Trying something different again. Sorry if it sucks. It's new territory for me.
The sound of a whip cracking against skin was followed by an agonized scream that rent the air. Many hours ago fists rained down on the slender back and stomach. Despite the strong muscle structure it couldn't hold up long under the assault. A once beautiful porcelain face was discolored with bruises, the dark marks also littering her torso. Every breath stabbed at her lungs, ribs misplaced during the abuse. Blood ran from the corner of full lips, curving around a proud jaw. Her body shook and she bit back a scream when the whip came down hard on her back again. Her arms tensed, straining under the weight of her body hanging from them for too long. Her wrists felt dislocated from the shackles digging into them. Her tormentor put down the whip and wandered over to run a hand down the blood seeping from the wounds on her back.
"So beautiful. Much better in this state than before. Look how the red contrasts elegantly against pale skin, lines of bright scarlet decorating you," a gravelly voice commented with glee. She ignored him, jaw wired shut to hold in any possible sound. She didn't want to give him any more than what she couldn't control. His dark figure was a shadow as it moved in the dim light. His lower face was covered by a mask that resembled the demented grin of a demon. A hood cloaked the rest of his head. He reached out and rested his hands on her hips, fingers pressing into fresh bruises. She cringed.
"It was almost too easy finding you. It surprised me to see someone like you want to be a cop, a dog of the law. You're too good for them. You can't be controlled. You're a wild cat, a panther. You could eat them alive if you wanted to," he continued with admiration. He lifted her head and stared into her blue-green eyes. His hazel eyes were frantic with madness. It started replaying in her head then, the particulars of how she got there. She had just left the coffee shop she frequented and started for home. She was halfway there when pain burst in her back and then her head. It had gone dark after that until she woke up to find herself hanging from a sturdy pipe in a dimly lit basement. Since waking up she knew days had passed, but not how many. He had started with taunts, name calling. He never tried anything sexual. No, he said he was above that. And then the first twinges of pain began, like she was a human punching bag. It only escalated from there as he became more fascinated, more crazed in his revenge.
"I resent the police for what they took from me. Ever since I started watching you I got it in my head that we could have something special. You could have been my new partner. But then they took you from me too. You became one of them. Big mistake," he growled, grabbing at her jaw. She glared and tossed her head, biting his hand hard. He snarled and smacked her across the face before pressing a cloth to the bleeding bite. The world spun from the blow and it took her some time to orientate herself.
"You're a fighter. It's a pity to snuff out such a flame, but it must be done. Now, what should I use next?" he wondered, turning to the work table against the wall. A large assortment of tools and weapons sat ready for use. He drifted past each one and her body quaked each time he stopped only to move on.
"Here we go," he decided, turning around with a stainless steel spoon in hand. She could think of only one use for the utensil. Her stomach heaved and she yanked pitifully at her restraints. Her shoulders burned from the movement.
"Calm yourself. I'll need some souvenirs. I've decided that I love your eyes the best so we'll start with that and go from there," he said, approaching her slowly. She kicked out at him, landing a blow to his hip. He quickly grabbed a crowbar off the tabled and slammed it against the leg that had struck him. Her knee shattered under the impact and she cried out, no longer able to move it. Blind with pain she lashed out using the other leg. He dropped the crowbar and caught her by the ankle.
"You don't learn, do you?" he inquired, voice even. Too calm. With a jerking twist he broke her ankle. Tears ran down her face and she bit her tongue until it bled. His rough hand was on her face again, holding her still. He tapped at her cheekbone with the utensil, drawing out the wait.
"Left or right?" he pondered. She didn't have to wait long to find out. In the next five minutes of agony her right eye floated in a jar on the table of tools. Her remaining eye stared at it for some time as she sobbed heavily. She wanted it all to end, but she wasn't going down without a fight first. Her arm spasmed with the effort, but she still managed to flip him off. He saw it and somehow she knew he was grinning underneath the mask. It must have been the way his eyes glinted balefully.
"I think we should use the pliers next," he said, picking up the mentioned tool. He pulled up a chair and climbed it, stopping to stare at her. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip before pushing her mouth open to grip at the top row of teeth. She braced herself but he only chuckled. He reached up and clamped the pliers on the middle finger of her left hand instead. It took some pulling and twisting, blood poured down her arm and she screamed herself hoarse, but he removed the finger with a loud, tearing crunch. He pocketed his prize before taking another. By then she was barely conscious and her stomach squirmed, seconds from vomiting. Too much. The pain was too much. He seemed to notice because when he stepped down to add the fingers to another jar he didn't pick a different tool to use on her.
"You look like you need a break. How about I patch you up so we can have more fun later?" he suggested, returning to bandage her hand. He left her hanging there after using the chair to tape her mouth shut. He then pushed the chair back against the wall so she couldn't try anything while he was gone. She passed out anyway, the sound of his steps fading into the background. The room was fuzzy when her eye opened again. The coppery smell of blood was everywhere, churning her aching stomach. It was underlined with other scents but she couldn't detect them. Not when blood had run thick over her tongue, the sticky smell stuck in her nose. She shifted and immediately clenched her teeth from the pain that pierced her. A pitiful moan left her lips. She listened but she was still alone. The thought of him returning pushed her into action again, but it was useless. She wasn't going anywhere. She could barely even keep herself awake. Heavy steps on creaking wood alerted her to someone approaching. She looked up and over her shoulder to see the man come down with a chainsaw in hand. Her frightened grunt was muffled through the thick piece of tape over her mouth.
"Excited? I am. I found this bad boy and thought it would be just what I needed to harvest the rest of the parts I admire most about you," he told her, casual, as if the conversation was normal. He set the chainsaw on the table and armed himself with a knife. The blade was long and thick, the edge lightly serrated.
"First, I want you to think about your chances of survival. I want to hear you beg me to spare you, because you're going to make better life choices and I'll be there to help you make them. You're going to backstab those cops and come with me. Together we can show others the true cruelty of their ways. Have they even come for you? No. You mean nothing to them. Your life is on the line and they haven't even bothered to save you. I left a clear trail, but they're too stupid to see it. Do you really want to be associated with that?" he ranted, reaching out to rip the tape from her face. The minor sting as it yanked at flesh was nothing compared to what she went through already. Once it was off she spat in his face, having gathered blood and spit in her mouth. She had hoped he would remove the tape and she would get the opportunity to defy him the only way she could.
"Wrong answer," he sneered, lunging. The knife easily slid into her stomach. It was so quick she almost didn't register it. He pulled out and then slipped the unforgiving blade between her ribs. She gasped and a tremor shot through her body.
"Does it hurt more or less, I wonder?" he muttered, pulling out the knife to drag the tip along her stomach. He turned to carve sharply into her hip before burying it in her side and leaving it there. Darkness crowded her narrow vision and she fell slack. No more. She couldn't think. She felt numb.
"Hang on. I'm not done yet," he scolded her, picking up the chainsaw. He held up the weapon and his eyes glittered maliciously when he brought it to life with a menacing roar. She fought against her bindings again with slightly more vigor, trying to use the blood on her wrists to slip free, but it was too late. The spinning blades came down fast, cutting through air with a whistle. It bit and parted flesh with ease. The thump of her leg hitting the floor could be heard over the chainsaw. Her scream was loud even though her throat felt too raw to make any more sounds. Tears tracked down her face. He chuckled and lifted the severed limb to show her. He then set it on the table and moved on to tap at her remaining leg. He moved up and tapped both of her arms next, a silent promise of more to come. The terror and strain had finally reached its limit. By the time she lost her other leg she was no longer aware of anything.
-.-.-.-
Police officer David Vega entered with careful caution, his heart in his throat. It gave a painful throb when he heard the bloodcurdling scream of the twenty-one year old cadet. The grating sound of a chainsaw was the only sound left after that. He took light steps until he reached the door to the basement. He crept down the stairs, noting the creaks and avoiding them. When he reached the level ground below the heavy smell of blood made him swallow uncomfortably. The sight of his young cadet hanging from the ceiling by her wrist would have made him audibly gag on the rising bile if he hadn't rushed to silence it, ensuring his cover wasn't blown. The man collecting the limbs from the floor had his back to him. He had to act fast. He took a breath, regretting it when the scent of blood made him sick again. He pushed off the last step and aimed with precision, the gun going off. The man screamed when the bullet hit him between the shoulder blades.
He staggered, chainsaw narrowly missing his cadet's side. David took aim again just as the man turned around, only to get a bullet between the eyes. He collapsed, the chainsaw hitting the floor hard enough to sputter until it died with him. David stood panting, tears blurring his vision. He holstered his gun and ran to free his protégé. The key to the shackle was found on the table. He unlocked it and carefully laid her on the floor. Her breathing was shallow. He worked quickly, removing the knife in her side and creating tourniquets to stem the blood gushing from the socket that used to be her left arm as well as the stubs that were her legs. He did all he could before calling in for back up. The rest of the squad would be on them in mere minutes. He went ahead of them, refusing to wait any longer when they knew where she was. They claimed it was a delicate situation that had to be thought out. Delicate his ass. He had to save her before it was too late. He only hoped he made it in time.
-.-.-.-
A soft voice brought her around some time later. She didn't think she would ever wake up again. She had no concept of time and wondered how long she had passed out for. The gentle touch clearing her face of blood soaked hair brought her a bit more clarity. The thought of someone who cared being there for her was hard to believe, but then she heard David Vega's fatherly voice choked with fear and pain.
"…ade…hold on. I've got you," the gentle tone told her. She tried to focus and saw him leaning over her. His hands were covered in her blood and his face was twisted in grief.
"Da…vid. H-how…did you…" she slurred, inhaling sharply when he pressed too hard on a stab wound while trying to staunch the flow of blood.
"Don't talk. You need to save your energy. You can pull through this. Just a little longer," he told her, reassuring words meant for both of them. She slowly nodded once, wanting so much to believe him, but she was quickly losing consciousness again.
"Kid? Kid!" he yelled, but she was already gone.
-.-.-.-
Tori had just arrived at her parents' house some time ago. She thought she would get there after her dad got off work so she could see him, but when she let herself in her mom told her he wouldn't be home any time soon.
"What happened? Is he ok?" she asked, worried.
"He's fine. Physically," her mom replied, concern in her expression. Tori's brows creased to match it.
"What does that mean? Have you talked to him?" she asked next. Her mom looked up from her seat at the table, a mug of tea between her hands. Tori made some for herself and took a seat across from her.
"He's been more than busy lately. His protégé, the girl he met three years ago and started training for the past year, she was kidnapped three days ago. He's been searching for her relentlessly. He finally tracked her down and found her hours ago. She was tortured for being associated with the police but your father put a stop to him. They interrogated the men involved. They wanted to learn their motives for helping the man who tortured her before putting them away. Your father stayed to hear and then he went to the hospital," her mom explained with a heavy heart. Tori gasped, outraged that someone would do such a thing. It wasn't unheard of, but when it struck so close to home, to someone she knew, it became a bit more unbelievable. Tori wasn't close with her dad's star pupil but she knew he was so Tori hoped she pulled through for him.
"You know, after you and Trina left home he's been feeling a little…down," her mom continued. Tori looked up from her drink.
"I know. I'm sorry I haven't been around lately. I've been busy with work," she mumbled, feeling a bit guilty.
"We understand and we don't blame you for not visiting more often. It's just that, with you two off doing your own thing I think he missed being a father for his little girls. But then here comes this talented girl with the same drive to do what's right and he wanted to be the one to guide her down that path. Like he did for you guys," her mom explained. Tori nodded, understanding. Her dad was a natural family man. He cared deeply for everyone so it made sense that he saw his cadet as a surrogate daughter. Her mom's phone went off at that moment and she answered it. Tori listened to one side of the conversation and waited quietly for it to end. When it did her mom set down the phone and sighed.
"Good news?" Tori hoped. She nodded and smiled, although it was small.
"She made it through the surgery. Your father always said she was a fighter. Right now she's stable but they have to keep an eye on her just in case there are any complications," she informed.
"Why did the guy even target her?" Tori wondered.
"Apparently he was trying to get back at your father for killing his partner years ago, a woman who was just as unstable as he was. They were literal partners in crime," she began. Tori remembered who she was referring to. A man and woman were the leaders of a dangerous gang that her dad busted. He shot the woman who had taken a shot at him and missed. The man got away. He was untraceable. Until now.
"An eye for an eye, huh?" she mentioned grimly. Her mom nodded.
"Geez," Tori sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"He said he'll be home once she wakes up. He wants to make sure she'll be all right before leaving," her mom went on, swirling the last of the tea in her cup. Tori drank the last of her own before standing.
"I'll stop by later then. Tell him not to stress and get some rest. I'll come back tomorrow," she said. Her mom gave her a hug and then walked her out.
-.-.-.-
The pain felt suppressed the next time Jade woke up. The beeping of a monitor and her soft textured surroundings told her that she was safe in a hospital. The medication was doing its job to keep her from feeling too much but she could still feel the pain. Echoes of the agony she endured hours ago made her flinch, her heart rate spiking. It caught David's attention. He stood and walked over to the side of her bed.
"Hey. How are you?" he questioned, the timbre of his voice deep yet gentle. She turned to look at him with an unfocused gaze, the bandage across her face covering the mess that was her missing eye.
"Beyond tired. Everything hurts," she replied, voice hoarse. It was the opposite of how she felt mentally, which was uncomfortably numb. She knew she was subconciously suppressing everything at the moment but she also knew the torment lying in wait would make itself known once she wasn't so distracted from the pain. There was only so much she could process and handle at once. Her brows drew together and she exhaled shakily. He rested a hand on her shoulder to stop her from shifting around.
"What happened?" she inquired.
"You don't remember?" he responded.
"No, I mean…" she began, hesitating.
"The extent of your injuries?" he guessed. She nodded. He pulled a chair closer and sat down, leaning on the edge of her bed.
"You…you were kidnapped three days ago. I led a patrol to look for you. When I found you…God. You're not in the best shape, kid," he said, finding it hard to tell her. She tried shooting him a glare but it lacked power. She lifted her right hand with some difficulty and started feeling around the thick bandages hugging her body. Her heart sank when she came upon the empty space on her left. She tried moving her foot and cried silently when there was no foot, let alone leg, to move. Both were gone. She was mutilated beyond repair.
"I got there just in time to stop him from taking your right arm. I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner," he told her, breath hitching with a held in sob. Jade closed her eyes against the tears and shook her head. Her own father never felt this much for her. In fact, he disowned her. She was on her own until this man stepped in to show her the guidance and care she needed. She looked up to him. She did all she could to impress him and he was proud of her hard work. Hearing him so torn hurt her.
"It's not your fault. You got there in time to save my life. That's all I could ask for," she replied, gripping his hand. He held it between his large hands and rested his forehead on them, crying silently. It felt like he failed his own daughter. Tori or Trina might as well be lying here for all the grief he was feeling. Jade trusted him. She opened up to him and allowed him to be the father she never had. And he failed her. He wasn't there to protect her. In fact, because she was his partner in training she was targeted.
"Quit blaming yourself. I'm grateful to be alive. That's thanks to you," she reminded him. He looked up to see the Jade he knew staring back at him. Determined and fierce, she was a force all on her own. Her strength was a testament to the level of progress she made so far. She had the potential to be something great. But now she was out of the running. She would never be the cop she dreamed of being. Or could she? Just then David had an idea. Jade easily recognized the expression.
"You've got that look on your face again. What are you thinking?" she asked him, curious. He squeezed her hand lightly in his and smiled, hope returning.
-.-.-.-
Tori entered the apartment she shared with her childhood friend, Robbie. He was busy tinkering with his gadgets and tools at the table. His laptop was open and pushed to the side. He often referred to it, mumbling under his breath. Tori walked over and tossed her keys on the counter, startling him. He jumped and then looked up to scowl at her.
"This is delicate work. The least you could do is warn me," he chastised. Tori laughed.
"But then it wouldn't be as fun," she teased, taking a seat. He rolled his eyes and returned to his work.
"Is that the auto-hack tool you've been working on?" she questioned.
"Yep," he answered.
"How's it going?" she asked next.
"Slow if you keep interrupting me," he grumbled. She sighed and propped her chin in her palm.
"We need another job. I'm getting bored sitting around here and the part-time at the bar isn't nearly as fun," she complained, spinning a small screwdriver with her index finger.
"Well it sure beats waiting tables," he mumbled, referring to his own job.
"Definitely," she agreed. The jobs they spoke of as part-time were their actual jobs to everyone else. But what they really did was something illegal as well as potentially dangerous. Her dad would kill her if he ever found out. They were both hackers for hire. Almost no computer system was a challenge for them. They were also knowledgeable in all manner of technology, including the most recent acquirement. This time and age saw a big rise in computer manufacturing. That evolved into the use and creation of robots.
There was a recent job they took where they had to get information on the newly created robots that were made to assist the police force. Tori was interested to learn more, seeing as the artificial humans would be replacing her dad in the future. She knew that it was a way to keep them safe while out on duty, but at the same time she didn't trust a machine to do what only a human could. And that was to experience emotion. There were just some cases that needed to be handled a certain way and she didn't think a computer would be sufficient enough for it. It worried her but there was nothing she could do.
"Do you think the robots they're creating will really look and seem human? I know they've been programmed with some protocols to protect people but we've all seen the movies. Sooner or later they'll get so smart they won't hesitate to kill if within reason," Tori contemplated.
"You mean like humans?" Robbie pointed out.
"Yeah, but at least we aren't bulletproof with super senses," she argued.
"Haven't we been over this before? As long as they don't make them with artificial intelligence then we should be fine," he reasoned.
"And if they do?" she pressed. He shrugged.
"Then I guess we're fucked," he admitted, looking up to smile. She laughed and shook her head.
"If the day comes when robots take over, just kill me," she told him, leaning back in her chair. Robbie nodded and continued with his work.
"Sure," he agreed, already knowing that it was Tori's wish not to be around when that happened. Truthfully, he didn't want to be around when that happened either so he might just have to do them both in.
