Shifting Shadows - R. Dex

-15-

You're a liability.
You think anyone is coming after a blind POW?
You disappear, you're not coming back.

Jules sighed. She was stuck. Ronon had been right. No one was coming for her.

She had no idea how long it had been since Ronon had been taken, but Feo had taken her by force every day. She fought, landing punches, flinging knives, making everything around her into a weapon. But she was restrained, and he'd drugged her on several occasions. Her body ached, and she was giving up.

"Hello, darling." Jules flinched at Feo's voice, his fingers running down her face. "How's my pet today?"

Jules didn't dignify him with an answer or a sideways glance.

He sighed. "This could be easier. You could be happy-"

"Screw you."

"Julianna..." His voice was full of disappointment but she didn't care. At least he wasn't calling her Jules.

She tensed as she heard more footsteps. No one ever came back here with him.

"Some friends of mine wanted to visit." Her stomach flipped. "You see, they helped me bring you back so-"

"No."

"-it's only fair."

Jules threw herself backwards, smacking Feo across the face. "Go to hell!" She kicked him hard in the groin, then scrambled to her feet, leaping off his back - only to be jerked back by the chain around her wrist. She screamed as she felt her shoulder dislocate.

Feo stood, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as two Genii guards yanked her back to the bed she'd been on and pinned her down. "Wait. You want to do this the hard way? That can be arranged, my pet. Tie her hands, then bring her."

Jules's hands were bound behind her back before she was hauled to her feet and dragged down several hallways. She could feel the group following them, murmurs spreading through the room they finally entered as her hands were attached before her to a chain. As they released her, she tested the length of it and reached out to the people around her with her mind. Finding a willing connection, she saw herself in the center of a room that looked like a cell, chained to a post in the center of the room. Was this going to be the brothel all over again? She started to panic, losing the mental connection instantly.

She felt Feo circling her. "Julianna. Darling. We're going to play a little game. You see, you're very desirable and I admit, your fire is part of your charm. Still, you must be subdued. You say you'll kill anyone who lays a hand on you." He yanked her against him, and a metal object pressed into her hands. Knife. "If you manage to kill your challenger, you're safe. If you don't..." His lips were next to her ear and she could feel his grin as he whispered, "they're not allowed to kill you but anything else is fair game."

He shoved her away and Jules stumbled, struggling to focus at the implications of his words. Suddenly he was shouting.

"Let the games begin!"

~<>~

Ronon punched the wall beside the interrogation room. This was getting them nowhere. They needed to find Jules and he wasn't giving them any information.