Chapter 18: Wing and a Prayer

Issac’s brows furrowed in his frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do you mean ‘we’ve lost communication with Stein’s base’? How does that happen?”

The blond scientist looked up from his keyboard to shake his head at the acting-lieutenant. “I don’t know. As far as I can tell, we haven’t had communication with the Ridgeport Base in weeks.”

A growl bubbled up in the brunette’s throat. “So before the attack on Pheora?”

The blond nodded.

“Does Commander Derwent know?”

The blond sighed. “How the hell should I know? No one has seen him since the broadcast.”

Issac frowned. Four days? “What about communication with General Ferris?”

The scientist shook his head. “Nothing yet. Pheora is still burning to the ground as we speak. Survivors are trying to keep the fires put out, but apparently they have some anarchist running loose as well.”

Issac blew out a sigh. “Oh, well, as long as it isn’t just us.”

“Last report from Squad Delta was that all the major government buildings were in ruin. They can’t possibly hold out much longer.”

The young acting-lieutenant rubbed his temples. “With Commander Victor’s troops here, it’s only a matter of time before WE won’t hold any longer. I’m not sure how long we’re gonna last now that our main supply lines have been severed.”

“What do you need me to do, Lieutenant?”

The brunette resisted the urge to bury his face into his hands. God, he would give anything to be free from this. Why him? Why couldn’t he have just refused? How did Alice do this every day? Drawing in a deep breath, he attempted to reign in his runaway emotions. He would be no good to anyone if he allowed himself to fall apart now. “For now, just keep me apprised of the situation, Simon. I’ll handle Commander Leo.”

****

The blonde shivered as she attempted to pull the worn blanket around her shoulders. She was so cold. Cold and hungry. When had she last eaten? Truthfully, she wasn’t certain. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was the scary man that had abducted her and his friend in the white coat saying something about her having a high fever. Something about that scary virus she’d heard her parents whispering about. She was sure that had to have been hours ago. It was now dark. Barely any light filtered through the small, barred window high upon the cell wall.

There was the creek of a metal door opening, followed by small footsteps coming down the hall.

Alice watched the shadow dance down the hall as the figure drew near. She blinked, willing her eyes to adjust to the dim light. The figure stood at the door of her cell now. The girl relaxed slightly as the shadow of a child gradually took shape.

It was him.

She blinked. This boy had become her regular night-time visitor. This night apparently wasn’t going to be an exception. The door to her cell gave a creak as he opened it.

Alice shivered again as he entered her cell. There was a blanket draped over his shoulder. Light emanated from the flashlight he carried in his left hand, casting frightening shadows upon the wall as he approached. He didn’t say a word as he kneeled next to her. Then again, she didn’t expect him to. After all, he never spoke.

The girl frowned. Not even when they beat him. Judging by the way he had limped a bit on his right side, they had done so again recently. She took notice of the fresh gash just above his right eye. “Y-You’re bleeding,” She murmured.

The boy seemed to pay her concern little mind as he removed the blanket from his shoulders, quietly folding it over her own.

The girl couldn’t help the grateful sigh that escaped her lips as she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. She sat up straighter, allowing the boy to settle himself beside her on the floor. Her eyes widened in delight as he held his right hand out to her, revealing two brightly-colored, candy-coated, chocolates. “F-for me?”

The boy nodded, placing the small treats into her trembling hand.

Alice blinked. Why? Why was this boy being so nice to her? It wasn’t as if he knew her. Then again, it was probably better not to ask questions. She popped one of the candies into her mouth, humming in delight at the sweet, milky taste. The girl swallowed before staring at the uneaten chocolate in her pale palm, the boy watching intently. She placed the candy back into his hand.

Dark eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Alice gave the brightest smile she could muster in her weakened state. The boy was adorable! Under normal circumstances, they might have even become friends. Raising herself to her knees, she held up the small, worn blanket she’d discarded in favor of the one he’d brought her. “Here. Let me clean that blood off you.”

The boy said nothing but made no movement to stop her as she gently brushed the cloth to his injury.

“You still haven’t told me your name,” Alice murmured once she’d finished, discarding the dirtied blanket off to the side.

The boy glanced at her for a moment before finally shaking his head.

Alice frowned. “You have to have a name. What’s your mommy call you, then?”

This seemed to sadden the boy. He shook his head again before popping the candy he still held into his mouth.

Alice’s brows furrowed again. What kind of person doesn’t have a name? Why hadn’t the boy’s mother ever named him? These thoughts only served to make the girl miss her own parents all the more. Why can’t they find me? She bit her lip against the sob that bubbled up in her throat, the boy reaching over to gently pat her head in what little comfort he could offer.

****

“Hey. Hey, girl, can you hear me?”

A voice. Muffled and distorted, it teased the teen’s ears. A pained groan escaped her lips as her eyelids slowly fluttered. Bright, hot light immediately assaulted her senses, and her hands shot up against the onslaught.

A soft beeping sounded in her ears. A heart monitor?

The blonde slowly opened her eyes. Clean, white walls greeted her vision; a stark contrast to the iron bars and steel walls she’d been used to for the past several… How many days had it been? Four? Ten? Months?

A pained groan escaped the blonde’s lips as she gradually forced herself into a sitting position.

“Hey, you take it easy now,” a voice spoke.

The young soldier took notice of her rather tall host, the crisp, white lab coat he wore standing out drastically against his dark skin. Her brows furrowed as she further drank in her surroundings. Had she passed out and been rescued?

“Wh-where-”

“Are you?” the man finished for her. He shrugged. “Still in Hell, I’m afraid. You just happen to get the room with a view for the time being.”

Alice blinked. Reaching her hand up to brush away a stray strand of hair, her eyes widened. I-It’s gone… She winced at the jab of pain that tore through her system from the bandaged sores.

The man nodded. “Oh, yeah. I managed to get that monstrosity off your neck. Those gashes looked pretty bad. Finally got the bleeding stopped, though. You’ll want to keep them bandaged up until they heal a bit.”

“Thanks.”

The man shook his head. “Well, I’m afraid I can’t take all the credit. You can thank the general. His orders.” He paused, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. “That boy of his, uh, did quite a number on you. I’ve informed your block leader of the situation and he’s going to put you on lighter tasks for the time being.”

Alice’s brows furrowed, her head swimming as her pulse throbbed. “I-I’m sorry. Who are you?”

Her host let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, right. You were unconscious the last time they brought you in here too, so I guess this is the first time we’ve properly met. Name’s Harold. Harold Jennings.”

The teen managed a smile. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you. I’m Alice.”

Harold chuckled. “I know good and well who you are, Miss. As a matter of fact, I would wager just about the entire prison knows your name.”

“I’m not sure that’s such a good thing,” the blonde muttered.

Harold belted out another laugh. “Yeah. My dad always said it’s often better to keep a low profile. You tend to attract fewer enemies that way.”

Alice smiled. “Sounds like a very wise man.”

Harold’s mouth twitched into a somber smile. “He was.”

The blonde frowned as she slowly sat up in the bed she was currently resting in. “Sorry,” she murmured, looking away.

Harold said nothing for a moment. Finally, he stood up from his chair next to her bedside. “Probably the greatest man I ever knew.” Pausing, he moved over to the opposite side of the room to retrieve a small, white bottle. Twisting the cap off, he collected two white pills in his hand and held them out to the girl. “Anyhow, you need to take these. They’ll help with the pain and keep away any infection those nasty holes in your neck may have.”

Alice nodded, taking the offered medication. She was then handed a glass of water. The teen swallowed the pills before taking a large gulp from the glass. Sighing as sweet relief flooded her senses, she took another swallow. After her third mouthful, she placed the glass down on the small, metal table next to her bed. “I take it he was a soldier too?”

“Heavens, no. Never had the stomach for all that bloodshed,” Harold replied, his lips twitching upward.

Alice frowned.

“Afraid I’m a prisoner too. Difference is that I at least have my skillset to rely on that gives me value. It’s the only thing that kept them from killing me outright when I was arrested.”

“How long have you been here?”

Harold considered the blonde’s question for a moment, rubbing his chin seemingly in thought. “Well, truthfully, I’m not entirely sure. Keeping track of time here isn’t exactly a priority.” He paused. “Too long, I can at least assure you of that.”

The teen winced at the sudden jabbing pain in her chest as her pulse throbbed. She bit back a sigh of frustration as her hand brushed the heart monitor attached to her chest. It was then that another thought occurred to her. Her eyes widened as her heart missed a beat, causing the monitor to give an angry beep.

“Hey, now, you need to stay calm,” Harold chastised as he placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “No excitement just yet, alright? You gave everyone quite the scare, you know?”

“H-How long have I been in here?” the blonde questioned, finally leaning back into her pillow. Well, might as well take advantage of the better accommodations, right? She sighed. At least this room wasn’t chilly and damp like her cell. She only hoped that Vincent and Kurt knew of her current whereabouts.

The prison doctor thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Around two days, give or take. Being perfectly honest, I’m surprised you’re even alive right now.”

Alice’s brows furrowed. “What happened to me?”

Harold scratched his head before moving over to his desk in the far corner of the room. “Well, that’s the thing. It’s…odd. The toxicology report I had run on you showed traces of a neurotoxin I’ve never seen before. I had your two cellmates tested as well, but their results came back negative,” he muttered, shaking his head in confusion. “Do you remember the last thing you ate or drank?”

The blonde pursed her lips. “Just the normal stew they brought us for dinner.”

Harold belted out a barking laugh. “Little lady, I can assure you, nothing about that stew is normal.”

Alice giggled.

The doctor shrugged. “Well, just take it easy for now. We’ll get ya back to your pals here in a little while, if you’re feeling up to it, after some breakfast.”

The blonde smiled, nodding. “You bet.”

****

The aged general clicked his tongue in disappointment at the wailing teen. “If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s incompetence.”

Kurt ground his teeth against the tears as he cradled his injured hand. The index finger on his right hand was now awkwardly bent, giving no doubt as to whether or not it was broken. His eyes burned with tears as he finally looked up when the general resumed speaking.

“I gave you a simple task, boy. You couldn’t even be bothered enough to make sure you had the correct target?”

The injured brunette drew in a pained breath. “I-I did what I could. How was I supposed to know?” he rasped.

Vladsco raised his hands to massage his temples to ease the headache that now plagued him. When you want something done right… “Here’s what we’re going to do: You are going to tell me exactly where Derwent’s base is, and I will refrain from breaking the rest of your fingers.”

Kurt drew in another pained breath. Sweat filled the teen’s brow as the general rose from his chair, starting toward him.

“You know, I already have a good idea. I just need specific coordinates.”

Kurt swallowed.

Vladsco took another step, then another. Soon, he was standing directly in front of the boy. A dark smile tugged at his lips as he saw the teen do his best to still his trembling. “I haven’t got all day, boy, and you only have so many fingers. You said that your sister intercepted 012 in a river, correct?”

The teen remained silent.

Vladsco sighed, clearly growing impatient with the boy. He turned, marching over to the other side of the room. Reaching into his desk drawer, he pulled out a map and unrolled it. “Well, according to the information you’ve already given me, there’s only a few places that would be possible.” He paused, holding the map up for the boy’s inspection. “You were picked up in what was once Pheora. There are a total of four rivers in that area. Since I know you rebels don’t make a habit out of blowing up your own bases, I would wager that it’s one of the other three territories. It’s only a matter of time, boy.”

Kurt’s eyes widened. “Bl-Blown up?”

“Sky-high, I’m afraid. According to the report I got, it was a real bloodbath. Untold number of casualties.”

Kurt swallowed. If that was true… God, was there even a base to go back to?

“You know, I would appreciate it if you would be so kind as to value my time a little more,” the general mused as he rolled the map back up. “Once again, it would appear that I have to simplify things for you. I am going to ask you one more time for the whereabouts of Leo Derwent’s base. You are going to answer, or, on top of breaking the rest of your fingers one by one, I am going to take great pleasure in telling your two cellmates all about your little blunder. Now, I would imagine Phoenix would be fairly forgiving, given that she’s your sister and all.” He paused. “012, however, he’s another story. I would imagine that the young man you tried to kill would have some sort of retribution in store for you, so I would tread very carefully. Sleep with one eye open, eh?”

Sweat filled the teen’s brow again. What was he to do? How was he to get himself out of this? His pulse quickened as he swallowed the lump in his throat. No way. There was no way that he could allow Alice or Vincent to ever know. If Leo were to ever get wind of it… The teen closed his eyes. If Leo was even alive now. He drew in a deep breath. He had no choice.

Vladsco shrugged. “As one who’s witnessed his handy work, I can assure you that he isn’t the type of person that you want to just go around pissing off on a whim.”

Kurt bit his lip. He knew it. He just knew the little creep was nothing but trouble. What was he? Some assassin?

“How about we skip the whole suspense gimmick? It bores me. If you’d like, I can arrange to have him brought in here now. You could tell him yourself,” the general stated as he made a move for the door.

Sweat trickled down from the teen’s forehead to slide down his nose. “W-wa-wait!”

The general paused, a triumphant smirk playing across his lips. Honestly, the boy was almost too easy to play. Carefully masking his reaction, he turned. “Well, boy?”

Kurt sighed, his brows furrowing in internal anguish. Finally, he hung his head. “Southwest of Pheora. About forty miles.”

Vladsco walked over to place a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “See? Now, was that so difficult?”

The teen grit his teeth against the tears that began to fill his eyes. He barely registered the sound of the door closing behind the general as he took his leave, presumably to inform his battalion. Reaching up, he buried his face into his hands and wept.

****

Issac attempted to swallow the thick lump of dread that settled in his throat as he turned down the corridor that led to the training room. So far, he had yet to locate Leo. The teen resisted the growl of irritation. Where was he?! What a time to go M.I.A.

A deep throbbing at the base of his skull made itself known, causing the brunette to sigh. Could nothing go right today? Passing through the vacant training room, he paused as he entered the hallway that would lead to what was now his office. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he leaned his back against the wall as he closed his eyes. Truthfully, he wasn’t certain just how much longer their base was going to last now. Even Leo seemed to have miscalculated how quickly things would break down.

Things were, no pun intended, turning into a warzone. It would be only a matter of time before The Order sent in additional troops to overtake the city now. It was honestly a miracle they’d lasted this long without discovery.

The boy shook his head. He just couldn’t fathom what Leo was possibly thinking. Was it a power-play? If he’d wanted to show off their numbers to The Order, there were certainly more tactical ways in which to do so. After all, even with their entire army combined, they lacked the overall numbers to overtake the capital. With the rise in casualties, it would be a miracle if they would even be successful in defending themselves, should an offensive attack upon the base occur.

A sour frown darkened the teen’s features as he pushed himself away from the wall. He was a teenager, for God sakes! These were problems that he shouldn’t even have to be fretting over.

With another sigh, he continued to his office.

Upon opening the door, the teen’s eyes widened as he froze in the doorframe. Blue. Everything was a dazzling, deep blue. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t this revelation that paralyzed him. No. Instead, it was the man sitting in his chair at the desk.

“C-Commander?”

Leo took a drag from his cigarette. “Like the paint job? Took me a bit, but I think I got the shade just right.”

Issac blinked before giving an awkward smile. “Well, it, uh, looks pretty good, I guess.”

The blond quirked a brow, removing the cigarette from his mouth. “You guess?” He paused, glancing around the room with pride. “I’ll have you know I worked just about all night on this. I, for one, think she’d be quite proud.”

The brunette bit his lip, obviously taken aback as to how to respond. “R-right. I, uh, take it that you’ve spoken to Commander Victor, then, Sir?”

Leo placed the cigarette back into his mouth and took a drag, obviously unhappy with the change in subject. “I have, and for the time being, supplies from the River Run storehouse will be shipped here for relief. It will take a bit longer to get here, but we’ll make do for now.”

Issac frowned. “Why didn’t you make an announcement, then?”

The commander shrugged. “Is it really the sheep’s place to know the shepherd’s plan?”

Issac pursed his lips, appearing as though he wished to say something before thinking better of it. Finally, he seemed to find his voice again. “Well, what about the situation in Pheora, then? You know The Order is going to send more troops. With all the men we’ve already lost, there’s no way we can-”

The commander held up a hand, cutting the boy off. “We’re going to hold just fine, Lieutenant. There’s a rail-yard twenty miles from here down in Tolson. We’ll set up teams to run the shipments in the night. It won’t do to draw attention. We still have a few months before winter hits and the cold rolls in, so night runs are our best bet for now.”

Issac shook his head. “That still doesn’t change the situation in Pheora. What about all the innocent civilians? There are people still there that couldn’t make it out before the port shut down.”

Leo snorted. “Those people had their chance, Lieutenant. Did those ‘innocent’ people grieve for my daughter? When she was missing, did any of them volunteer to give me the information that might have saved her?”

Issac hung his head. The man, unfortunately, had a point.

“Never forget why we fight, soldier. These monsters are going to pay. It’s time for a forced submission.”

The teen seemed to choose his next words carefully. “But wasn’t this whole war started on the basis of equality? If…If we abandon these people, then we’ll be no better than…”

“Than The Order?” the commander questioned, cutting the boy off again. “I beg to differ. Are we rounding them up and dumping them into cells to rot?”

The brunette frowned again but remained silent. Perhaps it was merely the stress fueling his actions now? After all, he had just lost both his children.

“Speaking of,” Leo began, taking another pull from his cigarette. “I thought I told you to dispose of all our prisoners.”

Issac scratched the back of his head. “You, uh, did, Sir.”

“Then why the hell wasn’t it done?” the commander inquired, leaning back in the chair.

The teen sighed. “Don’t you think that’s a bit rash?”

Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, forgive me. I must have missed the memo naming you commander and chief overseer of this base of operations.”

Sensing that he had clearly struck a nerve, the teen bowed his head. “T-there wasn’t one, Sir. I’m not commander.”

“Damn right, boy, and it would be in your best interest to remember that,” Leo bit. Pausing, he put his cigarette out and placed the butt into an ashtray he had placed on the desk before standing up. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have other business to attend to. See to it that the trash is properly disposed of this time, won’t you? I would hate to be forced to take matters into my own hands.”

Issac swallowed. “Y-yes, Sir.”

The commander gave an approving nod before taking his leave, the door giving a noisy ‘clang’ behind him.

Issac failed to suppress the sigh of relief that escaped him. Suddenly, he felt twenty years older. He made his way over to the desk, flopping down in the empty chair. His brows furrowed as he caught sight of a small book that had been left behind. He was positive he hadn’t noticed it before, the title instantly garnering his undivided attention.

Reincarnation: A New Beginning

Scratching his head in puzzlement, he frowned as he glanced at the door. Leo’s?

****

The blond ascended the steps of the Holy Council, doing his best to ignore the screaming crowd at the gates below. There were even more of them today than there were yesterday. It would seem that the report of Pheora’s destruction was already spreading throughout the capital. It was only a matter of time now before the entire country would be up in arms. Riots were already beginning to break out.

The 25-year-old Holy Council member sighed. If things continued this way, he wasn’t sure how long his family would be able to safely remain in the city. Not that that bloody tyrant cares. The thought caused the young man’s lips to tighten into a frown. People were beginning to see through the facade. Over a decade of full-blown war, and still no sign of healing the gaping wound left within their society. The people were more divided now than ever before.

Entering the capitol only seemed to reaffirm his suspicions. Council members scurried about the lower lobby as they attempted to keep up with the constant flow of news reports. Making his way down the right hall, he paused at the bottom of the stairs.

“Leon!”

The blond raised his head at the sound of his name. He smiled as he noticed the young brunette at the top of the stairs. She smiled at him as she approached.

Lori Hickman had joined The Order the same time he had nearly six years ago. She was the best public relations representative any organization could ask for, and an even more terrific sister.

“Hey, Sis.”

The girl’s eyes narrowed slightly in playful humor as she brushed a hand through her chestnut hair, her emerald eyes sparkling. “Don’t you ‘hey’ me. You didn’t return a single one of my calls last night. I was worried, you know?”

Leon grimaced. Amid all the chaos, it was a miracle he remembered his name. He bowed his head slightly, his shoulders slumping as he gave a tired sigh. “Sorry. I meant to call you back, really, but time kind of got away from me.”

Lori raised a brow in concern. Now that she got a good look at him, her brother looked totally exhausted. “Leon, is everything alright? It isn’t Abby, is it? Is she okay?”

Leon raised a hand in reassurance. “No, no, she’s alright. Other than the normal morning sickness, that is.” He paused. “Though, if things keep going the way they’re going, I don’t know for how much longer.”

What would have been an expression of relief on his sister’s face quickly faded. “You’re telling me. Things are getting worse, baby brother. I don’t think The Order is going to be able to strong-arm their way out of this one.”

Leon rubbed his temples. “Not helping. I already have to report to Emperor Shiro.”

Lori grimaced. “Yeah, just so you know, he’s already in rare form today. Two more of our council members haven’t reported back from Pheora.”

“Well, General Vladsco is on his way. That should improve morale a bit. At the very least it should get the emperor off my back,” Leon returned.

Lori reached over to place a reassuring hand upon her brother’s shoulder. “Look, we’ll find a way through this, okay? We always have.” She managed a small smile. “Besides, there’s talks of a new vaccine.”

Leon nodded. “Well, if anyone could manage it, it would be Vladsco.”

Lori patted her younger brother’s shoulder. “Just stay positive. Run along now. You know how he gets when you keep him waiting.”

The blond grimaced before taking his leave.

Lori watched her brother go before her eyes settled upon the men and women frantically moving through the halls. There was a thick, oppressive atmosphere that hung in the air. One thing was certain: God was surely the only one who could help them now.

****

Vincent eyed his blonde companion carefully as she distributed water bottles to their fellow inmates. She had returned from the prison infirmary nearly two hours ago.

He simply didn’t understand it. Looking at her now, It was as if nothing had ever happened to her. On the outside, that is. He definitely didn’t like the sound of the cough she had developed. However, Kurt still had yet to return from his little meeting with Vladsco. Alice had informed him that he was in the infirmary with another broken bone.

The teen sighed. A part of him couldn’t help but feel somewhat annoyed. With all the time they’d been here, Kurt had yet to serve actual hard, manual labor. The brunette frowned. Though, he couldn’t say he was envious of the broken bones he was receiving instead, even if he felt they were well deserved.

Alice stifled a stubborn yawn as she handed the next pair of prisoners their water bottles. Sore. Sore and tired. Even with the small amount of activity she’d done, she was very nearly exhausted. The blonde’s eyes narrowed slightly as she was approached by a pair of inmates. She recognized one of the men. Ricardo, Hugh had called him. He had more finely chiseled features than his companion, who was quite a good deal smaller. Regarding the pair carefully, she said nothing as she held out two bottles of water.

“Hola, Bonita,” the smaller of the pair greeted, smiling widely as he took one of the bottles from the girl.

Alice regarded the pair warily as the man smiled at her again, his companion joining him this time. Her eyebrows furrowed as the pair shared a laugh.

“Well, aren’t you going to answer? My little brother just paid you a compliment,” Ricardo spoke as he accepted his own water bottle.

Alice resisted the urge to scowl. “Forgive me. I’m not into false flattery.”

Ricardo snorted, turning to elbow his younger brother playfully. “Would you believe this chica, Esteban? Only one I know get mad when you call her pretty.”

The blonde rolled her eyes, clearly in no mood to entertain such a conversation. “Oh, well, in that case, que te den.”

The younger one’s eyes widened as the pair exchanged glances, clearly taken aback.

Finally, Ricardo tilted his head back and roared with laughter. “I knew you were prime real estate. The boys are gonna love taming that vulgar tongue of yours.”

“I can think of a few choice ways, myself,” Esteban commented, moving to brush a hand through the blonde’s hair.

Alice’s brows creased as her eyes narrowed. Reaching up, she quickly grasped the man’s wrist. For a moment, she forgot about the infernal contraption around her ankle. She briefly considered scorching the degenerate youth’s hand to ash. “I wouldn’t, if I were you. Not unless you want permanent scars.”

Esteban’s eyes widened yet again as he looked to his brother, clearly uncomfortable with the woman’s grip. Her eyes told him all he needed to know: She meant what she said.

Disregarding his brother, Ricardo smiled. “You’re outnumbered, little girl. Unless you want a nice, long siesta, I’d cool it.”

A smile tugged at the teen’s lips. “Think I’ll take my chances. I’ve faced worse odds before.”

The smile suddenly dropped from Ricardo’s face, no longer amused. “If you like your guts on the inside, I suggest getting used to doing what you’re told, chica.” At the girl’s look of defiance, his dark eyes narrowed. Raising his hand, he intended to teach the insolent girl a lesson. His eyes widened as a hand grasped his wrist before it could make a solid connection.

“Is there a problem over here?”

Ricardo glared at the amber-eyed teen. “Mind your own business, muchacho. This doesn’t concern you.”

Vincent’s eyes narrowed. Not breaking eye-contact with his adversary, he placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

Esteban jerked his arm away as the girl finally released her hold.

His brother now free, Ricardo smiled. He shrugged. “Sorry. There ain’t no girlfriends in here. Looks like you need a lesson in sharing, chico.”

Vincent glared. Something about the guy’s smile seemed to boil the blood in his veins. Was absolutely everyone in this place filled with such depravity? Time seemed to halt for the teen as he witnessed movement out of the corner of his eye.

Alice was on the floor now, Esteban on top of her as he attempted to repay her for his earlier humiliation in front of his brother. A dangerous cocktail of fear, anger, and determination sparked in her eyes.

Vincent needed no more encouragement. The first punch was thrown without him fully realizing. Backing up a step, he dodged the return blow. Not taking his eyes off his opponent, he kicked his leg backward, sending his foot straight into the back of Esteban’s head.

The Latino cried out, Alice using the opportunity to gain the upper hand. She rolled him, wasting no time in placing her knee into his throat. Her adversary’s yelp was cut off as she balled her fist, making a solid connection with his nose. Blood instantly poured from the injury, causing him to attempt to roll onto his stomach.

A crowd was quickly beginning to form now, no doubt lured by morbid fascination of violence.

The blonde relinquished her hold, allowing her neutralized foe to roll away. Springing to her feet, she paid little mind to the cheers and shouts of the other inmates attempting to spur her on. She needed no encouragement for this fight.

Vincent gave a short cry as he took a blow full on to the face. Snapping his head back, he took a moment to reacclimate himself. While he was clearly the taller of the two, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of difference when it came to weight. He couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at his lips as his opponent suddenly lost his balance, falling forward onto his knees as he struggled with his additional attacker.

The blonde tightened her hold as her foe fell. Wrapping her legs securely around his shoulders, she placed her heel just beneath his chin.

“What the devil is going on here?!” a voice bellowed, bringing an abrupt halt to the altercation.

Alice released her adversary, stepping back to return his glare of defiance.

Vincent watched as a pair of guards helped the injured Esteban to his feet. Inmates snickered at the trail of blood that leaked from his nose to his chin, the misalignment giving no question as to whether or not it was broken.

Hugh shook his head. “Ricardo, Esteban, I’m pretty sure you got better things to do than to cause trouble.” He glanced to Vincent, who now held a hand over his left eye. “And you two know better as well.”

“Trouble, Hughbert?”

The room suddenly fell silent as all eyes turned to the doorway.

Hugh paled. “N-No, General Vladsco, Sir. Just busting up a minor squabble, that’s all.”

The general gave a mild grunt as he made his way across the room, prisoners quickly moving out of his way as he passed. After all, no one was too eager to gain the warden’s attention. He glanced the group over. His eyes narrowed, seeing the state of the brothers. “Minor squabble, huh?” He frowned as his eyes settled upon the blonde. “I thought I’d made myself perfectly clear about keeping a low profile.”

The blonde snorted. “Well, maybe you should keep a better leash on your dogs, then.”

Vladsco’s eyes narrowed. “I would suggest not becoming more trouble than you’re worth, girl. Officially, you are supposed to be dead. Let’s not make it unofficially as well.”

Alice glared but remained silent as the general then turned his attention to the injured Vincent.

“It would seem, perhaps, the both of you could stand to learn some proper respect. I’ve been good to you both. I’ve even been so kind as to allow you all to remain together. I believe I’m owed some common courtesy, at the very least.”

The brunette teen rolled his eyes. “Of course, Sir. Screw you too, Sir,” he muttered.

The general sighed, choosing to ignore the boy’s antagonizing, before turning back to Hugh. “Get that one there to the infirmary,” he ordered, gesturing to Esteban. “To their cells with the rest.”

Hugh nodded. “Back to work, the lot of you! Show’s over!”

****

“Please! Please, I was only a technician. I’m no soldier!”

“You don’t need to do this!”

Issac closed his eyes at the frightened cries of the prisoners as they were arranged into a single-file line. He drew in a deep breath as Seth approached him.

“This is crazy, Issac,” he murmured as he adjusted the rifle against his shoulder. Leo had insisted upon the use of rifles instead of their usual handguns.

The brunette lieutenant frowned. He was right. He knew Seth was right. What was he supposed to do? Disregard orders? Leo would have the poor lot murdered either way. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he placed a hand upon his friend’s shoulder. “I-I know, Seth. I don’t have a choice-”

“You always have a choice!” Seth countered, a little rougher than intended. The teen breathed out a sigh. “Look, we can just take them back to their cells. It isn’t too late.”

“And what do you propose I tell Leo this time? I’ve held him off as long as I can,” Issac replied. “He’ll just kill them himself.”

Seth looked away. He was correct. Leo certainly wasn’t afraid to dirty his own hands if need be. Though, he did prefer to have others do it for him.

The ten guards controlling the crowd of prisoners exchanged glances. It would seem that the command didn’t sit very well with them either.

“Problems, Lieutenant?!”

Issac cringed at the voice. Peering over the edge of the twelve-foot raised, earthen, platform, he shook his head at the commander waiting on the ground below. “N-No, Sir. Just preparing, is all!” he called back.

Commander Leo took a sip of his coffee. “Well, let’s get this underway. I haven’t got all day. Time to let God sort these cockroaches out.”

“There has to be another way,” Seth whispered to Issac once he’d turned his attention back to him. “If Alice were here-”

“Well, she isn’t,” Issac snapped, cutting the teen off. “Alice is dead, Seth. She’s dead, and she isn’t coming back. Now, get your head out of your fantasies for a change and get into position.”

Seth’s hazel eyes narrowed. “You know what, Issac?” he spat, raising his hand and extending the middle finger on his right hand. “Fuck you. You know, Alice may have been considered naïve. She may have done things the hard way at times, but at least she had spine enough to stick to her convictions.”

A growl of frustration bubbled up in the lieutenant’s throat as he watched the brunette go, his heart squeezing painfully in his chest. Holding up a hand in signal, he ignored the wails and screams of the six prisoners as they were shoved from the platform to tumble a total of twenty-two feet into a pit below.

One by one, the ten-by-ten pit greeted its new guests. One man, appearing to be in his thirties, gave a blood-chilling wail as the flesh on his shin split, the bone protruding like some macabre growth. Blood streamed from the wound, causing the others to fret even more as they continued to cry out their pleas for mercy.

Issac grimaced as he descended the platform and approached the edge of the pit. The man was as good as dead now. Two more individuals seemed to be sporting less severe breakages. Some were holding their wrists or hands. The teen resisted the urge to cover his ears against the pitiful, moaning cries. His eyes widened as Leo approached, lighter in hand.

“Reckon we should turn up the heat, Lieutenant?”

The teen’s eyes narrowed. He quickly clenched his right fist, closing the gap in the earth, leaving no trace of the pit that once was. The air was still and silent now, save for the tweeting of native birds. Of course, to Issac, the harmonious melody was lost. They weren’t singing. They were crying out his guilt.

Leo clapped, a predator’s smile gracing his lips. “Well done, Lieutenant. Not so bad, was it? We’ll make a leader out of you yet.”

Issac’s eyes narrowed again. “Just bring out the next group.”

****

“I didn’t even know you spoke multiple languages,” Vincent chuckled as he sat next to the girl on the bed.

The blonde giggled, gently applying an ice pack they had been given to the boy’s eye. “Actually, I don’t.”

Amber eyes widened. What?

Vincent quirked a brow. “But I thought I heard you say something to them in the language they speak that made them angry.”

Alice turned to him, a sly grin tugging at her pale lips. “I did.”

Vincent’s brows furrowed.

The blonde shrugged, chuckling. “As far as carrying on a conversation, unless I was speaking with a toddler, I probably wouldn’t get very far.” She paused, giving a wink. “I do know a few choice words, though. Let’s just say that I know enough to pick up when an interaction is going south and to deter unwanted conversation.”

“In other words; all you can really do is greetings and insults,” Kurt drawled, earning himself a glare from his sister.

“I don’t recall asking you,” Alice muttered with a playful roll of her eyes, sticking her tongue out.

Vincent snickered in spite of himself. It was honestly good to see her acting somewhat normal again. His thoughts trailed off as she suddenly pulled away from him, clapping a hand over her mouth to muffle a violent cough.

Kurt frowned. She still wasn’t quite right, it would seem.

Alice drew in a deep breath of much-needed oxygen after a moment. Glancing at her hand, she grimaced to find it stained crimson. “How long you think I’ll be doing that?” she inquired offhandedly as she showed her hand to her brother.

Both Kurt and Vincent winced at the sight.

Kurt scratched the back of his head. “Hard to say, really.” He paused, eyeing his sister warily from his corner of the cell. “Have…have they identified what it was that caused such a severe reaction?”

The blonde shrugged. “Apparently, some form of neurotoxin. They don’t know much more than that, because the physician here has never seen it before.”

Vincent’s brows furrowed, interest piqued. “So you were poisoned?”

Once again, Alice shrugged, replacing the ice pack upon his bruised eye. “It would seem so.”

Vincent pulled back slightly. “Wait. Kurt, you were on kitchen duty that day. Did you see anyone around the food?”

The brunette paled slightly. Honestly, the boy might be a little too intelligent for his own good. He shook his head. “N-No. I, uh, did have to excuse myself to the bathroom. That must be when they snuck in and did it.”

“I wonder if anyone else got sick?”

Alice shrugged, placing the ice pack to the side. “Not that they told me. Truth be told, it was probably your f-er-Vladsco.”

Vincent quirked a brow, though it didn’t seem an unreasonable conclusion. “I suppose that makes sense. Too random, otherwise.”

The siblings exchanged a glance. Each seeming to debate whether or not to explain what they knew to the poor boy. Finally, Alice shook her head. It wasn’t the time. If they were going to make it out of this place, they couldn’t afford to have any distractions.

Kurt glanced over to where their dinner tray sat, untouched, since its delivery around fifteen minutes ago. He supposed he should warn them about that.

Following his line of sight, Alice sighed. “You know, I think I’d kill for a plate of steak and eggs about now. Medium rare. Or even a slice of pizza.”

Kurt chuckled. “Yeah, me too.”

Vincent seemed to share much the same sentiment as he eyed the tray suspiciously.

Kurt got up and moved to retrieve the tray from the floor. At least, this time, it wasn’t the same stew they’d been served since their arrival. This seemed to be something akin to cube steak with what he was positive were instant mashed potatoes and a few carrots. He glanced closer at the chopped pieces of meat. Submerged in thick gravy, it was honestly difficult to tell if this dish was made from a legit cut of meat, or…

The teen shook his head. No. He owed them. They deserved to know, right? “Listen, guys, I need to tell you something I DID see while I was on kitchen duty.”

“I thought you said that you didn’t see anything while on kitchen duty,” Alice remarked, folding her arms.

Kurt shook his head. “I said that I didn’t see anyone messing with the stew. I did, however, find something in the freezer,” he said. His expression soured as he narrowed his eyes. “Something I wasn’t supposed to.”

Alice appeared hesitant as she slowly rose from the bed. “What do you mean?”

Kurt chewed his lip, still eyeing the tray he held. “It’s…about the food.”

The blonde rolled her eyes. “Spit it out already,” she demanded.

“Probably not a bad idea,” he mused darkly under his breath.

“What?” Vincent murmured as he stood.

“Well, I wanted a better cut of meat for the stew. You know, cause it’s always so chewy and bland. And I thought I would sneak Matthew some ice cream, if I found any, since he’s always bringing us stuff from the kitchen,” Kurt began.

Alice quirked a brow. “Go on.”

“Well, when I opened the freezer, there was a body inside,” Kurt whispered harshly, not wishing to alert any outside ears to the conversation. “It…it had slices carved out of it.”

Vincent and Alice both swallowed the sudden lump of bile rising in their throats, exchanging a glance.

“Y-you’re sure?” Vincent asked.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “I know what butchered meat looks like. The guy had steaks carved out of him.”

Alice frowned. Suddenly, all her other ailments paled in comparison to the sickening feeling building within her stomach.

“The guards knew too. They even knew him by name,” the brunette persisted.

Alice ran a hand through her disheveled hair. Truthfully, she was uncertain as to what to do. She also didn’t want to think too deeply on the matter, otherwise, she was sure to vomit.

“And they call The Touched monsters?” Vincent commented, shaking his head in disbelief.

“We can’t get out of here fast enough. Speaking of which,” Alice spoke, turning to her brother. “I’ve been thinking; would it be possible for you to create a weak electrical signal capable of shorting out the circuits in these things?” she asked, gesturing to the metal ring around her ankle.

Kurt shrugged. “It’s not a question of whether I can short out the circuits. It’s a matter of being able to do it without injury to ourselves, or alerting the guards.”

“Do you think it can be done?” Vincent asked, his tone hopeful.

“Would there even be a point?” Kurt murmured, avoiding their eyes. What was the point? After all, it wasn’t as if there would be anything to go back to.

Alice quirked a brow. “What are you talking about?”

“Yeah, I thought you were as desperate to get out of this place as we are,” Vincent added, folding his arms.

“I DO want out of here,” Kurt countered. Pausing, he looked away again. “But…but they know where the base is now.”

Alice’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? What makes you think they know?”

“Because,” Kurt began hesitantly. “Because I told them.”

The brunette winced at the audible gasps from his companions.

“Kurt, how could you?!” the blonde snapped, her sapphire eyes crackling with a mix of disappointment and anger.

Vincent shook his head, huffing out a breath. “And you called me a traitor.”

“I’m not a traitor!” Kurt bit in protest.

Alice raised a brow. “Oh, yeah? How do you figure? You just screwed us all over.”

“They were blackmailing me! Look, they told me they were going to kill you if I didn’t tell them.”

“Right after they finished faking my death to the emperor? Yeah, right. Kurt, use your head!” Alice returned hotly. Heaving a heavy sigh, she turned away. Now what were they to do? They were on borrowed time enough as it is. She wasn’t sure they would be able to make it back in time to warn the others.

“There’s nothing to go back to, Alice.”

The blonde whirled around at her brother’s confession.

“Pheora’s gone,” Kurt added, bowing his head. “Apparently there was heavy bombing.”

Alice closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath as she tried desperately to keep ahold of her composure. If the device on her ankle detected the shift in her temperature… Collecting herself, she pinned her brother with a frosty glare. “And how do you know that? Do you have any proof?”

The brunette blinked, then shook his head. “W-well, no. Vladsco told me that he heard the news from a report he got.”

Alice and Vincent both groaned.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Alice growled as she moved to resume her position on the bed. Sitting down, she buried her face into her hands. “Well, now we know one thing for sure: If the base was safe before, it most certainly isn’t now. We have no way of sending warning to Leo.”

“What are we going to do?” Vincent inquired, a look of sympathy creasing his brow.

Alice looked up. “Pray. Pray an opportunity happens that we can take advantage of and get out of here in time, or thousands of people are going to die.”