Chapter Four: Christy

Christy awoke on a bedspread with no Reg.

"What happened to me?" she asked, sitting up.

There was no one around and she remembered poor Dormy who had been beaten up. She wondered what Timmy would say if he saw his son at the moment. But, Christy had to stop thinking about Dormy and start worrying about herself. Separated from Reg, she couldn't do much. She didn't even know where she was.

She looked around the room, seeing it was plain for the most part. Dark colors on the walls matching the dark carpets and the wooden furniture. Where was she?

"Boss," a voice came from around the corner. "She's awake now." Christy instantly became frightened. She had no idea what to expect now. Unknown place, unknown people...this was all too weird.

A man stepped into her room. He didn't look like the others, but he did look like a dirty, poor, and selfish man. She stared at him for a while, and neither of them said a word. Then...

"So, former princess Christiana Heart," the man said. "Glad to meet your acquaintance." He bowed before her and she decided it was best just to let him do what he pleased. It was no use getting mad, like Reg had implied.

"Not talking eh?" the man said. "That's fine, you will be later when you're sent off to work. Let's get you into some suitable work clothes then." She followed another guy into a larger room where a uniform sat on the table. It looked like a waitress uniform. Inside, Christy breathed a silent relief. If she had to work for them, then let it by all means be waitressing! They expected her to put the clothes on and follow them to where she would work. She knew they had her there; she was in an unknown part of the city with no way back because she couldn't recall how she'd gotten where she was in the first place.

After changing and deciding it was best to just go along with them, seeing as though each man carried a gun in their pocket (the bulge wasn't that hard to find), she came outside what she guessed was her room to let them lead her to wherever she was to work.

As they walked outside, Christy couldn't believe there was a part of the city like this. The roads needed work, they were about to fall apart. The people were poor, the animals salvaged for food in garbages, much like some of the people began doing. She looked around and realized why Ten had always worried about her. With parts of the city like this, who knows what could happen to someone. But, Christy also learned from Agent White. She looked around, getting her first glance of the city other than the desperation it withheld. Searching for any landmarks she could use to find her way around, she wanted to memorize where she was going. And with no blindfold to stop her eyes, she analyzed the city until the man stopped in front of a bar.

"Get in there," he demanded of her. They walked inside and she thought this wouldn't be so bad. But, this was the daylight. Working in a bar usually meant the nightshift, right? Well, Christy was all set to work here, and she put a smile on her face because it was demanded, and she didn't want to be on the receiving end of that bullet. She wondered why they chose her of all people.

When they came back, she was led straight to her room with some soup brought up to her. She was still scared of what was to become of her, and she missed Reginald. She put her regular clothes back on and she knew this was what she'd be wearing until she got out of this place, and she was right. Later, she thought to go to sleep, but she couldn't help but still be scared. What could they do to her? What have thy already done? Those thoughts made her shudder. They were the question she held in her mind all night. As she sat on the bed, a crinkling noise made her reach deep into her pockets. There was a note:

In case we get separated, know that I was here in the car, holding you until the very last moment when he took you from my arms. I love you and I have no idea what's to become of either of us. Just try to get back to Ten or anyone you know in any way you can. They will most likely not kill you, just from the way he was trying to make you mad. But, I don't know this for sure! Me, I think I'm a different story. They took our phones, I already know that so don't expect to get it back. I'll try my best to get out. Once more and never enough times, I love you and I wish you good luck.

Reg

She cried right there after reading that note. She had no idea where Reg was or what happened to him, but she knew he had been with her until the very moment they were pulled apart. Her emotions blocked her from understanding the rest of the note, and she shoved the noted back into her pocket. She also remembered Ten's joke that morning.

"'Don't do anything stupid'," she told herself in a whisper. Well, what they'd done wasn't stupid, but it did get them, (or maybe just her, she had no idea what happened to Reg) into a dire situation. In a way, the note made her more comfortable. It gave her some strength to know Reg was out there somewhere, probably going through the same thing.

Christy made it her focus now to memorize the paths and possibly slip out of work once and a while to do more exploring. After all, who would be so desperate? She'd obviously be working for much more than money, and who would even dare look for her besides Ten or Agent White? If they did, she might consider herself lucky, and with no idea of the whereabouts of Reg, she concluded there was nothing to lose.