The guard entered the room and removed the chains. I rubbed my wrists in an attempt to soothe the metallic bite. I let her lead me over to the door. I could feel her hand on my shoulder as she reached forward and turned the handle. As the door swung open, I glimpsed three people freeze in front of us. One of them turned towards me, their eyes wide with shock. He shifted his gaze to the person responsible for me, glaring.
"You were meant to wait!" He yelled. I was stunned. My guard panicked and went to shut the door but then I noticed what I failed to notice the first time. I stuck my foot in the doorframe, ignoring the pain from it being jammed quite violently. I bolted out of the interrogation room and shoved my way past the guards outside.
"Dante!" I cried, taking his face into my hands. His eyelids fluttered and I thought I got through to him when suddenly, I was jolted backwards. I briefly glanced over my shoulder to see my guard's hand clasped onto the hood of my jacket.
"Forgive me, Rose," she whispered then kicked the back of my knees. I fell to the ground and she shoved my hands behind my back. I gave up and let her drag me back to my cell.
The barred door opened and I walked in, hearing the click of it lock behind me. I went and curled up on my bench, my head turned towards the cell door. A minute later, the two guards came past with Dante carried between them. I stared miserably at the floor. He had to cop the worst of all this.
All because he was the closest to me.
Suddenly, Dante woke up and kicked one of the guard's ankles. Then, he elbowed the other in the stomach and turned towards me. I ran forward and reached between the bars. His hand went up my sleeve and grasped my arm.
"Rose-" he began but the guards recovered and hit him in the back. He just gritted his teeth and held on tighter. "You're one of us! Don't forget that!" He yelled desperately as the guards repeatedly beat him.
"I'm not going anywhere, I promise!" I replied frantically. The guard outside my cell door reached in with the butt of her gun and hit me in the chest. I fell back and let go, coughing from the impact.
The guards picked up Dante then shoved him forward. "Move along! Since you have the energy to fight, you can walk the rest," one of them growled.
I stared after the three guys heading towards solitary confinement. The bruises on my stomach and chest were mere flesh wounds in comparison to everything Dante had to endure. I closed my eyes. Things were only going to get harder from here. And I wasn't sure if we'd all live long enough to see the end of it.
***
I woke up to feel the bruises on my body aching. I could barely sit up for two minutes straight. I glanced out the window. The sun was only just coming up so it must've been pretty early. My gaze shifted over to Gabriel. He was curled up on his side, facing the wall. Obviously he didn't sleep well last night. I looked up at the hole between our cell and Elijah and Prince's. I wonder if they're doing okay, I thought. Sneaking a quick look at the guard, I stepped quietly off my bench and onto the one nearest the hole.
Inside, I could spy Prince lying on his back, his chest rising with each breath. The blood that once covered the left side of his face had been washed off. He was very distressed, judging by the fitful sleep he was trapped in. I craned my neck and spotted Elijah on the bench below the hole. He sat upright like he normally did when he slept. However, this time it was a little different. His head had drooped to one side, letting his mouth hang open.
I stepped down, my hands lingering on the stony surface. I couldn't help but wonder what Alex had said to them all to make them like this. These weren't the Runners I used to know. They used to be... I wracked my brain for the words to describe it but I still lacked the energy. I wandered clumsily back to my bench and collapsed on my side.
I could hear the rattling of a key inside a lock. I flipped onto my other side and opened one of my eyes. A guard had walked in and went over to Gabriel.
"Oi, you. Get up. Time to move," he said gruffly. Gabriel craned his neck and looked up at the guard. Dark circles had formed under his eyes and his skin looked paler than usual.
Regardless of his appearance, Gabriel got up and walked off with the guard as if they were merely going to leisurely explore the prison block together.
Minutes later, another guard came in and beckoned for me to follow him. Curiously, I hopped up and walked just behind him down the hall.
We walked to the door of the room I was in with Alex a while ago. At first, I thought I was going in there but the guard kept walking so I continued to follow him further up.
He stopped in front of another door which he opened and gestured for me to enter. It was fairly dark, except for a rectangle of light on one of the walls. I wandered over to the light and peered out. Through it, I saw Gabriel sitting at a familiar table with his wrists chained to it. There were three guards in the room as well, one on the opposite side of the table and two standing behind Gabriel. Gabriel seemed rather confused, judging by the way he continually looked around the room. I saw him open his mouth and say something but I couldn't hear the words that came out.
"Rose, please take a seat."
I spun around to find Alex staring out the one-way window as well. Just behind him was a table and some chairs. As I headed to one of the seats, I glanced down at the table. On it was several documents with pictures of very familiar people. I reached down to move the top profile to look at the others when suddenly, Alex slapped me on the wrist.
"Not yet," he said. I withdrew my hand and sat down. I watched Alex flick a switch on the wall and a speaker crackled to life.
"How much longer will I have to sit here?"
I stared. I could hear Gabriel speaking to the guards. However, they remained ever-silent. I looked up at Alex. He was obviously dictating the entire thing. I opened my mouth to ask a question but he had already pressed a button on a wall and started addressing Gabriel.
"You'll sit there until we're done with you," Alex said. Gabriel glanced around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. He stared up at the one-way window and gave a mischievous grin. I shuddered. He didn't know it but he was looking directly at me.
"That you Alex? What's wrong, can't talk to me down here?" He teased. Alex closed his eyes and sighed. Ignoring Gabriel's taunt, he continued.
"I've got a simple task for you. Basically, I will ask you questions and you will answer them truthfully. If you refuse to respond, give an inappropriate answer or lie, there will be some unfortunate consequences. If I'm satisfied with your performance today, you will return to your cell in a reasonable state."
Gabriel laughed but I could hear a slight edge to his words. "Alright then, shoot."
Alex cleared his throat. "Please state your name and age."
He smirked. "That's not a question."
"Just answer it."
Gabriel shrugged. "I am Wings and my age is equivalent to the number of years I've been alive."
Alex closed his eyes once again and spoke in a monotone voice. "Your real name and a number for your age, if you please."
Gabriel laughed. "There's nothing wrong with my name. Just because you don't appreciate diversity doesn't mean you shouldn't accept it."
I watched Alex very carefully. He pressed his thumb and middle finger to his temples. Gabriel continued to stare at me unknowingly through the glass. Alex lowered his hand and tilted his chin up slightly.
"Proceed."
Suddenly, one of the guards reached forward and pulled back Gabriel's head. Another came up with cloth and wrapped it viciously around his mouth and nose, pouring water over his covered face. I looked away, not wanting to have to watch him struggle in his seat. Alex came over to the table and picked up his profile.
"First name: Gabriel, last name: unknown, age: 20 years old. I don't know why you bothered to put yourself through that." He spoke in very professional tone that was void of any emotion. He glanced down at everyone beyond the window. "Remove the cloth," he ordered.
As soon as the soaked hand-towel was taken away from his face, Gabriel started spluttering. He bent forward over the table and did his best to expel the water that had seeped through his nose. The guards remained as apathetic as they had started, refilling the container of water from a bigger bucket. Alex continued, ignoring Gabriel's coughing.
"Who are your allies?"
Gabriel inclined his head up, again looking unknowingly at me. "Prince, Dog-Catcher, Drifter and Pinks."
"Please state their real names."
Gabriel hesitated, something I'd never seen him do. He stared down at the table in front of him, mind in conflict. "Ferris, Dante and Elijah, respectively. And Pinks-" he gave a malicious smirk "-is your dear sister, I believe. Rose Kennedy is the name you knew her by? Or was it Rosie?"
Alex's face twitched. "Proceed," he said once again. The same process was repeated: Gabriel's head being wrenched back and the damp cloth being pressed against his nose and mouth.
"It'd be so much easier if you just answered the questions without your smart comments," Alex sighed. "Remove the cloth."
The guards released Gabriel, who'd been writhing in their grip. He hacked and coughed and for a moment, I thought he might vomit. However, he managed to keep it down. While he did his best to compose himself, it was obvious he wasn't coping. His hands shook on the tabletop, making the chains rattle lightly.
Alex cleared his throat, drawing Gabriel's attention. "Next question: what is your country of birth?"
Gabriel bit his lip but remained as calm as he could. "I have nothing to say," he replied quietly.
It was hard to ignore his constant spluttering. It was hard to listen to him thrash in his seat, trying to remove that cloth. But worst of all, it was hard to believe Alex was letting this happen. I watched in agony as Alex continued his line of questioning and the cloth being raised again and again to his face.
"Is anyone looking for you at the moment?"
"I have nothing to say."
"Why do you follow Ferris?"
"I have nothing to say."
"Did you have anything to do with the attack on Bravo base 9?"
"I have nothing to say."
As that cloth was being forced over his nose and mouth for the sixth time that day, I covered my ears. They had nothing to do with the attack on Bravo base 9. If I told Alex that, he might leave him alone. However, Gabriel could've easily said no. I decided to keep my mouth shut. There must've been a good reason for him replying how he did. I cautioned a glance out the window. Gabriel lay with his face resting on the tabletop, water seeping out of his nose. His eyes had widened and he clawed at his pants.
"What's the matter, Gabriel?" Alex asked innocently. "Not a fan of water, are we?"
I jumped up and shoved Alex against the wall, his feet hovering several centimetres above the ground. Immediately, he slammed the button on the wall. He clicked his fingers into the microphone and to my horror, the guards wrapped the cloth over his face again.
"They'll do that until I tell them to stop," he rasped.
"Leave him alone!" I shouted.
"Then let go of me."
I took a quick glance out the window then released Alex. He turned to the microphone and told them to release Gabriel. I pressed my weight onto the window. Gabriel gave in to the water trickling down to his lungs and vomited into another bucket. Some of it ended up on his clothes. He screamed, clawing the table he was chained to. I shivered and fell to the ground.
"Alex," I whispered. "Please, stop this."
Alex looked down at me, his face void of emotion. He turned away and gazed out the window
"Alright Gabriel, next question."
I clenched my fists. Wasn't there anything I could do right?
"What kingdom are you under the command of?"
I wrenched my head up, staring at Alex with wide eyes. "You know about the outside world?" I said, my voice barely above a murmur. He didn't respond. I stood up and pressed my hands to the window, trying to reach out to my friend. He slouched in his seat, looking slightly puzzled at the question. However, he maintained his usual answer.
"I have nothing to say."
The screams that followed were muffled but conveyed more pain than I was able to comprehend. I dragged my hands across the window. They curled into fists and I banged on the glass.
"Gabriel! Gabriel!" I shouted. He looked up at the window, eyes unfocused.
"Pinks?"
I continued to bang on the glass. Even though he couldn't hear me, I knew he knew I was there. He coughed then gave me a pained grin. "Don't tell them anything. Remember, you're one of us."
I stared out the window at my friend. With trembling hands, I reached up and wiped away the tears that ran down my face. I gulped and nodded. Even though he couldn't see me, I knew he understood.
Alex didn't looked pleased. After much deliberation, he sighed and turned to the microphone.
"Last question Gabriel. On the night of your escape, we caught Ferris in our offices. Tell me: what was he looking for?"
Gabriel froze. He stared into his lap, face contorting in what seemed like confusion. At first, I thought the water had done something to his brain. However, in his eyes, I noticed something that no one else seemed to see. After some time, he closed his eyes and mumbled:
"I have nothing to say."
Alex reached up with his thumb and middle finger and rubbed his temples. "Proceed. Once you're done, shove him into solitary," he said into the microphone, a slight edge to his voice. "Rose," he said, turning to me. I looked away from Gabriel, who screamed as the water dripped into his lungs.
"What?" I replied bitterly. He observed my glare for a moment.
"I did tell you it was only going to get harder from here. And if this is how bad you react with Gabriel, I can't imagine how you'll watch Dante."
I stared in horror. I was so stupid. So very stupid. For what reasons did I believe that they'd only go for Gabriel? They'd have a better chance asking every Runner. Maybe one will give a different answer to the other. Then what? They drag back both of them for the truth? Who says they'll stop after one hour of questioning? Suddenly, I felt my entire body drain of any warmth.
Every single Runner.
The only thing I could do was slump against the guard before passing out.
In my fitful sleep that night, I had a nightmare. Gabriel sat before me, screaming something I couldn't understand. I watched him for a moment, trying to decipher his words.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..."
Oh. I realised. He's talking to Vera.
It was painful to have to listen to him scream. I grabbed his shoulders and tried to shake him out of it but he only yelled to her louder.
"Vera! I'm sorry!"
"Gabriel, it's me! It's Rose!" I shouted at him. He paid no heed to my words. I tried clicking in front of his eyes. No response. Nothing I did snapped him out of it.
"Need a hand?"
I turned to find Alex holding the bucket of water and a cloth. I almost collapsed in relief.
"Alex! Thank goodness, please help him!"
He nodded and handed me the cloth. "Okay, put this over his nose and mouth."
I stared. Was it some sort of extremely strong chloroform? Regardless, I pressed the cloth to his face. Then, to my horror, Alex started pouring the contents of the bucket over Gabriel. I watched in panic as Gabriel thrashed against my hold.
"Alex! Alex no!" I yelled desperately. The bucket never seemed to fully empty. At no point did I think to remove the cloth. All I could do was watch as Gabriel's muffled cries became quieter and quieter...
I sat up on my bench screaming. My voice grew hoarse and my heartbeat wasn't much better. Sweat dripped down my forehead and all I could do was take deep breaths.
"Rose?"
I turned to find the guard outside my cell peering in. I gulped.
"Sorry, I just..."
He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Just... hold out a little longer okay? I'm sure Alex will come to his senses soon."
I stared forlornly at the guard's back. I wanted to say something, anything but I had no words. I turned to look at Gabriel's empty bench. I wanted to make sure he was okay but I never got the chance. With nothing else to do, I lay back down on my bench. There was no chance of me getting back to sleep without nightmares so I just stared at the ceiling.
Later that day, I had to endure watching Elijah's eternal silence be punished with a constant alarm far louder than any gunshot. The room was sound-proofed and the guards wore earplugs that the sound wall could barely penetrate. They received Alex's signals via a light that flashed on the table that Elijah was chained to. I watched Elijah claw at his ears, trying to block out the infernal sound. From my vantage point, I could hear the sound at the volume of a slamming door. To him, the noise would've been deafening. He was asked the same questions as Gabriel and disclosed even less information. At one point in the midst of the noise, Elijah opened his mouth as if to scream. Alex leaned forward slightly in anticipation. However, Elijah just buried his face in the table, biting back the sound that almost escaped his lips. Alex sighed and stepped back, obviously disappointed. As Alex repeated the questions again and again, I spied him out of the corner of my eye. Having to see his hero like this should've killed him inside. However, even if it did, it didn't show. By the end of it, Elijah just gaped at his diminished hearing.
When they took me back to my cell, I heard a strange noise that sounded like the fire alarm. Cautiously, I peered down the hall. The sound was coming from solitary confinement. When I realised what they did, I hung my head. Alex had somehow rerouted the fire alarm so it rung over and over in Elijah's cell. There was no way he'd be able to sleep with that going off. I lay back on my bench, trying to ignore that alarm ringing distantly in the background.
The next day was similar, this time with Dante as the victim. He was brought into the room with his head unable to be supported by his neck. He looked worse off than before. Sitting in that chair, he didn't seem to recognise anything. Not that he was able to focus. He'd been stuck in solitary confinement longer than any of us. Alex gave his little spiel then proceeded with his questioning.
"State your name and age."
Dante's head flopped in the direction of the window. "Prince..." He breathed. Alex stared. I waited anxiously for him to signal for an electric shock or a beating or some other sort of cruel punishment. However, he just wrote down his response and continued.
Dante's answers were a lot different to what Gabriel and Elijah provided. He mumbled all sorts of nonsense. None of his answers were relevant to the questions but Alex just accepted them and moved on.
"What kingdom are you under the command of?" Alex said. By now, Dante's neck had given up on holding up his head and it lay sideways on the table. He seemed to be mumbling something to himself. I waited for that string of incomprehensible words that generally followed to gain volume. However, Dante's head shot up and he stared in terror at the wall just below the glass. His hands began to shake and he toppled sideways off his seat. The chains tensed up and his back hit the ground. I could've sworn his arm tore slightly.
"Rose!" He shrieked. "Rose! No!"
I leapt out of my seat and banged my fist against the window. "Dante! I'm here! I'm okay!"
He didn't seem to notice. He continued struggling horrifically against the chains, calling out to the blank wall. I turned to Alex.
"What happened to him?" I asked, my face going pale.
"He's probably hallucinating. I guess he sees you doing something dangerous and is panicking," he replied offhandedly. He scratched his chin then sighed. "Luckily I trusted my judgement not to add any other torture methods. Otherwise he'd be dead in that chair."
"Alex," I mumbled. He didn't take any notice. "Alex," I said a bit louder. He grunted in response. "Please, stop this. Leave them alone."
He looked up from the papers in his hands and stared at me impassively.
"I can't."
"Why not?" I asked desperately. "Just let them go! They're harmless, they're alone and they have nothing to do with this war!"
He sighed. "If I let them go, you'd leave too wouldn't you? Because you're one of them."
"Of course I would!" I screamed. "There's nothing left for me here! My best friend is dead, my parents are crazy and my brother is turning out just like them!"
"Which is why I can't leave them alone!" He shouted. "If I let them go, you'll be gone too! There'll be nothing to stop me from becoming some sort of mindless killer! I lose no matter what happens, don't you see? If I let them go, you'll leave. If I keep them alive, they'll eventually escape. If I execute them, I'll either have to execute you as well or face you never speaking to me again. At least by doing what I'm doing now, they're too disoriented to run and maybe they'll tell me something useful. And if they're so harmless Rosie, why was Prince snooping around the offices the night you tried to escape? What secrets do they have to hide?"
I watched him helplessly. My lips quivered and warm tears streaked down my cheeks. "What do you want me to do, Alex?" I sniffed, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "I might as well be dead, I can't do anything right..."
He turned away and ordered the guards to move Dante back to solitary. After that, another guard came back and took me to my cell. It was unsettling to hear that alarm still going off in the distance. But there was nothing I could do. And if there was, I didn't know what.
a