/a.n./ Sorry to take so long on updating this story; but I've a bit preoccupied with my SK volumes for the last couple of weeks :D Well, I'm gonna be updating pretty frequently these days, cuz for some reason I'm experiencing a bit of insomnia. What better way to not sleep than writing, ne?

Chapter 11

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Inuyasha's POV

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Walking back through the iron grated doors, I deliberately avoided the eyes of the two men who stood guard by the door. In this animalistic atmosphere, direct eye contact meant a challenge. I didn't need more of that. I kept my head down until I passed into the common room. Mıroku looked up as I approached my cot. He was still there. Something remarkably close a genuine smile formed on his lips. I felt an awkward, half hearted, smile like something creep up on my face too. It didn't feel natural; it had been so long since I had really smiled.

Years ago, I could fainty remember smiling; maybe once or twice when my mother had protected me against someone out to hurt me. I hadn't been able to return the favor.

I trotted over to him and plopped down on the mattress.

"Where've you been?" he asked skeptically, eyeing me.

I shrugged in response. He didn't have to know, and I had no intention of telling him. He didn't push me on it, wise of him. Though the occasional questioning stares continued to pass between us as we sat there, staring at the chaotic crowd of men before us. A couple of fights were going on simultaneously; but apparently none were significant enough to attract the guards who still stood watch by the door. I smirked to myself.

Miroku's expression morphed into one of confusion. I shifted my gaze to the corner where one of the more violent brawls was taking place; then to the guards. Miroku seemed to understand. I watched as one of the men fell unconscious against the wall, the other one seemed to have gotten a pretty good shiner. It reminded me of the Meat Sack, who was now rotting in a random hole outside. The idea made my smirk grow larger.

Already bored with the fight, I shifted my attention to where a small commotion was beginning to form. A man, unusually well dressed, was standing in the doorway.

I watched as he pushed passed the crowd now huddled around the entrance and approached the middle of the room.

"Nozomi Takekawa." He enunciated clearly, in a booming voice that made everyone in the room stare.

A thin, slightly gangly man emerged from behind one of the cots, walking slowly towards him. Eyes narrowed, he stopped directly in front of him. He looked a bit shaken, like he had just recovered from a hangover. Maybe he had. As if on cue, the two black clad men who stood guard by the door grabbed him by the arms, one jabbing his gun into his back. He seemed surprised for a second or two. Then his shoulders relaxed, and his clenched fists loosened. He didn't struggle. He didn't shout. He simply let the three men, two holding his arms and one leading the way; drag him towards the door.

I stood there with my mouth still open. What the fuck was that? Eyes following them as they cut through the whispering crowd and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor, I tried to understand what I had just seen. What bothered me more than the fact that three men had just dragged someone out of the room was that he hadn't put up a fight. It had been as if he had been expecting them to take him away or something.

I knew I would regret it later.

I knew that there was a definite chance of me not even having the time to regret it.

But I also knew that I didn't care.

With a sudden burst of something between adrenaline and stupidity, I bolted for the door, ignoring Miroku's shouts of protest. They lingered behind me as I pushed my way to the entrance and slipped out of the room. Their footsteps were still audible. I walked down the dark corridor, remembering the last time had had walked down this route. I shuddered involuntarily. If this took a bad turn, I would end up in the same place as I had before.

I followed the distant echo of their feet and tried not to fall in the darkness. Using my arms to guide me, I walked as fast as I dared.

Something sharp jabbed into my arm.

Then everything went black.

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-xxxXXXxxx-

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My hands. I couldn't move my hands. I tried flexing my fingers; they couldn't move either. I didn't even bother trying my legs, they were probably numbed too. I tried opening my eyes and was surprised to say that they were one article of my body that still possessed control over. I stared around the room, blinking rapidly. Right in front of me, stood a black glossy desk. There was nothing on it. I stared down at my hands and found that they were cuffed to the chair I was sitting in. Well that explained it. Part of it at least…

A door opened and closed behind me. I wanted so bad to turn around and see who it was; but apparently my neck had other plans… The person stood behind me as if purposely mocking me. I huffed in annoyance. This was the exact outcome I had been afraid of.

"If you're gonna talk." I started scornfully. "Just fuckin talk already."

"My my…" a sugar sweet voice replied. "Now is that the kind of attitude one who is paralyzed and cuffed to a chair should hold?"

My eyebrows furrowed. So this person was a woman. She stood in front of me now, staring directly into my eyes. My pace quickened at the sight of her eyes. They were blood red. Either this lady had a serious problem with wanting the scare people… or she wasn't a "lady" at all. Maybe not even human.

"Who the hell are you?" I snapped. She giggled.

"Well now that's none of your concern is it?"

"Then why am I here? That concerns me, right?"

Her smug smile fell and she narrowed her gaze one me.

"Let's just say you know too much."

"How is that?"

She came closer to me, bending over and scrutinizing my face as if solving a puzzle.

"You know our ways."

She sauntered over to the polished black desk and pulled herself on top of it, crossing her legs and letting her hands rest atop her knees.

"Do you ever wonder why some people never come back, Inuyasha?" Oh great. The psychotic bitch knew my name. How convenient. I shook my head. They died, didn't they? What was left to wonder?

"I'm just going to assume you do… There are two things that could have happened to someone who didn't come back. A.." she started, looking at the walls of the room as if staring out an invisible window. "They are thrown out there." She said matter-of-factly.

"What's the other choice?"

Getting down from the desk, she approached me once more.

Her slap was swift and sharp. I felt my frozen neck revolve as her hands made contact, head twisting to the side unnaturally. I ground my teeth and repressed a grunt of pain. She was probably the last person to whom I would confess pain.

"Curiosity isn't a good virtue. I was about to tell you what it was." She said.

"The second choice is being deported; in which case there is an eighty percent chance you will die anyway."

Well that was nice. So if I ever got dragged out of the camp; I would die under all circumstances. Such a comfort. I averted my gaze from her piercing eyes and focused on the edge of the desk.

"Which one happened to Nozomi?"

Once more, her eyes narrowed on my face and her lips twisted into a frown. "If you don't want to end up in the same hole as him, you better stop asking questions."

He was in a hole. So that meant he was dead.

"Why did you kill him?" I asked, trying to keep the fear away from my voice. Her frown now morphed into a grin.

"I was bored, and he knew too much."

I saw now that she was holding another needle in her hand. I had no idea what would happen next, and I had no way of finding out; because a moment later, she was behind me again, talking in the same sugary voice that she had spoken with before.

"I can get bored very easily… So next time, think before you decide to take a stroll in the dark. We wouldn't want any inconvenience now would we*"

As soon as her words were finished, she jammed the needle into my forearm and pushed the plunger. This time I could feel the substance spreading through my veins. My mind started to get fuzzy as my vision blurred and my string of thoughts disappeared into nothingness. Just before passing out, I caught a glimpse of those two ruby eyes, sneering at me. Threatening me.

Daring me.

/a.n./ New chapter coming soon! Thanks for all your support guys, Arigatou Gozaimasu!