The dust storm lasted all night, churning small cyclones of dust from the dry earth only to scatter it again. Tiny pebbles and specks of dirt showered the truck’s windows as Gunner and the others sat inside, feeling the vehicle sway back and forth while parked on the outskirts of the camp. By morning, sand had buried the truck up to its windows, and they had to crawl out. 

“Doubt they’ll hold an auction today,” Coyote said as he glanced at the flyer in his hand, which was one of many plastered all over town.

“So you think they’ll postpone it until tomorrow?” Archibald asked. “They have all morning to make the camp presentable, so they may still have it today.”

Coyote gazed up at the sherbert colored sky and closed his eyes. “No. I smell rain. Even if it’s a quick shower, it’ll turn that camp into a mud pit. So let’s hope I’m right.”

Archibald pointed to a few dark clouds in the distance. “They’re most likely just passing through, but at least it’ll be something.”

“Gunner, what do you think?” Coyote spun, but no longer saw his brother-in-law. “Where did he go off to now?”

“Up there.” Jasper tapped his shoulder and pointed to the hill he was climbing with Abraham. “He’s probably surveying the camp. We should too.”

“The three of you go on ahead.” Archibald leaned against the truck, holding his side. “I’m going to rest a bit.”

Concerned, Luna weaved her arms around him. “Is everything alright, Papá?”

“Fine, sweetheart. Just need to save my energy.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now go on. Inspect the camp. Commit as much of it to memory.”

“I will. I’ll make you proud.”

Archibald smiled and cupped her face. “You already do. Now go on.”

Together, the three of them climbed the dusty hill overlooking the camp and laid down flat next to Gunner amongst the shrubs. A wink of sunrise cast golden rays across the earth, shedding light on the trailers coated in dirt from the storm. A layer of debris and red cups floated along the surface of the pool, while chairs and table umbrellas poked out of surrounding shrubs.

With the binoculars, Gunner said, “The blue-grey one must be Merric’s trailer. I saw a man through the window that matches the description Archibald gave us.”

“Doesn’t look like much is happening. Think they’re still asleep?” Coyote asked.

“Most likely. It’s still early.” He glanced at his watch and pointed towards another trailer. “See that one and that one? They’re the only ones with window bars and door chains. Clara and Corbin must be in one of them.”

“What if they’ve separated them?” Jasper asked.

“Maybe. These Hounds picked a smart spot for their camp. Butting against this mountain means you can only attack from the entrance.” Gunner smiled. “Lucky for us, they’re too stupid to believe no one will attack from behind.”

“Behind them?” Coyote cocked a brow.

“Yes.” Gunner pointed to three locations on the small mountain. “It looks like there’s a path into the camp from those spots. I’m assuming that’s how their Lookouts walked to their posts last night.”

“I see. Which means we can use those pathways too.”

“Exactly. I want Archibald right here with the sniper rifle. It has the least amount of blind spots of the camp. I’ll need men there, there and there...” Gunner pointed. “And Luna, you’ll enter the camp from the front with a wagon.”

“A wagon?” she asked.

“Yes. Less suspicious that way. Abraham found one on a farm nearby and they’re letting us use their horse too.”

“Seems awfully generous.” Jasper gave a sideways glance at Abraham. “You sure he didn’t kill them for it?”

“Oye coño, why you care how we got a wagon?” Abraham reprimanded in his thick accent. “I member you killing a bunch of Scouts in their sleep.”

“Yes, people ratting out Clara, but killing innocent civilians for a wagon is wrong. Besides, I was messing with you.”

Turning to Gunner, Abraham said, “Este niño esta jodiendo con mi paciencia.”

“I understand Spanish, you know?” Jasper responded. “And I am not a little boy. Maybe you’re the one testing my patience, viejo?”

“Alright, alright,” Gunner cut in. “We don’t have time for petty arguments. My cousin didn’t kill anyone for the wagon, so let’s not jump to conclusions. Good people still lend a helping hand.”

“And thank goodness for that.” Coyote concluded.

“Now onto more important things...” Gunner rubbed his hands together and looked towards Luna. “You’ll go in with the wagon and before the auction starts, you’ll announce you have Merric’s daughter. It’ll grab their attention and they’ll summon him. Now, I’m hoping they’ll want to make negotiations, so while you have them distracted, we'll surround the camp.”

“And remember, this isn’t just a rescue mission,” Coyote added. “We’re wiping out The Hounds and anything can go wrong. So Luna…” He looked at her. Now is the time to back out because being the decoy is the riskiest part.”

Next to her, Jasper’s breathing hitched, so she placed her hand over his and squeezed. “I said I can do this. My visions—I know the answers are here. You just need to trust me.”

“And we do.” Gunner nodded. “I wouldn’t be sending you in there if I didn’t.”

Jasper cleared the knot forming in his throat. “Maybe she can give a signal to let us know she’s in trouble?”

“Don’t worry, kid, we’ve all got her back if things go south,” Coyote replied.

“I’ll be fine.” Luna squeezed his hand again. “I’ve got this.”

When they made it back to their vehicles, Gunner’s uncles had deep grooves of concern across their foreheads. Something was wrong. One of them motioned for Gunner to follow him, so he set off in a jog, and the two men began whispering, which only heightened everyone’s curiosity.

“What’s going on?” Coyote asked.

“Nothing good,” one cousin replied. “Juan and I just got back from grabbing supplies. There was a snow-plow and a lumber truck in front of us. They turned onto the road leading to the camp a few minutes ago.”

“That means they’re going ahead with the auction today.” Jasper's eyes drifted to Luna, who was checking the bandage on Archibald’s side.

“That changes things,” Coyote noted and nudged Jasper’s elbow when he spotted Gunner returning with his uncle. “I know that look on his face.”

“Can everyone gather around, please? We have a change of plans. I wanted to strike soon, but The Hounds are clearing the road and building something. This tells me they’re going ahead with the auction. My uncle Pedro thinks we should hold off on our attack until the bidding starts.”

“What?” the others said in unison.

“I know it sounds ludicrous, but it makes sense. When the auction starts, prisoners will probably be out in the open. Which means it’ll be easier getting Clara and Corbin out. In the meantime, we have to lie low so we’re not spotted.”

“Does Luna still have to go?” Jasper asked.

“Yes. I still need her to be our decoy.”

∆∆∆

Just like Millie said would happen, Merric’s minions entered the trailer after sunrise and began cleaning the witchers from head to toe. They layered sheets of plastic across the living room floor and made everyone form a line before getting passed from one cleaning station to the next.

Being naked in front of a group of strangers didn’t bother Corbin as they stripped him of his clothing. Nor did it bother him when they took a sponge to his body and lathered him in areas the sun didn’t shine. However, seeing them do it to Clara, sliced him to the bone as she tried covering herself with her hands, only to have them batted away while they scrubbed her down.

The grooming finished by late afternoon and when it was over, he saw the defeat in Clara’s eyes as she stood in a silky, wine-colored dress an assistant said would encourage bidders. Corbin had to admit, he didn’t look bad either as he stole a glance at his reflection in the sunglasses of the guard pacing in front of him.

No one could return to their rooms. Instead, they had to stand around in the crowded living room of the trailer so their garments wouldn’t wrinkle. Including the pregnant women. Through the windows, Corbin saw the stage being constructed for the auction and the rows of chairs in front of it for Merric’s elite guests. Somehow The Hounds made the camp look nice with artificial palm trees, tiki torches bordering the aisles, and floating candles with scattered flower petals over the pool.

If only the occasion wasn’t to sell people.

Little by little, as the sun began its descent, the guests started trickling into the camp and Corbin’s heart pumped a little faster while they waited. The guard, pacing the trailer, checked his watch. 

“Alright, as soon as I’m given the signal, four of you will be handed off to an escort who’ll guide you to the stage.”

“Excuse me,” Corbin spoke up. “What time does the auction start?”

“Do you have somewhere to be, pretty boy?” the guard snorted. 

“Just asking.”

“It starts when I tell you it starts.”

“Ok...” 

Glancing around, Corbin examined everyone's faces, and they looked as lost as he felt. Billy was still picking at the scab on his hand but looked like a fashion model with his blond hair quaffed and swept behind his ears. The gauntness of his cheeks only made him look edgy with makeup on his skin. Which, according to the makeup artist hired for the occasion, was to prevent them from appearing malnourished.

From the corner of Corbin’s eye, the pregnant witcher, who was ready to pop, had her hands on her lower back while pacing small circles and panting.

“Are you alright, honey?” Millie asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m cramping.”

“Sweetheart...” Millie approached. “Does it come and go?”

“Yes.”

“I think you’re in labor, honey.”

The woman’s eyes widened as they flashed up to Millie’s and she paused in her tracks. “No. It can’t be today.”

“I don’t think we have a choice here. Did you feel your water break?”

“She said she peed herself earlier, and I tried to tell her it was her water breaking, but she’s in denial,” Annie replied.

“I’m not in labor!” the woman scolded, capturing the guard’s attention.

He took three large strides up to her and glared at her belly. “What’s going on here?”

“Ahhhk!” the woman cried out as another contraction hit.

“This baby is coming right now. You need to lie down,” Millie said, taking the mother’s elbow to escort her away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” The guard blocked their path.

“Listen, mister, you can huff and puff all you want, but you can’t control mother nature. If this baby is ready, it will come out.” Millie raised her chin.

“I’ll take this up with Merric.” The guard glared and glanced at the mother-to-be. “Don’t you dare push!”

Several beats of silence passed after the trailer door closed. The drip-drip of the leaky kitchen faucet filled the space until a thought occurred to Corbin and he cleared his throat.

“We have to fight back,” he announced, causing a few heads to turn his way. “Look at us...” He motioned over his outfit. “They scrubbed us clean and dolled us up. They need us to look appealing to encourage bids. What can they do if we fight back? WE have the power, not them!”

“And what would you have us do, Rambo?” Billy stepped forward, his arms folded. “There are twenty of us. Six are pregnant. The others are too weak to throw a punch!”

“We have to at least try.” Corbin gazed around the room. “What do we have to lose? They’re going to sell us! COME ON people, we need to fight!”

Corbin walked over to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled it open, but it was empty. He pulled on the next drawer. Empty. And the next one. Empty.

“What were you expecting to find, Rambo?” Billy laughed.

“A knife or something we can use!” Corbin exclaimed as he opened the cabinets, only to find them empty too. “I am not giving up my freedom without a fight!”

“Aw, that’s cute. You thought you were free before. News flash—we’ve never been free. No one with a price on their head is,” Billy sneered, but everyone froze when the squeaky trailer door swung opening and Merric stepped through, evaporating the fraction of cool air circulating the trailer.

“Her, she’s the one!” The guard pointed.

“THIS is the crisis?” 

“Well, yes, she’s in labor.”

“I can see that,” Merric replied through clenched teeth and raised his meaty hand before slamming it across the guard’s cheek. A collective gasp released from everyone’s lungs, followed by immediate silence as they stepped back in fear. “Never call me away from something important, for something so trivial! FIGURE IT OUT. That’s why I hired you.”

“Yes, Sir, I will,” the guard said, his cheek as red as a cherry tomato and the fine outline of Merric’s fingers stamped on his skin. “I’ll have her go first on the bid lineup. I’ll just need to confirm it with the Bid Caller.”

“Yes, you do that!” Merric snarled.

As soon as they left, Corbin exhaled and leaned against the wall for support. His legs felt gelatinous and his spine nonexistent as he bent over with hands on his knees and a whirlpool of nausea. Maybe Billy was right about giving up hope?

“Corbin,” Clara whispered, and when he glanced up at her, she clasped his hand.

Her face was expressionless as she slipped something into his palm, and when he smoothed his thumb over the mystery object, his eyes widened.

It was a metal nail file, sharp enough to stab into flesh.