“Come on, follow me,” Cole says to Bruno. Cole takes the flashlight from me.
They move forward with their guns raised, the small light fading as they travel farther into the dank hallway. Zeus takes off after them, sniffing along the way.
My body shivers, and I wrap my arms around myself, but it doesn’t help. My heart’s palpitating so fast, I need to sit down. Without that little bit of light, the room gets darker and darker. All I can think about is the last time I was here with Keegan, as the only sound coming from the hallway is the drip of water.
The very thought of water makes me lick my lips. My throat’s so dry, it feels raw.
Grace sits down next to me. It’s so dark that if I didn’t feel her warmth, I wouldn’t even know she was there. I lean my head on her shoulder.
“Don’t move,” a voice says.
My breath catches in my throat. It’s hard to make out where the voice comes from. Grace tenses up beside me.
“Why are you here?” the voice asks, in a demanding tone. “I didn’t invite you, did I? I don’t recall inviting anyone.”
“Why are you here?” I ask right back.
“I live here. Well, I hide here,” he says.
The man is in front of me, off to the right, and although I can’t see him, I detect the slight smell of alcohol permeating his breath when he speaks. Great, he’s been drinking, and he’s probably armed. He shines a light in our faces. I blink my eyes and turn my face away as he cackles. Grace links her arm through mine.
“Well I’ll be damned. If it isn’t Lusty Lexi.” He laughs a deep, throaty laugh.
“How do you know me?” I scrunch my forehead to protect my eyes, and he flicks off the light. Lusty Lexi? Who used to call me that?
Just then, Zeus barks, and I hear footsteps heading toward us. Cole’s flashlight appears. The man puts his light back on and shines it toward Cole and Bruno. That’s when I get a good look at him. The scraggly hair and missing teeth give him away immediately.
“Stop right there, or I’ll smack them,” he says. “Or should I say kick them? My legs are stronger.”
Zeus parks his body at the edge of the light and ducks his head down. His butt goes straight into the air, like he wants to play. He dances around the man wildly.
Cole and Bruno stop dead in their tracks, pointing their guns at the man who points a gun at me and Grace. Cole’s eyes track Zeus, looking for cues.
“If you so much as touch them, I’ll blow your brains out,” Bruno says.
The man laughs. “Lusty, your guard’s alive; that’s great,” he says. “Or maybe it’s not, depending on if you like him. Do you?”
“Former guard,” Cole says with an edge in his voice. “And yes, she’s with me, so I suggest you back away from her.”
Zeus continues to pop up and down. He almost runs into the man, who attempts to push him away. Trying to follow Zeus while keeping track of the conversation isn’t easy.
“Cole, you know him,” I say. The man’s eyes flick to me, a grin spreading across his face as I stare down his barrel.
Cole shakes his head.
“You don’t recognize him? It’s Bill,” I say.
A look of recognition crosses Cole’s face.
“Ah! You remember me?” Bill asks, clapping his hands and jumping up and down. I’m not sure why he’s so excited; you would think he had just won the lottery or something.
“Yeah … ” I say.
“Bill? Crazy Bill?” Cole steps in closer with his gun pointed at him. “Of all people, how the hell did you manage to survive?”
“By eating and drinking, and I forget what else. Maybe breathing?”
“No, you moron. I meant the revolt, how on earth did you manage to survive?”
“I came down here.”
“When?” Cole asks.
“Um. Give me a minute.” We all stare while he counts using his fingers.
“Forget it. How did you know the underground even existed?” Cole asks impatiently.
“I’m a nosey person. I watch people. I watched them coming and going from the opening. I love secrets; they’re so much fun. Don’t you think?”
Cole’s face has confusion and annoyance written all over it. Bruno inches closer, gun pointed at the man’s head. So I decide to change the subject before Cole or Bruno punch him—or worse.
“Hey, Bill, do you have any water?” I ask.
He scrunches his eyes at me, looking me up and down, slowly lowering his gun and placing it in the waist of his pants.
“I do, I do. I’ll get you guys some, and then you can leave?” He glances at Bruno and Cole, who haven’t lowered their weapons.
Bruno jumps forward, holding Bill at gunpoint. “You’ll give us water and food, but we’re not leaving.” Bill laughs, even as Bruno shoves the barrel into the side of his head.
“I like your style. Straight to the point. So now we’re roommates? That’s great, I love roommates. Okay, be right back.”
“I believe Bill has fallen off his rocker,” I say to Cole.
“Yeah … he’s … crazy all right,” Cole says, laughing and shaking his head.
“Or it’s an act,” Bruno says.