Chapter Four

Chapter Four- Settling In.

Jayden.

Elena couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him. Two years, maybe? They'd shared a kiss in her bedroom before he snuck back out through the window and that was the last time she'd seen him.

Her heart shattered all over again as she recalled his disheveled appearance that morning. Was he okay?

“Hurry up and move to your rooms. Ten minutes.”

The dining hall wasn't as big as Elena had expected, which meant Matteo didn't like to recruit in large numbers.

Breakfast was a plate of cold scrambled eggs and spicy bacon strips with french toast. It was decent but Elena's appetite was gone.

She picked through her meal, barely finishing her plate. One of the ladies seated across the table eyed her plate. “I'd eat up if I were you. You’ll need the strength.”

Elena frowned. What did that mean?

Several minutes later and dining time was up. They emptied their trays into the trash and trailed back to their rooms.

Her new room was somewhat small. Not too small but also not as big as the one back home. She sighed wearily.

The windows were heavily barred with rails. An air conditioning unit hung above and an empty bed, rid of sheets and a simple brown wardrobe furnished the place.

Suddenly, another door adjacent from her swung open and a lady walked in, wrapped in a towel. Both ladies hold eye contact.

“You must be the new roommate,” she said and extended a hand. “I'm Raven. You?”

“I'm Elena…”

Raven loosens the towel and allows it to drop to the floor as she moves about the room grabbing her clothes.

Clearly uncomfortable, Elena turns away. “Need some privacy?”

Raven chuckles. “Privacy is the last thing you'll get in here. Don't let the doors full you.”

By the time she'd turned back around, Raven was fully dressed. “You don't look so excited to be here.”

Elena plopped down on her bed. “Not exactly.” She exhaled and stared at Raven. She seemed nice, looked older too. “How long have you been here?”

“Couple years.”

Her jaw hung open. “What're you talking about? Years?”

“A little over two years. Don't think too much into it. I chose to stay. They didn't force me,” she replied and this only deepened Elena's frowned.

“You chose to stay here?”

“Why not? There's nothing really out there for me. No family, no friends— not that I want any. I've got all I need here.” Raven reached for a pack of cigarettes and held out the packet for Elena.

She shook her head. “I don't smoke.”

“Yet…” Raven added.

Silently, Elena watched Raven place the stick of cigarette between her lips and light an end on fire.

Raven didn't look like most of the girls back home. Dark purple hair that shimmered faintly under the light, tanned skin, face piercings and a tattoo sleeve.

Raven blew out a puff of smoke. “So what're you in here for? You know majority of the people who join in are homeless people who've got no place to go.” She eyed Elena briefly. “You don't exactly look like you've been homeless.”

Elena shook her head. “No, I've never been. My dad… he borrowed some money from Matteo. Couldn't pay it back.”

“That's rare.” Elena frowned. “Usually, if people couldn't pay him back, he'd kill them and sell off some body parts. You'd be surprised how much they cost.”

Elena stared in horror, waiting for Raven to laugh it off and tell her it was a joke but it never came.

“What? People are willing to pay a huge amount of money for organs… body parts, you name it. Matteo makes good money from it.”

Elena narrowed her eyes in disbelief. “Good money?” No, Raven was crazy. She had to be.

“Look, I don't really care what Matteo does, as long as I'm not in his way, I'm good.”

Her mind reeled. She thought about Jayden.

“Do you know anyone named Jayden?” Elena asked before she could even stop herself.

“Jayden?” She chuckled. “No one really keeps their names in here for up to a month. With time their names change. It helps with identification and what not.”

There was too much to process. For a while Elena said nothing, her back pressed against the hard, bare mattress.

She had to find Jayden—talk to him, find out what really happened to him and most importantly, devise a way to get out of here.

______

He was lucky to be alive, the doctor said. The bullet had only grazed the side of his head. He could've lost an ear or even gotten shot in the back of the head.

“Thanks doc.”

“I’ll keep coming in to check in on you. We'll need to run a few more tests but for now you should be okay,” Dr.Rashid said, gave him a pat on the back and left.

Jayden reclined into the cluster of pillows behind him. His mind wandered off to the familiar face he’d seen in Matteo's study.

The lady, dark brown hair, soft brown eyes. He'd seen that face before but where? His mind reeled but he couldn't remember anything past a couple months ago— anything or anyone linked to his past.

An ache started in the back of his head. He fought the pain and tried to drain out the thoughts—live in the moment and be happy he was still alive.

The door swung open and Matteo walks in. Jayden pushes himself up into a sitting position.

“Almost got killed out there,” Matteo said after a few seconds of silence. “You don't I like screw ups.”

Jayden nodded, avoiding eye contact.

“I'm glad you got the job done. Keep your head low and do as you're told, never forget that.” Jayden nodded again.

“How's your memory now?” Matteo asks, his brows furrowed slightly as he watched Jayden.

Jayden thought long and hard. He couldn't remember a lot. He shook his head. “Everything seems alright I guess, why?”

This time he looked up to meet Matteo's eyes, curiousity burning in him. Matteo wasn't buying it. He’d mentioned Elena's name, which meant he was starting to remember.

“Are you friends with any of the new ones?”

Jayden shook his head. “I don't know them.”

Silence drifted between them. Drugging them wasn't something he did so frequently, just to the ones who thought they could fight back—the stubborn ones.

Jayden was one of them—he used to be.

“Take care of yourself. You'll be back to work as soon as possible,” Matteo said and walked out of the room. On his way out he stopped by Dr.Rashid’s table.

“I want you to up his dosage. Whatever dosage you're giving him isn't working,” he instructed. Dr.Rashid frowned.

“Sir, adding another dosage isn't adviseable. It can be fatal.”

Matteo locked eyes with him. “Would you like to lose your job doctor?” The doctor shook his head. “Then do as you're told. Many more can fill his shoes.”