Page 58 of Ship Happens
Gary shakes his head hard enough to make his jowls waggle. “Nuh uh, no way. He knows I don’t like the...the bodies. He also doesn’t want the guys to see me. It’s our little secret.” His lower lip quivers, and his eyes bulge a little more. “When Jim found me in the basement traps, crying in a corner and begging to be spared, he saved me, but he made me promise to never go around the guys who brought me here. They can’t see me.”
I offer him a soft smile. “Why not hang out in here for the rest of the voyage? It’ll beourlittle secret.”
“Do you mean it?” His face lights up, and the smile returns. “Gosh, you sure are nice.” He licks his lips and peers around as if someone might hear him. Meanwhile, we’re in a three-by-six room, very much alone. “I’ll do something nice for you too. You know those feds you guys are hunting?”
My heart stops in my chest, realizing what he’ll say before he says it.
“Two of the Cattle on this ship are feds, and they’ve owned it outright. They’ll tell anyone who’ll listen, in fact. They’ve said some other shit too. Shit so bad that Jim made us change one of their bands when he substantiated the claims.” Gary shakes his head. “The red guy is the worst. The shit he’s done to women is sickening. I’m glad you guys are killing him today. I can’t stomach hearing more of his stories.”
I move toward the door, a cold sweat slicking my palms. “Thanks for that, Gary. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Anytime. But you won’t tell anyone you saw me here, right?” He looks down at his feet. “Probably don’t say anything to the guys, either. It was a stupid idea to come on this ship.”
“Scouts honor,” I say, and this time, I don’t cross my fingers. I don’t know which guys he speaks of, so it’s an easy enough promise to keep.
I close the door as I step into the hall, and the lock fastens behind me. I didn’t plan to visit the brig while I was down here, but sometimes, plans change. Spying a sign for the cells, I aim my feet down a dark hallway and head for the truth.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Frankie
The brig smells much like I’d expect it to. Stale urine and fresh vomit are the prevailing aromas, with gentle notes of fart cloud and B.O. woven through. Men and a few women cling to the metal bars, decrying their situation as I pass. I find myself studying their bands more than their faces, judging their perceived crimes.
I’m no better than any of the killers aboard this ship, and I’m losing my humanity by the second. If I can speak to Castle, maybe I can remember why I’m here.
My brain rushes back to what Gary said in the bathroom. One of the feds claimed to have done horrible things to women, and that can’t be the truth. Agents are pushed through rigorous screenings. My psych eval took months, and I’m pretty cut and dry. I can only assume the agent said those things to fit in. The alternative makes my skin crawl.
Despite checking each cell twice, I don’t see anyone I recognize, and I can’t exactly wander down the line playing pinthe tail on the fed. The sting of defeat nips at my heels as another cannon blast rocks the ship.
The second game is underway, and I’m running out of time.
I start down the aisle a third time, checking each face a little more closely. Some of them hide in the shadows, making it difficult to see who they are. It isn’t so difficult to see what some of them are doing, however. The lightning-quick faps are hard to miss. I guess furious masturbation helps pass the time.
But Castle isn’t here. When I reach the end again, I have to accept that.
“Let me the fuck out of here! Do you know what my boss will do to you when he finds out how we were treated? You’ll all burn for this! All of you!”
My ears practically swivel toward the familiar voice. It sounded muffled, as if the speaker was behind a closed door instead of locked inside these barred cells. I make my way to the other end of the hall and find a door hidden within the shadows. I open it and step inside.
This must be the ship’s medical area. Three Cattle sit strapped to seats lining the wall closest to the door. A fourth lies on a metal table, his hands and feet held in place with leather straps as a man hunches over him. When the man realizes he has an audience, he stands upright and blinks at me behind thick glasses.
“You aren’t supposed to be here,” he says. “Crew and Cattle only.”
I push ahead, hoping my authoritative tone is enough to convince him. “Are these the Cattle for the third game?”
“The fourth,” the man says. “I already stitched up the shits for the third game.”
I peer at the table and see that I interrupted his sewing class. A thick strand of thread hangs from the long needle in his hand.Blood drips from the pinprick wounds surrounding the Cattle’s mouth.
I turn back to the three Cattle sitting by the door and spot Castle.
“Perhaps you aren’t aware, but I’m the Confessor. As such, it’s important that I understand their crimes. I can’t kill them otherwise. Could I possibly take this one into a private room so that we can have a chat?” I grin and bat my eyelashes at the man as I try to push my cleavage a little higher. “I sure would appreciate it.”
He eyes me, then looks past me, at the door. “Maybe I should talk to Jim first. How do I know you aren’t one of those feds?”
I’m a bit shocked by his question. Shouldn’t he want the feds to help him escape this death trap? Instead, he views us as the enemy. Come to think of it, Gary seemed pretty content with his current situation as well, and he wasn’t even a criminal.
Stop it, Frankie. This is why it’s so important to speak to Castle alone. You’re losing your grip, girl.
