Hello again!

Back with another chapter! This one reached 10 pages so it's a bit longer than normal but I won't be updating again for at least a week because I'm out of town.

Please review if you have time, it really helps me out since this is my first try at fanfiction.

Disclaimer:I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny. Just a fan with a weird imagination.

WARNING: I want you to know that there will be extreme suffering on the part of Athrun in this chapter. I mean very painful physical abuse that includes the usage of medical sedatives (drugs) that are used to calm people down. If you are sensitive to this sort of thing then please don't read it ok?

If you are concerned about missing out as far as the plot goes, scroll down to the bottom and there's a summary of the key points that you will need to know for upcoming chapters.

Gundam Seed: Abhorrence

Chapter #6: Peril

He was running, flying across the forest floor, never looking back as the winds swept past him, pushing him forward. He could hear people screaming his name yet all he could see was shadows, shadows amongst the trees that he knew he had to escape.

He ran until he was out of breath. Stopping behind a tree that he was certain concealed him from plan view, he could feel his heart pounding and his head was throbbing so hard that it made thinking impossible. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his vision but the world refused to stop spinning.

Trying to keep everything in focus, he held perfectly still. Listening, his instincts focused solely on survival. They were chasing him. He didn't know why but they were hunting him, like some valuable trophy, they had refused to let up on the hunt and he was beginning to grow desperate.

Hesitantly, Athrun took a step out from behind the tree and was startled to see that there was nothing but reeds and cattails surrounding him and the large tree. Whether it was his imagination or the fact he had taken a severe blow to the head, the thick forest had vanished, leaving him in what appeared to be a swamp. His senses slowly became aware of something cold and wet and, staring down, he realized that he was standing up to his knees in mucky water.

He staggered back, grasping at the trunk of the tree for assurance that he hadn't lost his mind. What was happening? Looking around, he franticly tried to seek out the woods that had surrounded him only moments ago.

That was when he felt a droplet of water strike the tip of his nose. Athrun jerked, surprised and confused. The sky was clear, the sun was shining… why was it raining? He looked around blindly at the sky before another drop struck him on the forehead, followed closely by another, then another. His mind and body froze as he heard the sound of rushing water.

Throwing his head up, Athrun opened his mouth to scream as he found himself at the bottom of what was a waterfall that seemed to be just beginning to flow. The water rushed over it and came gushing towards him, merciless and cruel. Athrun threw up his hands in defense but before the water could reach him, the pond he was standing in suddenly deepened and Athrun found himself submerged, unable to take a single breath before the oxygen was stolen away from him.

He tried to call for help but only received a mouth full of water for his efforts. His body wrenched, his chest heaving as he choked. He was going to die…

Athrun's eyes flew open as he found himself wrenching forward, coughing and choking violently on water, desperate for air. His body convulsed and vicious tremors took hold of him while he struggled to breathe. Droplets of water fell from his lank, blue bangs and he snapped his eyes shut to try and collect himself. The tremors that wracked his body caused his side to hurt from where a rock had struck his kidneys, only adding to the trouble he was having pulling air into his lungs.

Only after he was breathing steadily did he allow himself to sink back to the ice cold floor, exhausted. His head was pounding and his vision seemed to continually be falling in and out of focus, making determining his whereabouts impossible.

"Hey!" A harsh voice scolded. "Wake up!"

Before Athrun could process that someone was speaking to him, he felt a powerful blast of water smack into his back. He scrambled up to his knees and realized that he was drenched. In fact, looking around, the entire area around him was soaking wet and puddles of water were beginning to gather around his dripping wet form. He shivered, the cold of the water against the musty air causing goose-bumps to prickle his skin. Instinctively, he tried to wrap his arms around himself only to discover that his hands were bound tightly behind his back and his coat was gone.

Teeth chattering, Athrun took a moment to survey his new location and felt a wave of uneasiness take hold of him. He was trapped behind an iron-bar door, a prison of some sort with an unforgiving, hard concrete floor and cement walls. Peering through the iron bars, Athrun noticed a group of men were staring at him - five with equally annoyed faces while another two held now-empty buckets of water.

It was obvious they had been trying to awaken him for quit some time.

Quickly masking any fears behind his impassive, green eyes, Athrun slowly sat up and returned their glares with equal intensity. He recognized one as Neo but the rest were unfamiliar to his eyes and aching mind. The dim lights didn't help the situation either and Athrun silently wished that he could at least get a clear view at his capturers. The iron mask that covered Neo's face shone brightly in the darkness, revealing no emotion, no feeling, nothing.

On his knees, Athrun blinked a couple times and grimaced as Neo opened the lock on his door with a loud click; his aching head amplifying the sound in his ears. He watched in silence as the men crowded into his cell, surrounding him.

Observing the men carefully, Athrun sensed a wariness about them as they inched closer. His muscles tensed as his clear, green eyes followed their movements. The light reflected off of his stormy orbs causing them to twinkle an unearthly shade of green. Judging by the way these men circled around him, Athrun could only guess that they were unsure of him.

"Get up!" Neo sneered and bending down, he grabbed Athrun's arm tightly and hoisted him up to his feet. "We aren't falling for any of your tricks, you filthy little Coordinator."

The sudden movement sent Athrun's world into a dizzying spiral and he staggered, struggling to keep his balance. Stumbling backward, his back met the ice-cold wall and he shuddered. Still dripping wet, he leaned against it for support and watched as the men drew closer.

"I fail to see what that foolish girl sees in you." Neo spat the words directly in the smaller man's face and when Athrun tried to turn his head to avoid getting the spittle in his eyes; a heavy fist flew up and smashed into the side of his head… the same side that had suffered a blow earlier.

Athrun hissed in pain and crumpled to the ground as white lights exploded behind his eyes. He didn't understand. What did these people want from him? Why were they treating him like this? Cagalli? What was Neo talking about? Athrun hardly had time to recover as the same hand that had struck him came down a second time. The hand locked around the back of his neck and Athrun was dragged back up to his feet.

"How very bold," Athrun muttered, sarcastically. "Beating a man whose hands are tied behind his back."

"Shut up. I'm here to tell you the way things are going to be for the next few days," Neo explained as he deliberately sank his nails into his victim's neck, causing him to twist in his grasp. Athrun growled as he violently tried to jerk free and Neo took advantage of it. As Athrun pulled, Neo flung him forward and the combine momentum of Athrun's movement and Neo's force sent Athrun hurdling into the barred door.

"You will not be fed," Neo sneered. Leaning down, he cupped Athrun's chin and forced him to look up at him. "So don't expect to be. We don't waste rations on garbage such as yourself. Atso here will be guarding you so don't even think about trying something foolish. If you behave, we will bring you a cup of water in the morning and one at night. If you so much as look at me the wrong way you will wish that you had never stepped foot in our country – do we understand one another?"

Athrun pulled away from the repulsive mans grasp and bit his lip, glaring defiantly at him. He had done nothing to deserve this. .

His subtle actions proved to be a mistake. Furiously, Neo backhanded Athrun, causing his head to snap to the side. Again, Athrun felt his head explode in pain and shook it to clear his vision. It only made it worse.

Athrun tasted a strange metallic substance in his mouth and realized that he had bit his tongue. Eyes watering, he tried to inch away from this man… the one that seemed to take such pleasure in beating him. However, he was up against the wall with nowhere left to go.

Looking past Neo's shoulder, Athrun's gaze fell upon the younger man who Neo had referred to as Atso, pleading silently for help, understanding, anything. He found none. His silent pleas were met with nothing but anger and contempt for reasons that he couldn't fathom.

Neo's eyes narrowed behind his mask as he watched Athrun carefully, as if looking for something. Eyeing the hunched, younger man with great intensity, he smiled wickedly as if satisfied. "Your eyes betray your thoughts," He told him and chuckled. "I recommend you don't wear them so plainly on your face."

At this point, Athrun felt his blood boil and his face turn a dark shade of red, evaporating the water that was still on his cheeks. His hands tightened into fists as he tested his bonds. They still held firm.

"Oh come now," A cruel smirk widened on Neo's face as if sensing the lone Coordinator's frustration. "We didn't come here to quarrel with you. We came to talk about a few things. We want to know your name and your connection to Miss. Cagalli. We have so much to discuss do we not? Are you not the least bit curious about where you are? Or why you are here? Or perhaps how that little tart of a princess betrayed you?"

Athrun's heart skipped a beat at the mentioning of Cagalli but he wasn't ready to believe a word that this man told him. Cagalli would never betray him. Regardless of the connection she had with these men, she would never deliberately hurt him. He would never accept that and so he remained silent.

"Answer him," Atso purred in the young man's left ear as Athrun tried to shy away from the unwanted touch. "It will go better for you if you do."

Turning his head from Neo, Athrun spat viciously at the second man. He had no doubt that they were going to kill him and he certainly had no intention of engaging in any sort of conversation with them. "You should mind what you say to me," He growled. "One falsehood makes all your words sound false."

The defiance in Athrun's eyes was unbridled and Atso sobered quickly. "Why you little…"

Reaching out to strike the pinned Coordinator, Atso was surprised when Athrun retaliated. Bringing up his knee, the ex-soldier caught Neo in the mid-section and as the man's grip on him loosened, Athrun dropped to the ground to avoid Atso's fist. Eyes blazing, Athrun caught the man's out-stretched arm between his hip and upper arm and he twisted it hard until he heard a satisfying 'snap.'

Athrun then reared back violently, seeing nothing but red. He was a trained soldier. Although he knew he would inevitably loose this fight, he wasn't willing to simply submit to these people. His pride wouldn't allow it.

The man recoiled, howling in pain.

The cry brought the other five men to life as they all lunged at the rebelling prisoner. Athrun's eyes focused on the open door to his cell and then darted from right to left as he struggled to predict and respond to the incoming attacks of the men blocking his path. Pulling frantically, he could feel the skin on his wrists being rubbed raw and beginning to bleed as he tried to free himself but the bonds that kept his arms tied refused to give way.

Like a slippery bar of soap, Athrun swiveled in between the men gracefully though he knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up forever. One man lunged at him but Athrun easily side-stepped away from him and smiled to himself when he heard the man collide with another one behind him.

He saw an opening in their attacks; a potential chance for freedom and took it.

Jumping aside to avoid another blow meant for him, Athrun burst out of his cell. The men fumbled in an attempt to grab him but Athrun was quick and evaded their efforts with ease.

"Come back here!"

Swiftly, he made his way down the hall, his mind swirling as he quickly sought to construct a plan of action. He spun around a corner and pushed through a door that led to a stairwell. He scrambled down the first flight in haste before pausing. Listening, Athrun frowned when he couldn't hear a sound. Nobody was chasing him.

His senses heightened as he slowly made his way down a few more steps. Something wasn't right. Why hadn't they followed him? Perhaps they were planning on trapping him. After all, they knew the building while he had no idea where he was or where he was going. Athrun finished descending the second flight of stairs and came to a door with a small window. Peering in, Athrun was about open it when he heard a soft rumble on the other side.

"Well that was just brilliant," Athrun mentally scolded himself. "You haven't a clue of what where you're going and you've managed to make everyone even angrier. This has to be one of the stupidest things you have ever done!"

Suddenly, Athrun pressed himself back flat against the wall, alerted by the sound of approaching feet. Neo and several of his men appeared in the cross passage behind the door opposite to Athrun's position and Athrun held perfectly still.

"Spread out and fine him," Neo growled at his men as they inched closer to the door. "He went down the stairs which means he has to be somewhere on this floor."

His words confirmed Athrun's suspicion that they had figured on cornering him and he held his breath. He heard the men begin to break off in their search and could sense three men drawing nearer to the door. Silently, Athrun willed the men to keep going straight and not enter the stairwell. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

Neo swung the door open and nearly stepped on Athrun before he saw him.

Swinging into motion, Athrun shoved the man back, with his shoulder, into the two men behind him before turning and flying back up the stairs he had just descended as fast as his legs could carry him.

Neo swore loudly. "There he is!" He scowled harshly as he and his men chased the fleeing boy up the stairs. "You are not going to be able to move when I am through with you, kid!" He shouted angrily after Athrun. "I don't care how you do it, men, but catch him! If you don't, it will be all of us taking his punishment. Is that clear!"

Athrun fled swiftly in front of his pursuers, dashing lightly up the stairs despite having his arms tied behind his back. His feet slipped on a steep, narrow step and he caught himself against the wall but did not stop moving. Taking a turn off at the next level, Athrun tried to put as much distance between himself and Neo as was possible. Grimly, he realized that he was back where he had started. Along the hall, there were two cross passages and between them hung a window made of stained glass that revealed next to no light.

Tearing down the dreary hall at full speed, Athrun was forced to pull up abruptly when half a four more men appeared in the cross passage ahead of him. Nearly skidding on the slippery floor, Athrun backtracked swiftly.

Caught in the passage between the two groups, Athrun took a desperate gamble. Bracing himself for the worst, Athrun crashed through the window shoulder-first and jumped to the ground, three stories below. There was nothing to break his fall so Athrun landed hard in a snowdrift in a shower of broken glass. He landed on his feet, dropping into a crouch to better absorb the impact but he still felt one of his ankles twist under him at the sharp, jarring impact. Pain shot up his leg as he sprang quickly to his feet, but he did not let that stop him.

His unconventional exit landed him just in front of what appeared to be a small court yard connected to a small cafeteria behind the building. Unfortunately, this was the Blue Cosmos members' favorite place to linger, where they could obtain free food and good liquor from the friendly kitchen staff.

Half a dozen men immediately sprang to attention when they saw him.

Forcing aside the pain that was spearing up his leg, Athrun broke into a run. The yard was fenced but he was sure that if he could get around to the front of the building he could make good of his escape.

"Stop him! Stop him!" Neo's voice from above called down and the other men immediately gave chase.

Moving as fast as he could around the new limp he had acquired, Athrun rounded the corner only to be faced with another score of men hurrying towards him from the opposite direction.

Several of the men grabbed for him and Athrun spun away, jabbing one man in the stomach with his shoulder and flipping another lightly across his back. Neo and his own men gained the ground level amazingly fast and now poured out of the doorway on the right to further overwhelm the lone prisoner.

Athrun spun, jabbed and twisted his way through them. For a moment, the men struggled to even lay a finger on him as he fought desperately. He was so close to getting to the front of the building… it was just around the corner!

But it was too far for the injured Coordinator to reach.

Grasping hands caught Athrun's bound arms and jerked him off balance. He fought bravely, but with over thirty men attempting to bring him down, the odds were simply too great.

His attackers bore him down to the ground, jerking him to his knees under a hail of irritated tugs and blows. One man's enraged boot caught the boy in the stomach, kicking him again and again as Athrun tried to curl away from the abuse.

Unshed tears of extreme frustration and pain shimmered in the young man's eyes as the men ground him ruthlessly into the snow only a few yards away from his destination. But Athrun was too stubborn to let them fall.

Neo dragged the bleeding youth to his knees and then yanked him to his feet as they marched him away, cuffing and cursing him liberally for the trouble he had caused them. Athrun continued to struggle as they hulled him back to his cell.

Furious, Neo flung Athrun into his cell and he, along with six other men, followed him in while closing and, this time, locking the door to the cell.

Athrun stumbled lightly, trying to keep as much weight off his sore ankle as he could. Shooting the men an incensed glare, Athrun turned slowly, reassessing the situation he now found himself in. He was trapped. Like a wild animal in a cage, he had nowhere to run to and he found himself backed into a corner.

Bending his knees defensively, Athrun glared at his capturers as he stepped back until he was against the wall. Neo's six men had surrounded him and were slowly converging upon him. He swallowed in a futile attempt to moisten his dried throat as sweat trickled down his brow and into his eyes – causing them to sting painfully.

He tried to read their movements. He tried to focus but all of his skills would do him little good. He was already bruised from his escape attempt and knew that he wouldn't get lucky a second time Athrun licked his cracked lips, nervously biting his bottom one until it bled as he waited. He knew they would eventually overpower him.

There was no organization to their attack as the six men lunged at him and drove the struggling Coordinator to the ground. Athrun landed on his back and a sharp cry tore itself from his system as the back of his head cracked against the hard floor. Suffocating from the pressure of having five other bodies on top of him, Athrun snarled in protest, kicking and thrashing about violently as a rain of angry fists fell upon him. He would not let them take him down without at least some sort of resistance.

Rough hands tangled in his hair and closed around his bound arms as they hoisted him up from the ground. Athrun continued to thrash about wildly and almost managed to break their hold but with two pairs of powerful hands clamped around each of his arms, it was impossible. They manhandled him and shoved him back violently against the cold wall and held him there. He knew it was foolish to fight back but when he felt another punch coming, his instincts took over once again and he ducked. Still held against the wall, he kicked out and knocked one of the men away from him.

His motion caused him to twist in his capturers arms and he gasped when he felt something slam into his back. Athrun fell towards the floor but never touched the cold cement.

The man he had kicked balled his two fists together and swung up, hitting Athrun underneath his chin and bringing him back up. The same man then grabbed hold of Athrun's black tunic and rammed him back into the wall. Repeatedly, he drove his fist into the boy's stomach five times, the last punch especially hard.

Athrun slumped over and would have tumbled to his knees had it not been for the four men holding him upright. Choking, his insides twisted when he coughed up a few droplets of blood.

The men didn't let up and one man on his left grabbed a handful of Athrun's dark hair, pulling his head back, while the other punched him in the face three times; once in the jaw, the next hit the lip and the last hit Athrun's right eye.

Athrun strained to free himself and continued to resist until the one man let go of his hair and tightened his grip around his left arm. Holding his arm firmly, the man began to twist it awkwardly up his back, causing Athrun to wince in pain as pressure began to build in his shoulder. He could feel his right eye beginning to swell and closed them.

"You seem to enjoy breaking bones," The man mused and wrenched it up higher, causing Athrun to arch his back in anguish. He was panting now as the man continued to apply pressure on his arm. "Let's see if you can take what you dish out."

There was a gut-wrenching 'pop.'

Athrun screamed.

His left arm popped right out of its socket. The pain was staggering, forcing his eyes to burst open. When he opened them, he desperately wished that he hadn't.

Up until this point, Neo had watched in silence as his men brutalized the prisoner. Stepping forward, the leader pulled out a strange vial from his pocket that contained a needle. Athrun paled. They were going to poison him. The man approached him menacingly, holding out the needle so his prisoner could see it clearly; its tip shimmered in the light that seeped through the bared door of the cell.

Athrun flinched as the second man on his left began to roll up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the bare skin of his upper arm. The sudden panic that was building in his stomach over-road the pain he felt in his dislocated shoulder. As Neo moved closer, Athrun kicked out to try to keep him at bay but the movement only increased the pressure on his twisted arm and he whimpered in pain.

"I figured you might try something stupid like this," Neo snarled and shook his head. "You Coordinators always have to do things the hard way. This will most certainly calm you down."

"We should have done this sooner," Atso muttered as he held his arm protectively against his chest. "There's no telling what he might do."

"A genetically modified freak," Another man agreed. "We know how to deal with people like you."

Athrun tried one last time to break the bonds that held his arms firmly behind his back but he'd rubbed his wrists completely raw. The pain of his bloody wrists against the harsh rope ended the attempt. Looking up, Athrun realized that each one of these men were glaring at him - Pouring all their hate and disgust into their gaze.

As Neo drew near, Athrun recoiled as much as the iron hold these men had on him would allow.

"Stay away from me." Athrun hissed through clinched teeth, sounding braver than he felt.

Neo blinked when he saw Athrun's wide eyes focus on the needle in his hand. For half an instant, Neo saw something disturbing flash through the young man's eyes. Something raw and vulnerable that was out of place in such a fierce and unbending youth. It was then he realized that Athrun Zala was truly afraid of what was happening to him.

"You're afraid of me," He mused and chuckled. "Aren't you boy?"

Athrun bit his lip and said nothing. He didn't need to. Despite how much he wanted to, he couldn't ignore the terrifying possibilities that his mind explored as he stared at the needle.

Neo frowned. Unimpressed that Athrun still chose to remain defiant, he motioned to the men restraining him. "Hold him down."

The grip around his arms strengthened and the man he had attacked earlier, named Atso, bent down and grabbed his legs to hold them still. Athrun's face went white as he watched Neo come up alongside of him and wave the needle in front of his face teasingly. "We had hoped it wouldn't come to this but I must say, to see a Coordinator squirm has been most amusing."

Athrun's eyes followed the needle until it settled upon the sensitive skin of his upper, left arm. At this point, the veins were bulging from the pressure being applied by the man twisting his arm. Athrun wrenched his head to the right and squeezed his eyes shut so tightly that they began to water. He couldn't bear to watch as these men destroyed him with whatever sick concoctions they had created.

There was a painful prick and Athrun's breath hitched as he felt the icy fluid enter his veins. A terrifying tingling sensation shot up his arm and went directly to his brain, causing a faint moan to escape his dry throat. The sensation spread like liquid fire through his entire body and for a brief second, Athrun was unable to move. He could feel his limbs gradually going numb and his vision blurred, forcing him to blink rapidly. His head felt heavy on his shoulders and his body sagged in his captors' arms.

The world spun in horrid circles for a few moments before he vaguely felt the iron grasp on him release and he collapsed to the pitiless, cement floor in a heap. Stunned, Athrun groaned weakly and curled in on his abused abdomen. He couldn't move, he could hardly think and somewhere in the haze that had become his mind, he realized that he had been sedated.

"What… did you…" He choked on the words as his throat seemed to close in on itself and he found it took all of his concentration just to pull air into his lungs. His head was pounding and the dizziness made him nauseous.

"It's a little something Jibril came across during a raid not too long ago," Neo explained as he watched Athrun writhe around on the floor at his feet. "It's used to put down disobedient animals but on Coordinators it merely has the same effects as an every day sedative. It dulls the senses and you may feel a little sick to your stomach but other then that, it shouldn't kill you. Perhaps you will behave yourself a little better when we come to visit you again. We will be back and perhaps then, you will be a little more cooperative."

Athrun winced and clamped his eyes tightly shut as the pounding in his mind intensified. He wouldn't have even been aware that his captors had left him had it not been for the soft clicking of his cell door being locked but that soft sound sounded like someone had ignited dynamite beside his head and a pained cry escaped his parched throat. He didn't even notice the glass of water that had been left in the corner of the lonely cell. As darkness began to take hold of him, he couldn't help but wonder what he had ever done to justify what was happening to him now.

TBC….

Brief Summary of Chapter:

Neo and his pals visit Athrun, who is now a prisoner of the Blue Cosmos. Basically, this chapter demonstrates the brutality of the Blue Cosmos and just how little respect they have for Coordinators. Athrun tries to escape, gets recapture and is badly beaten and sedated so he doesn't try anything a second time.

I'm sorry! Please don't flame me! I love Athrun, really I do – for the sake of the story I had to hurt him. Don't worry, Cagalli and her friends are on there way to help him. I just hope they get there in time… oh wait, I guess that would be my job to make sure they get there on time right? Hehehe…

For those who asked - the answer is 'no.' I'm not a fan of death-fics.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and helped me with this story. You're the best!

Please let me know what you think ok? What you like, what you don't. What you would like to see happen. Even though I've written up to chapter 10, I revise and edit based on the advice people give me so please review!

Slightly Sinister Sinestra I blame you for this chapter (I'm totally kidding.) But I actually got the idea to give a brief description of what's going on with poor Athrun from you. Therefore, this chapter is for you – I hope you enjoyed it!.

Kageharu Kaco I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves Cagalli's and Athrun's eyes! Gah! Don't kill Jibril! I need him for upcoming chapters! Slap him around a bit because he does deserve it but don't kill him… at least not yet. And yes, I am an angsty writer as you can tell but I don't like killing characters – just roughing them up a bit. Thanks again for proofing my story! I hope you liked the chapter.

rain angst: Yeah, poor Athrun. I really did a number on him didn't I? Don't worry, I'll make it up to him later on in the story.

Cari-Akira: That's funny! I did consider the fake money idea but then I thought Cagalli probably wouldn't want to risk Athrun's life on it. Yes, Cagalli made a few big mistakes but hopefully she'll make up for them in the next few chapters. Thanks for reviewing! I love your reviews – they give me ideas for upcoming chapters.

Thanks again!

Until next time,

Krilyn