Running Up That Hill
Prelude:
The entire room is quiet. She had no idea where she was, all she knew was that her arms were aching and her legs were about to give out. Her fingers were shaking and no matter what she told herself, it had nothing to do with the temperature.
"If you just tell me, I might let you go." A voice drawled from somewhere to her left, or was it her right? She had no idea if she was vertical or horizontal anymore. She lost track of time, and the fact that there was a rather large black hood over her head didn't help much with the time issue.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Her voice sounded like sandpaper from disuse. All he did was chuckle. The punch to her gut came out of nowhere and left her wheezing for air.
"I'm going to ask one last time. What happened after the explosion?" Still wheezing, she managed to get a few words out.
"I died." Silence rained down on her. She couldn't even detect any movement.
"Yet here you are." Her captor said finally. The punch smacked into her side and she could swear she felt her ribs crack.
"TELL ME!" The next punch landed on her jaw. The one following that jostled her entire body as he punched her with force on the side of her head. Sounds were getting fuzzy and she would bet that if she could see anything, her vision would have gone fuzzy as well. Fighting to stay awake was becoming a losing battle. Her knees had already wobbled and the strain on her shoulders and wrists were becoming too much to bear.
Darkness was creeping up on her, and just before it consumed her entirely she heard her captor speak for the last time.
"Put her in the machine. I want to know what happened."
*13*13*13*13*
Pete and Myka burst through the side door only to be greeted by complete darkness.
"See if you can find a light switch." Myka said softly, but somehow she knew he was already on it. Pulling her flashlight out, she levelled it with the tesla. The image that greeted her as soon as the lights flickered on nearly made her heart stop.
"Pete…" Myka said her partner's name softly, so softly she wasn't even sure he'd heard her. Pete flew past her toward the figure hanging from the ceiling. Pulling the hood from the figure's head, Myka felt her eyes bulge and practically ran the ten paces toward Pete and helped him lift the woman's lifeless body off of the meat hook.
Her arms were blue and there was blood on her face. Myka's hands trembled with such force that Pete moved her hands away so that he could untie the woman's hands himself.
"Pete? Is she-"
"Just help me with her legs." Pete barked as he slid the woman's arms down to her sides before helping Myka untie her legs. The moment the woman's legs were free, Pete fumbled with the collar of her shirt to feel for a pulse.
"Pete?" Myka's voice sounded tiny and unnatural to Pete's ears. Claudia and Artie came to a quite audible halt in the doorway. Pete could feel Claudia's eyes on him and raised his head so he could look her in the eye. He could tell Claudia already knew, as did Artie. The moment he took hold of Claudia's upper arm to keep her standing confirmed it. His sincere act of support failed as Claudia sank to the ground the same moment Pete's voice rang out across all of them.
"She's dead."
*13*13*13*13*
A/N: Okay, so this is my first attempt at a 'Warehouse 13' story. This is the prelude, as you've seen, and I'm seeing this as a little bit of a trial run. If the feedback is good, I'll continue it. But if the feedback is not, I won't torture you by keeping it.
Reviews are most welcome, as are suggestions! Reviews give me the happy dance, they really do! :D