The Collection Read Online Free Page B
Author: Shannon Stoker
said.
Andrew did as instructed. Carter did the same. When Andrew and Mia had first met Carter heâd been bold and outspoken, but he wasnât in this place. Someone grabbed Andrewâs wrist and pulled it behind his back. It wasnât time to make a move yet. The image of those men training outside was too fresh. Even if Andrew did make it out of this room heâd never get past them.
The cuffs clicked back on. Andrew kept his face blank. It was a skill heâd mastered over the years. He glanced toward Carter, whose face was emotionless. Andrew was grateful Carter wasnât speaking out or mentioning Mia, but this behavior was too unsettling.
They were spun back around. Andrew wouldnât break. He didnât want to speak or let these men know what he was thinking. Show no fear. Carter didnât look fearless; he looked like a shell. A new man had entered the room. He was pushing a small table with four syringes laid out on it.
âWhat is that?â Carter asked.
Donât speak, Andrew said in his head. He didnât know if he was reminding himself or trying to magically communicate with Carter.
âBoosters,â the man said. He was American. âYou missed your enlistment date and we canât have the two of you getting sick now. Are either of you injured?â
Andrew kept his eyes glued to the wall. His leg bothered him from the accident. When Grant ran them off the road, Andrew had been flipped from the bed of the truck. His pain was not enough that it needed medical attention, and even if it had needed it, he wasnât about to let this man help him.
âIâll take that as a no,â the man said.
Andrew felt the cotton swab on his arm. He didnât flinch when the needles entered his skin. The doctor did Carter, who was less composed, next. He rolled his arm away.
âDonât touch me,â Carter said.
The empty shell of Carter was getting filled with rage. Andrew wanted to calm him down; this wasnât the time for fighting back. The doctor didnât seem bothered. He reached out and yanked Carterâs arm toward him. Andrew expected a blowback, but this time Carter didnât protest. The emptiness returned to his face.
The doctor wheeled his table out. Two men walked over and grabbed Andrewâs arms. The remaining two did the same to Carter. They were escorted out of the room and back into the hallway. Andrew was leading the way.
Andrew didnât stop walking or try to fight the men guiding him. He kept his stone face as he heard Carter struggle.
âStop,â Carter said. âYou canât do this to us.â
Carterâs protests faded away. They were getting split up now. Andrew never looked back. He felt bad for Carter; he had a father who had trained him to act proud and strong. Carter never learned the lesson about getting in line and shutting up. Andrew knew they could make it out of here, but they needed a plan first. Screaming and fighting at this stage would only make it worse.
The escorts stopped moving and unlocked a heavy wooden door. It led into a small room. The floor was made of dirt. There was a table and two chairs. The men walked Andrew to the table and unlocked his cuffs. Andrew didnât turn around when they closed the door. He heard the lock snap into place.
Andrew rubbed his wrists where the handcuffs had been. He did a quick inventory of the room. The chairs and table were metal and none budged when he tried to move them. Andrew didnât understand how they were stuck to the ground. That was it.
There were no windows in the clay room. A single light hung from the ceiling; it was too high up to reach, even when Andrew stood on the table.
Andrew tried to keep calm and focused. He thought over the path here. They were driving fast, over sixty miles per hour, but the ride couldnât have been longer than ten minutes. Mia wasnât that far away. She was resourceful. Andrew was certain
Andrew did as instructed. Carter did the same. When Andrew and Mia had first met Carter heâd been bold and outspoken, but he wasnât in this place. Someone grabbed Andrewâs wrist and pulled it behind his back. It wasnât time to make a move yet. The image of those men training outside was too fresh. Even if Andrew did make it out of this room heâd never get past them.
The cuffs clicked back on. Andrew kept his face blank. It was a skill heâd mastered over the years. He glanced toward Carter, whose face was emotionless. Andrew was grateful Carter wasnât speaking out or mentioning Mia, but this behavior was too unsettling.
They were spun back around. Andrew wouldnât break. He didnât want to speak or let these men know what he was thinking. Show no fear. Carter didnât look fearless; he looked like a shell. A new man had entered the room. He was pushing a small table with four syringes laid out on it.
âWhat is that?â Carter asked.
Donât speak, Andrew said in his head. He didnât know if he was reminding himself or trying to magically communicate with Carter.
âBoosters,â the man said. He was American. âYou missed your enlistment date and we canât have the two of you getting sick now. Are either of you injured?â
Andrew kept his eyes glued to the wall. His leg bothered him from the accident. When Grant ran them off the road, Andrew had been flipped from the bed of the truck. His pain was not enough that it needed medical attention, and even if it had needed it, he wasnât about to let this man help him.
âIâll take that as a no,â the man said.
Andrew felt the cotton swab on his arm. He didnât flinch when the needles entered his skin. The doctor did Carter, who was less composed, next. He rolled his arm away.
âDonât touch me,â Carter said.
The empty shell of Carter was getting filled with rage. Andrew wanted to calm him down; this wasnât the time for fighting back. The doctor didnât seem bothered. He reached out and yanked Carterâs arm toward him. Andrew expected a blowback, but this time Carter didnât protest. The emptiness returned to his face.
The doctor wheeled his table out. Two men walked over and grabbed Andrewâs arms. The remaining two did the same to Carter. They were escorted out of the room and back into the hallway. Andrew was leading the way.
Andrew didnât stop walking or try to fight the men guiding him. He kept his stone face as he heard Carter struggle.
âStop,â Carter said. âYou canât do this to us.â
Carterâs protests faded away. They were getting split up now. Andrew never looked back. He felt bad for Carter; he had a father who had trained him to act proud and strong. Carter never learned the lesson about getting in line and shutting up. Andrew knew they could make it out of here, but they needed a plan first. Screaming and fighting at this stage would only make it worse.
The escorts stopped moving and unlocked a heavy wooden door. It led into a small room. The floor was made of dirt. There was a table and two chairs. The men walked Andrew to the table and unlocked his cuffs. Andrew didnât turn around when they closed the door. He heard the lock snap into place.
Andrew rubbed his wrists where the handcuffs had been. He did a quick inventory of the room. The chairs and table were metal and none budged when he tried to move them. Andrew didnât understand how they were stuck to the ground. That was it.
There were no windows in the clay room. A single light hung from the ceiling; it was too high up to reach, even when Andrew stood on the table.
Andrew tried to keep calm and focused. He thought over the path here. They were driving fast, over sixty miles per hour, but the ride couldnât have been longer than ten minutes. Mia wasnât that far away. She was resourceful. Andrew was certain
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