#vdw

As much as she hated to admit it Bethany needed Lucian's help. Her best worker was missing and though the girl that answered the door this morning assured her you were being picked up from a impromptu vacation. The reaction from your mother frayed on her nerves. She even heard from Kyle that your mother was planning the funeral arguments in secret - in case you didn't come back in a month and that Xavier was not the guilty party. But why did the others not seemed as ready to commit to your death as your mother? Even her own son seemed to know something she didn't though he didn't tell her. But she was used to that, a cold reaction from her son and a cold reaction from the men in charge of the different factions of criminality in this town.

As far as she knew, she was the only woman who was making a name for herself, which is why it burned at her cheeks to even buzz at the door of her exes large plantation style home. The drive itself was about 3 hours out of the city, a journey she made without her husband. She told Lucian she was coming but was half expecting to be turned away at the door - however she was pleseanlt surprised when one of his other son's Wesley buzzed her through the gate and lead her up to the sitting room where Lucian was taking his afternoon drink. She was a frizzy haired girl buttoning up her shirt and looking shyly at Bethany as she walked in. Bethany snorted seeing the girls skirt out of place as well, though Lucian looked as though he came out of a photoshoot. The smiled at his ex but Bethany made no indication how much his presence effected her. He smiled at the girl and motioned to the door, with a meek 'yes, sir' she darted past Bethany.

"Old habit's huh?" she said wanting to smack the smirk that looked back at her.

"You said you needed my help," he motioned for her to sit on the couch across from him. "Why?" she took a seat moving her leg over the other, her own smirk appearing on her face when she saw his eyes flick to her legs. She watched him settle into his seat and offered her a drink, she shook her head.

"You are close to Damien's friend, the missing girls-"

"You know their names, Bethany." Lucian said, his voice smooth. "You might not like her but she deserves your respect."

"What has she done to gain my respect?" Bethany retorted. "What has she done to gain yours? She plays with our son - your son. You want him to inherit all this" she motioned to the house around her "she is a distraction and a pest. She should stay missing." She took a breath angered how nothing seemed to effect Lucian - but he was always like that. Only showing his emotions when it was convenient to him, she could never truly read him which made her want push his buttons for a reaction. "Unless the only reason you want her back is because that girl who rushed out of here isn't doing as good of a job as she does for you. You did always have a thing for her, since she was a loose little teenager running around Italy listening to your stories of the witch women who could tell the future."

It irked her when he laughed, like she was a child who was showing him some drawing she made that he didn't care about. "I assume you're here about the little one too. I know you know her name, right? She is working for you."

Surprised that he knew she leaned back on the couch. "Arianna is a good worker, nearly the best. She is a respectful woman, the kind my child - your son should be with."

"A drug dealer." He chuckled pouring more of the dark liquor in his cup.

"Better then a whore." She mumbled and he shrugged. She gathered her thoughts for a moment and leaned forward. "Her mother is planning her funeral but when I asked Damien, he isn't as worried as he once was. His friend, Xavier has been arrested and sent away but she didn't turn up and Damien avoids questions about it. And none of the girls in that house is telling my other worker about it. In fact, no one is talking to me about it-"

"Maybe you don't have to know." Lucian suggested, a smirk playing on his lips as he sipped the drink.

"She's my worker. I have to look out for her, just as you have to look out for yours. I am a force in this town, I have built myself up from the pile of nothing you left me in! I deserve to know! I have earned that from you!"

Lucian stayed silent for a moment and then his lips curled into that annoying smirk again. "Fine. There is a small meeting around 10 this evening, I'll see if I can get you in."

"You will get me in." She demanded and he chuckles.

"Go home to your husband, Bethany." He stood up signifying he was done with this conversation. "I'll call you tonight." She stood up and left without saying another word.

~~~~~

Robin's first stop was his father's club, the only place him and J could meet without the prying eyes of others wondering what a student at a prestigious school would have to talk about with the clown prince of crime. He walked right into the club, bypassing the security guards and desperate men and woman trying to make it in there. He beelined for the private quarters decorated in purple, green and gold.

He pulled the key his father had given him and quickly unlocked the door. He saw his father standing above a very nervous looking man on a computer. He glanced at Robin then laughed looking back down at the man. "Happy is here!" He announced at waved his hand at Robin. "Lock the door behind you, I want to show you something."

He tried to quell his anger, knowing if he lost his temper at J - J wouldn't give him any answers. Instead he would use it as a weakness, J always exploited weaknesses. His anxious energy coming out as he played with his fingers. "I need to talk with you." he waved his hand at the man "in private." J eyed Robin and nodded turning back to the man.

"Are you done?"

"Ummm, y-yes. Just about."

"And how do I see the video?" J asked thats when Robin noticed his hand was gloved. Robin peered over to the computer.

"Step back." J ordered carefully watching as the man showed J just what he needed to know. Once he was done J asked "Is that it?" Once the man nodded, J pulled out a pistol from his hip and shot the man right in the temple. His body slumped over to the side. The once purple wall splattered with bits of brain and bone caked in red. The anxiousness Robin felt suddenly disappeared. He wouldn't harm him, he wanted an heir and with me missing he needed to keep Robin as well.

He threw the gun down and pulled the gloves off his hands. "Come here, I want to show you something! Its amazing how many people blindly trust these cameras, you know how easy it is for people to hack into these? He did it in an hour." When Robin didn't respond with glee as J had, he turned towards him, moving his green hair from my eyes. "I had to kill him, happy. He can't know what we know. No one will miss him. Now come here."

Robin walked over to his father eyeing he computer. J pressed a button and a grainy CCTV footage played on the screen. Given the angle of the video Robin knew it came from the cameras set up in the older couples home diagonal to the funhouse. It was hard make out many things but he saw me pull into the house alone on Christmas Eve. His eyes focused on me moving towards the house. J skipped forward and in the corner of the screen they saw the flickering of lights and just a few minutes later, they saw a large man carrying a body in a blanket to his car. It was grainy and fuzzy but they both knew it was me - though J did no know who the man was. Robins heart dropped. He knew it was Luther, it had to be. Who else would do this?

"There is going to be a meeting tonight," J said his red mouth in a stoic line "all these cops around are making people nervous, whoever this is will have to come out soon and when he does." J clapped his hands on Robin's shoulder and let out his iconic laugh. "I have such sights to show you. You're going to help me with it. Like when you were a boy." Robin's icy reaction, made J's smile fade. "You can say thank you. You're coming with me tonight."

"No" Robin glared at his father. Joker scoffed and eyed the gun where it landed on the dead body as though warning Robin but the taller boy did not bend. "What is this?" He pulled out his phone showing pictures of what Edward had sent Negan just an hour before. His jaw tightened when J laughed hysterically. He was bent over in laughter falling into the chair and wiping tears from his face.

Angrily he pulled up his father and slammed him into the crimson laden wall. "Why are you fucking with us? What the fuck is you plan?" He grabbed Joker's face slamming it into the wall trying to silence his still laughing father. He squeezed his large hand tighter over his fathers face. "WHERE. IS. SHE?" J laughed louder and Robin slammed his fathers head into the wall again letting go and watching as Joker slumped to the floor. He turned around trying to calm himself, quickly turning back to him when his laughing ceased.

His hand was on the back of his head, his fingers coming back as red as the blood on the wall. He smiled at his son, proudly. "Look at you, finally standing up to me." He stood up but Robin wasn't backing down. He chuckled and moved back over to the desk eying the pictures again.

"You should know better." J shook his head zooming in on the playing cards. "This isn't me."

"Its your fucking calling card!" Robin growled.

"Its the wrong colors." Joker rolled his eyes. "Look around you, Happy. Think of everything I have taught you. I work in purple, green and Gold. I would never do this if it could be mistaken for someone else." Robin grabbed the phone and saw the yellows, reds and oranges colored on the cards. Joker's green eyes met his son "I take credit for everything I do. But thats a hilarious copy cat."

~~~~

Abigail looked at her beau with contempt in her eyes. She didn't understand his game in all of this. He had clearly changed his mind in wanting to kill you, she had made sure of that - growing attached to you herself in your brief interactions. She was happy when he agreed to get Austin to help you but now she was watching the screen of Jake, taking out his frustration on you.

Samantha, unable to stand the sight of blood quickly turned away when Jake's fist made contact with your face, splitting open the wound on your head again. "Dumb stupid slut!" he screamed at you. "Have Xavier come and save you now!" his bloodied fists made contact with your nose. You felt a rush of blood pooling into your mouth. You tried to stand, to fight back but you were so heavily medicated you barely felt his crushing blows. That was the only silver lining.

Jeremy watched in amusement occasionally letting out a chuckle but not saying anything. That was until Jake went to hit you again and you kicked out your leg hitting him hard enough in the stomach for him to double over then you let out a long string of blood as you spit in his face. "Look at the Spitfire!" he cheered you on like he was watching a sports game.

"Whats the plan?" Abigail blurted out, her hands resting on her hips. "If you didn't want to keep her why have Austin treat her in the first place? This is unnecessary."

"My sweet girl" he said his voice in an eerie sing song tone. "You wanted to keep her and now your upset?" Abigail opened her mouth to deny it but he waved his hand at her. "She will have a place with me, but first to build the perfect ally I have to break it down and rebuild from the ground up." He chuckles and looks at his paramour like it should have been obvious. And it should have been, he did it with her. "Jake is disposable. When she earns her place, she'll kill him." Samatha gasps but Abigail isn't sure if its because of Jeremys words or the face that Jake slap across your face bursted open your lip.

~~

It was truly ironic how the tables have turned. Shawn had kidnapped you, flew you to a foreign country in hopes to isolate you enough to bend you to his will. He locked you in a multi-million dollar prison in the form of a beautiful home, dressed you in obscenely expensive gowns and spoiled you with food and presents you never asked for. Now there he was trapped like a rat in the same mansion he trapped you in. He was strong enough to walk by himself - not that it mattered. His father had dismissed all the staff and left that terrorist Edward in charge. The only one who stayed to take care of him was Catherine. Though, she didn't help much against the rage machine that was Edward. He had beaten Shawn after his conversation with her father. If it wasn't for Katya taking pity on him, then he probably would have starved too - Edward had locked him in the room with no way to get out. Katya brought him food.

It was around that time again and he figured he should wash his blood caked face. He heard Edward shout that Negan was coming and he did not want to look as pathetic as he felt. He made his way over to the attached bathroom, holding onto the wall trying to steady the swaying room. His face was a mix of bruises in various states of healing and as he suspected his nose was bleeding.

"Sir," Catherines soft voice came in behind her. She was staying locked in the room with him, sleeping on the day bed by the window as he rested in the master bed. "Do you need help?" When he didn't answer, she rushed to him. He winced while she gently cleaned his wounds. "We need to get out of here." she whispered to him as though Edward and Katya were listening. "Leave everyone here - frame them for the girl going missing."

"How?" Shawn closed his eyes savoring the feel of the cool ointment on his burning skin.

She spoke in fast Greek "🎭 When blonde girl opens the door to bring the food in I will disarm her. We'll go to the boat house, Stefanos always leaves plenty of gas in it and you can take us to Crete. Then we can take a flight-" She helped him back to the bed and he nodded. They could do that plan.

Right on schedule, the door knob jiggled and with a cart of enough food for the two of them moved in Katya pushing it. Before she even got a chance to greet them Catherine yelled grabbing the nearby flower vase and chucking it straight at Katya's head. Catherine moved to Shawn, yanking him up and expecting to hear the crashing of glass and the thump of Katya's body hitting the ground.

A chill ran down her spine when she was met with silence and Shawn froze in Catherine's arm. Catherine, hesitantly turned her head and followed Shawns gaze to the blonde that held the vase in her hand and smiled at them. "It was a nice try - but did you really think it would work?" She chuckled and tossed the vase to the chair. It bounced on the cushions and Catherines heart sunk. "I made bacon and eggs." she took a piece of bacon from the tray and popped the end in her mouth. "This will be the last meal I bring you."

Shawn felt his breath catching in his throat. Was Edward going to kill him? Would his dad allow that? Did he fuck up that bad? "Why?" he asked eyeing the food suspiciously. No, Ed wouldn't kill him by poison. He'd do it up close and personal and Katya had no reason to kill him - he was the best chance of finding you.

"You're father is coming tomorrow - he's going to take charge."

The dank wetness of the cell seemed to seep into all your pours. Besides occasional soft voices, or the clinking of some technology from past the bars of the cell or the bird song drifting in muffled tones from outside - the area was silent. You were left alone for what seemed like hours with just the booze and vape to keep you company. The room was humid so you soon stopped puffing on the vape, the heat and smoke causing you to cough so roughly your throat hurt. To pass the time, your attention was brought to the Vodka bottle that Abigail left.

You were nearly done with the bottle when you realized it had to be laced. You were way drunker then you normally would be. The floor under you started to sway and it seemed everything around you started to pulsate. Your stomach lurched and you felt like you were about to vomit. You needed to throw up. Your eyes slowly looked at the exposed toilet in the corner of the cell and you started to crawl to it. Except another lurch of your stomach demanded faster movement. You attempted to stand up but instead fell into the stone wall. You hissed but tried to move towards the toilet. But the heat of the room and whatever drugs were laced in the vodka were fully working against you. The next step you took made you once again stumble into the wall. You sucked in a deep breath in the false hope it would help you steady yourself. You waited a few moments, and took another step just as bile burned your throat. You fell face first into the railing of the bed. 

~

The sound of music caused you to come out of your dreamless state. As soon as you opened your eyes, your heart speed up and you froze. The humidity was gone, now replaced by the cool air that came from the buzzing AC propped into a window. A window? You didn't want to fully get up, scared at wholes was in the room. Instead you looked around seeing you were indeed not in the cell any more. Besides the ac, the room had a soft queen bed, which you were laying on, a dresser, a chair and a desk where a man stood with his back to you. Immediately, you sucked in a breath knowing you didn't know this man. Your eyes darted around to the window seeing the sparkling night sky signifying you had to be out for a couple of hours. Your eyes then shot to the door, though it was closed you saw the shadows of men just on the other side.

The window would be your escape route. You attempted to get up but as soon as you sat up the pounding in your head stopped you. A searing white pain shot at you from behind your right eye making you yelp, squeezing your eyes shut and catching the attention of the man.

"Careful!" The man rushed to you with a gauze pad smelling of peroxide. You opened your eyes and gasped. The pain in your head was the only reason you knew you weren't dreaming. Their pressing a glauze to your head was Austin.

"Austin?" you let out a hiss when the peroxide hit your wound. His kind brown eyes locking with yours. "Where?" your throat was dry and do to the coughing fit of the vape your voice came out just above a whisper.

"You're in my room." he said gently. "You hit your head pretty hard. You scared Samantha." He let out a small laugh. "thank god Abigail sent her to check on you. The stitches won't leave a mark when they heal but it will hurt for about 2 weeks." When he lowered his hand you saw the white of the gauze tinted pink with your blood. He gave you a sad smile before quickly getting up. He made his way over to the desk grabbing a water bottle and handing it to you. "Sorry, you must be thirsty." You thanked him watching him move back over to the desk where a medical bag was.

You gratefully took the water, chugging it down as fast as you could, reveling in the cool relief that it gave your throat. "Austin," your voice was quiet but clearer. "I need to get out of here." He looked back at you a small scowl on his face.

"There is no escape Adi." he frowned. "Not until the boss lets you go."

~ ~ ~ ~

I took the medicine Lloyd's on call doctor gave me. Within a few minutes I was knocked out, lost in vivid dreams of Luther. In them I was once again locked in the basement, with chains weighing me down I tried to run and squeeze out of my chains but they painfully squeezed my sides leaving deep marks. I felt Luther behind me, his red aura spilling into mine. "YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!" he screamed and no matter where I ran there he was. His hands shot out and closed around my throat tightening until I couldn't breathe. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU BITCH!" I clawed at his face and hands but he was laughing as i struggled to breathe. He let go for just a moment and I screamed just as he started to shake me. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

I was pulled out of unconsciousness from my own wild thrashing. The sheets were tangling my limbs and a cold sheen of sweat stuck to my body. I tried to calm the crazed beating of my heartbeat in my ears while my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room and memories flooded back. I let out a sigh of relief. I was with Lloyd. He was in the room just across from me.

After realizing I was not going to go back to sleep, I got up and crossed the hallway to his room. I knocked nervously causing the door to creak open but it was empty. Sighing and not wanting to think how much I already missed having Lloyd around me, I made my way over to the empty living room. I cuddled not the couch turning on the TV attempting to distract myself from my nightmare.

I heard the door open about 2 hours later while some rerun of George Lopez was playing. I had long lost interest in the TV and turned toward the door. Lloyd was speaking to his right hand man, Seb, clearly annoyed, the entire aura around him red with anger. He was about to say something else when Seb pointed out my eyes poking out from the couch.

Lloyd eyes immediately softened "Are you okay?" He called out to me. I nodded and he looked at Seb, whispering a few things and the other man left us alone. He made his way over to me, I turned back to the TV.

I felt him putting a blanket over me and a sense of calmness washed over me. All the tension I had been feeling from my dream and the racing of my mind was quelled. He put his arms over me while wrapping me in the fluffy afghan. He was warm and smelled like the outside which told me since leaving me with Jamie, he was out all night probably looking for Luther. I tried to push those thoughts out of my head just enjoying the cocoon of safety that his presence offered. I was so deep in my comfort I didn't realize he was talking to me. "What?" I asked slightly blushing.

He chuckled. "Did you sleep?"

I snuggled into the blanket and leaned back on the couch shaking my head. "Not much, I - um - I kept having nightmares." He nodded looking away from me and I bit my lip embarrassed, the silence making it worse.

"I'm sorry." he said breaking the lull. "I should have come earlier."

"Its not your fault." I said turning towards him. "I-" I sighed "I'm sorry I freaked out on you on Christmas Eve." He opened his mouth to speak but I took his hand to make him look at me. "you're right I shouldn't have expected you to tell me that. It wasn't fair."

"I should have said something anyway."

I chuckled and looked at my hand still holding his. "And" I added "I should have let you handle him the moment you knew something was up. I thought threats could stop him. Clearly" I motioned to my face. "It didn't work." he reached up to my face, tenderly pressing the pads of his fingers to the fading bruise around my eye.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little." I admitted.

"I did try." He admitted and I raised an eyebrow. He looked up at me with a small smile. "Thats why I was in New York. I had a friend of mine offer him a very good position at NYU and have him in a terrible accident." He smiled wider when I laughed. "It would have been tragic." he winked but soon his smile faded and he shook his head. "The bastard wouldn't take it though. I was going to just end him myself but when I got back to town he was gone. I had no idea he was Mexico." I nodded. "When I saw you were here, I thought you just needed a break but as soon as I realized he was the one to sign you out of school while being out himself."

"Hes such a fucking creep." I grimaced leaning into loud. He moved so I was comfortably adjusted into his side. We sat like that for a few minutes until something hit me. "Lloyd?"

"Yes, sunshine?" he asked looking down at me.

I sat up "How'd you know I was in Mexico? Luther said he didn't tell anyone, thats why no one was looking for me." Lloyd looked at me as though he was unsure of how I would react to what he had to say. "Don't lie." I warned with a smile.

He chuckled and fingered the necklace he reunited me with that was hanging around my neck. "I told you, your mother wanted me to protect you and Robin. But you, sunshine, go wherever the wind takes you and that is fun but its hard to constantly keep track of." He turned over the locket and pressed on the red ruby that was the cat eyes. "There was a tracker in it but it was long since deactivated. I updated it before I gave it back to you." He said slowly as though weighing his words in his mind and nervous to my reaction to them.

At first I didn’t do anything and he grew nervous, though his face remained stoic. The necklace felt heavy around my neck but not oppressive. Luther had tried to drill on my head that I had no hope, that no one was looking for a frequent runaway. But Lloyd was he knew where I was and he came to save me like he always would. He knew something was wrong and immediately had a way to find me thanks to Harley. Emotions overcame me and I felt tears burn my eyes before I threw myself onto Lloyd hugging him tightly. As though on an instinct his arms wrapped around me. “Thank you.” I squealed out as I silently cried in his arms. He rubbed my back and held me tightly.

My eye, though still red and bruised, was no longer swelled shut and my bruises though still prominent on my body were not as tender. An hour ago, Luther brought me from the room in the basement, ordered me to shower and picked out a summer dress, i would have never picked for myself. Once i was dressed his brother, James, patted me down, lingering too long on my hips "to make sure you didn't take anything sharp from the bathroom." I didn't. I was concocting my own plan.

He sat me, like a doll, on the beige couch in front of the other men. They wore jean jackets, each with a small devil head embroidered on the collar. They were part of a gang or maybe a subsection of some local syndicate. They leered at me and Luther seemed to enjoy my disgust.

"Gentleman," He said with a smile, he stood next to me his hand possively just behind my neck, resting on the back of the couch. "My soon-to-be wife, doesn't fully believe i have the connections that i do. That if she doesn't walk down that isle with me on Saturday then she will belong to you three. Once they saw you" Luther ran a finger over my cheek, i jerked back, the men laughed. "They offered me a large sum. 100 grand."

"He tells you the truth." the middle one said, his accent was thick in his words as she spoke. "The boss, he loves white girls. We give him her as a gift" he looked up at Luther. "He'll look at all of us with favor. 🌶Even though she's not a virgin." The men laughed with each other continuing to discuss me as though i was not there. They spoke about me like how they would trading a horse or a sandwich. But these men were telling the truth. Luther did have connections here which put a slight damper on my plans. When i get out of here, i had to make sure none of these devil men saw me or they'd scoop me up and sell me to whatever pervert paid the highest.

"So you see my snowflake," Luther said walking back into the room, handing a glass of water to one of the men. "I have people willing to pay a lot of money to me for you. But" he said walking over to me. "As long as on Saturday you say 'I do.' then ill protect you from the big bad wolves." he even had the audacity to smile at me. "Shouldn't i be rewarded? I'm rejecting all this money for you. Money i can use to put my children through school or better my life, all because of you. "

"As long you fulfill you duty." James said into my ear.

They waited for my response looking at me with sinister looks in there eyes. Enjoying my discomfort or the hold they now all held over me. "You're all revolting." I spat at them. The three devil men laughed at me while James eyed his brother and Luther sucked his teeth.

"You really are a brat, huh?" he chuckled. "You're parents really did spoil you rotten but don't worry. i'll train that out of you. I'll start now. Stand up." When i didn't he roughly grabbed my arm forcing me up. He dragged me down into the basement again, the men following as he threw me onto the tiled floor. "Sorry gentleman, but hopefully next time, she'll be a better hostess." He slammed the door behind him and i got to work.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The relief that over flooded your senses when you saw Jake made your shaking form shake more. You heard Anne calling you and you looked down at the phone. Jake gently took your hand in his ""I have a phone at the house, you can call whoever.""I left my cellphone at the house, but you can as many people as you want."

You nodded placing your ear to the phone. "I'll call you back in a few minutes, i promise." You hung up as they ordered you to keep talking. Your eyes shifted back to the mansion that loomed like a castle on top the the hills that overlooked the town. Jake followed your gaze but didn't ask questions.

"Come on, my car's over here." You followed Jake limping to his car and got in the passenger seat. You relaxed the farther you got from the mansion that held Shawn. Jake held out a towel for you.

"Put it on your leg." He said and you pressed the rag to your bleeding leg. You sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound coming from the radio playing some soft pop song in Greek.

"Why are you in Greece?" You asked as he drove out of the center of town. Your relief increasing the farther you got from the house.

Jake looked at you almost sadly. "For a girl." he said and you looked at him. "But it's over now." You nodded looking out the window. The markets turning into houses. Shawn wouldn't find you now. You made a mental note to call Negan as well. You'd get the number from Ed.

"How far is your house?" You asked looking at the clock, though the time went fast you had been driving for 30 minutes.

"Just up the block." he pointed and you turned to look out the window to see where he was pointing. But you should have been paying attention to him, then you would have noticed the tired look in Jakes eye, the bottle of some clear liquid in the back cup holder and the rag he kept soaked in in pressed tightly to his side. He eased the car infront of a random house and just as you turned back one of his hands gripped your hair tightly, and placed the soaked cloth over your nostrils and mouth forcing you to breath in the chemicals until your eyes rolled back in your head and you vision went black.

~

I waited crouched in the dark of the basement holding the heavy toilet tank lid in my hands waiting for Luther. I thanked all the horror movies i spent hours watching. It always took my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the room when coming from the upstairs and i knew if it was dark Luther's vision would need a few minutes to adjust - meaning I only had a few minutes to strike him.

I had learning from the first Saw film just how dangerous and heavy a toilet tank lid was. I learned from the war movies I would watch with my grandfather that many people just blindly walk into the darkness if they think they know the layout and straight into a pit. To make sure of that, I unscrewed the lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.

Since i was confined to the basement most of the time i had used the toilet tank lid to crack the white tile of the floor, grateful that underneath was just dirt. Using my hands and the tank as a shovel i made a hole deep enough to my stand up in my waist. I flushed the dirt down the toilet and moved the bed just over it so Luther wouldn't notice.

I'm not sure how long I waiting crouched in the corner when the door opened. But since my eyes had long since adjusted to the dark i saw his darkened outline reflecting in the mirror. I heard him trying to flick on the switch of the light, cursing under his breath when the light wouldn't move.

"Help me!" i called out in a sobbing voice. I saw him rush forward and trip into the hole i had created. He shouted in pain, stepping on the sharp pieces of tile i had lined the dirt with. I quickly shut the door and raised the lid above my head.

"Wait!" He shouts were cut short when the porcelin hit his skull. Warm blood spurting from his head onto me. 'First hit is never enough, Ace.' I heard Joker's voice in my head. 'Don't stop until they look like nothing!' Running on pure adrenaline, i unleashed my anger of confinement until his head looked like the contents of a lumpy cranberry sauce container, blood covered my skin and the smell of blood became overpowering. I was shaking when i stood up wiping the blood of my face with my hand. I looked up and stood on my tip toes screwing back in the lightbulb and admiring my handy work until i saw the jacket he was wearing. This wasn't Luther. It was James.

"Fuck!" I screamed and ran my hands through my hair frustrated. "Okay, okay. One down." I tried to calm myself down. My eyes shot to the door, the room was unlocked. I knew the layout of the house now. I was trained for this since childhood. i just had to think of this as just another one of J's tests. Except if i loose, i get sold or killed.

I pushed those thoughts from my head, lifted the toilet tank lid and smashed at the lightbulb, dropping the lid on the dead body. I quickly moved out of the room into the rest basement and moved to the tool cabinet. I had hoped there were more tools than there were but I thge bluntest object i could find. A hammer as blunt force and a screwdriver as a stabbing tool.

"James! Mi Amigo!" I heard the basement door open and someone call down. I held in my gasp and quickly moved behind the stairs looking up and seeing the feet of one of the devil men. My mind shifted to a memory of one of my lost siblings, Riley, who out of anger hid behind one under the stairs one day and used a knife to slice though one of J's men's Achilles tendon. "James!" The door to the basement shut behind him as he called out again. "🌶You better not be using her! If she doesn't get married, Luther said i have first dibs-" He let out a wail as i plunged the screw driver into his ankle as hard as i could. The pointy end coming out the other side. He tumbled down the stairs crying out in a mix of Spanish and broken english. Unsure if the basement was soundproofed i rushed him. "PUTA-"

He was cut off from the hammer hitting his mouth. His teeth flew out and he scrambled to get up but I came down on him as hard as i could. The entire basement filled with the sounds of squelching flesh as brains and bits of bone spilled everywhere and painting me red. The hammer head broke on my last swing and i stuck the wood into the squishy mass that used to be a head. I looked up at the closed basement knowing I had to either go up or take out everyone on a similar fashion before more people came looking for me or this man But he was in view of the door, they wouldn't come down of they saw him. They'd lock me in here and the basement was also soundproof since no one came with the man screamed.

I held quickly searched the body for a weapon but only came back with a carved pocket knife. I sighed kicking the body and made my way carefully up the stairs, clutching the knife tight in my hand.

Spanish music was playing when I reached the first floor. I strained my ears to listen for voices but my heart sunk when i heard more then just the three remaining voices. I moved carefully to the corner peeking around the living room and saw more men with devils embroidered on their jackets. I sunk back and looked around, the closest room being the master bedroom. Luthers room. I sucked in a breathe and moved to it. The natural light coming in promised big windows.

I snuck in there, the knife clutched so tight in my hand it hurt. I quickly closed the door behind me cursing at the lack of a lock and and tried the windows. I pulled up the pane and was pushing out the screen when the door opened behind me.

"Kalyn?" The sound of Luthers voice made me involunatrily freeze for just a moment before i attempted to fling myself out the window. I felt his hand grab at my hair dress and yank me back. I fell hard on the tiled floor, the breathe being knocked out of me He dragged me into the windowless attached bathroom banging my head on the floor again. He straddled me, like he did in the sorority, he slammed my head into the tile. I felt dizzy. He took in the blood on my body, it distracted him for a moment. Enough for me to swing the pocket knife, i aimed for his throat and he screamed, his blood mixing with the rest on me as the knife sliced from his left cheek to just right eye. One of his hands shot to my arm slamming it down until the knife skittered out. I screamed out hoping now someone could hear me. Someone who could help me. His hands shot to my throat. His large fingers squeezing hard, trying to crush my windpipe.

"I should have killed you the moment you entered my life!" He growled "Open your eyes!" He barked at me "I want to be the last thing you see before you die!" I struggled to breath as i kept my eyes defiantly shut. Flashes of my family and friends blinked through my mind and through i was struggling to breath, tears rushed to my eyes as it started to hit me that i was going to die here and no one would know. I reached around me but came up empty. I heard my ears start to pop, feeling Luthers blood dripping on my skin like rain and the smell of death overcoming my senses.

~

Lloyd saw the rows of motorcycles outside the house and he sighed, guilt weighing heavy on him. He thought not coming back from New york right away would cool my anger and not immediately following me to Mexico would let me deal with the secrets i found out. He should have known the teacher had something to do with it. The moment his phone dinged with the information Luther took leave off of school.

He had thought his threats to Luther had gotten through and he was leaving me alone. It was the opposite. He doubled down and crossed the line. Lloyd would keep his promise he made to Naomi's father then. "If you don't leave her alone, i'll beat you until whatever left can fit through a strainer then i'll feed you to your children." Luther had laughed at him and walked away. He'd make his torture slow.

"You all know what she looks like." Lloyd said to his men in the van comparing the number of motorcycles to how many men were most likely in the house. "We get her out alive and okay." He brought his best men on this mission. His right hand man, Sebastian barking out orders for the men.

"You know the rules men, eliminate everyone but the girl and the teacher." Sebastian said as the men nodded, readying thier guns.

While some men preferred to do things in secret, Lloyd desired to see the terror in his victims eyes when they knew who was coming after them. Though, realtively new to the criminal underbelly of the world, he made a name for himself. He was cruel, smart and creative when it came to torture. He had no qualms about hurting people if it meant getting what he wanted. He had taken down families who ran certain parts of the world with small group of men and had enjoyed doing it. The name Hansen struck fear in people and he liked the way they begged for forgiveness, though if he was coming after them himself they had no chance of it.

He held his gun close to his chest and walked into the house as though he owned it, a few of his men behind him. The members of the El Diablo gang looked up surprised. He didn't give them a chance to question him. He shot the three on the couch hitting them all in the chest while the other scrambled about, trying to reach for there own guns. His men followed his lead, the popping of the shells loud while the El Diablos fell dead at there feet. He motioned for his men to move deeper into the house. He saw doors opening and closing, some remaining members trying desperately to hide from death. But he was here and he moved quickly.

Blood stained the walls and furniture of the house, the men only stopping when Lloyd made his way to the guest room seeing a man, no older then 18 or 19 looking up at him with watery brown eyes as he head his dying friend in his hand. Lloyd put up his hand to stop his men from shooting and moved two of his fingers, half of his group left him and kept searching the house. The rest waited obediently behind him.

"please señor" the teen begged in broken english. "please do no hurt me!"

"🌶Where's the girl?" Lloyd asked surprising the man that he spoke spanish.

"🌶In the basement." He hiccuped and Lloyd nodded. "🌶please sir i beg do not-" he never finished his sentence. The bullet from Lloyd gun hitting him right between the eyes. He slumped forward on top of the man he was holding.

"Sir!" One of his men called out. "We found something!" Lloyd internally braced himself to see me dead or severely hurt on the floor of the basement chained up like an unruly pitbull. He desended the stairs to see the smashed remains of one of the diablo members, a hammer handle sticking out where the brain would be. He chuckled proud peering at the door before him. "Theres another just like it in there." One of the men said walking out of the room where James body was. "She made a fox hole and bashed his skull in with the toilet tank lid. She might be gone by now."

"Tracker says shes still here." Sebastian said and Lloyd laughed proudly. "Lets keep looking."

~

Katya paid the cabbie that drove them to the large beautiful mansion Shawn was holding you in. Before the cab even stopped, Edward dove out right to the front door. it was early, barely even 5 in the morning when they pulled up. Shawn had just discovered your absence when the twosome pulled up.

To say Shawn was panicking was an understatement. He was beside himself with worry, berating anyone around him besides Catherine who was preparing to go into the village for you. "Do it, burn down the village if you have too!" he said just as the doorbell rang.

"She was spotted in the village, sir!" Catherine said hanging up the phone, instantly moving toward to door. Shawn stopped her heading to the door himself. "That might be her, sir."

But it wasn't. On the other side of the door was Edward who mumbled a harsh "Hi, Shawn." before slamming his fist so hard into the boys face that a tooth was spat out. A shock ran through the house as Shawn fell and Edward slammed his fists into his face over and over.

A few men went to stop him but was quickly stopped by Katya. "Get away from him!" She held a gun in her hand and didn't hide that she had two more strapped to each leg. "I promise i am faster with this then you are." She threatened. "Negan gave me permission to kill as needed."

~

More popping in my ear and suddenly i could breath. Luther heavy weight on my body gone and my eyes shot open. I was still in the bathroom, blood still covered me and i sat up leaning on the tub and struggling to breath. Luther was gone. Was I dead? I tried to call out but my voice came out in a whisper, the silence that surrounded me was terrifying. I gripped the sink, shaking as i tried to stand. I spied the knife and quickly grabbed it. I carefully moved toward the bedroom, opening the door as quietly as i could and peering through the slit but it was empty. Where was Luther? Why didn't he kill me? or did he think he did and was waiting for me?

An engine roaring to life caught my attention at the window. I watched in disbelief as Luther racing away in his car leaving me in the house filled with gang members. He didn't kill me. He sold me and ran away. I sighed sitting on the bed trying to grab my bearing and stop myself from hyperventilating. I needed a phone, there was a house phone in the living room. But given the motorcycles were still outside, so was the gang members. As far as i know they were waiting for me to leave the room so they could ambush me. I could go out the window. We were in Mexico and I spoke Spanish i could find one, unless this gang had instilled a fear in the village and i had no idea which direction the village was in. The sky promised it would be getting dark soon and wandering around in the dark was just as likely to get me hurt.

I braced myself holding the knife tightly to my side and opened the bedroom door. The coppery smell of blood assaulted my nostrils and i had to hold in my disgust. i just had to go to the phone and come back to the bathroom in Luther's bedroom to call Negan or Lucian. I wandered out into the hallway as quiet as i could. The basement door was open and i heard the soft speaking from someone down there. I had to cross the door to get to the living room where the phone was. I decided to tip toe as quietly as i could and was halfway across the threshold when i heard someone say. "She's here." I turned back and rushed back to the bedroom, hearing footsteps behind me. I slammed the door behind me and turned to the window ready to throw myself out and take my chances outside when the door opened behind me.

I screamed when someone grabbed me, violently slashing the knife hitting nothing until the person grabbed my hand and forcefully took the knife out. "Hey" The voice was soft. "Its me, hey sunshine, calm down." Lloyd looked at me pushing his gun in one of his mens hand tossed the knife aside.

"Lloyd?" My voice was weak with shock.

"Its me" he let out a small laugh and looked around. He was looking for Luther. His men moved around the room as he came closer to me.

The sight of him was like finding gold though my heart sunk. The main monster had gotten away by seconds. "Hes gone!" I choked out. "He fucking-he ran away!" I pointed to the window.

"I'll find him. I swear it." he was a few inches from me. I couldn't help the tears that came to my eyes. He held open his arms and i fell into them. The shock and the weight of this whole entrapment crashed into me and i let out my sobs on his jacket. He whispered little things into my hair and held me tight to him but i was crying so violently nothing registered.

The purple Lamborghini of Joker's at Robin's insistence. If you were fine, why didn't you at least call? He didn't trust his father to tell him the whole truth regarding you. Besides, he trusted Shawn just as much as he trusted J.

After entering Negan's house like he owned it, two nervous looking maids escorted the leaders of The Playhouse to the leader of The Saviors. Negan sat in his sunroom, the room was large with floor to ceiling windows letting in the light of the late afternoon. Simon sat across from Negan listening carefully to his boss, who had one ear to his cellphone and the pulling out a cigarette. Two other men stood behind negan ready to take orders if and when he barked them out. Negan didn't notice either man walk in until they sat by Simon who was clearly bothered by the intrusion.

"Shawn, you don't even know the shit storm you started...." he chuckled darkly "Now bring her the fuck back here- I don't fucking give a fuck about that shit!" There was a lengthy pause where Negan looked up nodding at J, who smiled in return. He could hear bits of shawns pleading - possibly shouting voice on the phone. Negan cut him off "Don't. Make. Me. Come. And. Fucking. Get. You." The threat was clear in his voice. Robin heard Shawns attempt at a retort but Negan cut it short with a click of his phone before sighing and looking at the two men in his company. "I'm going to fuck that kid up."

For a moment, no one spoke except Negan who ordered one of the men behind him to get him a drink and the other to get his brother over here. Robin glanced at Simon who looked at him in response. He didn't want to talk with him there, why? Was it because technically, J and him were not part of the family? Robins eyes shifted to J, who seemed throughly entertained by whatever shenanigans Shawn was pulling.

"What happened?" Robin finally asked, earning a look from Simon.

Negan shook his head, clearly annoyed at the entire situation. "My son is a fucking idiot! We're here looking for this little purse dog and shes in fucking Greece because my son wanted to put a fucking ring on her finger! A ring he didn't even fucking pay for! I did!" Robins felt his heart drop at the mention of you marrying shawn and also guilt about telling Mark about Xavier's past but decided to ignore those feelings for now. He could sort through his emotions later.

"Is she okay?"

The man came back with his drink and Negan took a long sip before nodding. J laughed. "Shes fine as far as i fucking know. But he won't let her have a phoen, scared she'll come home. Stupid fucking-" Negan shook his head, gripping the glass cup so hard in nearly shattered in his hand.

"He's holding her hostage there." Robin said matter of factly.

J turned to him. "Not a hostage if shes having fun. Hell, maybe she did marry him? What a beautiful bride she'd make. Don't you think?" J's red lips smile curled up antagonizing his son. Robin tore his eyes away and looked at Negan.

"Whatever the fuck is going on over there is stopping. He needs to be here, not trying to marry a girl who doesn't give a shit about him anyway."

"Yes, my godson, your heir to the throne, should be here, learning the ways of the criminal underbelly. And that little bunny girl should be here as a centerpiece in my house." J said it with such exaggeration that Robin couldn't tell if it was sarcasm, until his smile was replaced by a straight line. "But my heir, is actually missing and that freak in jail might be guilty. Where are we on that?"

"I thought he was your heir." Simon finally spoke up motioning to Robin with a flick of his wrist. J ignored him.

"Are we sure she is - missing, i mean.?" Negan asked finishing his drink. As much as Robin wanted to, he couldn't fault him. The older man's tone wasn't malicious - it was a genuine question. "She's 'disappeared' before." he put air quotes around disappeared. "I've had people look into her accounts but she's got a lot of people willing to pay for her - so no activity doesn't mean much."

"She is." Robin said with confidence. His mind flashing back to all the terrible things he was picturing before.

"Then she's obviously a priority." He sighed running his hands over his face. "Shawn claims she isn't there but your father was right." Negan said just as one of the other men came back telling him his brother was on the phone. He left the room to take the call.

"Right about what?"

Simon spoke up not looking at either man. "The time you were in Hawaii she called him, told him to look into your friend- the one in custody. Maybe he knew about it and threatened her or took her somewhere." Simon sighed "Is there any place you can think of?"

~

There was very few things money couldn’t buy in the town especially in a city where the cops could be bought with a couple rolled up stacks of $100 bills. Xavier, in the same clothes he had been wearing for the past 4 days, was escorted into one of the empty offices of the precinct. They warned him not to be stupid, sat him on one of the foldable chairs and I cuffed him. He still saw officers outside the doors, snuffing out his chance of escape. So he waited patiently preparing himself with a brawl with the annoying detective Mark, who insisted that he was guilty of his girlfriend missing. Though Xavier maintained his innocence the stubborn man refused to even acknowledge his alibis. Xavier had been preparing for this fight since he realized Mark wasnt just taking the case so seriously because he was worried about his friends daughter, no- it was because the older man was in love with you. When Xavier told him how sad that was Mark nearly snapped on him there only being held back by his partner in the integration room.

He breathed deeply looking around the room. He knew Mark was stronger then him but he’d probably only fight with his fists. If Xavier was going to win, he had to be resourceful and use everything to his advantage. He eyed the coat rack in the corner, he could possibly break off one of the hooks and use it as a makeshift shiv or put one of the sharpened pencils through the cocky man’s eye.

His thought were interrupted when the door opened and in walked Damien, a backpack slung over his shoulder. His smile faded upon seeing the serious expression on his friends face. “Hey.” Damien have a small nod of acknowledgement and sat down across the desk. His blue eyes scanned over Xavier as though analyzing every little bit about him. He said nothing as he slid the backpack over the dark wood desk. Xavier opened it, the smile slowly returning to his face when he saw it had a new set of clothes. “Thanks, man.” Xavier, having never really been shy, quickly got to work putting in the fresh set of clothes. Once dressed his sat back down, disregarding the clothes that he had previously worn.

“I spoke to Draven.” Damien said his voice was void of emotion.

“And did she tell these dumbasses that I was there the night she went missing?”

“She did.” He nodded and Xavier scoffed. “But you never told me why.”

“I wanted to surprise Adi for Christmas.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t think anyone was home so I came in through the window. This isn’t the first time I’ve done that and it was about 3 in the morning. I didn’t think anyone would be awake.”

“Did you leave after you saw Adi wasn’t there?”

“No.” Xavier said raising an eyebrow. His eyes darted around the rooms for cameras but seeing none he continued. “I fell asleep for a couple hours then went to your house.”

“Where did you think she was?”

Xavier scoffed “are you interrogating me now?”

“I’m trying to make sense of the your story.”

“My story?” He shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not making this up."

"Just humor me. So i can hear it from you."

Xavier ran his hands through his messy hair and sighed. "I thought she was with her parents." Damien didn't say anything, he knew that was a lie. "I fell asleep waiting for her and-"

Damien heaved out a large sigh. "When you lie it makes it hard to believe you." Xavier shot him a look "I know you're lying and there is no cameras in this room. I've known Adi for years, and i know she would never sleep over at her parents hotel over her own. So, you who has known her since childhood should know that too. What were you doing there?" Xavier and Damien stared at each other for a long time. The thoughts that swirled in their heads echoing in the silence of the room. Damien broke the silence. "Why did you go to my father?"

Xavier stood up and rolled his eyes. "Did your father tell you that?" He sneered. "I went to him to talk."

"About what?" Damien's calm voice worried Xavier. Normally, Damien wore his emotions out in the open, everyone knew what he was feeling just by the look on his face. But now, he looked just like Lucian. Cold and distant. Xavier knew that Damien most likely knew why he went to Lucian and there was no way he would believe that it wasn't for malicious intent. Especially now that his girlfriend who he had given a breakdown and the woman who stabbed him just 2 weeks ago was missing.

The lack of sleep for the past few days was playing on Xavier's own volatile emotions. He found himself looking at the coat rack again, and it scared him how quickly his mind went to hurting his friend. Though it was Damien's icy voice that pulled him forcefully him from his thoughts. "Answer me."

"She was with Shawn!" Xavier shouted at him. All the frustration from that past days he spent in the small jail cell was coming out full force and he didn't want to stop it. After all Damien was his friend, he was supposed to have his back and he was letting other people influence his opinion of him! "I have a fucking tracker on her phone! Whenever its on, I can see! That stupid bitch was at Shawn's father's fucking club! On Christmas fucking eve! Instead of with me! So thats why the fuck i showed up there! I was going to catch her in the act! Or catch that loser trying something! I was fucking pissed when i saw where she was! So i snuck into her room! And when she didnt come home i went to the club! it was closed! so i went to your house to try and find out where Negan lived but you were all so high no one told me shit! My girlfriend is missing and the last person with her was Shawn! I should be out there looking for her but instead you question me about the slut you keep around?! That bitch stabbed me!" He tore his shirt down to show the healing scar. "You think i was going to take that lying down! Her and Robin but into my relationship and she trys to kill me! Instead of any anger or repercussions or anything! She walks away! Adi was taken from me before i'm not going to let your whore do that again! I went to your father because i wanted to scare her so she would keep her fucking nose out of my business! But he told me to leave her alone because 'she is family'! I don't care! I hope someone took her! And I hope shes somewhere not even your fathers money can get to-"

Damien swung his fist so hard it clocked Xavier into the coat rack. His head hit the wall and for a moment he grew dizzy. But just for a moment. Before Damien could clock his fists back again, Xavier grabbed the hook of the coat rack plunging it into Damien's cheek, until it came out on the other side. Damien let out a wail of agony and within seconds the two officers posted just outside the door, dragged Xavier back to his cell.

"Are you okay?" One of the officers quickly went to Damiens side. But he shoved them away, holding his cheek with the protruding hook. Max was right. Xavier was dangerous, he always had been. It was under control for a while but here - there were too many things that set him off and breaking into the sorority house and going behind his back to his father to hurt people dear to him was too much. Xavier had to get away from here, and get help.

~

For the last few days the sorority was surrounded by all sides of the media on the outside and a full house on the inside. Your mother, however decided to rent a large AIRBNB so she could greet the press, without too many people getting in her way. Due to your mothers, love of the spotlight and the press's love of her, your father went as well along with my parents.

The school had opted for online classes with optional attendance for the rest of the girls in the sorority given the circumstances while in person classes were mostly cut in half.

Draven was one of the people who opted to skip both. Though, no one held it against her. She had been unable to sleep much or at all since we've gone missing. Her eyes seemed permanently rimmed red from either crying or lack of sleep and she had lost 2 pounds in just 4 days since she wasn't eating and barely even drinking.

Edward had ceased traveling between his house and Draven's. He chose to move in, at first he was going to stay in your room but when he tried to lay in your bed, he was met with an overwhelming feeling of loneliness and instead slept in Draven's room on a pullout bed that was hidden under her own.

It was about 9 when they drifted off into a restless sleep. Draven, normally was a deep sleeper but now she kept her door open and any noise she heard she would stir awake caught between a dream state and an awake state. Which is why she heard Robin and Damien coming up the stairs but Ed had to shake her fully awake when he announced himself.

"Why are you here?" Ed asked then realizing who it was shot up. "Did they find her?" He hating how his voice grated against his vocal cords. He was distressed and disheveled and looked like it. his long hair stuck up at odd places, he smelled of the pack of cigrettes he had been smoking and the bags under his eyes were large and puffy. But Damien or Robin were both friends with Xavier- the only question was did they want to protect him more? or the girls he hurt?

"I know where Adi is." Robin said and Edwards heart felt like it was going to leap from his chest and out his throat.

"Where?"

"Greece. Shawn's keeping her there."

~

Suffice to say, no one slept after Robin's confession. It took Draven, Katya and Damien to calm Edward enough for him to listen before he jumped in his truck and running straight to Negan's house.

Robin revealed all he knew and then Damien added his encounter with Xavier. He also revealed the facts that he shared with Mark on a phone call. Damien revealed that he and Robin spoke to Mark, telling him of Xavier's past obsession with a girl who almost led to him murdering her husband and trying to impregnat her so she would stay with him forever. "Xavier is sick, he needs help and he can't be here to receive it."

"What makes you think she'll even come to testify?" Hoodie asked. "What if she's still scared of him?"

"She's more pissed off that he's free than she is scared." Robin said. "I spoke to her myself. She can do everything over the phone and after making a deal with Mark. He's going to be put in an asylum."

"Just until he gets better." Damien added, the sympathy for his friend clear in his voice.

"He should rot in there." Katya spat and Edward agreed.

After talking, most stayed at the sorority and Damien went back to his penthouse to break the news to Tatianna and Austin. Edward, Katya, Draven and Robin went back to Negan's house.

Edward went off, claiming that if anyone was going to bring you back it would be him. Without much convincing Negan agreed saying "He needs a good beating - just don't kill him." As much as draven wanted to go and probably beat Shawn within an inch of his life, she knew she couldn't. She had to stay here. She had to play leader until everything was sorted out and back to normal. She sent Katya with him, they were on a flight by 4 AM.