∞ The Tethered Ones ∞

Chapter 37

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• Luna •

It was late in the afternoon when Cami connected with Luna to catch up on things, which helped, because the last thing she wanted to think about was Amir trying to find out what she'd seen from the general's memories. Part of her knew she'd eventually talk about it, because it also affected him, but it wasn't the right time. She even played different scenarios in her head about how she could explain everything without him freaking out. But this was a serious topic to be discussed after his family was rescued. He didn't need to worry about anything else.

Ethan had informed them that tonight would be the best time to meet Titus. So, while Amir was off with him to get a vehicle ready, Luna sat on her bed with her best friend. 

They went over the events that happened recently and how Liberty took one for the team. Luna smiled after hearing how her sister tried to outsmart a Defective, but then, she questioned if that person was one. He moved like a Trojan, and she wondered if he could have been one of them.

Pushing against the headboard, she glanced at the window as a sprinkle of rain hit the glass. Cami was looking at the pile of clothes Zoe had brought over earlier, and Luna was supposed to be listening to her, but her mind was busy with how things would go in Chalmette.

This was her first time being inside of a club in a long time, and Amir wasn't exactly someone who visited them frequently. In fact, she knew he might feel uncomfortable immediately, but they were both on a mission. Neither of them was going there for the fun of it.

Inhaling, Luna kept her gaze outside, her eyes trailing the area. Amir had said he saw something floating into the air that shot out flashing lights, but she couldn't see anything. Maybe it only happened once and it was one of the residents' drones. Though, she wasn't settled with that last one. She had a feeling the device was bad news. If there was a device, they'd need to keep a lookout at all times.

"You're so not listening to me," Cami said, sitting beside the pile of clothes.

"Oh. Sorry." Luna whirled around, fighting a grin. She was happy to spend time with her, but there was so much that has happened in the last several days and she couldn't concentrate on much. "You said you like that brown shirt but wished it had puffy sleeves."

Cami arched a brow. "You have a lot on your mind."

"Sorry." Luna dropped her head back and closed her eyes, then let out a long-suffering sigh. "There's just so much going on that I can't tell you." She shifted her eyes toward the closet and then back to Cami. "Tonight is when we'll go find out where his family is."

"Oh. I thought the plan was going to be next week or something."

She opened her eyes and shrugged a shoulder. "That was the plan until Davenport dumped a world of information on us. I think it would still be best for you guys to wait to come here until we get to know the residents better."

Cami's curls bounced when she nodded. "That's fine. We're at Liberty and Vikram's house since it's not being watched. She's still recovering from her wounds."

Luna gulped. "She took a hit, didn't she?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Your sister will be okay. We each take turns changing her bandages and pampering her. She lives for it."

Luna chuckled and threw a sock at her.

Laughing, Cami propped a foot under her thigh. "So, what are you going to wear at the club?"

There weren't many selections to choose from except a green tee-shirt and a medium-length skirt. She remembered what Ethan had told her. The women who go there reveal a lot of skin, which made her nauseated to think about that. "Probably a regular tee and maybe some black leggings."

"That sounds simple."

Luna popped up from her seat and stalked over to the closet. "I'm supposed to wear something sexy. I don't have anything here."

Cami followed. "We can figure something out."

There was a sea of jeans and blouses, nothing like what Ethan hinted at. Anger crept up her throat. Just the thought of how he'd kept so many secrets from them had her blood boiling.

Queasy, she pushed a line of pants to the side. "None of these would work."

Cami maneuvered around the other side and shuffled through the clothes. "Let me work my magic. I live for smexy stuff."

Both of them laughed.

"You're the boss," Luna said, grinning.

Ten minutes later, they stared at several items placed on the bed as if an invisible hooker was coming to get them. It felt like hot coils were placed on her cheeks. "Uh . . ."

Cami chortled. "You should look in the mirror."

Luna shook her head slowly. "I cannot go out wearing this. I don't understand why Zoe has these clothes. I doubt she'd walk around showing off her legs and stomach."

"Maybe some of these clothes were meant for her private time with her husband. I mean, we all have an inner stripper, Luna."

She turned to her best friend and stared. "You know what I normally wear. None-none of this is me."

"That's the fun thing about going to a club, especially ones you've never been to." Cami's nose wrinkled. "You don't know what to expect and can let loose. Anyway, you get to be someone else for a night, even if you're going in for business. Let your wild side come out and play."

Luna busted out laughing. "Wild side?"

Cami nodded. "Haven't you missed that side of yourself? Don't you want one night to take your mind off things?"

"Yeah. But I'd rather show off my erotic side with my husband privately and not in front of a group of strangers."

"Okay. Maybe you can do that in a booth, then. Most bars and clubs have those."

She pursed her lips as she turned her head.

Cami was being Cami and always finding a solution to everything.

Luna spotted a denim skirt that looked like it wouldn't even cover the person's rear all the way, but it was the best they had. Next to it was a cropped black silk shirt that she could wear with a tank top. It was long-sleeved, so it would cover her cuts and bruises along her arms. Lying next to the bed was a pair of black knee-high boots that still had the price tag on them. Forty-five dollars and some change.

And that was it.

Nothing else in the mixture of clothes could pass for an exotic dancer. Her stomach was crumbling with the thought of Amir having to go into the club, but his family's lives were on the line. Getting information about their whereabouts was the ultimate goal.

"I can't do this, Cami."

"Why?"

"Because my butt and my boobs are going to be showing."

She scoffed. "Trust me. Your boobs will be covered, especially if you wear this with the top." Cami brought up a black silk see-through poncho and grinned. "You could wrap this around your body when you're inside."

"My stomach will still be exposed."

"So? You have a nice stomach; show it off." She picked up the skirt, holding it to her waist. "Once Faisal and I get married, I so want to borrow this. I think he'd enjoy peeling it off me."

"Cami!"

"What?" She laughed. "I'm just saying, I like these bottoms. If I had a pair of tights to go along with it, I wouldn't show too much skin."

Luna remembered something. "Tights!" She spun around to the bag of clothes Zoe brought over the night before and rummaged through it, searching for the pair of black opaque tights she'd saw earlier. "A-ha! I can wear these and the denim jacket."

"It's perfect," Cami said, flopping down on the bed. "How long do you think you guys will be in there?"

She shrugged a shoulder as she folded the rest of the clothes. "I don't know. I guess it depends on how long it takes to get the intel we need."

"True. I just know that clubs in the south do stay open all night and even all day. But I'm sure y'all wouldn't stay out that late."

Luna snorted. "No way. Dominique said she wanted us behind the gate before two if we can help it. She knows we're going for her brothers, too."

"She's like the main guard around here or something, right?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I know she became a colonel before being honorably discharged from the army, but I don't know much about her yet," Luna explained.

"Right." Cami leaned back and sighed. "You're going to look so hot. I can't wait to hear about it later."

Luna laughed. "You know, that's not the sole purpose, but if we can let loose a little and escape reality a night, that'll be great."

"Exactly. I want you both to have a good time, either way. Forget Ethan. He's non-existent."

They both broke out into giggles, and the conversation eventually went back to the pile of clothes sitting on the bed. She asked about Sarah and got to see her for a minute as she lay on the couch with Liberty.

But during the whole time Luna was talking to Cami, she had an icy feeling in the pit of her stomach, a piercing sensation, like something bad was going to happen.

Then again, it was her nerves.

She chalked it up to her being nervous. Going into a new environment and knowing she was on BARDA's Most Wanted List didn't exactly make her feel better.

But she sucked in a deep breath and pulled herself together, trusting that everything goes as planned. Nothing can go wrong. Their lives depended on it.

• • •

Chalmette wasn't a popular city, but that didn't mean it was a ghost town. It was on the cusp of growth, about twenty minutes away from The Big Easy. It was settled in St. Bernard Parish and was home to the Chalmette Battlefield. The battlefield was the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans which was considered the last great battle in the War of 1812. Every corner they'd turned, Luna would see a sign about the history of the area. She didn't care for it, but it was unavoidable not to notice them.

The highway was heavily developed — shopping centers, restaurants, local thrift stores, office buildings. There was even a Pizza Hut, her favorite restaurant, and dammit if it didn't suck having to pass it up. They were already running late.

It was nearly ten, and the trip started badly, which she knew would happen.

They guys had gotten into it several times before they'd made it out of Salvation Estate. Something about taking Phoenix. It was a red Nissan Owen had named, and it had air. However, it was low on gas and oil, so the guys decided on Voodoo, a black Ford Fiesta with no air and the engine rattling profusely under the hood. The vehicle was known to breakdown at red lights, and luckily, nothing like that has happened so far.

Once they made it to the south of New Orleans, there was no stopping Amir and Ethan from bickering about how to get to the club. An epic argument ensured.

Amir, who was unfamiliar with the area, ended up winning. He knew how to follow a map accurately, and it had earned him the right to be behind the wheel, causing a pouty Ethan to sit on the passenger side. She sat in the back and kept her eyes focused on the road, deep in thought. The group hit a thunderstorm around Val Riess Park, slowing them down, and Ethan had to point out that the side streets near the canal were probably easier to travel on.

She rolled her eyes, not at all surprised by his dictatorship. He wanted to control everything since they'd left, and Amir wasn't having it. Both guys wore a simple collar shirt and dark jeans they borrowed from Connor, and she went with Cami's choice of attire, much to Amir's enjoyment. If he made one more comment about her appearance and how it sparked his insides, she was ready to hurt him.

She kept expecting a fleet of agents to arrive out of nowhere and knock their vehicle into a ditch, but none of that happened. She hadn't sensed any other hunter's presence, so that was a relief.

By the time they made it to Bayou State Guide Center, Luna wanted to hop out of the moving vehicle. Their bickering was getting too much.

As they neared Ventura Drive, Amir asked, "How much further?"

Ethan grabbed the map and sighed. "Take a right at Jacob Drive."

Amir kept driving as gently as he could, but also took short glances at Luna.

About a half a mile down the side street, Ethan said, "See the old warehouse on the left?"

Amir's eyes narrowed. "Yeah."

"Turn there."

She leaned forward to get a better view. Tall weeds surrounded the front door of the structure. It wasn't that big and could easily be passed off as a shack. "The club is in a dilapidated building?"

Ethan chuckled. "There's a bad case of asbestos in there. We're going around the back. Just stay on the gravel road."

Muttering about hitting the many potholes Louisiana has, Amir followed Ethan's sketchy directions. The gravel road was more like a pathway of pebbles smack-dab in the middle of a forest, and it felt so shady for her that she wanted to demand they turn around. They had to keep going. It would be a waste of time if they decided to quit now.

The further they went, the eerie feeling in her stomach grew. Thick trees crowded the roadway, broken up by abandoned mobile homes with bordered-up windows and opened spaces where doors once filled.

"I think we should go back," Luna said. "I'm a fan of horror films, but this is too much."

Ethan snorted and shook his head. "Relax. This area was once flooded by Hurricane Katrina. That's why almost all the homes are empty."

The car bumped over an opened pothole, and then there was noise. Around a batch of trees, cars started to come into view. They were scattered everywhere, and most were parked in haphazard lanes or cramped into a large field. Beyond the litter of vehicles was a low-level building with no outdoor lighting.

"Okay. I think I've seen this place in American Horror Story. Or maybe it was Hatchet."

"Everything is going to be fine," Ethan murmured. "The place is hidden so it doesn't bring any unwanted attention, not because they kidnap and kill unsuspecting visitors."

"You know, I deserve the right to disagree with you on that."

He chuckled. "You're so paranoid."

Luna scoffed. "I have every right to be."

He rolled his eyes as Amir parked as far away as he could, making sure Voodoo was facing the road in case anything went wrong. But she was more worried about getting eaten by Bigfoot being that far from the entrance.

"I doubt we're going to see Bigfoot," Amir said. "I think we have a better chance at getting bitten by an alligator."

She didn't know what to say to that and turned her gaze toward the front.

A guy stumbled out of his driver's side door. Moonlight glinted off his black choker and red Mohawk.

Or we could be eaten by a goth kid.

"He's harmless," mumbled Amir, staring at her.

She opened the door and stepped out, hugging her denim jacket close. "Could we, maybe, meet Titus out here?"

"Ha. That's not going to happen," Ethan said. He slammed his door shut, and Amir about snapped his neck. "You will need to lose your coat."

"What?" She glared at him. "No. I don't want guys looking at my breasts. Especially Titus."

"Woman, you don't even have to worry about him. His girlfriend is in there. You'd be the last person he'd ever look at."

She snarled, and Amir threw himself in between them. "Don't you dare disrespect my wife. You hear me?"

"Neither of you have anything to worry about." Ethan shifted his gaze to Luna. "You'll understand once you see him. But they aren't going to let you in if you cover yourself."

"Ugh!" she exclaimed. She felt like stomping her feet as she stared at her husband helplessly. The business clearly didn't care about the male dress code, but they did for the females. "So not fair."

Amir sauntered up to her, placing his hands on hers. A lock of dark hair fell into his eyes. "We can go back if you want to. Just let me know."

"If we're not going in, what was the point in driving all this way and becoming acquainted with the potholes?" Ethan stated. "They're my best friends."

"Shut up," Amir growled over his shoulder and then brought his attention to her. "I'm serious. There's got to be another way to get what we need."

'But there isn't another way, Amir.'

'Yes, there is, Moon. We'll figure it out.'

Ethan stood there, brows tightened as they chatted telepathically. He grunted, shaking his head. "I can hear both of you."

"God, you're so infuriating," she groaned.

"So are you," Ethan retorted.

Amir stepped away from her and brought his fist up, about to smash it into his face, but she stopped him. "Both of you cool it. This isn't helping."

As much as she hated to admit it, Ethan was right. It would be a waste of time and resources to go to a club in a secluded area for nothing. There were several lives at stake and the only way to get the answers they needed was through those doors.

And she hated it.

Sucking in a deep breath, she stepped back and unbuttoned her jacket, then threw it in the back seat. "I'm fine. Gotta pull on my big girl undies and all that jazz."

Amir watched quietly as she fixed herself up. But then he glanced down and saw her midsection exposed and stepped next to her like a shield. "Yeah, I'm not so sure about this anymore."

Turning, Ethan's brows shot up. "You can't be serious."

Amir whipped around, fists flying out, but Ethan squatted quickly, narrowly missing Amir's punch. Whitish-yellow sparks blew, lighting up the dark lot as a circuit breaker cracked.

Luna crossed her arms over her bare stomach and looked around the lot. No one else was outside, so she reached for Amir's hand and tugged him toward her. "Let's go and get this over with."

Ethan eventually followed along and laughed behind them.

The walk to the steel door was only five minutes, but it felt like ten. There were no windows or anything, but as they drew closer, the heavy beat of music could be heard outside.

"Do we go in or—"

Out of the shadows, a huge bouncer appeared. Arms like tree branches were shown off by the ripped overalls he wore. The guy's hair was spiked in four sections across the center of his partially shaved head. His spikes were the color of lavender.

She loved that color.

Studs gleamed over his nose, lips, and eyebrows. Thick bolts pierced his ears. Two at the top, and two at the bottom.

Luna swallowed nervously as nobody said anything. She took a step back and ended up bumping into Amir, who placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'd advert my eyes if I were you," he said to the man.

"Good thing you aren't me," the bouncer remarked.

The man was like a pro-wrestler, and he smirked at the three of them like he was about to eat them for dinner. She knew they needed to do something now, or there would be an inevitable brawl.

Ethan intervened. "My friends are from out of town, and I'm showing them a good time. That's all."

Pro Wrestler studied Amir like he was some foreign object from outer space, but he didn't say anything. Then he reached for the door and cracked it open. Music blared, and he gave a mocking salute. "Welcome to Escape. Have fun."

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