Chapter 2

The first thing was the cold. Gripping at me with icy fingers, it forced me to curl into a ball and fight for body warmth. The next was the metal beneath me and the realization it was the source of the dilemma. Brows knitting, I tried to fathom why, but I couldn’t think. My brain was misted, as if I had enjoyed too many drinks the night before, but that couldn’t be right. I hadn’t enjoyed anything since they’d started rounding women up, hadn’t rested, hadn’t bathed, hadn’t relaxed.

It hit me then, the gnawing panic that slithered inside like a living thing. I was on the run—in hiding. There was only one logical reason I would wake up surrounded by metal, but I didn’t want to believe it, couldn’t face the reality of what had happened.

“Wake up, bitches.”

I tensed, my heart hammering, though my eyes remained shut. Somehow, I could fool myself into thinking this was only a dream while they were closed and convince myself it wasn’t real.

“Time to wake up!” The voice was louder, the sound of metal hitting metal intensifying my alarm.

Reluctantly, my lids flickered open, my head aching as I tried to take stock of the row of cages. The place was dark, but as I roused, there was no denying what was obvious—five cages crammed with women were apparent in the gloom. My throat dried as my gaze traveled around my new prison, and it finally dawned—I was in a cage. My hand rose to my mouth in a vain attempt to hold back the rising spike of nausea.

Oh God. My heart threatened to leap into my throat. They got me. Oh God, oh God, oh God!

“Today is your lucky day, bitches.”

I couldn’t see the man shouting obscenities, but as I hunched tighter, his muddy boots came into view. Passing down the line of caged women, he paused on the other side of the metal bars.

“Today, you finally get to be useful.”

Terror tore at my belly as I pulled in a shaky breath and locked eyes with the woman in the cage opposite, her brown gaze wide and petrified.

“You all know the score by now. You’re to be taken and processed, and if you fail the tests, some lucky guys get to knock you all up.”

Trepidation bubbled inside, the hand at my mouth barely holding back my strangled gasp.

“No doubt that’s why you all ran. It’s fucking pathetic, thinking you could get away,” he scoffed, “but on behalf of me and the other guys, I want to thank you.”

“Oh my God.”The woman with the dirty face and brown eyes mouthed the words as his boots stalked away.

“Because you ran, we get to have a little fun with you first.” His chilling laughter echoed around wherever they were holding us. “Because you ran, we get first dibs. Turns out, they don’t give a shit who fathers the new generation, so long as there is one, so we get to enjoy you first.”

My blood ran cold at his disgusting insinuation.

“Since it doesn’t matter how long it takes to impregnate you, we’re gonna give it a go before you reach the warehouse.”

“Well, you say that.” Another menacing voice floated from overhead. “It does matter, Matt. They won’t give these whores forever to come up with the goods.”

“True,” the first replied. “That’s true, Jim. Let me make a correction. You sluts have a couple months to prove yourself functional. If not, you’ll end up in a shallow grave.”

My throat dried as dread spread through my body, and for the first time, I noticed I was completely naked. Someone had stripped me before they’d flung me unconscious into a cage. If there had been any doubt about the depths the new regime would sink to, this confirmed all my worst fears. I was caught, exposed, and had never been more vulnerable.

“Anyway, that’s for the future,” he continued gleefully. “For now, your concern is pleasing us, and the first step toward that is getting you bitches cleaned up.” The brute snorted as he paced by. “You’re all dirty and not in a good way.”

“So, listen up.” The second one, Jim, raised his voice. “Here’s how it’s going to go. We’re taking you out one at a time, then hosing you down. Any protest will be met with a bullet through the head, and this time, it won’t be no sedative. We have enough of you to fulfill our quota and can afford to bleed a few. Once you’re in better shape, we’ll each choose one and get to work.” Disgust rose at his dry tone. It was almost as if he found this whole thing amusing.

How could men who once worked regular jobs have come to this? They were someone’s son, husband, and father—where was their humanity? That had been the true cunning of the machine’s propaganda. It had dehumanized us from the beginning, labeling those who didn’t rush to volunteer as selfish and unfit to be a member of society. We needed to be compelled to do the right thing. We would never willingly be judged, which meant snatching us away in the darkness and violating our rights was somehow justifiable.

I guessed it was easier to do those things if you didn’t see the victim as human, didn’t recognize her frightened eyes like those of your own mother or sister. I assumed it helped them sleep at night.

“Right then.”

I leapt at the sudden volume of his voice, and barely able to take a breath, I watched as one of them crouched in front of the brown-eyed woman. Dressed all in black, there was nothing identifiable about the aggressor.

“Might as well start with you, bitch.”