Chapter 2
"There is a large room with digital imaging capabilities. We can install any equipment you require and they each have a control collar they wear. You will have a remote to control them in the event they misbehave."
"Control collars?" Her eyes narrowed.
"Y-yes... it controls their abilities and can incapacitate them if they get out of hand." Timothy shrunk back from the narrowed look she was giving him.
"Gather the children in the room. I wish to introduce myself."
"Y-yes ma'am."
Once the children were free of their cages and lined up in the room she began to introduce herself.
"My name is Katya Rasputin, I will be your teacher. Languages, physics, geography, dance, fighting skills are just a few of the things you will learn about. But the main thing I want you to know is that I am your friend." She tried to be as genuine as she could be.
Some of the younger children smiled back, the older ones scowled at her in disbelief.
"You here to sort us? Put us in our categories?" An angsty boy around the age of thirteen yelled out.
"What's your name?" She asked the teenager.
"What does it matter? I'm just a number in this place. We're all just numbers on a chart."
"I want to know your name. You're not a number to me."
"Lucas."
"Well Lucas, I'm here to give you survival skills. You can either participate or sit locked up in a cage, your choice."
"Whatever, if it gets me out of that box I'll participate."
"That's a start Lucas. My number one concern is your safety. Please know that. I'm here to make your life better not worse."
"That's a big promise lady, especially cuz we prisoners destined to be slaves for rich men." Lucas crossed his arms tightly across his chest.
"I know you don't trust me but I hope over time you'll see there's no difference between us."
"Oh I already know that. Only thing separating us is that you get paid to be a slave for Dante and we don't."
She sighed. "Let's start by each of you telling me your name, age and something you are good at or something you want to learn about."
As each child introduced themselves she kept Lucas in the corner of her eye, watching his expressions. For the children who couldn't talk one of the older girls spoke for them. There was twelve kids in total, ages ranging from five to fourteen. She recorded each name and desire. She would put together lesson plans for the week, featuring a class for each child's interests.
"Miss Rasputin... what's something you are good at?" One of the smaller girls asked her.
"Well I'd like to think I'm good at dancing." She grinned at the turquoise scaled little girl.
"I want to be a ballerina when I'm older." The little girl beamed.
"I can show you some ballerina moves tomorrow." She winked at the turquoise girl named Lily.
"It's dinner time, back to your cages!" A gruff man holding a gun demanded.
The children scurried to their individual cages, heads low and hands flat against the metal bottoms. Katya cringed at the aggressive treatment of the children.
"Is that really necessary?"
"They need to know their place around here and respect authority."
"You are terrorizing children!"
"They're mutants, scum. Nothing more."
She left the room, storming her way down hallways looking for Dante. She saw his bulky shoulders in a well trailered suit conversing with a group of men in a glass room. She pushed open the door, ignoring the stares she got from the others as she directed her verbal assault on Dante.
"How dare you treat those children like animals! They are innocent victims in your sick slavery ring! If you want them to behave treat them with decency. You treat them like animals and they will behave as such! Treat them with respect and dignity and they will show you the same!" She was shaking with rage, she had lost control of her emotions.
"Miss Rasputin you are over stepping your boundaries." Dante warned her.
"You sir, are disgusting! The way you practice business, the way you keep those children locked up..."
"That's where you are wrong, they are not children, they are mutants." Dante cut her off.
"They are a higher evolution of human beings."
"If you think so highly of them, join them and see how they treat you." Dante laughed as he grabbed her arm, throwing her through an open doorway into a darkened room.
The click of locks echoed in the empty room. She instantly regretted her outburst. Her whole plan to go in and investigate, case the joint and put together a careful exit plan just went out the window with her temper. Growls seemed to come from all sides. Her heart began to race as she sensed bodies around her. She crouched low, preparing to be attacked. A familiar roar sounded and she felt the warm splatter of fresh blood across her body. Her breathing became rapid as she felt the hot breath on the back of her neck. The creature smelled her hair as he towered behind her. His nose traveled down her bare neck. She slowly turned around to face the beast that had killed the shadowy assailants. She gasped as recognition swept over her.
"Creed..." She barely whispered aloud.
He looked at her sideways, curiousity in his amber eyes. She blinked at him, frozen in place. His hand rose to her face, his sharp nails covered in red sticky blood. She held her breath, unsure what to do. He gently moved a lock of her curly brown hair from her face, his gaze focusing on her deep brown eyes. She was a deer in headlights. He made an agreeable noise as he lowered his head to her forehead to lick some of the splattered blood off her soft skin. She closed her eyes tight, body rigid against his touch.
"He likes you miss Rasputin." Dante chuckled over a PA system.
Creed turned his head toward the speaker, anger seemed to return to his expression. Katya shrunk away from him while his attention was elsewhere. A low growl stopped her in her tracks. She knew from experience to not run away especially when he was in his feral mode. She had to make herself seem non-threatening at the same time as not seeming like prey. It was a fine line. Creed liked fear, he liked chasing and fighting. But he lost interest quickly if there was no fun in the kill. She felt the heat from his massive frame overtop of her. She began to shake uncontrollably until he whispered in her ear.
"Little Kitten has lost her mittens."
She looked up at him puzzled. He gave her a big toothy grin, almost childlike in demeanor.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him quietly.
"I fight." His answer was simple.
"Are they controlling you?"
"Collar is tight." He pulled at the metal collar strapped around his neck.
"Are you okay? You don't seem like yourself." She searched his amber eyes for answers.
"Head hurts a lot. You're pretty, pretty kitty." He smiled goofily while stroking her head.
"Did they damage your brain?" She asked him a bit too loudly.
"He's in our advanced training program." Dante announced over the PA system.
A silent hiss came from vents throughout the room, filling their lungs with a gas. She slowly lost consciousness.
When she woke she could hear Dante talking to several men nearby.
"Never saw him react like that before. Usually he tears apart anything we put in that room. There's something special about that woman."
"Perhaps that's the reason there, we've never put a female in with him."
"Yes we have, those two feral females we wanted to breed. Had to gas him before he tore them apart. Remember?"
"Yes but that was when he first came, before the three memory wipes. She's the first human female he's been exposed to in here."
"Maybe... but did you see how the children reacted to her? They gravitated to her. There's something special about her." Dante said thoughtfully.
"She's compassionate, she cares. They sense it."
"Well what are we going to do?"
"Keep her around. But she can't leave the facility. We'll make her a room down here. Can't have her on the surface telling anyone what's happening." Dante ordered one of the men.
She shivered in response. Her escape plan just got harder. She should have listened to Remy when he warned her. Maybe he would get backup...
"Awake I see." Dante startled her.
"What happened?" She asked with a rasp to her voice.
"You've just become a permanent member of our team. Congratulations miss Rasputin."
She sat up in silence.
"We have made arrangements for you to stay here. Unfortunately the work we do down here is highly sensitive and we can't afford leaks. You understand don't you?" His question seemed more like a threat to her.
"Yes, I understand." She spoke through tight lips.
"Good. Now if there's anything I can get you, don't hesitate to ask Timothy. He will be here shortly to show you to your room. It's just being prepared as we speak."
Dante left the room. Her mind was racing with possibilities. She had to play smarter. Dante was curious about her, she would have to keep him interested. Time flew by as she waited for Timothy's arrival. She jumped off the medical bed as Timothy opened the doors.
"My apologies miss Rasputin, it took longer then expected to gather things for your room."
"Katya, please. Am I in a cage?" She asked him apprehensively.
"Oh no ma'am, you have a full apartment just no windows I'm afraid."
"So a glorified cage..."
"It comes with a queen size bed and full kitchen...". Timothy tried to sell her on the idea.
"Well, show me the way I guess."
Timothy lead her down halls and through locked doors until they came upon a door with her name engraved in brass. Timothy unlocked it with a code and rushed inside. It was decorated in a Victorian style with modern touches. Purple velvet drapes framed gold gilded mirrors that she guessed were to represent windows. The furniture was an ivory satin material embossed with gold thread and curved dark wood frames. White sheepskin rugs lay around the four poster queen sized bed. Glass tables with brass legs offered work and eating surfaces throughout the large room.
As Timothy had mentioned there was a full kitchen with white and grey marble countertops. The upper cupboards were a glossy white wood finish while the lower cupboards a rich purple that matched the velvet drapes. The floors were a dark mahogany wood contrasted by stark white baseboards. The walls were covered in an ivory and silver floral wall paper. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not but the bed looked very inviting with its plush pillows and faux fur throws. Timothy gave her the short tour around, taking her directly to the bathroom. It's floors were made of the same marble in the kitchen, heated to keep her feet from freezing. An oversized tub with clawed feet dominated the center of the room. Gold plumping finished the look of her regal tub. A large walk-in shower took up the back wall of the bathroom, large enough for five people with a rainfall facet. A walk-in closet similar in size to the bathroom contained a vanity and lounging chair in the same luxurious ivory material as the rest of the furniture. The closet was only half full of clothing and shoes.
"I wasn't sure of your taste in clothes so I based my picks off what you are wearing... I hope I did okay. You can order anything you wish online." Timothy flipped through the neatly hanging blouses.
"Did you design all this?"
"I did...". Timothy seemed sheepish in his answer.
"You are very talented... everything is so... dreamy. Thank you Timothy."
"You are very welcome miss... Katya."
"Timothy... do you mind leaving me? I'm quite tired."
"Yes ma'am."
He left promptly without another word. Katya looked through the clothing and smiled to herself. The majority was pencil skirts of differing styles and materials. Most were grey or black with one white skirt to stand out. The blouses were all satin or silk in jewel tones. Each neck line and sleeve was slightly different then the other. He had organized high heels by colour and height, creating a rainbow effect. She smiled at this. There was two dresses hanging near the back of the closet. A simple black dress cocktail length and a bright sapphire blue one that looked slightly scandalous. She found a few pairs of yoga pants in a drawer and some tank tops. She decided to change into them to be more comfortable. As she searched a few more drawers she found underwear, bras and socks. The sizes were all correct and she wondered how he had guessed her size. Pushing the negative thoughts that had started to creep into her mind she discovered some simple jewelry and watches. She left the closet and stared at the large white tub. A hot bath was definitely needed. Finding fresh towels folded in a wicker basket she ran hot water into the tub. A collection of bubble baths sat in a basket beside the facets. Pouring in a lavender oil based liquid she watched the bubbles form. Dropping her clothes to the floor she stepped into the warmth. She relaxed in the water, her eyes growing heavy with sleep as she soaked.
The water had turned cold when she awoke. Pulling the plug to drain the water she stepped out, wrapping one of the towels around herself. She decided to shower, washing the suds off her body and massaging the lavender scented shampoo she found into her hair. Timothy had noted the faint lavender perfume she had been wearing. There was soap and body scrubs collected on the marble inset shelf of the shower. She cleaned her skin, using the loofah sponge hanging on the wall.
As she rinsed conditioner from her curly hair she couldn't help but think about how Victor Creed had smelled her, touched her head in such a gentle way. She had always had a healthy fear of him. She knew he could rip her apart easily, especially without the use of her mutant powers. He was different though, lost, confused. The men had spoken about memory wipes. They had made him... not himself. Grabbing another towel she wrapped her hair tight to dry it. Her original towel tucked around her chest she went back into the closet to try to find something that resembled pajamas. Settling for athletic shorts and a tank top she crawled into the soft bed with her damp hair. As her eyes closed to sleep a little voice in the back of her mind told her she was trapped and had to make the best of it.