Chapter 3 - Callahan

Keep your enemies close. Your best friend closer.

I rolled out of bed the next morning, my left pectoral on fire. It was a mix of pain and itchiness that wasn't pleasant. I went to the showers, stripped off my pajamas, and stepped in. I wanted to be the first one in and out so I could start my day. It was easily the most important day we'd see all year. The other DITs slowly trickled in, groaning and muttering good morning to the others as they turned their showers on.

I drenched my body in piping-hot water and reached for the soap.

"Just a light lather over it and then pat it dry."

I looked up to see Milton standing in the shower next to me. He turned the shower on and smiled. "You gonna let me take a peak, yet?" He nodded to the white gauze taped over a small portion of my chest.

"I thought we had a 'no looking in the shower' policy." I rolled my eyes and turned, showing him my ass.

He laughed. "That hasn't stopped a single one of us. There's no hiding from a fellow DIT, asshole. Show me what ink you got."

"Fuck off, Milton," I called back to him, lathering my body. I'd wash my new tattoo separately; in the toilet if that was the only place I'd get privacy.

"Just because you've got the biggest cock here doesn't mean you get to be a dick!" Harold shouted across the room.

Everyone laughed as I shot him my middle finger. The attention shifted and everyone moved the conversation to the wild party we'd gone to last night down in Gen Pop. Milton had taken us all down, like he did every week, and knew just where the best parties were.

I hadn't wanted to go, really. The parties were fun. They had liquor and different types of cigarettes we up here didn't have. Down there, although we were still dressed differently, we could relax some. We weren't on duty or at risk of a Young Lady seeing us. On our own floor, it was drilled into us to not let the girls see us as anything but tough men that could protect them.

But they weren't really girls anymore. Today marked something big. Today was Eleanor's birthday, the youngest Young Lady in our round. Her birthday meant we'd all be getting assigned to Young Ladies soon, and we'd start our careers. Today the warden and Dorothy, the Young Ladies den mother, would begin looking for the next batch of Young Ladies that would eventually be paired with us. Soon we'd all be Daddies and could get the fuck out of these barracks.

I looked forward to my own space, where I didn't have to hide everything so it wasn't stolen, and my nights were quiet and not filled with the sounds of skin smacking against skin as a guy beat off in the bed next to me.

Eleanor's 18th birthday was by far the most important birthday out of everyone's, and she fucking knew it. Her graduating from the program meant that the DITs would soon graduate too. She reveled in the nonexistent power she had regarding the date and used it to bargain for a large party. I was mildly surprised when they'd given in quickly to her requests.

"She's the highest-ranking Young Lady, that's why," Lewis said when I'd mentioned it.

He had a point. Each Young Lady and each DIT were ranked from 1-15, with 1 being the best. This was all determined by how well you did on missions to the above. Eleanor and her Daddy were fantastic together. And she knew it.

She knew just how much they needed her skills and she never let anyone forget it.

"And that's exactly why we're perfect for each other. Imagine us out there together. We'd save humanity so fast and could be done with this shit," Milton bragged as he left the showers, joining me at the shaving trough. I bit my tongue, not wanting to point out that if he weren't related to the warden, he'd be ranked significantly lower than he was. He was number one by technicality, and I was number two because of it. We lathered our faces and took razors to our jaws.

Rank one was rightfully mine.

He looked at me through the mirror and nodded at the bandage on my chest. "Come on, stop being a pussy. Show me. I showed you what I got."

"Your tattoo is stupid." I eyed his forearm, where he'd just gotten a skeleton dressed like a cowboy with a gun cocked. "We should have gone to my guy. He's way better."

"Hardly," he scoffed. "I sat for hours to get mine. Hurt like a bitch. How long did yours take?"

"Doesn't matter, because you'll never see it."

Milton grew silent and we finished shaving without another word. However the moment we both put our blades down he tackled me to the floor and clawed at my chest.

"Fucking show me!"

I shoved him off of me and rolled quickly, but he'd got a grip on my bandage and as I pushed him back, he ripped it off my skin. His face lit up with triumph as he held the inky, bloody gauze in his hand.

"Ha! Let's see what's so special." He scrambled to his feet and I clapped my hand over my chest, but a few DITs saw what we were fighting about and hurried to help. They grabbed me and pulled my arms open, exposing my fresh tattoo to the group.

Silence fell over us as they stared at the ink.

I gulped as I stared at Milton. His eyes drank it in, going from glee, to surprise, to anger.

"Is that…"

A drawing of a Young Lady that looks oddly like Eleanor?

Yes.

"No." I lied.

"You think that's fucking funny?" He snarled.

"I said no."The men let me go and I stumbled slightly before righting myself. "I think you're funny, more thananything. We all knowyourrank is a lie. I wouldn't trust anyone up there with you. You should stop bragging about it."

"Jealousy is a bad look, Callahan. Grow up."

A few others mumbledsimilarsentiments. Quickly, Irushedback to my bed and pulled my clothes from my dresser. I shoved an undershirt over my head, wincing slightly at thefrictionof the rough fabric against my sensitive skin. I finished getting ready and went to stand by the door and wait for Milton. My arms crossed andlookingstraight ahead, trying to hide myembarrassment.

Me, jealous? Of Milton?

Yes, I was. Insanely jealous.

"Ready?" Milton slapped his hand on my shoulder, pulling me from mythoughts.

"I suppose."

I kicked off the wall and followed him out. We went past everybody, heading directly to the entrance room. I looked toward the wall to where our equipment sat on hooks.

PARA. Suits! Protect Against Radiation Above. Daddies and DITs, don't go above without your PARA Suits!

I read the sign hanging above them and frowned.

"You think you're ready to try—"Milton motioned with his hands as if he were removing something from his head.

I shook my head, cutting Milton off. I looked around quickly, checking to see if we were alone. "Shut it, will you? I'm doing you a favor, remember?"

"Are you? Or are your motives more personal?" He grabbed the thick suit with his name embroidered on it and began to climb inside it. I didn't respond. Instead, I grabbed my suit and put it on, adding the gas mask last.

"Come on, Cal. I know you've been jealous of me since day one. I never really cared, because you know, I get it. But it's getting a bit much, don't you think? She hates you. You really?—"

"Let's go." I slammed my hand on the giant red button to start opening the bunker. I tapped the code on the number pad below it and went to the ladder. "I don't have the patience for your rambling today."

"Fine, but we're revisiting this," he insisted, following me up the ladder. "But I'll forgive you for everything because today's special. Eleanor is 18 now, and I'm taking that pussy first tonight. Right up there at Risky Rush Park. My cock is going to be buried in her so fast and deep they'll be no time to get exposed to radiation."

I blinked rapidly, confused, but kept going up the ladder.

First? What did he mean by that?