Minette had been locked in an empty vault, kept in solitude while the Medici's work on a ransom from her father. The young Dagonian was still wearing her work apron, having been taken while working, while Nadia was gone. She was scared, but she was sure Nadia would come and save her, with help of some of her father's men.
The vault was spacey at least. Enough for Minette to walk around in the darkness before bumping into one of the metal walls. It had taken her a bit for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, there had only been a little crack of light. Its obvious that this vault was more of a prison then anything else. Minette didn't know of any other vaults that had vents going into it. Seemed a bit counter productive, though the vents had been very small, 6 inches at best. Nadia could easier probably squeeze through there if she went in piece by piece.
She heard the vault door start to open, watched expecting to see her best friend there saving her in record time. But, no, it had been one of the Medici's, a tallish man, rather elder. Minette recognized him from a newspaper article on the Medici family. The article then described an incredibly generous man. A man who funded orphanages, hospitals, and labs. Minette heard enough to know the truth behind the man.
"Hello there, Daughter of the River King" Lorenzo said in a smug voice. Minette stood there and said nothing. Lorenzo decided to continue speaking.
"Well, I'd just like you to know that we had sent the ransom to the River King, And, that we will take nothing less, of his entire estate" He said, this causing Minette great alarm.
"What! No! He'll agree to that!" She shouted, Lorenzo simply just shaking his head.
"He will, if it means the life of his sweet daughter" he replied with a condescending tone.
Minette simply stared at Lorenzo, he thought he won, he thought he was so clever, she smiled in confidence. Nadia was on her way… Nothing would stop her good friend.
Lorenzo saw her smile, and simply smirked back. "Which reminds me. I have reason to believe you are friends with one, Miss Fortune"
Minette's smile faded. "I… heard of her" she said, trying not to blow her friends cover.
Lorenzo simply shook his head, his confident smirk growing. "Well, if that's the case. Then I'm sure it won't be of any shock that she had earlier this day, died."
Minette stood silent, the news would have been a shock if she didn't believe it. Nadia had been a clever one, letting the Medici mob think she was dead. So clever. She would be here soon. She might even come at this moment. So clever. Oh, Lorenzo was still talking.
"My dear brother had even had the opportunity too extract the life gem she had in the center of her" He said watching Minette's eyes fill with fear, and terror.
Minette stood there. She didn't believe it. No, no. How did they know about her life gem? It must have been fake. Nadia had… She had faked it. Put a fake gem… At the center of her stomach. That's something she can do right? She was smart, resourceful, quick on her feet, and perfect! She wasn't dead. Surly she wasn't dead.
"Yes, she was crushed to death by my son's top bruiser. A rather attractive women I might add. If only I was there to hear her scream for her life as she-"
"STOP IT!" Minette finally shouted. "S-She is not dead!" Tears were welling in her eyes, short fits of laughter to hide her pain. "You're lying! And when she does get here! You'll be sorry!"
Lorenzo simply chuckled to himself. "While true this would be the second time we had her killed, I am quiet confident that this time was her last. With no life gem to keep her together, and having been crushed into bloody pieces. The cat won't be here to save her precious fishy."
Minette screamed, and ran straight at Lorenzo, tears in her eyes as she jumped at him. Lorenzo didn't flinch as his right hand, Black Dahlia dropped in between them. She extended her arm and gripped the Fish girl by the throat, lifting her in the air while she struggled.
Lorenzo turned away. "Black Dahlia, make her pay for that. But please, don't kill her. We need her alive for the ransom" He walked away, Black Dahlia's looking down with an evil smile. Minette's screams of pain echoed the upper floor of the building, giving slight joy to Lorenzo as he made his way to his office.
By the time Black Dahlia had finished, she had closed the vault door behind her. Leaving the young Dagonian alone, bruised, bloody, and crying. Crying from the pain, the isolation, the fact her father was about to lose everything because of her, and most of all, crying from the loss of her closest friend.