Page 37 of Captive

I take a whiff. "Hmm, you do smell as sweet as you look. So, the red-haired girl, Tawny, she got on thelist?"

"Right away but I knew she would. She's got that thing, youknow?"

It's hard not to smile as Yoli speaks. She seems undaunted by her dire situation. I have friends who have everything, good jobs, nice places to live, money for dining and vacations and they are never as happy as the girl sitting next to me on the graffiti covered parkbench.

"I don't know. What do youmean?"

She knuckles my shoulder. "Yes you do know. It's the reason Becky gets so grouchy whenever anyone talks about Tawny. It's the reason you chased her down to this crummy park." She winks. "But the picture story was a nicetouch."

It seems Yoli is not nearly as naive as I firstthought.

I nod. "You caught me. I was hoping to find her because, well, like you said, because she's got thatthing."

"Yep and that's why she got chosen. I should have seen it coming. I wasn't at all surprised when we climbed back into the van and Tawny was gone. Becky was so mad I thought she'd chew all her nails down to stubs. She gnaws on them when she'supset."

"So getting chosen is a good thing?" I ask, more than slightly confused by the whole damn conversation. Yoli likes to talk but she also leaves big gaps betweendetails.

"Of course." She bites her lip again in thought. "At least that's what I've heard. No one really knows for sure because once a girl is chosen, she's never seen or heard from again. It's like everyone saying there's some beautiful place called heaven waiting for you after you die, but no one knows for sure because no one comes back to confirm." Her naturally sunny expression darkens. "Except this one girl . . ." She waves her hand to stop herself. "Shit, I shouldn't have drank that tequila. It's like a truth serum," she giggles. "Anyhow," she sighs and gives me a pretty look of pity. "I'm afraid you're probably wasting your time. I don't think we'll ever see Tawny around here again. She'sgone."

She's just a teenage street kid, but her words make my throat tighten into a ball. There's no fucking way Ten is gone for good because I'm going after her. And if something has happened to her, I plan to tear the whole fucking precinct apart with my bare hands, starting withClark.

Yoli sidles closer to me. "But if you're looking for a new girl—" Her small hand lands on my thigh. I pick it up gently and kiss the back of it. Then I take a twenty out of my pocket and hand it to her. The money seems to instantly erase any of the sting of me turning down heroffer.

"Oh wow. I'm going to start planning how to spend this just as soon as the tequila leaves my head." She laughs. "Who am I kidding? It'll befood."

"Hey, so where are these parties?" I ask. "I know I'm not invited. I was just wondering who is putting them on? Is there a fee? Do you have to give something in return?" The last question has been stuck in my craw because I don't really want to hear theanswer.

"I wouldn't be able to tell you where it takes place because we go in a van and you can't see out. They just drive us to this big empty warehouse. It seems like we're inside the van for about an hour each way. There's no fee and we don't have to do anything but have a good time. Andthatwe do. Then they pile us back in the windowless van and drop us back on the street corner. Unless you're chosen, likeTawny."

"So you don't know where you're taken once you'rechosen?"

She carefully folds the twenty like it's made of fine silk. "No. The only thing I've ever heard is that it's underground. The Lace Underground, that's what some of the girls call it. Sorry I can't tell you how to get there, and I don't think GPS can find underground locations," she says with alaugh.

"True." It seems I've drained her of everything crucial. "Thanks for hanging out withme."

"Aww, are you leaving already?" sheasks.

"'Fraid so." I stop and look back at her. She's still smiling at the money. "Hey, Yoli, have you tried to call home? Maybe you can go back someday?"

"Sure," she says confidently. "Just as soon as my creepy stepfather dropsdead."

I nod. "Take care, beautiful." I hike back the three blocks to my motorcycle. My head is spinning with information. An icy knot forms in my gut. How the hell am I going to find Ten when she's literallyunderground?

25

Kane

Ipacethe room like a caged animal, back and forth but finding no way out. There is no room big enough to release the pent up energy. There is no shower icy enough to cool the heat from my veins. I yank my shirt off and drop it onto the bed. It was a mistake. She was a mistake. There was only one way to fixit.

A tentative knock at the door jars me from my obsessed thoughts. "Yes?" Ibark.

The door opens slowly. Blake sticks his face into the room but doesn't dare step inside. He senses the tension pulsing from every muscle in mybody.

"Sir, you wanted to see me?" he asksquietly.

"Yes, the new girl. Get her dressed and take her back to thestreets."

Blake finds the courage to step into the room. "Sir, was it something I did wrong? Icould—"

---