Unloved

Summary: Everyone has left or ignored the eighteen-year-old Zack -- nobody seems to care for him anymore. But what happens when he decides to run away, then gets caught up in something bigger than anyone, even Cody, had expected? (Zack's POV)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that are in the episodes of the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. I do, however, own the gangs/gang members. (Except Zack.)

I shone my light right before me, holding it in my mouth for the time being, seeing as how it was too hard to avoid rocks while holding the flashlight in my hand. The stench was horrible, a mixture between dried blood, rotting humans, sweat, and dead animals. There was very little air, and for a second I considered going back. What if there was something through here that killed me? I gulped and continued going, I had to know what was down here.

Finally, I got to a place where I could stand. I took my flashlight from my mouth and held it with my hand, shining it around the hole that seemed like a room. What I saw made me jump back with my back against the rock in fear and shock.

Skeletons, human skeletons, were leaning against the rock in many places. Some were attached the rock by metal chains, others just slumping against the wall. Most seemed to have died of either sickness or starvation, though there was one in particular that scared me.

It seemed to be the youngest of them all, and only seemed to be a year or two dead; but what really scared me is the way that it died. A dagger was pierced into the skull, at an angle, and dried blood covered part of the skull and most of the dagger. A large crack went down the side of the skull, and some dried blood was around the edges, but there was something else. Something with a bit of a pink tint, something that wasn't sticking to the skull like the blood... It was the brain. That was the only thing that it could be. I gulped, trying to regain my composure. This was too much, I couldn't stand this.

But something gold caught my eye, and I was practically forced to stay because of the light from my flashlight reflecting off the necklace. I turned towards the dead body, quickly pulling off the necklace and returning to my place in front of the rock. There was a locket in the shape of a cross, and I opened it, even if it did take what seemed like forever. Inside was a picture of Boss, then a picture of the dagger... The dagger in the head. I dropped the locket suddenly, and it smashed into many pieces beside an eyeball. I shuddered. Fake gold.

One more glance at that certain skeleton sent me running out of the room, crawling frantically through the small passageway, not paying much attention to the rocks that jagged up from the ground. As I shut the door behind me, I fell on the ground, panting heavily. I moved the rock back, not wanting to go through that passageway ever again. I sighed, then got up to take another shower.

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I rolled onto my side and opened my eyes, just laying in the bed for a few minutes. Then I yawned, crawling out of the bed to stretch. I pushed some hair out of my eyes, then slipped on my shoes. Time for a run, then to get my clothes from the Tipton.

Running was something I did everyday, no matter what. I always ran for two miles at the least, but today I knew that it'd be more than that. Much more. The Tipton was about twenty miles away on the shortest way, which would be walking through walls. Twenty-five on the most possible way.

Sighing, I began to walk as the Tipton came into sight. I was actually going back in there. I couldn't even believe myself, going back to where everyone hated me. But I had to.

Going up to my room, I unlocked the door and began to pack up all the things that were important to me. I didn't need any food, so I didn't pack any, but I got all the clothes, items, and so forth that I needed. Then I threw my key into the air, catching it as it came back down, and then took the elevator back down, carrying my suitcase.

"Moseby," I said in a less than friendly voice, "start up a party. I'm leaving. You should probably get someone to clean the rest of the stuff out of my room, too." I tossed the key at him, it hitting him on the cheek as I had planned. Then I walked out of the hotel, not really caring if he heard me or not.

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"Vulture, man, where were you?" Viper asked me as I walked back into my new house. I lifted up my suitcase so he could see it.

"I went for a run and grabbed some of my stuff on the way," I muttered, jumping down through the trap door and walking into my new room, throwing the suitcase on the bed as Boss walked in.

"So, Vulture, you ready for tonight?" he asked, hands in his pockets and looking at me. I sat down on the bed and shrugged.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I said, a bit quiter than I meant to, and ran a hand through my hair. Then I stood up and began to unpack.

Boss made a weird noise, as if he didn't believe me. "Well, I expect you completely ready when we leave. You got that, Vulture?"

I turned back to face him, but I didn't answer his question. I had something to ask him. "Did you kill your brother with a dagger that you stuck into his head?" I could see some of the color drain from his face, but I kept my eyes locked with his.