Part 9 - Captured


When she woke, it was dark. Her hands were bound in front of her, heavy cuffs weighing down her slender wrists. Her ankles were similarly chained. She explored blindly, feeling the strong links, hearing them chink against each other, following them to where they joined the wall, knowing that even with her increased strength she wouldn't be able to break them. She felt out into space, tentatively swung her legs round. She was on a low bed - she tried to stand, but they'd not given her enough slack in the chains for that. She swung her legs back and lay down again, quiet for a moment. Then she gripped the chains, rattled them in a sudden swell of rage. Everything had been going so well! Who'd have expected them to cheat and hex her with something? She giggled at the thought, being caught by magic; the sound was harsh, unexpected in the quiet, and quickly raised her hands to cover her mouth. She gasped for breath, knowing that if the laughter escaped, she would never stop. After a moment, her hands dropped, the chains rattling hollowly.

The sounds she made had alerted someone; she listened to the sound of a key rattling in the lock, of the door opening, quickly shutting her eyes as a lamp clicked on, flooding the room with light. She raised a shackled hand and peered through her fingers, her eyes streaming. Cordelia, looking at her.

"You're here till we sort things out," she said idly. "But we'll look after you while you're here…… Angel says we have to. I'd just chain you up and leave you, myself, but – well, gotta do what the Boss says. Don't guess we can have anything happen to Buffy's body while she's not in it." She crouched down and offered Faith a plastic plate, plastic fork and spoon and a foam cup of water, placing them carefully onto the floor next to the bed. "It's lemon chicken, with rice," she said helpfully, shrugging as she looked at the plate. "It should still be OK. You must be hungry – you were out for a while, like two days, oh, and by the way?" she added, watching as Faith's legs twitched and knowing what she was capable of, "don't even think about kicking. The chains are spelled – you try to hurt one of us, you'll find out what they do. Nothing permanent, but really, really painful. Wesley did it." She smiled happily, and left the plate by Faith's side, rising and starting to leave the room.

Faith cleared her throat. "How did – how did you find me?" Her voice rasped. Two days? Her tongue felt thick in her mouth, her lips felt cracked and her head ached. Her eyes hurt, felt sensitive to the light. Must be after effects from the spell.

Cordelia turned. "Oh, I have visions," she said brightly. "We didn't know it would be you. We just saw the girl you were going to play with. But we came prepared anyway, you know, just in case. Wesley figured out this great spell to trap you, 'cause of your super extra-Slayer strength. And it worked," she paused. "The girl? She's OK now, Angel talked to her and Wesley did a little hypno thing to help her forget." Faith grunted sourly. Like she cared how the girl was.

Faith licked dry lips and nodded at the cup of water on the floor. "Could you give that to me? I can't - can't reach it from here." Cordelia approached her slowly, carefully, bent down to grasp the cup, eyes watching Faith. Faith swung both arms towards her, the movement fast, hands fisted, intending to club Cordelia. And screamed in pain, arching upwards at the starburst of agonising pain along her nerve ends. It felt like her skin was on fire, burning, thousands of tiny needles stabbing her, pain searing into her flesh. Abruptly the sensation passed, leaving her limp, panting harshly on the bed. Cordelia looked at her calmly, and backed away, leaving the water on the floor, easily within her reach.

"I warned you. Don't mess with us - or the next time, it'll hurt more." Faith heard her footsteps as she walked to the door, the sound of cloth rustling. Faith ignored her words, eyes shut, skin still prickling with pain.

Cordelia turned at the open door, one hand resting on the frame. "I'll be back to check on you later." It clicked softly shut behind her.

Faith shifted, the pain subsiding slightly now, enough to remind her she was thirsty. She sat up again, and crawled ungracefully off the bed, landing with a muffled thump on the floor. She shrugged, looking round the room. Resigned, for the moment, she picked up the cup that Cordelia had left and began to slowly sip at the cold water inside.