Nine was blindfolded when she finally came to. She could feel the bonds strapping her to a chair, but she didn't try to test them. She didn't want to let on that she was awake in case anyone was there. She would rather have the element of surprise of her side.

Someone kicked her chair. "You awake yet, bitch?" The woman's voice.

"Cha-Cha, leave the kid alone. We did just kidnap her after all, let her sleep." The man was there too. So they weren't stupid enough to leave her alone.

"C'mon, Hazel, we have to get the job done. How are we gonna know where the target is if she's not awake to tell us?"

"We'll force it out of her later. You can even torture her extra if you want."

Okay, Nine did not like the sound of that. If anyone was going to torture her, it was going to be her or Five. No one else. Especially not someone named Cha-Cha.

The chair rattled again as it was kicked once more. "Fine."

"Good. I'm going to rinse off. Don't do anything stupid," Hazel said. Nine heard the door to the bathroom open and then close.

"I never do," Cha-Cha said as the water turned on. Nine heard her footsteps approaching. This did not seem to be good.

A jaw-breaking force connected with Nine's cheek, knocking her and the chair to the floor. Her skull connected with the hard floor, making her head spin as a dizzying pain swept through her.

"You awake yet, little girl?"

Nine's brain advised her to stay silent, but her rage forced her to speak. "You're too scared to fight me face-to-face, aren't you? Afraid I'll win?" She didn't even know what direction to face--not that she could really pick--but her words seemed to hit their intended mark.

"You little bitch. We already did fight face-to-face. And I won. Or did you already forget?" The blindfold was suddenly ripped off her face. Nine blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the bright light coming from the ceiling. "So now you're gonna tell me where the hell Hargreeves is."

"Which one?" Nine couldn't regret asking innocently. "There are quite a lot of us, you know."

Cha-Cha smacked her clean across the face. Nine tasted iron but refused to let on that she was hurt. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. Now, where is Five Hargreeves?"

"I don't know," Nine replied, glad it wasn't entirely a lie. Yes, she did have a notion of where he might be, but he could've left the treehouse. He could be anywhere.

"Liar." Another slap, harder this time. Maybe Nine was imagining it, but a couple of her teeth felt loose.

Cha-Cha righted the chair and went behind Nine, presumably to grab a torture device. There was no indication that Hazel had heard what was going on, or that he was almost out of the shower.

A scalpel slid across Nine's collarbone, leaving blood in its wake. "Tell me where he is."

"I already said I don't know," Nine said, more frustration in her voice than fear. She didn't mind this sort of pain, it was actually sort of a comfort. It reminded her of the days when she used to self-harm. Oh, how she missed those days.

The scalpel cut down her back now, sharp enough to tear her shirt as if it was butter instead of very durable fabric. "We both know that's a lie."

"No, it's not!" Nine shouted, rewarded with cuts on the back of her arms for her volume.

"What was that?" Hazel asked from the bathroom. The water turned off.

"Nothing, the girl just woke up. Don't worry about it."

"I'll be out there in a second. Don't kill her yet."

Cha-Cha glared at Nine. "No promises."

"Cha-Cha," Hazel said warningly.

"Fine."

Hazel came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. "Mind passing me some clothes?"

"I need a coffee," Cha-Cha grumbled. She stalked out of the small room, slamming the door behind her.

"Well," Hazel said, snatching some clothes from his suitcase. "I suppose it's just us two now."

"Your math skills are impressive," Nine commented sarcastically. "Now, would you mind getting me out of this chair so I can be on my merry way?"

Hazel chuckled. "Sorry, kid, can't do that."

"Don't call me kid!" Nine snapped.

"Whoa, quiet down there. Don't want to have to gag you."

"As if you could," she scoffed.

"Kid, c'mon. Just tell me where Five is."

"You'll kill me whether I do or don't. Anyway, I'd rather not give up his location. Even if I did know where he is. And stop calling me kid."

"I don't want to have to hurt you. Just tell me."

"Never. I'm trained to withstand the highest forms of torture. You'll never break me."

Hazel sighed. "Look, I'm gonna brush my teeth. You better be talkative when I get back."

Nine merely glared at him as he walked into the bathroom. She waited to make her move until the door was closed behind him and the water started running.

Nine used her telekinesis to lift a knife from one of the bedside tables. She moved it to the ropes around her wrists and sliced them open. Then she snatched the blade from midair and used it to cut open the bonds at her ankles.

Now free, Nine sprinted out the door, making sure to close it gently behind her. She ran out into the night, not looking back once.

Nine woke up in a filthy alley, her back and neck aching as she stood from her resting spot against a dumpster. She brushed herself off and looked around. No one seemed to be around.

She walked the long way to the mansion, ignoring the rude stares she received from passerby. After everything that had happened, she no longer cared about anything other than getting back to Five.

But, when Nine finally reached the entrance, she stopped. She could feel a set of eyes glaring at her, burning a hole into her back. "Who's there?" she asked, tensing.

"I mean you no harm, Number Nine. I am the Handler and I have a proposition for you."