“What?”
Karen ignored him and continued on. “Guy’s a total leach. He couldn’t stop staring at my chest. Undressing me with his eyes. I could have knocked the entire coffee cup in his lap and he wouldn’t have noticed.”
Mason grabbed her hand as she reached over to take the last of his bread. Karen paused and gave Mason a pouty look.
“What were they talking about?”
“I dunno. It’s not like they let me pull up a chair and listen. I got called in to serve them coffee and I didn’t stick around. I like staying alive.”
Mason pushed his plate in Karen’s direction. He no longer wanted to finish it. Standing, he walked away from Karen who called out thanks, already stuffing the last of the bread in her mouth. She was more interested in finishing his food than finding out where he was going. Mason didn’t blame her. No one got enough to eat anymore. Especially in this place.
He’d been stuck at the Plaza of Nations since before Christmas and it was by his own choice. He’d had the chance to run before, back when Aries tried to break Daniel and him out. But Mason stuck behind, for more than one reason.
The last time he’d seen Aries was about a month ago. He remembered the conversation vividly. Not a day went by when he didn’t think about the words they’d exchanged.
“I can still get you out,” she’d whispered. Two in the morning. He’d gone around to the back, behind the stage in the Plaza of Nations. Although the whole place was fenced in, there was a bit of space there where they could talk undetected. The Baggers may have kept them under lock and key, but they didn’t often patrol. They didn’t need to. Being stuck inside the Plaza was a better fate than getting shot trying to escape it. Very few people attempted to leave. Where would they go? Being outside the fence wasn’t any better than being inside these days.
“No,” Mason had said. She looked well. Healthier. Springtime had been good. The rain had stopped falling every day and the days grew longer and warmer. Aries didn’t tell Mason where she was hiding, they both knew better than that. Instead, they had a safe house set up, a small building in the downtown core. She’d check it once a week in case Mason ever changed his mind and decided to split. But so far it hadn’t happened.
“Why?” Another familiar question. “We can get the kids out too. Casey. The adults. We’re better organized now, Mason. There’s a lot more of us. We could do it without the casualties of last time.”
Last time. They’d come in, guns blazing, tearing up the place. But people died. Good people. It wasn’t worth the deaths to save the few that managed to get out. The retaliation afterwards had been beyond terrible. The Baggers lined them all up and killed half the group, forcing the survivors to burn the bodies.
No, there would be no more rescue missions. Mason would make sure of that.
“We can’t take the risk,” Mason said. “You know that. Too many died last time. It’s not just about me.”
“I know that. But come on, you’re not even wearing that stupid monitor anymore.”
In the beginning of his capture, Mason had been forced to wear an anklet bracelet, the kind used to monitor criminals. But after proving to Leon he had no intention of leaving, the head Bagger finally removed it. It was simple. Leon knew that Mason wouldn’t try to escape, not when so many lives depended on him. Someone had to help out at the camp, and as it turned out, Mason had the skills necessary to keep everyone together.
“I won’t do it, Aries, so stop asking.” It killed him. Couldn’t she see that more than anything else he wanted her? The very idea of waking up in the morning with her by his side was one of the things that kept him going. Every day he dreamed of a world with Aries in which they didn’t have to be afraid. It would be a simple life—a cabin in the woods where they could be self-sufficient, or a town where everyone could relax and move on with their lives. A Bagger free zone.
“Michael thinks that with the proper diversion, we could get everyone out.”
“It can’t happen, not without loss,” Mason said. “I’m not letting others die because you feel guilty. These people are just as important than me.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”
“I know you want to do the right thing. And that’s leaving me here. I’m good here. I help. I keep these people together.”
“How? Being tortured? How’d you get that black eye? Leon and his torture squad came after you again, didn’t they?”
Mason didn’t bother to answer. The black eye was nothing. The bruises hidden beneath his hoodie were a thousand times worse. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to show her that.
“We have a good deal going on now, Mason. We could use you back at camp. I need you. We’re family now.”
“What about Daniel?”
A dark look flashed across her face. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in a long time. Not since…”
“You found out he was a Bagger?”
“Yeah, pretty much. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.”
“He is.” Of this, Mason had no doubt. Daniel was a survivor, more than all of them combined.
A sharp noise from further down the fence caught their attention. Aries jumped back. “I’d better go. I’ve been here too long as it is. Here.” Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a four pack of Snickers chocolate bars and tossed them over the fence. “Don’t pass them all out. Keep one for yourself. I know you, Mason Dowell.” She leaned in, putting her fingers through the chicken wire until they touched. “This isn’t over. I’ll find a way. We’ll come up with an idea that’s so brilliant; you won’t be able to say no.”
“I look forward to it.”
He wanted to kiss her, but that would be too awkward. So he squeezed her hand and watched her disappear into the darkness.
What he didn’t tell Aries, the words that would never leave his lips, was that Leon had told Mason that if he ever tried to leave, Leon would kill Casey personally. To prove his point, he’d sent his men in and removed the little girl. It destroyed Mason to watch her go. The Baggers had already murdered Casey’s entire family. Dragging her off into the casino as she screamed Mason’s name didn’t help either. She depended on him. Hell, she’d adopted him, not the other way around.
The casino was filled with people Leon felt were too important to leave out in the open. Doctors. Electricians. Engineers. They were the necessary essentials for rebuilding society. Heavily guarded, the building became a fortress in the middle of the Vancouver downtown core. Even if Aries came in with everyone armed and fighting, there’s no way they’d be able to save Casey and the others inside.
And Mason didn’t want to be responsible for that. He couldn’t. One more death would be too many.
He’d already lost so many people in his short life. His mother, his friends, and Chickadee, the first girl he’d truly cared about. No matter how much he tried to push the pain out, it always found a way to creep back in. But if he’d learned anything in the past few months, not caring, not loving—was far worse.
That’s why he’d grown so attached to Casey, the little orphaned girl. Even though she’d been through hell, she’d opened up her heart and let Mason in without a pause. And ever since Leon had taken her away, Mason felt like he’d lost a bit of his soul.
No more death.
Mason walked over to the fence line, staring out into False Creek. The water spread out before him, nice and blue. He scanned the area, searching something that might stand out. A sign from Aries. Proof that she hadn’t given up on him.
Nothing, Aside from the gaggle of Canadian geese, the shoreline was quiet.
If Colin had come, something was wrong. He hadn’t been captured, not the way Karen described it. Leon wouldn’t invite a human in for a chat unless they had something useful to give. Which meant only one thing: Colin had finally decided to betray them all. Mason wasn’t surprised, he’d known it was only a matter of time before the idiot would decide he’d had enough of the bad life. Whatever safe
house they’d been staying in this time, Colin probably decided that the Baggers had it better. And giving up Aries might be the bit of information that would give him a better life.
This was bad. Mason needed to get a message to Aries. He scanned the outside grounds again. The timing was weird; it couldn’t be a coincidence that Colin picked that particular morning to show up. But where was Aries? She was overdue for a visit. But he’d been so adamant the last time. Maybe Aries had given up on him. Maybe she finally decided that Mason wasn’t worth her time.
He hoped not.
Because without Aries and the others in his life, Mason knew that he wouldn’t survive.
There was darkness inside of him. Mason knew it was there, dwelling just beneath the surface, wanting to break free. Daniel knew it was there. He’d warned Mason several times.
Stay in the light, tourist boy. There are things you can’t come back from. Trust me.
He’d been right about that. As it turned out, Daniel knew from experience. He’d been a Bagger all along. But still different. Somehow he’d been able to control it. Something that Mason hadn’t seen before. The majority of Baggers were crazed killers, proud of their ability to do all sorts of unspeakable things. They’d lost all traces of humanity. But not Daniel. How on earth did he do it?
No point in thinking too hard. Daniel was gone. And as much as Mason hated to admit it, he missed him.
And Mason was left alone with his own dark thoughts.
If Aries and the others died, he’d give in to them, let them consume him. He’d become the very thing Leon wanted.
Something worse than a Bagger.
“You look worried. Everything okay?”
Chaplin, an older man in his thirties approached. He’d been one of the first prisoners of the Plaza of Nations, captured by the Baggers. A good man, he spent most of his time taking care of the people who needed help. He’d been invaluable to Mason, especially in the early days.
“Something bad is happening,” Mason said. “A guy came here this morning. Colin. He’s with Aries’ group.”
“I heard they were bringing in some new recruits,” Chaplin said. “But I haven’t seen anything yet.”
The Baggers often brought in new prisoners by the busload. They’d line them up on the stage and pick through the crowd, deciding who would live or die. The chosen ones were sent out into the camp, the others killed in the open. A horrific system based on fear to keep everyone in line. If you didn’t do your part, you weren’t worth keeping around. At least once a month, a new group would show up to be sorted or shot.
“He didn’t come by bus,” Mason said. “I spoke with Karen. Apparently he came on his own. They took him in to talk with Leon.”
Chaplin went over to the fence and glanced out at the water. He was quiet for a bit, thinking things over. “So you think he’s giving up the location of your friends?”
Mason nodded. “He’s not a good guy.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Get inside. Maybe we can find out what went on.” They both looked over at the casino. On the other side of the Plaza, the main doors were closed and guarded by two Baggers with guns. No one willingly went inside. Even Mason, who spent his fair share of time in the back rooms, knew what went on. The Baggers knew exactly what to do to make people talk.
“That’s not easy,” Chaplin said. “Things have been more difficult lately. I can ask around and see if anyone has heard anything.”
“Just don’t mention me,” Mason said.
Chaplin nodded. Even though Mason had proven himself multiple times, there were still plenty of prisoners who didn’t trust him. Mason had been friends with Daniel, a Bagger, and some thought that meant Mason was a spy.
“Not a problem,” Chaplin said. He put his arm on Mason’s shoulder and gave him a squeeze. From behind them, a loud horn made them both look. The Baggers had opened the gates and the monthly bus pushed its way through.
“Speak of the devil,” Chaplin said. Sighing, he unzipped his blue jacket and pulled out a crumpled package of cigarettes. “Guess we’d better go line up.”
Sure enough, Mason watched as people stopped what they were doing and started making their way over to the large stage in the middle of the Plaza. When the bus showed up, participation was mandatory. Everyone had to go over and watch to see who would live and who would die.
They walked slowly over towards the stage, taking a spot towards the back where they could get a good view of the newbies coming off the bus. Mason watched the faces carefully, looking for signs of weakness. Thankfully there weren’t a lot of them today; the bus was only half full.
Mason had watched many people die on the stage in the past few months, including his friend Paul. And every time the bus came in, the churning in his stomach doubled, worried that he’d recognize one of the faces.
As the group climbed the stage, Mason found himself staring into the eyes of someone he knew.
Oh crap.
Daniel
Ninety-two days without an incident.
A personal record. He kept thinking he should put together a little plaque. Hang it on the wall of the room he currently occupied. Every morning he could change the number. Ninety-three. Ninety-four. One hundred. Of course doing such a thing would probably curse him. He also didn’t want to be reminded that one day the number would go back to zero.
Regardless of how careful he was—the number always went back to zero.
Best to concentrate on one day at a time.
Because no matter how hard he worked at it, no matter how determined he was to remain normal, Daniel knew that he wasn’t the one controlling the shots. The thing inside of him, the darkness or monster, or whatever anyone wanted to call it—a name didn’t matter. It remained with him and probably would until the day he died. And ignoring it didn’t work. Daniel knew this all too well.
Once it got inside, it never let go.
WARNING. WARNING. THE CITY IS CLOSED. NO ONE IS ALLOWED IN OR OUT. THERE ARE GUARDS POSTED. TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT. DO NOT TRY TO LEAVE THE CITY. DO NOT STAY IN YOUR HOMES. IT IS NO LONGER SAFE. SURVIVORS ARE INSTRUCTED TO GO TO THE PLAZA OF NATIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU.
Daniel stood on the rooftop balcony and watched the white van as it made its slow loop around the block. He’d been surprised when the vehicles showed up a few days ago. Roughly a dozen of them combed the streets, carefully making their way through the suburbs, searching for human survivors worth taking. Daniel had been under the impression that the Baggers had no interest in the Tri City area. That’s why he’d chosen Coquitlam as his current hideout. It was far enough away from Vancouver that he wouldn’t have any chance encounters with Aries, but close enough that he could still keep watch. If necessary, he could get in a car and be in the downtown core in less than an hour. The days of traffic jams and rush hour were over.
The Baggers didn’t care about the suburbs. They were no man’s land. Most of the people had left during the post-earthquake days, making their way into Vancouver to try and find shelter or medical care. Family members. Other survivors. Answers. Funny how people always gravitated toward each other. Safety in numbers. It never worked. All it did was make them easier to hunt. People in groups became careless. They grew loud and opinionated. They fought over who got to be in charge. They took chances and stopped constantly looking over their shoulders.
The smart ones stayed hidden.
There were a few, still tucked away in their houses and apartments, but Daniel rarely spotted them. He liked it that way. The less encounters with humans, the less likely he’d do harm.
WARNING. WARNING. THE CITY IS CLOSED...
The van stopped across the street from Daniel’s rooftop perch. He watched as two Baggers climbed out and stretched their legs. They were dressed casually, almost like they could be your best friends if you wanted. They had food and water at their disposal and they were ready to offer it up on a silver platter. The blonde wom
an didn’t look older than twenty-five although her companion had a couple decades on her. They switched off the speakers and the street grew quiet.
The woman glanced around the street while the man turned and headed into the condos. She pulled out a small flask and took a drink before grabbing a walkie-talkie from the glove compartment. She spoke to someone on the other end for a minute before tossing the radio on the passenger seat. Leaning against the hood of the van, she took another long drink and lit a cigarette. Daniel noticed they weren’t carrying guns or any weapons at all. A peaceful exploration. Interesting.
What were they searching for?
The building was empty. Daniel knew this. So were all the others along the street. That’s why he’d chosen the condo a few blocks over as a crash pad. Even if they found his stockpile of canned food and sleeping bag, they wouldn’t find him. It didn’t matter. There were other places to go. Daniel wasn’t like Aries and Mason. He didn’t need to put down roots to feel alive. He always felt safer when he constantly kept on the move.
Aries.
He wanted to see her again. He thought about it every day. He knew she was still alive and that Leon and the other Baggers had no idea where she was hiding. He may have avoided seeing the girl with the auburn hair, but he had no problem keeping tabs on her and the others. If they needed his help, he’d be there. It went against his original choice to stay away from people in general, but as it turned out, being an outcast wasn’t as glamorous as it first appeared. Daniel hated to admit it, but he missed being around them.
So he waited in the shadows and watched. It always amazed him how easy it was to get information. How quickly strangers might be to talk when they thought they were conversing with one of the good guys.
He knew, for example, there was a group of people hiding out at the SFU campus. They’d managed to avoid the Baggers completely by staying out of the cities and isolating themselves on Burnaby Mountain.
He also knew that Mason was still at the Plaza of Nations, keeping his stoic and slightly irritating watch on the prisoners. Several times Daniel considered going down there and getting Mason out. Helping him get over his stupid martyr complex would be the best thing Daniel could do. But he didn’t want to take the risk. False Creek wasn’t the place where he should be showing his face. Aries wasn’t the only one actively looking for him. Leon hadn’t been too thrilled when Daniel broke free and he was a man who kept his grudges stapled to his heart. Leon and his goons spent a lot of time trying to break Daniel, only to have him slip away right under his nose. Daniel had a feeling that he might not be on the ‘capture alive’ list anymore.