Chapter 26 - Riot

Don't be like Milton.

" C ome on, queer boy, untie me. Maybe I'll show you a good time."

I kicked the leg of the chair Milton was tied to and it fell back, causing his head to hit the wooden floorboards with a sickening smack! He was momentarily stunned before laughing it off.

"Oh come on, you know I'm just joshing you. I wouldn't suck your dick if it was the only thing saving me from this life or the next. Let me up, I'll stop."

I pressed my boot on the edge of the table, rocking my chair back and forth. We'd had the fucker for three days and he hadn't shut up at all. We tied him to Soda's bike and took him back to Heathen Heights, hoping to learn more about the bunkers, but so far all I'd learned is that he liked to complain, smoke, and drink.

"You think talking to me like that's gonna get you anywhere?" I raised an eyebrow, then turned to the rest of the table. "I don't know about you Boone, but I could leave this little bunker boy here all night and not bat an eye. You want to go to Scissors tonight?"

"I could go for a drink," he agreed. Soda was kind enough to stand and right Milton's chair.

Milton frowned. The only time he'd been let up was at night, and on a leash. Soda would take him for a stretch around the junkyard and Boone took him to the can. Anything he was fed was mostly soup, and Cherry had taken to that.

"Come on, fellas. I was just teasing. I don't care about you two being fa--" Milton stopped short when I drew my gun and cocked it two inches from his face.

"Say that word and I don't think I'll care too much about what information you have."

The soldier from the bunker gulped then nodded. "Understood."

I stood and slid my gun back into its holster. "I need a break from this house. Come on, boys. Let's go dancin'."

We left Heathen Heights on bikes, leaving Milton at the mercy of Cherry and Bonnie. Cherry was trying out new ingredients in her soap, and I'd encouraged her to use Milton as a test subject. So far he'd developed a red sore on the back of his hand that he claimed hurt like a motherfucker. Oh well.

We strolled into Scissors bar like we owned the place. We were greeted like we'd just come back home from war -- with cheers and pats on the backs. I even had a drink bought for me, however, I politely declined when I scanned the bar and saw it was Blossom, an old fling that never got the hint, who'd purchased it.

"Well, if you don't drink it, I will. In more than one way," Boone winked at me as he took the drink and slammed it down his throat.

"Fine by me. You and Bonnie will have fun with that one." I patted his shoulder and disappeared into the crowd, losing him until the end of the night, when Soda found me outside, smoking a cigarette and talking to some of the older patrons.

"Thanks for the tip, Carol, I'll be sure to try that tomorrow."

I stood and wobbled to my bike. Soda swore. I couldn't get on my motorcycle in my condition. "Looks like we're staying a while." I laughed and returned to the old men.

Soda and Boone joined me until we were all sober enough not to kill ourselves on the bikes in the dead of night, and then, we rode on home. The sun was just coming up as we rounded the house.

We found Milton in the kitchen, head slumped and the rest of him still tied up in the chair we'd left him in. Cherry and Bonnie had long since gone to bed.

I passed by my sister's room on my way up to my own. She must have been waking up for the day, because she came to her door and ground the sleep from her eyes.

"Riot?"

"Just coming in," I chuckled. "I'm taking the day off."

"Good, you deserve it. Uh, before you go to bed, you should know something."

I paused and slowly turned. "What's that? Did something happen last night? Did Milton hurt you?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just... while he was sleeping, he was muttering a lot."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He said the name, Eleanor."

I had every intention of sleeping until the sun was past noon, but I struggled to sleep all morning as I thought about what Cherry had said. Was the Eleanor he referred to, the Eleanor? Did he know Myrtle? Maybe he'd seen her baby daughter somewhere in the bunker, and he could help me get her out and to safety. Finally, my body gave up and fell asleep out of exhaustion, and when it decided I was rested, I popped back up and stormed into the kitchen where the soldier waited, still tied down.

"I could really use a piss break," he complained. "And a smoke. Fuck, I need a smoke. I ain't ever gone this long without one. This is torture."

"Who is Eleanor?" I demanded, ignoring his complaints.

His face instantly shifted. His expression darkened. "Why?"

I repeated the question. "Is she Myrtle's daughter?" I asked after he still refused to answer.

"Maybe she is. Maybe not."

"What are they doing with her?"

He squinted. "Why do you want to know about that girl so badly? She ain't special."

"Her mother was."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Was she a Young Lady?"

I paced, running my hands through my hair.

"She was in her twenties, yeah."

"No, it's a title. Was this Myrtle you knew a Young Lady?" He repeated.

I grabbed a chair, flipped it backward, and sat in front of him. "I have no idea. Tell me about the title."

Over the next hour, Milton explained what Young Ladies, Daddies, and DITs were.

"I was a DIT. That's why they're looking for me. There's only 15 of us picked each year. If I don't come home, there's a Young Lady who has no Daddy to be paired with."

"But why is it so important? There's already a cure."

Milton's face crumpled. "No there's not. You're lying!" He accused.

"No sir, President Harrison endorsed it himself. So long as you take it when you're young, you'll be fine."

"Give it to me." He demanded. "What is it, a pill? A little blue pill?"

He was oddly specific. I shook my head. "No, it's a shot. It's expensive. And you can't take it if you've been exposed already. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you've already started the transformation. To creepie."

"Fuck you," he spat. "Fuck you!" Milton fought against his restraints. "I'm not a creepie!"

"Not yet. I'd care to wager somewhere on your body, you're showing signs. It's been what, a month? Since that night the other soldier told you to run. You're well underway, I'm sure."

Milton froze. "How did you know about that? Were you there?"

I realized what I'd said and bit down.

Fuck .

"He'd said you were trying to rape someone. You didn't deny it."

"It's a game, first one to chicken out has to scrub the latrines. Only the Daddies are in on the joke, otherwise it wouldn't be fun! We were never going to touch her. Callahan was just upset because he's in love with the girl."

"But you said they can't be."

"Yeah, well he was. He was my best friend and he betrayed me in hopes of getting some pussy. Although I don't know why. I took him down to the whore houses two years ago to pop his cherry. He never once complained until that night."

I didn't believe him, but I had a feeling if I didn't pretend to, I'd never get close to finding Eleanor.

"I want to strike a deal," he blurted, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I'm listening."

"Let me write a letter to a girl in the bunker and then let me go on the day she's meant to meet up with me. I'll plan a specific time and day."

"And in return I get?" I leaned against the counter. This didn't seem like a deal I'd be interested in.

A slow grin spread upon Milton's face, sending alarms to my brain that I blissfully ignored.

"You get that letter to my girl, and I'll tell you everything you need to know about bunker 237."

"Haven't you already?" I smirked.

Milton shook his head slowly, and the way his eyes glinted in the dim room sent chills through me.

"I've barely scratched the surface. The bunkers are a lot more fucked up than you realize."