Page 125 of Shadowman
The entirety of general population is being flooded with strangers. Not just any strangers, though.New muscle.
A whole-assSWAT teamof huge men is patrolling the halls, causing an uproar of mass hysteria. I have no idea who they are or why they’re here, but I remember what Peters said over the walkie… Something aboutnew guardsbrought in by The Ivory.
Okay. This is it.
We’re officially screwed.
“He didn’t say anything to you?” Jasper asks Velle, keeping his voice down while we stand still, eyes shifting nervously like we’re being circled by sharks and we need to refrain from making any sudden movements.
“Is that a real question?” Velle grumbles, uncharacteristically unnerved.
As much as you want to hate the guy, when shit goes down, he’s the barometer. The constant presence of stability in theform of his ever-present macho, haughty arrogance. If Velle is posted up, arms folded, lips pursed, and that damn smug eyebrow cocked, you know things will probably be alright. Asalrightas they can be, anyway.
The last time something crazy and fucked up happened, Velle was nowhere to be found. It was troubling.
But this is worse. Because he’sright here, and every bit as uneasy as the rest of us.
“Get them back to their cells,” Velle says to Rook, then turns to Joy. “Round up the rest of the team. We’ll meet at the spot in twenty.”
Everyone scatters in different directions, except Rook, who stays with us. I don’t want to admit that I’m anxious as hell right now, but I am. I don’t like this… It’s not the good kind of excitement.
Glancing right, I meet Luthor’s glistening green gaze, his brows zipped in worry. But I look away fast, swallowing a lump in my throat.
Yea, things are awkward right now.
Nonetheless, I might need to buck the fuck up a little. As dramatic as that field trip was, what’s happening up herenowis an epic shitstorm of glorious fuckery that makes our petty squabbling seem pretty damn childish.
I’m glad I was able to get in one last sparring session with Joy. Something tells me we won’t be doing that again for a long,longtime.
“You,” Rook growls at Trevel, who points to himself. “Hands on that wall. You move, I shoot you. Got it?”
Trevel says nothing, casting me a puzzled glance before placing his palms flat on a nearby wall. Unfortunately, the rest of us barely make it a step through the doorway to the row before we’re ambushed by three huge assholes I’ve never seen before.
One of them immediately cuffs me, without a word, giving me a hard shove to the back until I stumble. My glare goes unnoticed. He just keeps pushing me toward my cell with my hands cuffed behind my back.
Rook is yelling at them, but it’s Ren’s shouts that have me looking over my shoulder. They’re physically ripping Luthor and Ren apart, bringing them in different directions.
Shit…
“Move, inmate.” The big dickhead hustles me into my cell, cutting off my view of what’s happening. He comes in with me, slamming the bars in my face, then stuffing me into the corner. “Stand still,” he grunts, proceeding to raid all of my belongings.
I watch him helplessly for a moment, my face springing back when I see Luthor being dragged past my cell, with Rook following, powerless to do a damn thing. Fear coils my insides, and I inch closer to the bars. I can’t see shit, but I need to know what’s happening out there. It looked like they were bringing Ren out of the row…
“Where are they taking him??” Luthor cries from up the hall.
I flinch when something loud crashes next door.Jesus, they’re tearing the place apart.
“Baby, listen to me… It’ll be okay,” Ren calls out to Luthor.
I don’t need to see him to know he’s panicking. It’s audible, even over inmates screaming, metal slamming and clanging. It’s fucking bedlam. But I don’t care about any of that bullshit. I want to know what’s going on withthem.
I need to know that my friends are alright.
“I’ll find you, no matter what, I promise!” Ren bellows, trying to be strong for Luthor, but I can hear the distressed tremor in his voice. My heart is crumbling where it’s lodged in my throat. “Lexington! I love you!Fuck you, you goddamn mouth-breather! Let g—”
His wails are cut off with the slam of a door, and now I’m really worried.
They’re bringing him somewhere else…? Why??
