Page 6 of Monsters within Men
Once he’d thrown a handful of possessions into a small bag, Zeke walked without protest to the van, flanked by the two men as if he might make a run for it at any moment.
Derrick slid open the door while pulling back his coat to rest his hand lazily on a gun in his belt, as if daring him to run. Zeke didn’t run. He wasn’t stupid enough to think he would get even fifty steps before Derrick caught up to him. And in what direction would he even run? For the last two years, the research lab and his small studio flat had been his entire world.
Derrick prodded his back, and he stepped into the dark abyss of the vehicle. “I forgot to mention,” Derrick said, slamming the door. “I’ve got a friend for you.”
A small, feminine face framed by thick black braids peered over at him in the darkness. The woman, a handful of years older than him, wore a thick black coat thrown over her body like a blanket. “Alright?” she asked, squinting her dark eyes at him. “You too, huh?”
He wasn’t sure what to say, so stared out of the tinted glass instead.
“I’m Francesca. Frankie.” The girl was persistent.
“Zeke.”
“How long did you manage to avoid them?”
“Two weeks.”
“Twoweeks?” Frankie chuckled. “I’ve been sofa surfing for months,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice. “Ah well. I guess I couldn’t put it off forever. I was a pastry chef up until July. Heaven’s Drizzle? Heard of it?” When Zeke didn’t reply, she pressed on. “Usual story. Business grew slow. Who can afford to spend ration stamps on dessert? They let half the workforce go. What did you do, anyway?”
Zeke groaned and rested his head against the windowpane. The van picked up speed, and he saw familiar landmarks whiz by. “Do you know where we’re going, exactly?” he asked instead.
“An eastern regiment. Avantis Compound. Do you think we’ll end up in the same team?”
“Probably not.”Hopefully not,Zeke thought with an inward groan. She was even chattier than Zaya.Zaya. The thought of his twin sister spiralled his mind into an even more depressed slump. She’d be fine in London without him—it would be him that would struggle with not seeing her every other day.
Zeke opened up his contacts on his wristband and slipped his headphones into his ears, preparing to call Zaya. But his throat constricted painfully, and hot tears blurred his vision. He couldn’t call her like this—she’d just worry more.
Frankie wittered on and on, filling the long journey with meandering, one-sided conversation until Zeke pretended to be asleep. The peace didn’t last for more than thirty minutes, however. The van jerked him upright when the vehicle halted.
“We must be here!” Frankie practically squeaked.
“You’ve been acting like you’re actually excited to get here,” he spat out before he could catch himself.
Frankie shot him a taken-aback look. “Well, there’s not much choice really, other than to make the most of it, right? At least we’ll be doing our part to help.”
There wasn’t time for Zeke to reply before Derrick swung the backdoor of the van open and gestured for them to jump out. They found themselves in a large underground parking garage filled with military vehicles.
“You were due almost an hour ago,” said a voice, dripping with annoyance. “I was just about to leave.”
Zeke glanced over. Standing in front of the van was a tired-looking young man in a thick black coat. He ran a hand through his long, dark hair, tied back into a ponytail. The tanned skin of his face did nothing to hide the dark circles under his eyes. Looking from Zeke to Frankie, he sighed.
“Sadly for you, neither of these two were particularly enthusiastic about their journey with me tonight,” Derek said, already walking back to the passenger seat. “Enjoy!”
The van screeched out of the parking lot, pausing only to be waved through the gate by armed guards. Zeke glanced at Frankie, who’d moved closer to him, her arm just brushing his. “Bates and Fleming?” Zeke blinked at the man. “Those are your names, yes?” he snapped. He spoke with the slightest hint of an accent Zeke struggled to place.
Zeke was just about to speak when Frankie saved them with, “Yes, that’s us.” He couldn’t help feeling annoyed at the sprightly tone of her voice. What was her deal?
“Great. I’m Lieutenant Noah Forrest. I’m your new commanding officer.”
four
Noah
Helooksevenyoungerthan his picture,Noah couldn’t help thinking, staring at the new boy. Zeke Bates looked as exhausted as Noah felt. His dishevelled, dark blonde hair fell over thick-rimmed black glasses. This, along with his round cheeks, gave Noah the faint impression of a baby squirrel.
Bates rubbed at angry, red indents on his face, likely from lying against the van window. He scowled before crossing his arms in front of him and shooting daggers at Noah. Remembering Murphy’s advice about setting a strong first impression, Noah braced for battle.
“I want to talk to your superior,” the young man demanded, his voice audibly shaking.
