Later, the other guard had come back, sighing in irritation when he opened the door to find Mad staring at him.

He'd put Mad's blindfold back on, then left.

Mad didn't know why they bothered with the blindfold. He couldn't see in the dark room anyway. Not that seeing would help him much. The guards had him tied in such a way that he couldn't even try to unbind himself, so Mad would have to wait for a more opportune moment.

The need to get back to Alice and the others was like a constant itch at the back of his mind. One he tried to ignore as much as possible.

He wondered what exactly Killian had planned to get to Mavros. He'd refused to hear what Killian was going to do in the even that something like this happened.

Mad had been more than sure that he would have either died or walked away. Getting captured had been a small possibility, but it had been a possibility all the same.

Mad didn't want to know anything worth telling if worst came to worst.

Mad sat there in the dark, wondering what they would do to him. With a grim smile, he thought it couldn't be anything worse than what the Japanese had done to him years ago. Mad knew how to play this game. Pain was just pain. Nothing more, nothing less and it had been a companion more than Mad would have liked over the years, but it did give him the upper hand.

He could handle anything they wanted to throw at him.

He wasn't expecting the water though.

Mad tensed, growling when he heard the door creak open, then was surprised by the rough cloth that was wrapped around his face, forcing his head back.

Then he was drowning.

He couldn't breath. Cold water was sharp in his nose and throat.

The water stopped and he tried to inhale, then there was more water.

They didn't ask questions yet. They didn't speak at all.

Eventually, Mad lost consciousness, only to wake up alone again, sopping wet and shivering with a cold that was painful.

He was left alone for what seemed like long stretches of time, but it was difficult to tell. Time passed differently down here. Whenever anyone came, they were usually silent, just there to hurt him. Mad supposed they were just trying to break him down.

Still, whether it was something creative, like the water, or merely a simple beating, Mad was starting to get tired. He wished they would ask him something. If only so he could have the satisfaction of telling them nothing.

Mad wasn't sure how much time had passed. He thought it might be somewhere around a week but still, it felt like it had been forever.

Finally though, something changed.

Mad stiffened when the door opened.

He inhaled and exhaled as slowly as he could, trying to keep calm. It had taken longer than he'd thought.

The blindfold was tight, holding his eyes closed, but he could still tell who had entered the room by the smell.

Gunpowder. And blood.

It rolled off of Tamsus in waves.

Mad waited, not saying anything. He jumped in surprise when Tamsus grabbed his chin gently with cold fingers, tilting Mad's face to look at the bruises there. Mad hadn't heard him cross the stone floor. Tamsus sighed. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to visit Maddy. I've been busy."

Mad's only answer was to try and yank back from Tamsus' hold on his jaw, but Tamsus' grip tightened, fingers pressing hard into already tender bruises.

Tam circled around behind Mad and draped himself over Mad's shoulders, looping an arm around his chest in an odd parody of affection, resting his sharp chin on Mad's shoulder.

When Tamsus sighed again, Mad flinched at the stir of breath in his hair and on his ear. Mad tilted his head as far to the side as he could in an effort to get away from him, and Tamsus said, "Come on Maddy. Don't play hard to get, please?" His voice became soft and begging, making Mad's skin crawl. "Please Maddy. I just want to be friends. Can't we be friends? Please?"

Mad shivered involuntarily and the stink of blood made him gag as he choked out, "Go to hell."

Tamsus was silent for a while and Mad's heart was beating so hard it shook his entire body. He knew Tamsus could feel it and was just basking in Mad's fear.

Because, for the first time in seven years, Mad was actually afraid of Tamsus. He had no idea what Tamsus was doing right now. He didn't understand this tactic, and it scared the hell out of him.

"She's getting impatient Madison," Tamsus whispered in his ear and Mad could feel Tam's mouth settle into a frown. He was much too close for comfort. "Tell us where they are and I promise I'll never let them hurt you again."

Mad gave an internal sigh, suddenly finding himself on familiar, solid ground again. He growled, "Tell Mavros she can go to hell with you."

Mad gasped in pain and surprise when a line of fire open up on his collarbone. It took him a moment to understand that Tamsus had cut him. Tamsus whined again, applying quick pressure to the cut. "Why must you always be so difficult Maddy? What are they going to do?"

"Beats the hell out of me," Mad said tonelessly. He only flinched when the next cut was opened low on his rib cage.

"I don't really want to do this Maddy," Tamsus started, but Mad cut him off.

"We've never lied to each other before Tam." Mad snarled. "Why start now?"

His voice wounded, Tamsus said, "I'm not lying Maddy. I don't want to hurt you! I've never wanted to hurt you."

Mad snorted, then said, "Coulda fooled me. Or was all that in the forest just for show? Let me guess, you've never wanted to kill me either."

Tamsus whined and leaned his head against Mad's. Mad was trembling a little but just pretended that it was a leftover from the beating earlier today, and not because he was afraid right now.

The truth was he just didn't want to admit he was afraid. Mad had been scared before, but never like this. This was sharp and visceral and completely because of Tamsus. Mad hated it.

"Killing's different," Tamsus argued.

Mad rolled his eyes under his closed lids but didn't say any more and Tamsus made a sort of distressed sound in the back of his throat.

"You have to tell me, or she'll kill you Maddy," Tamsus threatened, making Mad scowl in confusion. The movement pulled at his already split lip and Mad felt blood trickle slowly from the corner of his mouth.

"Do you understand Maddy?" Tam's voice was just on the edge of frantic. "Tell me where they are! What he's doing! Tell me and I can stop her from killing you."

"You want me dead." Mad laughed. "You just said so. 'Killing's different', remember? What's it matter if it's her or you? Either way, I'm not telling you anything."

Mad was surprised when Tamsus took off the blindfold. He blinked hard, eyes burning and stinging horribly, even in the low light. Squinting, he watched Tamsus kneel in front of him, relaxing slightly now that Tamsus was no longer touching him.

Tamsus waited patiently until Mad could see again. His hair was tied back in a short ponytail at his neck, a single red lock falling into his face, and he looked at Mad in a strange way. Almost desperately.

"Please tell me where the Spade is?" Tamsus whispered.

Quietly, unnerved by Tamsus' seriousness, Mad said, "Even if I could, I wouldn't Tam. You know that."

Mad caught the briefest flash of metal, then a cut on his cheek was weeping blood. Mad smiled a little. "Mavros won't be happy about that. I heard you can't do any permanent damage. And we both know how she feels about my face."

Tamsus put his head in his hands for a moment, then, quick as a flash, trapped Mad's face in both hands.

Mad's eyes widened and he struggled but Tamsus didn't let go. He stopped when Tamsus said, "You asked what it matters, who kills you."

Mad waited, studying Tamsus' fractured blood crystal eyes. Tamsus wiped a thumb at the warmth spilling from the cut on Mad's cheek. His breath was rapid and he said, "It matters, because if she kills you, then you belong to her."

Mad's breath froze in his throat. What was Tamsus talking about?

Tamsus wiped gently at the cut again. "Don't you understand Maddy? You'll be hers. Not mine." Tam's lip curled a little. "She doesn't understand. She doesn't understand that you're already mine. That she can't have you!"

Mad just stared in shock and horror. He had known that Tamsus was crazy, but this crossed a line. This, Mad realized, was why he was suddenly so afraid of Tamsus. This insanity was obsessive, dangerous and aimed entirely at Mad. And it was reaching a breaking point.

But, Mad thought slowly, still staring at Tamsus. But, it might just play in Mad's favor.

"Let me go Tam," Mad whispered and Tamsus' eyes widened this time.

"Let me go," Mad repeated. "And we can get rid of her. We can kill her. Together. Then she'll never take me away." Mad shivered internally, disgusted by his own words.

Tamsus drew even closer and Mad did his level best not to flinch away. He stared into Mad's eyes, red battling green. He bit at his lower lip, sharp teeth puncturing the delicate skin so that a thin trail of blood slid from the corner of his mouth, mirroring Mad's own split lip.

Mad didn't blink, hardly daring to breath. He was caught by surprise when the blade slipped into his side. His eyebrows drew together in confusion and he coughed, looking down to find the delicate silver dagger lodged just above his hip. He looked up at Tamsus, unsure and gasped, trying to force his way through the pain.

He didn't want to admit that he actually felt a little betrayed.

Tamsus leaned forward and, whispering furiously in Mad's ear, said, "You shouldn't have asked that Maddy. You shouldn't have. I'm her Ace. She can't belong to me. I already belong to her."

Mad choked on a groan when Tamsus twisted the dagger in before pulling it out slowly. He held the blood slick metal up to eye level, then reach out and brushed the already bloody back of his hand gently against Mad's cheek.

"I'm going to hunt them down Madison. I'll save you from her and you'll be mine. Permanently. You're mine Maddy. You always have been." Tam licked the blood from his hand and said, "I'll get someone to wrap that."

He smiled a little sadly. "It's not fatal."

Then he was gone and Mad felt sick.