The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Harry flinched as the metal cage was yanked off his head, the sharp piece of the metal tong clipping his tongue as it left.

“Dinner, you have to eat something tonight for me, Harry.” Aiden murmured, the guard’s boots clanking against the metal grate while he swiftly made his way to exit.

Harry had been chained down to his cot for the past few days, the same subsequently done to his men. According to Kaiser, it was to show the former gang leader exactly who controlled who. No communication between the gang was spoken – or, rather, couldn’t be as Kaiser was still insistent about the men not being able to communicate.

“Not hungry.” Harry murmured, his eyes going up to his chained hands, giving them a small yank in frustration.

“I don’t care, it’s been days and you haven’t touched anything. You need your strength – especially with Sophia. She, Andros and Lily are being dropped off tonight. Kaiser says they should be coming by in a few hours; they’re already enroot.” Aiden spoke, noticing the deep frown on the younger lad’s face.

“Lily? She’s only just a small thing. And Andros and Sophia? That makes no sense. Why would he throw away his own daughter? He promised me Sophia would be okay.” Harry prattled with insistence, pushing his elbows into the thin mattress to sit up, but was yanked back harshly due to the severe lack on the chains holding him.

He let out a frustrated grunt and laid back against the flat pillow.

Aiden didn’t seem effected at the news, though Harry could tell the man was somewhat worried for his brother.

“Eli is behind this, the whole thing just stinks of her. My brother was never supposed to see the inside of this place and now, I won’t be able to protect them,” Aiden seemed beside himself now, sitting gently at the side of the younger bloke’s cot with a small bowl in hand. “It’s not much, but it will give you some strength back.”

Harry eyed the bowl and turned his head away.

“I’m not hungry.” He insisted, his stomach betraying him and loudly protesting his statement with an angry sound.

Aiden didn’t snort, but he did speak again with a condescending and sardonic tone.

“You may not be hungry, but your stomach evidently is. Come on, this is just the way it is sometimes; let go of your pride and just eat the God damn food. You and Tomlinson are being pitted against one another after dinner for a short demonstration.” He revealed, making Harry turn back, his eye brow raised in question.

“Me and Louis? Why would Kaiser – “His voice stopped short and a scowl replaced the confused look. “Jinx Kaiser can go fuck himself.” Harry decided with finality, but decided to take Aiden’s advice and let go of his pride. It was obvious he wasn’t getting out of the chains at the moment and would just have to wait for the right opportunity to lay another one into Jinx’s face.

Aiden brought the spoon to Harry’s lips, the aroma alone causing the chained bloke to close his eyes.

The taste of potato and bacon broth slid down his throat with ease, wetting it as it went, warming his stomach with a piquancy that was almost worthy of Niall’s level of cooking.

“What the hell?” Harry mumbled, making Aiden chuckle.

“Full loaded baked potato soup with a side of boiled chicken, which, I’ll feed you after. I know the cook, he comes in every week and cooks it to give the fighters a little more energy. When you’re down here for years on end, lethargy tends to set in. The carbs and starches help to replenish what is lost during the week. We used to get it twice a week, but Kaiser said it cost too much so…” Aiden shrugged, placing another spoonful in the younger gent’s mouth, watching the lad close his eyes again and take in the pleasure of something worthy.

Harry didn’t say anything, though was thoroughly confused when Aiden set the one bowl down and picked up the other. That was when he spoke up again, his eyes searching the lost looking man in front of him.

“That’s yours, I don’t want it, mate. You need – “Aiden began to shake his head, putting an end to Harry’s argument.

“It would be a waste on me, Harry. I – “He seemed sad, the reflection was lost in a way that Harry had never quite seen before in another’s eyes – even at the cabin, his hostages seemed to know their place and the resignation, but not Aiden. He looked completely void of comprehension.

“What?” Harry prodded, his voice deep and raspy.

“My brother is taking over the fights. They told me tonight, guess you were asleep before the guard pulled the brink from ya – whatever, he told me I was added to the execution roster for tomorrow. My brother will proceed me after death…can’t say I’m surprised. It’s been a long time.” His voice drops solemn.

“And that doesn’t bother you?” Harry questions, not completely understanding.

“It does. When I left, Ms. Dawson promised me before I came here that nothing would ever happen to my brother. She told me; keep fighting, no matter how dark the nights get and no matter how hard the rain falls, never give up because I would be free someday. I didn’t think she’d mean by way of a violent, bloody death.” Aiden sighed, the spoon going up to Harry’s mouth.

Harry obliged, the soup becoming a new obsession of his by every spoonful.

“If I ever get out of here, I’m taking the cook hostage, Niall will be out of a job.” He chuckled, trying to make light of the heaviness that had settled around them.

Aiden laughed and slapped Harry on the shoulder.

“Now you’re talking. I think you’ll get out of this, Harry. Damien wouldn’t let you rot in here for long. I think Jinx Kaiser has something up his sleeve to prolong your stay.”

Harry’s frowned deepened.

“Like what? He made his message loud and clear.” Harry assured, his eyes completely without defiance. He was well aware of Jinx and really didn’t need to test him further to know that things would not work in his favor. The only thing to do now, was wait for Damien.

“Kaiser doesn’t DO negotiations, which means I think there’s some bullshit happening along the assembly line here – somewhere, somehow, someone is not doing the job assigned to them.” Aiden prattled on, hardly making sense – which means his thoughts weren’t really focused on Harry, but rather Andros.

“Slow down, mate.” Harry tried to calm him, his mouth filled with another spoonful of the soup, forcing him to swallow. Aiden was losing his composure slowly and Harry did not want to be in the cell with him when he exploded.

“Andros was never supposed to be here. Dawson gave me a choice, ya know? Andros or me and shit, I wasn’t exactly a fighter, but I wasn’t as docile as Andros. He’d have been dead his first day and what’s worse is, I didn’t say goodbye. I told Dawson that goodbyes were for those who would see one another again. In my heart, I didn’t feel we would -now? He’s erasing the past and rewriting the future. He’s taken my choice away and violently obliterated a promise. I would give my soul up for my brother – now I am; with nothing to show for it.” He laughed in disbelief, now glancing into the gang leader’s unsure eyes.

“Mate? If I can get him out, I will. However, Damien apparently thinks I’ve pissed on his carpet one too many times and need to be sent to bloody obedient school. Does it look like I can get up and kick arse right now? Trust me, I’m terrified for Sophia. Christ in Heaven, Lily is a little girl! Talking hope isn’t exactly my strong point, especially where Sophia is concerned. She doesn’t know one defense move – only if you count kicking me in the balls a few times defense...or pulling my hair.” Harry finished with a mutter, recalling the memory with a small smile.

Aiden chuckled.

“Sounds like a spitfire.” His mind was jumping, but Harry’s distraction was a welcome.

Harry tried not to beam, but the memory of the girl driving him up the wall had hit a spot of familiarity, bringing in the brief smell of the kitchen and inside of the cabin. She was his link with that world.

“If only you knew, Deprave. She’s been through so much and she keeps on trying – not without being drug some days, but the more she’s pushed the more she gets stronger – so strong in fact that one day she’ll be strong enough to break.” Harry paused, wondering if that sounded cruel. He needed to build up the girl that they had torn down. It was all about finding where to resituate the blocks in her head.

“Girlfriend?” Aiden questioned, feeding him another spoonful.

This whole feeding thing was tedious, Harry threw a fit when Zayn had tried and he sure as hell didn’t like the feeling; though he supposes this was karma for all the other times HIS hostages felt the same way.

“Nah, I don’t date the damaged; especially when their childhood was as fucked up as mine. However, Sophia has been a light through our darkness. It sort of makes things entertaining at times. Louis, I believe you’ve heard his recent vocabulary. I would never have guessed. I mean, normally he just taunts the hostages with guns and makes them cry in terror. He’s had a soft spot recently and that also worries me.” Harry finished, turning his head away when another spoonful was offered.

“Full?” Aiden asked, beginning to eat himself.

“Yeah, ‘m fine.” Harry nodded, glad to have that over with.

Aiden nodded and went to sit on his own cot with the chicken and what was left of the bowl of soup.

“So you won’t date her because you’re both fucked up? Have you ever considered those are usually the matches made for destiny? Or some shit like that. Andros would be good at clarifying the wordy bullocks, he was into poetry; I was into drinking, getting laid and my personal favorite, bar fights. In fact, I stole his book of poetry and memorized it, tried it on a few lasses and well…the first four or five were good, but they say there is such a thing as pressing your luck. Ran into a girl, she wanted NOTHING to do with me and that was unacceptable.”

Harry had actually laughed out loud at this, picturing Aiden exactly as he suspected.

“So I tried a few more of those wordy bs throat to heart poems Andros was so good at -nothing, mate. Nothing!”

Harry gently got up slowly, trying to press his elbows up so he could at least take some pressure off his sore back, a chuckle escaping as he did.

“So you gave up?” Harry concluded, watching Aiden shake his head.

“Are you kidding? Hell no. I was absolutely plastered and I knew what I wanted, so I tried to get her name. Long story short, mate, the girl was a guy in drag and he threw a punch at me that sent me momentarily back to primary school. When I woke up, he had robbed me by taking all my money and left. The bartender was nice enough to call my brother – which he had on speed dial. I woke up to my brother trying to coax me from the floor and the bartender was above him, shaking his head.” Aiden concluded, a small smile slipping on his face as well.

“How much shit did you cause in that place for them to have your bloody brother on speed dial? Jesus and here I thought Louis was trouble.” Harry shook his head, slipping back onto the cot again, a bit frustrated to say the least. He wanted out of that bloody bed.

“A lot. I had been arrested a few times for starting bar fights. Andros started coming with me, but like I said – he was the poetry king and spent his time writing while I spent my time getting laid. Twins, but two opposites in every sense of the word. Despite what I said before, I do miss him and it will be good to finally say goodbye.”

The somber way he said it lead Harry to truly believe he was truly giving up. Eventually they all did and that was something he noticed when he himself was thirteen and visited this very place for the first time.

“Don’t give up just yet, mate. I haven’t – I’m just being wiser when it comes to using my mouth. That bridle hurts like hell after prolong use.” Harry encouraged, barely able to get the lie out.

“My other talent, Styles, is knowing when someone is lying. You fib a lot, you know that, right? Besides, little of it matters. They’re going to execute me tomorrow and I’m going to go with at least some dignity and fix what I didn’t get to those many years ago. That’s what will sooth my soul the most and allow me to let go of everything. Besides, I’ll be with Sophie. We’ll never have to worry about being hungry, tired or scared again. I think I’m looking forward to that the most.” Aiden smiled, his eyes radiating with life.

Harry didn’t know what to say, what could someone say to that?

“I’m sorry.” Harry offered.

Aiden shrugged.

“Aren’t we all?” He finished, standing up to walk toward the bars; the chain dragging along, pulling taunt when he was a foot from them.

For a moment he just stared, bringing in a breath of air into his lungs and slowly letting it out.

“This has been my home for years, Harry. This is the place that I had met my beloved and it would only make sense that it would be the place where I would die. I suppose it’s all one in the same, I accepted that long ago because my time was limited. I did not always want to be loveless, perhaps I was meant to though. Jinx Kaiser killed Sophie out of sport and game. I pray to whatever angel is listening out there that he himself is hunted, but wishes are like dying rose petals. You pull one off and it doesn’t mean a Goddamn thing. She was my world and he took that. I have nothing to fight for, so let whatever may be, be.”

Harry could feel a split in his heart for the older bloke. It was not only that way for his crew, but the girl he had left behind. Something he didn’t know he had the capability of feeling.

“You got a bird, don’t you, lad?” Aiden asked, trying to stop his mind from overthinking.

“Sophia. She’s a former hostage, but her significance to me is – undecided. Damien Styles has made it quite clear that he intends to harm her without a second thought. I’m just too much of a coward to stand up to him.” Harry admitted, a small pang of guilt falling from his tone.

“Sophie, my Sophie – she made me feel warmth. She was a light in my hell and to find someone like that is a rarity. I’ve had plenty of slags, but with Soph, it was different. I was going to ask her to marry me if we got out,” Aiden admitted, taking something from his pocket and showing the younger bloke. “I stole this from another fighter when I killed them. I was going to propose to her on the anniversary of her arrival, use this ring as a promise until I could get another.”

The metal gleamed in Aiden’s hand, reflecting softly off the dull lights around them.

Harry saw it was a plain metal shaped band, not at all fancy, but who needs a decorated ring to show what’s already in the heart?

“She’s gone and I’ve no use for it now. I want you to give it to your bird – whether she means anything to you or not. Sometimes, a small gesture of a gift can fix something you didn’t even know was broken.” Aiden nodded, his hand slipping into Harry’s pocket and releasing the band, turning from him again to finally sit on the opposite bed with a quiet sigh.

Harry could see a tear slip silently down Aiden’s cheek and what was worse, he didn’t know what to say to offer any ease to the older bloke’s pain – so he didn’t. He simply went back to relishing in his own, swallowing the bitter aftertaste of the food he had just been fed.

*

Andros knelt tiredly beside the unconscious girl, his eyes red with remanence of emotion, the wetness from his face long ago dried, but not completely wiped away.

“God in Heaven, this can’t get any worse.” He murmured, voice cracking with sadness as he began to try to bring Sophia back to the land of the living. “I told you not to go in so far, lass.”

Ajax was beside him, concern written across his features.

“Can you bring her out of it?” He asked his distressed friend, watching Andros gently put two of his fingers onto her arm and moved it up and down – just as her brother used to do.

“I can try, but she’s pretty deep in. I noticed she responds better if she thinks I’m her brother. So, we’re going to try that and see if it will bring her out.” Andros explained, his fingers continuing up and down her arm gently.

Ajax nodded, his eyes focused on Sophia’s shallow breathing.

“What happens if you can’t get her out? What then?”

Andros rubbed his forehead with his free hand.

“She’ll waste away until she dies. I need to try to appeal to her, let her come to me. Let me show you.” Andros swallowed, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

“The forest around you is cold, Sophia. You’re cold…freezing actually. You’ve been trying to find me, darling. I’m right here, luv. Follow my voice. If you want to be warm, you have to follow my voice.” Andros coaxed, his stare now focused intently on the girl’s face.

“How do you know she’s in a forest?” Ajax questioned, moving a little closer and sitting at the edge of the bed, but out of the way.

“Elli stayed with her last night since they deemed me unfit to do so.” Andros scowled, looking fondly at Sophia with a small smile. “I was, but I regret nothing and to know Lily is mine, I will rectify this situation and give us the best life possible – maybe even take Sophia with me, Lily needs a mum and I – “He seemed unsure how to continue.

“You need what, mate? A lay or a good friend? The bird is Style’s and he doesn’t like when people take things from him.” Ajax warned, his tone in concern what the Styles lad might do to the bloke if he tried to take Sophia.

“If Harry truly cares about her the way he claims he does, he’ll let her leave. The cabin they are out is no place for a lady to stay – especially with a group of men. At least with Lily, she would have someone and I can provide them with everything they could ever want.” Andros sighed, almost wistfully.

“You’ve grown feelings for this bird, haven’t you?” Ajax asked, already knowing the answer by the admiration already in the older bloke’s face.

“Aye, Styles doesn’t know how lucky he is to have a girl like Sophia. He doesn’t see her like I do. She told me about her father and how she ended up in this shit storm that is her life. Sophia’s brother, Dylan and how Louis blew her mother and half the neighborhood up.” Andros shrugged.

You said that you’d never fall for anyone again, not after Mrs. Dawson. What makes this lass so special to you?” Ajax continued his interrogating, smiling when his friend gave him an exasperating glare, clearly trying to get off the subject.

“Her eyes, mate. I needn’t say anymore,” Andros smiled, remembering how they lit when she would talk to Lily or him for hours in the safe confinements of his little girl’s room.

He sighed at the thought of ‘his’ little girl. If Andros hadn’t seen the blood test results himself, he wouldn’t have believed it considering Mrs. Dawson had told him Lily was Elliott’s

“Mate? I need to tell you something; Something you’re not going to like one bit.” Ajax announced, guilt clear in his tone.

For a moment it was silent; the only thing to sound was the thick tension, it’s sharpness cutting like a knife in the pause.

“Yeah?” Andros hummed, continuing to whisper useless things to Sophia to snap her out of it.

“Elliott is sending you and Sophia to the cage. He says you’re more trouble than your worth. He says Lily will go with you, but wouldn’t elaborate further, mate. I’m sorry. I tried to talk him out of it.” Ajax held his hands up in surrender, watching his friend pause, eyes tiredly turning to him again.

“My value has never been worth the trouble, AJ and if Soph is with me, we have a better chance at deflecting anything happening to Lily. I can’t stop Elliott, but I can shield my daughter from this unnecessary bullocks.” He decided with finality.

“I’m supposed to accompany to the Cage and then report back here, I hope you don’t think any less of me.” Ajax murmured, taking his hand and gently massaging it to the side of Sophia’s face.

Andros patted his friend’s back.

“Nah, you got to preserve yourself. Don’t feel bad because of that, mate. Just don’t gag me, I need to be able to keep Lily calm. Right now though, I need to get Sophia awake and ready.”

Ajax nodded and gestured for him to continue on his task.

Andros mimicked with a nod of his own for confirmation before leaning forward a little more to the girl’s ear.

“You’ve gone in too far, luv. Come back to the clearing, nothing is going to harm you, there’s nothing in your head that can harm you. You opened up something and now you’re afraid. I’m afraid too, sis. Come back to the clearing and let me help you, okay? It’s safe to come out of your head now. Everything is going to be okay. I just need you to wake up, baby.” Andros coaxed, flinching when Eli walked in with a smirk.

“Daddy wants to know if you got slag-slag awake yet? You three are set to ship out in a few hours.” Eli let Andros know, but he refused to acknowledge the little girl in front of him. That’s all he saw her as. An immature, jealous little teenaged girl and he did not have the will to deal with her.

Ajax answered for him.

“Not yet. She hasn’t responded to anything right now.”

Eli grinned a bit bigger.

“Well, she was talking in her sleep yesterday, was fun to fuck with her a bit. She seizured and then went completely still, dunno what to make of that, good luck though!” She waved and exited with a small laugh, knowing Andros was about to become livid with the look that crossed over his face.

Ajax had his hand to Andros’s shoulder before he could kill Eli.

“Why weren’t you in here with her?” Andros accused right away, making Ajax look guilty.

“I was gone for a while. Elliott had me take care of some things and that included helping you to the shower if you remember – after he announced Lily being yours of course, so forgive me for not being in two places at once.” He scorned, feeling guilty just the same.

Andros sighed and punched the ground beside him, happy Elliott had taken the collar from him to help get Sophia awake – not that he was sure it’d do any good now.

“Sorry, AJ. I’m just concerned. If Eli fucked with her, I dunno if she’s just in the forest anymore. She could have completely gone comatose and if she has – we might as well slit her throat and call it a night, because I won’t be able to get her out.” Andros looked downright worried, beginning to shake her. “Sophia? You need to snap out of this right the fuck NOW! Do you hear me? WAKE UP!”

Ajax flinched.

“Well if you don’t wake her up, you certainly will have woken the dead.” Ajax sighed, backing away with the fierceness of the glare he received.

“I have a few hours, let me try and let me do it in peace.” Andros grit his teeth.

Ajax nodded and stood up.

“Alright, I’ll come get you in a few hours. I need to make sure Lily has everything she will need. Elliott is just doing this for a few days, you can thank Eli for the idea.” Ajax stretched and went to leave the room.

“Oh, I will. You better believe I will.” Andros promised, sinking back into the softness of the bed, positioning himself behind Sophia and gently wrapping his arms around the girl, his mouth by her ear.

He knew at this point she might not even be able to hear him.

“Sophia? I need you to come back to me, luv. I don’t know what’s going on and I’m getting worried here. Maybe Harry can help or even Aiden. I just need you to be okay. So come out of it for me, hmm?” Andros pleaded, noticing there was no further reaction from the comatose lass.

He sighed and continued on, hoping for some sort of progress to snap her out of it. God knows how she’d react if she woke up in the cage with no explanation on how she got there.

“Let me tell you a story, since were just laying here. It’s a story about a boy who fell in love with his captor’s wife.” Andros smiled, hoping maybe his own pleasant memory would jolt her awake.

Sadly, midway through, he started to notice Sophia’s skin getting slightly paler. Unfortunately, what he didn’t know was the life-threatening game going on inside her head. One that Ellie had unknowingly started the night before.

“I wish I could see inside your head, precious. What’s gotten you so spooked?” Andros wondered in a low hum.

He didn’t press and continued on with his task for the few hours they had; right up to the moment Elliott entered into the room with a blindfold, a few zip ties that looked to be two inches thick and a muzzle.

“Were leaving within the hour. Ajax is getting Lily ready and I’ve been assigned to the task to take care of you.” Elliott explained, his tone light and dismissive. He was finding pleasure from Andros’s misery.

Upon deeper inspection, he saw that Sophia was still in her coma-induced slumber and frowned a bit.

“I thought you told me you could get her out of her head? Why isn’t she awake?” Elliott asked, coming to the bed and throwing the items down upon it.

“Eli did something yesterday, said something – now I’m making little leeway. Truthfully? I don’t think she’s able to hear me anymore. She maybe too far in.” Andros rubbed his head, eyeing the restraints Elliott had discarded.

The two men were at a standstill, but eventually he turned to Andros with a mere shrug.

“One less problem to deal with I suppose. Now, if you will kindly place your hands behind you, I’ll get you strapped up and we’ll all be on our way. I’ll have Smith carry Ms. Stone.” Elliott gestured for him to turn himself around so his back faced the leader.

“I need to keep Lily calm; she won’t know what’s going on. So I’m asking you; respectfully, not to use the muzzle.” Andros cleared his throat, lifting his hands and placing them behind.

Elliott paused thinking over the lad’s request, encircling one of the cuffs over his one wrist while attaching another to his other before linking the two together closely with the third, tightening them securely.

Andros flinched at the pull of the hardened plastic, closing his eyes abruptly when a thick black scarf was tied over his sight with ease.

“As much as it pains me, lad; Lily will be adorning the same attire you are, so, I’m afraid trying to comfort her as you say will be a waste of breath. The muzzle will stay locked on until delivery.” Elliott decided with a smirk.

Andros felt his fingers clench into his palm.

“You can’t gag her! She’s too young! Elliott, please? I’m begging you not to do thi -mmh!” The muzzle was slipped into the younger bloke’s mouth without further problem and buckled securely to the back of Andros’s head, a small click indicating that the gag had officially been locked on to prevent removal in the off chance that his prisoner broke free of his restraints.

“You of all people have no fuckin’ right to request anything. You slept with my wife and took away my victory of having another child. A child that should have died in birth, one that I had believed for all these years to be my own. Her existence into this world killed my beloved! She died because YOU couldn’t keep it in your trousers. If Lily had never of been born, then I would still be married!” Elliott yelled releasing his fist into the side of Andros’s throat.

Andros cried out in surprise, the muzzle keeping to its job of muffling his desperate pleas for mercy.

Elliott grabbed the spare zip tie and forced Andros onto his stomach, placing the hardened plastic up above his elbows, securing his arms above them together.

“Lily will spend a few days at the cage and then when she comes back, for a while at least, she will begin to train as a servant around here, taking over your job basically. When she is pushed as far as she can physically and mentally go, Ellie will take charge and train her,” He paused, forcing Andros to his feet, his lips perching next to his slave’s ear, smugness dripping from every word as he continued.

“She will learn to kill, yes, but she will learn to protect Ellie with her life. I see no reason for kindness any longer when she was never my daughter to begin with and since she is not mine, I see no reason to care any further for her, other than the most minimal care. Think of Cinderella and then multiply that by how cruel my imagination stretches. So get in as much quality time with her as you can, tell her how much you love her and how much you’re sorry you failed her. Tell her everything you have ever felt, tell her how her mummy and you met and then to add to the realism of it all, try to hug her with your bound together hands and cry for her soon to be lost innocence. Enjoy every breath you breathe together because this will be the last time you ever get to lay eyes on Lily again. When she comes back, the basement, much like it has been your room, will then be hers. I see no reason to break tradition.”

Elliott finished his long speech with a harsh sneer, throwing him on the bed beside Sophia, the front of his chest touching her side.

“Let’s not forget about poor Sophia there, hmm? You seem to care about her too. A special place in your heart where my wife left, yeah?” He waited for some sort of nod or confirmation from Andros.

A little disappointed he shrugged and pulled Andros from Sophia, his lips by the lad’s ear again.

“Once upon a time, there was a worthless slave who didn’t know his place. His heart was broken by the sounds of his girlfriend’s screams, the echo of her dying voice in his head that allowed him no comfort; for the King executed her for his defiance in the first weeks of his new arrangement. He mopped around, dropping ever more into despair until he came across a kind woman by the name of Mrs. Dawson. She wasn’t any ordinary commoner, but the Queen. Seeing the boy in such distress bothered her kind soul and that in turn made her ease the boy from his sadness, taking his hand and gently showing him the kindness he had been missing for the majority of his life, but the boy played with the forbidden fruit and soon enough, the master of the castle saw the happiness between his wife and the slave. Of course he thought nothing of it and smiled at the thought of his wife finally having someone around to erase her own troubled mind. If only the King had known – if only he had seen the true evilness that would grow between his beloved and a useless, lowly slave.”

By the time his voice dropped to silence, the deepness was a tenor growl.

“I’ve no regrets sending Aiden away and now, Sophia. She will be Kaiser’s little fuck toy for the soldiers that need release. She will serve the occasional customers that come through and then, when all hope has truly left her, I will come back to the Cage and fuck her right in front of you and Harry before slitting her throat wide open. If you think the despair is at an all-time low level now, you have not seen anything yet, boy.”

He gripped Andros’s hair and threw his head to the ground, his forehead bouncing off the carpet.

“STAY THE FUCK DOWN!” He screamed, whistling in his utter range.

A pause and then crying could be heard from a hysterical Lily.

“STOP!” She pleaded, struggling in Ajax’s arms to get free.

Andros heard the struggle and went on instinct to get up.

Elliott growled and jerked Lily from Ajax’s arms, slamming his foot down in the center of Andros’s back.

“Keep the servant down, I want him to hear what happens what happens when orders aren’t followed, something you will learn soon enough, my little Lilith.”

A sharp slap sounded and a scream of pain erupted into Andros’s eardrums, the blood and adrenaline pumping, blocking Elliott’s words, sadly not muting the harsh slaps of flesh against flesh.

Andros felt tears slipping down his eyes, soaked up by the thirsty blindfold.

“You see that man on the ground?” Elliott glowered, yanking Lily’s hair so her eyes were looking down at Andros, her cheeks wet and painful with the brutal hits her ‘father’ had just delivered to them.

“A-And –“ This time Elliott clenched his fist and brought it to her small chin, the force causing her head to snap.

Ajax went to step in, anger clearly showing in his eyes.

“You can’t do that! I agreed to help you get her ready, not kill her!” Ajax yelled over the girl’s frantic cries.

Elliott wasn’t letting up and tangled his fingers into Lily’s hair while yanking her head brutally into submission, taking his gun out and uncocking it with one hand from its safety position.

“You have and you know what? I respect that. I respect you can’t handle the work assigned to you. It just so happens that I’m downgrading on help, so, consider this your pink slip with a three seconds notice.”

With that he pulled the trigger, forcing Lily to watch the man she had known as her caretaker these past few days jerking backwards in a heavy jolt, the shot hitting his center chest and stopping his once beating heart.

“SMITH!? Get your arse in here and help me get the girl tied down, yeah?” He yelled out for Smith, forcing Lily to look at him.

“D-daddy, m’sorry. M’sorry, daddy. D-don’t hurt me. I’ll b-be a good girl.” She pleaded in promise to the man that used to be so loving to her, coddling her and comforting her when she was sad. She missed that person, she missed her daddy and how he used to be. It was her fault. It was her fault. She should have been better. She just hated to see Mrs. Stone and her friend in pain, now people were getting hurt worse because of her.

The tears were falling like raindrops, trailing down her pale face.

“I’ll be good, daddy. I won’t be bad, please daddy?” She pleaded, hiccupping and sniffing to clear her voice so Elliott could understand her.

Elliott felt a distain of the name ‘daddy’. He wasn’t her father.

With a scoff, he jerked his hand to force her head to the ground.

“I’m not your fucking daddy you useless little bitch. That bloke there, you see him?” Elliott sneered, pulling her head harshly and caused her to wail out Andros’s name to show she understood.

“That’s your daddy right there. When you’re in the Cage, locked down in chains, ask him to tell you the story of how he and mummy met. When the week is out, I will send for Smith to come pick you up. Don’t expect your old life back, that life was forfeited when you made it clear of what a monster you thought I was,” He grunted unhappily, smacking her across the face when he saw her eyes glaze over.

“You will be trained to protect your stepsister via her instructions and in doing that obligation, you will learn and perform the duties Andros was made to complete. So spend as much time as you can with him, because once you get back; the basement will become your permanent home and the chains he once wore, is what you will then inherit. Do I make myself clear, Lilith?” Elliott asked in a way that suggested it did not matter the answer.

Lily’s world was falling apart and no one was there to coddle her, no one was there to wrap their arms around her and tell her it was alright.

“H-hug? N-need – “She begged with a small broken wail of anguish that showed in her young orbs.

She wrapped her small arms around Elliott’s neck and nuzzled her face into his shoulder. No matter how mean her daddy had been to her, she still relied on him as the main source of comfort.

Lily’s hair was griped and pulled brutally so that she let loose her grip on Elliott.

The little girl was turned with brute force onto her stomach and the gun, now on safety, was whipped across her bottom with his full strength of rage. The screaming from her hoarse throat flared up again.

Andros struggled from his place on the floor, sobs leaving his own throat, muffled to a stop by his gag. He wished beyond everything good that he could reach out to his little girl and make her tears go away. He’d give anything to hug her and promise that it would all be alright.

“I’m not your daddy. You will never and I mean NEVER try to hug me again. You are to address me as sir or Mr. Dawson. If I see you cry, I will punish you severely until those emotions are bled from you. When you come back, I better see an improvement with you following instructions and you better be ready to listen to everything that is asked of you. If not, I’ll see you put permanently in the cage!”

Elliott was screaming now, Smith walking in with a flinch, having seen Ajax’s lifeless body and the sheer volume of his boss’s yell.

Smith held the items he was ordered to get before, siding with Ajax on the matter of the little girl being too young to tie down like Andros, but if agreeing with Ajax meant his grave, he was keeping his opinion to himself.

“Help me get her hands tied behind her, quit standing there like a shocked imbecile!” Elliott demanded, wrenching Lily’s little arms behind her, nodding Smith forward take one of the ties and attach one of it to her small wrists, clicking it painfully until it pinched her skin, repeating the same to her other wrist, looping them in a handcuff type style.

Lily cried and begged, but the men ignored her and soon, her arms above her elbow were secured, allowing for Smith to snap the final tie to her ankles.

“M’sorry! Sir, daddy, sir, daddy, p-p-please, sorry!” She begged pathetically, whimpering when Elliott brought his hand up across the air and went to bring it back against her cheek, Smith reaching out to catch his wrist.

“Mate? She’s scared, let me get her gagged and blindfolded, I’ll sedate them and have the other gents help me move them to the van for transfer, aye?” Smith compromised, swallowing when Andros tried yelling something through his own muzzle.

Elliott growled, not pleased to having been stopped, he did however nod.

Standing up he made his way to the door, turning only once to give one more direct order.

“Make sure her muzzle is locked tight; I don’t want to hear anything coherent from the little mistake.”

With that he was gone and Lily’s tied body fell against Smith’s lap in exhaustion, her small chest heaving with physical and mental anguish. Andros wasn’t too far behind. His heart ached for his little girl, his lungs felt cracked and heavy, the very exertion of his beating heart zapped what little energy he had left. He just wanted to hold his little girl and cry with her, no one had ever said such hurtful words before and knowing the truth of that little girl being his made him sob to the heavens for some relief to the mess they found themselves in.

Smith tucked the frazzled pieces of wild hair behind Lily’s ear and soothed her in a hushed voice.

“M’sorry, daddy.” She whimpered, hiccupping into Smiths lap; the notion of gentle fingers continued to try and soothe her.

“Hush now, luv. We need to finish getting you ready, okay? I’m so sorry, darling. I wouldn’t, God be my witness I wouldn’t ever do this if I wasn’t certain he would have you two killed. I always liked you, Andy. That was never a lie, even if you were weak – but this? This is too much.” Smith dropped his voice to a whisper to make sure Elliott didn’t hear.

“I want Andy.” Lily begged, but her eyes went to Sophia who laid dead asleep and something clicked, filling her with a little bit of hope. “Or mummy. Mama? Mum? Please! Wake up, mama!” She panicked, knowing she could always depend on Sophia as she was always normally around. With desperation, Lily picked her tone up to another wail, the sound muffled abruptly when Smith picked up the child-size muzzle and forced the leather nub into Lily’s mouth, the platelet completely covering her lower jaw and forcing it apart slightly thanks to the attached leather inside the strip.

He pulled the band through the buckle and tightened the gag tightly to the back of poor girl’s head.

That wasn’t the hardest part of the ordeal though, he followed through with his orders and fed the tiny lock through the latch and hole, clicking it closed to prevent anyone but Kaiser’s guards to unlock or tamper with it.

He watched the girl scream, her panicked wails barely heard between the absorbent material and the platelet across her lower face.

“It’s going to be okay, beautiful. Shhh, calm now, you’re about to go to sleep for a little bit, okay? When you wake up, you’ll be with Andy, daddy will make you feel better little one. Shh, come on, look at me, baby doll.” He coaxed, helping to set the helpless little girl up, watching the tears continue to fall. His attention to the same cries on the ground.

Smith looked at the blindfold, hesitating, but only for a moment.

“I’m really sorry, Lily-bear,” He apologized again, placing the blindfold across her eyes and tying it tight to the back of her head. “Now, you’re going to feel a little pinch, don’t be scared, okay? Daddy will be right there when you wake up.” Smith promised, taking one of the sedation shots and tapping the glass to clear the bubbles.

He took the cap off and gently finished the whole thing off in the most upmost care possible. He was treating Lily like a china doll – which at that point, he knew her mind would be in a Fragile state.

When Smith saw her body fall back he caught her and finished laying her down, kneeling on the floor next to Andros, rubbing circles in the small of his shoulder blades.

“I wasn’t lying, mate. I never wanted this to happen, I hope you believe me.” Smith cleared his throat, slowly uncapping the sedative.

Andros just laid there and cried. His little girl had been brutally beaten and slapped. It felt like he had so much to catch up on and not enough time to do it. He would never get to see Lily again when Elliott decided to retrieve her from the Cage. He needed to tell her so much and now it all felt helpless.

“I’ll try to make sure you’re put in the same cell as these two.” He promised Andros, sticking the needle into his arm and waited until he was out.

When everything went silent and their breathing evened, Smith called for one of the other guards to help him get the family of prisoners into the van and for another member to dispose of Ajax’s body in the pit out back.

*

A few hours later, twenty minutes out from the Cage:

Lucilius sat beside Adam, smiling wide and patting the younger lad on the shoulder.

“You will serve quite a purpose with me, lad. You got it tracked all the way to the power grid?” He questioned, seeing the group of twenty or some men sitting around – Liam and Niall included. The clothing of all black was a trend Lucilius insisted that everyone wear for the events that were about to transpire.

“Yes, sir. All I need to do is type in the code to shut off the main grid and that will leave you at around thirty seconds to get your men in and begin to take out the guards before the backup generators kick in.” Adam nodded, his cuffed hands going to his forehead and scratching one of the many scabs that was healing thanks to his new boss and his game off slap the computer hacker into cooperation with the tip of his gun.

“I need more than thirty seconds, lad. I need at least a minute. Take out the backup generators if you have to. If you can’t, I have a bullet with your name on it.” Lucilius smiled and patted Adam’s lap, his ankles chained together to ensure he didn’t go running off like he had tried to the first day.

Poor Liam and Niall were absolutely run ragged because of it as Lucilius was the one who made them go chasing after the boy. So, they had little choice in the matter to make sure the boy stayed and he was given more than enough chances.

“I’ll see what I can do, boss.” Adam replied tiredly, his hands moving at lightning speed on the laptop he was provided with.

Lucilius smiled.

“Good boy. If this mission is successful, you’ll get to sleep in an actual bed tonight and not the hardwood chair that you’ve been cuffed to this past week, sound good?”

Adam’s eyes actually shot to Lucilius in hope.

“Y-yes! Please, sir? I’m so tired.” He begged, the hopeful gaze lighting his irises in something that resembled eager happiness.

“We’ll see. I need to get Harry and his team out, if you do your part; you’ll be sleeping comfortably in a bed tonight.” He saw Adam smile and felt the need to dash a little bit of his enthusiasm. “Of course we’ll have to take some precautions, lad. You’ll be on complete tie-down or we can compromise and I’ll set up a chain system for your ankles that allows you to move about a little. We’ll decide how well you do today to come to how that will play out, so don’t disappoint me, my little gold toy.”

Adam nodded, noticing the eight other vans caring the other circle members were falling back some, according to the tracker that had all of them connected together.

“Sir? Five minutes out, tell me when to give the signal to the other vans.” The driver up ahead called, appearing nervous.

Liam reached over and squeezed Niall’s shoulder when the lad let out an involuntary shudder. He didn’t like senseless killing, but he knew it was the only way to get his gang back and he was willing at that point to do anything. A week with Lucilius had been hell – though better than the playhouse if he had to admit anything.

“Alright, lads! On my signal, start running and take out anything that moves! I don’t care if it’s your grandmother crossing the street, take them out! No chances, no risks! Be mindful of each other and mindful of Harry, Louis and Zayn! If there is a girl with them or anyone in their group, do not shoot! Waffles, Puppy! Lead them to safety if you so happen to spot them first! Alright everyone, get set!” He waved his arm up and brought it down with force.

At that moment the side doors shot open and all the men scurried out, Liam and Niall hanging back.

“Get Harry’s group out, tell Harry, Jinx Kaiser’s office when he gets the rest of you to safety; everyone else has their orders. Now, go!” Lucilius clapped to get them on the ball.

Niall and Liam needn’t be told twice and armed their guns, running in the direction of the tunnel with the others, gun shots going off in multiple directions with a few scattered screams of surprise.

“Adam? Cut the power and don’t fucking disappoint me, lad.” Lucilius warned, watching Adam nod and tap into the power grid, cutting the power, a few explosions of electricity heard from the main corridor.

“I took out the main grid, now all I need to do is open the cages from the main control panel.” Adam explained, tapping from one electrical grid to the main control system.

“When the backup grid kicks on, I’m programming it to short out the main control.” Adam gave him a step by step commentary, working quick, the echo of screams growing loudly, gunfire increasing.

“Meaning what, exactly?” Lucilius asked, reaching over to grab his ammunition and guns, holstering them.

“Once the backup kicks in, the main power source will short out and open everything. The cells inside, the main doors such as main offices – everything will be open like an unprotected castle.” Adam explained, seeming almost smug.

Lucilius chuckled and reached over, kissing his forehead.

“You’re not lying to me, yeah?” Lucilius made sure and Adam shook his head, knowing better than to lie to the man.

“Good boy. Because if I die, Jinx Kaiser will add you into his collection of new fighters. So I hope you’re telling me the truth.” He tsked, taking the laptop from the bloke’s lap and punching Adam in the temple to knock him out.

Lucilius set the laptop down and moved from the van like a shadow, allowing the cover of darkness to surround and guide him to the sound of violence, agony and bloodshed.

Notes