Last Man Standing

Chapter 18: Welcome Home

The scruffy man pulled up to a large building surrounded by men and women alike. Aside from the tavern, it was the only place in Steppe that still had torches burning and noise flowing through it. But unlike the drunken melodies of the tavern wenches and their patrons laughing or flirting over a pint, this new building emanated cries of relief and sexual pleasure.

The whore house was two stories high with a long balcony running across its exterior on the second floor. Women were draped over banisters and dangling out of windows with men attached to them. There were definitely more female workers than male, but it was understandable as most of the clientele were men and unwilling to show male prostitutes any favour. Those who preferred the company of men were never so brazen as to display it for the world to see. I couldn't help but laugh at all the fake screams of delight emanating from the professionals as the paying customers got their money's worth.

The scruffy man turned in his seat to face us. He spoke to Bash and I directly. "Keep Evander covered. If Sextus were to see him, our plans will be discovered by morning. He would be all too eager to let it slip to Tiberius." He jumped down from his perch and made his way through the throng of people.

Reegan stirred beside me. "Where are we?"

"The whore house..."

She began to survey the rest of the women in the cage. "They won't survive here. They're not strong enough."

"They don't have a choice."

"Is there nothing we can do?" She pleaded to me with such sad eyes.

I shook my head. "I can't save everyone, Reegan."

This brought her attention to the covered body before us. "Who is this?"

"An old friend."

She pulled back the cover to look at Evander's face. She gasped in fear at the sight of him. "What happened to him!?"

"He wasn't so lucky in the pits."

"Is he going to live?"

"I sure hope so, but he won't stand a chance if he's discovered."

The scruffy man walked out of the whore house with another man on his heels. He was a very plump man of minimal height, with hair growing everywhere but on the top of his head. He wobbled as he walked; his emerald robes swishing violently with each heavy step towards us. He was smiling from ear to ear at the prospect of fresh blood.

Bash was the first to react. "We must cover the boy."

Reegan quickly reapplied the cloth over Evander's face and began to move with us. We rearranged ourselves so Bash, Reegan and I were all sitting in front of the body to block Sextus' view of it.

The scruffy man opened the back door and began yanking the cowering ladies out of the cage one by one for Sextus to inspect. He said nothing; just nodded at each girl in amusement as he directed his own men to guide each new product inside. After the four women disappeared into the whore house, crying and pleading with their captures the whole way, Sextus returned his gaze to the inside of the carriage. His eyes began to sparkle with excitement at the sight of Reegan.

He finally spoke, addressing the scruffy man as he nodded in the direction of the girl beside me. "And what about this one?"

"The girl is not for sale."

"Come now, everyone is for sale at the right price."

"Sorry Sextus, but not this one."

"But she is perfection! A girl like that is hard to come by. I always get requests for young, beautiful girls with hair like fire."