Your New Home! (Sara)

[Valekin]

Sara would probably be waking sometime soon now. She would be finding herself chained to a steel pipe. It was a cold steel pipe. There were a couple of people hanging around, they were wearing various kinds of masks. This showed that there was no true order or collective agreement on what was to be worn. It was either less formal than a gang, or more hardcore than such a gang.

A bucket of water would be splashed on the young girl's face to wake her up.

Someone connected a negative cable to both a car battery and the very pipe she was chained to. The same Black Hand member turned off the positive end and then hooked it up to the pipe. If she got out of hand, they could easily electrocute the shit out of her.

Valekin jumped from somewhere above and landed within her line of sight, bounced, landed again and stayed in that spot two feet from her.

"Hello there, girlie."

From what she could see with her own eyes, they were within a working metal works. It was very hot in the room, due to the forges and the molten metals that were being poured and set. Perhaps they were making weapons or car parts? The pipe she was chained to was a coolant pipe.

[Sara Quinn]

Sara was floating. It was dark and that was fine. It didn't really bother her. Atleast there was no pain. And she knew there should be. In her stomach, her side, her head. They should be throbbing and hurting so much, but they weren't. She continued to float. Every so often, the floating was disrupted by a rocking motion, like she was on a ship, and she would get closer to the surface of whatever she was floating in, but always be unable to reach it, only to sink back down as it stopped.

Something cold splashed on her face and she bolted awake, jumping and sputtering. She gasped out in pain as her arms caught on something, and pain ripped through her abdomen. She leaned back, her eyes closed as she tried to catch her breath. She opened them slowly, trying to take everything in. Her body hurt, and so did her head. She wanted to go back to sleep. She looked around her, noting the people in masks. Her heart nearly stopped beating as she tried to figure out what was going on. Then she remembered. The guy who had been in her room. He must have taken her here. She gently pulled with her arms, and realized they were handcuffed to a pipe.

She took a deep breath to calm herself. She needed to think if she wanted to get out of this. They seemed to be inside some sort of metal works. The pipe she was chained to was cool, and she figured it must be a coolant pipe to combat the heat.

Her eyes feel to someone who was connecting something to the pipe. She realized with a shock of horror that it was a car battery. They were going to kill her... She knew it. And that was when she started to freak out. She felt like an idiot. She started to pull against the pipe, her eyes wide. She saw the guy drop down but paid him no attention, her thoughts more concerned about the battery.

"Hello there, girlie."

She let out a small scream, her fear rising another notch. At the same time, so did her anger, and her survival instincts. "What is he doing? Why is he hooking that up? Stop him!" Even as she begged for him to help her, she kicked at him, trying to hurt him, to make him help her.

[Valekin]

She kicked him in the kneecap, and he merely backed up another foot with a huge smile on his face. The knee would be sore for a couple of minutes, it wouldn't hurt too bad. The guys and girls around her started to laugh their asses off. It was apparent that she didn't know exactly what was going on here. Valekin was going to tell her.

"He's hooking up a car battery to make sure you cooperate. If you don't, we'll have him flip the switch on the positive end, and fry you until the battery dies."

Valekin cocked his head to the side, that same maniacal grin on his face. The long canines bared, they were curved and deadly.

"You've been formally kidnapped. This is for the greater good. You'll come to realize that, probably. See there are these things called gangs. What they do is they get kids and innocent people killed over petty things. Right kids?"

The group started to chuckle, and check various weapons and toys they had on them. Tazers, guns, knives, ropes, chains, tire irons, brass knuckles, typical gangster weapons. Valekin cocked his head to the other side then.

"Right. So since we're the victims of such violence, and the cops don't do shit about it, and the world lets it happen, we're doing something about it. Since you're so popular at your school, which happens to have these gangs, you've been kidnapped. Evidence has been planted to pin the attack on both gangs. What we're going to do, is eliminate those elements from the school. Set things right, see?"

"What if she doesn't care?"

"Then we end up frying her, or dropping her into a pool of magma."

"It's not magma... it's molten steel."

"Even better."

[Sara Quinn]

Sara managed to land a kick to his knee, and she immediately tried to kick out at the same spot again, reaching for him. But he moved back and she only managed to ignite the wound in her abdomen. She grunted in pain as it ripped through her. Her breathing became heavier as she tried to calm herself. She otherwise ignored the people laughing. She had a right to be angry and scared.

She froze when he started talking, her breaths coming out in pants. She couldn't seem to catch her breath as she realized her situation. Thats what she thought they had been doing, but she could hope and pray this was some sick joke started by someone who hated her. There were quite a few people who hated her... She tried to think of someone who hated her that much.

At the talk of gangs she looked back to him. She had stopped fighting for now. Best to just sit still and listen... For now. There were a lot of people who talked about the gangs. And bringing them down. She thought of Gabriel. He had seemed desperate enough to bring them down to pull something like this off... And he had said the same thing essentially. Then Rem who wanted to bring down Militia... But she couldn't see him going this far. And maybe it was just this guy in front of her... The sick fuck who did this to her... But as to seeing it their way? She thought about it. What had she said to Gabriel? She would not fight on the side of the gangs? She saw the need to bring them down...?

At the sounds of chuckling, she glanced over to see the people checking weapons. What the hell was going on...? She completely turned her head to watch in shock at the number of weapons they had. Oh god... I'm going to die aren't I?

Ignoring the threats coming for the people she glared up at the guy. She would be damned if she could see the need for kidnapping her. This was... crazier then what Gabriel had suggested, which was to take them out directly.

"Thats the stupidest load of crap I've ever heard! You're so concerned about the innocents? And yet you've kidnapped me, someone who had nothing to do with the gangs?!" She spit at him, pulling against the pipe she was chained to. "That's bull shit, this isn't the way to go about doing this... If I EVER get my hands on you, I'll kill you, I swear to god!" She began screaming obscenities at him, swearing at him, cursing him. She knew, in her mind, that this wasn't the smartest thing to be doing, but she couldn't stop herself. It crossed her mind that maybe she should just openly tell them how she felt about bringing down the gangs... That she was more then happy to go about helping them, but she was freaking out, going insane. The anger overtook the fear, clouding her mind.

[Valekin]

"Done?"

He asked when her temper tantrum was through. It was simple for him really, he could just flip a switch, or have someone else flip it, and she'd be as dead as a doornail. She would also be as electrified as Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory.

As payback for her kicking him, he took a ball of steel out of his pocket. It had a diameter similar to that of a quarter. He threw it at her chest. It would hurt a bit, but not as much if he had hit her himself. The guys and girls around them snickered and such. One cocked his MPK, and pulled the trigger, aiming at the ground. The sub machine gun chattered, bullet casings went flying, and said bullets penetrated the concrete with ease. She hadn't been shot.

"You're kind of at our mercy girlie. Don't lie to me. I know you more than likely know people that just happen to be in a gang at school. And you know as well as I do that the only way you're going to hurt me is if I let you hurt me."

"I wouldn't advise it kiddo, he's come back from the dead before."

"Maybe we ought to kill the boss, so she can watch him come back."

"Now there's a plan. Do you want to see someone die? I promise I'll get back up soon."

[Sara Quinn]

"Done?"

She glared up at him. Her fit had barely had an effect on him. He stood there, and took it like a bitch, and then didn't even give her the satisfaction of freaking out back. This only served to make her angrier, but she chocked it back, holding it down. She needed to calm down. Something about the way he stood there, all calm and unruffled, made her uneasy.

And then he threw something that her. She instinctively flinched, but it hit her anyways, and it stung. She hissed out a breath, trying not to make to much noise. But she couldn't stop the scream as the gun went off. She had never heard a gun before or been so close to one, and it scared her. Badly. She closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath. She really didn't want to be here. There was no way this was going to end well. She needed to think of a way out of this.

She tried to ignore them as they started talking, trying to block out thier voices so she could think. She didn't want to hear him, wanted to pretend that he didn't exist, that it wasn't happening. But it was. And when they started talking about killing him she couldn't help but listen. Her eyes opened

"Now there's a plan. Do you want to see someone die? I promise I'll get back up soon."

Hell no! No she didn't want to see someone die! Death was a foreign thing to her. She had never seen someone die, and she didn't want to start right now. But if there was a chance they would do it and he died? And she got out of this? She tried to quickly think though her options here. Her pride and defiance won out.

"Go ahead, I hope you fucking die." She spit at him. Then immediately regretted her outburst. She tried to change the subject. "Look, I didn't know anyone in the gangs... Not directly. If they were in a gang, I had no clue! Let me go... Please..." Her begging slowly died off, as if she knew it was going to be no use.

[Valekin]

He generally ignored her and her pleas. Valekin knew when a subject was being broken, she didn't have any power. All she could do is talk shit that she couldn't back up. He knew it, she knew it, what was the point in him getting angry?

"Really? You kid's believe her?"

"Not in the least boss."

"Why should we? We've got the information anyway."

"True. There are a few students that come to mind when I say the word gang. Don't worry, we'll be paying them a visit in the future. Perhaps. That's if other things don't get in our way first. See, I'd like to take this time to convince you that you ought to be fighting with us instead of against us. Sure, we kidnapped you, not very nice of us to do, but we didn't kill you."

"Certainly within our power though."

"Indeed. So here's the ultimatum; you work with us, or we electrocute you, blow your brains out, then drop you into a pool of liquid hot steel. Which is more appealing?"

"Maybe she would want to be shot someplace else?"

They all laughed. It was a good joke. To a bunch of deranged psychopaths that is. Most of the people in the room were Shadow Knights. Long time Shadow Knights. They knew exactly what they were doing in regards to crime, and war, and terrorism. After all, it was the best paying job they've ever had.

[Sara Quinn]

Sara dropped her head. She knew damn well that begging was going to get her no where. And she had no way to fight back right now either. This was serious. She was screwed. She needed to think of a way to get them to believe that she was on their side. Which really didn't work for her because then she would have to stay on their side wouldn't she? This couldn't just be one of those, "Oh ya! I'm with you" and then run when they're not looking things. They obviously knew who she was and who she associated with. She wasn't getting out of this easily.

They started to talk around her again. They didn't beleive her. She had known they wouldn't. She had no way to back it up anyways. She really had nothing to do with the gangs though... Except Militia... But that didn't count because she was trying to bring it down... And the group that she was working with to do it... She was going to bring that one down to... Ok... Maybe she was involved with the gangs... Much more then she had though...

Her eyes widened when she realized exactly how much she had come to be involved in the past few months. The realization had hit her like a ton of bricks. She hoped it didn't show on her face. She tried to pass it off as a reaction to their threats on her life, by looking between, what she assumed was the leader, and the one who thought she might want to be shot someplace else.

This guy was fucking with her, she knew it. This was one of those mind game things. He was right. They hadn't killed her. They very well could have. They damn well still could. She needed to play nice. They were trying to break her down, make her feel like they were actually good people.

And then she was delivered the ultimatum. Work with them, or die. Simple as that. She could see no right answer out of this. She leaned back, trying to appear calm and collected, but very angry. She couldn't keep the anger out of her voice and off her face.

"Look. That's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard. You know damn well I'm going to choose to work with you." She decided to go ahead with this. She was probably going to die anyways. By showing a level head, she might be able to make it better. "You should also know, that as soon as I get the fuck out of here, I'm going to run. So how is this going to work? Now what the hell is it you want from me? What am I supposed to do?"

[Valekin]

"You know boys and girls? She's right. She could just run right past the attack dogs, swim across a pool of boiling hot water, get past the electronically locked security doors. As well as all the guards with their guns. That ultimatum was silly wasn't it?"

"I suppose so sir."

"Yea, there's no way we'd ever catch her if we let her go."

"Indeed. New Ultimatum girlie. Since you don't give a shit about yourself. We'll kill everyone in this fucking city if you don't work with us. Then you. Don't believe me? Well, let's just say my people started World War One. This is child's play to us."

"Damn right."

"Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!"

"Can we torture her some more, sir?"

"Eh, maybe."

Valekin sat back and waited for her answer. This was all very fun to him. Yes, he was fucking with her. Yes, he knew things that she had probably just realized. Valekin watched, Valekin waited, Valekin knew. His people hacked the school's computers, and took addresses. They had staked out kid's homes and watched them from afar. They had even infiltrated the school itself. Valekin knew about the gangs.

[Sara Quinn]

Sara waited for him to answer, all the while forcing her body not to shake. This wasn't going well, and what she had said probably wasn't going to help. But neither was freaking out. Her emotions were all over the place. She didn't know if she was coming or going, she was angry, sad, disgusted, pissed. Scared. And when you were scared you did stupid things.

He finally spoke and she was shocked by what he said. He had to be lying. As they all joked and laughed at her expense, she thought it through. There was no way all that stuff could be in here... could it? Dogs, water, electrified doors? Was all that shit really in here?

And then another ultimatum. This one... Of course worse. Everyone in the city.. And her... in exchange for her helping them. They claimed to have started WWI. That was... This was all... Impossible. It couldn't be true. It just... Seemed so far fetched. A conspiracy theory of sorts. But how should she approach this. The people were throwing her off.

"Can we torture her some more, sir?"

Her head spun to the other people, anger rising in her. She wasn't going to take this shit. "Shut the fuck up, I can't think!"

Her head swung back to the leader of this stupid game. "Why me? What the hell am I supposed to do for you? Obviously I'm going to agree, you've left me no fucking choice." Her voice hardened at this point and she spit at him again.

His methods of persuasion made her sick. Still though, they hadn't taken what she said seriously. She had meant, tomorrow... Next week.. .When ever she got out of this, and they weren't standing right in front of her with guns. How did they know she wouldn't run. This worried her. It made her wonder if they had some sort of plan to stop this from happening. And given the first chance? She probably would. She didn't put killing past this group. But she needed them to assume she was in for the long run.

"So what do you want me to do then!?" She pulled against the handcuffs holding her to the pipe. "And let me go."

[Valekin]

"She's got a mouth on her doesn't she?"

"Quite so."

"What do I want you to do? I want you to work for me. After a brief training period you'll work for me, and you'll be paid for it. Paid quite well. Provided that you don't slip up that is. Slipping up has dire consequences."

Valekin's operations were smooth sailing ships. They didn't ever hit a rough patch because there was a procedure for everything. There was no finding them because they were quite secretive and selective. There wasn't any opposing them because you can't fight an enemy that you don't know exists. The cops wouldn't get involved because they would just be meeting a business man that's running a legitimate metal works. The people around him and their subordinates? His workers.

You couldn't call the cops on Valekin and get results. You'd have to call the CIA, and they wouldn't believe that you, a teenager, had found one of the most wanted men in the country.

"Basically, I'm offering you the best job of your life. And you can't say no. The lucrative opportunities are endless."

[Sara Quinn]

"Basically, I'm offering you the best job of your life. And you can't say no. The lucrative opportunities are endless."

He wanted her to work for him now? What the hell was this? What could he possibly hope to gain from having her working for him? Her mind was unable to grasp his intentions. No way was she just going to give in though. She had enough money to support herself, as did her family, and what did she want with a job? She could barely be a good student as it was. There was no way she was just going to say yes to him. This was probably going to be one of those "once you're in, you're in for life" deals, and she didn't want that, had no interest in it.

"To bad, I'm saying no. Fuck you." Yes, she knew she was going to regret that. Yes, she knew she was going to end up saying yes, or at least she would if he didn't kill her right off. And yes, she knew it was a stupid decision to push him like this. But for some reason, even in the face of death, her pride refused to lay down and play dead long enough for her to just give in.

This was Sara they were talking about... And like every other situation she was in... She was going to make this as difficult as possible~

[Valekin]

"Ok then. Come on guys, let's go rob a military warehouse of it's chemical missiles."

"Awww, and I wanted to torture her."

"Oh, right. The girl. Fry her."

"Aye sir."

The man that was operating the car battery started to prime the object. Some switches would be heard getting flipped. A nice long wirring noise. Yes, it wasn't exactly a car battery, but it was the size of one. The group started to go about random tasks, packing some bags, moving off into other areas. Valekin started to direct some of them to do certain things. It looked like he was entirely serious about raiding a military base and stealing it's chemical rockets.

Logic says he wouldn't hold the city at ransom, or give it any kind of chance to defeat him. Nor would he let her get in his way. Instead, he'd just fire the missiles and then leave. No warning, no threats, nothing. Just Armageddon. Really, Sara could help save many lives by getting a hold of his attention before the guy that was playing with the thing she was hooked up to fried her with it.

[Sara Quinn]

"Oh shit... shit... shit... dammit..." The words tumbled from her mouth one after another as she realized what was happening. Ok... Screw difficult. She could hear the switches of that battery she had seen being flicked. The whirring noise was scaring the shit out of her.

And through it all, they all just went around as though this wasn't anything new, like they did this everyday. Ok, ya, she was giving in. Her hands tugged against the pipe at the same time that they tried to lift away from it, hoping that if she didn't touch it, she couldn't be hurt. She was crying, the tears falling down her face as small words continually fell from her lips as she tried to figure out what to do. She would just have to give in. Do what he wanted. Screw her pride.

"Damn... shit, ok, please! Wait! Shit, WAIT! STOP! I'll do it... Please, I'll do it, just stop!"

[Valekin]

"What...? Stop now? Alright. But you've got lots of work to do to make up for stringing me along like that rabbit in Alice in Wonderland."

"Literature is so great."

"Should I flip the last switch?"

"Nah. Let's get her off this pole and put her in the training room."

The man powered down the device and released her from the pole. She was still handcuffed however. Valekin strode up to her, and the people around him were still going about their business. It was like they were going to do something else instead of stealing the chemical missiles. One of the men grabbed the chain between her handcuffs and aimed his sig at her back. A good nudge with the weapon would be given to push her along into a long hallway and into a room that was padded.

The training room.

Valekin had followed.

"So who'll train with her?"

"Who? Me of course."

"But sir."

"No buts, I've been dead for a month or so, I need to build my strength back up. Not as powerful as I used to be."

Valekin motioned for the guard with the sig to leave, and it would be just him and her in the training room, it was a large padded room for martial arts and other such pursuits. He had the keys to her cuffs in his hand, dangling in the air like they were the prize.

"Undo your cuffs. Then we'll train."

He tossed the keys at her feet, they landed jingling.