Hey everyone, we're back! Here is the next chapter and it's a doozy. Be warned, there is Scott torture in this chapter! My beta reader, Katya liked this chapter and I hope all of you will too. I promise to post the next chapter quickly, as I know many of you will be anxious to read more. Please keep reviewing, and enjoy!
Miss Elizabeth Blakeney and Katya
P.S. Still don't own 'em.
Chapter 10: They Would Pay Dearly
Scott shifted and smothered a yelp of pain. Breathing was becoming increasingly difficult as his arms were held at such an unnatural angle. Flexing his stiff and sore arm muscles, his breath came out in a hiss of pain. Sometimes he wondered whether the physical torture was worse then the mental and emotional tortures the Hood was constantly putting him through. Other times, he knew the answer.
He looked over at the pitiful figure lying on the harsh stone floor. Good, Lona was still asleep. Scott could see her breath softly and how peaceful her face was. Her face was only peaceful when she was asleep. When she was awake, her face was lined by either the horrors she had seen or the pain she had suffered. Scott could not tell which of these caused the distortion. She had been whipped several times since Scott had been brought here, and he felt awful. The Hood was using her to break him, and what made Scott feel so bad was it was working. He had all but given up on either of them getting out of this hellhole. He only hoped he would die before he was broken. He did not want to speculate what would happen if the Hood used a mentally broken Scott against his family.
The next day, the Hood held his first party since Scott's capture. All of his higher acquaintances, as well as those operatives that were enjoying his unusually high favor because of Scott's capture were there. All experienced great pleasure at hurling insults at the unfortunate young man. Acrobats and jugglers entertained the vast number of guests, while slaves wandered around carrying refreshments. Lona had told Scott not to be surprised at anything. The Hood was a businessman, and he had to keep his employees happy. He also had to show his acquaintances how wealthy he was.
The Hood walked in, and everyone bowed to him except for his business acquaintances. He was holding a beautiful chain, if one can be called that, which was attached to a collar hooked around Lona's neck. Scott knew she had told him to not be surprised, but her costume was…well shocking. The bikini parts were all red with gold embroidery. From her waist hung long strings of beads that enhanced every movement made by the small, emaciated form, and streamers of different colored silk hung from her forearms and collar, and her hair, which hung down to the small of her back, was braided with streamers likewise. It was like she was some glorified pet. Scott couldn't bear the way all of the men were leering at her. If only he could get free, he would show all of them what he thought of them. Lona must have seen on his face what he was thinking because she looked him right in the eye and carefully shook her head.
As soon as the Hood sat on his throne with Lona forced to sit on the floor beside him, several tumblers ran out to the center of the room. They quickly began building sculptors out of their bodies only to fall and roll around. Executing complicated twists and turns, they bent their bodies in ways Scott had never thought the human body could. This went on for some time until the group all landed in front of the Hood. Bowing low, they waited for him to pass judgment. He stood and grabbing a bag a slave handed him, dropped it in front of the leader, gold spilling out of the open mouth of the bag. Kowtowing still lower, the group moved off.
A gong was sounded, and simultaneously a loud, shrill scream was sounded. Ten female dancers ran out and began moving to music produced by a two or three different stringed instruments and a drum. Scott turned bright red at what was going on in front of him. This was degrading not only to him, though he had always been taught that a man should be better then this, but to Lona as well. By the stony visage she had, he knew she was as disgusted as he was. The Hood must have noticed his discomfort because as he glanced at Scott, an evil expression lit up his face. Suddenly standing up, he raised his hands for silence.
"It seems to me that something is missing from this little party we are having. Why, it must be that Lona has yet to entertain us. We must all beg that she would deign to show us her…talents." There was much chuckling among the men gathered round him. Scott turned red at the insinuations the Hood was making. Lona, with a look of fear and loathing etched on her face, was staring at nothing. With a flick of the Hood's wrist, Lona was dragged in front of him.
"Let's see if you have more strength then last year." Everyone was watching eagerly, almost as a hunter watches its prey. Lona fought, fought harder then Scott had ever seen her fight. A third slave came over and grabbed her wayward head. Slowly, with great difficulty, he forced her to face the Hood. He grabbed her face with one of his large, calloused hands and moved in until their faces were inches apart. Scott could see the Hood's face, and he saw his eyes become red and his pupils become cat-eye slits. Struggling desperately against his chains, Scott started to yell at Lona to not open her eyes. Before he could get a sound out though, he found himself quickly subdued and hands roughly covered his mouth. Lona struggled and strained for some time before finally falling limply against the restraining arms of he captors. The Hood stepped even closer and whispered in her ear for sometime. Scott could not move, could not think, could hardly breath-even aside from the fact that multiple hands were covering most of his face. The Hood had hypnotized her, and Scott knew from what his family had told him-what Brains had told him of his encounter-that he could make you do anything he wanted. Lona had told him before that she had never been able to free herself while under his control. What would happen now?
Suddenly, Lona stood straight up, head lifted high. The brief surge of hope that filled Scott's heart was quickly dashed when Lona unhooked the chain attached to her collar, and then wrapped her arm suggestively around the man she hated most in the world. Despair pushed out all the hope that had just filled Scott's body and left a vacuum. Lona was under the Hood's complete control.
"My dear, all of my guests are bored. What do you say to an exhibition of your skills?" Scott's eyes narrowed. What skills? Lona nodded and moved to the center of the room. Facing the wall where Scott hung, restrained by both metal and muscle, she motioned him to be unchained. The men holding him looked to their master for guidance, but he only nodded and seated himself back on his throne.
Scott tried to prepare himself as the men loosened the metal cuffs from his battered wrists. But it was to no avail. His knees buckled as his shoes encountered the stone floor, and he landed in a heap. He rose as quickly as his shaky legs allowed, planting them so he would not fall over again. As soon as he was up, Lona started for him but was stalled by the voice of the Hood.
"Not yet, my dear. He would not be much of an opponent now. Give him time, he needs for his legs to get use to supporting him." Lona stayed where she was, her eyes focused on Scott as if she were evaluating him, for what he could not say. He searched her eyes trying to find his friend in them but to no avail. The Hood had her under his complete control, and she could do nothing to break free.
As soon as his legs stopped shaking, the Hood nodded to him and offered one bit of advice, "You had better defend yourself, International Rescue." Scott was not sure what he meant, but he was afraid in a way he could not explain. He knew that this was technically not Lona, at least not in her actions, but he could not bring himself to hurt her. What was he going to do?
Before he could think any further, Lona struck. Drawing her leg back, she let go and high-kicked him in the head. Scott went back and down, coming to a rest just short of the stone wall. He did not even get a chance to pick himself up before she was on him. Quickly, she wrapped her thin, scarred arm around his neck, and applied pressure. Scott could feel his lungs straining for the oxygen being deprived them. As his vision blurred and black spots dotted the crowd in front of him, he threw himself forward, pitching Lona over his head. Totally unprepared for his action, the young woman hit the ground in a sprawl.
Scott eased himself off the hard floor and stood, his lungs sucking in all the oxygen they could. He watched as Lona leaped to her feet. She stared at him, gauging him as an opponent, not recognizing him as a friend. Then suddenly, she came straight at him.
They traded blows for several minutes; some finding their mark, but most were blocked as the two knowledgeable fighters traveled up and down the room. Soon, however, Scott's abused and malnourished body began to slow down. The seasoned combatant she was, Lona took full advantage of this, pressing him harder and harder. Suddenly, there came a blow he could not block in time. Lona's arm slid between his defenses and hit him squarely in the throat.
Scott felt his larynx pushed roughly back by the force of the blow. Coughing and chocking, he collapsed to the stone floor. He could not get a breath. He knew that if he did not calm down, he would hyperventilate and then be in serious trouble, but he could not seem to stop.
The Hood stared down at the Tracy son, watching him struggle for a single breath. When Lona moved in to finish the kill, his single word command halted her in her tracks. His guests had greatly enjoyed the exhibition, never realizing the emotional trauma going on around them. All they could see was the violence.
Lona stood there, staring at nothing. However, there was an inner battle being waged. Her conscious self was fighting a desperate battle against the Hood's control. At his next voice command, she felt her body move towards Scott, despite her fight to stay where she was. He then told her mind to attack the defenseless man in front of her.
Scott was still trying frantically to catch his breath when he felt the foot connect with his rib cage. A gasp escaped his lips as he felt the bone give way under the force of the strike. For several minutes, blows rained down on the hapless man, and soon his skin was covered with a mixture of sweat and blood. During all this, a blow hit his broken ribs. The force of the blow knocked all the breath from his body, and he began coughing uncontrollably. Soon his coughing brought up blood from his pierced lungs.
When Lona saw Scott coughing up blood, something rose up within her. She fought as she never had before, battling with everything in her to break the hold the Hood had over her. Suddenly, the control over her snapped in two. Falling to her knees, she immediately began offering him what medical attention she could.
Scott, while fighting for every breath, felt a rush of pride for Lona. He was worried about her and for himself; he knew he was in a bad way. Nevertheless, at the same time, he could not deny the pride he felt at what she had done. She had finally resisted the Hood's mind control over her. She had fought him, truly, for the first time.
The Hood was furious. She had broken his control. She had fought him, Lona, who had only a week ago had been inches from the breaking point. Not only had she resisted, but she had beaten him in front of his guests. Both she and the Tracy boy would pay. They would pay dearly.