To my reviewers: WOW YOU GUYS ARE SO AMAZING AND AWESOME AND HAPPY-MAKING. 58 reviews! Ahhhhh! *dies of happiness* Seriously, I do a little fangirl happy dance every time I get a review :) THANK YOU ALL!

And I give you….

DRAMA. (Sorry to the fanguys/non-drama people reading this. The next few chapters will be some cool fighting scenes to make up for it.)

Sorry it took so long to update! I have one word in excuse: Finals. *shudders*

But it's a double update… sort of. Has everyone read chapter 10?

Excellent.

Disclaimer: no I have not miraculously changed into Scott Westerfeld since I updated last. I don't own anything. *sad face*

Chapter 11: Threats

Deryn had been busy scoping out the scene on the top of the mountain. She knew from experience that the Spandaus that the Captain was using had a range of more than 3,000 meters. Escape would be extremely difficult if those guns were to remain positioned surrounding the castle. She was just wondering what could possibly be of use within the castle when she heard her name being called.

Time froze.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had been hoping, hoping that they were after someone else. No such luck. This meant that they knew of her connection to Alek, which meant that Alek was in danger, which meant…

The soldier standing beside her (the one she had given a black eye to) helped her up, tying her hands behind her and prodding her towards the Captain.

The walk to Hartmann's side, short in distance though it was, was the most difficult of Deryn's entire life.

Not even walking into the commissions office, not her first day as "Dylan" was this scary.

Running after Alek when he found out she was a girl? Okay, that was bad. But not this bad.

Walking down the aisle to get married? Piece of cake in comparison.

This... this was horrible. The looks on her crew mates' faces as she passed them.

The anger

Horror

Disbelief

The famous middy, Dylan Sharp, was a… girl?

It didn't help that she could hear Newkirk making horrified choking noises behind her. He sounded like a drowning cow. He might actually pass out here in a moment.

Definitely not helping.

The only thing that gave her a little strength was the expression the new middy, Mr. Irvine, was wearing.

Hope.

Like maybe his sister would get a chance at her dreams, just like Deryn had.

As she walked, she was trying to scope the mountains around her without being obvious, getting a feel for the area. Was there any other way to escape?

An eon later, as Deryn finally stood face-to-face with that sodding awful German Captain, he smiled.

"Deryn! Let's make this easy, shall we? You answer all my questions, and in return, I won't kill any of the crew members. Wouldn't want your friend there to be another casualty of war, now, do we?" He gestured to Newkirk. How did he know they were friends?

Deryn it her lip and nodded, realizing that though this man told her he respected her, he underestimated her as well. She'd been briefly searched (awkwardly; the German soldier had not wanted to be too thorough) but obviously Captain Hartmann didn't think she was much of a threat.

Big mistake.

"Excellent." His grin reminded her of a tigeresque. "You know, when I first got this assignment, I thought that it would be boring and tedious, like my other assignments. It was perplexing, in the beginning. How does one go about capturing Aleksandar Hohenburg?"

Deryn sucked in a breath. So this wasn't about her - of course it was about Alek. This was bad.

"At first, I went for the direct approach. I sent ten soldiers to attack his train." He glanced at her, weighing the impact of his words.

She would not cry in front of the crew.

"Oh, don't worry. He's still alive. He showed some very neat handiwork while evading the soldiers. I was upset but not surprised when his train came into the station, empty except for a few of my soldiers tied up in a back room. The Count of Chotkow and Wognin is still on the loose."

"But," he leaned in close to her, "not for long." He leaned back and continued to pace the hall, addressing her but speaking loud enough for the whole assembly to hear.

"After the failed attempt on the train, I decided that Aleksandar was too well protected. Thus, I must target someone else, someone close to him. A good friend, perhaps? Tell me, how much does the Count know about you? I almost gave up on using you as a hostage when I heard you had split up missions. Did you two have a little fight?"

He was enjoying this.

Deryn was thinking fast. If she downplayed her relationship with Alek, it might save his life.

If he got some daft idea to come rescue her, he'd be doomed. This castle, this whole situation was a trap meant to lure him in. And she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that her daft boy would come. He would try to get her back.

But perhaps she could convince the Captain that she wasn't worth his time. Deryn probably wouldn't come out of it alive, but at least Alek would…

Alek, I'm so, so sorry. But it's for the best.

So she lied. "We had a fight. He wants to leave the Society and go back to Austria. He wanted me to come with him, but I wanted to stay in London." Did that sound believable? It would have to do.

"Did he now?" asked the Captain, unreadable.

"Yes. He's quite angry at me right now. He sodding hates me." She let her voice quaver at the end to make it more believable.

"Hmm, how unfortunate for you that you are lying." A casual gesture to the soldier stationed by Newkirk resulted in the boy getting a hard punch to the face. Newkirk let out an unsoldierly whimper.

Deryn felt sick. What had she done?

The adrenaline was wearing off, shattered by the cruelty of the Captain. The last few weeks were catching up to her; sleepless nights due to her pregnancy or staying up late with the beasties, monitoring their behavior patterns caused her to sway with exhaustion.

And now, she had hurt Newkirk. Poor, clueless Newkirk. She realized she didn't even know his first name. She had to get the crew out of here.

The Captain turned his evil smile back to her. "Shall we try again? My sources say nothing of a fight between you and the Count. You seemed on quite good terms with him when he left."

The Captain was patronizing her, the bum-rag. She hated this man. She hated every inch of him. His sickening smile, the way he cocked his eyebrows cunningly, how his tone was so polite and yet delivered such harsh blows.

She pretended to be defeated.

"I'll do whatever you want. Just let the crew go. This isn't their fight. They're innocent." The crew - those who knew her personally from her time aboard as a middy - looked at her incredulously. They certainly knew her well enough to know that she hadn't given up yet.

Apparently Hartmann picked up on this as well, and he said patronizingly, "My dear, you are not in the position to be making bargains. You all are my prisoners. The crew is comprised of soldiers. They knew the hazards when they signed up to join. Besides, they are wonderful leverage to use against you."

She was going to punch someone.

That is, she would if it didn't result in Newkirk getting hurt.

Blisters, this was complicated.

"What else?"

"So tell me, does the Count know that you are, indeed, female?"

She let out a breath. Could she lie again? She had to try. She had to save Alek. "No, he's pretty clueless," she said the last part truthfully. He was clueless.

Captain Hartmann swiveled to her suddenly, clapping his hands on her shoulders and shouting in her face.

"I find that hard to believe, considering that you're married. Isn't that right, Countess?"

He smiled like a cat who has just cornered a mouse.

Blisters, this man knew everything about her.

She avoided Newkirk's eyes - he was definitely not taking this news well. "Why are you even asking me, if you already know so much?"

"I would strike you for that comment, girl, but since you technically outrank me…"

"How generous of you, Captain," she said drily.

He smiled. "Are you even curious as to how I know so much about you?"

He didn't wait for an answer. "It was actually that newspaper article that American reporter had written about you in Istanbul. Such a story! The dashing young middy saves the crew of the Dauntless! Even before this assignment, I knew the article could come in handy. Call it chance if you will."

Rambling now, "I was once a middy myself. I rose through the ranks, impressing my superiors. Much like you," he added. "I take my hat off to you, ma'am. Going from dirt common to a countess! Quite an accomplishment."

She just glared, content to let him talk, if it meant that everyone was safe. For now. She went over the castle plans in her mind, cataloguing the different rooms. She had been with Alek when he had outfitted it again, stocking the storage rooms. If she remembered correctly, he had stashed weapons and ammunition in a few of the rooms. Perhaps if someone could get to them?

Then something the Captain said caught her attention again.

"I had a spy within the Society watch you and Aleksandar, to see if you were close enough friends to have any sway over him. Not much to glean from that venue; it was rather discouraging. You are a wonderful actress, you know."

Why did he keep complimenting her? It was barking annoying, not to mention creepy.

"Then, surprise! A spy, who is quite close to Aleksandar now, told me a most intriguing story! Aleksandar had told my man about a girl named Deryn who dressed up as a boy aboard the Leviathan! Who had masqueraded as a middy named Dylan, had exciting adventures, and ended up stealing the young Count's heart!"

Alek… Alek, you dummkopf! What are you doing, blethering on about my secrets to spies!

Well, he hadn't known he was talking to a spy, but still!

"Actually," said the Captain, turning to an officer beside him, "Mr. Sauer will be expecting payment for his information. I don't feel like explaining how short we are on funds right now. Pick an assassin to dispose of him. He has outlived his usefulness."

The man saluted and left. Deryn wondered if the Captain could be any more horrible.

But he wasn't done yet. "Long story short, I realized at once that you were the ticket to getting to the Count! So, here I am!"

"Barking wonderful." She really could not resist.

His face grew stony. He motioned to a nearby soldier to bring paper and ink.

"I do believe it is time to send off the ransom note," he smirked, enjoying his power once more.

She ground her teeth as she watched him write the note and attach it to a messenger eagle. The message writing was awkward; doubtless he wrote it here only to watch her squirm.

This man was messing with Alek's life.

Well, he'd have to go through her first.

She smiled at the thought as she was led, wrists bound with the others, back into the castle.

Her toes curled and she could feel the cold rigging knife against her calf.

He hadn't checked her boots.

A/N: beta'd by stopthattimerave! (who is totally awesome!)

Okay everyone I need constructive criticism! Let me know how I'm doing on characterization/pacing/believability…

Please Review! :D