Marie had been walking around, rummaging through piles of clothes and small knick-knacks she thought she could use. Merchants sure had known their customers. After Marie had gotten everything she needed, she still had half an hour left before she was supposed to meet Logan at the truck. She had drifted little further from the main market area, in to a tent filled with jewelry. She had been admiring the rows of pendants and rings on display, when suddenly a bag was pulled over her head, and she could feel strong hands around her, dragging her somewhere. She had tried to fight. For that effort she had earned a sudden, but careful and calculated blow on the head. She had woken up shackled from a cage filled with women of all ages and shapes. She didn’t know what was more disturbing, the fact that all of them seemed to be mutants, or the grey metal suppression collar around their necks.
Woman after another got bought and walked away with their new owner. Logan had stood there, on the front row nearly an hour now, trying to locate Marie, after every successful trade hoping she would be the next one to walk on the stage. It didn’t happen. Instead auctioneer announced that trading would continue more privately. Only those with appropriate status would get to see the rest of the merchandise.
“Where is that other auction?” Logan asked from a man standing next to him. Man, elderly and white haired grimaced.
“You don’t want to go there, son. It’s not a place for decent folks…”
“What do you mean?” Logan asked.
“They sell muties,” old man said.
“I thought only Army had those… What are those for?” Old man rolled his eyes.
“You’re not too bright, son. Human slaves have rights. You can’t treat them anyway you like. But with muties… They’re just animals. Animals don’t have rights. I have heard they use them in fights. Instead of roosters they throw two muties in the cage…”
“Fuck.”
“That’s not all. I have heard some people use them to other things. Even take them to bed. Disgusting. Filthy. Who would want an animal, when… No. That is not a place for you, son. Stay out of it,” old man warned him, patting him on the shoulder before disappearing to the crowd.
They were herded like cattle, to their own private cages where they barely had the room to sit. At least their capturers had let them keep their clothes on. That wasn’t much of a consolation when Marie saw what was going to happen to them.
He had stalked quietly behind the auctioneer’s tent. He had found the man, negotiating with another. The other man didn’t look too pleased.
“That bitch you sold me last time didn’t last a week! I want my money back!” Burly looking farmer bellowed. Auctioneer shook his head.
“It isn’t my fault if you use too heavy hand. And thank God it was just a mutie. Have you thought about what would have happened if it had been human?” That seemed to calm the other man a bit.
“But I still want my money back. She wasn’t as durable as you promised…”
“No refunds. You break it, you pay it,” auctioneer said. Other man shook his head.
“Is that a way to treat a customer?”
“Who are you going to complain? It’s not like it’s legal to buy a mutant. They belong to Army. Every single one of them,” Auctioneer reminded his disgruntled customer. Man grimaced and turned to leave. Logan chose that moment to step out of his hiding place.
“And who the fuck are you?” Auctioneer asked. Logan waited until his customer had disappeared before speaking.
“Somebody who’s quite interested of that other auction of yours.”
“And what makes you so sure you meet all the necessary requirements? That one is not for all…” Auctioneer snorted. Logan crept closer and snagged a firm hold from the lapels of his jacket, pulling the shorter man up from the ground, face to face with him.
“You little prick have my wife in there. Think it’s good enough reason to let me in?” He growled, baring his teeth.
“Wife? I assure you, we do not sell humans in that auction!” Auctioneer sputtered.
“And who the fuck said she was human?” Logan asked, dropping the man to the ground, letting claws ooze out from his hands. Auctioneer gasped and tried to scramble away from him, but Logan stepped on his stomach and held him in place, leaning closer. Claws hovered above auctioneer’s groin.
“Can I please come and get my wife? She gets terribly upset if I start cutting people. And when she gets upset, I’ll get upset. And start cutting people. Vicious cycle. You can stop it. Let me in, I’ll take my wife home, and everybody’s happy. We have a deal?”
Stench of fresh urine wafted in the air. Auctioneer had peed in his pants. Logan grimaced.
“Listen, you little piece of shit… Let me put it another way. You give my wife back, and I won’t cut your jewels off,” he murmured. Auctioneer nodded quickly.
“Anything… Just let me go.”
“Good. Lead the way,” Logan said and pulled him on his feet.
Auctioneer led him to the outskirts of the little settlement, to a building that looked ready to keel over from the first gust of wind.
“We’ll go in from the back. That’s where we keep… That’s where she’ll be,” man explained, walking round the corner, Logan practically glued to his heels.
“You think you could stop poking me with those knives?” Auctioneer whined.
“No,” Logan grunted and let the dull edge of his claws slide over his back. Man gasped and cringed.
Crowd was cheering and shouting. Floor of the arena was already slippery from blood. Air was thick from smoke. Marie watched in horror when cage after cage mutants got thrown to the arena. Some of the cages were carted out. How the hell could she have been so careless and naïve? Getting caught in the middle of a day, in plain sight?
“She’s better be alright. If I find out you have cut a hair from her head, I’ll make sure none of you leaves this place alive…”
“No need to threaten me!” Auctioneer squeaked and opened the door with shaky hands.
“That wasn’t a threat. That was a promise,” Logan said. He nearly gagged when they stepped in. He could hear the noise from the other side of the wall. He could smell blood, shit and smoke. Auctioneer fumbled with something, and suddenly lights went on, revealing small backroom, packed full with small cages. Most of them were empty.
“We started early tonight. See if your wife is in there,” Auctioneer said, twitching nervously.
“How the fuck did you manage on your own all those years?” Familiar voice made her raise her head. Logan was crouching next to her cage, tired but relieved look on his face. His claws cut through the lock like it was made out of butter, and door of the cage flung open. She scooted out awkwardly. Her legs had fallen asleep and now they were itching and prickling.
“I don’t give a flying fuck about your little business in here. But if I see you again, you better run. I might change my mind later,” Logan hissed to a smaller man that stared at them before kneeling and scooping her to his arms.
“Come on, kid. Shopping trip is over. Which reminds me… Where is her stuff? I sent her to buy some clothes before you morons snatched her,” he said to the auctioneer. Man pointed to the corner of the room.
“Those are yours?” Logan asked, eyeing three bags with suspicion. Marie nodded tiredly. Logan picked them up and they walked out.
Auctioneer nearly fainted from relief and sat to a sturdy looking wooden crate, wiping his forehead to the sleeve of his jacket. He really should keep an eye on his employees. Really should. Because you never knew what kind of loonies might come after you if you picked up the wrong person.
“Hey!” Angry shout from the door made him jump and scream. That crazy mutie was back.
“Keys to her collar. Now.” Auctioneer rummaged through piles of papers and small knick-knacks strewn across the table next to him, found a set of electronic keys and threw them to Logan.
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