The man’s grip was like a pit bull latched onto Jake’s arm. He pulled Jake through a small entryway in the main wall and finally let go.
“Follow me.”
Jake still clutched the money bag and had no problem obeying. He followed the strong man across the dirt courtyard and into a large stone structure that reminded him of one of those old church buildings from puzzles and country towns. The only difference was that the building didn’t have a steeple.
Inside, there was a buzz of activity. Boys and girls holding big bags scurried back and forth while grown men and women sat on long benches that ran all along the perimeter of the building. The strong man guided Jake through the crowd to a small opening in the far corner.
Now Jake found himself in a chamber that had a window cut out in the side wall that let enough light in to see. Unlike the other room, this one had only one person, a man with long black hair that came to his back, sitting on a bench. He was wrapped in a heavy cloak that matched the color of his hair. He had a very thick beard that reached all the way to his chest. Jake knew who he was without being told.
“Hello, Jake. Levi told me all about you. So glad you could join us.”
The John Cena dude stood off to Jake’s left.
“Here’s my first bag of money.” Jake held the money bag up in front of him so Ka’nah could get a good look at it.
The leader stood. “I don’t need your money. In fact, I would like to give you a gift for being brave enough to join us.” Ka’nah walked over to a table that was covered in bags. He picked one up and handed it to Jake. “Add this to the one you came in with as a little something to begin your savings. Nathal here will show you where to store it in the vault. I look forward to hearing about your progress.”
He started to leave through the door Jake had entered.
“Wait!” The command escaped Jake’s mouth before he could think about whether it was smart to say.
“Excuse me?” The robed leader stopped and trained his dark eyes on Jake. “I’m the one who gives the orders here. I’ll let this go, considering that you are brand new and do not understand the rules.”
Jake thought about Dair and Levi. He thought about the lake back at camp and how he should be there loading up a plate with french fries and an extra-large glob of ketchup. If this was just a bad dream, then Jake was not about to start worrying about rules. “Where’s Dair?”
Ka’nah looked at Nathal. “He actually stole the money bag?”
The bodyguard nodded.
Ka’nah shook his head. “Young Jake, I like you. You’re not afraid to challenge the boundaries set before you. Your friend is in the sleeping hall. Go there yourself, and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a very busy day.”
The man didn’t wait for a reply. He strolled out the same way Jake had entered the chamber. Nathal led Jake and his two money bags out a new doorway and down a long flight of stone stairs. When the stairs ended, Jake followed the bodyguard down a long, dim hallway illuminated by only a single candle that rested on a small wooden table. Nathal grabbed the candle and continued on through the stone corridor.
“What is going to happen tomorrow?” Jake wondered where on earth he was being taken and figured getting the man to talk might bring some answers.
“Master is leading the biggest gathering ever. The whole city will feel our presence.”
They walked through another small doorway and stood in a room that had tables set up in rows. Jake guessed this was their dining hall. He didn’t feel like asking the guard any more questions.
After navigating a second hallway, one much shorter than the first, Jake followed Nathal into another room, this one square in design. In the middle of the chamber stood a man at least three times the size of Jake’s current keeper. The guy reminded him of Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy. The walls were lined with shelves, and the shelves were lined with money bags.
Drax looked at Jake and raised a hand, palm open. “Welcome. This is the vault. Your money is safe with me.”
Jake handed his bags over and watched the behemoth place them on the end of a shelf close to the entry at the far end of the chamber. “Thanks.”
Jake wondered who all the other bags belonged to, and how did Drax keep it all straight?
“Come,” Nathal said. “I will take you to your room.”
On the way out of the vault, Jake made a mental note where his money bags were located. Leaving the chamber through a different door, he followed Nathal out into another narrow passageway. They weren’t in this one very long before entering a new door.
“This is where everyone rests. Your room is on the upper level.”
The guide took Jake up a long flight of steps that curved around in a circle. It was very cramped. Jake was grateful they weren’t on the stairs for long.
Nathal waited on the landing for Jake to catch up. When Jake made it to the upper floor, his guide led him down a hallway that was crowded with groups of boys and men. Some were standing, while others sat. They stared at Jake like he was some alien armed with a weapon that would annihilate them all. Jake scanned their faces, trying to find Dair.
“Your room is down here.” Nathal stopped when he made it to the end of the hallway. He pointed to the last room on the left. Jake noticed that none of the rooms had doors. He went into his room and cringed. There was one window, which was like the other one back where he had first met Ka’nah—nothing more than a square hole in the wall. No glass covered the windows here. There was nothing else in the room. The stone floor would serve as Jake’s bed.
Jake went to the window and could see the dirt yard on the far side of the compound. Closer, just below his window, was another courtyard. This one looked more like a garden of two dead trees and a wild array of bushes that were silently screaming for a drink.
“We have a meeting in the main yard at dusk. I will come back and get you.” Nathal nodded and left.
Jake stared at the two trees and wondered about camp again. How would he get back there? Would he go to bed on the hard floor, close his eyes, and somehow get back to North Carolina? Even though a part of him was afraid and confused, Jake actually felt like he had a purpose here in Jericho. There were things going on here that needed his help fixing. He felt a strange connection to Dair and a clear desire to help get him out of this bizarre compound.
Boys of all ages shuffled past Jake’s open door. There were conversations that Jake didn’t understand and others that he caught bits and pieces of that were mostly about who had captured the most treasure. Somewhere in the middle of what he could understand and what he could not, Jake clearly heard the name Levi. Jake jumped to the doorway.
“Levi?” As Jake said the old man’s name, he scanned the faces closest to him to see if any of the boys would show a reaction. The conversations stopped, and the hall fell to silence. The boys looked at Jake as if they were trying to figure out how he knew Levi.
“I met him yesterday,” Jake said to the staring faces. “We are friends.” That part was a stretch, but Jake didn’t know what else to say.
A young boy stepped from the group.
“He’s in the bad place.”