Angel opened his eyes and blinked slowly. All around him was darkness. He looked at the ceiling, and then at his bed, but he couldn't clearly see anything.
As he laid there on his bed letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, Angel remembered what had happened the night before. Despite his drugged state at the time, he could remember most of what had transpired. Angel remembered the auction, Valentino, the rescue, Molly, Vaggie, Cherri, Charlie showing up to help them, and then falling asleep in that limo.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Whoosh.
Angel started for a moment before he realized what the sound was. It was the air coming on to cool down or warm up…wherever he was.
There were several places where Angel could be. He wasn't in his room at the hotel with Fat Nuggets there to cuddle next to him. So, Angel had to be at Cherri's or Molly's.
Wherever Angel was, it was still too early to wake up. At least by his standards. Angel's eyes finally caught sight of the light of a window seeping in and reflecting Hell's morning light or whatever you called it on the ceiling. There was plenty of time to sleep, especially after the night he had.
Angel closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep again.
The room was dark and cool. The air conditioning vent was on at full blast, cooling the cold the room even more. Without a thought, he tried reaching his hands down to pull the blanket more tightly around his slender form, but as he attempted lifting his hands, he felt resistance.
"What the…?" Angel asked himself quietly as he tried pulling his hands back again just as unsuccessfully as the first time.
Angel felt his two pairs of hands around his restraints and felt leather cuffs around his wrists.
"What the fuck is…?" Angel asked himself anxiously just as another important memory struck him like a bat to the head.
The note Vaggie risked her neck to sneak him through the vent, the note that he found when Rosie shoved him into the bathroom to use the toilet before she scrubbed him clean for the auction, the note he then flushed down the toilet after reading, it described something like this...
It was only then that Angel's eyes had adjusted enough to notice that the walls of the room were covered with padding.
Angel felt a shiver run down his spine that froze his blood more than the room's excessive air conditioning. At that moment, he realized not only where he was but what had happened to everyone else.
"Oh, God…" Angel squeaked out, feeling the fear rush over him like a massive wave.
Angel was about to summon his third pair of arms to make a break for it when he heard a door open and what sounded like a small group of demons ambling down a stone staircase.
Once they reached the bottom, the group made their way to the door and opened it.
Angel managed to sit himself up on his elbows just as the lights were flicked on. The bright fluorescent lights stung his eyes and caused him to fall back on his back.
"Wakey, wakey, little brother," Arackniss's voice rang through the small room.
Two other figures entered the room and stood over his bed as Angel's vision struggled to adjust to the light.
"Good morning, Anthony," a large gray figure said. "I am Dr. Red, and I will be in charge of your gay conversion therapy program."
"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!" Angel shrieked. "What happened?! Where are the ladies?!"
"Ladies?" the gray figure asked with a hint of excitement.
"My friends!" Angel retorted. "Vaggie, Cherri, Charlie, and Molly! What did you do to them?!"
Henroin took out the cigar he was puffing on, blew smoke into the air, and scoffed, "Those drugs must have knocked you out sooner than we thought. The long and short of it is that our group caught up to yours, son. Your princess friend tried to stop Alastor, but Daddy Dearest showed up and stopped her and now everyone is where they need to be. Vaggie is back with Alastor, Lucifer took the princess home with him, we dropped Molly off at her place, and now, you're home with us."
"What about Cherri?" Angel asked. "Where is she? What the fuck did you bastards do to her?!"
"She's fine," Arackniss answered, finally entering the room himself. "You don't need to worry, Anthony…"
"You didn't answer where," Angel snarled.
Arackniss scoffed and said, "That is none of your concern, little brother."
As his eyes finally adjusted to the light, Angel glared at Arackniss and replied, "Then what is my concern, asshat?!"
Henroin chuckled maliciously and replied, "You're about to find out."
Angel moved his head to quip at his father, but his eyes instantly fell on Dr. Red.
Dr. Red was a gargoyle demon with stony flesh, a pointed chin, wings furled up against his back, horns on the top of his head, ruby red eyes, and a slender frame that made him at least a head taller than Henroin. His hair and every other feature were the same shade of stony gray flesh. The only color on him came from his ruby eyes, his black pupils, and the clothes he wore. He was dressed in a white lab coat, a black sweater, brown trousers, black shoes, and glasses over his eyes.
Angel smirked and whistled seductively as Dr. Red came walking closer to his bed and said, "Hello, handsome. How's about you clear out the room so the two of us can have some fun? I can't say no."
Dr. Red grimaced, pulled the blanket off Angel's body, and replied in a cold and logical voice, "So, you're the infamous Angel Dust. You have quite the reputation."
Angel licked his lips seductively and said, "So, you have heard of me. Come closer, baby. I'm always available for my fans."
SMACK!
Dr. Red responded to Angel's advance with a slap to the face.
"Don't even think about it," Dr. Red said sternly.
Angel squealed seductively in response and gushed, "Oh, Daddy, you have such strong hands! They're literally made of stone. Does that hardness extend everywhere, Doctor?"
Dr. Red grimaced, turned back to Henroin, pulled out a notepad, and said, "This is a rather severe case. How long has your son been like this?"
"Basically, since he became a man," Henroin replied. "We started really noticing after his mother died."
"Interesting," Dr. Red said, writing on his notepad.
"You know I'm right here, right?" Angel asked sarcastically. "I've been this way since I was old enough to fall in love…"
"Hey!" Arackniss interrupted from his spot on the wall. "You won't interrupt the good doctor if you know what's good for ya!"
"You ain't even in this conversation," Angel retorted, sitting up on his elbows again. "Fuck off!"
"BOYS!" Henroin snapped.
"No, no, Don Henroin," Dr. Red reassured him without looking up from the notepad he was writing on. "This is great for my notes and treatment plan. It seems to me that our patient may be traumatized from the loss of his mother…"
Angel couldn't hold his composure anymore.
"Mom had nothing to do with this!" Angel snapped angrily. "You fucking leave her out of this!"
"Angry outburst," Dr. Red said out loud while continuing to write in his notepad. "Definite emotional trauma present."
Angel growled angrily.
"We're going to need to move on to more invasive procedures," Dr. Red said to Henroin and Arackniss, finally putting away his notepad in the pocket of his lab coat. "His mind is in too heavy a state of anger, apprehension, and agitation to be pliable at this time."
"So, what do we do?" Henroin asked.
"I need you two to help me move him to the chair," Dr. Red replied.
"You got it," Henroin said with a malicious smile. "Arackniss?"
"Coming," Arackniss said, finally moving off his spot on the wall.
Henroin and Arackniss moved to either side of the bed and undid the straps holding down Angel's arms and feet.
Angel laid down as his father and brother loosened the straps holding him down. He then allowed them to help him sit up on his bed while Dr. Red watched them by the side of the door.
That was when Angel made his next move.
"That's right," Dr. Red said. "Easy does it...ANTHONY!"
Angel summoned guns with all three pairs of hands and pointed each pair at a different person.
Angel then hopped on the floor and began moving his bare feet gingerly across the padded floor towards the door while his head moved back and forth to keep his eyes on all of them. He even opened his other six eyes to help him out.
Dr. Red and the Spider family did not act surprised and barely even flinched when they saw the guns. They simply stood there coolly as if they were waiting for Angel say his peace in a conversation.
For Angel, it was off-putting to say the least. The trio of demons weren't scared at all. They simply watched him and waited as he backed his way up to the door as if this were a planned scene in one of his pornos.
"The doctor is just trying to help you, Anthony," Arackniss said calmly.
"Yeah, don't make this any harder than it needs to be, son," Henroin said just as coolly.
Angel leered furiously at his father and older brother and snarled, "Listen here, you motherfucking…HEY!"
When Angel turned his head, Dr. Red snuck up behind him, grew a few feet taller and more muscular evidently, threw a pillow case over Angel's head, wrapped both pairs of arms around Angel's, and picked him up off the ground all in the span of a few seconds.
"Grab his guns now!" Dr. Red yelled.
Angel cursed loudly as he thrashed around and fired his guns. The pillowcase over his head was dark. He couldn't see what he was aiming at, but he could hear his Dad and brother fall on the padded floor and the telltale sound of cushions exploding.
Unfortunately for him, Angel couldn't get too many shots out before he felt his guns getting shot out of his hands in six quickfire shots.
"Good work, Arackniss…" Dr. Red said.
Of course. Screw his brother's perfect aim.
"…Now, help me get Angel to his jacket just like we practiced," Dr. Red finished calmly.
"PRACTICED?!" Angel screamed, thrashing wildly as he felt Dr. Red dragging him into the next room while Henroin and Arackniss ran past them. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!"
"Just something to calm you down for the procedure, son," Henroin replied with a smile in his voice.
"What the fuck are ya…HEY!" Angel yelled as he tried fruitlessly to shake his arms out of the doctor's grip.
At that moment, Angel felt something familiar being slipped over his three arms. It didn't take him long to realize what it was.
"What are ya doin'?!" Angel yelled as he continued thrashing desperately.
Everyone continued as if they hadn't heard him. The straitjacket was slipped over his arms quickly and effectively.
Once the straitjacket was on, Angel waited until the doctor let go of his arms to tie back the sleeves.
When Dr. Red did, Angel tried reaching his arms back to his torso to summon more guns, but the long sleeves were instantly pulled back and tied behind him, effectively restraining him. He tried desperately to move his arms, but it was no use.
"Good work, everyone," Dr. Red said as he pulled off the dark pillowcase. "The patient has been restrained perfectly and we are now prepared for the next step."
Angel's sweaty face had hardly a moment to cool down before Dr. Red picked him up by the torso and his father and brother lifted his legs.
"What the fuck are ya bastards doin' now?!" Angel yelled, still trying to thrash as much as his restraints would allow him while kicking his long legs at his family. "PUT ME DOWN!"
Arackiss stared at him quietly while Henroin scoffed and said, "Right away, son."
Angel was suddenly placed on a chair, and no sooner was he sat down than were his legs and torso strapped in. It was then that Angel realized where exactly he was and what was about to happen. A look to the right confirmed his suspicions as his eyes fell on the car battery on the cart with the bit and the mess of wires attached.
Angel felt his eyes grow as wide as saucers and a shiver run down his spine as he began to tremble uncontrollably.
Everyone but Arackniss smiled sadistically as Dr. Red reverted to his original form and adjusted the chair so that Angel was lying on his back.
"That shut him up," Henroin quipped.
No sooner had those words left Henroin's mouth than did Angel resume his pointless struggle to escape from his restraints.
"You just had to say something. Didn't you?" Arackniss asked with a sigh.
Dr. Red shook his head and prepared his machine.
Angel gave up his struggle against his restraints and laid there helplessly. He panted loudly as the doctor moved the cart over to the head of his chair.
Angel trembled like a leaf. He couldn't hear a sound beyond his own breathing and heart beating.
Dr. Red skillfully attached the headgear on Angel's head. Angel shook his head desperately, but the headgear held firm and the doctor managed to get a bit between Angel's teeth.
Angel stopped shaking his head and glanced around the room in a desperate panic only to see the cold stares of his family and doctor.
"Now, Anthony," Dr. Red said. "Are you going to calm down and endure therapy willingly or are you going to make us turn on this machine to calm you down?"
Angel shook out of his frightened stupor. As his eyes met his doctor's condescending stare, Angel found his nerve and glared back.
"Well, Anthony?" Dr. Red asked impatiently.
With the bit still between his teeth, Angel replied, "FUCK YOU!"
"Wrong answer, son," Henroin retorted. "Pull the switch, doctor."
Without another word, Dr. Red annoyedly walked over to the machine and threw the switch.
A surge of electricity immediately entered Angel's body and set every nerve on fire in searing pain. He screamed through his bit and bit down until his teeth were practically touching while the rest of his body convulsed uncontrollably.
Henroin and Dr. Red looked on with cold smirks. Arackniss looked away, uncomfortably listening to Angel's screams.
"So, Anthony, do you feel calm enough to cooperate now?" Dr. Red asked. "Anthony…?"
Angel couldn't respond as the electricity continued to pulsate through his body, causing him to convulse and writhe in every direction.
"Anthony can't respond like that, doctor," Arackniss spoke up. "You gotta turn off the machine."
"Yeah, shut it off," Henroin demanded.
"Alright," Dr. Red replied. "This should be more than enough time to calm his emotions."
Dr. Red shut off the electricity. Angel immediately fell limp in relief and in exhaustion at the surge of electricity his body was forced to go through.
Dr. Red coldly walked over to the head of Angel's chair and asked, "How are you feeling, Anthony? Do you feel better?"
Angel was too out of breath to respond, so he just laid there in his restraints trying to catch his breath.
Red smiled sadistically, began writing in his notepad, and said, "Excellent. The sedation technique was successful. Now, we can begin the therapy…"
Angel could hardly hear Doctor Red chattering to his family. His disoriented and weakened mind was spinning in circles, traumatized, hurting, and completely helpless as it had been so many times before. It was all he could do to not shed a tear.
"…The therapy works better if the patient has something to works towards," Angel heard Dr. Red say. "You have any ideas of anything Anthony might want?"
Angel immediately perked back up and listened in on the conversation while keeping his face completely neutral.
"I have an idea," Arackniss replied. "We could let him out to share a meal with us before we go to Alastor's wedding on Friday."
"I wouldn't mind that, as long as we have the good doctor on standby," Henroin added.
Arackniss walked over to the chair where Angel was staring blankly at the wall pretending to barely even be conscious and asked with mild concern in his voice, "Hey, Anthony? Did you hear what we said? If you behave for the next week, you get to leave the basement to have dinner with me and Dad. Does that sound alright to you? Nod your head since you probably can't talk yet."
Angel realized then what he had to do. He nodded his head.
"Excellent!" Dr. Red exclaimed cheerfully. "We will work towards that goal then!"
Angel nodded weakly and submissively just like the little slave they wanted him to be, giving no indication of the plan forming in his head.
For now, Angel would obey them. He would say and do whatever ridiculous thing they asked him to do. He would be the doctor's ideal patient. He would behave. Until Friday. When they'd finally let him out of this dungeon for good behavior.
Then, somehow, some way, Angel would fight his way out and find his way back to Cherri, to Charlie, and then to Alastor's wedding to save Vaggie.
All he had to do was wait.