I was dragged to my feet and thrown into a chair, my body tense and limp at the same time, my eyes never leaving the masked man in front of me.

Fear was in my veins again, and I felt a tinge of helplessness. There was nothing I could do. I was talented, but I knew there was nothing I could do to escape whatever fate I had been condemned to. I was smart enough, but something about the plastic stare that filled my eyes told me I couldn't imagine what was in my near future. Something about that smile told me that the man underneath would feel no remorse for me, so he wouldn't hold back.

Everything was slow as I looked around the room, five men seemingly rushing around to prepare the room for my demise.

The coffee table that I hadn't noticed was dragged to the middle of the room, pulling at the carpet with a nauseating rip.

Lamps were carried out of the room, held with care in large hands.

Everyone held a look of guilt on their faces, some masked with a glint of hunger in brown eyes. Some were shielded with a smirk, but I saw through every facade. Every one except that stupid mask.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

There was that raspy voice, low and smooth, and more menacing than any murder I had witnessed. That voice was dripping with blood, carrying a tone of death. I shivered.

"My mind is blank." I answered. Because it was. I had no thoughts, only observations.

"And your heart? I imagine it's beating rather quickly. Pumping blood through your veins only for me to enjoy spilling it."

His words weren't questioning, they were designed to increase my fear, but they only calmed me. Physiologic pressure was something I was faced with before, it was familiar, and in a sadistic way the threat in that voice was comforting.

Nothing he said was real. He had no power over the things he mentioned. A small smile rested on my face, and he tilted his head in response.

"Find it funny, perhaps? Maybe my talking is helping you to relax? Perhaps you find comfort in tactics you already know?"

He already knew what I was feeling, but it made no difference. It wasn't difficult to miss the way my shoulders had relaxed, or the way my eyes were evidentially no longer heavy with a relieved stress. His realization didn't faze me. I remained silent.

"Eh, whatever, don't answer, it's fine. I'm ready for you anyway."

Rough hands gripped my arms once again, and goosebumps spread across my skin. It was useless to fight, it was hopeless to resist. Years of torture had at least taught me that much. I had been in this position hundreds of times, it wouldn't be now that I gave away information of any kind.

Wrong.

I was lain down on the coffee table, my arms and legs tied into place by rope. I couldn't move, and I didn't try.

Multiple footsteps receded, and the door closed. The men had left and it was now only my captor and I.

I closed my eyes, relaxing my body for the probable beating. I was wrong to think it was safe to assume anything. The first thing the masked man did was tear down any expectation I had, and replace it with his ideals and thirst for my pain.

"Firstly, I'd like to say, this isn't about information."

I froze. What?

"I already know pretty much everything about your father's organization, and if I need anymore information it wouldn't be too difficult to get it."

That meant he had already accessed our files. How? There hadn't been security breaches for months? How long had he been planning this?

"This is solely about you."

I started to shake. What did this man actually want from me that he didn't already have?

"This is about you, and learning that I am in power. This is about you knowing that every bit of fear you have felt thus far is very well warranted. This is about you knowing that you are as helpless as you think, if not more. This is about you knowing that anything you have tried or will try will fail."

A mask filled my view. I didn't even know when I had opened my eyes, or when beads of sweat began to trickle off of my forehead, or when my body had gotten so tense. My every nerve was held at attention, my every muscle screamed for my to comply with whatever was asked.

I was scared.

My mothers death played again and again in my mind. In my minds eye I saw my men get shot down by party guests. And at the center of my attention was that sparkling white mask with the sign I had miraculously been able to read that night.

Gotcha
These are all my men
I'll come for you next
:)

He was right there in front of me, and I was right here below him.

He had gotten me, right where he always wanted me.

His men had slaughtered so many of mine; they had spilt so much blood.

He had come for me, and he had gotten what he wanted too easily. Now the thing that haunted me most was that stupid smile on his mask and on that sign.

I was scared, I was helpless, and I had lost. The worst thing was that i think the man knew that. He evidently knew more than I ever thought he could.

I hand been under his power for long, but I had learned quickly that I needed to stop comparing anything. This was of nothing I had dealt with before. This time no one was coming for me. This time I wouldn't be able to escape.

But I would be damned if the men whose lives were even now in my hands didn't get to see freedom. They deserved to get out more than I did at this second, and they would have their reward.

I just needed to endure whatever my captor had in store for me before I could do anything.

Okay, you have to admit, this was an absolute SHIT chapter, and I'm sorry for that.

You all know I hate posting half well written chapters so I will rewrite it very soon.

I just felt rlly guilty cuz I told lysssawastaken that I would write more. That was about two days ago. And I feel bad that it took this long.

So here's a chapter, I hope you guys enjoyed as much as you could from this terrible writing, I'll fix it when I'm not exhausted

Much luv to you all 🫶

Your my inspiration for it all, never forget that.

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