in the bathroom, then traveled back towards the sitting room and found everyone casually lounging. Claude was resting on a chaise lounge with his feet propped up on the coffee table.
“Lux thinks more with his dick than with his brain,” the man said with a chuckle. He wiped tears of laughter from his cheeks while Tallis poured him a small glass of amber liquid. “I’ve been smuggling goods and Walkers through this house for years while he’s off gallivanting around the Empire!” he roared in a proud tone before shifting his eyes to me. “Oh, right dearie, I do most sincerely apologize for my language.” He whipped out a handkerchief and dabbed his sweaty forehead. He wore a dark suit but his shirt was wrinkled and unbuttoned, as if he only partially cared about his station here.
“I’m not bothered by it, I live with this lot,” I said while throwing a thumb in Huxley’s direction, which made him scowl.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Huxley asked while crossing his arms over his chest.
“How’d you become a smuggler for Scavengers?” I asked, ignoring Huxley and taking a seat on the chase lounge next to Mia. She was also enjoying a tall glass of something that was clear and smelled like rubbing alcohol. She rested her head on my shoulder in contentment. Her eyes were hooded, and I wanted to chastise her for drinking before our mission but decided against it. Mia seemed to be the type to do whatever she wanted, and I didn’t want to anger her or become a victim of her knife throwing skills.
Huxley paced the room while occasionally stretching his muscles and peering anxiously out the windows. Jacob stuffed his face with what appeared to be cookies, while Kemper and Maverick argued about something on their tablets.
“I’ve been a Procured Walker my entire life. I was born into it. In fact, my Holder is actually my half-brother,” Claude said with a knowing smile. The implications of his statement made me gape at him. His Senior Master was his father.
“My mother caught our father’s eye, but she was just a Walker. When I was born, she was banished to the Walker Zones in Galla, but I was allowed to stay—as a procured Walker, of course. I was the bastard son of a Congressional seat holder, so the most I could hope for was a life of servitude in exchange for the vaccine.”
My heart sank, and I applied his life to mine and what could have happened if Josiah and I had explored a relationship together. Claude was proof that Walkers and the Elite didn’t mix—there were too many variables. Too many casualties.
“When my Master died, Lux stopped pretending he cared about the family legacy and started traveling to all the provinces with lenient gambling and prostitution rules. I was bored in this big old house and decided to make friends with a few people that could let me live out my rebellious tendencies.”
Claude gave me a grin before downing his drink. “You’ll want to wait until after dark before traveling again. I’ve cloaked your transport’s airwave signature, but I think you’ll find less resistance at night; besides, you look like you could use some rest and a nice hot cup of tea, Mistress.” The term made me flinch. I was no Mistress.
“Please call me Ash, Claude,” I said politely. “And we can’t stay here all day. Every second that passes something could be happening to Cyler and Patrick. We need to leave within the hour,” I said while standing, to further my point. Mia slumped over on the couch and stretched out her legs comfortably.
“Love, Claude is right. It’ll be easier to sneak out of here at night, and we’ll be in Galla by tomorrow afternoon,” Kemper said hesitantly while looking around the room for support. Jacob got up and grabbed my elbow.
“Ash,” Jacob began. “Cyler and Patrick are going to be okay. We’ll be useless if we’re stopped traveling out of the city. Plus, we still need to refuel.”
“Oh! Right-oh you are, Master Jacob, is it Jacob? Yes—well, I’ll take your transport to the refueling station a few miles away and bring it back,” Claude said with a wide smile. I noticed that food was stuck in the prominent gap in his teeth. Claude stood up and wobbled a bit, probably from the alcohol, and I was thankful that he needn’t operate the transport since it simply drove itself.
Tallis noticed Claude’s inability to walk a