said you're dying. She said unless you get some meds you're going to die of infection."
"It's not as bad as all that."
Margot stood a few feet away, her crossed arms and stare accurately depicting her distaste for my obstinate denial.
"We still have some meds, don't we? From when I was sick? They're in the duffle bags back in the truck!"
"There is no way to get them, now. They're long gone. I'm sure looters combed over the truck the moment we left it."
"What, the truck full of dead bodies? I doubt they went within twenty yards of it. I can only imagine how bad it smells now. I think we have a chance. Margot and I will go get them!"
Will's enthusiasm both lifted my spirits and concerned me. Obviously I didn't want him risking his life for two bottles of pills, and some clothes that smelled like death, but it was one of the only options we had, if I wanted to stay alive longer than a couple of fever-filled days.
And speaking of the fever, I am sure it played a large part influencing my decision, allowing Will to go with Margot, the girl who still had loyalties to her Alphas, out to the border to get the medicine that just might save my life.
...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo... ...XoXoXo...
Hours passed after Margot and Will left. I found out that the warehouse was only two miles from the border gate; they wouldn't have a long walk; why were they taking so long?
I was so worried about them that my stomach pain had increased to an eleven out of ten, instead of the tolerable eight that it had leveled out to earlier.
Luckily the hole in my abdomen was mostly done bleeding. My body was still catching up from the massive fluid loss, but I had confidence that I would be functional in a matter of days… Just as long as I could get rid of this infection…
The loud screech of metal interrupted my thoughts, and for a half a second I felt relieved, but the other half a second filled me with dread.
Through the metal doors came the six Alphas who ran the operation: Sebastian, Rex, Butch, Jack, and two others whose names I had yet to learn.
Dread filled me as I realized that it was only a matter of minutes before they would realize the absence of their favorite fuck toys.
There were other Omegas somewhere in the warehouse, I assumed by the scent of the place, but they obviously were not getting nearly as much attention as the two that were now absent.
One possibly advantageous element was, however, that all of the Alphas, including Jack, were excessively drunk. They spilled into the warehouse one after the other, practically tripping over themselves. One looked like he might throw up. Seconds after I made that observation, he did, right into a waste bin.
"Gabe… Gabriel..." Sebastian all but hiccuped out.
"Go get the boy."
Acid rose in my throat as I watched the subservient Alpha do as he was told. He disappeared around a corner, out of my field of vision, but I didn't need to look to know what he would discover.
"Boss!" Gabriel yelled loudly. He reappeared before relaying the news.
"He's gone!"