Chatty Town

Chapter 23

- P.O.V. SWITCH -

Fifteen minutes ago across town.

Meanwhile, Kane opens the door to the underground quarters. The thick metal door moans as Kane pushes it with ease, giving way to concrete walls and floors that make the air chilling, for more than just what goes on down here. Metal rails emerge from the walls leading down the concrete stairs. 

Nora goes down first, her hand gliding down the railing as she huffs her jealousy away. Olsen follows, keeping his hands to himself until they reach the bottom of the stairs and meet the elevator doors. Kane sighs as he watches the two ignore each other as Nora keeps her arms crossed waiting for Olsen to push the button. Cold silence, and avoided glances, make Kane's lips curl as he walks into the elevator after watching Olsen and Nora awkwardly share the door as they walk in together.

Kane stands behind them and Olsen's chest heats up as he feels his amusement from behind.

"Wipe your smirk off, Kane." The doors close in front of them and the elevator moves down.

"I could but why would I want to?"

Olsen inhales deeply, reminding himself that he can't kill him, in the fifty-three different ways running through his mind.

Nora scoffs, "Get your heads out of your ass before Seth sees it."

Kane brushes his dark hair back sensually, "My ass is clear... Can't say the same for yours in about thirty minutes."

Nora rolls her eyes and the doors open, "Like, I'd ever fuck you."

The doors open to more concrete walls and floors, with teenagers ranging from thirteen to nineteen standing around or walking nonchalantly around a sausage-shaped control desk with colorful buttons, screens, and levers. Warner's ginger hair is like a flare in the crowd as he slouches beside the General.

Seth shakes his head whilst covering his mouth, "And you're sure?"

Warner whips his head to the elevator as the ring of its arrival sounds.

Seth claps his shoulder, "Get out of here, you know how much he likes to shoot the messenger."

Warner nods, "I'll keep an eye on it, see if it's just a misunderstanding."

Seth nods as Olsen gets closer, "Keep me updated."

Olsen reaches out his hand and Seth shakes it, "Are they still in Chatty Town?"

Seth nods and gets flustered as he catches Kane's eyes. Seth's eyes trickle down his jawline, thick neck, swollen chest and across to his burly arms ready to rip the seams off his sleeves. "Uh, yeah- th-they're in the alley by the old Milner Theater." Kane smirks, knowing what he does to everyone just by existing.

Seth clears his throat and glances away, redirecting everyone's attention to the tablet he picks up from the desk.

"How many have we lost so far?" Olsen's stern voice sends shivers down Kane's spine and he adjusts his posture to hide the chills.

"Uh, as of five minutes ago, thirty-seven." Seth taps across the tablet and then swipes up and the pictures on his tablet slide to the sixteen screens alongside each other, in front of them. In the same second, the screens change to live footage of the Milner alleyway. Dempsey's tall body staggers under the weight of the three chatties climbing his legs.

Olsen walks around the control desk and stands in front of the wall of screens, studying the scene. "Looks like he doesn't have much hope." Olsen chuffles and waves his hand, "Zoom out, how many were lost in this alley?"