Chapter 15: The Devil You Know

Vincent gave a grunt of exertion as he brought the sledgehammer down, splitting the cement block. Blowing out a sigh, he straightened his posture. Raising the back of his left arm, he wiped the sweat from his brow. He’d undone the top portion of his union suit long ago, revealing the white tank-top he’d been provided.

The teen grimaced. Had he ever been this hot before? Or exhausted? Truthfully, he couldn’t remember. The thought almost made him smile to himself. He couldn’t remember anything, so the answer was fairly obvious.

Reaching down, he retrieved the water bottle he’d been provided. He frowned. It was nearly empty, containing only around a third of its capacity.

He sighed. He supposed he should be happy he’d been provided water at all.

The teen glanced to his right, where Kurt was struggling with his own workload.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vincent took a small swallow of water. It was then that he noticed the small group of three fellow inmates approaching. They quickly passed by with their eyes set on the young scientist.

“Hey, you the little prick from this morning?” the one who appeared to be the youngest spoke.

Kurt, taking notice of the men for the first time, slowly stood up straight. “Afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t try to bullshit me! Felix saw you!” the smallest of the three challenged.

Kurt eyed the men for a moment before shaking his head. Though apprehensive, he was clearly not in the mood. “Oh, not Felix. Anyone but Felix. You’ll have to forgive me, but who’s Felix?”

The man who’d spoken glared, exchanging a glance with his two companions before turning back to the younger boy. “Felix is the poor hombre that isn’t going to eat tonight because of you, numb-nuts.”

Kurt’s eyes darted as the inmate’s two companions moved to his sides, surrounding him. He swallowed, sweat beginning to fill his brow. The last thing he needed was a fight. He looked to Vincent, scowling when the little creep looked away.

“What we gonna do with him, Esteban?” one of the other men spoke; a big, brute of a man.

Kurt glanced the man over nervously. This guy had to be a good head and a half taller than him. His white tank top was slung over his shoulder, exposing his dark torso. His head was completely shaved, baring no hair at all.

“L-look, I’m sorry about your buddy, but it doesn’t have anything to do with me. I-I don’t want any trouble, guys,” the teen mumbled.

The one referred to as Esteban laughed. Placing the edge of the sledgehammer he held beneath the boy’s chin, he forced him to meet his eyes. “Oh, Muchacho, if you not looking for trouble, your ass be in the wrong place.”

Kurt glared. So far, not a single one of the ten guards stationed around the area seemed inclined to step in. Before he could say anything further, Esteban spoke again.

“Thanks to making all that racket this manana, Felix got beaten so bad that he couldn’t make it to work detail. Where I’m from, we believe in an eye for an eye.” He paused, glancing over to the larger man. “Isn’t that right, Juan?”

Juan nodded in agreement. “Call it a lesson in respect, Chico.”

Kurt opened his mouth to retort, only to slam it shut a moment later as he was knocked to the ground. He grit his teeth at the hard kick delivered to his ribs. The air was forcibly expelled from his lungs as another blow came, then another.

The teen curled onto his side, which proved to be a mistake. One after another, blows continued to pummel him. His ears rang as a particularly hard blow connected with the back of his head.

Kurt clenched his teeth again as his ears began to ring. A fist collided with his nose. A sick, metallic taste filled his mouth, nearly causing the teen to gag.

“Your ass belong to me now, chico. Maybe you think about that next time you want to cause trouble,” Esteban remarked, punctuating with another blow to the downed teen’s face.

Vincent winced, looking away. Should he intervene? The teen chewed his bottom lip. Why? It wasn’t as if the boy had given him anything other than trouble since they’d met.

“That’s quite enough! If his ass belongs to anyone, it belongs to me,” a familiar, Slavic accent ordered, bringing an end to the spectacle. “As a matter of fact, all of your sorry asses belong to me. You would do well to remember that fact, or do you need a reminder?”

All eyes seemed to travel to the doorway, where Vladsco stood. The three inmates ceased their assault, doing their best to avoid eye-contact with the older man.

The crowded area grew still then as the brunette strolled into the room, none daring to so much as move a muscle for fear of retribution.

The general crossed his arms at the lack of verbal response. “I believe it is courteous to give a response when addressed.”

Esteban exchanged a glance with his two comrades before giving a small nod. “Si, Senor,” he murmured.

The general gave a mild grunt of approval, seemingly appeased. Glancing over his shoulder, his dark eyes locked onto Vincent. “Impressive display of camaraderie, 012.”

Vincent frowned at the mocking tone, his eyes drifting to the cement floor as he attempted to ignore the twisting of his heart.

The general mercifully moved on then, making his way over to the injured teen and hauling him up.

The teen gave little protest as the general led him away, not that he was in any condition to offer much in the way of resistance.

Stopping at the door, Vladsco spared a glance at the guards. “You lot are to report to my office at shift change.”

The atmosphere in the room turned nearly suffocating as the door closed then, the inmates slowly returning to their assigned duties without conversation. Even the guards seemed somewhat on edge.

He deserved it, Vincent attempted to remind himself as he raised his sledgehammer once more, bringing it back down with considerably more force than necessary.

Onlookers winced as the block splintered, sending shards scattering like rain droplets.

****

Kurt’s dark eyes scanned the room with no small amount of apprehension.

Why?

What reason would the general have reason to step in as he had?

Information… the teen thought bitterly.

“I must apologize for that unpleasantness. I can assure you that I do not condone such barbaric behavior,” Vladsco spoke as he sat down in his leather chair across from the teen.

Kurt glared across the desk at the older man.

“Clearly,” the teen spat. “Is that why you had a bunch of random, innocent people gunned down when we got here?”

The general shrugged. “How else do you propose I weed out the troublemakers and maintain order?”

The teen snorted, rolling his eyes. “How about not executing innocent people?”

Vladsco chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. “My dear boy, no one is innocent.”

Kurt glared, reaching up to lightly dab at his bleeding nose. He winced at the sharp jab of pain he felt. He was almost positive that it was broken.

“My boy, you really don’t know how to read a room, do you?” the general inquired, an amused expression lighting his features. “I do believe I’ve been quite the gentleman, all things considered.”

The brunette teen snorted again, his dark eyebrows furrowing in anger as he looked away. “Pft! I’ll be sure to let my sister know that, when you had her top cut off in front of everyone, it was you being a proper gentleman.”

Vladsco quirked a brow. That would certainly explain the boy’s defensive behavior. A dark smile lit his features. “Ah, yes, Golden Phoenix. I do apologize for the uncomfortable situation. You must understand, as the man in charge of this place, there are certain expectations I must fulfill. Your sister is a very high-profile prisoner. I simply cannot be seen being soft with her by anyone, otherwise some of my men may think to take it upon themselves to see to her punishments.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. How stupid did this man think he was? “So you have her clothes cut off? Forgive me, but that hardly makes sense.”

Vladsco leaned back in his chair, resting his chin against the knuckles of his left hand as he propped an elbow on his desk. “My apologies, but I hardly think a little public humiliation compares to some of the more…let’s just say grotesque…maiming I’ve seen happen here.”

The teen gave a huff of disapproval in the back of his throat. “Yeah, cause you know that makes it so much better. Here’s the ‘not as traumatized as you could be’ award.”

The elder general narrowed his eyes. “There’s no call for being so rude. Is this really how you want to conduct yourself with the person who saved you?”

Kurt fell silent.

Vladsco gave a nod of approval before reaching to organize a stack of paperwork on his desk. Once he was satisfied, he glanced up at the boy. “I do believe that you and I can reach a mutual agreement on the fact that you are not adequately suited for this, correct?”

Kurt frowned. Was he really that obvious? It wasn’t his fault he lacked the training.

You know, I recall a saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Right now, from where I’m standing, that’s you…

The teen’s eyes narrowed as Vincent’s words replayed in his mind. Damn him! Who was he to judge anyway? He resisted the urge to scowl.

“I’ll take your silence as an affirmation then.”

Kurt gave a noncommittal grunt in the back of his throat to the general’s question. No sense in hanging himself with the proverbial rope, right?

Leaning forward, the general retrieved a mug from his desk. Steam expelled from the top as he blew, cooling the liquid inside before taking a slow sip. “Allow me to make things simple for you: If you’re useful, you stay alive. If you’re not…” He paused, taking another sip from his mug before shrugging. “Well, you know what happens to things that aren’t useful.”

Kurt remained silent, his eyes trained on the steel-gray tile of the floor. Indeed, he did. He’d witnessed, firsthand, what noncompliance was met with in this place.

The teen gave an inward sigh. He supposed he should be used to it. After all, it wasn’t as if it was much different back at the base.

There was a knock at the door, drawing a sigh of exasperation from the general’s lips.

“Enter.”

The door opened and a young, blond soldier appeared. “I’m sorry for the interruption, Sir, but the emperor is on the phone for you.”

The general sighed again, clearly less than thrilled. Standing, he pushed his chair in. “Thank you, Thomas. If you would be so kind as to look after the boy until I return, I would be grateful.”

The blond nodded. “Of course, Sir.”

Vladsco returned the sentiment, nodding. “Very good.” Turning to Kurt, he offered an apologetic smile. “Forgive me for leaving you so abruptly. I will be back with you before too long. I do hope you and Thomas can find something interesting to discuss in my absence.”

Kurt said nothing. What could he possibly have to say to this guy? And why should he? It wasn’t as if he was looking to make friends.

“Oh, and, if you would be kind enough to take him down to medical to have that nose properly cared for, I’m sure he would be appreciative,” Vladsco stated, turning to Thomas again.

“I’ll do that, Sir,” the blond assured with another nod.

With that, the general took his leave

****

Alice’s mind seemed to race a mile a minute as she was led down the long hall.

The little bastard was born a murderer…

The blonde bit her lip, shaking her head as the boy’s words replayed in her mind for what seemed like the hundredth time. He had to be lying. He had to be.

She frowned. Then again, how well did they really know Vincent?

A sigh of frustration left the young woman. She honestly didn’t know what to believe anymore. Obviously, there had been at least some truth to the boy’s words. She only prayed that she would get the chance to expose Victor before he made a move.

The blonde drew in a deep breath. Leo would handle him. For now, her sole focus needed to be finding a way for them all to escape.

Finally reaching the end of the hall, Jack opened a very large, steel door.

The pounding of hammers could be heard as a large number of prisoners went about their task of building. Several guards were stationed at various locations throughout the fenced-in area as they observed the new room being built.

A group of three inmates busily cleared the rubble from the tile floor with long brooms.

Two of the walls of the room had yet to be constructed, their outlines set in a wooden skeleton of sorts. Beyond the open, back wall was a small yard where bags of what Alice could only assume was trash were piled up.

“Let’s get you checked in with your block leader. He’ll be the one to give your assignment for the day,” Jack informed, catching the blonde’s attention.

Alice merely nodded. If she could say one positive thing, it would be that at least this Jack person seemed different from the guards she’d met so far. He didn’t seem to find it necessary to hit her repeatedly with his gun to prod her along like the others.

The teen sighed in a small bit of contentment as a slight breeze ruffled her disheveled hair. She drew in a deep breath. It was the first breath of truly fresh air she’d had since arriving at the prison, and the break from the stale, musty scent of closed building was definitely appreciated.

It was then that Alice spotted Vincent near the back wall, breaking up the larger chunks of debris into smaller, more manageable, pieces with a large mallet.

For a moment, the teen simply admired him. His midnight hair was ruffled slightly, giving him somewhat of an untamed look. His pale skin almost seemed to gleam in the bright sunshine. The top portion of his union suit had been pulled down, the arms tied securely around his waist. His white tank-top had been removed and was fastened around his forehead in a makeshift headband. Once again, the girl couldn’t help but notice how toned the boy actually was beneath the more boyish features he possessed.

Alice felt her cheeks begin to burn and closed her eyes. No. She would not allow herself to be fooled so easily again.

Cain’s words replayed in her mind once more, causing the blonde to frown. Then again, what evidence did she have to trust Cain? Vincent had been nothing but nice to her.

Of course, there was always the chance it was an act…

The teen shook her head. No. If he were truly acting, he would have had no reason to be as comforting and attentive as he was.

“That’s Hugh over there,” Jack commented, disrupting the blonde's thoughts as he gestured to a table toward the back of the room. The man he’d indicated appeared to be in his mid thirties with a medium build. His chestnut hair was clipped short, causing his ears to stick out quite noticeably from the frame of his face.

Jack waved. “Hey, Hugh!” he called.

The brunette acknowledged, returning the gesture before finishing up whatever conversation he had been having with his fellow inmate.

“Got another one here for ya, Hugh,” Jack spoke as the block leader approached.

The man regarded Alice for a moment, his eyes widening. “Golden Phoenix? So the rumors were true?” he murmured, rubbing the back of his head.

“It would appear your reputation precedes you,” Jack smiled.

Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes, clearly less than thrilled.

“I suppose I can have her clear out some of the smaller pieces and take them to the trash pile over there. Don’t really feel right having a woman bustin’ rocks all day.”

Jack nodded in understanding. “Well, she’s all yours now. I have to report back, or else I might just be joining your little party out here.”

The two men shared a laugh, Jack bidding a final farewell before taking his leave.

“Let’s get you set up over here,” Hugh spoke as he led the way to the back area of the room.

Alice glanced over her surroundings once more, her sapphire eyes widening as the realization dawned on her. Where was Kurt?! She had assumed that he and Vincent would be kept together.

The teen breathed an inward sigh of relief when she noticed that this Hugh person was apparently leading her back into Vincent’s work area. At least she would be able to keep an eye on one of them.

Vincent’s features immediately brightened as he caught sight of the approaching pair. He quickly straightened his posture, giving them his full attention.

“Vincent,” Hugh began in introduction, “this is-”

“Golden Phoenix,” Vincent smiled, “I’m aware. We came in together.”

The brunette laughed, tossing his head back. “In that case, I suppose it won’t be a problem for you two to work together, huh.”

The teens smiled, shaking their heads.

“Good, cause if we don’t have this area clear by noon, it’ll be my head they come after,” Hugh muttered sourly. “I’m probably gonna be in enough hot water for earlier this morning, as it is.”

Alice’s ears perked. “Earlier this morning?”

Hugh nodded. “Yeah. There was a scuffle. The general stepped in and put an end to it.”

Vincent sighed. “It was some of the guys Kurt riled up from this morning. They were looking for a fight.”

Alice drew in a breath, closing her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “And you didn’t see fit to stop them?”

“Not that it’s any of my business, but you’re better off leaving well enough alone around here. Esteban and his little gang aren’t exactly the sort you want to go messing around with,” Hugh commented, scratching the back of his head. “What did your pal do to get ‘em going anyway?”

The pair exchanged a bashful glance before looking away from one another.

Vincent gave an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head. “W-well, let’s just say that they didn’t exactly appreciate the wakeup call he gave them.”

The older man chuckled. “Yeah, you definitely don’t want to be waking any sleeping dogs around here. Good way to get your leg bitten off, if ya know what I mean.”

Alice sighed. “Well, if there was ever anything Kurt’s never been very good at, it’s leaving well enough alone.”

Hugh snorted. “Well, he goes pissing off the wrong people here, he’s gonna have a lot more than a little broken nose to worry about.”

The two teens exchanged a glance.

“A-anyway, I think we’ll just have you working disposal today, Phoenix,” Hugh murmured after a moment, wisely changing the subject.

The blonde nodded as she was handed a large, rectangular bin with wheels.

“Once you fill this, you can take it to the yard over there. Rinse and repeat until further instructions. Got it?”

Both teens nodded in understanding.

With that, the block leader left the pair to their assigned tasks.

****

Kurt winced as he rubbed the bandage on his nose. At least it wasn’t throbbing as much now.

The general never came to retrieve him from the medical wing, so the guards had eventually opted to bring him back to his cell for the time being.

The boy sighed, leaning his head back against the wall as he closed his eyes. Not that he would complain. At least it was giving him a temporary respite from the manual labor. And from Vincent…

The teen frowned. The little snake!

The brunette gave a faint, pained moan as he pushed himself away from the wall, standing up. He winced again as he slowly shuffled toward the bed and sat down.

Perhaps some rest while he had the chance would be a good idea?

Truthfully, sleep had eluded him for most of the night. He’d resolved himself to keep watch over them after Alice had invited the traitor to sleep next to her.

The teen snorted. Obviously, Alice was allowing her attraction to override her better judgment.

Sure, the circumstances surrounding him were strange. Maybe things weren’t as cut and dry as he would like. Was that any reason to be less cautious? The boy was still a stranger to them, after all.

A long yawn escaped him.

He smiled slightly as he closed his eyes. He would take great pleasure in exposing the little creep. One way or the other. He wouldn’t rest until he did.

****

Alice unloaded the container before pausing to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She now understood why Vincent had opted to remove his shirt altogether. The teen was grateful that she at least had the white tank top.

The blonde sighed. She had finished her water what seemed like ages ago. Leaning against the bin, she closed her eyes.

As if sensing the girl’s plight, Vincent appeared at her side. He held out his water bottle.

Alice gave a grateful smile, though she hesitated. “What about you? You’re the one having to be out here, in this heat, swinging a mallet around.”

Vincent chuckled. “True, but I’m at least not pushing around a bin bigger than I am.”

The blonde gave a somewhat playful glare, folding her arms. “Are you taking a shot at my height?”

The boy’s cheeks flared with a sudden heat. He cleared his throat, backpedaling. “W-well, you, um, are…uh…”

The girl’s musical giggling cut him off as she simply beamed.

Vincent smiled, gazing at the young woman in contentment. A gentle warmth rushed through him. That smile would be the death of him! “Does my joke measure up to your expectations, Miss?”

Another trickle of laughter leaked from the girl’s lips. She gave a playful roll of her eyes before finally accepting the water bottle from the boy, attempting to not think too deeply upon the fact that they were now indirectly kissing.

Vincent took the opportunity to untie the shirt from around his head, sending his shaggy, black hair free with a quick shake of his head.

Alice downed the last of the bottle’s contents before passing it back to the boy. “Thank you, Vincent. Really…”

The brunette smiled again, his molten, amber eyes glimmering in the bright sunshine. “Of course, Miss.”

The blonde smiled, her heart missing a beat at the wave of warmth that swept through her. Those eyes would be her undoing.

The pair continued to regard one another for a moment longer, seemingly in a world of their own. Sapphire gazed contentedly into amber.

Reality, however, has a nasty way of imposing itself at the most inopportune times.

A shrill whistle brought an end to the warm moment, causing both teens to jump slightly.

“Alright, everyone, hit the showers, then back to your cells!” one of the guards ordered.

Light chatter commenced as the inmates began making their way toward the door. Vincent and Alice exchanged a glance before joining the rest of the prisoners.

Hugh stood in the doorway, checking off names on a sheet of paper as each prisoner passed through. He offered the pair a friendly nod of acknowledgement. “Well, you two seem to have made it through your first day no worse for wear.”

Vincent rolled his eyes. “Oh, yeah, it was a real treat.”

Hugh snorted. “Hey, just be glad you got to work in here today. They could have stationed you down in the boiler. You think it gets hot out here? You don’t know what hot is.”

Vincent said nothing, merely choosing to grumble his discontent under his breath.

“The guard said something about showers?” Alice questioned.

The block leader gave an awkward smile, nodding. “Yeah, you get an assigned amount of shower time. Usually about twenty minutes.” He paused, glancing the young woman over before turning to Vincent. “I would suggest sticking to each other as closely as possible. The showers here are co-ed, so I’d keep a real close eye on her in there, if I were you. ”

Alice paled. All the while she’d been working, she’d done her best to ignore the various glances sent in her direction from her fellow inmates. She closed her eyes. Almost immediately, the memory of having her dress cut off upon their arrival rushed to the forefront of her mind.

Sensing the young woman’s distress, Vincent began to protest. “Isn’t there another way? I mean, surely they don’t force the women to bathe with the men, do they?”

Hugh scratched the back of his head, waiting until the guards were preoccupied in conversation before speaking again. “W-well, no it isn’t forced. You could technically request to bathe alone, though I would highly advise against that,” he murmured.

“Why is that?”

Hugh made a gesture toward the guards. “Well, when big, bad wolf comes looking, do you wanna be the only little sheep in the field, or would you rather be in a herd?”

Alice gave a disgusted snort. “And here I thought all the wolves were in their cages.”

The older brunette chuckled for a moment before sobering. “Seriously, though, watch your backs. If you don’t, you can bet your ass that someone will be chewing on it.”

The pair exchanged a mutual glance of disappointment before resigning themselves to their fate and following the rest of their fellow inmates.

Exiting the room, the pair made their way back down the long hallway. Several guards were stationed in the hall, moving the prisoners along.

Alice couldn’t deny the feeling of dread deep within her chest as she and Vincent took their place in the line gradually forming as each inmate was passed through the checkpoint stationed at the end of the hall before moving on. She blew out a sigh. The hall now seemed almost twice as long as when Jack had brought her down it earlier.

After finally passing through the checkpoint some minutes later, the pair was guided into a locker room of sorts. The sound of running water could be heard coming from the doorway at the back of the room.

Alice slowly made her way over to one of the many benches and took a seat. Glancing at the dingy, white tile floor, she grimaced at the thought of removing her shoes.

Vincent appeared at her side a moment later, apprehension darkening his features.

The blonde did her best to give the boy a reassuring smile, nod, anything that wouldn’t give away her anxiety at the moment. However, she could tell by the look she received in response that she was failing.

The boy turned his back to her then, choosing to divert his attention to the cream-colored towels laid out neatly upon the bench on the left side of the room. What should he do? The girl was clearly, and understandably so, uncomfortable in the situation, but he wasn’t so certain that leaving her alone was advisable. Not after what Hugh had told them.

As if sensing the teen’s thoughts, the door opened with a ‘clang’ as Hugh entered. He regarded the pair with a nod of acknowledgement before moving to the other side of the room to strip out of his suit.

Vincent, feeling more than a little awkward, turned himself away from the, now naked, male. However, as he turned to face the opposite direction, he was met with a sight he was positive stopped his heart. Or, perhaps, it was simply beating too quickly for him to register. His breath hung in his throat.

Amber eyes widened as he drank in the sight of pale flesh. The blonde faced away from him, giving him a sinfully delicious view of her backside. The teen swallowed, feeling his pulse throb through his veins as heat crept up his neck to settle in his cheeks.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Once again, he was positive that she had to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his relatively young life.

The golden hair that fell just past her shoulders appeared as soft as silk. The fact that he could attest to the fact that her hair was, indeed, as soft as it looked brought his blush to an ever deeper hue. Her pale, alabaster skin was perfect, seeming to almost glow in its radiance.

The teen let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d even been holding. It was then that he noticed her faint trembling and frowned. “A-are you-”

“I’m fine,” she quickly murmured, cutting him off without turning around.

“Ahem!” Hugh cleared his throat, drawing the boy’s attention.

Vincent jerked his eyes away, his gaze diverting to the floor.

God, how shameful! Just how pathetic was he?! She was terrified, and all he could do is stare?!

Depraved animal…

The teen winced at the jabbing thought. Perhaps he really was no better than these monsters.

“I’m, uh, sorry to startle ya, boy, but you two better get a move on before the guards come in here to get you,” Hugh murmured, snapping the boy out of his self-depreciating thoughts.

Vincent spared a glance at the young woman once more before bringing himself to face the block leader. He was grateful that the man at least now had a towel covering himself. “R-right.”

Hugh held out a couple of towels to the boy. “Here, you’ll need these.”

Vincent nodded in gratitude. Biting his lip, he inched his way over to the girl. “H-here, Miss,” he murmured, gently laying the towel across her right shoulder. Doing his best to not allow his eyes to get him in any trouble, he quickly whipped around at her soft utterance of gratitude.

The teen used the opportunity to strip the rest of the way out of his own union suit, wrapping his towel around his middle. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt the soft hand upon his shoulder.

“S-sorry,” Alice giggled lightly, feeling somewhat awkward.

“Dirty clothes go over here in the bin,” Hugh instructed, gesturing to a large, green bin in the corner next to the doorway.

“Y-you ready?” Vincent asked, sending the girl his best attempt at a reassuring glance over his shoulder.

The blonde snorted. “As I’ll ever be,” she muttered, sliding her hand away from his shoulder.

Vincent swallowed, feeling a tingle run down his spine as velvet fingertips brushed his bare back.

“Well, well, what we got here? Fresh meat?” a voice spoke from the doorway.

Hugh cringed as he whipped around to face the young man standing in the doorframe.

Vincent’s eyes immediately narrowed. The man had the same accent as the one who’d started the fight with Kurt earlier. To say he wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation would be an understatement. His muscles tightened as he felt the young woman behind him tense.

“Why don’t you just go on, Ricardo? We aren’t looking for any trouble. You wouldn’t want the guards getting sore at ya for preventing the natural flow, would ya? Everyone gotta take their scheduled shower time,” Hugh grumbled, his tone somewhat stern.

The Latino shrugged, spitting a wad of phlegm onto the tile floor with a ‘splat’. “You think they give a shit who showers?” He paused, his line of sight going beyond Vincent to land on the, now glaring, blonde. “Then again, they might make an exception for this one.”

Alice resisted the urge to gag as his dark eyes roved over her form.

Hugh gave a dry chuckle. “Yeah, well, I’d keep my distance, if I were you. Unless, of course, you want certain parts of yourself burnt off.”

A cocksure grin tugged at Ricardo’s lips. “Is that right? I know some muchachos who like their women with a little fire in them. Hell, I’d buy her for a couple of cigarettes.”

“You’ll do no such thing, you sick sack of dog vomit,” Hugh snapped, “Now you go on, before I get the guards in here.”

Ricardo gave a dramatic show, holding his hands up. “Chill, hombre. Ain’t no call for such hostility. I heard from my baby brother that some newbies were out here getting too big for their pants. We can’t have that now, can we?”

“Yeah, well, I think your brother already made his point when he broke the guy’s nose,” Vincent muttered before Hugh could retort.

Ricardo’s eyes quickly left Hugh in favor of the brunette stranger. “And who are you supposed to be, dickhead?”

“Jack,” Vincent quipped, “Jack Mayhoff. What’s it to you?”

Ricardo maintained the boy’s steely gaze a moment longer before bursting into a hearty laugh. “You’re either the bravest bastard yet, or the dumbest.” Stepping away from the doorway, he gestured. “Get your asses in there before I lose my good mood.”

The trio wasted no time debating.

Stepping through the doorway, Alice and Vincent were greeted by a large, open shower. There appeared to be around a dozen or so free shower heads. Each head had its own corresponding faucet on the wall.

Alice quickly shuffled over to one of the available spaces in the back corner, avoiding any eye-contact with her fellow prisoners. Reaching for the knob on the faucet, she turned it to a cooler setting.

The teen sighed in contentment. She at least no longer felt like she was melting from the inside out. Closing her eyes, she relished the feel of the water cooling her heated skin. Cupping her hands, she allowed a small amount of water to collect in them. She brought her hands to her lips, drinking the liquid eagerly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vincent doing much the same. Poor guy.

The teen frowned, suddenly feeling guilty for having taken the last of his water earlier. Her eyebrows ticked upward in slight amusement as she watched him for a moment. The boy kept curling and uncurling his fingers, a deep frown of discontent darkening his features.

What was he doing?

Sapphire eyes widened as realization dawned on her. He was trying to use his powers! A slight smile tugged at her lips. Come to think of it; the poor boy hadn’t exactly had the chance to even attempt to learn his own powers.

She watched the boy continue to try for a moment longer before he eventually gave up with a huff of annoyance.

The pair made it through the rest of their shower break in relative peace. Of course, it may have had something to do with the dozen guards supervising.

As they were exiting the showers, a medium-built, dark-haired prisoner passed by them. His pale skin bore several tattoos, a majority of which were on his left arm. He glanced their way, regarding them with a nod before making his way over to a small group of guards.

“That’s Shan. I would stay far away from that one. He’s in good with the guards higher up in the ranks,” Hugh murmured as they made their way back into the locker room.

The room was relatively noisy, coming alive with conversation as prisoners conversed while they redressed themselves. All under the ever-watchful eyes of the guards, of course.

Alice and Vincent exchanged a glance before joining the rest of the inmates lining up for fresh uniforms. The pair gained a mutual look of disgust when they caught sight of the individual handing out the clothing.

Cain grinned as it came their turn. Handing a suit to Vincent, he regarded Alice with a coy smile. “Have you had enough time to consider my proposal?”

The blonde rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore the question. Reaching to take the uniform, she scowled as the boy jerked it back. “Go pound sand,” she snapped as she yanked the clothing from him.

“What proposal?” Vincent demanded, his eyes narrowing.

Cain chuckled. “Nothing for you to worry about, little brother. It’s just between me and her. Right, Phoenix?”

The blonde didn’t reply. Simply choosing to shoot the dickhead a nasty glare, the teen spun on her heels and made to walk away. She and Vincent hadn’t made it more than three steps when the boy called out, his tone suddenly much darker.

“Mark my words: Before this night’s over, you’ll regret that answer.”

Vincent didn’t bother turning around to express his feelings on the matter. He didn’t know what kind of ‘proposal’ he’d offered the girl, and he didn’t care. Not when she had so clearly given her answer. Flashing his middle finger over his shoulder, he missed the murderous glare he received in response as he kept walking.

****

Kurt grimaced as he downed the last spoonful of his soup, sitting across from his cellmates on the floor. His dark eyebrows creased.

The pair had spoken very little since they’d arrived back in the cell; mostly Alice expressing concern over his injuries.

As if sensing the boy was thinking of her, the blonde looked up to pin him with a look of exasperation. “Be grateful you even have food, Kurt.”

“It’s okay, they only don’t feed the ones that don’t work,” Vincent countered. Turning to Kurt, he gave a wry grin. “Oh, wait…”

“Prick,” Kurt spat. “I got my nose broken!”

“Too bad it wasn’t your mouth,” Vincent countered with a roll of his eyes.

Truthfully, the boy was becoming exhausting, and, after the day he’d had, he really wasn’t in any mood to indulge him.

“Enough, you two,” Alice muttered. “What did I say about working together?”

Both boys seemed content to grumble under their breath before looking away.

The blonde rolled her eyes. Honestly! Deciding that keeping the conversation more on track would result in less bickering, she continued. “So, Kurt, you’ve been in here most of the day, right?”

The brunette turned to face her, nodding.

“Did you manage to pick up on any patterns with the guards, then?”

The teen paled. Truthfully, he’d forgotten. He’d been so exhausted and in pain that he’d slept nearly the whole time. Not that it really mattered. There was no way that they were actually going to be able to pull off an escape.

He hung his head. “N-no.”

Vincent gave a sigh of frustration, leaning his head back against the wall.

Alice pinched the bridge of her nose, trying not to allow her exasperation to get the better of her. Her eyes momentarily shifted to the metal ring around her ankle. She would have to be careful. She couldn’t risk being put to sleep again.

“It’s okay. Just try to remember to pay close attention from now on, alright? We want out of here as soon as possible,” she finally murmured after a moment.

Kurt snorted. “You still think we have a chance of escaping?”

The look he received in response told him the answer should be obvious.

“Have a little faith, Kurt.”

The brunette rolled his eyes. “You can have your faith, I’ll be realistic.”

Alice folded her arms as she sat on the bed. Stubborn boy! “Yeah, well, everyone said it wasn’t realistic that David would defeat Goliath either.”

Vincent’s ears perked. “Who’s Goliath?”

Kurt groaned, sending a sarcastic look in his sister’s direction. “Alice, now really isn’t the time for fairytales.”

Ignoring her brother, the blonde turned to Vincent with a smile. “He was the champion warrior of the Philistines that was defeated by a boy named David.”

“That’s IF you believe in made up fairytales,” Kurt quipped, earning yet another glare from his sister.

“I don’t believe I was asking you,” Vincent muttered.

In all honesty, he was quite interested in the girl’s story. Whether there was any truth to the tale didn’t matter so much as the message of faith in and of itself.

Faith. Faith that they would find a way out of this…somehow.

Kurt shrugged. “Well, since I got a lot of rest earlier, I’ll take first watch. You two better get some rest. That is, unless you wanna stay up all night telling stories.”

Alice and Vincent both rolled their eyes.

Too tired to argue, the pair resumed their previous positions from the night prior and made themselves comfortable on the bed.

Vincent smiled warmly as the girl’s head fell to his shoulder.

Yes, he would much rather keep fighting. After all, what was there to be gained by giving up now?

The teen yawned.

Somehow. Somehow, they would make it through this. Then it would all be a bad memory.

****

Startled, sapphire eyes flew open, a rush of air resembling that of a gasp leaving the girl’s lips at the sharp jerk to her arm. Suddenly, she was on the floor, the metal ring on her ankle biting deep into her skin as she was suddenly jerked toward the doorway of her cell.

Her head swam. Vincent and Kurt were shouting something, though she was hardly hearing at the moment.

What was this? A dream? Another nightmare?

Finally managing to clear the haze of sleep from her vision, Alice twisted onto her back, delivering a hard kick to her attacker’s arm.

The guard growled at the pain.

Four more guards spilled into the cell, two of them moving out of her field of vision as they rushed to restrain her brother.

The other two guards moved to her. One quickly grabbed her arms, holding them down while the other held up what appeared to be a metal collar of sorts.

Pressing his thumb to the hinge, the contraption popped open.

Alice stiffened at the cool metal against her skin.

Pain. Hot, searing rivets of pain coursed through her nervous system as she felt metal prongs pierce her flesh. There was a loud ‘click’ in her ear as the device snapped closed, sitting flush against her skin.

The teen gasped, suddenly finding it overwhelmingly difficult to breathe. Somewhere behind her, she heard Vincent and Kurt shout her name, though she was unable to respond.

There was a feeling of weightlessness for a moment as two of the guards picked the girl up, carrying her out into the hallway.

The teen gagged as she hit the hard, concrete floor.

The other three remaining guards exited the cell, closing the door behind them.

“Well, well, well, aren’t you a sight?” an eerily familiar voice spoke.

The girl wheezed. Shifting to roll onto her side, she sat up. Her heart nearly stopped.

Cain stood in the hallway. He wore nothing more than a pair of black, silk shorts. Twirling an object in his hand, he offered her a cheshire grin. The kind of grin a fox might give a rabbit before devouring it.

“Like your new accessory?” he questioned as he sauntered over to her. Opening his hand, he revealed the object he’d been twirling.

A controller?

“I had this little baby made just for you,” Cain drawled. Tucking a slender finger under her chin, he met her eyes. “I told you that you would regret blowing me off, sweetheart.”

Alice glared, jerking her head back. She would have retorted, however, the prongs embedded next to her larynx made speaking rather difficult.

“Bastard,” Vincent spat, gripping the bars of the cell.

Cain turned to him with a smile. “You aren’t gonna want to miss this.” Turning his attention back to the young woman, his smile darkened as he held up the controller. “Let the party begin.”

Alice blinked as he clicked one of the buttons, a startled shriek leaving her lips at the jolt of pain that followed. She rasped, trying desperately to force enough oxygen into her burning lungs.

“I believe you and I are beginning to understand one another, huh?” the brunette quipped, hitting the button on the controller again for emphasis.

A choked gasp rushed from the blonde’s lips as her limbs began twitch at the pain.

Pain. Hot, burning fire coursed through her body. No longer able to remain sitting, the teen fell to her side, attempting to curl into a ball.

Yes, that was it. She was trapped in another nightmare. This couldn’t be real.

Wake up, Alice! Come on, wake up!

The teen’s internal pleas seemed to fall upon deaf ears as the boy pressed the button yet again. Try as she may, she was unable to prevent the anguished yelp that escaped her throat. Hot tears began to form in her blurry eyes.

God, her throat burned!

Her whole body felt as though it had been set aflame. She barely registered Vincent’s and Kurt’s screams above the throbbing of her pulse in her ears.

“Stop it! You’re gonna kill her!” Kurt wailed, pressing his face against the bars. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the iron barriers.

“Oh, don’t you worry. I wouldn’t dream of it,” Cain replied as he bent down, retrieving a pair of scissors from the pocket of his shorts.

The girl’s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach as she attempted to flex her fingers. A cold jolt rocketed down her spine as he forced her legs apart with a knee, leaning over her.

Move! Why couldn’t she move?! Punch, kick, anything!

She blinked. It was then that the icy grip of reality descended. This was no nightmare. She really was here, on the floor, being held down by guards, as this boy cut off her suit.

“Alright, princess, no wiggling, okay? Wouldn’t want to clip that gorgeous skin of yours,” he whispered.

Sapphire eyes crackled dangerously.

“Ah, ah, ah. Don’t even think about it,” the boy spoke, carefully cutting away the bottom portion of her suit, freeing her legs.

Cold. Suddenly, she felt so cold. She was all too aware of the light trembling of her legs as he settled himself between them.

“Now that’s more like it. You just be a good girl, alright?” He whispered again.

The girl shuddered as his voice brushed her ear.

“Because I swear, if you even so much as blink wrong,” He paused, showing the girl the remote. “I press this button, and I don’t stop until you quit breathing.”

The guards holding her arms pulled the top part of her suit off, leaving the trembling girl in nothing more than the white tank-top and white, cotton panties she’d been provided earlier.

She pinched her eyes shut as she felt his weight settle against her, pressing his groin into her clothed core. Her eyes snapped open as he forced their lips together.

Somewhere behind them, she heard Vincent let out a primal yell, followed by Kurt’s wailing.

The teen simply blinked for a moment. What should she do? Should she choose to bite the tongue forcing its way into her mouth, she was pretty sure he would make good on his threat to execute her via the electrical device attached to her neck. She was equally certain that kneeing him in the erect member pressed into her groin would yield similar results. She could set him on fire, but she was also quite positive that, should she elect to do so, she wouldn’t be waking up this time.

The boy began to move against her, causing her muscles to stiffen as he repeatedly rubbed himself on her.

A scream bubbled up in her throat. A feral sound born out of terror, pain, and despair, all rolled into one. However, the sound never left as he continued to seal their mouths together over and over again.

She drew in shallow breaths through her nose, feeling his penis begin to throb against her. Despite the pain, her lungs greedily sucked in much needed oxygen as he finally pulled back for breath.

“That good, huh?” he whispered huskily as he sat back, leaning off her long enough to remove his shorts.

Vincent let out another chorus of feral cries laced with threats, though she was hardly paying attention anymore. Truthfully, her mind had simply gone numb.

Powerless. She was absolutely powerless.

“What do ya say we turn up the heat, so to speak?” he winked, reaching for her panties.

Alice squeezed her eyes shut once more as she felt the garment slide down her legs and away. Warm saline trickled down porcelain cheeks as she attempted to still her trembling, waiting for it all to be ended.

So many things. There were so many things I wanted. I wanted to fall in love. I wanted a family… The teen bit her lip. Stop. Just stop…

“So you want heat, is it?” a voice boomed from behind them.

Cain immediately halted, leaping off the girl at the sound of the voice. Shit!

“G-General Vladsco,” the guards rasped, instantly stepping away from the girl and averting their eyes to the floor.

Alice sucked in a breath, curling into a tight ball.

“You maggots have got a hell of a lot of explaining to do!” the general barked.

The guards flinched, looking anywhere but at their angry superior.

Cain quickly pulled his shorts back on as the general whirled on him.

“And you. Where the hell do you get off conducting such a sick atrocity in MY prison?!”

“I was-”

“Shut up! I’ve had more than enough of your nonsense, boy. Give me that controller,” Vladsco barked, cutting the brunette off.

Cain’s eyes narrowed, though he relented.

“I am never to catch you near this block again. If I do, I’ll kill you myself. Get your sorry ass back to your quarters.”

Cain scowled but said nothing. He spared the blonde another predatory glance before slipping away, back into the darkness he’d appeared from.

Vladsco gazed at the shivering girl. Turning to one of the guards, he glared. “For God sakes, get the woman a blanket!”

The guard jumped slightly, dashing into one of the empty cells to retrieve the item of request.

Vladsco bent down, retrieving the girl’s cotton panties from the floor. Frowning as he slowly approached her, he gently set them down next to her.

“H-here, Sir,” the guard murmured, holding out a small, brown blanket.

Vladsco snatched the item, gently placing it around the girl’s shoulders before pulling her to her feet. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he steadied the girl.

Alice’s jaw clenched as he led her back to her cell. No. She wouldn’t give any of them the satisfaction. Now wasn’t the time for breaking down. Right?

“I assure you, Phoenix, this is the last you will see of 010. You have my greatest sympathy.”

The blonde didn’t respond. Sympathy? Funny how it seemed like that was only a commodity extended once damage had already been done.

The general unlocked the cell door, gently pushing the girl inside. “You all will be excused from work detail tomorrow.” He paused, turning to the guards. “You five will report to my office.”

The men hung their heads, nodding. “Y-yes, Sir.”

“How do you get that damned contraption off?”

The guards exchanged glances before one answered in a small voice. “U-uh, 010 has a key. Hidden away.”

Vladsco’s eyes narrowed. “Very well. I’ll see to it myself.”

The soft clicking of boots signaled the leave of the men. No longer having the strength to stand, the blonde fell to her knees.

“Alice!” Kurt exclaimed, rushing to his sister’s side immediately.

She quickly raised a hand to halt him where he was, causing the boy’s eyes to widen.

Vincent felt tears sting his eyes as he watched her slowly crawl into the nearby corner of the cell.

The soft rustle of fabric accompanied the teen pulling her undergarments back on. She drew her knees to her chest, burying her face into them.

Vincent looked away, his heart sinking low in his chest. The trembling of her small frame alerted him to her tears before the sobs inevitably came.