All right. I've been in this prison for two days, and it's already been too long. I need to find out who's here. I can't rely on the idiots I was brought in with to help me escape. That's not a team. We have a talking tree, a sarcastic stuffed raccoon, a cocky Terran, and a girl with anger issues. It's definitely up to me. And I need to find the orb while I'm at it. It seems like a lot, but I've been in worse situations.

"Hey, darlin', how 'bout a chair? Join us!" A group of guys cheer as I pass with my food. I don't miss them staring at me. This stupid yellow outfit was a size too small, and it fits my curves a little too well for my comfort. I flash a bright smile and slide in between two of them. It's just like sitting with the right people in the school cafeteria. It's not what you know, it's who you know. That's how this business works.

"Hi there," I say, tucking a lock of blonde behind my ear.

"How did a pretty little thing like you end up in a nasty place like this?" Ugh. I wish I could throw up. I hate men who think they're smart but have half the brains that I have. They're easy to manipulate, at least.

"I guess you could say I've been a bad girl," I reply, flirtation in my tone. I'm not directing my charm on anyone yet. A smart choice needs to be made here. "I don't plan on staying very long, though."

"Why? Think of all the fun we could have together! You do look fun, baby," another says. The growl in his voice and hunger in his eyes makes my skin crawl. I really need to be careful around these people. They aren't average criminals. If they're here, they're here for a reason. Who knows what they'd do if given a chance.

I smile sweetly through my discomfort. "I have a debt to repay. I need to get out of here before someone has my hide. Believe me, no prison will stop him from finding me once my time's up."

"Ah, is that how it is? He a jealous type? What's your name, gorgeous?"

"Oh, we don't need to get into any of that," I say, ducking my head. Simple moves like that completely deflect attention away from questions. "What about you? What did you gents do to wind up here?"

"I killed three people," volunteers one menacingly. "In ten minutes."

"Crashed my ship into a building."

"Stabbed someone."

"They call me a psychopath."

This does not make me feel good about my lunch group. Especially because they're all eyeing me in the way lions watch gazelles before their dinner. And they're all bigger than me.

"Well, that's certainly exciting." I wink, just counting the minutes until I can get away. This is a waste of time. These aren't the type I need. I'm not looking for a murderer or a psychopath. What I need is someone clever, someone who can rig machines and pickpocket as well as me. Someone who knows how to run. "I need to get going, boys. See you around." I stand up, grab my tray, and immediately knock into someone. My utensils go flying, and when I bend to pick them up, someone whistles and another smacks my butt.

Red shoots up my face as I quickly gather my utensils amidst the condescending laughter. Tears burn at my eyes as I weave my way through the crowd, trying to ignore it all. I find a side hallway where I can be alone with my embarrassment, but I apparently can't even have that.

"Hey, are you okay?" It's Quill's voice. I turn and give him a wry smile.

"What can I say? Simply put, I hate my life." I lean against the wall.

"You don't seem like a completely negative girl, but I've been wrong before," he says. "I saw what happened back there. I'm sorry."

I shrug, trying to brush that moment off like it doesn't matter. "It's fine. Really."

"But it's not." He comes around and faces me, grabs my shoulders to stop me from walking away. "No one should be treated like that. Not even scumbags like us. And to be honest, you don't seem that bad."

"You realize this isn't the first time this has happened to me, right? I've been on my own since I was fifteen. I can take care of myself," I say defensively. "I do what I have to do."

"Why? Why do you put up with it? I've fought you. You're good. I know you could knock any of their lights out. Easily."

"No one gets into this business because they like it," I snap. "Sometimes you just put up with things!"

"But why? You can do what you want. You're free to do whatever you want, you know. Take a chance, go!"

I hold up my wrists and meet his eyes with a cold stare. "You'd be surprised to learn that not everyone is as free as you."

His brown eyes widen as he examines my golden bonds, perfectly fitted to my wrists, my physical sign of essential slavery. "You're a servant."

"I'm trapped, that's what I am. I've dealt with it all. I've been stuck for fifteen years, Quill, fifteen of what's supposed to be the best years of my life. I'll do anything to be free again, and I'm not going to let anyone or anything jeopardize my shot."

"I didn't know." He looks lost, and I don't blame him, but I still hate it. This is why I don't show off my bangles: this expression of pity. "You never even tried to escape?"

"Take one off," I say quietly, holding out a hand to him. His eyes dart down to my wrist, unsure. He doesn't want to see what happens and I don't really want to show him, but I need him to understand why I need this money. "Go ahead. I don't mind."

"All right." He takes my wrist with surprisingly gentle hands and tries to undo the tight clasp that binds me. Of course it doesn't work, so he tries harder. Any second now... I brace myself.

As if on cue, the bangle lights up and burns both my wrist and his fingertips. I hiss as he yanks his hand back quickly from the place it had been seconds before.

"Oh," he says, staring at my wrist in horror. I rub my wrist, trying to ease the slowly-fading pain.

"Believe me, I've tried."

"How does that even happen? That's sick!" He's disgusted by the way the Grandmaster treats me like property. I have such a low opinion of myself that sometimes I believe it. But then I stop myself. I never let him break my spirit.

"They're enchanted somehow. They've been stuck there for fifteen years. I've tried everything."

"You're a Terran," He says. It's not a question. "How did you wind up in space?"

I look away. "Too many questions, Quill."

I'm really going to start updating this story more, I promise. I'm working on it ;) go check out my original story!