Homeless and hiding from his mother's abusive boyfriend, Davie -- along with his friend Grey -- accept an offer to move to a safe haven called the Encampment. Owned by Slade, and overseen by Maddox, and Ran, it's a well-protected site in the mountains for endangered street kids. Among the present residents is the very taciturn loner, Vin. To everyone's surprise, Davie and Vin become friends of a sort.<br><br>Soon after arriving, Davie discovers there is more to the Encampment than it appears at first glance when Ran, with Vin's help, begins training him in various forms of self-defense.<br><br>Davie finds out why when Slade sends him and Vin on an assignment to stop a vicious gang of slavers preying on homeless teens. From there things get interesting, to say the least, as the two young men try to survive while dealing with their growing attraction for each other.

The Encampment

Vin nodded. “I know the area, but it’s been over a year since I was there.”


Davie frowned. “Maybe we should…”


“I said its fine and it is,” Vin replied tightly. “I’ll see you tonight.” With that, he left the cabin.


“I should have kept my mouth shut,” Davie said.


“He’s tense, just like you. He’ll get over it,” Maddox assured him. “You’ve already got a start on scruffy. Don’t go overboard on it. There’s a difference between not shaving every day because you can’t find a place to do it and looking like you’ve spent the last six months as a hermit.”


Davie ran a hand over his jaw, feeling light stubble, and nodded. “I wasn’t planning on looking like the guy in ‘Revenant’.”


Chuckling, Maddox said, “Do you have any questions?”


“Not that I can think of. We go in, memorize names and faces, then make the big escape and report in to Slade.” And hope to hell we canescape. Something he had no intention of saying to Maddox.


Chapter 22