Descent

Chapter 11

"Stand up straight maggots! You're in the presence of the Queen!"

The Highwayman enforcer stood near the front of the line of newly-arrived individuals, each one dressed in horribly bright orange jumpsuits standing in a single file line. Everyone's hands and ankles were cuffed making walking tedious and long despite the Highwaymen rushing them along. Mai Takoda Seed awoke violently after being knocked out in the marketplace to people grasping at her and removing her clothes, bounding her and shoving her in the jumpsuit. Next thing she knew she was standing in this line, waiting to get processed. The Hub was a large building, the interior repurposed entirely from whatever it's initial purpose was. It resembled a throne room from old stories her mom used to tell her during their time in the bunker with her Uncle Joseph when Mai would get upset about something. Except this was no story tale, and her mother was not here to comfort her. Mai poked her head out of line for just a moment, wondering just who this Queen was that she kept hearing so much about.

About thirty people stood ahead of her, the very first in line standing at the foot of a flight of stairs leading up to a makeshift throne. There sat a woman lazily, almost feline-like. Her legs swung off the sides of the armrest, looking uninterested in the peons before her. She was beautiful in a way that one would call a cougar beautiful. Look but don't touch. She had an air of danger hanging around her, something one may say about Mai herself. The Queen's mouth was moving with each person that approached before a guard came to take them away, each one leaving in different directions. As Mai drew closer in line, she could begin to make out what the woman was saying.

"Mines. Mines. Entertainment. Production. Security. Mines."

Is she assigning people to different stations?

She must have been. Nearly every elderly person in line was sent to the mines while the more able-bodied were designated to production or security. Only maybe one or two were designated to whatever entertainment meant. One very strapping man and a girl probably no older than sixteen. Mai's stomach began to twist wondering if entertainment meant what the dark corridors of her mind were conjuring up. Five people stood in front of her now and she instantly felt nauseous. There was no sight of Malik, Roger, or Thomas. Her idiotic outburst left Thomas vulnerable, and no closer to finding her friend or brother.

The people before her dwindled down, leaving her standing before the Queen herself. The woman's eye had a spark of life ignite as soon as Mai stood before her, a look of pleasant surprise.

"What do we have here?"

The sight of Mai caused her to get up from her throne, seemingly intrigued by the sight of the young woman. The woman Had Mai not been cuffed, she would have broken the hands that were now caressing her hair and face, examining her like a breeder examining a prized animal. The woman began to feel Mai's muscular arms before backing away, chuckling.

"Oh honey, you are going to make me a very happy woman with all the resources you're going to bring in. You are going to fit in well with my other boys and girls."

"Kiss my ass." Mai snapped back.

The woman's smile diminished, her face instantly turning to a scowl, "Oh dear. This one needs an attitude adjustment."

The woman's hand rose up to the hair, snapping her fingers. There was a metallic sound, like a door opening behind Mai followed by the sound of screaming. Mai whipped around just in time to see the handful of individuals behind her fall into a dark abyss below, the grate flooring seemingly repurposed as a trap door. There was a splash of water and continued screaming. Mai's heart froze as the subtle sound of hissing down below could be heard. An unseen monster about to feast on the innocent victims. The Seed woman was trembling in place, out of fear, out of pure anger. She slowly turned back to the Queen who had a smug look.