A pounding headache was the first thing that greeted Sang when she pried her eyes open. Wincing at the bright light she realized she was laying on a bed, in a bedroom...that wasn't hers. She tried to jump up but the moment she sat up the world tilted. A hand went to her head only to feel a bandage encircling her forehead. Where was she? She was still wearing the same clothes as she was earlier though there was some dried streaks of red she assumed was blood. Panic began to clog her throat as she tried to think of the last thing she remembered.
They were at the church with father Paul and then they went back to the headquarters and she was practicing when a gas... The gas must have knocked her out. Whoever this was got her and could have gotten the rest of the team as well. She needed to get out of there as soon as possible.
Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, she attempted to stand up. The ground shifted underneath her as she stumbled to the foot board. She caught it just in time to avoid falling to the floor. Unfortunately, she still made a loud thud that seemed to echo in the small room. She froze wondering if anyone heard. Sure enough she heard footsteps coming towards the room. They were too fast and there was nothing she could do but brace herself to meet her captor.
The door opened without a knock and Sang was shocked to recognize the person on the other side. The racetrack seemed so distant but she had a good memory.
"Corey?!" she exclaimed stiffening as he took a step into the room, shutting the door behind him. He took another step forward which she mirrored taking one back letting go of the footboard. She wobbled on her feet, but she kept the door within her sight. That was her way out.
"Sang," Corey greeted eyes wide. He seemed nervous but his voice was gentle. "You shouldn't be out of bed with that injury. You hit your head pretty good."
"Why am I here?" she demanded. He winced at her harsh tone and took a deep breath wishing anyone else had been available to come in and give this talk.
"You were living with some bad people, Sang," Corey started, talking like she was an injured animal. She scoffed at his words.
"You don't know what you're talking about," she seethed. He took another step forward and an idea popped into her head.
"They are thieves and con men," Corey said taking yet another step closer. One more step and she would be able to reach out and touch him. "And kidnappers." Her glare intensified. Her initial terror completely forgotten. Who knew anger helped override fear?
"They did not take me," she stated emphasizing each word. She took a step forward closing the gap between them. Before he could move back she grabbed his arm and twisted throwing him over her shoulder. He hit the ground exactly like Elliot had when he taught her this move. She darted for the door but before she left she glanced back to the guy gasping for breath on the floor. "They freed me."
A hallway was what greeted her outside of the room. She saw stairs going down to the left and dashed for them. Running as hard as she could, she stumbled down the stairs into an entryway. Front doors. Her gaze zeroed in on them as she headed that way. She was inches away when an arm grabbed her around the waist halting her movement.
"Hello, little bird," a familiar Russian accent said into her ear. She whipped around and took in the smirking Russian but she noticed a hardness in his eyes. "You shouldn't hurt people who are saving you." She wiggled and pried at his arm but she couldn't get free. He easily turned and carried her into what looked like a living room. Couches were aligned in front of a large flat screen mounted on the wall. Shelves holding books and other knick knacks were situated on either side of the T.V.
"Let me go!" she snapped.
"No, we can't do that just yet," another voice said. Sang paused and turned to take in a very intimidating man standing at the back of the living room. He had dark hair and olive skin but his eyes were as cold as ice as they stared at her.
"Why not?" she asked some of her confidence fading away.
"You seem to have an unhealthy connection to your captors," he stated as if it were fact. Sang's mouth dropped open.
"They did not kidnap me!" she practically screeched at them.
"Doesn't matter," he said dismissively as if she were a child telling him she saw a dragon in the sky. "They are guilty of plenty of other crimes."
"Where are they?" she asked dread filling her. The mystery man looked at Raven who finally released her and set her on her own two feet. The world wobbled a little but it was manageable. She had had worse.
"At a suitable prison for criminals of their caliber." The entire world felt like it was collapsing around her. She felt tears track down her cheeks, but she couldn't do anything to stop them.
"Don't cry, little bird," Raven told her. "We will return you home."
"What?!" She whipped around to look at him. "No, I won't go back there."
"Look," the other man started moving toward her. "You can either tell us where your parents are or Corey will eventually track them down." She couldn't help the smug look that came over her. The feeling helped to stop the tears. The man noticed and sneered. "We know you're a ghost but the team isn't. We can track them to find where they kidnapped you. But it would a lot easier for everyone if you just told us."
"Bastard," she stated her voice a deadly calm. Her heart felt like it was breaking, her world was shattering, and a numb acceptance was beginning to flow through her veins. She would not go back to that house. She would rather die.
"Maybe," he chuckled darkly. "But this is an untraceable safe house in the middle of nowhere. No one else is within miles of this place, so don't try anything stupid." With that he turned and left the room. Sang felt herself breaking piece by piece. She turned to the large Russian that she thought was a friend.
"Bathroom?" she asked her voice cracking. He silently pointed a door off to the side of the living room. She made her way to it. The door was barely closed and locked before she collapsed. Sobs wracked her body. Her family was gone, her safe haven was gone, and she was on a one way trip back to hell. She should have known it was all too good to be true. The words she had pushed back starting shoving their way forward, and this time her family wasn't there to help fight them back. A whore like her didn't deserve a family anyway.
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Nate Ford had never worked directly with the academy but on a couple of his old insurance cases there would be mysterious good citizens or cops that had very useful tips. It didn't take him long to hear whispers of the organization. They worked with the law and sometimes going against it to get the bad guy or save the day. Not unlike what he was doing with his team.
He looked around his cell and thought that they must not agree with that sentiment. The fact that most of the team were career criminals probably didn't help. The security was good, he would give them that, but they were underestimating his team. He had tried to talk to them but no one really wanted to listen. They had already made their assumptions and were sticking by them. He was worried for Sang if she was also in here. They had to make sure to find her first.
Sure enough about thirty minutes later the lights flickered three times before going out completely. The ceiling creaked overhead, like there was a weigh in the vents. The vent cover in his cell popped off clattering to the floor. A familiar blonde head of hair stared back at him.
"Ready to go, boss?"
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The days had passed and Marc was getting worried. Sang had become almost unresponsive. Axel had threatened to have a doctor come and hook her up to an IV if she didn't start eating. Now she was eating the bare minimum with an empty gaze. The fiery girl from that first day that slammed Corey to the floor was gone.
Axel was on a call with the higher ups in the office so Marc decided to bring Sang some lunch. She rarely left her room after the first few escape attempts. The roof was by far the scariest incident. Thankfully, she was actually pretty skilled at rappelling. Marc loaded the soup and crackers onto the tray and headed up the stairs. He knocked a couple times before letting himself in.
Sang sat on the window seat of her now locked window staring outside. She didn't even glance at him when he entered. Setting the tray in front of her, instead of leaving, he sat down opposite of her. This couldn't go on much longer. Corey was close to finding where they grabbed her from, but they couldn't return a shell of someone's daughter to them.
"I made you some vegetable beef soup," he said in a sing-song tone smiling. "It's delicious if I do say so myself." Crickets. She acted like he didn't say anything at all. He sighed and sat back not giving up just yet. He wondered how he could reach her. She looked so lost. For a moment he felt like they were doing more damage than good in this case.
"It's rude to stare," she murmured so softly he wasn't sure he had even heard it. He smirked.
"Well, it's not every day you see such a beautiful lady," he flirted but she didn't react. They sat in silence again before he explored the one avenue none of the others had tried. Training said they shouldn't discuss the captors but he was running out of ideas. "What were they like?" She tensed before finally turned her gaze to him.
"Why?"
"I'm curious," he told her honestly. "Why do you think they were such good people?" She stared at him for a moment before turning to look back out the window. He was pretty sure she wasn't going to reply when she finally started talking.
"They saved people," she told him. "The people who society had left behind, the people who the law let down."
"Like who?" Marc asked.
"They helped a horse trainer keep his business, and be able to own his own horses." Her expression lightened as she talked, a small smile hinting at her lips. "They help a wounded veteran get money for his treatments."
"By stealing?" She glared at him not missing his tone.
"Yes, by stealing from the private contractor that shot him up when he witnessed the illegal transportation of stolen U.S money." That surprised Marc. That was the case that they first noticed the team on.
"They were able to help all of the wounded veterans in that hospital get the treatment they deserve," she continued. "They also helped save a neighborhood church for no monetary gain. It was being bought by a developer and now it's still a haven for people in that neighborhood. Ask Raven I bet he appreciates that." Marc couldn't help but agree with that. When Raven told them how he had stumbled upon the team of thieves, his brothers were surprised but not shocked. Raven had a habit of wandering and finding new places.
"They have a certain skill set, but they are using it to help people," Sang finished glaring at him as if challenging him to say anything in opposition.
Raised voices from the hallway caught their attention. Marc motioned for Sang to stay there but she didn't listen striding toward the door. She opened it silently and stepped out before Marc could catch her. At the top of the staircase she paused easily being able to hear what was being said below.
"The entire facility is compromised!" the mystery man shouted. Axel, the leader of this so called team, she had been told. She winced at the volume but stayed there even as she felt Marc closing in behind her.
"How did they manage that?" Corey asked shocked.
"They can't find them anywhere," Axel continued. "We need to lock this place down. They might come for her."
"Don't worry, Ax," another voice said. "We won't let them take her." That was Brandon, Corey's twin. Sang had also met him shocked that for a moment there were two Coreys. But the eyes distinguish them from each other.
She moved down the stairs silently with Marc following behind her. He didn't try to stop her or announce her presence. He must have decided she had already heard what she needed to because she had. She stopped in the doorway of the living room drawing every eye in the room to her.
"They escaped didn't they?" she asked smugly. Axel's jaw tightened and as he gave her a stiff nod.
"But don't worry, Sang," Corey told her. "We'll keep you safe." She scoffed knowing her family would never hurt her.
"Don't worry," she replied turning from the doorway to go back upstairs. "I won't be around much longer."