Chapter 13: Cell Block B

Issac sighed as he made his way down the hall, Jonathan right beside him. He was positive the blond had to be thinking the same thing he was: This is NOT good…

The search in Pheora had yielded nothing but hushed whispers and uncertainty, which ultimately meant only one thing: Capture.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the smashed watch he’d found on the floor of the diner. His heart dropped. It was hers. He knew it was. He recognized the watch she’d worn every day for the past year.

The two teens approached the commander’s office with heavy hearts. If their Lieutenant was truly captured, the likelihood of her returning alive was slim at best. He chewed his bottom lip. He didn’t want to think too deeply into it. Right now, the focus needed to be informing the commander and locating them.

The brunette knocked on the door to the commander’s office.

“Enter.”

Issac drew in a deep breath before entering the room, Jonathan on his heels.

Commander Derwent sat in his leather chair at his desk. He gave the pair an expectant look. “Well?”

Issac bit his lip, slowly shaking his head. “I-I’m sorry, Sir.”

“No sign of them in Pheora,” Jonathan added. “It’s like they simply disappeared from the diner.”

Issac held out the watch. “Then there’s this,” he murmured.

Leo’s eyes seemed to widen at the sight. He held out a hand.

Issac carefully placed the trinket into his open palm with a trembling hand.

Derwent drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he folded his hand over the destroyed accessory. He had given her the watch as a gift for her last birthday. She had since worn it everywhere. For it to be in this state…

The blond cleared his throat, rising from his chair. “Any witnesses?”

The two shook their heads. “They’re not talking.”

Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Not talking?”

The two teens nodded solemnly.

The commander slammed his fist upon his desk, causing both boys to flinch. “Then you make them talk!”

Issac winced, biting his lip. “Wh-what do you want us to do? Bribing didn’t work.”

The blond was silent for a moment. Heaving a heavy sigh, he ran a hand through his medium-length hair. “For now, you’re acting-lieutenant. Don’t get comfortable. It won’t be for long.”

Issac nodded. “I-I understand.”

The blond gave a nod, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his cigarettes and lighter. “Now off with you. I have some phone calls to make.”

The boys exchanged looks, nodding once more before making their way to the door in obedience. Issac stopped in the doorway.

“Sir, if it’s any consolation, there was no blood. She was taken alive.”

The blond’s frigid, blue eyes bore into him for a moment.

“You can bet your ass she was taken alive.” He lit a cigarette, taking a long drag. “And that’s just how she’s going to return. Now go on.”

Issac needed no further prompting. He closed the door behind him with another sigh. He couldn’t even imagine. After all, both of his children were now missing. The teen bit his lip. Though, if they were alive, he imagined they would soon be wishing they weren’t.

“Well, what do you say, Lieutenant?”

Issac heaved another sigh at Jonathan’s question. And so it begins. There was no way he was going to be able to manage the pressure of measuring up. After all, only Alice could fill Alice’s shoes. Heh! No foot is small enough. The thought brought a brief, amused smile to the boy’s face. Quickly shaking his head, he sobered. “Well, for now, there really isn’t anything more we can do. I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna head down to the mess hall for something to eat.”

Jonathan eyed the boy for a moment but said no more as he followed the newly-appointed leader down the hall.

****

Seth jerked awake, bolting to his feet. His eyes fell as he beheld his surroundings. He had fallen asleep in the hall next to her office, which only meant one thing: Alice had failed to return last night.

He ran a hand through his black hair as he began to fret. This wasn’t good. This was REALLY not good. Alice had never failed to return from a mission. A million negative conclusions seemed to spring to the young soldier’s mind, each more horrible than the last.

The teen quickly shook his head. He needed to see Leo on the mater. If anyone would have new information, he would.

Seth frowned. If anything were to happen to her…

The youth yawned as he passed through the training room. Giving a long stretch, he cursed himself for having allowed himself to fall asleep. A small part of him was glad she hadn’t found him in such a state. He would’ve had a hard time talking his way out of the situation.

The brunette exited the training room and briskly made his way down the hall, purpose fueling his steps. He had nearly made it to the hallway leading to the commander’s office when he spotted two familiar individuals. Witnessing the grave looks plastered to the faces, his hopeful smile fell. “Any word?”

Issac shook his head. “Sorry, Seth.”

Seth’s dark eyebrows furrowed. “Well, surely someone had to have seen her.”

“They’re not talking. Given what went down the other day, I can’t wholly say I blame them. They’re terrified, Seth,” Jonathan sighed.

Seth bit his lip for a moment, seemingly in contemplation, before his gaze hardened. “Let’s go.”

Issac and Jonathan exchanged looks. Both well aware of the brunette’s motivation. They were worried too.

“Seth, we were just there. There’s no trail. It’s like she disappeared,” Jonathan muttered in exasperation, shaking his head.

“Like hell she disappeared!”

Issac closed his eyes with another sigh, already feeling a bit too overwhelmed for his liking. “Seth, it isn’t going to do any good to lose your head. Leo’s got this, okay? He’s making some calls right now.”

Seth snorted. “To who?! If the people in Pheora really aren’t talking, then who on God’s green earth is going to answer him on the radio?!”

Jonathan glared, folding his arms across his chest. “We did what we could. Would you rather we go in with guns blazing? Get ourselves killed too while we’re at it?”

A look of pure horror crossed Seth’s features before it was quickly replaced by anger. “She isn’t dead,” he bit.

Issac nodded reassuringly, shooting a glare in Jonathan’s direction. “There was no blood where we found her watch. She was taken alive. I would bet money on it.”

Jonathan snorted, leaning his back against the wall. “You honestly think that’s better? You and I both know that, if she was taken in alive, there’s only one place they would have taken someone like her.”

Seth felt his heart plummet as Issac’s eyes closed again.

“Fort Brein,” Issac murmured.

Jonathan nodded. “That’s right. If she’s there, well, it’s safe to say she ain’t coming back.”

“We’ll just see about that,” Seth returned as he made to move past them.

Issac placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, gripping it tightly. “Seth, it won’t do any good. No one even knows where Fort Brein is.”

The brunette drew in a deep breath. His comrade was right. He pinched his eyes shut. No. He would NOT break down. “I-If she was here, and it was one of you missing, she wouldn’t rest until she brought you home.”

“I know,” Issac murmured in reply, squeezing the boy’s shoulder in comfort.

“Well, she isn’t here, and your little crush on her isn’t doing wonders for clearing your head,” Jonathan commented.

Seth glared. “Don’t call it that,” he warned.

Jonathan shrugged. “Call it what you will. Fact of the matter is, like it or not, our hands are currently tied. You can’t just go.”

Seth glared again, extending his middle finger. “Right there, Jonathan. That’s where you can go. Now I’m going to go see the commander about bringing our lieutenant home.”

Jerking out of Issac’s grip, the brunette stomped down the hall, leaving his two comrades behind.

****

A high-pitched yelp escaped the blonde’s throat, her sapphire eyes slamming shut as the frigid water soaked through her clothing. She winced, the force of the water hose nearly bruising in its intensity.

Kurt let out a string of colorful curses at the less than pleasant awakening, quickly staggering to his feet.

Vincent sputtered, coughing as he jerked himself to his feet.

“Wakey, wakey,” a familiar voice sang, his blue eyes seeming to almost dance in delight at the petty torment.

Alice coughed, quickly wiping her eyes once the spray had diminished. She glared daggers at the brunette. “Screw you.”

He winked. “Knew I could get ya wet.”

“Asshole,” Kurt sputtered under his breath, hacking as he attempted to ring the water out of his saturated hair.

Cain shrugged. “What? You were so desperate for water last night. You aren’t thirsty anymore?”

Vincent glared, running a hand through his wet hair. “We’re good, thanks.”

Cain bore an impish grin. “Suit yourselves. The big guys here, though, would like to have a word with you, Phoenix. Think you can play nice?”

“Can’t make any promises,” Alice replied, eyeing the two large guards Cain had brought with him.

A smirk tugged at the brunette’s lips. “I wouldn’t try getting cute with these guys. They’re a lot less romantically attracted to your…specific…charm.”

“Alright, you lot, up against the wall,” one of the men ordered then.

The three teens exchanged brief glances before deciding on compliance.

The cell door creaked open, and the guard who had spoken moved to Alice. The second guard remained in the doorway of the cell, his rifle trained on the prisoners as they attempted to glare holes into his face. “I suggest not getting cute,” he murmured when Vincent’s eyes suddenly darted to the blonde.

Alice winced, a startled squeak escaping her lips as the other guard brought the butt of his rifle down on the back of her head.

“Move your feet, Phoenix,” he ordered.

The blonde glared but remained cooperative.

Vincent glared as the girl was led away, sending Kurt an expectant glance. “What do we do now?”

Kurt sighed, rolling his eyes. “There’s nothing we can do. Honestly, you should be more worried about us. Alice is at least a trained soldier.”

Vincent gave a sigh of frustration as he leaned his head back against the hard brick wall of the cell.

****

Pale, gray light streaked into the dark halls through the high windows, casting eerie shadows upon the walls.

Alice’s eyes darted vigilantly. The windows were too high to merely climb up to. They would most definitely need to enlist the assistance of some sort of tool. A tool they obviously would not be provided in their cell. She was also quite confident that they would be unable to smuggle such a tool back to their cell as well.

A haunting, foreboding hush had fallen over the prison. The blonde could only guess it was some unholy hour of early morning. She resisted the yawn that desperately wished to escape her lips. It was sufficient to say that her sleep the night prior had been less than adequate.

The blonde glared as the guard behind her prodded her along with the barrel of his rifle. Turning down another long hall that led away from the one that she knew would lead to the staircase that went to the upper floor, they ushered her past the cell block and into a smaller hallway.

Her brows furrowed. This hall contained no prison cells. Only steel doors adorned the walls as they continued onward until they reached a door at the very end. Opening it, the guards shoved her inside.

A scowl was torn from her lips as she entered the darkened room. There was a chair sitting in the middle of the room. A large desk occupied the back corner, a small table lamp providing light to the dark figure sitting at it.

The girl squinted slightly. Though she could not properly see the individual, she could tell he lacked the heavy armor of the guards.

“Sit down,” a calm voice instructed.

Alice slowly made her way over to the chair to sit down as instructed.

The two guards that had served as her escorts stood menacingly in front of the door.

The blonde rolled her eyes. Did these people think she was that stupid?

“Name.”

Alice scowled, one of the guards moving over to fasten her handcuffs to the arms of the chair. “And here I thought I was something of a celebrity.”

The young man sitting at the desk narrowed his eyes. “Don’t get cute. Just answer the question.”

“Alison Lynheart,” the blonde muttered with another roll of her eyes.

“Height?”

Her pale eyebrows furrowed. What on earth? “Five feet.”

“Weight?”

Alice scowled again. “Oh, now you’re just being insulting. Don’t you know better than to ask a woman’s weight?” She caught a glimpse of chestnut hair as the figure leaned forward.

“Just answer the questions, if you please. Weight?” the man asked again, a little more force in his tone.

“One hundred and eighteen pounds,” Alice returned, giving an exasperated sigh.

“Age?”

“Don’t you know it’s rude to ask a woman her age?

“Your age, please?” Irritation resounded clearly within the man’s tone.

She sighed. “Seventeen. What does this have to do with anything? I seriously doubt you boys brought me down here just to get to know me.”

The man seemed to regard the blonde for a moment. “For your medical file,” he finally clarified. “Blood type.”

“A positive.”

The man nodded, jotting down the information in the notebook he held. “Perfect, now that your medical file is complete.” The brunette paused, nodding to one of the guards.

Alice tensed as the guard reached down to her ankle, clipping what felt like a tight handcuff to the appendage. Glancing down, she took notice of the metal ring that now circled her right ankle.

“That is a standard tracking device. It is waterproof and programmed to give a signal to the control room if it detects you aren’t within the perimeter fence. Once the signal is reported, you have approximately one full minute to move back into the safe zone before it administers a tranquilizer that will put you out for six and a half hours.”

Alice’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Sufficient to say that you won’t be getting anywhere, so I really hope your heart wasn’t set on escaping,” he continued.

Alice remained silent, straightening up in her chair.

The brunette leaned back in the chair, folding his arms. “Where is the base, Phoenix? You cooperate, and maybe we can work out something for better accommodations.”

The blonde’s lips curled upward. “Oh, well, when you put it like that.”

“Don’t get smart. Location?”

Alice shrugged. “On Earth.”

The door opened then as Cain sauntered into the room. Giving a quick wink to the girl, which she visibly retched at, he moved over to seat himself upon the desk.

The man seated at the desk cleared his throat before handing Cain the notebook he’d been writing in. “We’ve completed the medical report. We were just about to gain information pertaining to the precise location of Derwent’s base.”

Cain nodded. “I do hope you weren’t being rude, Elliot.” He gave a wicked smile. “We are dealing with a lady, after all.”

The four men chuckled lightly.

Cain turned his attention back to the girl, his voice dripping with honey. “You do want to do this the easy way, right? Please?”

“Drop dead,” the blonde spat, glaring holes into the boy’s sapphire eyes.

Cain sighed. “So cold. You better warm up, Sweetheart.” He paused, giving another dark smile. “Or we may have to find ways to make you warmer. Now let’s try again: Where is the base, sweetie?”

Alice merely glared.

Cain snapped his fingers. “Carter, I believe our girl is lonely. Be kind and go retrieve 012, please.”

One of the guards nodded before taking his leave, closing the door behind him.

Alice drew in a deep breath as she attempted to clear her thoughts. She closed her eyes.

“Tell us where we can find Leo Derwent’s base,” Elliot demanded again.

The blonde gave another sigh of exasperation. “Have you tried looking up your ass?”

Cain snorted under his breath in spite of himself. “Now, that wasn’t very nice, Alice.”

Alice’s eyes snapped open to pin the boy with another fierce glare. “My FRIENDS can call me Alice. You can call me Miss Lynheart.”

Cain feigned offense. “You got quite the mouth on you, don’t ya? Looks like we’re going to have to cool that temper of yours. He paused, motioning to the guard behind her.

The girl’s eyes widened, a high-pitched cry rushing from her lips as frigid water soaked her once more. The teen shivered violently as an ice cube landed in her lap.

“Where is the base, Alice?” Cain asked once more, impatience weighing in his tone.

The blonde coughed before leaning back in the chair slightly. “Alright, write this down, okay? I wouldn’t want you to get lost.”

Cain and Elliot exchanged surprised glances before nodding for the blonde to continue.

“You head into Pheora, go right down Main Street, then take a hard left at fuck and you!” Alice snapped in retort.

Cain gave a malevolent smile. “Now you’re talking.”

The door opened as Vincent was shoved roughly into the room, nearly falling as he stumbled forward.

“Well, well, little brother, how kind of you to join us,” Cain greeted as he retrieved another chair from a darkened corner of the room. “Have a seat. Maybe you can help us talk some sense into your girlfriend.”

Vincent’s brows furrowed as he glanced at the dripping-wet female. “And why should I help you do anything?”

Cain pursed his lips in an attempt at an endearing pout. “Oh, but, Vincent, we’re brothers.”

“You’re no brother of mine!” the amber-eyed boy spat. God, he wished he had the girl’s ability to conjure fire!

Cain’s sapphire eyes narrowed. He scoffed. “Like it or not, that’s something neither you nor I can change, little bro.”

Vincent glared, his golden, amber eyes seeming to burn with contempt.

“You know, I hear you and I missed quite a show yesterday.”

Vincent quirked a brow at the subject change. “Wasn’t aware this was such an entertaining place.”

Cain shrugged. “Well, it depends on what you deem entertaining. I, for one, would call a topless, blue-eyed beauty extremely entertaining. Right, Phoenix?”

Alice went rigid as her eyes narrowed. Vincent’s gaze turned to her, and she quickly closed her eyes. “Shut up.”

“Well, you see, I hate missing out. Vincent, here, too-”

“I can speak for myself, thanks,” the brunette cut his elder sibling off.

Cain shook his head in dismay, chuckling lightly. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, little brother. Carter, remove his handcuffs.”

Both Vincent and Alice blinked in astonishment as the guard did as instructed, moving over to unfasten the boy’s restraints.

Vincent cocked a brow, rubbing his wrists lightly.

“I don’t suppose you know the location of Derwent’s base?” Elliot questioned, making his presence known once more.

The amber-eyed boy gave an exasperated sigh. “I was blindfolded. Even if I wanted to tell you animals anything, I couldn’t.”

“He’s telling the truth. I’m the one that blindfolded him,” Alice spoke when it appeared as though Elliot would retort.

Cain nodded. “I believe you. That’s why we’re going to play a little game.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Sounds like a blast.”

Vincent regarded the boy warily. “I highly doubt we would be interested in any game of yours.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t have a choice, now isn’t it?” Cain returned, folding his arms.

“Sure we do. We can refuse to play,” Vincent quipped.

Cain chuckled. Reaching into the drawer of the desk, he pulled out a small handgun. “If you like the blonde’s blood on the inside, you’re going to do exactly as I tell you.”

Vincent’s eyes widened as he looked to the girl once more. Her eyes were trained on the floor now, her face an unreadable mask.

“The rules are simple: Little Miss Phoenix doesn’t tell me everything I want to know, you start taking clothing.”

Vincent gave a snort of disgust. “You depraved animal. I’ll do no such-”

“Then I blow her pretty brains out right here!” Cain snapped.

Both teens flinched at the sudden shout. Vincent swallowed. “H-How do I know you won’t just kill us once you get the information you want anyway?”

Cain shrugged. “Well, I guess that’s just a chance you’re going to have to take, isn’t it?”

Alice glared. “Afraid I don’t like the odds.”

Cain chuckled, moving to sit on the desk once more. “Then I suggest you cooperate. Now, where is the base?”

Alice looked away, her hands gripping the armrests of the chair in an effort to disguise her trembling. She was really beginning to feel quite cold. Her wet hair clung to the back of her neck, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

“Alice?” Cain urged again, more forcefully. Receiving no response, he sighed. “Fine, do it the hard way. Vincent, help her out of the suit, won’t you?”

The brunette glared. “No.”

Cain quirked a brow. Aiming the handgun he held at the girl, his eyes narrowed. “By the count of five, or this bullet’s going in her leg. One.”

Vincent swallowed as he began to sweat, his hands shaking. “Bastard.”

“Two.”

Vincent’s breath hitched as one of the guards shoved him forward, nearly causing him to land in the blonde’s lap. The pair exchanged a wide-eyed glance. The brunette cursed under his breath.

“Three. We’re not getting any younger here,” Cain quipped.

Vincent absently chewed his bottom lip, his brows creasing in apprehension. His hands trembled as he slowly reached for the zipper of the girl’s suit. He paused again at the brief look of alarm that quickly passed over the young woman’s features before she looked away.

“Four. You better get moving, little brother.”

The sound of their captor clicking the magazine clip into the gun forced another curse from the brunette’s lips. His hand trembled as he slowly eased down the zipper of the union suit she wore. Try as he may, he was unsuccessful in keeping his amber eyes from drifting to the soft, feminine, chest he’d uncovered. He swallowed. She was much softer than anything he could ever remember touching before.

Alice squeezed her eyes shut. She honestly wasn’t certain just how much more of this humiliation she could bare. The lighting in the room shifted, plummeting into pitch black darkness for a brief moment before growing immensely bright. A look of understanding passed between them, and Vincent blinked once in silent recognition.

Cain eyed the pair for a moment before the room was plunged into darkness once more. There was a sizzle as glass shattered, the lamp’s bulb shattering onto the desk. The boy let out a string of violent curses as he felt knuckles collide with his left cheek. The force of the attack knocked him to the floor. His eyes widened as his grip on the handgun reflexively tightened. His finger twitched, squeezing the trigger.

A loud ‘pop’ was heard as the gun discharged, followed by Elliot’s voice letting out a loud, pained cry.

Frantic scrambling sounded as the guards felt their way around for the light switch.

Cain grasped blindly for his foe, the air rushing out of him as he felt his attacker then sit on his chest in their continued assault.

Vincent’s eyes narrowed as he continued to repeatedly strike his downed assailant. This so-called ‘brother’ of his didn’t seem to see as well as he could, and he intended to take full advantage of his opponent’s weakness. He blinked. His vision was surprisingly acute for the room’s current lighting conditions.

Just as Vincent gave another blow to his opponent’s face, splitting his lip open, the lights in the room flipped on. Cain let out a piercing cry as a scorching sensation surged through his left leg. One of the guards yanked Vincent off his victim and drew back a fist, delivering a solid blow to the brunette’s face, while the other quickly placed the handcuffs back on the boy before setting to work putting out the flame licking at the older teen’s pant leg.

Grasping the corner of the desk, the injured Cain pulled himself to his feet. He lightly brushed a finger over his wounded lip, chuckling at the two glaring faces that stared back at him. “Well, looks like we have a white knight”

The boy’s sapphire eyes drifted to the injured brunette on the floor.

Elliot remained in a fetal position, clutching the shin of his right leg. Blood continued to spill from the wound, staining his hands crimson as his precious life fluid leaked onto the hard, concrete floor.

Cain breathed an inward sigh of relief. At least he hadn’t fatally wounded him. He didn’t even want to think about having to explain such a situation to Vladsco. He turned his attention back to the blonde that remained shackled to the chair near the center of the room. “I think your brave hero deserves a kiss. Don’t you, Phoenix?”

Alice remained silent. She blinked as her head slowly began to spin, her vision growing blurry.

Cain gave a mock shiver as he turned his eyes to Vincent then. He was glaring murderously at him as Carter and Taylor held him back, his left eye now blackened. “Your girlfriend is awful cold. What do ya say we warm her up?”

A smirk tugged at Vincent’s lips. “Actually, I think she’s on fire, myself.”

Cain rolled his eyes. “Cute. Take ya all night to come up with that, 012?”

“It’s Vincent,” the amber-eyed boy corrected in irritation. “I don’t know why you people have me confused for this 012 guy, but the joke’s on you: You have the wrong person.”

Cain’s eyes narrowed. “The only thing wrong here is the fact that you aren’t dead.”

Vincent gave a soft growl in the back of his throat.

Alice tried to follow the conversation. She closed her eyes as her limbs grew heavy. The blonde’s head began to spin again, sending a wave of nausea through her senses. A cold jolt of fear swept through her as she felt consciousness slowly slip away.

Vincent’s eyes widened as the girl slumped in the chair. “What did you do to her?!” he demanded, his voice crackling in outrage.

“Well, dummy, over there, had to go and use her powers. She just earned herself a nice dose of tranquilizer, courtesy of her shiny, little ankle accessory,” Cain returned as he assessed the damage to his leg. He would definitely need to take a trip to the medical wing later.

Vincent’s brows furrowed. He opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when the door suddenly flew open.

“What, in God’s name, is going on in here?!” Vladsco bellowed as he entered the room. His hard gaze landed on the brunette sheepishly leaning against the desk. “Mind telling me what you think you’re doing, boy?”

Cain gestured to the injured brunette still on the floor. “Well, Elliot, here, thought he would handle interrogating Golden Phoenix for you. Obviously, he couldn’t handle her.”

Elliot whimpered feebly in protest.

Dark, brown eyes narrowed. “Just how stupid do you think I am, boy? Even if I didn’t have cameras in here, you ignorant lout, anyone can see that’s obviously a bullet wound in his leg. Or do you mean to tell me that you were stupid enough to allow her to get her hands on a gun again?”

Cain opened his mouth to reply, only to snap it shut once he realized that any answer he gave would only serve to reflect poorly upon himself.

Vladsco glared. “Watch it, boy. Don’t give me a reason to think you’re a traitor. I’ll throw you in the cell with them,” he warned, gesturing to Alice and Vincent behind him.

Cain’s sapphire eyes widened as a cheshire grin erupted onto Vincent’s face.

“That would be a wonderful idea.”

“Thanks to you, we can forget getting any useful information out of Phoenix today,” the general continued in disgust, shaking his head. He glanced at the amber-eyed boy. “Get him down to medical. He needs to be patched up and a tracking device put on.” He paused, sighing as he looked over to Alice once more. “Get Phoenix back to her cell. NO ONE is to disturb her for the rest of the evening. Bring the other boy. Hopefully, he will be able to give us something useful.”

Carter and Taylor nodded.

Taylor led a struggling Vincent out of the room then, the door slamming behind them.

Carter unfastened the young woman’s handcuffs, hauling her onto his shoulder.

Vladsco turned to Cain. “YOU will help Mr. Elliot down to medical.”

Cain nodded moving over to assist the young man in standing. After a few moments of pained struggling, the raven-haired teen managed to pull the young man onto his feet.

“This is NOT how we do things, Cain. Rest assured, you do not want me to catch wind of another incident like this again,” the general warned once they’d succeeded in making it to the door.

Cain said nothing, merely nodding before quickly fleeing the room as fast as his injured companion could go.

****

Kurt lightly chewed his bottom lip as he huddled himself into the back-left corner of the cell.

Cage, the brunette mentally corrected himself.

A long sigh escaped the boy’s lips. He had been doing his best to remain as positive as he could in such a bleak situation. However, he didn’t see how they were going to manage this time.

The teen was startled out of his thoughts as heavy footfalls sounded down the hall. He quickly pulled himself to his feet, eyes widening, as a guard appeared in front of the cell with his sister hanging limply over his shoulder.

“Wh-”

“Up against the wall, boy. I’m not in the mood for any funny business,” the guard snapped, cutting Kurt off.

Kurt heeded the guard’s demand, flinching as the man dropped his, clearly unconscious, sister onto the bed without much care. He bit his lip. Where was Vincent? They had taken him away only a short time ago. The teen felt his heart leap into his throat as the man turned to him then.

“Your turn, bangs.”

Kurt failed to suppress the shudder that shot through him. “M-my turn for what?” he mumbled innocently.

Carter rolled his eyes. “Don’t play dumb. The general wants to see you.”

Kurt gave a hollow chuckle. “And if I don’t feel up to an audience?”

“It’s an invitation you can’t refuse,” Carter quipped, “Now get moving.”

The brunette cast an apprehensive glance at the unconscious blonde before slowly shuffling out into the hallway. The teen did his best to ignore the sinking of his heart into his stomach as he walked.

As the pair made their way down the halls. Kurt did his best not to maintain eye-contact with any of the awakening prisoners they passed. The prison was beginning to come alive, from the sounds of things. Distant shouts could be heard, though the teen failed to make out some of what was being said.

Entering a hallway devoid of any cells, the teen felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine. The only light in the hall seemed to come from the opened door at the end. He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat.

Upon entering the room, the youth felt his stomach lurch at the pool of blood in the corner.

“Have a seat, boy.”

Kurt swallowed at the heavy, Slavic accent he recognized all too well. Whipping his head around, he finally took notice of the tall general sitting at the desk at the back of the room. Chewing his bottom lip, he did as he was instructed, sitting down in the chair near the center of the room. The boy grimaced as the rear of his pants was instantly dampened by the small puddle of water that had collected in the seat.

Explains why she was all wet, he mused, wincing as the guard fastened his handcuffs to the arms of the chair.

“Very good. That will be all, Carter,” Vladsco informed, standing from his chair.

The guard nodded, moving back to stand next to the door.

Kurt glanced out of the corner of his eye as the door opened a short time later, two more guards appearing.

“Now, then, shall we get straight to the point?” Vladsco spoke again, gaining the teen’s attention once more.

The brunette swallowed as he took notice of the large blade the general held in his left hand.

“Kurt, correct?”

The teen nodded.

“Well, Kurt, I’m a reasonable man. You give me the information I require, and you spare Golden Phoenix a lot of pain. Understand?”

Another nod.

Vladsco returned the gesture before continuing. “Firstly, I want to know how you came into possession of 012? Where did you find him?”

Kurt snorted, looking away. “I didn’t. You’d have to ask Ali-er-Golden Phoenix. She’s the one who found him,” he returned.

Vladsco’s eyes narrowed. “Well, since Golden Phoenix is not up for questions at the moment, I’m asking you.”

Kurt sighed. “Look, I don’t know. All I know is that she found him wounded and brought him to me for treatment.”

The general’s brows quirked. “Wounded?”

The teen scowled. “Yes. He had been shot in the chest. If I’d known then what I know now, I never would have treated him.”

Vladsco looked thoughtful, stroking his chin absently.

“I can tell you we didn’t do anything to him. He’s the one that started claiming the whole amnesia thing. Bunch of bullshit, if you ask me. Maybe you should ask your dogs why they turned on one of your own,” Kurt continued, rolling his eyes.

Irritation flashed in the general’s eyes. “I suggest watching your tone, boy. I’m the one asking questions here, don’t forget that.”

Kurt fell silent then, averting his eyes to the floor.

Moving back over to his desk, Vladsco sat down. “Where is the base of Leo Derwent?”

The teen drew in a deep breath, remaining silent. He couldn’t. Alice would never forgive him. Not to mention Leo… He quickly shook his head. If there was any surviving this situation, he would be as good as dead if he gave up the base.

“I suggest you be forthcoming with me, boy. You think what you saw when you got here was bad; I can make your worst nightmares come true. You don’t want that for Golden Phoenix, do you?”

Kurt quickly shook his head again.

“Good. Now where is the base?”

“On a planet,” Kurt returned, biting back the smirk that tugged at his lips.

Vladsco cocked his head. “Oh, a comedian? In the old country, do you know what we do to comedians who aren’t funny?”

Kurt swallowed at the sudden, deadly tone, straightening up in the chair.

“We cut their tongues out.” A dark smile graced the older man’s lips as he reached into the drawer of his desk, retrieving a bottle of hot sauce and setting it within the boy’s view. “I’m more merciful.” With that, the man tossed the knife he held.

Kurt let out a deadly shriek as the blade embedded itself in the wooden chair, inches from his groin.

“Where is Leo Derwent’s base?” Vladsco asked again, standing to his feet once more.

Kurt shuddered, remaining silent.

“Very well, Hard way it is then,” the general remarked as he made his way over to the boy. Jerking the knife out of the chair, he pressed the blade to the tender skin of the boy’s right-forearm. “Ready to rethink your decision?”

Kurt bit his lip, feeling the sweat fill his brow. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Vladsco shrugged. With that, the general brought the blade down, piercing flesh.

The teen cried out in anguish, whipping his head back and forth. “Bastard!” he rasped.

Vladsco said nothing as he made his way over to the desk again, retrieving the bottle of deep-red liquid.

Kurt’s eyes widened as he twisted off the cap.

“Last chance, boy. Are you going to tell me what I want to know?” Vladsco questioned again as he walked back over to the boy, bottle in hand.

The teen’s eyes fell to the floor again before he pinched them shut in silent reply.

Vladsco shrugged, pouring a generous amount of the red liquid into the boy’s open, bleeding wound.

A feral cry akin to a wounded animal erupted from the boy’s lips, followed by a string of colorful curses. We’re never getting out of here. The teen began to sob. We’re never getting out of here alive.