The screaming was getting louder, shattering against the walls, breaking against the stones like glass. It was coming through the tunnels, filling the stiff air, louder than the rattling of the chains wrapped around the pale arms and legs. Blood drops were falling to the pond of sweat and condensed water formed on the ground, down the dirty skin, dripping from the toes.

"Where has she gone?"

The screaming would not stop, changing to a nearly animal-like howl.

"Where has she gone?"

The screaming stopped abruptly, the chains clicking quietly as the prisoner was hanging limply in them with the head fallen on the chest.

"She won't speak," Qyh said and lowered the blow torch he held in his deformed, twisted hand.

"Wake her up," Guaneus said. Qyh took a metal bucket and splashed the muddy water over her face. She gasped for air, her eyelids trembling. Guaneus grabbed her chin and lifter her head up, almost touching her with his tongue.

"What do you think that I won't make you speak, bitch? I know how to treat scum like you."

Guaneus looked up.

"You've already lost an arm. Do you want me to burn away the other too?"

He punched her face before she could spit at him, grunting at the teeth falling on the ground.

"You won't need it anymore."

Gesturing to Qyh he stepped aside, a smirk revealing his teeth appearing on his lips when the screaming filled the cave again, echoing around, intensified by the stone walls. Guaneus crossed his arms on his chest, the smirk on his face getting wider as the screaming was getting stronger.

That bitch! He had longed to do that to her from the very beginning. He had known from the first look she would be troubles. Unlike the others she had always been suspicious about him, despite all his trying and pretending. Everybody else got the bait except her.

But at this point, it did not matter. After she speaks, he will deal with her. There was only one thing he would do to such trash.

Guaneus clicked his tongue with annoyance when she fainted again. He shot Qyh a glare, the white-skinned servant grinning at her helpless form.

"Wake her up again and continue," Guaneus ordered. "Call for me when she speaks."

Qyh nodded, taking the bucket again. Guaneus regarded her once more before taking his leave.

She truly was persistent as he had guessed. Persistent little bitch. But nobody could endure such suffering for long.

And he would make her suffer a lot.

Guaneus frowned slightly, walking through the tunnel to the bridge leading to the first tower, his new residence. Lucky for him, the disgusting stench of Immortan Joe's had already been aired out.

He looked down from the hole in the third tower, the people small and insignificant like ants. That was his precious cattle. He did not feel threatened by any of them, they were blind and naïve like sheep. There was nothing that could endanger him – now when he had finally taken the Citadel and he had taken in for good. His power was greater than Immortan Joe's had ever been.

And yet somewhere deep in his mind he was worried. The stupid girl that had escaped, the red-head he had been tempted to keep solely for himself.

She was undoubtedly sent, sent by the filthy bitch. Like a white dove trying to find the green land, trying to find some hope.

The echo of screaming caught up with him as he stepped on the bridge, frowns still on his forehead.

Sent for whom?

The night air was freezing as opposite to the burning thick air of day. It was hitting her face, cooling down her burning skin. She had been racing through the darkness of the wasteland day and night. Her white-knuckled fists were clutching the handlebars tightly, her eyes behind the protective glasses narrowed. A lot of time had passed since she had escaped but her heart had still been beating in panic.

She could not believe she had actually managed to slip around the guards unseen. But being lucky was the only hope. She had to try nevertheless.

Shaking her head slightly she tried to supress the thoughts about Furiosa. They had caught her by this time; they had been going for her a few minutes before Capable had escaped. She shivered every time she imagined what they would do to her.

"The settlements are called Asylum, hidden in a red valley. A man who came from there said there was a rogue for hire, a loner, driving a black Camaro. If you go as fast as you can, you can get there in seven days. Find him, Capable, tell him what's happening here."

Furiosa looked her in the eyes.

"But why him, what if he –"

"There's nobody else. It's the only hope."

Capable could still hear the urge in Furiosa's voice, the firm look of her eyes.

The only hope.

How could one man help them? Why had Furiosa trusted in him so much? And why did she think he would want to help them in the first place? He wanted to go his own way, did he not?

The only hope.

Capable shook her head again. It all seemed to happen so fast. She had not even noticed something wrong. They all were aware the Citadel could have been drawing the unwanted attention of others for its water and fertility but it was also well protected, guarded.

And they invited the enemy in …

Guaneus and his men, wanderers from the desert. Fifteen or twenty, dirty and exhausted, pleading… They claimed they had only prayed for a place to live. They swore their hearts to the Citadel, they swore to protect it and its people with their lives.

Lies…

And they let them in. They let Guaneus walk among them like one of their own. She had heard him herself many times, speaking to the poor, joking with them. The tall, handsome leader with eyes black like a starless night. Such a strong and kind man, speaking highly about all those living in the Citadel, expressing his admiration of Imperator Furiosa and the events leading to the death of Immortan Joe.

They had killed one tyrant and raised another and much, much worse… But nobody could have guessed…

Nobody but Furiosa, she had never really trusted him. Albeit not even she knew what Guaneus had really planned, something so hideous, so disgusting…

Capable felt vaguely sick when thinking of it. All the people, going for slaughter with trusting smiles on their faces, like calves.

Capable stopped the motorbike and took a deep breath, looking over her shoulder quickly. She saw no dust in the air and assumed she had not been followed. Or her pursuers hopefully went in the wrong direction.

She rubbed her eyes and temples, forcing her heart to calm down. She remembered Nux. She missed him a lot, not enough time had passed to help her forget. If he lived, he would go with her; she would not have to go alone…

"Stop it," she whispered to herself. She could not allow herself to panic so much. Time meant everything.

Capable put the protective glasses back on and started up the engine, the motorbike roaring into the silence of the night.

"You must find him. It's the only hope."

"See… you murderer… you traitor…"

"Failure…"

The hissing of hundreds of rattlesnakes, piercing through his head.

"See… You let me die… You killed me…"

"You killed me, dad…"

Small fingers scratching on metal, breaking nails, blood drops falling to the dust.

"Wake up, dad…"

A little hand brushing over his cheek, the touch of a burning torch eating him alive.

"Wake up and see…"

She stared right at him, her eyes freezing him with the eternal blame written in them, drowning him.

"See!"

His eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly, his heart beating fast in his throat. He felt blood at the back of his mouth and licked his dry lips. He bowed with a groan, ignoring the ache of the stiff neck, running a hand over his face. Another night, another nightmare.

How come they were still so vivid, even after so many years? The smell of his daughter's hair, the warmness of her little hand… Would they never stop?

Tired, he rubbed his eyes and lifted them to the sky. It was black and calm, with millions of stars, covering the wasteland like a pall of silence. He wondered how odd it was to see the same beautiful night sky even after the world had fallen and perished into dust and dirt. It was giving the false feeling everything was fine, the illusion a good old day was coming.

"What is beyond all the shiny stars, dad?"

She gave him the childish look of innocence and curiosity, pointing her chubby finger at the sky. Sometimes he wanted to believe they were behind the stars, looking at him, a desperate attempt of his brain to lessen his isolation. This loneliness. This decay.

A muffled sound on his right pulled him back to the present. He looked at his companion who was lying motionless on the ground, covered in rags and dirt. It was the first time he had made a sound, a sign he was actually really alive. When he had found him he thought he had been dead. It was a miracle there was still some life in him left, albeit feeble.

But now there was the question what to do with him, which was something he had not asked himself before. He was not sure why he had taken him away with him in the first place. It was almost like some kind of a short, his body taking over his reason.

He sighed heavily and lay down with arms under his head, staring at the sky.

"Why didn't you help me, dad?"

Yep, the first part. Thank you for reading, hope you liked and comment please. Thanks!