Chapter 29
Whoosh!
A splash of icy water hit Serena square in the face, jerking her awake. Before she could fully process what was happening, a rough, angry voice bellowed, “Wake up. Time to eat.”
Her head throbbed, and her vision seam as she tried to get her bearings. When she finally managed to open her eyes properly, she was met with a chilling sight–she was locked in a metal cage with a crowd of other women.
Outside the cage, masked figures moved about, sine dumping buckets of freezing water into the enclosure, others casually tossing pieces of bread inside like they were feeding animals at a 200
The women lunged for the bread, snatching it up and shoving it into their mouths with desperate haste. A handful, like Serena, were too weak to join the frenzy and huddled quietly in the corners.
One of the masked captors stepped forward, banging a metal rod against the cage bars with a resounding clang. In broken. heavily accented speech, he barked, “Don’t get any ideas, or you’re dead before you even try?”
The echoes of the banging seemed to amplify the fear in the cage. Some burst into tears, while others screamed for help. their voices tracking as they begged to be set free.
But no one paid attention to their cries. The masked figures turned and left, plunging the cage into complete darkness,
“Where are they taking us?” someone whispered, voice trembling
“I… I don’t know… I don’t want to die, another woman muttered, her tone breaking under the weight of fear.
“Theard rumors… about human trafficking under the casinos in Eliden. What if they’re… The woman couldn’t finish her sentence. Her voice dissolved into uncontrollable sobs.
Serena stayed silent, though her heart sank–she knew there was no escape. Summoning what little strength she had left, she pressed her hand against the cage, feeling the thick, layered wires. They were strong, reinforced–no way could a few women break through.
The space around them swayed, and the rhythmic jostling suggested they were being transported in some kind of vehicle.
Time dragged on in suffocating silence until the swaying finally stopped. A blinding beam of light pierced the darkness as the cage door creaked open. A voice barked from outside, “Line up and move out!”
Outside the cage stood several mercenaries, rifles slung over their shoulders. They yanked the women o
out one by one
Serena’s legs felt like jelly as she stumbled forward, her movements sluggish. Her eyes darted around the dimly lit space. There was only one visible exit–a narrow doorway at the far end
‘Run, and they’ll shoot. The thought struck her just as two women made a break for it, sprinting toward the doorway–then the crack of gunfire shattered the air. Both women collapsed mil–step, their bodies twitching on the ground.
A collective gasp rippled through the group, and Serena froze, her body rigid with terror.
“See that?” one of the mercenaries growled, a cigarette dangling lazily from his lips. “Follow orders, and you might just live. Step out of line, and you’ll end up like them.”
His eyes swept over them with a chilling detachment, like he was assessing livestock rather than human beings.
The bodies were dragged away, leaving the rest too terrified to even dream of escaping
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The group was herded into a sealed room where a few men were already being held. Shackles bound their wrists arul ankles, and their bodies bare varying degrees of bruises and cuts.
Serena’s gaze landed on a man sitting curled up in a corner, his head wrapped in bandages. There was something about him that seemed oddly familiar.
Once the mercenaries left, she approached him and said, “We have met before.”
The man, his one visible eye pecking through the bandages, froge. He squinted at her in the dim light and hesitated before asking. “You’re the one from that concert, right?”
Serena nodded.
His expression shifted, and he grabbed her wrist in a burst of urgency. “Why are you here? They got you too!!”
The grip was so tight she winced. “You’re hurting me,” she whispered, and only then did he let go, muttering an apology.
Once they have got you, there’s pretty much no way out, he muttered, his voice heavy with resignation. “Name’s Xander Wood, Are you Chunglian?”
Serena shook her head. Tm from Aspellis. Serena Murry.”
Xander let out a short, crooked laugh. Despite his battered face, he smirk carried a roguish charm. I can speak Aspellisian
Hearing her native language again struck a deep chord in Serenis heart
Well, don’t get sentimental yer, Xander said dryly. “In less than five hours, we’re all going to be shipped off to the auction house.”
Her face drained of color. The horrifying stories she’d seen on the news were now her grim reality. “Auction? What could they possibly sell us for?”
“Organs. They’ll auction off young men and women for organ harvesting,” Xander’s voice was eerily calm.
Serena’s eyes widened in shock, the words hitting her like a freight train.
“The buyers either need Rh–negative blood or organs for a sick relative. If you’re not sold, though he hesitated, his tone dropping “You’ll be dealt with on the spot. Getting sold is your only shot at staying alive.”
Serena’s mind reeled. ‘How does he know all this? He’s been herea few days longer than me, but this place is sealed tight There’s no way he overheard anything, and the mercenaries wouldn’t just spill this kind of info. So how?
“Xander, are you Rh–negative?” she asked suspiciously.
“No.
“Then why were you taken?” Unlike the group she’d arrived with, who were all women, the men in this room were few and far between
Xander leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I’m with Interpol. An undercover cop sent to investigate this auction ring. I overheard a deal going down at that concert and got made
Serena stared at him, taking in his battered state. One eye was still swollen shut, and the angry, inflamed wound on his torso looked like it hadn’t been treated in days.
He continued, “Two years ago, after Faliden fell under mob control, tourists–especially young ones–started disappearing. Countries began sending in undercover operatives to investigate
“But these guys are fearless. The two agents I came here with… they’re already dead”
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Serena slumped against the cold wall. Her body was trembling, weakened from hunger, drenched in ice water.
“Listen to me,” Xander said firmly. “Play along with them. You’re pretty–you have got a good chance of getting sold Once make it out of here, you might be able to negotiate with the buyer. Maybe your family can pay them off to let you go
you
“If you’re lucky,” he added, “and they’re not in immediate need of organs–and if your family can offer a big enough sum you could walk away.”
Serena shook her head slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. “There’s no one…no one’s going to come for me. Her finger grazed the ring on her middle finger, and she fell silent
The only person who might have had the power to save her was Andrew.
But after what happened with Jonathan, she doubted he’d spend that much effort–or money–on her. She had been naive to think Andrew still trusted her, still cared the way he had when they were kids.
Xander tried to reassure her. “Staying here isn’t an option. Look at me–I’m a mess. No one’s going to bid on someone this banged up. I might not even make it through tomorrow. At least if you get sold, there’s a sliver of hope.”
down her face.
Serena hugged herself tightly, tears streaming de
Serena, are you seriously this dense
How can you still be this naive about how the world works?”
For some reason, those words–spoken in Gabriel’s familiar, mocking tone–flashed through her mind.
He’s right, she thought bitterly. Thave spent my whole life sheltered–protected by my family, by my brother, I believed the world was as simple as I imagined it to be.
But Gabriel knew better. It’s cruel. It’s messy. And now that my family’s gone, I don’t have anyone left to lean on, anyone I can truly trust,”
She tightened her arms around herself, the weight of her mistakes pressing down like lead. Even after losing everything. 1 was too stubborn to accept Gabriel’s help.
“The moment my parents disappeared, I should have let go of these foolish hopes, stopped hoping for anything good
the chance to show these
“And yet, even now, even when I’m barely surviving, I still dare to dream to think one day, I get t hidden feelings of mine the light of day. What a joke What a fool I have been
The iron door suddenly swung open, yanking her out of her spiral of thoughts. A few mercenaries dumped several bags onto the ground. “Change into these, one of them barked “Make yourselves presentable. You better hope someone’s willing to pay top dollar for you,
Inside the bags were skimpy, revealing outfits that made most of the women hesitate Xander nudged Serena, “Go grab a few options. I’ll help you pick something and while you’re at it, grab ore for me too”
“You’re changing?” she asked, her voice flat, like she was already defeated.
“Of course
Didn’t I just say it? As long as there’s even the tiniest chance, we fight for it. You have to be strong.”
Sniffling, Serena sifted through the pile and found a plain black hoodie for him. She helped him put it on, her hands careful around his injuries, though the sight of his wounds made her stomach churn.
“Your turn.” Xander said.
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Serena picked out a red dress. The design was bold, to say the least. It left most of her chest exposed, and the hem barely reached below her hips. As she slipped it on, she felt painfully self–conscious.
Xander stared at her for a moment, blinking. “Wow, didn’t expect you to have a body like that.”
Flustered, Serena grabbed her old clothes and hugged them to lier chest, trying to hide herself. “I… I think I’ll just go find something else to wear.”
“That’s the one. You need to play up your strengths. Xander grirmed, teasing her to lighten the mood. “And, just for the record, if my face wasn’t husted, I’d be a hot ticket at the auction you’d probably blush just looking at me.”
“As if Serena sat down next to him, turning her body away.
Xander gave a mischievous grin, but the smile quickly faltered as it pulled at his wounds. He hissed in pain.
“You okay?” Serena immediately leaned closer, her eyes darting to his wounds.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m already halfway to the grave, Xander muttered, pulling a star–shaped pendant necklace from his pocket. Gently, he draped it around her neck.
“What’s this?”
His
eyes yours.”
seemed unfocused, distant. “If If you actually make it out of here, take this with you. It was my mom’s now it’s
Serena let him rest his head on her shoulder, her gaze fixed blankly ahead. “If I make it out,” she murmured, “I can try to pass on any intel you have gathered to the right people
Xander had been undercover as a cop, likely gathering a ton of intel, but he shook his head weakly.
He said, “Just focus on staying alive. The intel could get you killed. Besides… you can’t tell anyone you met me here. Not a word.
“I told you who I am so you’d trust me and do what I say. You’re a good person, Serena. I want you to
survive.”
“If you ever get the chance, bury the necklace somewhere beautiful. He managed a weak smile. “At least I’d have that…for helping you.”
She wasn’t cut out for this. She was just an ordinary woman thrown into an impossible situation, and Xander knew it. For all his bravery, he wanted her to carry hope, not his burden.
The mercenaries stormed back into the room. Their impatience was palpable as they barked orders. Those women still refusing to change were met with brute force.
“Put on the damn clothes! You think you’ll sell dressed like nuns one of them snarled, tearing at a woman’s outfit.
“Whoever’s ready, line up!” another snapped, casting a cold glance at the men lying in the corner, too beaten to stand. The ones who can’t stand! Leave them. Half–dead stock doesn’t sell.”
Serena rose to her feet, trying to help Xander, but he was already too weak to move. His eyes, half–lidded and exhausted. locked onto hers one last time. “Serena, this is where we part ways.
