They wave at me and I smile. They haven’t showered and are still covered in filth, but they look happy. Cole’s perfect white teeth take my breath away. Keegan sits down to talk to them and I think about how perfectly Cole fits into my family. I think my father would approve of my choice.
I go through the line, picking up extra for Zeus, and then sit next to Cole. I enjoy the bantering around me, breathe in the relaxed atmosphere, and relish the thought of new shoes and a shower.
I shovel the food into my mouth and before I know it, I have to untie my pants to loosen them a bit. “You can have my fruit if you want. I think I ate way too fast. I feel like a balloon that’s about to explode,” I say to Cole.
He smiles at me while he scoops my fruit onto his plate with his fork. “It’s because your stomach shrank from not eating right. But I’m proud of you. You almost finished your plate and refrained from feeding Zeus.”
“Ha, I just did it without you knowing.” I wink as I reach under the table, and Zeus’s warm tongue runs up my hand. We laugh as Zeus swallows a piece of pork chop whole. He never seems to enjoy his meals.
Keegan examines us with a raised eyebrow and I clear my throat, trying to distract him. “So, when did you shave your head and cover yourself with all those tattoos?” I say.
The bright lights make his multiple tattoos more visible. They interlace the whole way down both his arms, and of course, I can’t miss the cobra wrapped around his head. I almost want to reach out and touch them.
He laughs. “The first thing I did when I got here was shave my head. My curls would’ve given me away, don’t you think?”
“Yes. I can relate.”
“Anyway, they didn’t hurt. You should think about getting one,” he says. “I know a fantastic tattoo artist sitting right over there.” He points three tables away, but I don’t bother looking.
“No way.” I rub my neck self-consciously. “I’ll never get a tattoo. I hate them.”
“So you hate mine?” Keegan says, drooping his eyes in mock disappointment.
“No, not exactly. Since they’re on you and not me, they’re fine.” I wave my fork at him before stabbing another piece of food for Zeus.
“Believe it or not, the girls dig it.”
“I’m sure they do. A cobra on a guy’s head is completely irresistible.”
“Tell me about it.” Keegan stands and stretches for a minute. “I have a meeting I need to run to. It’s probably best if you come with me. Then afterward, I’ll walk you to your room and the showers so you can clean off your nastiness.”
I glance at Cole, who shrugs, and then back at Keegan. “What about them?” I ask, referring to Cole, Bruno, and Zeus. “Shouldn’t they come with us?”
Keegan’s eyes narrow, but he nods. “I guess.”
After another long series of tunnels and some creepy stairs down, Keegan leads us into a dark room. “Welcome to the nerve center of the revolt. Here we keep track of the guards’ operations and our planned attacks. It’s really genius of Sutton, if you ask me. He procured the whole map himself.” Keegan presses a button, and a table in the middle lights up. “The red markers represent the guard bases we’re aware of, and the red lines are the routes they patrol and the training in our sector. The green represent the rebel bases and their routes. At this point in the game, we’re ready for a fight!” He turns it off before I can look twice. His face is proud, like my father.
“What do you mean by our sector?” I say.
“Since the Hole is so large, we have to divide it into sectors. A single leader runs each sector. The one we’re in now is mine to maintain.”
“Now we’re in trouble,” I say.
“Very funny,” Keegan says.
“So there’s an entire network?” Bruno asks, shifting on his feet.
“Let’s just say we’re a lot stronger, larger, and more prepared than the commander thinks.” Keegan holds his head high and even sounds a little cocky.
“So does the commander ever leave his headquarters?” I say.
Keegan squints his eyes and clenches his fists while glancing at Bruno and Cole. “I’m sure your guard could tell you that one,” he says with his eyes pinpointed on Cole.
His response renders me speechless. Why the hatred?
“So you know the guards’ routes?” Bruno says.
“We do. We’ve been watching them for years now. Of all people, I’d think you’d know that.” Keegan looks around the room, his eyes settling on my ring again.
I have to redirect him. “Wow, that’s impressive, Keegan. So… who built these tunnels?” My hands fidget as Keegan’s stare makes me uncomfortable.
“They were here before I came—we just needed to finish them off. And we added some others.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” I say.
“And a lot of lives lost,” Keegan replies. “Anyway, we’re out of time and I’m sure you want to shower and sleep. Give me a minute to find someone to accompany you to your rooms.”
His words catch me by surprise since he originally said he’d take me to his meeting, but I nod in agreement and hug him one last time before he abruptly leaves through another door.