Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
What I won't do to stay in character is mistreat any of them just to further any of the men's respect toward me.
I am, however, curious to see how Zeus handles this with the character he's been given.
I wave my hand, giving him the first spot in line, and he gladly takes it.
He doesn't speak or make eye contact with a single woman behind the line of food. He simply piles food on his plate as if he hasn't eaten in days. When one plate is full, I pass him my empty one before grabbing another for myself.
"Can I carry your drink for you?" a girl asks when she notices him holding a plate in each hand.
I take back everything I said about him not being prepared for this job when I notice his shoulders tighten at the sight of her.
Seventeen-year-old Regina Banks went missing from her hometown of Maryville a couple of months ago, and it was suspected that she ended up tangled with a member of The League. However, there was no direct evidence to prove it. She simply didn't show up to school one day, and her parents have been looking for her ever since.
Zeus's reaction to her suggests that, at a minimum, he reviewed the pictures provided before we started this job.
She gives him a gentle smile when he looks up and acknowledges her, but it doesn't even come close to reaching her eyes. Even if she came here willingly, it's clear to see that's no longer the case. I can't even imagine what the girl has been through over the past few months. That's not actually true. I have a good guess, and that knowledge turns my stomach.
I fight the urge to grab her by the arm and attempt to get her off the property, but I know that would end with us both being dead.
Not responding when you know what's best is the absolute hardest part of this fucking job, and I hate it. There's no telling what else this girl will have to endure before we're able to shut this fucking place down, and I can't help but feel complicit in her victimization for not helping sooner.
"Water," Zeus grunts, angling his head toward an empty cup. "Thanks."
He walks away instead of waiting for her to fill a cup. I guess, with who he's supposed to be, that's the most I should expect from him.
I fill my plate, and the food actually looks and smells much better than it has at other compounds I've had access to. I diligently avoid the scrambled eggs per Candy's warning and opt for extra bacon instead.
I manage my own drink and smile when one of the guys from the rally waves me over.
I feel like a mean girl deserting her friend for the popular crowd as I walk past where Zeus is sitting alone, head down, shoveling food into his mouth as if he were in prison, afraid someone would take his plate before he finished. I pause, letting Regina walk past to get back to the kitchen. Although I only give her a passing glance, I notice the bruising on her back, easily visible with the tank top she's wearing.
I lift my eyes back to my new friend, smile in place even though I want to spit nails. I'm mad enough that I could string each one of the motherfuckers in this room up by their toes and beat them with a baseball bat.
"Chris, right?" I say as I drop into a chair across from him, offering my hand to shake across the table like a politician running for his first term in office.
He shakes it. "Good memory. Welcome. Good to see you again so soon."
"Same," I say, digging into the food, although it tastes like sawdust, having everything to do with what we're witnessing and our inability to do anything just yet than the actual meal itself.
After a couple of minutes, chatter begins around me once again, but I know better than to let my guard down around any of these people.
I make small talk with Chris until I'm done eating, and then I don't waste time standing, leaving my plate and utensils right on the table because that's expected.
I glance toward Zeus, who is standing as well.
"Leaving so soon?" Chris asks.
"Gotta get unpacked," I tell him before turning away.
I pull out the map Ricky gave me as we exit the dining hall.
"I think it's down here," I say, pointing toward the end of a long row of crushed, stacked cars.
I know this place is going to be like a fucking maze, and every bit of that is intentionally disorienting.
Chapter 26
Zeus
I've never gotten comfortable on a job. I don't know that I've allowed myself to even consider it when I'm not working. My flee when shit goes sideways instinct is too strong, but as we approach the small building with the matching symbol to the one Ricky told us is where we'd be staying, I realize that could never be an issue here.