Fighting With Fear-KOTLC Fanfic

A Scarred Enemy

Rowan's POV

I groan back to reality and slowly open my eyes. Dad didn't seem to find the need to blindfold me. I stare up at a plain grey ceiling. I try to move but something restrains me. Lifting my head slightly I glance at the metal bonds holding me down. My mind is still foggy from the sedative and it pounds mercilessly. I rest my head back on the metal table I am lying on. When I was looking at myself I found that the pajamas I was wearing earlier was changed out for a black tank top and jeans. I wonder who changed me. I hope it was a woman. Funny how I'm thinking about clothes when I was just kidnapped.

I hear a door open off of my line of vision and I tense. A man walked to the side of the table and stares down at me. I never saw him before. Half of his face was scarred. It was probably horribly burned before. He smiled down at me and a chill crawled down my spine.

"Who are you?" I was terrified at how raw my voice sounded. Must be the aftereffects of the sedative.

"Let's just called me Mr. Interrogator," he answers.

I glare at him. He clasp my arm tightly. I try to jerk it out of grasp but my bonds hold me fast. He laughs a breathy laugh and I know that it will haunt me the rest of my life. I try to call a flame but he slaps my face.

"None of that," he scolds.

How did he know? He must be a Pyrokinetic. Mr. Interrogator sees my expression and chuckles.

"Oh yes. I am one too. And I've heard a lot about you. From your friend. What was his name? Oh, yeah. Jake," he sneers.

I feel my face drain of color.

"What did you do to Jake?" I whisper.

Upon seeing my horrified expression, Mr. Interrogator smirks.

"Nothing, fatal," he assures me.

I really want to punch that stupid smile off his stupid face. Not being one to swear, I have the urge to now. I mutter every swear word I know and Mr. Interrogator's face shows surprise.

"Well now. I don't think a little girl like you should be talking like that."

"I'm not a little girl," I grumble.

"To me you are," he retorts.

"Now lets get down to business." Mr. Interrogator turns serious.

"Uh, oh. Should I be scared?" Sarcasm is evident in my voice.

"Yes," he states simply.

Warmth seeps into my arm from his hand.

"Now," he starts. "tell me how you met Fitz, Sophie, and the others."

I don't talk, just stare at him. I obviously won't tell him the truth. I would never do that. His hand gets hotter but it doesn't make me uncomfortable. I mean, I am a pyrokinetic. But that does mot mean I am immune to fire, I remind myself.

"Fine, it's obvious you won't tell me anything so I'll get it out of you the hard way." Mr. Interrogator seems to want to torture me. Right then and there, I knew something was wrong with him. Maybe his mind was partially broken? Had something happened to him before this? And what about his face? He walks away from me and to something away from my table. I hear another door open and footsteps.

My dad and Jake come into the room. Jake looks horrible. His face is bruised and swollen. Cuts littered his body and his clothes were stained with blood.

"Jake?" I rasp.

He looks up at me and I almost sob. His eyes were so...broken. When they once were full of humor and light, they were now dull and full of pain and sadness.

"Rowan? You have to leave or you'll get hurt. You ha-" his sentence was cut off with a groan when Dad punched him in the stomach.

"Dad!" I shout. I struggle against my restraints. My attempts were futile. Dad sets him in a metal chair and stands next to Mr. Interrogator, who stood against the wall in front of me. Mr. Interrogator strides behind my table and grabs something. He shows me a branding iron. But instead of a letter on the bottom, it's the symbol of the Neverseen.

"What are you doing with that?" I ask shakily.

Mr. Interrogator smirks and uses it to point to Jake.

"I'm going to brand your boyfriend ,Jake," he answers.

I glance at Dad, aghast. "You aren't going to let him do this, are you?"

Dad looks away and I direct my attention back to Mr. Interrogator. I know how bad fire hurts when it burns you. Heck, I've gotten a ton of burn marks while training. I didn't want Jake to go through anymore pain. But my voice didn't seem to work and I watch, horrified, when Mr. Interrogator heats up the branding iron with his flames. He stops when it glows red and start towards Jake. With his free hand he beckons Dad to move Jake. Dad shoves Jake to the ground and rips his shirt down the middle. He flips him over to his stomach. He backs away and stands by me.

I try to catch his eye, but Dad avoids looking at my face. I watch as Mr. Interrogator gets closer and closer to Jake. He looks at me one more time before lowering the branding iron. Right before is touched Jake's shoulder my voice turns back on.

"Wait!" I scream.

Mr. Interrogator stop and lifts the branding iron. He gives me a look and I continue.

"Burn me instead," I offer desperately.

I finally gain Dad's attention but I don't look at him.

"Now why would I do that?" Mr. Interrogator asks.

"Because wouldn't you love burning me? And plus, me being delirious from pain, I could give you the answers to your questions." I stare into his grey eyes.

He shrugs and agrees. Mr. Interrogator gestures to Dad to unlock my restraints. He reluctantly does. Wait, does Dad actually love me? Giving my one last look, Dad pulls me to my feet. He pushes me to the ground more gently than he did with Jake. I try to prepare myself for the pain to come. I watch as Mr. Interrogator warms the branding fire again. With one last smile he puts it into my shoulder.