Strong

Chapter 30

POV Petal/Athena

I shot a nervous look to Margo and she nodded calmly to me as we walked into our different rooms. I just couldn't shake the bad feeling I had. Margo and Nat seemed confident though so I trusted them and went along with the plan. I looked at the two girls in the beds in the room as the door shut behind me. I tried not to react but it was difficult. These girls were 15 but they were smaller than most ten year olds. Obviously malnourished and they were tiny even under all the blankets that seemed to be piled on top of them. They both glanced at me fearfully before dropping their eyes to the floor. My soul wept for them. No child should have to go through what they did.

The one on the right had blue eyes and dirty blonde hair that was matted and looked like it hadn't been washed in months.

The one on the left had reddish hair and green eyes. She looked a bit cleaner than the other one but had a bandage on her right cheek.

"Hi girls. My name is Petal. I'm part of the group that got you out." I said softly as I sat on a chair near their feet.

They slightly nodded but didn't respond.

"I know that one of you is named Maryanne and one of you is Sandra. Could you tell me who is who, please?" I requested in the same soft tone.

There was silence for a moment and I began to wonder if they would talk to me at all or if they could even speak when the red head spoke up.

"I'm Sandra." she whispered and glanced back up at me.

I smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." I replied and she seemed to relax.

"I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. None of this was your fault and you didn't deserve any of it. We're working to get you back to your families as soon as possible." I continued and then they both looked up at me with something close to hope.

"My friends and I are also working to find the people that did this to you. We want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else. I was wondering if you would mind answering a few questions of mine?" I added.

 The girls looked at each other and it reminded me of the way Margo, Nat and I looked to each other. They seemed to communicate with their eyes for a few moments before Sandra nodded.

"Thank you. You can tell me no or to stop any time, okay? " I continued.

Again they looked to each other and then nodded.

"Maryanne doesn't like to talk." Sandra spoke up almost protectively.

I smiled reassuringly at them both, "That's fine. No one is going to make you do anything. You can just nod yes or no." Sandra nodded again and I began to ask questions.

After about 20 minutes, I realized that they didn't know much. They had never seen the papers I showed them. They didn't know anything about a code or about the MC in general. I knew that my time with them was almost up.

"You both are doing such a good job. I know you're tired but I have just a few more questions. Is that alright?" I pressed and they both nodded.

"How long had you been at the warehouse where we found you?" I asked crossing my fingers. This was the first question I had asked that needed a verbal answer. They looked at each other and then Sandra spoke up.

"They had just moved us there. We were there one night." she explained and I furrowed my brow.

"What about the other kids and girls? Were they there when you got there or did they come with you?" I continued gently.

"The kids were moved with us. We had been together for a long time but some of the girls were there when we got there. They weren't like us." Sandra explained.

I cocked my head, "What do you mean they weren't like you? Who"

Sandra looked confused and looked to Maryanne. Maryanne eyed me carefully and then finally nodded to Sandra.

"They weren't locked up with us. It was four of them. They looked older." Sandra said.

I sighed and frowned, "But we found you locked up with them." I pushed but Maryanne shook her head frantically.

Maryanne finally spoke up in a hoarse voice, "We had never seen them before. They weren't like us. They were there on purpose."

"On purpose? They wanted to be there?" I asked and they both nodded.

"The men brought them in after we were in our cages. They hit them so they looked hurt but they went in on purpose." Maryanne croaked out.

Ice ran through my veins as I jumped up and ran from the room. Joker and Jaden tried to stop me at the door but I pushed past them and ran to the door Margo had gone in. Shooter and Dom were standing on either side of it. They looked up in alarm as I burst into the room. I could vaguely hear my name being called but I froze as I looked around the room in horror. Both the beds were empty but in between them was Margo. Blood was everywhere and I couldn't see where it was coming from since she was covered in it.

"FUCK! CHECK ON NAT!!!" I screamed as I gathered Margo in my arms. I checked her pulse and couldn't find one. 

"Please wake up, Margo. Please!" I begged as I stood with her as the boys stared at me.

"GO!!!" I screamed as I tried to carry Margo to the room Nat was in.

"The FUCK?!" Decker yelled as he saw me running towards him.

"GET A DOCTOR!!!" I yelled as I launched myself and Margo into the other room. Again both the beds were empty with Nat bleeding at the end of the one closest to the door. There were bloody smears that looked like Nat tried to drag herself out. I collapsed on the floor and gathered her into my arms as well.

I held them close for a second before coming to my senses and checking them both for a pulse. Neither one of them had a pulse, no breath, nothing.  Their skin was already chilling and I knew that they were gone. That they had been dead for a while. I heard Dom and Decker screaming and felt as Margo and Nat were pulled away first by them and then by nurses and doctors. I knew what they would say as they frantically worked on them. I felt Joker try to help me up and then just pick me up in his arms. I could the doctor announce time of death first for Margo and then again for Nat.

"You're okay. I've got you." he whispered as I passed out knowing that he was a liar.

I would never be okay again.