"Dominic! It's you..., you're leading these guys. You're here to kill me?"

Dominic shakes his head.

"Charnessa, take it easy. Of course not, we have to make this look good."

"Make what look good?"

"Your punishment. Listen to me, the camera's off now, we can talk. They're trusting us to punish you and use the footage for upcoming bad baby segments. But relax, they won't be reviewing this footage for at least a couple of days. You're safe, girl. "

Charnessa breathes easier. She's finally starting to understand. Dominic unlocks her handcuffs and helps her to a sitting position on the bed. Charnessa rubs her sore, bleeding feet. Mommy pulls out a handkerchief and tries to stop the bleeding.

Dominic holds his hand up as if presenting actors after a stage play.

"I'd like to present to you, the resistance. There are others who couldn't be here today in this tiny cell, Charnessa. But I want you know you aren't alone. What we lack in numbers we make up for in dedication to overthrowing this horrific human zoo. We have about an hour of free time here. I'd like everyone to introduce themselves, if you will. I think we need to air some things out."

The one known as Daddy takes off his mask. He is surprisingly young and handsome. He removes a device from his mouth that is apparently used to distort his voice. He talks in a normal sounding and youthful cadence.

"My name is Phillip. Gosh..., where do I begin? Well, I was a hotshot psychologist, had my own downtown office right out of school where I was seeing patients. I was ballin, man. Yeah, so... long story short, I got hooked on opiates and lost my practice. I started coming to Dominic's meetings and rented a room on the fourth floor. I was still looking for that easy money..., you know, tryna get back in the game. Dominic told me about this place. I'm afraid I took this position on my own free accord. So yeah..., I'm sorry bout that. But I didn't know how bad this thing really was until I started doing it. I thought this was like some sex slave dungeon kink factory thing. I see now it isn't."

Hearing Phillip talk makes Charnessa angry. The one she called daddy isn't even 30 years old. Who does this punk think he is? She grits her teeth as she holds a bloody handkerchief to her foot.

"Daddy Phillip," She says mockingly, "You beat the shit out of me repeatedly for 9 days straight. You're a real asshole, you know that?"

Phillip puts his hands on his hips.

"Baby C," He retaliates, "Do you know how many cuts and bruises I have on my body from trying to handle your crazy ass? Those first 2 days was straight warfare, dude."

Charnessa can't believe what she's hearing.

"Ohh, it's my fault then? Really? It's my fault that I objected to be taken against my will and subjected to all kinds of sickening torture at your hands? I hope you enjoy smelling my shit and wiping my ass, you fucking demented, meth head, spoiled bastard!"

Philip starts for Charnessa. The two other masked men get in the way. Dominic raises his hands.

"Now this is what I mean by airing out our differences. We understand that hurt feelings are on all sides here. We want to leave our bitterness in this holding cell today and let it go. Going forth, we need all hands on deck. We have to work with each other if we're going to get free."

Charnessa is incredulous.

"Hurt feelings on all sides? Dominic, are you fucking kidding? What the fuck did I do to hurt any of you? How long have you and Mr. hotshot, boy psychologist, been working here? You said you took the job knowing you were going to be torturing people. How many other victims have you guys had?"

Before either Dominic or Phillip can answer, Mommy takes off her mask. She looks older than Charnessa had imagined. The black hair she sported was part of her mask. Her haggard hair is almost entirely grey. There is gigantic scar going across her forehead. Tears are streaming down her wrinkled face.

"Please, Charnessa, we are all asking for your forgiveness. We all took these jobs under the impression that this was some sort of radical, consensual therapy. That's what Dominic told me months ago."

Mommy wipes her face and composes herself before continuing.

"My name is Martha. I was married for many years to a wonderful man. We were both college professors. We lived comfortably in the western suburbs. He died in a car accident that I barely survived. I had a traumatic brain injury that left me unable to work. Insurance did not cover my mounting medical bills. I met Dominic in a family support meeting and he told me about this job. I was desperate for money, facing eviction from my home of 30 years. I did not sign up to drug people and be a torturer. I was threatened. Once I was hired I had to carry out my task or they would kill me. Please believe me, we are as much prisoners here as you are."

Charnessa looks at Martha with sympathy. The stress lines on her face speak volumes. Her physical frailty was surely exacerbated by Charnessa's punching early on and the kick that sent her tumbling yesterday.

"Martha, I'm very sorry that I attacked you. I didn't know you were..., older, and recovering from a traumatic injury."

"And I apologize for threatening you with the baseball bat. That was so unlike me. I just lost it..., the frustration of the whole year just weighed on me, dear. The academic life I lived for decades..., it all ended so soon."

Martha and Charnessa hug.

Dominic speaks up.

"This is what it's all about ladies and gentlemen, forgiveness. We've all made grave mistakes. If we didn't, we wouldn't be in this underground hellhole. We have to forgive ourselves and each other. We have to move on if we are going to fight as a team. Now, if our two friendly security guards will please remove there masks. Charnessa, I'm afraid their identity is going to infuriate you, but I think it's best we get this out in the open."

The two mysterious security guards reluctantly remove their masks. Charnessa recognizes them instantly.

"Oh my god! Dan..., Jeff..., you guys were in my group. You've been so supportive of me these last months. You're my friends. What the hell? How did you wind up here?"

Dan speaks reluctantly with a bowed head.

"We took this gig as like, a side job. We started as recruiters. We go to meetings and help identify those without strong family ties. You know..., people who won't really be missed by anyone in our society. More recently we got hired on as security. The need for security has grown around here. These beings...., whoever they are, don't seem to be able to handle things by themselves."

Charnessa shakes her head.

"Wow...., so all those stories I told in meeting about losing my mom, losing my job, getting divorced, you were really just sizing me up all that time, huh?"

Dan is silent. Jeff raises his head and speaks.

"Yeah..., basically."

Charnessa points her finger at Dan.

"So when you drove me home three weeks ago and asked me out for a date...., you were just trying to find out if I had any new man in my life? You weren't really interested in me..., am I right?"

Dan tries to explain.

"Charnessa, they offered me so much money. I'm in debt. I got alimony payments, my neighbor is suing me, I gotta hire a lawyer. I need funds. I..., I'm sorry."

Charnessa shakes her head again. The room falls silent. Martha continues helping Charnessa with her feet. The bleeding appears to have stopped.

Dominic looks around the cell.

"So..., are we all through venting? Is this part over with?"

Charnessa answers.

"I could go on for the next hour, Dominic. But what's the point? What I really want to know if is..., if all you guys are really serious, then how the fuck are we going to get out of here?"

Dominic points at Charnessa.

"Bingo! Now you're asking the right questions, girl. That brings us right to the point I want to make. I've been studying our employers, or rather, our captures, for a long time. I need to tell you all what I know. I know some of you have suspected this already, let me now confirm it. We are in a battle against non human entities."