~ The Men Below ~
Kit
I guess this is mine and Soren’s bedroom now. The thought still feels surreal. I push the door open and step inside, closing it softly behind me. The room is exactly as I remember it… massive, dark wood furniture, heavy curtains, that huge bed in the centre. I’ve been in here so many times before, but always for one reason only.
No one else is allowed in here except a select few members of staff, and even then, they’re only permitted to vacuum or bring up laundry. They’re not allowed to touch anything else.
And now…me…. I can be in here whenever I want. I can touch whatever I want. Wear whatever I want. It’s…wild. I’m just a regular person, there’s nothing special about me, really. And then there’s Soren… so many people are scared of him, look up to him. So many people wouldn’t dare talk back to him but are proud to converse with him. He’s literally murdered probably a stupid amount of people and probably doesn’t even flinch when he does it. He basically owns this city. I feel worthless standing here in his enormous clothes, the sleeves hanging past my hands, the pants bunched at my ankles even after he rolled them up.
Does he even know what “I love you” really means? Or is it just because I’m so much smaller than him? Is it some kind of power thing… knowing I need him, knowing I’d have nothing without him?
A heavy sigh leaves me as I wander over to the window and push it open, leaning out a little. The estate sprawls out below, beautiful and intimidating all at once. Our room is right in the centre, looking down over the manicured gardens. If I stick my head out far enough, I can even see the staff wing.
It’s peaceful for a moment, then I hear low voices. Soren and Ray come into view, walking side by side, murmuring quietly. I can’t make out the words, but their body language is serious. They walk straight toward a steel black door round back, I’ve noticed it before, but I always assumed it was for storage, maybe fresh produce or weapons. They stop in front of it. Soren pulls out a key, unlocks it, and both of them disappear inside. The door shuts heavily behind them.
My curiosity spikes… what’s in there that needs Soren’s immediate attention?
???
I’d pulled the decorative stool from the end of the bed over to the window and sat down, elbows resting on the sill as my eyes stay fixed on the steel black door below. According to the digital clock on the bedsidetable, Soren and Ray have been down there for nearly an hour now. I don’t even know why I’m still watching. Sure, I’m curious, but the boredom has started to settle in. I wish I’d gone downstairs to grab my iPad, the one I never even got to open before Finn…tookme. I could’ve set it up, found something to watch, anything to keep my mind occupied. Instead, my arms are going numb against the window frame, and my eyelids are growing heavier by the minute.
Just as my eyes start to drift shut, the door below bangs open. My eyes fly wide open again. I hadn’t turned any lights on in the room on purpose… I knew Soren would probably look up if he saw it on. I watch as he steps out first, wiping his knuckles with a small hand towel. Ray follows, looking rougher than usual… jacket slung over his shoulder, a couple of shirt buttons undone, hair a mess.
A sharp flicker of jealousy rolls through me. They went in there just the two of them… and they come out looking likethat? What the hell were they doing?
I stand up suddenly, the stool scraping against the floor. I need to know it’s not some wild sex dungeon or something worse. I push the stool back to the foot of the bed and quickly grab a pair of Soren’s thick socks from one of the drawers, pulling them on quickly. I don’t want to go outside barefoot, and my shoes are still downstairs somewhere.
I sneak out of the bedroom, keeping close to the walls and away from the main staircase. Like I used to dowhen I was trying to avoid Soren, I take the quieter staff staircases at the back of the house.
When I creep down, I can hear voices, staff members laughing together and getting ready for the night. I slip past the rooms quietly, staying in the shadows, until I reach the small side door that leads outside near the bins.
I’ve got to be quick. I fast-walk around the side of the estate, ducking under windows and hiding behind corners whenever I spot guards. I have this feeling I’m probablynotallowed near that door; Ray had been very secretive about it.
I hold my breath as I cross the last stretch of distance between me and the door. When I reach it, I tug on the handle, it doesn’t budge.Obviously it’s locked, you absolute idiot. You literally saw them use a key.I stare at the keyhole, wishing I had lock-picking skills or anything useful. I groan quietly to myself.
Then I hear something rattling from the other side. My eyes go wide and I bolt around the nearest corner, pressing my back against the bricked wall as someone comes out whistling. I peek around just enough to see one of Soren’s guards in the familiar S.S. uniform step outside. He walks away from the door, clearly assuming it’ll close on its own.
This is my only chance. I take a deep breath and sprint toward the door, praying the guard doesn’t turn around. I slip my small body through the narrowing gap just before it slams shut behind me. My heart is poundingwith a strange mix of thrill and fear… I can’t believe I actually did that.
Inside, concrete steps lead down beneath the building, like a hidden basement with its own separate entrance. The stairs are dimly lit by small built-in wall lights on either side. I hope they stay on, the thought of being plunged into complete darkness down here makes my stomach twist. The ground is cool under my socked feet as I descend slowly, one cautious step at a time. It’s eerily quiet. The only sound is my own shallow breathing and the soft pad of my feet.
When I reach the bottom and round the corner, I’m met with a long, wide corridor. At the front is a large open area filled with shelves of chemicals, tools hanging neatly on the walls, electrical equipment on metal tables, knives, hammers, bolt cutters… even a resuscitation device. I frown, unease crawling up my spine.What the hell have I just discovered?
I move further down the hallway. Doors line both sides, each with a small window that’s been blacked out. Next to every door is a sleek modern screen built into the wall.
The first one reads “Michael Svey.” I frown.Who the hell is Michael Svey?
Door two says “Lana Monroe.” Door three has a blank screen.
These have to be cells, right? I wonder what kind of people Soren keeps locked down here, and what they could have possibly done to deserve this dark,underground prison. The walls must be soundproof… I can’t hear a single sound coming from any of them. Or maybe… they’re something worse than cells.
I approach door four and my brain stalls. The name on the screen reads “Vanderburn”Finn’slast name. Below it are two names: James and Mitch.
My stomach drops. This can’t be a coincidence. Vanderburn isn’t a common name, especially not in this city. Anger flares hot and sudden in my chest. I refuse to close my eyes because I know I’ll just see Finn’s smug, psychotic face again. My fists clench at my sides as I try to steady my breathing.
I remember Finn saying something about not being able to find his brothers while I was on that boat. My memories from those days are blurry… unconsciousness, vomiting, passing out from pain… but I’m almostcertainhe mentioned brothers. These have to be Finn’s brothers. God help them if they look, sound, or actanythinglike him… because I didn’t hesitate to kill Finn, and these two share his blood.
I tap the screen with a shaky finger. It lights up, asking for a pin or handprint. Obviously I can’t usemyhandprint… that would probably alert Sam and Luke immediately, and they’d tell Soren in seconds.
