Disclaimer: I don't own.
Present
"Veronica? Veronica, wake up!"
Veronica's eyes fluttered then opened. Her surroundings were very bright yet faded. She turned her head to search for the familiar voice.
"You've gotten yourself in a real mess this time, sleepy-head," said Lilly Kane. With that, Veronica knew that this wasn't going to turn out well. Whenever the ghost of her best friend appeared, trouble always followed.
"You're going to have to be strong for what's coming. But you can handle it. You've come a long way," Lilly continued.
"What's coming, Lilly?" Veronica asked. By now, she had learned to listen to her ghostly friend, who she considered her personal guardian angel.
"The end."
Veronica looked away from her friend, "Well that's ominous."
Lilly gently touched Veronica's shoulder, "He's coming. You'll get through this. And not to sound like an after school special but, have faith in yourself."
"Don't leave me," Veronica whispered, but Lilly had already gone, and Veronica was once again lost in the darkness.
Veronica groaned. She had been drugged. It had happened to her enough times to recognize the symptoms—her head was heavy and aching, her mouth was like cotton, her body couldn't coordinate with her mind, and she couldn't remember what had happened to her.
She gingerly tried to move. She discovered the lethargy in her limbs wasn't just the drugs. Her hands and legs tied her to her chair. She heard footsteps approaching. She prepared herself for what was coming.
The door opened with a clang. Light flooded the room. Her captor was shadowed. She squinted, trying to see.
"Are you going to stand there and admire me all day, or are you going to get down to business and tell me what's going on here? Because I have a schedule to keep," she tried to goad him forward.
"Veronica Mars. So nice to see you haven't lost that tongue of yours. Perhaps I can fix that."
She ignored the threat, "It appears you have me at a disadvantage—you know me, but I don't know you."
There was a click and an overhead light flared on. She shut her eyes quickly. The overload of lights and sounds made her head pound in earnest.
"Oh, I think you know me. Look at me, Veronica."
She slowly looked up. "Gorya Sorokin."
"I'm honored that you remembered."
"I'm surprised that I did. Your face is very villain of the week."
He laughed, right before he split her lip with his fist.
"Veronica, I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, but I'm afraid we're going to have to skip some of these pleasantries. It's time to get down to business."
He circled her, "Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions. You're going to answer them truthfully, or I'm going to cause you great pain. If I'm satisfied with your answers by the time I'm done, I might let you live."
"You're going to get your hands dirty yourself? That'll be a first."
He gently caressed her bloody lip. "I'll admit to you, my dear, that this is personal for me. Now," he grabbed her hair, forcing her to look at him, "where is Logan Echolls?"
Veronica eyes widened and she felt sick to her stomach. After all these years, it still hurt to think of him. She swallowed the bile she felt towards Sorokin.
"You should know," her voiced was laced with hatred. "You're the one who had him killed."