Shayla Bones's Story

Behind her, the cuffs began to clink against the wall as Nick and Shanae tried, in vein, to get to Shay. With a slight chuckle, she pushed Shay's head further underneath the water, watching the bubbles rise as her victim was forced to breath in the choking water. "Monica you have to stop…" She heard a small croak behind her and turned to see Shanae, looking earnestly at her with tired, pleading green eyes. "You can have your stupid knowledge, but I am not telling you until Nick, Jason and Shayla are out of this room." Monica grinned and held her stormy gray eyes on her green ones, trying to decide. Meanwhile, Shay was choking to death.

"...is it not better that you get some stupid snippet of info to give your trainer, then nothing but four drowned kids?" Considering this for another second, she turned to Shay in the water and looked at her, blonde hair bobbing. Making her choice, Monica yanked up hard on Shay's hair, dragging her out of the water.

"Good news." She cracked a small smile, looking at Shanae. "Your friend has decided to talk. Otherwise I would have killed you for your little comment." She said, knowing she really couldn't have killed her or she would have been fired faster then she could count to two, but she probably would have brought her within an inch of her life had Shanae not spoken up. "What do you have to tell me hm?" She said, hoping maybe she could get both Shay and Shanae to talk, though somehow she had known this was how things were going to go. Shay would act tough and pretend she didn't care, and Shanae would step in. Shaking her head, she whispered lightly in Shay's ear before pushing her weak body to the ground and whirled on the other three.

"Very well Miss Vena. You'll have your way." She hissed, knowing Adrian would just have her try again with the others later. "You tell me what I want to hear and I'll get them out of here. If I'm not satisfied with your answer, you will go under that water again and again until either I'm satisfied or you're dead or unconscious." With a click of her heel, she unlocked Nick and Jason's cuffs, letting them free before yanking Shay off the ground and shoving them into the Box outside the water room. "Stay in here. If you move, it'll hurt Shanae." She hissed, eyes narrowing. Just to be sure, she locked the door to the Box itself and tucked the key away before heading back into the water room and slamming the door behind her.

"Aren't you the least bit concerned Miss Vena?" She said, a small smirk at the corners of her lips. "You stood up for her, willing to tell me your secrets so that your best friend could be safe... And what did Shay do for you? She squeaked." With a slight huff, she leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest and considering Shanae. "I wonder..." she mused, "is she truly your friend or is she only pretending because you're the only one that can put up with her? Why do you follow her so? Why do you and her resist and rebel against us at every turn? What has she ever done for you?" She asked, grabbing Shanae's chin. "Life here would be so much easier for you if you would only obey. You don't have to follow her." Maybe if she spun her words right, she would get more out of this then information. "What do you have to tell me?"



Words and sounds drifted towards her under the water, muddled beyond repair. A gargled sentence here, the cloudy clang of metal there. Her head began to pound slowly and she could practically feel the blood pulsing in her veins, certain the entire room could hear her beating heart as she now could. Feeling herself go further under the water, she couldn't fight. All she could do was hope Monica pulled her up before she died. Which would be any second now considering how much water she was rasping in.

Finally, she was dragged up out of the murky water, dead weight in Ms. Flack's hand. She was wrong. Being in the water was almost better then being pulled out. To begin with, the splitting headache she'd gotten from her injection had just begun to heal. Now the white room brought back the full force of it and she began to heave in huge mouthfuls of air, ignoring the searing in her lungs, just happy to have oxygen again. The bright lights and the white walls made her silver eyes burn painfully and once she could, Shay screamed, though the sound she actually accomplished was more like a strangled gargle that only managed to make her cough.

"Your friend has decided to talk. Otherwise I would have killed you for your little comment." She heard Monica's voice, words swimming towards her as she tried to ignore her pain and make sense of them. Someone was going to talk? For her? But why? Who? She glanced at the others when Monica leaned in and whispered so quietly in her ear that only she could hear. "She stood up for you, and you merely put on a tough face for her. What a wonderful friend." Then she was pushed to the ground, barely having time to slap her hands against the floor and catch herself before another coughing fit came on her as her lungs tried desperately to rid themselves of water. "Very well Miss Vena. You'll have your way." She heard Monica snarl while she tried to regain control of her heaving lungs. "You tell me what I want to hear and I'll get them out of here. If I'm not satisfied with your answer, you will go under that water again and again until either I'm satisfied or you're dead or unconscious."

As she gradually caught her breath again and the coughing was gone, leaving her with an unbearably dry throat and pained chest, Monica yanked her to her feet and she stumbled, barely managing to catch herself on the edge of the tank before the surprisingly powerful hand at her arm dragged her forward. At the door, she whirled and looked into Monica's face with cruel eyes. "Go to hell." She managed to choke before she was shoved through the door into the Box, and was on her hands and knees once more, breathing heavily. When Monica finally left, she looked up at Nick and Jason wearily, standing carefully to her feet, using the wall for support."God dammit..." she groaned, "I don't even feel like myself." She rasped, leaning her pounding head against the wall. How had Monica and Adrian both managed to find her fears in one week? Water and the deaths of her friends. Whatever it was, she was wrong to think Monica didn't have any power.

Trying to compose herself in front of the two, she sighed shakily and put on a brave face, letting her eyes and features drop all emotion and pain as she looked at Jason and Nick. Looking at her, you'd think she simply went for a swim. In reality, her insides were shaking, her stomach weak, throat and lungs on fire, and head pounding. "I hate that bitch." She said with a slight sarcastic chuckle. As if that wasn't obvious.

Shay looked up as Adrian entered the room and her silver eyes narrowed. What was he here for? To tell Monica to double the [pain? Or maybe to stop? With a sigh, she watched as his eyes gleamed at her soaked cloths and ground her jaw tightly, nearly passing out from the effort of just holding her tongue. Monica, she could handle. It was easy to ignore things that she did and act as though they didn't bother her because she knew what got to her. Adrian was different. Every little thing he did pissed her off and it was extremely hard to keep her temper around him. How is it fair that he can know her weaknesses and hurt her, but she could never get back at him? The closest she could ever come is pissing him off.

When he passed her and the other three up, she sighed slightly. So he wanted Shanae? For what? Shay stepped closer to the door as Adrian stood in it and asked if Shanae was finished because he needed her to answer some newbie's questions. New people? That meant someone had died... or well a few someone's anyways. Who was it? She wondered, suddenly regretting that she hadn't even bothered to remember most of the names. The only ones she knew were Jason, Axel, Nick, and Shanae. She had never really needed to remember names. People always let her get one sentence out, then they were done with her, unable to put up with her and finding her contstant attitude annoying. It didn't bother her too much because she had Shanae. Sometimes she wondered if Shanae had gone to the doctor that day instead of Melissa, where she would be. Probably dead. She thought. Shanae was always keeping her out of as much trouble as she could manage and Shay would always do the same for her.

Looking over Adrian's shoulder, she saw her friend's exhausted face, wet and chained to the wall. "I'll do it Adrian." She said, stepping in for her friend, knowing she hated talking to the new kids. Personally, for Shay, it was pure torture talking to people and getting to know people that would never like her and would eventually die, but Shanae had stepped in for her and saved her... She owed it to her. She gave her friend a glance that said: We're even, and looked at Adrian. "Let Shanae get some rest." She said, using all her will power to keep any hint of sarcasm out of her voice. "She's had enough for the day and she was in worse shape then me when we came in here. I'll talk to the new kids for her." She kept her silver eyes on Adrian's, trying not to bite her lip and show him how hopeful she was. If he knew how much she wanted to step in for Shanae, her would never let her, but if he knew she hated the job, he'd probably agree. In her head, Monica's words kept replaying themselves "She stood up for you, and you merely put on a tough face for her. What a wonderful friend." Was she really that horrible of a friend? No. She couldn't be. Did Shanae doubt her at all? Did she notice what had happened? What did Monica say to her?



Monica raised and eyebrow at Shanae when she deliberately ignored her questions about Shay, but it didn't matter. She'd seen the slightest bit of doubt in her eyes. Only for a second, and followed by shame, but it was there. And she'd be sure to use it on Shay later if she could. "I can… speak into others minds...if I am touching them" the girl managed to say before Adrian came in and asked to use Shanae, followed by Shay stepping in for Shanae. She looked at Adrian, then at Shay, then Shanae, then Adrian again and sighed. Shanae's answer wasn't a very good one, but she would take it. She'd have thought the girl could do more and Adrian would probably kill her for her lack of use. She would enjoy, both having her gone and the pain it would cause Shay, but it meant that whatever Adrian was doing with these kids would have to be put off until even further.

"It's up to you Adrian." She said, glancing at Shay. "Shanae's done."

With a groan, Shay shook her head and rolled her eyes, leaning back against the wall, hands shaking as Adrian talked. She should have known he wouldn't give it to her. He had something special out for Shanae for some reason and though it saved her from a lot, it also put Shanae into more danger and Shay could nearly never save her from it. Why is it that Shanae can save me, but I can't save her? She thought, watching Adrian's face as he talked about executing Jason.

Dammit. She hadn't thought about that before! What if her power wasn't good enough for Adrian? She'd be killed for sure and Shanae was most definitely going to be the one forced to do it. She began to panic and glanced at Shanae, heart pounding. She wasn't sure if she could do anything else, but so far all she'd done is heal really fast and develop ridiculous migranes. That certainly wasn't good enough. "I'm done too Adrian." She hissed angrily, determined not to go back in that water again. "Monica's already discovered all I can do." Besides healing, her only other gift was pissing people off. At least that she knew of anyway. By saying this, she knew he would kill her first chance he got, but she honestly couldn't go in that water again. Not if she really didn't have anything else to hide.

Blinking, she looked at Shanae, finding it much easier to keep a straight face looking at her then at Adrian. He's going to kill me. She thought. He's going to kill me and have Shanae do it unless I have another power... Even if she did have another gift, how would she find out? By chance? There could be a thousand things she might possibly be able to do. She glanced down at her wrists, moving it back and forth and inspecting the spots. They resembled the spots of a leopard. Jason had gotten wings, she'd gotten spots... Suddenly a thought occurred to her. They'd been injected with animal blood. And hers had been a leopard. Maybe a snow leopard with the way the print shimmered silver? What else could leopards do? Run really fast? Climb really well? She looked up at Adrian again and tucked her wrist away. "I'm done here, there's nothing more for me to tell you, let us both talk to the new kids or something. I couldn't even try to begin sleeping after that wake-up call." She said, pointing to the water tank with a smirk even though nothing could be further then the truth. All she wanted to do was sleep, but she'd failed Shanae once already today and she wasn't about to do it again. Not with Monica out there to take advantage of every little mistake she made.



Monica stood in the water room with her hands behind her back, listening to Adrian talk and shut Shay up. She grinned slightly, always happy to see Shay get shot down. Then Adrian went on about an execution of the boy Jason and having Shanae do it and Monica raised an eyebrow. Shanae was far too soft for an execution. There was no way she'd be able to pull through with it. That would be interesting. Then Shay opened her mouth again and her smile dropped instantly. "Monica's already discovered all I can do." She heard the girl say, and raised an eyebrow.

Healing was all Miss Bones could do? Possibly, but she was an excellent liar, what if she was fibbing? Interested, Monica studied Shay, picking out all her signs. She was looking at Shanae, her hands shook slightly, and there was a tiny bit of fear visible in her eyes. Shay was scared. Healing was all she could do and she knew that Adrian was going to kill her for it. All Monica had to do was tell him and Shay would be dead. Probably by Shanae's hand. A wide, wicked grin stretched across her face and she cleared her throat, drawing attention to herself.

"Healing is what Miss Bones can do. If there is anything else, she doesn't know it." Monica said with a smug smile, smokey grey eyes on Adrian's. "She's done in here."

Shay's silver eyes shot wide open when Monica ratted on her, and she turned to the wicked women. "You bitch!" She hissed angrily, earning nothing more then a smirk from her face. "That's nice. Both of you have special talents…" Adrian mused and she watched his hand at his side, playing with his knife. "Too bad they don't particularly help me. Here's the deal. I promised Jason I would kill him first, and I can't go back on my word, and I certainly can't afford Shayla to lose the opportunity. So we will start with Jason this afternoon, and Shayla, you can burn tonight. I think that's fair. As for your questions, Jason. I shot Olivia and both her and Candace are having a nice cremation ceremony together." Then he grabbed Shanae and swiftly hauled her from the room and down the hall.

Shay stood there in shock for a second, before her silver eyes hardened in anger and her heart began to pound. Quickly, she raced out the door after Adrian and Shanae, trailing them down the hall with brisk steps, seeing red. "You asshole!" She screamed at him. "You sick asshole!" What did it matter anymore? What else could he possibly do to her now? Send her to the Box? She would feel the pain, but heal instantly. Threaten to kill her? He already did. By time they reached the rooms, Shay watched, ready to swing at him as he pulled a new blonde girl out of the room, though she stopped herself, remembering his gun. She didn't want to take away any possible time she had. Shay was brash and quick to act, but not stupid.

Then Adrian shoved the Shanae, Jason, and some new boy into one room and her and the new girl in the other, locking the door. No! She'd at least been hoping to spend a few hours with Shanae. Quickly, she jumped up and ran to the door, reaching the handle just as she heard the click of the lock. Head pounding, she tried desperately to open the locked door. "Shanae!" She screamed, finally giving up and sinking to the floor as the reality of her situation sank in. In the back of her mind, she was vaguely aware of the new girl in the room, but the other 98% of her was focused on her problem. She had to get to Shanae.

Standing, she paced the room, quickly, head spinning. She was going to die. In a few hours, Adrian would burn her to death. Shay looked down at her hands. There were no fingerprints there from when he'd burned her in the Box. The pain of it had made her scream and she knew it would be nothing compared to the pain she'd feel this evening. Now was time to act. They couldn't wait any longer. They had to get out of here. Slowly, trying to calm the billion emotions that were swirling inside her, she lowered herself onto her bed to think. She'd merely been trying to give Shanae some support. Now she'd gone and fucked it all up to no end. She was to be killed, Jason was to be killed, and Shanae was to do it. She was going to have to leave Shanae here when she was killed. Alone. The thought made her shudder, and she thought again about what Monica had said. Did Shanae doubt her? Was she angry with her? All she ever did was fail her time and time again.

Shoulders shaking, she looked up at the blonde girl, she'd worked herself into such a frenzy that her vision began to swim and another nauseating headache that seemed to be so fond of her now that she'd been to the doctor came over her. No. She told herself. You will NOT pass out. Shakily, she began to think of all the tings they'd tried in the past. Escape routes, strategies, break outs. She looked at the window with its bars across it. No... That wouldn't work. They'd tried that once, and managed to pull the bars out of the wall only to find that the window behind them was three inches thick and shatter proof. Below them was solid ground and a dangerous jump, surrounding the facility- a huge barbed wire, electric fence, and gaurds, cameras, and dogs everywhere. After four hours of beating the window with a leg from one of the beds, all they'd managed to do was put three cracks in the window and let a freezing draft in that Adrian had purposely not fixed. So not the window. She thought of the vents, but though she was small, she would never fit and would be lost within an instant. There was only one other option.

Standing, she fumbled her way towards the door, falling to her hands and knees before it and having to use the handle to right herself on her knees. Her recent adrenaline rush was gone and now she was hit with a killer migraine, exhaustion from her tirade, and the exhaustion from the water tank. Not to mention the crack in the window making the room super cold and her wet body shiver. Fumbling through her wet hair, Shay silently prayed she hadn't lost her hair pin in the water tank. When she finally found it, she sighed in relief and pulled it out. It was nothing but a regular booby pin that she had lifted swiftly from Monica's hair a year ago and only kept it for lock-picking. But she couldn't focus. It was no use. Her hands were too shaky and her vision was too blurry. She turned to the new girl, frustrated and urgent, saving all kindness for later. "You." She barked, holding back tears of desperation. "I'm Shayla Bones. Been here for four years, and I'd be just peachy to answer any questions you have, but first, my life has just been given a deadline." She gestured towards the door. "I'm usually good at this." She explained, skills she learned from living on the street. "You any good at picking a lock?" Raising an eyebrow, Shay looked her over. She looked like the scared, timid type. Not a lock-picking, rule-breaking type, but she didn't care. She was her last hope.



When Adrian explained the execution to them, Monica grinned and let out one, loud sharp laugh before grabbing Nick and shoving him into the white room, slamming and locking the door behind her. Quickly, before he could protest, she chained him to the wall once more and turned to look at him. "So Nick." She grinned wickedly, knowing exactly how to get what she wanted from him. "Seems your little girlfriend is set up to die." She mused, slowly circling the water tank, running a finger around it's edge. "Don't play coy either. I saw your reaction when I pushed her under that water. You care about her. Don't you?" At this, she looked up at him. "How cute. And useful." Crossing the room, Monica stood in front of Nick, lifting his chin to look at her. "I know you were sent down to the doctor's with Shanae. I know you both got the same treatment and most likely the same powers. But I refuse to believe that all you can to is talk to people in their minds." She shook her head. "No.. I can see it in the little glances you two give each other. Maybe it's her you care about hm? Shanae, and not Shayla?" She smiled. "Anyway... Maybe we can cut a deal. You tell me the entirety of what you and Shanae can do... Every. Little. Detail... and maybe I'll talk to Adrian. See what I can do about Shay's death." She knew she couldn't do much. Maybe prolong it, but not stop it all together. Still... desperate times call for desperate measures no? "I know you think I'm a liar, but I'm not. What would I have to gain by double crossing you? Nick. Life here doesn't have to be so hard... If you just cooperate. It's up to you what to do, but I wonder..." Monica slid her tongue along her teeth and pretended to ponder something. "I wonder... If you decide to gamble with her life and she does end up getting out of it anyway, I'm curious to see what she thinks when she finds out you had the chance to save her. And didn't. Or Shanae? If it's her you care about, I hardly think she'll ever forgive you for either killing her best friend, or gambling with her life. They're all they have left." She shook her head slowly and grinned, knowing she had him. "So what will it be?"

Shay smirked down at the girl as she picked the lock for her. With the new hope of getting out, her vision was focusing again and though she hadn't stopped shaking and her head was still pounding, she could at least see and she wasn't in danger of passing out. "...And just so you know just because you have a deadline on your life doesn't give you the right to bitch." Her thoughts were so focused that she only caught a bit of her sentance and shrugged, leaning back. "You might want to get used to it." She smirked. Or not. Most people didn't. They'd refused to put up with it.

When the door finally open, Shay resisted the urge to shove the new girl out of the way and just followed her, rushing into the hall. She heard the blonde tell her to take care of the cameras, but she was already ontop of it. With one ofher shoes and a swift throw, the closest camera was out and Adrian would have to replace it for the millionth time. After another agonizing minute, the door to Shanae's room was open and it didn't even take a second for Shanae and Shay to find each other.

Shanae threw her arms around her and Shay returned the embrace, burying her face in her friends hair. "Shayla...why?" She heard her muffle and felt a wetness on her shoulder. Whether it was tears or blood wetting her shirt, Shay didn't know, but she just sighed and squeezed Shanae harder. "Because I'm a dumbass that's why." She said sadly and honestly. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

Then Shanae went limp in her arms and fell to the ground, gripping her head. Shocked, Shay dropped next to her and placed a hand on her back. "Shanae? You okay?" She asked softly before her friend came to, claiming that she figured out another power. The bitter irony of it hit her. Shay was the one who's head was on the chopping block, and Shanae was discovering new powers. With a sigh, she helped Shanae stand.

"I suppose we should tell the new ones what's going on" Her friend's shockingly green eyes found hers, and she knew she didn't want to be the one to do it so Shay spoke up. "Basically you're at a bullshit facility." She said, leaning on a wall. "I'm Shayla, this is Shanae. We've been here for four years. They've been doing experimenting and killing people off for years. You're not really sick." She shook her head and sighed. "Piss someone off and you get beat or tortured. Then you're sent to the doctor. That's what this place is about. Experimentation. They're giving us powers, but until now, all it's done is fail." Now she choked, thinking of Melissa. "We," she gestured to her, Shanae, and Jason, "we got some, but Jason and I here don't seem to be satisfactory for Adrian. The guy with the gun." She looked at Shanae, holding her green eyes with silver ones. "we've been given expiration dates and Shanae here is going to be the one to end it."

"Shut up!" She grinned when Nick screamed at her and pulled hard against his chains, ready to kill her. "Why would i trust you? Your one of the ones that took everything from us! Just because your life didn't turn out perfect you have to ruin ours. Your nothing but a rotten bitch that's going to burn." Silently, she watched as anger turned to submission and laughed lightly. "Monica... If it helps Shay in any way I'll tell you. My powers are like Shanae's, but I can sense where things are. I noticed it before you took us to this room. And so far that's all i know."

Considering his answer, Monica paced a slow circle before coming to a stop before him once more. "There's nothing more?" She asked, raising a single eyebrow. "Shanae tells me she can talk into other people's minds. But only if she's touching them. Is this true? There's nothing else?" She mused, lifting his chin to look him in the eye. "You see... The thing is that I don't believe you. You know something. She knows something. Has she told you anything else?" Her smokey gray eyes held his, looking for any give. Any weakness. "There's more. I know it. I've been given permission to do with you what I wish Nicholas. I can stay here all day and make sure you go through agonizing pain every second of it." She grinned. "While meanwhile Shay's time is ticking."

Axel felt himself get casually thrown onto his bed. He laid up against the wall feeling a little dizzy and light headed still. He saw that no one was in the room yet and wondered how long he had been out. He looked at his arms and saw they were a bit bigger than usual. He stood up and looking down to see the rest of him had gotten a bit bigger in muscle build. He thought to himself and wondered if anything special came from taking that weird pill he ate. He looked around the room to try and find something to test his new muscles on. He found a wood chair sitting in the corner of the room and walked towards it. He lifted his leg up and brought it down towards the chair with full strength causing the chair to splinter into pieces all over the room.

He looked at himself in amazement he just couldn't believe what he had just done. He thought to himself, "Yes I have super strength. This is so cool, maybe now I'll be able to help everyone escape from this wretched place." Then Shayla and some new girl he had never met walked into the room. That's when he remembered that Adrian had killed Kevin and Candace. Axel became angry by all that had occurred, but he calmed down cause he could tell they saw what had happened to the chair because of him. The last thing he wanted was to scare Shayla or the new girl. He said, "Hey Shayla it feels like forever since I've seen you." He then looked at the new girl and stuck out his hand, "Hi my name is Axel. What might yours be?"

Axel heard Shayla say, "Dito." Then the girl whose hand he was shaking spoke up and said, "Emily." Then a girl he didn't know walked in and had said, "Um, Shayla?" That's when Shayla turned around and snapped, "Yeah. That's me unfortunately. What the hell do you want?" He walked up to Shayla and said, "I'm going to leave you guys for a second but I will be back. I'm gonna go check on everyone else, don't worry I'll behave myself." He then walked closer leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I had a visit with the doctor as well. I now have a special ability which is super strength. But I could have more I don't know yet." He leaned away and looked at the surprised look on Shayla's face. He then said to everyone, "Alright I'll be back real quick." He then walked off toward the other dorm to go see how Shanae and the others were doing.

He got to the dorm and tried the door, but it didn't open so he yelled in, "Hey Shanae are you guys in there? I have something I wanna tell you. It is so amazing and I think it could really help you guys. So answer me if you are awake and can hear me." He sat there and waited for a response from her or anyone at that matter. He thought about whether or not to break the door to let everyone out or to see if they are even in there.

Axel feels himself get pulled back into his dorm room by Shayla. She yelled, "God you idiot. You're going to get Shanae killed." Axel looked at her surprised she was as strong as she was. He then paused and thought for a moment to himself while she talked to the new girl. Then Destiny came and took the two new girls. He could only imagine the pain they were gonna be in. He then heard Destiny tell the new guy to go with. He hoped they would be alright. He then looked at Shayla and said, "I need to tell Shanae about what happened to me. I think I have finally found something that can help us out of here. I'm going to talk to her no matter what, this is to help all of us." He looked at her but she seemed upset at him. At this point Axel didn't care and walked towards the door. This time he was ready for if she tried anything with him. He walked out the door back to Shanae and looked in the door. This time he saw her and said, "Shanae come here I have something really important I need to talk to you about. It's about me and a recent trip to the doctor. I think if I'm right I could really help you and the others." He watched as she walked towards him and got near the door. He whispered to her, "I visited to the doctor and took some special pill. After I woke up I had more muscle than before and I'm much stronger. There might be something else but I don't know yet. Is there anyway I can help you? Maybe break down the door, or when we do go to escape fight off Adrian and whoever else." He sat there waiting for a response from her. He could tell that she was really shocked at the new development. Whether it was good or bad he wasn't sure of.

Shanae looked at Axel and had said, "Everyone else has been to the doctor too, you just missed us all discovering our "gifts"." Then Shay came running by and had said, "Axel, I need you to cover for me if someone shows up. Say one of the staff members took me to the bathroom or that I went with to Destiny's class. Something good. I'll be right back." Shanae looked at Axel again and said, "I am not sure there is much you can do...obviously you give us a bit better chance, using your strength now would probably just cause troubel." she bit her lip. "I know you want to help, but they still have guns and weapons, far more then what we have. If you let me out now, I'll just be punished. Wait for now. Daniel, the one of the new ones, has some sort of plan I think...once we have him back we can organize something…" Foot steps could be heard coming from down the hall. Then a familiar voice followed the footsteps the voice said, "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Axel looked over to see Monica as she slapped in him in the face. Axel was shocked at the fact he couldn't even feel a single drop of pain. She had asked, "Where the hell is Shay?!"

Axel looked at her still surpirsed he wasn't feeling anything then she grabbed Shanae by the wrist. She said to her, "Tell me now, and it better be good or so-help-me-god I'll kill her myself when I find her." Then Monica pushed Jason into the dorm where Shayla and Axel stayed in. She then tapped her foot at Axel and Shanae tapping her foot and asked, "Well?!" Shanae looked at Axel and gave him a signal to stay quite for the time being. She then told Monica, "Destiny sent her to Adrian for coming out again" Monica stared at Shanae while thinking her answer through, she then out a finger on Shanae's chin and made her look up at her in the eyes. She the told Shanae, "Too bad Adrian's busy. And Destiny knows it. So where is she really at?" Monica sat there for a second thinking and then went on with, "Axel, get back in your dorm. I'm going to wait out here for Miss Bones to return. If either of you come out of your rooms again, I wont hesitate to punish you and report to Adrian." He sat in there for a bit with Jason and wondered if there was anything he could do to help.

A few minutes later Shayla came running into the room and helped Jason with his arm. She then said, "Adrian's a bitch huh?" She then sat right next to him on the bed and then Adrian came near the dorms. He talked to Monica loud enough where he heard him say, "Miss Flack I will deal with the offender after we have re-instated our authority. Once Jason's dealt with, you can do whatever you like to whoever has decided to cross your path. As for now, simply give them a couple of blows and lead everyone left in Dorm two to the gym. Jason is to walk without help." Axel was left to be the only person in the dorms. He sat there for what felt like hours to him and nobody came back he truly feared for what might of happened to everyone. Finally he passed out on his bed in a sitting up position waiting for everyone to get back.

Monica listened to Adrian's orders before nodding curtly and turning to Destiny. "Come on." She said, turning away and leading the two of them through the facility and back to the dorms. "You've been relived Lesly." She told the Staff A standing guard at the door before looking at Destiny.

"I'll take Nick and Shayla for the torturing. You can make sure the rest of them clean the gym. Then give them the hardest class they've ever had. Try and outdo me. If that's possible." She smirked cockily. "Remember that Daniel and Shanae are supposed to stay behind." With that, she went into Shayla's room and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her from the room.

"Seems you, Nick, and I have an... Appointment. In the Box." Monica sneered, dragging the blonde girl into Shanae's dorm by her hair to retrieve Nick. She grabbed the back of his shirt and shoved him out into the hall, releasing her grip on Shayla. Whipping out her knife, Monica grinned. "Walk. That's an order. Not a suggestion." She barked, kicking their ankles forward.

Monica walked them all the way down to the Box and unlocked the door. Behind it, the black room opened up and she grinned, pushing the two of them in and slamming the door behind her. With a swift hand, she grabbed Nick and shackled him to the wall. Turning to Shayla, she slapped her hard across the face, forcing her to her knees in front of the whipping post where she tied her hands so tightly, blood surfaced.

Standing, Monica faced Nick. "Seems you had a little... hiccup with Adrian earlier. Wouldn't agree to do what he wanted." She grinned wickedly. "Well I expect this to go much faster." She pointed to Shay. "You can watch me torture her until she'd unconscious, and after what you just saw in the gym, I highly doubt you want that. So. Do you want to do this the easy way..." Monica looked down at Shayla and kicked her hard. "Or the hard way. I'm perfectly okay with both." Stony eyes glinted wickedly. There was no way he'd let her torture Shay. If only Shanae wasn't in bad shape. Then she'd really have him.



In her room, Shay sat on one of the cots and plopped her face in her hands, exhausted. They couldn't stay here any longer. They just couldn't. She couldn't watch anyone else get hurt. Couldn't handle another God damn death. It was too much. With a groan, she looked up at the others in the room, dropping her hands and standing sharply. There was no way she was going to let this go on any longer. There had to be a way out of this place. A hard, determined look came to her face, as she began to mentally run through everything her and Shanae hadn't tried.

A cold hand twined itself in her hair and snapped her out of her thoughts with a jump, heart beating fast. It was Monica. A hard yank caused her to stumble forward and Monica dragged her out into the hall. "Seems you, Nick, and I have an... Appointment. In the Box."

"Dammit Monica!" She hissed angrily. "You think you can just let me walk?! Where the hell would I run?!" Another yank told her that she'd been ignored and Shayla bit down on her jaw hard to keep from yelping. The witch grabbed Nick and pushed them back out into the hall again, finally releasing her.

Shay stood for a second, massaging her head before Flack ordered them to walk at knife point so she obeyed, biting her lip. What could they possibly want now? Wasn't one beating enough for the night? God. It's like they were trying to emotionally kill her. They couldn't physically scar her. Not anymore with how fast she could heal. Her old scars were still present, but any new ones were history.

At the Box, Shay was shoved roughly forward again. "God, what the hell is it with you? I would have walked in on my own." She rolled her eyes and a second passed as Monica strung up Nick. Her sliver eyes watched the boy before the woman crossed to her and slapped her hard across the face, sending her to the ground. Her hands were bound tightly to the whipping post in the center of the Box, and blood began to seep down her wrists. "Seems you had a little... hiccup with Adrian earlier. Wouldn't agree to do what he wanted." Dramatic pause, Shay rolled her eyes. "Well I expect this to go much faster. You can watch me torture her until she'd unconscious, and after what you just saw in the gym, I highly doubt you want that. So. Do you want to do this the easy way..." Monica gave her a hard kick to the ribs and Shayla let out a soft huff of air and a groan. "Or the hard way. I'm perfectly okay with both."

So that's what this is about? She looked up at Nick, meeting his eyes with her silver ones. Don't do it. I can handle the pain, I've handled it for four years and I'll heal fast anyway. She begged him with her eyes, hoping he'd understand her.

Axel was awoken by a sudden thud sound against the wall. He looked over to see Erin had punched the wall. She then yelled, "Idiot." He saw that everyone was back but were all very upset. He didn't wanna to cause worse tension about what happened so he just sat there quietly. He heard Erin say, "Well that is just great!" In a very sarcastic tune, now he was really confused on what happened. Not to long after Monica came and snatched Shayla out of the room. To Axel it seemed everything had fallen apart while he had napped. The next thing he know Destiny came by the dorms and took Emily away. She then came back later and said, "Class now. I'll give you two minutes to get into the gym and into a single file line. In alphabetical order. Anyone who fails will be the target for this class." Axel gets up out of the bed and sees that Erin is very scared. He gives her a look that says, 'I try and protect you the best I can.' Axel went and lined up at the very first spot since his name began with 'A'. Axel heard Erin say, "Where is Emily?" He was curious about this too and asked, "What did you do to her you heartless monster?"

"A hiccup? I still wouldn't help him. Not after what he did to Shanae and not after what your about to do." Monica sighed as if she didn't care, but her stormy grey eyes hardened, irritated. She was sure she'd had him. Glancing at Shay, she found the pleading look on her face and rolled her eyes, kicking Shay hard in the ribs.

"You're not protecting anyone Shay." She hissed wickedly, grabbing a fistful of blonde hair and yanking her head back to face her. "Adrian needs Nick to find something. That's all. What's the harm?" Grinning, Monica dropped her head, smacking it hard against the post she was roped to. "If there's a brain in your head, you need to use it Shay. You may heal quickly, but you'll still feel the pain."

Turning sharply, she crossed the room to Adrian's various torture instruments. She ignored the counter and cabinets, reaching for a hot metal poker that had been resting in a crackling fire. "You will agree Nick. Or I'll torture her until she's unconscious. She's spent four years in this place Nick." Monica pleaded falsely, trying to pull sympathy from him. "Don't you think she's had enough?"

She turned to Shay, lowering the red hot piece of metal until it was level with her back. Using it's end, she swiped the girl's blonde hair out of the way. A satisfied grin came to her lips as Shay's back tensed, readying herself. After a moment's hesitation, Monica thrust the metal towards Shay, slapping her hard on the back with it and holding it there as the thin skin along her spine burned. The scream that rose from the girls throat made Monica grin and pull the rod from her back for a second only to slam it right back at her, this time holding it firmly against her neck. Again, Shay shrieked.

"Had enough yet Nick?" Monica grinned, digging the tip of the poker into the place where her shoulder met her neck, watching the red line of blood trickle down her singed skin.

"Hurting her wont get the answers you want." Monica lifted the rod from Shayla's bleeding neck and raised an eyebrow. "We can be here all night. My answer is no." She glanced down at tied up Shay for a second before whirling around and slamming Nick hard in the face with the rod. Smirking at the huge red mark across his skin, Monica placed the tip of the rod on the ground and leaned on it nonchalantly.

"You hear that darling?" Monica talked over her shoulder to Shay. "He'll let you get beat up." She locked her stone cold eyes on Nick and grinned wickedly. "What is it you want Nick?" She asked, "protection for your friends?" She gestured to Shay. "Because the way I see it, your refusal is only hurting them more. The faster Adrian finds his item, the faster you get out of here Nick. Don't you want that? And even if not for yourself, I know you want Shay and Shanae's freedom." In truth, she couldn't completely guarantee their freedom, it was up to Adrian what to do with the subjects once they were no longer useful. It was a good bargaining tool though.

Again she lifted the rod and smacked him hard on the other cheek. The red mark on the left one was dulling and turning into a purple bruise now. She glanced at Shay. No marks. As she'd expected. Turning back to Nick, Monica threw the poker back into the fire. "What is it you think you're doing? Being the hero? Being tough and rebellious?" Monica laughed wickedly. "The way I see it, you're chained to a wall and there's nothing you can do about being here but obey." She shook her head, dark waves bouncing. "Don't you understand that you're making this place hard on yourself by disobeying?" Her dark gray eyes narrowed on his. "You, Shanae, and Shay may think you're so badass Nick, but really you're just stupid. You're quick to act, but slow to think."

Turning, Monica crossed back over to the weapons rack and mulled over what she wanted to choose. In the end, she decided to go with the whip. Pulling the long black coil from the wall, Monica turned back to the two of them. "Do you want to keep going Nick? Because really, I have better things to do, but I could go all night. And even if she passes out, I've still got you, and Shanae." Grinning wickedly, she flicked the whip. It moved like a deadly extension to her arm and snapped Nick across his bruised cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. The whip had always been her weapon of choice, and over her years at the facility, she'd all but mastered it.



Shay watched as Monica lectured Nick and hissed, as she pulled out a whip and lashed it at Nick. In all honesty, she really didn't feel like being whipped because Adrian wanted something, but she didn't know the details. Nick did, and if he thought it was important enough to keep Adrian from getting, then what the hell? What's another set of scars? To her, if it pissed Adrian off, it was worth it. Tilting her head up, she tossed her blonde hair from her face. She could feel the blood at her neck, still wet, but the pain and the wound were both gone. She looked up at Monica.

"Oh please Monica." She hissed, silver eyes on the whip in her hand. "As if we all don't know that as soon as we're useless, Adrian's going to kill us." She smirked. The only ways out of here are death or escape. She looked up at Monica. Probably death. Turning to look at Nick, she could see the bruises on his cheeks and the red line of blood running down one.

Dammit. This is my fault. Nick wasn't meeting her eyes, so she dropped hers back to the floor again and sighed, readying herself for Nick's refusal and the sting of the whip on her back. "You're such a bitch Monica." She hissed, shifting uncomfortably where she was kneeling. If Destiny hadn't have caught them in the hallway, would she be here? If she'd been more careful to hide that she cared about Nick, would she? No, but it was better her then Nick anyway. Nick hadn't really had the joy of having the full experience of Monia or Adrian's tortures yet, and she'd like to keep it that way. She'd dealt with it so many times before, she could do it again.

Bleh, short. Time crunch, sorry -.-

Monica listened attentively to Nick's little speech, ignoring Shay's comments. "I say it again. My answer is no." She watched as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back, almost relaxed. This pissed her off and her whip shot out again with a large crack, slicing him just below the eye, allowing even more blood to run down his face.

"HA!" She smirked loudly, pulling the whip back in and shacking her head with laughter. "You're going to try and guilt me?" Rolling her eyes, she cracked the whip, allowing the sound to echo in the room. "The world doesn't even know what's going on in this facility. All they think is happening is research for a disease. Didn't the people who picked you up tell you that?" Again, she rolled her eyes. "When this place shuts down, the government will just tell everyone that we've found a cure and it's all over. Then, they'll burn the facility and make up some bullshit excuse about getting rid of the disease and it's germs completely. You'll be dead..." She grinned, "And I'll move on to be in government." Laughing wickedly, she stepped up close to him and grabbed his chin harshly, making him look at her and digging her nails deep into the cut on his cheek. "If you want any chance of a future, you'll do what Adrian says." She dug her nails in deeper. "And you'll watch this. I see your eyes close one more time and Shanae will join her down there."

"I'll go until you tell me to stop or she's unconscious Nick. Just say when." Grinning wickedly, she slammed his head back against the wall and turned sharply on her heel to face Shay. She knelt behind her and yanked the back of her shirt up over her head. "Remember Shay." She hissed. "He's letting this happen to you." and with that, Monica pulled back sharply and stood, raising her arm high, black whip in hand. And brought it down with all her strength and speed onto Shayla's slim, bare back. Monica grinned, rewarded by a deep gash, and whipped her arm forward again and again, tearing Shay's skin with every hit.



Shayla watched as Nick tried to guilt Monica and caught the silent "I'm sorry" he shot her way. I know Nick. It's ok. She thought, wishing she could tell him. She didn't want him to feel guilty. Especially not for her sake. Her eyes followed Adrian's black whip in Monica's hand closely. She'd seen it kill a boy before. The thought made her wince and look down. At least this time it was her under the whip, not Nick. She couldn't do that again. Just couldn't.

When Monica was done lecturing Nick and advanced on her, Shay pinched her eyes shut for a second before completely wiping her face clean of emotion, silver eyes locked on an invisible dot straight ahead. "Remember Shay." Monica's voice hissed in her ear. [b]"He's letting this happen to you." Shay rolled her eyes.

"Better me then him or Shanae." Was all she said, before Monica pulled back sharply. A moment of hesitation hung in the air and Shay's back tensed. And the loud crack of the whip broke the silence, striking down hard on her back. The force and speed Monica was able to use the whip with shocked her, and she found it hard to breathe as pain danced it's way across her skin. Searing pain. Like the burning-ice sensation running through her veins of the injection Adrian had given her. Only this was on her skin, burning her back fiercely. Still, she bit down so hard on her tongue that blood filled her mouth and she had to spit it out. She wouldn't scream. She wouldn't give Monica that satisfaction.

Monica whipped her again, and again, each time causing her to jerk and bite down on her tongue, and each time with more and more force. She could feel her back being torn and her new powers working furiously to heal it, exhausting her body even more. Spitting out another mouthful of blood, Monica struck her so hard, Shay's body collapsed completely to the floor with only her arms raised up, tied to the post. A loud scream finally tore from her lips, and she fought down a second one.

Shay was beginning to lose consciousness. Usually, she'd be able to stay awake much longer, but the emotional strain of Shanae's whipping along with her body trying to heal her wounds were wearing her out fast. She fought to stay awake. There was no way she was going to fall asleep and let Monica have a go at Shanae or Nick in her place. Her eyes flickered and she whimpered, but kept consciousness. All she wanted to to was let the black velvet of sleep take her, but she couldn't. She wouldn't let anyone take her place. They could be killed. At least she was healing. It would be over soon. Though she knew she didn't have much time left as her blinks got slower and slower with each strike and the pain came in waves. Her healing was counteracting weirdly, numbing the pain for a few seconds while it tried to heal the wounds, then Monica would strike extra hard and all of the burning fire would roll over her, making her scream even though she'd told herself she wouldn't.

"Stop!" Nick cried behind Monica finally. "Your going to kill her." And she stopped her hand in midair, right as it was sailing for Shay again. The tip of the whip still hit her, but it was nothing compared to what she had been doing. Slowly, she coiled up her whip in one flick, blood splashing up her arm as she did so. Victory filled her and a grin spread across her face as she turned to look at Nick with a proud gleam in her eyes.

"Finally had enough?" She her smiled widened and stretched into a smirk. "Or do you want me to go until she's blacked out?" Just for effect, she whipped Shay, who'd been climbing back to her knees, once more, sending her back to the ground again before turning back to the chained-up Nick. She noted the tears in his eyes and gloated. She knew Shay had been the right choice. People will do anything with a little incentive. A lesson she'd learned from Adrian. "Ready to agree to do what Adrian says?" Monica asked, flicking the whip softly at her side as a constant reminder that as soon as he said no, she was ready to let it fly again. "Honestly Nick. It's the best chance you have to save yourself." She glanced at Shay. "And your friends."

It would be against Adrian's orders to kill Shay, but it wouldn't hurt to make sure the two of them thought she would.



"Stop!" Nicks voice cut through the violent cracking of the whip, swimming it's way somehow into her fuzzy hearing, and registering in her thread of consciousness. He'd told Monica to stop whipping her. Suddenly, the constant, rhythmic pain of the whips stopped and the room was suddenly pin-drop quiet. Or maybe she just couldn't hear anything. Her head was spinning and the only sense that wasn't in slow-mo was her sense of touch and feel. No. That she was one-hundred percent aware of as the burning pain danced across every nerve in her back. She felt her body working to heal the cuts, causing extreme exhaustion. She couldn't keep up with it. Breathing heavily, she fought to stay awake and listen to what was going on.

And yet through all of this, all she could think was: NO! Don't do what Adrian says! Over and over again, this ran through her head. Please Nick. I'm ready to die. I've been ready for three and a half years. Don't do this for my sake. She fought to say the words, but her throat was clogged with blood from biting back screams. So instead, she began to work her way to her knees.

Only to be whipped back down by Monica, sending another wave of pain crashing over her. She couldn't hear, and even if she could, her foggy head couldn't comprehend the words. Shay had no idea if Nick had accepted Monica's offer or not yet, but she had to do something. "Nick..." She croaked, voice thick as she tried not to choke on her own blood. She kept her eyes locked on the post in front of her, though the edges of her vision were going black. "Don't- don't do it..." Coughing up blood, she groaned and let her head drop to the blood-spattered floor, though still keeping her eyes open.

She was prepared to die here. She wouldn't let Adrian get whatever the hell he wanted. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. It just couldn't be based on what he was doing to innocent kids over it. He'd killed so many, and if this thing would give Adrian any form of power, she was going to keep it from him. Nick couldn't say yes. She'd rather die than give Adrian any more influence than he already had.

Her only regret would be Shanae. If Nick said no, and Monica whipped her to death, Shay would never be able to say goodbye to her friend. Or sorry. Sorry for not trying harder. For always getting them in trouble. For being downright stupid. And for leaving her alone. Though she wasn't really alone now she guessed... She had Daniel and Nick now. Silently, Shay wondered who would grieve over her death. Shanae would be sad, sure, but she'd seen so many deaths over the past four years. Somehow, Shay guessed that hers would sting for a while, but in the end, she'd merely be another name on that never-ending list. Plus, she had Daniel and Nick to help her get over it. The only other person she could think of was Nick. Though Nick was newer then Shanae, so maybe her death would hurt him. Maybe not. Afterall, they'd barely known each other. It was a thing Shay thought about often while in the Box. Who would know about her death? Would her brothers, if they were even still alive, would they be informed? Would they even care about their sister who'd been taken from them four years ago.

Finding herself drifting off, Shay yanked herself from her morbid thoughts. Shut up and stop feeling sorry for yourself. She cursed herself. It was unhealthy to think that way. She couldn't get soft. She'd stayed strong for so long. Now was not the time to let them break her. Somehow, though there were no signs of it, Shay felt like they were on the verge of a breakthrough. Slowly, she rose herself to her knees again and turned her pounding head to face Nick. She couldn't talk again, but she was good at sending messages with her eyes so she let her silver ones find his. Do what you think is right Nick. And then she lay herself back down and turned her head away, thinking of Shanae's face so fiercely, her foggy mind could almost swear she was in the room with them. Stay. Awake. For her.

"Give her a break. If you do... I might help." Finally, he looked utterly defeated. Monica grinned. "Let me get her bandages and food. Please." Nick begged, looking up at her. With a sigh, Monica sucked in her cheeks, mulling over his offer. She'd defeated him, but still he was only giving her a maybe? No. Not good enough. "No." She hissed, stepping forward. "I'll unlock you, and you can fix her up. I'll even give you a minute alone with her." She smiled as if she was doing him a favor. "But I'm telling Adrian that you agreed." She grabbed his face and yanked it towards her. "Do you hear me boy?" She pointed at Shayla. "You disappoint me, and I kill your girlfriend. Don't think I wont follow through on that." She grinned wickedly and pushed his head back violently against the wall, turning back to Shay. She knelt beside the girl and grabbed hold of her bloody blonde hair, yanking her head back to look up at her. "You're pathetic." She hissed angrily. "The sooner you realize that I always win, the better off you'll be." She glanced at Nick. "The two of you are just downright stupid. Maybe if you were smarter, you would have hid your feelings better." She laughed wickedly before dropping Shay's head with a heavy thump against the pole and straightening up. "I'll be right back with your shit Nick." She hissed and coiled up the whip, tossing it back on it's hook before marching out of the room.

Monica moved down the hall with an evil smirk on her face, reaching the med-room in less than a minute with her powerful stride. When she was inside, she grabbed a first-aid kit and some rags and a water bottle. Then she grabbed a mop, a small bit of food, and a clean black t-shirt before heading back to the Box. When she came back in, she had to let her eyes re-adjust to the blackness of the room before she could do anything. "Back. Miss me?" She smirked and dropped the pile of things to the ground, still holding the mop. She crossed to Nick and unlocked him, shoving the mop in his hands violently. "Clean up while you're at it. The place is a mess."

And with that, she spun on her heel and left the room, slamming the door hard behind her and locking it so that they couldn't get out. She'd come back and get them in a while. Right now she had to tell Adrian that she'd been a success. First, she went to his room, but he wasn't there. She heard movement out in the hallway though, she she stepped out to investigate, finding him dragging little Erin along by the wrist. "Adrian." She could tell he was in a hurry, so instead of stopping, she kept pace with him, walking briskly by his side and speaking fast. "Nick was a success. I used Shay, and he's agreed to find your object. Shay's still alive. He's down there cleaning the room right now. Anything else you'd like me to do?" He glanced at Erin as he hauled her along. She was the last one he needed to change evidently. Silently, she wondered why he was in such a hurry. She knew most everything that went on in the facility, but still... There were things Adrian hadn't even told her...



Shay heard Monica's low growl of a voice speak once more to Nick. That's all it was though. A low rumbling. Her hearing was still fuzzy. Then there was a pain at her scalp as Monica yanked her head up by her hair and Shay hissed, looking up into the woman's stone-grey eyes. Silently, she listened to her rant about how stupid they were. "Fuck you." She choked, and as a reward, Monica slammed her head against the whipping post. Great. Her head started pounding and she coughed up more blood as her hearing went out again.

A loud slam shook her and it took her a moment to realize that Monica had left. Though it wasn't long before she returned again, and once more, she heard the low rumbling of her voice. Words jumped in here and there. "Agreed... Adrian... Dissapoint... Kill her..." Then, another loud slam and Monica was gone again. What? Nick had agreed to listen to Adrian because of her? A deep guilty feeling ran through the pit of her stomach and she coughed up more blood again, forcing herself to her knees. Well... At least she wasn't dead. "Thank you." She choked, kneeling in front of the post, her hands still roped tightly to it. "You didn't have to do that you know." Her voice came out in a barely audible rasp, and she winced at how bad she sounded. Her body was working to heal her, but it was taking longer than the first time, and it couldn't replenish the energy she'd had. No. Only sleep would do that. Sadly, she hadn't had a good nights sleep in four years.

She lifted her head to look at Nick, and her vision started spinning, but she kept it up. He was unlocked now and had a mop in his hand. Medical supplies lay next to her on the floor. Glancing around she saw how much blood was around her and winced before looking back at Nick again and taking in the bruise and cut on his face, bleeding openly. "Your cheek.." She trailed off, watching him.

Shay watched Nick drop the mop and run to her. “Shhh.” He said gently, silencing her thank you's. She felt him untie her and she dropped her arms to her lap, leaning on him as he wipped up some of her blood with the rag. Her wrists burned where the rope had been tied, and she looked down to see that they were bruised and bloody. Shit. “Don’t thank me for anything.” She heard him say, and struggled to look up at him, but was hardly able to lift her head. How could she not thank him? He'd just stopped Monica's torture and possibly saved her best friend from the same thing. Even if that meant giving into Adrian.

She was going to speak up when she felt something against her lips. “Come on take a sip.” Nick said, and she forced herself to tilt her head back, catching the look of guilt on his face as she did. Water ran down her dry throat and she sighed softly, drinking it gratefully as it cleared away the clogged, scratchy feeling of her screams and the blood in her mouth from biting down on her tounge was washed away. She sat, leaned against him in silence as he finished cleaning her up, giving her small drinks of the water. When he was done, she had to sit up on her own, using the post for support as he slid her bloody shirt off. The pain in her back made her close her eyes, even though she knew he was being as gentle as he could. Once the ruined shirt was off, he helped her slip into a clean white t-shirt. The new, soft cotton fel good on her burning skin and she sighed as he lifted her gently and moved her. Thank you Nick. She though silently to herself as she leaned her shoulder against the wall and closed her eyes. The wounds on her back were closing up, leaving behind white scars, but her nerves still screamed with pain and her energy was still draining.

Shay didn't even know how long it had been before she felt Nick's closeness again. He wrapped his arms around her gently, waking her from her half-asleep state, and lifted her up. It was strange, accepting help from him. It wasn't something she was used to, but she was just happy she didn't have to walk. Her legs felt like jell-o and the thought of holding up her wieght was agonizing. He carried her out of the room and down the hall. She curled up in his arms and allowed herself to feel small for a moment. It felt good to not have to be the strong one all the time. “Shayla? I’m sorry.” She heard Nick say, and lifter her eyes to look at him. There was guilt all over his face.

Shay shook her head softly, noticing that the pounding was going away a little. "For what?" She whispered, voice still a little hoarse, but rgaining it's strength. "If you're sorry for them using me against you, don't be." She placed her hand against his cheek for a second before dropping it. "I'm just as guilty of that as you are. And you can't possibly be sorry for stopping Monica. If you think you've let me down by agreeing to her terms, you haven't. And you don't have to be sorry that she beat me either. I've handled it a thousand times, what's one more?" Shay sighed softly with the effort of talking. "You didn't do anything wrong. Don't do what I do and blame yourself for everything. It's a hard habit to break." She finished and rested her head back against his chest, closing her eyes halfway.



On her way to check on Erin, Adrian stopped her and Destiny walked up behind. "I need both of you to get the lot of them outside." He said, and she could tell by the tone of his voice that something had irritated him. "There is a truck waiting for them, make sure they are each caged separately and none get away." He gave them both a pointed look, but Monica shook it off and nodded obiediently. "Destiny, collect Nick and Shayla, Monica you can deal with the group upstairs, I'll take care of Erin. I assume she's sorted?"

Monica grinned and nodded. "Yes. I was just going to check on her now, but I guess you can handle that." And she turned to carry out his orders when he spoke again.

"We're all moving to one of the Science facilities." he sneered behind her "but I'll need the both of you with me to make sure we keep control of them."

"Of course." She grinned and left them there, heading back towards the room she'd just left Daniel in. Once she was there, she threw the door open and gave them all a nod, making sure they were all still there. Shanae, Axel, Jason, and Daniel. Yep. Good. "You're being moved." She said simply. "You're to come with me and give me no trouble." She raised her eyebrows. "And to make sure you don't try somethign stupid at your first breath of fresh air, you're going with me one by one." She jerked her thumb towards Shanae. "Starting with you. Come on Vena, up." Monica yanked the dark haired girl to her feet and dragged her from the room by her arm, walking briskly down the hall.

At the door, she took Shanae's arm by the wrist and wrapped it around to her back. If the girl tried to run, she'd break her own arm. And with that, she shoved her outside and walked her quickly to the truck Adrian had described. The man standing nearby leaped forward like he was going to take over, but Monica held up her hand. She could see why Adrian had been so pissed. "No. Just lock the cage." She hissed and shoved Shanae in the truck, pushing her quickly in the first cage. Once it was locked, she whirled away and repeated the same process for the three boys, making sure to put them on one side of the truck and Shanae on the other so that they couldn't talk without speaking outloud where she could hear them.

Once she was done, she stepped from the back of the truck and leaned her hip against it, arms across her chest to wait for Destiny with Nick and Shay, and Adrian with Erin.

Shay felt Nick's uncertainty, and wanted to say something else but couldn't. She was just too exhausted, and there was suddenly someone else in the hall with them. "Put her down. She has legs she can use them." She heard Destiny bark, and lifted her head from its spot on Nick to look at the woman. The thought of holding up her weight made her want to puke, but Nick set her down gently and held her around the waist, allowing her to use him for support. Once Destiny had rolled her eyes and whirled around, she shot him a look of thanks and they followed her down the hall to wherever the woman was taking them.

An empty room apparently. Shay was confused. "Uh..." She began, but before the sarcastic comment was out, Destiny yanked her away from Nick, threw her down in a corner, and kicked her swiftly in the ribs. The kick caused her hearing to ring once more like it had during Monica's whipping and her moment of accepting help and feeling small flew right out the window. "Bitch!" She hissed at Destiny hoarsely, and Nick was yanked from the room, the ringing in her ears preventing her from hearing Destiny's parting words. Not that that was a problem anyway.

Shay groaned, holding her hand to her ribs as the elbow supporting her gave way and she slumped to the floor to wait for whatever was going on. She'd never been in this room before. Why had Destiny taken Nick? She though of Nick and groaned again. Oh God, please don't be hurting him. She rolled painfully onto her side. Great. Now, because of Monica, she couldn't lay on her back, and because of Destiny, she couldn't lay on her stomach either. Fan-freaking-tastic.

"Your turn." Destiny's voice came to her a moment later sounding diluted, as it floated towards her through water instead of air. A searing pain at her scalp told her that she was being yanked up by her hair. "Shit!" She hissed hoarsely. "What the hell is it with you freaks and hair?!" Once she was up, Destiny grabbed her shoulder so tightly, Shay was sure there'd be a bruise, and dragged her from the room down the hall at a swift pace. She could barley keep up, stumbling along as her legs struggled to hold up her weight.

Then suddenly, she was shoved out into fresh air. What the hell? She was outside. But why? Adrian never let them outside, why now? Then just as quickly as she'd tasted it, it was ripped away and she was shoved violently into a cage in the back of a van. "Nick cares so much for you. I wonder what it would do to him to watch you die. He'll find out soon enough. And I'll make sure he watches, even if I have to hold his head and cut his eyelids off." She heard Destiny sneer at her as a man she'd never seen locked her cage.

Shay used what was left of her strength to sit up and scream back at the woman as she left the van. "Fuck off bitch!" She shrieked, the result coming out as a hoarse shrill noise, but at least you could make out her words. Slumping back down to the floor of her cage, she realized that the others were in the van too, all in their own personal cages. Jason and Daniel looked just as beat up as she did, but Axel, Shanae, and Nick looked alright. Shanae! She wanted nothing more than to hug her friend right now, but she had no energy to even move. Plus there was the matter of the cages.

With a deep groan, she forced herself to sit up against the wall of the cage and look at the others, trying hard to keep herself awake. "Someon-" She choked and started over. "Someone mind telling me what the hell is going on?" She asked, in as loud a voice as she could manage. She glanced at Nick and Shanae again, silver eyes a little wary. All she wanted to do was sleep, regain all the energy Monica had whipped out of her, but she had to figure out what was going on, and she wasn't letting anyone out of her sight again. Something big was happening and she didn't know exactly what it meant for them, but she wasn't taking chances. She wished she was close to Shanae so she could hold her hand too, but she was no where near her so she slipped her hand between the bars of Nick's cage and placed it against the back of his. "Now." She hissed, looking back at the others. "Before I pass out would be nice."

<We could use that> Shanae said slowly to everyone <But it would have to be carefully planned, and there would need to be a way you could follow us out...It's not just Adrian that we need to be careful of. There's also Miss Flack and Destiny.> Axel felt Shanae shiver then he heard in his head, <Axel?>he looked at her and her expression looked pained <To your previous question...I didn't learn to do this, Adrian did it. I can speak to Nick directly at anytime, and everyone else through touch...I can also give energy and see.> She paused for a second and continued with <...opportunities/choices that can be made, though at random.> Axel tried to understand what was going on while listening. She didn't think aloud with them for a minute. Then she continues sending thoughts to them <For the second question. I can't talk…> her thoughts became more quiet <Adrian, removed my tongue>. When Axel heard that he about jumped, at this point he thought of nothing better then smashing the man's head in. She looked around and then said <I can contact Nick…> She started trying and thought <Nick? I'm upstairs with Axel, Jason and Daniel> She seemed to happy to say that. She went on with <We're trying to plan...what has happened with you?> Then she quickly thought <Where's Shayla? I need to know she okay>

Axel heard Nick's voice say <Shanae? Shayla is fine and still very much alive.> Then all of a sudden he heard Jason's voice in his head <I can help. I think. I have wings.> Axel was awestruck at the fact Jason had wings and could fly. Then Shanae had said < I know how you feel… > All of a sudden the door slammed open and everyone moved there hands away. Monica walked in and said, "You're being moved. You're to come with me and give me no trouble." She raised her eyebrows at everyone. "And to make sure you don't try somethign stupid at your first breath of fresh air, you're going with me one by one." She jerked her thumb towards Shanae. "Starting with you. Come on Vena, up." Monica yanked Shanae to her feet and dragged her from the room by her arm. Everyone was slowly brought into a weird van it was so bright outside. Axel enjoyed his moment of freedom, then he got into the van then shoved into a cage. Axel felt his stomach ache for food and couldn't wait to get something to eat.

Suddenly Axel saw Adrian appear and shove Erin beside Shanae. Shanae backed away, moving as far away as she could. Adrian slammed the door shut before turning to the rest of them. He held a sack and proceeded to pull out small hunks of stale bread. He started handing everyone pieces, he finally reached Axel and Axel about ripped his arm off for the bread. He started eating the piece slowly to try and help with the hunger pain he was feeling. Adrian stopped at Shanae and said, "How exactly do you plan on eating this?" His own face, while mocking, also seemed to be a little surprised. "It doesn't particularly bother me, I was going to kill you anyway, and that seems reasonably torturous, though I might decide to lengthen the procedure" Adrian said, the confusion gone from his face. "I didn't exactly think of that, but I suppose it doesn't really matter either way." Axel looked at his bread and looked at Shanae he said, "Well if you dont mind someone like Daniel could chew it up for you until its like a liquid then slowly transfer it to your mouth. But that will have to wait till we are stopped."

Axel slowly ate pieces of his bread while listening to everyone he heard Shayla ask, "Someon- Someone mind telling me what the hell is going on? Now. Before I pass out would be nice." He saw Shanae touching Erin's hand and knew she was telling her what to say to her. Then out of no where the van started to move swiftly causing everyone to shift about. Axel held his arms against the bars and didn't move a bit. He looked at everyone and then there was a giant bumped as if they hit a curb. Even Axel moved upward with that bump he thought to himself, 'I wonder where this jerk got his license from.' He kept eating his bread and then got down to about fifteen percent of it. He decided to keep the rest to hand the Daniel after they got out of the van, so he could feed it to Shanae.