0001 {The Number Series}

6

"Hold her still, Craig." The man said as we reached the last step. He handed Quinn's arm to me. I took is despite not wanting to. "Got to get her a collar. She too old and too difficult to just put out on the floor without protecting the buyers." 

I nodded despite not knowing what he meant by a collar. I picture a leash attached to it. When the man opened a storage container and turned around my heart nearly stopped. It was not a collar that you would put regularly on a pet. It was a shock collar that looked like it had been created specifically for human necks. Quinn started to panic. She thrashed around in my hands and I let her go. There was no way I was going to let him hook that onto her. 

"Craig!" He shouted before tackling Quinn. I reached out to grab him off of her but he snapped the collar around her neck before I even had a chance. I pulled myself back. It was too late. We were stuck going with the plan. He let Quinn get up on her own. He let out a huff of air before snapping at me. "You're an idiot. No wonder she got the best of you the first time, and to think you would have learned but, no, you let her get you a second time too."

"And now I am going to get you," Quinn said menacingly. The man snickered. 

"Dear, that would not be wise." She stepped towards him anyway. With a quick push of a button to the device in his hand, Quinn let out a screech as she fell shaking to the floor, gripping at the collar on her neck. I did not know what to do. Suddenly the fit was over just ask quickly as it had started. She gasped for air. "Going to do as you are told now, aren't you?" 

The man's laughter made me sick.

Quinn stood up and I took her by the arm once again, trying to comfort her. She leaned slightly on to me, needing the support. 

"I'm going to take that as a yes. Craig, lead her into the back room." He opened the next door for us to pass. 

The room was small and had a long bench sitting against one wall where children were sitting, some crying, silently. Their hands were shoved in their laps and each one had a collar placed around their necks. On the other wall was another bench. This one had several older teens who all looked angry but said nothing as they glared at us. Quinn went and sat with them as instructed. I did not see my sister Cora anywhere. Another red masked woman was guarding the door we had just entered and a red masked man was guarding the door to what I assumed was the bidding room. 

A buzzer went off and the first child on the bench stood up. He walked towards the door with his head down before he was pushed through. My face was hot enough with anger that it felt like my mask would melt off. 

If the kids were being sent out one by one for bidding, it only meant one thing, my sister had already been viewed. She had been possibly bought. And now I had to worry about Quinn. 

One of the teen kids sitting near Quinn had his legs shaking up and down. His eyes scanned the room. He was clearly a loose cannon who would blow at any time. Or, at least, I hope he would. I needed a distraction that was not created by my best friend. I gestured to Quinn with my head, nodding towards the shaking guy. She glanced at him before sliding over the bench quickly. She glanced around before putting her head down. I knew she was not giving up like the others in the room doing a similar stance. No, she was whispering to the guy who was about to blow. She was edging him on. I could see it on his face. 

His curly brown hair was sticking to his forehead with sweat, his mouth was twitching uncontrollably, and his light brown eyes were red and wild. This boy was looking for blood. And Quinn was convincing him he could get it. She wanted it too. 

Suddenly, as if a switch flipped inside him as Quinn lifted her face, he screamed and ran at the first man we had encountered. No one had been expecting the outright attack considering he was wearing a collar. He knocked the man to the floor as the woman in the room reached in her pocket, digging for his shock collar switch. I took my chance and went over to offer help that would not actually be helpful. The two rolled around on the ground kicking a punching each other. I gripped the red masked man and hauled him to his feet, my hand slipping into his pocket, I discreetly pulled the shock switch for Quinn and quickly put it into my own. The man then kicked the teen in the face as he struggled to stand. 

"Thanks, man." He slapped me on the shoulder. He then reached down and pulled the kid by the collar back to the bench and threw him against it. The teen leaned heavily on the wood as his nose bled. One of his eyes was swelling but he still managed to send a menacing glare over his shoulders as they heaved up and down from the pain and effort he had just endured. I could only imagine what the guy was capable of if he did not have the threat of electrocution hanging over him and a room full of people ready to put him in his place. 

Quinn made eye contact with me. I nodded slowly for her to know that it had worked. She would be safe regardless. I could see the look on her face, deep in her dark eyes, that she never wanted the button I now held to ever be pressed again. 

"Alright," said the man after he fully recovered from the attack. "Let's go watch the show. I have money to spend on someone special." 

Shivers ran down my spine. He planned to bid on Quinn.