SOUR CANDY | killua z. ✔

44 | ache

tw: descriptions of blood & torture (not extensive and only in the first part)

INARIYAMI ISLAND, 1 WEEK AGO

"THIS WON'T end well for you," Kalluto informed the man on the floor.

Mai Inoue watched with detached interest as the man spat up blood. He was covered in tiny nicks that would soon become hazardous if left untreated. Most of his major tendons were severed. There wasn't a need for the prisoner to be tied up; he obviously wasn't going anywhere.

"Crazy brats," the man bit out. "I'm not telling you anything."

"Are you saying that to us or yourself?" Mai asked.

The rumors started about three weeks ago. At first, it was just gossip between children. Whispers of strangers approaching them in odd places and cautious looks exchanged over bentos. 

Then, the first child went missing. And a second. And a third. The third was sloppy, and a group of teenagers managed to secure the child and catch one of the perpetrators. Unfortunately for him, he was handed over to Mai and Kalluto for interrogation.

Unfortunately for them, the kidnapper was stubbornly close-lipped.

Mai didn't understand how someone could be protective of an organization that trafficked minority children.

Kalluto, tiny dagger in hand, looked at Mai. "I could cut a finger off."

She sighed. Their prisoner squirmed a bit at Kalluto's words.

They had this guy for four days and got zilch out of him. Zilch.

Sen, with her calculating, mathematical mind, could've pried the necessary information out. 

However, Mai's older sister was suspiciously radio silent. The prisoner claimed to have no knowledge of that but Mai had her doubts. Sen was chatty and liked to send them a barrage of emails and voicemails detailing her adventures.

It was unlike Sen to miss thirty of Mai's calls. Even Kotaro couldn't reach her.

Kotaro.

Mai didn't feel important enough to bother her brother while he was working, but Sen wasn't there and she was out of options.

The prisoner had at least one other colleague hiding on the island. The longer they went unchecked, the more chances they had to snatch other children. 

(Like Mai's own sisters.)

She nodded at Kalluto, wordlessly giving them the go-ahead. They saluted her, twirled their dagger, and turned back to the bloodied man.

Despite the prisoner's bravado, he flinched back.

Mai stepped out of the room.

Her fingers tightened around the phone as she waited, staring blankly ahead. 

Before Sen left for Yorknew, Kotaro presented the two of them with their first phones. They'd squealed about it for hours and called each other just to giggle into the speaker.