It was nearing February and Kyle felt at his end. He's been helping around the house, helping his parents with this and that while Eric went back to work against his chiefs word but the chief didn't stop him either, knowing he needed something to do to take his mind off things.

Kyle was washing some dishes while he watched the snow fall outside. His mind still miles away, thinking of Anna. His mother was drying the dishes. It was silent between them as the radio played a bitter sweet song. He wasn't sure if he wanted it turned off. Sheila knew she couldn't say anything that would help and Kyle didn't have much conversation.

They both jumped as they heard Gerold cough rather loudly and painfully. Sheila went to check on him. When he got sick and his fever kept going up, Sheila took him to the doctor and The Doctor said he had the flu. Kyle worried,knowing those older can have a hard time getting over the flu, getting complications often.

Dan, Lisa and Aaron were having dinner in their house. Steak,potatoes, vegetables. Since Lisa came back from the ER with Aaron, who was still recovering from reconstruction surgery, she barely let Dan near Anna, always giving him something else to do to make sure he couldn't see her. He knew she didn't trust him and he worried more for Anna everyday he didn't see her. He needed to get her out of here, alive. He needs to get his parents, lure them. That's what Lisa was going to do but she's become so manic he wonders if she remembers her own mission.

He swallowed his food before speaking up. "Uh do you know when we'll be luring her parents here?" She sighed, her fork falling from her hand with a metallic thud. "Why? Worried about the little shit?" Dan pretended he wasn't. "No. Course not. But I do want to know what the mission is. How long she'll be in our basement." Lisa sighed. "I've been thinking."

Oh that's never good Dan thought. She continued. "Do we really need to lure her parents here? I mean, it will hurt so much more not knowing where she is, not knowing if she's even alive. They'll be wondering what happens to her the rest of their lives, breaking them apart from the inside. But that does leave the question: what do we do with the brat? We could…have a little fun." She grinned and for the first time Dan was terrified of his wife.

Anna was shivering, starving and filthy. She feels embarrassed that she had wet herself but after the second time Dan snuck water down he wasn't able to sneak her out long enough for bodily functions. Her cuffs dug into her wrists painfully. She knew she'd be likely to get an infection but hoped she didn't. She was feeling so numb, so alone in the cage in the dark, cold basement. She doesn't even know how many days it's been, what the time was. She just stares into the blackness hoping it will swallow her whole.

She jumped when she heard the basement door open. Footsteps came down, creaking with each footstep. They turned the lights on, making her cry out in pain;the lights were agony on her eyes. Burning red under her eyelids.

She heard someone messing with the lock before dragging her out. She cried out, terrified of what will happen. Lisa laughed as she brought her out. Aaron and Dan watched. Lisa had a small pocket knife. He swallowed, keeping himself from stopping her.

Just play along and you won't end up dead. You can lure her parents here somehow, get them The ones a cop right? He can take Lisa down. His thoughts were cut off as he heard Anna scream. Lisa cutting into her thigh through her dirty denim pants. Anna was screaming, crying out for her to stop as she cut into her and when she was done with that she broke a finger, bringing an ear piercing scream, Dan felt like he might be sick. He looked over and saw Aaron was enthralled, smiling.

Dan felt vomit coming up. He ran up the stairs, Anna's screams a muffled noise as he barely made it before he vomited up his dinner onto the kitchen floor.

Anna was still screaming and sobbing. He felt like doing the same. He shut the door, hoping it would muffle it while he started thinking to find some way to contact the Cartmans.

Lisa destroyed his phone and cut off internet access to both he and Aaron until this situation is done and over with so emails were out of the question along with trying to find a phone number. He couldn't run out into the snow outside. Lisa could easily follow that and he'd be dead for sure. He could take the car but she's hidden the keys from him.

He felt himself start to hyperventilate. This wasn't the plan. He thought they were just going to brainwash her, bring her to their side. He didn't think Lisa would torture her, kill her. She's only nine years old for fucks sake, what has she done? Nothing. Absolutely nothing except being adopted by two gay men.

He may not be comfortable yet about gays but he's willing to turn a new leaf. A new leaf that doesn't kill children.

But as he sat on kitchen floor, the acidic smell of vomit around him and Anna's screams, he felt helpless. Was helpless. He and Anna were both as good as dead if something didn't happen soon.

Later in the night, when everyone was asleep. He stayed awake, thinking. Lisa still had all the research and paperwork from them tracking the Cartmans. Maybe their address is in there?

He got out of bed as quietly as he could, sneaking to her office. He turned the lamp on, splashing the room in dim light. He went to the closet and found the box. It was conveniently labeled "research."

He got it, looking through all the papers until he found what he was looking for. He quickly pocketed it, going to find a pen and some paper. He had to move fast, fearing Lisa could wake up at any moment, even with her sleeping pills.

He quickly wrote out his letter, telling them they have Anna, that his wife does, that he's trying to help from the inside best he can without being caught. He gave the address and his name before folding it into an envelope and writing it out, placing a stamp and no return address. He couldn't risk Lisa finding it because it failed to mail.

He turned out the light in he office before he left. He checked to make sure everything looked he same as he quietly walked down the stairs and out the door to the mailbox, placing it inside for the mailman the next day.

When he got inside he heard no noise but Lisa's snoring from upstairs. He took this moment for another thing. One he's been able to do semi-regularly because it only took a few moments. He got the tube of antibiotic cream and went to the basement.

Anna was awake, unable to sleep with all the pain she was in. The blood crusted and dried, every movement painful. She heard the door open again but the light didn't turn on. She watched trembling in fear as they used a cellphone for the flashlight. He was relieved to see it was Dan. She cried. "Dan.."

He went to her quickly, putting his phone face down as the flashlight gently filled the room. "Shh, I know. I'm so sorry for what my wife is doing to you. I hope it helps but I managed to send a letter to your parents, telling them where you are." Anna let out a shaky breath as he started to rub the cream in under the cuffs. "Will they get it?"

" I hope so. It was my only option so pray that the letter gets to them quickly." Once he was done cleaning her wounds she spoke, quietly, raspy. "Thank you, for risking your life to help me. I'm sure your wife would kill us both if she caught you." Dan chuckled but he lacked humor,knowing she was right. "She's insane. I'm not going to kill or hurt a child. I have to go, get what rest you can." Anna nodded as he left, feeling guilty for leaving her in the dark once again but he feeling more hopeful that she'll live through this and go home.