Changes

Riggins had been right about one thing: it was different now. Martin could feel it in every aspect of their new normal. It was in the way that they had used his injury to test his healing rate if well or under fed, and the way that they didn't seem to care that they were causing him pain with their tests. Guards no longer looked them in the eye as they roughly transported them from their holding cell - their room had been given to someone else and they'd been returned to an upgraded version with a door they couldn't open from the inside and an older bunk bed with thin mattresses - to the labs, which was the only place they were able to go. No one spoke to them, and even instructions were given through a new, automated voice ringing over the loudspeaker. They'd tried to be stubborn at first, but the first day back in tests had left Martin in a heap on the floor.

He was exhausted. Semi regular feeding were the only thing keeping him on his feet for the long days. At least once a day he was separated from Gripps to the medical wing. They didn't seem to mind hurting him, but they didn't want to lose half of their vampiric experiment either.

Riggins hadn't shown his face since Martin had screamed at him to get out, but his smell lingered, filling up Martin's senses and pulling a low growl of irritation every time it did. His fingerprints were all over every experiment, ever order. He'd been a fool to ever trust him. To dare to think he might be a friend.

The only good thing about it was that Cross had gotten away. It left a gaping hole in both remaining brothers, but one either of them would gladly bear if it meant the youngest one's freedom.

"They just gonna leave us in here?" Gripps demanded, not bothering to pause the agitated pacing he'd been doing for the last… Martin didn't know. He'd lost track of the time again and had settled on a mat in the corner to see if maybe he could get some rest. They'd probably blare a horn or something as soon as he did.

He rolled to sit up slowly, feeling the pull of the still-healing wound, and he sucked in a breath to answer. Martin froze, scents working their way through him. There were two that hadn't been there before, mixing together to make it difficult to distinguish. One good, one bad. Very bad.

"What?" Gripps asked and Martin looked up at him.

"Not sure yet."

Then they heard it. It was muffled shouting at first, but it became clearer the closer they got to the door. "No no no no! I hate them! No ink! No walls! No more questions! I hate them all! Hate them!"

"Cross," Gripps breathed and lurched forward to slam his fist against a door they both knew wouldn't budge. "Cross!"

The shouting outside went quiet, even as the automated voice sounded. "Please step back from the door."

Martin had joined Gripps there now and he could hear their younger brother yelling again, screaming their names. The shouting was silenced after a sharp yelp and the blond knew who the stench belonged to. Anger burned deep and as Gripps continued to wage war on the door he turned his icy blue gaze to the one way window high above them and inhaled, his voice dangerously calm. "I know you're there, Riggins. I can smell you, old man. You let that bastard touch our brother again and I'll take everything out on you he takes out on Cross." No answer came and his temper flared as he sprung towards the middle of the room. "You hear me, Riggins? You think we've caused you trouble? You think we're pains in the ass now? You let Priest hurt the kid and I'll make your life hell! You hear me, Riggins?!"

The only sound that followed was Gripps pounding at the door and then the opening of the vents. Shit. He knew what that meant.

There was a hissing sound as gas filled the room, but Martin refused to break eye contact with where he knew Riggins was standing. He'd make him pay if a Priest hurt one hair in Cross' head. The threat hung in the air even as the gas curled around him and the room faded to black.

Notes: And now the Rowdy 3 are in Blackwing together.

Fun note, Michael made a comment on Twitter the other day about the order that they came in and apparently I had it right! Glad to know my guess as to the ordering of the straitjackets was correct :)