A/N : If you have any ideas for interludes please let me know, (that's the purpose of these). I hope you like it.
Carmen POV
I wake up with a small trickle of light falling on my face. I sit up, wincing from the pain of my punishment yesterday. I look down at my left arm wanting to observe the bruise forming on the top of my left arm when I notice a bandage around it. Dr. Bellum must have come to bandage the knife cut Coach Brunt gave me yesterday on my upper arm. At the same time, the chain on my foot automatically unlocks, telling me it's 12 o'clock. I get up and put my bracelet under the scanner and as I walk out I see Shepherd coming. He escorts me out of the Faculty Wing and forces me to leave for the showers.
Since Countess Cleo had complained that I was getting too dirty, every monday I had to take a shower. He takes me into the student showers, which are empty at this hour, and comes out to wait for me outside. I took off my clothes and turned on the water, which as usual was freezing. I was only allowed five minutes in the shower with cold water, but considering the temperature of the water, it's more than enough. I'm thankful that I don't have to clean my clothes. Indeed, the professors refuse to give me another outfit. If this one is covered with too much blood, I have to clean it in the shower with me and therefore wear wet clothes that will take several hours to dry completely. The last time I had to clean it, I got sick with a raging fever and difficulty breathing. I tried to hide it from the Faculty (because if I wasn't working, I didn't have any food) but I ended up collapsing while cleaning Professor Maelstrom's classroom in front of him. When I regained consciousness I was in my room with Dr Bellum coming to see me. She had told me that they wouldn't treat me and that this would be a lesson to me for not taking care of my stuff and not telling them. I was left locked up in my room, with no food or occupation and only the Doctor who came by in the evening to check on me and give me water.
Once finished, I quickly get out and find a towel to dry myself. I get dressed, trying to ignore the icy coldness of the collar after being put under water. Unfortunately for me, the collar and bracelet were waterproof. Shepherd makes sure I haven't stolen anything from the students before I leave. I look at my task list and realise that within an hour I will be finished, which means that some of the professors will bring me in for their classes. Knowing this I had mixed feelings, part of me wanted to be with them because they're the only ones who talk to me, even if it's to give me orders. But on the other hand, not seeing them often saved me from punishment and allowed me to eat. Weighing the pros and cons, I decide that I would rather be with them. I don't know why, but I need that contact.
An hour later
I had just finished cleaning up one of Dr. Bellum's classrooms (my last task), when I felt a vibration on my left wrist. As I looked, I noticed that the entire Faculty had summoned me to their personal self. Intrigued by the location of this convocation, I hurried to go there. When I arrived, the Cleaners were waiting for me and told me to set up everything for the professors' meal. I enter their kitchens and see the many dishes which, with the smell, turn my stomach. I put the cutlery and dishes on the table just as the professors enter. I step back to let them pass and they sit down without ever looking at me. Waiting for some kind of order telling me what to do, I see them start to eat while talking about the current class. I feel my stomach growl, and I hope to get out before they talk to me, but Coach stops me, drawing all their eyes to me.
"Not so fast Lambkins. We'll still need you after so you know what to do to wait." I hold back a sigh and kneel in the corner, trying to ignore my hunger. After what seems like an eternity, they finally finish and stand up.
"Clear the table Black Sheep, and hurry up, I have a class to teach and you're needed for it." Professor Maelstrom says to me and I quickly pick up their plates, as well as their dishes and put them in the big sink. After several trips back and forth, I finally finish and as I leave the room, I see that the Professor has been waiting for me. He looks up from his phone when he hears me and motions for me to follow him. I walk behind him as he makes his way to his classroom.
"Have you finished your work, Black Sheep ?" Professor Maelstrom asks as he looks at me, I quickly lower my head.
"Yes, Professor."
"Perfect." He seems pleased as we arrived in front of his classroom. He then turns around to face me. "This class will be for them to work on their bait and switch. I hope you remember what it's about ?"
"Yes, Professor."
"I'll be doing the demonstration, you'll just have to carry the bait and let me do it. You aren't allowed to make yourself interesting by not letting me do it. Is that understood, my child ?"
"I understand, Professor."
With a nod, the Professor enters the room. I stand back by his desk, ignoring the looks the students give me. They are still new and therefore don't know who I am. Unfortunately, I know very well that within a week, the confusion in their eyes will be replaced by hatred and smugness. Professor Maelstrom explains the basics of this process and how to do it well. I remember when I was in their shoes, unaware of the true colours of VILE and eager to earn my place among the big kids. At the time, Tigress was the one who helped the Professor and I will never forget the look on her face when she discovered the bugs in the suitcase. I am brought back to reality by Professor Maelstrom putting a suitcase in my hands. I walk to the far end of the room while the Professor does the same for the opposite side. I open the suitcase full of money and show it to the class before closing it. With a nod from the Professor, I start to walk towards him. As we pass each other, he drops our suitcases and I can clearly see which one contains the money. Resisting the instinct to take the one with money, I pick up the wrong one and continue on my way.
"And so the exchange is made." Professor Maelstrom concludes by opening his suitcase containing the money.
"What's in the other one, Professor?" I give the girl who asked the question an annoyed look, already knowing what the Professor will ask me to do.
"What if Black Sheep showed us..." He says with a smirk. I shudder, not wanting to open it. What if he changed its contents and that would hurt me. I seem to have hesitated too long because I get a slight electric shock and a dark look from the professor. I hold back a cry of pain and slowly open the case. Several dead insects fall on me and the students hide their laughter very badly.
"With that you pair up and take the cases to practice. I will test your progress at the end." He then turns to me and approaches. He snatches the suitcase from my hands and places it on the desk before whispering. "As for you little silly girl, go wait for me on your knees in my office since you obviously need a little lesson too."
Head down, I walk to the back door, open it and enter. I look around to try and anticipate what he's going to do to me but don't notice anything in particular. I kneel down in front of his desk and wait. The sound of the door closing behind me tells me that the Professor is there.
3rd Person POV
Maelstrom had been in his office for about ten minutes and the students were working on their techniques. They were all wondering who this girl was that the Professor called 'Black Sheep' and why she looked terrified. A knock at the front door of the room interrupts them. A student went to open the door and came face to face with Cleo. She looks around for Maelstrom but never finds him.
" Where's Gunnar ?" Several students point to the office door. "Aren't they watching you ?" A female student then dares to speak up.
"He demonstrated bait and switch with a girl he called 'Black Sheep' before he started us on an activity. He said he had to sort something out in his office and that we should only disturb him in case of an emergency."
"Is the girl with him ?" The students nodded. "All right, get back to your work." Cleo goes forward and knocks on the door. The students see her go in and come out a few seconds later with Maelstrom. Maelstrom closes the door behind him and they leave the classroom to talk.
"Who do you think the girl is and why was she terrified of Professor Maelstrom ?" asks the same girl who answered Countess Cleo's question. A boy turns to her and smiles wickedly.
"I've heard older operatives talking about a girl that the professors are keeping captive and making work. Apparently it is their daughter who tried to betray VILE."
"There's only one way to find out." Someone else says before rushing to the office, ignoring the others' portestations about entering a teacher's office without permission. The others wait carefully for him to come out. He reappears with a sneer.
"It seems to be true. That 'Black Sheep' is crying on the floor, her back completely red and a belt is left on the floor next to her."
"Did Maelstrom do this to her in your opinion ?" A student in the background asks.
"Obviously. You saw how she hesitated to open the suitcase with the bugs. Maelstrom must not have liked that." All the students listening and participating in the conversation chuckled. They start practicing again as Maelstrom enters the room. He tests them one by one on their progress before dismissing the class.
Maelstrom POV
Once the last student has left, I return to my office and see that Black Sheep is no longer where I left her, nor is the belt. Frowning, I pull out my phone and check her tracker. After all, she couldn't be that stupid to leave without permission. Apparently she would be ahead of me. I walk over, round my desk and find her huddled in on herself, head in her hands, absent-mindedly holding the belt. Given her position under the desk top, her purpose was to hide from the view of those entering. Sighing, I bend down to get a better look at her.
"Can you explain to me what you're doing hiding under my desk ?" I see her rocking back and forth, as if to calm herself. Seeing that I won't get an answer like that, I grab her arm and pull her out of her 'hiding place'. She struggles against my grip, forcing me to slap her back to her senses. When she sees me, she stops all resistance.
"I apologise Professor. I didn't know it was you."
"You're in my office, who were you expecting... Give me the belt." To my annoyance, I see her hesitate and look around for someone. "I told you to give it to me !" She is startled and hands it to me hurriedly. Once I grab it, I slap the belt on her arms that were protecting her face, causing her to hiss in pain. "Now, I ask you again, why did you move without permission ?"
"Someone came into your office and I got scared..."
I give her another jab in the ribs. "It was Countess Cleo who wanted to talk to me. Need I remind you that you have no right to hide from us !"
"No, I meant after you left with the Countess, someone came into your office and gave me a blow. When he left, I got scared and hid while waiting for you, Professor."
"Someone came in ?! Are you sure, Black Sheep ?"
"Positive, Professor."
I take out my computer and check the security camera to verify her story. Indeed, one of the boys did come in. And I know who it is. "All right. Doctor Bellum is waiting for you in her secondary lab. Hurry up and get there." I see her stand up with difficulty and start to walk out.
"Yes, Professor."
3rd Person POV
Carmen was arriving at Bellum's lab, her breath wheezing from Maelstrom's belt beating. She knocks on the door and waits for permission to enter. The door opens and the scientist pulls her in and kneels before a table. She takes her right arm and stretches it across the table while strapping it down with wrist and elbow restraints.
"Maelstrom punished you ?" She asks while examining Carmen's ribs.
"Yes, Doctor."
"Whip or belt ?"
"Belt, Doctor." Bellum nods while pressing in different places, ignoring her moans of pain.
"No broken ribs. Three or four cracked, but they'll be back to normal in two weeks at most. To pass on the purpose of your presence here, this lunchtime you wanted to leave without waiting for our permission, and that isn't tolerable. So I'm going to test my new epidermal phosphorescent product on you as punishment."
"You didn't tell me I had to stay. So I did what I thought was right !" Carmen raised her voice a little too much for Bellum's liking as she got angry and slapped her.
"Don't you dare raise your voice at us, Black Sheep. I was going to numb your arm to lessen the pain of the scalpel a bit, but obviously you don't deserve it."
She takes a cloth and ties it around Carmen's mouth. Frightened, Carmen stands still as she watches Bellum sit down and take a scalpel. She carves the words 'faculty's property' into the skin of her forearm. Carmen cries and tries to pull her arm away but it is far too tightly bound and if she moves too much, Bellum slaps her again. Once the mark is finished, she puts the scalpel down and picks up a syringe.
"It'll burn so hold still. If I can't inject it properly, we'll have to start again." She puts the tip of the syringe into the scalpel wound and injects half of the product before doing the same into the second word. Carmen lets out a scream muffled by the gag and tears threaten to fall. The green liquid spreads throughout the words and stops the flow of blood. Bellum unties Carmen's arm and grabs her wrist. She forces her to her feet and follows her into a small white box with a ring on the floor that has a pair of handcuffs before releasing her.
"On your knees." Carmen kneels down and Bellum locks the handcuffs on her wrists. Bellum places a remote control within reach of Carmen before straightening up. "As the product is still experimental, I haven't yet had any insight into the full extent of these side effects. If there's a problem you can let me know with this remote. Only use it in case of serious danger. Understand ?" She asks as she removes the gag.
"Yes, Doctor." Bellum exits the room and closes the glass behind her. Carmen then realises that it is a one-way mirror to observe without being seen. She sits up and notices that her hands are locked to the floor by the chains. Her forearm burns and she does not dare to look.
A few hours later
The four professors had just finished their respective classes and were in Bellum's secondary laboratory. They watched through the mirror as the girl played with her fingers to keep herself busy. The scientist was the last to arrive to check in with her colleagues.
"I've been monitoring her condition remotely, and everything is fine. Her body is responding well to the intrusion of the phosphorescent agent and it should remain active as long as she is alive."
"Without having to redo the procedure?" Brunt asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Exactly."
"Can we get a closer look, Saira ?"
The scientist nods and opens the window. Carmen, curious, looks up and quickly gets to her knees as she sees the entire Faculty coming towards her. It's been rare lately that she's seen all four at once, and today alone she's seen them all twice. Maelstrom unlocks her cuffs and Cleo bends down to grab Carmen's forearm. She runs a finger over the wound, and it's completely smooth, without a trace of injury. Carmen lets out a cry of pain that is cut off by a slap and a glare from Cleo.
"That's wonderful work, Doctor." Maelstrom says cheerfully as Shepherd enters the room.
"You called me, professors ?"
"Yes, escort the little lamb back to her room." Bellum tells him as he approaches to force Carmen back onto her legs.
"Shall I give her her food and water for the day now ?"
"No, she has been bad today by not obeying, wanting to flee our presence and raising her voice against her superiors. You will also divide her portion of water by two." Cleo tells him as she pulls out her phone. Shepherd nods and takes Carmen back to her room. He puts the chain back on her right leg and places a small, almost empty bowl of water in front of her. He leaves the room and Carmen drinks what little water she's allowed before lying down to try to sleep and forget the pain in her forearm. A normal day in her new life has just ended.