14. Last straw

~Abuse warning. Minor sexual content~

"Come on, Annette!" I heard as I felt my chest being pushed on. I rolled to my side and coughed up water. "Oh, thank God! Annette, can you hear me? I'm going untie your wrists. Keep coughing. Wow, they really tied these tight," Adam remarked as I opened my eyes slowly. The door opened and Ronnie stepped in, a knife in hand. "Whoa! Hey, man!" In the mirror, I saw Adam was on his knees behind me, hands raised. I sighed and closed my eyes, my coughing finally subsiding. This was not how I thought I would meet my end; it seemed welcoming. 

"Shut it, kid. Figured you could use some help," Ronnie insisted as he cut my ties and pushed me flat on my back again. I opened my eyes and tried to take deep breaths. Ronnie's eyes were full of concern as he knelt beside me and looked me over briefly. He gave a curt nod and looked back at Adam. "Neither of you are in trouble. Lionel was wrong to try and get rid of a beautiful light." He stood up and looked at the ceiling. "Let the other one out too. Get them some food, and a towel." He looked at me again and his gaze hardened. "Only until you're dried off, then everyone goes back to their cells. I'll even send in the doc. Don't make me come back in here." A look of relief washed over Adam's face as he looked at me. Ronnie left, the door closing behind him as all three doors on the opposite wall opened and Lauren joined us. 

"What's going on?" She inquired. 

"Reward for good behavior," I murmured, as I sat up. I closed my eyes and tried to keep the room from spinning. My head ached, and my stomach churned. To say I was woozy was an understatement. I sighed and opened my eyes again. "Adam, I can breathe thanks to you." I nodded in gratitude. He grinned sheepishly at me. 

"What happened? Are you guys alright?' Lauren asked earnestly. 

"We're fine. They tried to drown me," I replied with a shrug. 

"I think they were successful. You were underwater, unconscious, not breathing, and I had to perform CPR when I got out here. Annette, they tried to kill you," Adam remarked softly. 

I smiled and replied warmly, "again, thank you. I'm fine. Really. Your lady needs you. Kiss, flirt, hold hands. You won't bother me." He looked shockingly at Lauren, she just shrugged. The mirrored door opened again. Jess and Noah came in with a table full of bottled water, sports drinks, and various fruits, muffins, and donuts. They sat the table down next to the mirror. Noah stood in front of the open door, he looked like he was in rough shape; his eyes were red, his shoulders slumped, and he no longer had a pep in his step. I smiled at the both of them. "Breakfast. Sweet. Are you two allowed to join us?" 

"Clever. Thanks for not saying our names, sis. Safety net," Noah signed by his hip. I smiled to acknowledge I got the memo. Jess shook her head sadly then gestured to the corner by my door. 

"Unfortunately, not at this time. I do need to look at your injuries again though. I'm happy to see you're sitting up. We can go to that corner if you can trust these two to hold up that blanket for some privacy. I'm fairly certain your bandage needs to be re-wrapped, and I need listen to your lungs." 

"Whatever you need us to do," Adam agreed. Lauren nodded. 

"I shouldn't lift her, or even support some of her weight. A hundred pound body is a lot worse than a ten-fifteen pound table," Jess began, rubbing her abdomen tenderly. "Can one of you help her to her feet, and the other grab the blanket off the mattress over there?" Lauren headed to the mattress, Adam knelt beside me and draped my right arm around his shoulder, holding onto it with his right hand. His left arm wrapped around my waist. He lifted me with ease. "Slowly now. Her equilibrium is going to be off," Jess instructed. 

"Whoa. Head rush," I stated at the same time, proving her point as I leaned into Adam. I didn't want him to support me, so I removed my arm from his shoulder; he refused to let go of me completely as he held onto my right hip and arm. "Thanks. I'm good," I said still trying to pull away. 

"Not so fast, Annette. You're still swaying," Jess' voice was firm. "I know you're going to feel like we're babying you, but trust me, it's necessary." I conceded with a slight nod as I leaned into Adam and he wrapped his left arm back around me and held my right hand with his. "Now, we're going to walk to that corner, and you will let him help you. After the exam, if you so desire, you can move on your own." 

"Yes, ma'am," I conceded as I saluted with my left hand in a joking tone. "Thank you," I voiced sincerely to both of them. They nodded and we headed to the corner, 15 steps away. Adam supported me; he was just short of carrying me. Each step felt like I had fifty pound weights on each leg. "Should it be this hard?" I asked gasping for air. 

"I expected some delay, but no. Talk to me; what's going on?" Jess ordered. Everyone in the room had concern written across their faces. 

"Hard to breathe, feet feel weighed down. I'm done," I replied, holding onto my chest, trying to sit down. The room was spinning and I felt on the verge of passing out; we were still at least five feet away from the corner. 

"Here's fine. Set her down. You two, please open that blanket, hold it up, and give her some privacy. Thank you. No peeking please. Top off, sweetie." Looking at me she signed, "movies cannot see you here. You will be free. I promise." Then she pointed to the ceiling and gave me a thumbs up.

"You sign too?" I signed, surprised. The only person here who knew I signed was my brother. I grinned; this was his way of letting me know of who I could trust. Slowly I peeled off my teal top. Movies? Was she talking about the cameras. I looked around but saw nothing. "I'm almost ready to burn these clothes. Ugh! At least I got semi clean," I partially joked. 

"Not good signs, yes. I learn last year," she signed back. It took her a minute to figure out how to have two conversations at once, but she managed, with a slight delay. "I wish we could provide you with fresh ones, but rules are rules. Unfortunately, that's considered a luxury here, and you opted for no luxury items," she replied sadly as she took the bandage off my chest. My sky blue bra stood out against my black, purple, and yellow skin. My gaze fell upon my left side at a bright pink bruise that was quickly turning purple; Jess followed my gaze. "Another broken rib, and if I'm not mistaken," she murmured softly as she pressed lightly against it. I winced in pain, felt my breath get stuck in my throat, and my eyes rolled back into my head. I put my arms behind me and braced to prevent impact. Jess released my rib and I coughed. I leaned forward and crossed both arms over my chest. When the coughing subsided, I sat there wheezing and blinking back tears.

"The rib," I reminded Jess. She nodded but continued to look at me in pity.

"I'm afraid I have grim news," Jess replied, her voice cracking as she tried to hold back her emotions. "There's a reason you're having problems breathing. That broken rib is pressing into your lung. This needs immediate medical attention, but I don't have the equipment. If you get hit there again, your lung will be punctured and there's nothing we can do to help you here. You'll slowly suffocate," she said sadly. "In other news, you look great. I can see your eyelashes on your left eye again, but a lot of swelling needs to go down still. Your shoulder looks better too. You seem to be able to move it up and down."

"It's still stiff," I admitted, "but I try and stretch it often. All my muscles. I'm not getting the range of motion I would prefer, but all my muscles are still functioning."

"That's good. I'm going to wrap you up again. Your lungs sound mostly clear of water, but there's a little fluid still in there. It's expected. Keep coughing. Also you do have a little cyanosis around your lips." I gave her a confused glance. "They're tinged blue. Means your body is lacking in oxygen. Given what you just went through it is expected, but if you can't get oxygen into your body, you'll blackout and may not wake up again. I'm going to need you to stay upright for a while. Refrain from laying down if you can help it, especially on your left side. You're not out of the clear yet. If you fall asleep, there's a slim, but serious chance you won't wake up again. I don't have the equipment here to care for you," Jess explained carefully. I nodded, taking it all in. She stood up, wrung out my shirt, and handed it back to me. I put it back on, wincing with every movement. "Go eat something. Drink something with electrolytes. Enjoy your company. Okay, guys. You can lower the blanket. Thank you for your help. Annette, if you feel up to it, you're free to move on your own. Just take it slow and don't overdo it. Eat. You'll be fine. It all came from my personal collection; it's all safe. I ordered it and it gets delivered straight to my room. Nobody touches it but me," she assured us as she rubbed her belly again. Only Lauren held the blanket, her knuckles were white. She and Adam exchanged a look of concern before meeting my eyes and smiling. Both of them looked like they could go into tears easily.

"I'll do my best, doc. Thank you," I replied sincerely as I stood up. To my brother, I signed by my hip, "I like your girlfriend. Looking forward to meeting your baby." He half smiled, confirming it, before returning to a rigid stare. I returned the smile and bent over, resting my hands on my knees. I felt woozy and nauseated. The room was spinning and my vision was clouding. Jess rubbed my back tenderly and I stood up again. I met Noah's worried eye and signed, "I'll be okay. Dizzy." He bobbed his finger in acknowledgement, but otherwise wasn't moving. I looked at Jess. "You're very sweet to offer us food from your personal collection, but we shouldn't be taking your food. I'll be fine."

"Nonsense. I have plenty. Please, eat. You need some strength," Jess murmured as she gave my shoulder a tender squeeze before she made her departure out the open door on the mirrored wall.

"If you go through any of the doors, it will close behind you. If you enter another person's room, you will be shocked. Enjoy this time. Behave. I'm sorry it has to be like this. You have until she's dried off," Noah explained in a gruff voice, trying to hide the emotions he was feeling. "It will give you about two hours tops. Wish I could do more. She really likes you too, kid. We love you. Don't give up. I'm sorry, sis. Eat. Live. Fight. Proud of you. Love you," he signed back by his hip. I smiled at him again. He left without another word and the door closed behind him. 

Adam threw the towel at me and looked at me for some answers. "Was that your brother Noah? He was a great wide receiver. Is he one of our captors? Is that why we're here?" I shook my head and picked up the towel that fell to the ground. When I stood up, I held my side and panted. Now along with cloudy vision, the edges of my vision were starting to go black; I knew I was fighting to stay awake right now. I took a deep breath and focused. 

"Yes, that looked like my brother. I thought that at first too. My brother's always had my back, this guy hasn't tried to stop anything and he clearly has access to get in and out of here. Noah would have rushed in immediately to try and protect me; we've always had a close bond. I know that they're watching us on the other side of that mirror. That guy? Well, like I said, he's done nothing. I can only assume that they found -er well, stole- some pictures and gave someone a surgical makeover. They've been watching me for a while; I was told the past five months. I don't know why and I'm sorry that you guys got dragged into this-"

"Stop," Lauren whispered. I met her eye. "Don't feel bad that we're here too. You shouldn't be here alone. We've got your back." I nodded and blinked back another tear. Adam's head bobbed in agreement.

"Seriously, Annette. Would they have given you CPR or left you in that water?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders and looked at my feet. "Okay, so surgeries? That takes time to heal." I nodded and looked up again.

"Their reconstructive surgery is very convincing, but there's a faint scar on the right side of his face and on the left side of his nose. Those were my first clues that something was up. Also, when I look at him, aside from feeling sorrow and joy in seeing my brother's face, I don't feel connected to him. So can't be my brother because we were exceptionally close. They tied him to a chair and that's how I know that those anklets are not just for decoration. The things he said to me were true to a point, but the facts were wrong; I didn't catch on right away because I was excited to see my brother again. Besides, didn't you hear? Noah's dead. The best way to mess with me is to make me doubt my memories of those I love. I got to say good-bye in a way, so that was nice of them to provide a surrogate brother. But honestly, I don't know him," I insisted with a hint of sarcasm as I pulled on my ear. Adam and Lauren nodded subtly; he was as in much danger as we were.

"So they were kidnapped too?" Lauren asked.

"I don't know. I never heard names or stories. However, I have deduced that they're also prisoners here too. They've been nothing but honest and helpful when in contact with me," I explained as nonchalantly as I could, wrapping the towel around my shoulders. "She's the resident medic, obviously. I'm not sure what he does, but I think he's my punishment. They've already used him against me because I wouldn't concede to their wishes. I think they sent him in here to see if it will rattle me more. Those anklets on their feet are portable shockers. It's horrible to watch and the one thing they haven't tried on me yet. I was told that they both have jobs and it's to keep them in line; so to my understanding, it's why they can roam about. Perhaps it's our future. Not much of a life. The shockers leave a scar on the skin and as far as I'm aware, there's no limit on the range. Cameras watch everything. What we say or do will never be enough; they're always going to be looking for a reason to punish us," I said glumly I lowered my chin to my chest and tried to keep from falling over as I widened my stance for a more balance. 

"Portable shockers? Seriously? It's possible?" Adam gasped looking at the floor and meeting Lauren's eye. I nodded, but couldn't understand his thinking.

"That's low! Using the look-alike-people you care about as leverage. What did they want from you? From us?" Lauren inquired as she wrapped an arm around me and guided me towards the tank. I stiffened. "Annette, you're swaying and I'm afraid you're going to crash. I would prefer if you didn't hit the ground. It's just for you to sit, hun. They took the chair out of here. We'll bring you some food; so what do you want? Then we'll all chat," she reassured me. 

"I honestly don't feel like talking very much, but I'll tell you what I know. They haven't really said much about what they want from you guys. Ark, or um, Lionel - the driver, wants me to marry him I guess. But that's not happening. He is not husband or father material, and quite frankly, intimidates me. I should be afraid of him but mostly I'm annoyed. Mainly he's been persisting me to take my clothes off for him," I told her honestly. "Here I was thinking I didn't capture anyone's attention." They both chuckled. She sat me down on the tank and walked over to the table. 

"If only that were the case," Adam interjected. "Do you know how many guys talk about what they would do with you and to you?" 

"After this weekend, I'm not sure I want to know," I mumbled as I looked at the water on the floor, trying to make a pattern out of it. 

"Annette, don't worry about it. Mainly it's to get you in clothes like that. You know, stuff that shows more skin. They don't want you hiding all the time behind long sleeves, sweatshirts, books, and your hair. You have a great body. They just want you to embrace it too," Adam explained. I kicked the water on the floor sending up a spray of water towards the mirror, covered my chest with my arms, and bit my lip.

"What do you want to eat, Annette?" Lauren asked again effectively changing the subject. I looked up at her and gave her a half smile. All the food looked delicious, but I didn't feel hungry. 

"Just an apple and a yellow powerade for right now. The chocolate muffins look good too, but I'm not sure I'm that hungry," I replied honestly. She ignored my last comment and put both items on the plate and brought it to me along with the drink. "Thank you, Lauren." 

"I have a question for you," Adam remarked, filling up his own plate. I took a bite of the apple. "Why don't you set up camp on that mattress? Surely it has to be more comfortable than that blasted thing," he said, gesturing to the water tank. 

"Really, Adam? Do you know what that means? She just told you what they wanted from her," Lauren interjected. "If she goes over there, she gives him the power and says she wants it. That's dangerous territory for her. She really is as pure and kind as she seems. She's not a prude; she just knows what she wants: someone she can have a fulfilling future with. She hasn't met him yet. If she agrees to lay with him, there's a part of her that will always hate herself because she's settling. She can't give him or any of the people here any inkling that she'll give in. It's not that difficult to understand. However, it's not a hindrance for us," she implied with a wink. She looked at me and smiled. I shook my head and closed my mouth that had dropped in shock as I nodded my thanks at her. She smiled warmly at me.  

"You two are buddy-buddy now? How much time do you get together?" Adam asked, surprised. 

"Without a crowd, Lauren's pretty cool and she's shown me that she'd be a great friend. No offense," I said apologetically, she shrugged and grinned, stuffing her own face with food. "We've only had one other encounter here. Right after I was introduced to a bamboo rod that was as thick as a paper towel roll, but as long as I am tall. Also, with you giving me CPR, I think that qualifies as completing the bet," I finished and opened up the drink to take a sip. 

"They hit you with that?!" Adam gasped and Lauren jabbed him in the gut. "Wait! You know about that?! Guess it makes sense why you said my lady needed me," Adam chuckled softly. "Stupid bet. Sorry, Annette. We didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, doesn't matter anyways now, plus there was no crowd to prove it. So do you think we'll be fitted with shockers soon?" He pondered as he made his way over to the mattress, Lauren joined him happily. 

"I hope not! That would just be a major buzz kill," she giggled as their lips met. I smiled. They were a cute couple and I was happy for them. I looked at my reflection in the mirror for a moment before I became horrified by it and gave them their privacy as I took another bite of the apple. I went through the motions of eating, getting lost in my thoughts, staring blindly at the puddle on the floor. I couldn't understand why they wouldn't release those two. Clearly, I was who they were after. They said they had been watching me for months and I had Noah to thank for it. I could see how they got Noah to tell them about me, it would also explain the solitary post card I had received from him. What didn't make sense was keeping Adam and Lauren hostage too. What jobs were required of us? What would become of my new friends if I died? I instantly felt guilty. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I wished I could turn the clock back so they could be on a normal date right now. "Annette?" Lauren sat beside me on the right, her hand rested on my shoulder. Adam was now sitting on my left, taking away the plate of now crumbs and garbage from my hand. I jumped. "We didn't mean to startle you, but we've been trying to get your attention for a while. Are you okay?" 

"Hmm? Oh yeah. I'm fine. Just tired. What's up?" I asked looking between the two of them.  

"Why are you doing this, Annette? You don't need to take all the punishment. We can take some blows too," Adam insisted, gently rubbing a bruise on my arm. 

"Because I can barely walk. My hip is locked up and putting any weight on my right side -well to put it lightly- sucks; the muscles aren't flexing like they're supposed to, but I can still walk kinda. Not to mention, I can't breathe, so there's no stamina for running. If we get out of here, it'd be helpful if you both could run. Not to mention, if you got this treatment that won't help your football career, Adam. And Lauren, your beauty would be marred and I feel it would drive you to the edge. You're both proud people, and a crowd drawn for the wrong attention could be devastating to you. I don't want to see your inner sparks diminish. Plus, there's definitely a search party for both of you. My family could care less what happens to me. My only friend won't know I'm missing until school starts; we both are super busy in the summer. Ryan won't remember I was taken either, so really, I'm a lost cause. I knew that when I climbed in the van," I said morosely. 

"So because we're vain, you didn't want us to get hurt?" Adam chuckled. "If I couldn't handle some pain, I wouldn't be playing football. And I definitely wouldn't wrestle every year." 

"And while I may be self centered and love my appearance, I feel worse knowing you're taking it all for me, than me getting my fair share. You aren't a lost cause. People will definitely notice you're missing," Lauren added. I just shook my head. 

"You mean to tell me your dad won't be worried sick?" Adam asked softly in shock. I wiped a tear and shook my head again. "Then it's a damn good thing we were there when you were taken. If people are looking for us, by close approximation, they're looking for you too."

"They're looking, Adam; I know it. For you. Not me. I'm invisible. In our class, you two are on a pedestal, I'm just there trying to blend into the background. If you guys looked like this, the amount of time they would ask you to retell the story wouldn't be able to be counted. Drawing attention for these bruises, nobody wants that. You guys would try to hide from the public eye to keep your bruises hidden and to forget about this place. It would ruin your reputations and break your spirit; I can prevent that. That's why I'll take these beatings; I'd hate to see either one of you broken in any way. It is what it is. Please just don't worry about it. As for my dad, I'd rather not talk about that," I begged as I took another sip. I felt exhausted. They gently wrapped me in an awkward three man hug and just held onto me; Adam pulled back some, but didn't break contact and Lauren rested her head on my shoulder. 

"Annette, when we get out of here, we aren't leaving you behind. I'll throw you on my back if I have to, but you're not allowed to give up hope," Adam insisted. I sighed and looked down. I wasn't giving up hope; my goal was to get them out of here then I could give up.

"You're not allowed to die, either. The valedictorian speech will suck if you don't deliver it," teased Lauren as she sat up again. I chuckled and squeezed both their arms. "I really am looking forward to hearing it, Annette," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and held onto me. I patted her arm tenderly. I wouldn't be able to survive many more visits. I knew this deep inside, but I wasn't going to let them die in here too. I nodded and pulled away from her.

"Please say I'm done," I signed on my lap, making it look like I was rubbing the welt on my thighs as I blinked back more tears. I didn't want to have this conversation any more.

Noah's voice crackled over the intercom, "I hate to interrupt, but it's time to go back to your rooms. Annette appears to have dried off. You may take one item with you." 

"Thank you, Noah. Love you,"  I signed by my hip.

"You're not dry - not even halfway, but I don't want to encourage their wrath again. You should take the blanket, Annette," Adam insisted. I shook my head and held up my one-third full powerade. "Fine, then at least finish that one and take a full one," he said getting up and grabbing another. I smiled at him and finished the remaining drink as he handed me the full one. "Now stand. I'm going to empty this tank and take it so they can't use it on you again. Stay strong, Annette." 

"Bit extreme, don't you think? I think taking that mattress would be easier," I joked as I playfully hit his shoulder and stood up, my towel falling to the ground. I closed my eyes and let the air out of my lungs slowly. "Don't fall over," I ordered mentally as I opened my eyes again. 

"Not a joking matter," he responded full of remorse as he placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him gratefully as he was helping me center myself again. He smiled woefully at me and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before letting go. "Lauren, do you mind taking care of the mattress?" She shook her head and began to pull the mattress towards her room. "Stay safe, Annette. This is how we can help you right now," Adam insisted as he gave me a side hug. "You're important too." 

"Fine," I conceded putting my hands up in defeat. "Let me get to my room first, I don't need all that water on my floor." Adam smiled, but his eyes were full of pity. Lauren stopped dragging the mattress to her room and came over and gave me a hug. "Thank you. Both of you. I appreciate it." I began to hobble and limp my way to my room. When I reached the doorway, I turned around and gave each of them a grateful smile which they returned. I stepped backwards into the room and as the door closed I whispered, "good-bye." I knew that another meeting with Lionel would probably be my last; all because of that rib pressing into my lung. Speaking out loud, I spun around, braced against the door, and asked, "Jess, if I sit in the corner with a pillow propped against my back and left side, would that be allowed, or cause more damage?" I closed my eyes as I waited for an answer.

After a minute or two, she finally spoke over my intercom system, causing me to open my eyes again, "that's probably your safest bet, Annette. Get some rest. By the way, your friends were quite successful."

"Thank you," I whispered, tossing my drink towards the mirror gently. I began to walk towards it and fell back against the door, weak and ready to pass out. I leaned against the door for support, gasped for air, and began to openly weep with one hand resting against my eyes, knowing my time was limited. If I had one last thing to say to anyone, who would I choose to say good-bye to? The last smile I saw on Pat's face crossed my mind and I felt sick. I hurried over to the toilet and emptied my stomach of it's contents. I flushed, stood up, washed my hands and put the cool water on my face. I gathered both pillows and moved to the corner opposite of the sink. After positioning myself comfortably considering my options, I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my head on them. "I'm sorry, Pat. It's all my fault. I should have listened to you," I wept quietly, crying myself to sleep. 

A while later, I was rudely awaken by Lionel pulling me to my feet by my hair. I gasped and looked at him. "My toys are missing,  sweetheart. So we're going to dance." 

"My rhythm is skewed; I don't dance," I uttered. Trying to keep my face void of all emotions. He pulled my hair harder and walked me to the door, twisting my right arm behind me and holding it in place. "What's wrong, Lionel? Did somebody take your happy pill?" I asked with a grin on my lips. He slammed me against the open doorframe, causing my right hip to take most of the blow as he pulled my hair and kept my shoulder from hitting. I whimpered and blinked back tears as I tried to stand up straight again. I felt like I had an electric current shooting down my leg topped with pins and needles. I shifted my weight to my left foot and tried to wiggle away from Lionel. Unable to put weight on my right foot without it shooting jolts of pain up my whole leg, I settled back into his chest as he tightened his grasp on me.

"You really do like trouble, don't you?" He breathed in my ear as he pressed his body against mine and pushed me forward. I looked around the room as I tripped over the blanket in front of my door; it was now soaking wet. Four pillows were scattered by the wall to my right, three more by the mirror and under the table, and one more close to the area in the wall where Adam's and Lauren's doors opened. The tank was gone, so was the mattress. I grinned. Adam and Lauren really did a number to this room. Lionel began to caress my neck with his lips. Then he moved my right hand to his left, still behind my back. I pushed on his face with my left hand only to have him bite my fingers. I dropped my hand and looked down, trying to hide the fact that I was almost crying again. "I had worked so hard on making this room fun for us, and it's ruined. However, you had a couple of pillows. That tells me part of you says yes, and I was told I could never see you again after today. I always follow my boss' orders," he snarled. I turned my head so I was looking over my shoulder, spit in his face, and glared at him. He glared back at me but didn't move to wipe his face. He twisted my right wrist more. I winced and faced forward again, standing up on my toes. "I have a room all ready. So many toys, so many ways to tie you up. First, you're going to show me what you're capable of and how good you can make me feel," he sneered and flipped open his pocket knife, tracing it down the right side of my body as he held me in place, pressing his body even tighter against mine. I tried to flinch away but he just pressed the blade closer. The sharp point caught my attention and I didn't move. "Beautiful porcelain skin covered in crimson droplets. It's so sexy. You're going to learn everything that I consider sexy and use it often. It's such a turn on, so please fight," he whispered as he kissed my neck again. I tried to step forward as he ground our hips together. "I'm sorry this won't be as comfortable for you as I originally planned. Redeem yourself, collect all the pillows. One pile." 

"If I refuse?" I asked rhetorically. He spun me around so my back was against the wall, the knife against my side as his other hand tightened around my throat. "You'll what, kill me? How'd that work out for you last time? Sex or death? Trust me, death is better," I gasped out, trying to pry his hand off my neck. He growled and slowly cut off one shoulder strap to my shirt. A small cut was made on my skin. It wasn't deep, but he grinned when he saw a little pool of blood form on the surface. He pressed his lips fervently against mine while his knife then cut down the side of my shirt. He moved his other hand back to my hair, with a fierce tug. I painfully maneuvered my leg so I could press against the wall with my right foot and then I shoved his chest with both hands. He stumbled backwards a few feet, ripping my shirt off in the process. "I said no thank you!" I muttered. I blinked my eyes slowly and glared at him. My breathing was labored and my body protested in pain, but I wasn't giving him the satisfaction of seeing me crumple; spirit, body, or otherwise. 

"You no longer have a choice," he sneered looking at the shirt in his hand with satisfaction, and I covered my chest with both arms as I took several deep breaths. "Told you, you'll be my wife - my personal sex slave until you die. Trust me, sweetheart, I have great plans for you." I shook my head, pressing my back against the wall.

"I'll fight you until I stop breathing," I huffed. He smirked and sauntered closer, but remained several feet away.

"Good. I like a challenge. You'll still be plenty warm and wet if you perish. Unfortunately, I need you to react to my touch: pant, moan, or scream. I'll make you bleed more to get what I want. So fight until your last breath, you won't die until I say you can. Now show me that good girl that everyone says you are. You're going to make me cum and you'll learn to love it. Let's cut off those shorts; you'll never need clothes again," he threatened.

"What do you have planned for Lauren and Adam? You don't need them here," I remarked, refusing to reply in a sexual manner. He narrowed his eyes at me, clearly not getting the response he wanted. I smirked. "Lauren and Adam," I repeated, putting as much authority into my voice as I could.

"Oh? Them? Oh, sweetheart. You may think that we don't need them, but we can always find them a place in our ranks. She'll be a good w***e. She's beautiful and will easily become a favorite. I would be shocked if we didn't sell her at least 12 times a day. Probably closer to 30 times a day. We'll put him in the pits to fight his way out; rewarded with s***s and drugs. We can sure use someone with his strength. Hell! We might even sell him out as a male prostitute too; he's mighty good looking and would bring in a pretty penny. It won't take much to turn either one of them into our personal tools for any satisfaction or gratification. If they die, no one will miss them," he grinned evilly at me again, taking another step closer. "But you," he whispered. "You're too pretty to be a common w***e, but you would make us so much money. You'll be in high demand if we let you play; almost four people an hour every hour, six if we're lucky. Don't you worry your pretty little head though. Your little s****y hole will still get plenty of use. You'll be mine and I'm not letting anyone else touch you. If I'm busy, well... that wet p***y and beautiful mouth will still be working. I don't plan on letting you have a break. It may not be my c**k, but damn, Annie. I'm excited about the prospects. I'd rather not use chains, leather, and rope just yet, but if you cause any more problems, my little w***e, well let's just say I'm going to enjoy making you bleed more." He dropped the shirt and knife and approached me as he took off his own shirt. "Almost there. That bandage should come off too. Can't play with you with those beauties covered. Let's build up to the moment, shall we? You know you want to. Like any b***h, you want this. You're a b***h in heat and I have the solution. The best way to do that is to get on your knees." 

"No. That's the best way for you. I'm not interested," I reiterated. He was within reach; I was grateful he was still taking his time. I couldn't tell if he could tell I was having a hard time breathing and was waiting it out to see if I would collapse, or if he just preferred to taunt me. I could tell my breathing was too shallow and I knew I wouldn't be able to fight long at all. I tried the last card I had to play. "Release them. Show me they're safe, and you can have me. Any way and as often as you want. But only then," I bargained. He grinned.

"I don't think so, Annie. You see, my time with you is limited. I'd be out of time before they were returned. That doesn't work for me," he snarled as he took another step forward. I raised my left hand to stop his approach. He grinned menacingly and grabbed my arm. He yanked with such force, I went flying four feet away and crumpled to the floor, hitting my head against the concrete floor. A loud pop echoed through the room and I was unable to move my left arm. I couldn't tell if it was because I was laying on it or what other damage had been done. I rolled over to my back, cradling my left arm with my right hand, and looked up as he towered over me with tears over spilling silently as I gasped.

"I won't let you. I'll fight you every step of the way," I breathed as I sniffed and a tear fell down. 

"That's alright, Annie. I just need for it to happen once and you'll be mine as intended. The boss' son wants a whack at you, but if I enter you first, he'll back off. Especially if I brand you. If you aren't going to go down on your knees, then your back is ideal. It's more fun laying down anyways. I give you my word, as soon as I'm done with you, I release them. You will then bend to my every whim and desire like the good girl you are. I'll take care of you now. Although you will be doing the work before too long or I will chain you to the whipping post. Trust me, I love using that specific tool. Spread your legs, it's time," he implied as he took off his pants, reached his hand into his boxers - playing with his junk, and drew near slowly. I glared at him. He seemed to relish in the anticipation. When he was close enough, I kicked him in the gut with both my legs. It sent another jolt of pain through my right leg, but I wasn't going down easily. I bit my lip as I watched him approach; I was disappointed that kick only momentarily stunned him. He removed his hand from his underwear, looked me up and down, licked his fingers, and then he smirked. "Do it again. You're doing more work than I thought you would already, and the build up is turning me on."

"I said no! They get released first," I demanded. My voice was starting to slur. 

"So you are a fighter. Excellent," he beamed. He approached again and I tried to kick him in the shins for him to lose his balance. He caught my right leg before it connected, but my left leg made him go down on knee. "You wanna play, dirty? Let's play dirty." He placed my foot on his knee then brought his elbow above his head. He dropped it full force on my shin; a resounding snap was heard, and I screamed. "Now this will be a lot easier. I love a noisy partner. Keep screaming. We're taking a roll in the hay." He dropped my leg with a thud and I yelled in pain again as he leaned over and grabbed the knife. I could no longer feel my toes. I sat up slightly and looked at it. I was dizzy, in pain, and unable to see straight. I could tell that my leg sat at a funny angle. He had broken my leg all the way through, and I was certain my shoulder had been dislocated since everything was numb. I lay back down, blackness surrounded my vision, and I felt like I was in a long tunnel. I would hold him off as long as I could, but I was fighting a losing battle. 

"Bye, Noah," I thought as I looked up. "He's going to kill me. I can't fight any more. Turn off your cameras. Don't watch me die. Love you." My fingers twitched but I couldn't sign. I held tighter onto my left arm, moving my right hand to my left ribs. I took a deep breath and tried to roll to that side, when all of a sudden, somebody rushed in and tackled Lionel. I remained on my back and watched as the newcomer pounded Lionel's face. 

"I told you to leave her alone!" 

"Why bother?" I thought as Ronnie ran in and I relaxed into the floor, slowly closing my eyes. It surprised me that the concrete felt soft and molded to my back. I grinned and met his eyes. "Done. Free them. Then kill me," I begged. Ronnie whistled and the new guy ran to my side. 

"Stay with me. Don't give up. Keep fighting," a new voice said gently as he rubbed my right shoulder. "You're safe. I'm going to take care of you. No more pain." I heard a gunshot and jumped, my eyes opened with panic, tears continued to fall. "You're fine. Just look at me. I'm going to brace your leg. Ronnie!" He looked over his shoulder before returning to the damage assessment. Ronnie walked around us and broke the table, gathering big pieces and dropping them by my head, within reach of my savior. I studied the face of the guy over me, he looked familiar but I was certain I've never met him. His ashy brown hair was barely shaggy on top, styled with a bit of gel so it appeared spiky. His oval shaped face was long but kind. His nose was crooked at the bridge. His chin had a small -but noticeable- cleft. His jaw was his most striking feature. I couldn't place him, but something was telling me I did know him somehow. "My name is Tyler, I work with your brother. I'm going to grab your hand. Please let go of your arm. I got it. We're going to set it down nicely. That's great. Thank you. Now squeeze my hand. Wonderful. I'm going to reach across your body now and grab your other hand. It's the only thing I'm going to touch. Yep. Keep breathing and don't give up. Now squeeze my hand. Try again. It's okay. Ronnie, we'll need a sling and ties cut out of those pillowcases. Annette! Don't close your eyes yet. Tell me-" 

"-your eyes," I interrupted, finally figuring it out. My speech came out slurred and syllables were elongated. I opened my eyes and looked at him through hooded eyelids as he slid a pillow case over my right shoulder and had it cradle my left arm. "Jess. They match. Siblings." They weren't as bright as Jess' but they were definitely the same shape; his eyes were several shades lighter.

He paused, his muted green eyes met mine in surprise for half a second before moving down to my leg. Quickly he braced my leg. "Yeah. She is my sister. Most people don't catch on; we don't look that much alike. Keep talking to me, Annette. I need you to stay awake." 

"I like my brother's girlfriend. I'm going to be an aunt, but I won't meet the baby. I'm going to die, and it's okay. I got to say good-bye. It's a good way to go," I confessed, closing my eyes again. I was finding it difficult to keep my thoughts flowing. My words were becoming garbled; I didn't even know if I was making sense any more. "Death welcoming. I keep to be saved. He still. His hands. My throat again." 

"No! He's never going to hurt you again. Do you hear me?" Tyler spoke forcefully, yet softly. He stroked my face and I opened my eyes again. "Annette. No! You're not going to die. You're done here. You're going home. We're going to take you to a hospital. I'm going to take care of you, honey." I nodded and closed my eyes. Sleep seemed to be just around the corner. I pulled his hand away from my face. No more touching. I was done fighting. "Ronnie, we need some way to transport her." Tyler gently placed his hand on my cheek and rubbed under my eye. "Almost. Come on, stay with me," he begged. Reluctantly I opened my eyes again and met his. Softly he continued, "Annette, you won. Noah did his best to look out for you, but Lionel was looking for him to interfere so that he could kill him; Lionel wanted to kill him. Noah's my brother now, that makes you family too. I had to step in and look out for my new sister. You raise the bar when it comes to strength. Between Noah, Jess, and myself, no one is ever going to hurt you again. You even have big, ole, tough man Ronnie on your side. Lionel is dead. Ronnie offered to go to prison. You're free." 

Free? What about the others? "No-No. Them? Us? All?" I asked as I tried to keep my thoughts flowing. "Focus, 'Nettie. Get your words out. You're not leaving here alone. You need answers. He's helping. Get your answers," I reprimanded mentally; the black fog was winning. I blinked back some tears as he gently lifted my braced leg in the air, propping it up with two pillows. 

"We'll be fine. We'll join you on the outside," Tyler reassured me, securing the pillows to the brace. "Can I give you some pain medication? It'll help you sleep during the transport, and these pillows will absorb most of the bumps in the road." 

"Memory wipe?" I asked, ready to give into sleep, but remembering what they did to Ryan. 

"None," Tyler confirmed. I tried to nod but I don't think I moved. I sighed and closed my eyes. "Hot pink and green." I opened my eyes again looking around the room looking for those colors; I couldn't recall ever seeing them. He stroked my head softly. "Shhh. You're fine. Your friends will get a sleeping pill too. Unfortunately, we still have to keep the location of this place a secret." 

"Fine. Never. Nember. Comes black," I slurred. The door whooshed open again. Ronnie had a large thick blanket and what looked like an extra lid to the tank. Jess followed him with two pills and glass of water. Ronnie began to clear the garbage from around me and unfolded the blanket beside me.

"Annette, we're going to put this blanket under you. I'm going to lift you in the air. I'll be careful. If I jostle your leg too much, we're going to have issues. So please if I hurt you, it's okay to moan or scream. You've done so well not letting a peep out, but I need to know. I'm not trying to hurt you, but I need you to hold as still as you can. Ronnie, are you ready? Alright, Annette. Here we go," Tyler quickly explained. I nodded and understood, but had no strength left to talk. He gently lifted my head and slid his other hand under my knees. I took a deep breath and stiffened, keeping my abs taut. He effortlessly picked me up. My eyes rolled in the back of my head and I closed my eyes. Softly I was laid back down, my head was now propped up, and I relaxed completely. "Annette," Tyler's voice was soft, he gently caressed my cheek again. I opened my eyes and noticed I was laying on Jess's lap. She was stroking my hair as she smiled sweetly at me. I looked back and forth at both of them. They really did look nothing alike; how was I able to put it together? I studied their eyes, loving and kind, full of concern and pity. 

"Eyes," I whispered, connecting the dots again. They both smiled, their smiles were similar too. "Yep," I mumbled and blinked my eyes slowly. Tyler held up the pink pill. I recognized it as the last pain pill I took in my room. "Pain. Walk. Soft bed. No. Wrong. No-No," I mumbled trying to find him as I looked around the room. Jess stroked my cheek as she looked at her brother and he dropped his hand again as his brow furrowed in concern.

"She's going into shock. Hurry," she ordered.

"Do you remember this?" Tyler asked holding up the pill again. I nodded. He brought it to my lips and I opened my mouth. He put it in, and offered me a sip of water. Holding up the bright green pill, he explained, "this is going to help you sleep, very well. You'll be fine. You'll wake in the hospital. Your body needs time to recover and that works best if you aren't moving around. Now you have the choice, do you want this or do you want me to find some melatonin? Chances are with the melatonin, you'll wake up in the middle of surgery though. It appears Lionel broke both bones in your leg, and you have to get that fixed." 

"Drugged death?" I asked, my body felt weak and weighed down. I hated the thought of being drugged in any form. I took another shallow breath and blinked my eyes slowly.

"No, sweetie. Think of it as a medical coma without the drugs," Jess offered. Wearily, I nodded and Tyler gave me the pill. "Well see you on the other side soon," Jess whispered kissing my forehead as the blackness surrounding my vision finally took over.