Chapter 10: Torture

Luffy groaned as he came back to consciousness. His eyes flickered and opened slowly, wincing at the piercing light that pushed at his eyelids. He looked around, noting that he was all alone in a small, grey room. There was a full glass wall straight ahead of him that gave him a full view of the ocean. Where was he? He tried to think back. He had been sitting in the lounge room watching TV when there had been a knock at the door. Luffy, under instruction from Zolo had not gone to open it. The banging got louder so Luffy ran up to his room, afraid that someone was coming for him. Someone was. Just as he had reached his room, the front door had burst open and a voice had filtered in.

"Where is the little brat?" it had said. Luffy stiffened and closed his door, locking it and barricading it with his desk and chair. He then went and hid under the bed. This was not his night.

Pounding steps came up the stairs and Luffy shivered. It was dusty under this bed, and the dust was getting in his nose. This was not exactly the best time for that to happen.

He held his nose, but the sneeze that had been building up in the back of his throat had been too much. He gasped and sneezed, his eyes widening as the footsteps stopped. Silence. Luffy found the silence to be even scarier than the footsteps. He shrank back. The door burst open, ripped in half by a powerful force that made Luffy press himself as hard as he could against the wall under the bed. The desk and chair were ripped as well and flung like paper across the room. A tall figure slowly stepped in, one foot after the other and Luffy put his hands over his mouth to stop from screaming. The man wore a long fur jacket, big black boots, long black trousers and a pinstriped shirt. Crocodile. Luffy watched as Crocodile slowly came toward the bed, his boots making the floor tremble under Luffy.

"Come out little monkey. I'm not going to hurt you…much." Crocodile said and Luffy accidentally let out a slight whimper. Crocodile stopped and Luffy could almost see the smile that spread across his stepfather's face. The boots approached the bottom of the bed and Luffy pushed himself against the wall, hoping that Crocodile would dismiss the noise and move out but knowing that his stepfather was too smart for that. The bed was flipped away from him and Luffy was left exposed and scared. Crocodile leered down at him.

"There's the little monkey." he said quietly and crouched down. The hook on Crocodile's left hand gleamed in the light and Luffy whimpered. "You've been hiding from me. It took me a long time to find you after that phone call, but, you made a horrible mistake letting yourself be known to 'Chippy'. She was one of my top agents. You're the only one who ever found out about Baroque works, and I am glad that you kept it a secret, or just plainly forgot which is more likely for your tiny mind. But, I am afraid leaving you out in the open like this is way to dangerous and you need to be dealt with."

"M-my friends will f-find me." Luffy whispered, mustering what little courage he had right now. Crocodile laughed.

"I think not. You see, I am going to leave a little message. Shanks and Roronoa Zolo won't even try." he said.

"Yes they will!" Luffy said louder this time. Crocodile placed the tip of his hook under the soft skin of Luffy's chin. "I see you've gained a little courage since I last saw you. We'll have to fix that." Crocodile whispered with a smirk. He then raised the hook away from there and then slid it down the side of Luffy's face, drawing a thin line of crimson. Luffy didn't make a sound, but he mustered a pretty icy looking glare.

"Night, night little monkey." Crocodile said and then punched the boy and Luffy knew no more.

That was the scariest experience he had ever had, and now, he was pretty positive he was in for a worse time. He was not tied down, so he got up and staggered over to the glass wall. They were on the edge of a gigantic cliff, so there was no chance that he could smash the wall and escape.

He paced back and forth, watching the ocean as it rippled in the sunlight. He felt the side of his face and noted the crusted blood on his cheek. He also noted the swelling on the other side of his face. There was the sound of a bolt being drawn back and Luffy turned. Crocodile stepped into the room, and Luffy spun so his back was pushing against the glass.

"What a beautiful day!" Crocodile exclaimed as he walked in. Luffy just watched him, not even bothering to answer. Crocodile walked over to him, and placed his hands behind his back. "What a pity you can't be out with your friends enjoying it." and he laughed.

Zolo and Shanks were busy. Zolo had his swords strapped around his waist and Shanks had a gun in each hip holster around his own waist. Zolo had, grudgingly, called upon Sanji for help. Sanji may have been a bastard, but, he had a mean kick and they needed all the help they could get. Nami had come as well, as she was the best at navigating and they would need those skills to find Crocodile's hide out. They had extended an invitation to help to Usopp, but the man had refused, saying he was working on a project that was soon to be a hit. What the hell that was about they didn't know, but, Usopp was a coward anyway. Zolo tied a green bandana around his head and walked down the stairs.

"Alright." he said as he reached the three others. "Let's go and rescue Luffy." They walked out onto the street and hurried down towards the distasteful side of town.Shanks knew where Crocodile's hideout was after going there to try and bribe Crocodile and that had been when he had lost his arm. Apparently, Crocodile didn't think anyone was going to come after him. Heh, he'd better revise that idea.

Luffy screamed as he was thrown against the wall for the third time. Crocodile loomed over him as Luffy stood up again. Luffy placed his hands in front of him, just as Zolo had shown him. If he was going to die, then by hell he would fight until the end. Crocodile laughed and walked forward.

"You're going to fight me? How droll." he said as he watched Luffy prepare himself. Luffy frowned. "Did that Zolo teach you how to fight? Probably trying to teach you so when he kicked you out you would think you could fight, then die trying"

"Zolo taught me to fight so I could protect myself from you." Luffy replied.

"You've changed a lot. You have more spirit now. Good. More money when I sell you." Crocodile said with a smile. Luffy faltered.

"Sell me?" he asked. Crocodile laughed again.

"Why not? Once I have had my fun, I'll tie you up and sell you as a slave to the highest bidder."

"I am not an object to be sold for profit!" Luffy yelled and launched himself at Crocodile, who was momentarily surprised at the flurry of fists that came his way. Luffy even managed to land a hit on that perfectly unscarred face of his. Crocodile staggered back and Luffy smiled.

"Not so defenceless now am I?" Luffy asked. Crocodile frowned, and growled in the back of his throat.

"This is becoming boring." Crocodile said and lifted his hook.

"Why? Because I'm beating you?" Luffy asked. Crocodile smiled and then walked towards Luffy, who threw out a fist but Crocodile caught it in his real hand.

"It was a surprise attack boy. Much like what I did to your parents." Crocodile snarled and then lifted Luffy up by the wrist. Luffy kicked out but couldn't reach and just dangled there, scared out of his mind.

"My parents." Luffy whispered and then something that resembled hot oil coursed through his wounded body. It lit him on fire, making his face twist into a dangerous snarl and his eyes burn like fire. He smashed his free fist into Crocodile's face, the crack indicating that Luffy had broken the older man's nose. Crocodile staggered back, letting Luffy go and holding his nose as blood poured down his face. Luffy didn't hesitate and launched forward, sending a sharp side kick into Crocodile's stomach and knocking the man to the ground. Despite Luffy'sskinny and stick like appearances, he was pretty powerful.

Crocodile wouldn't be beaten so easily. He flipped back to his feet and as Luffy came forward again, he jabbed sharply into Luffy's stomach. Luffy let out his breath with a 'whoof' and bent double. Crocodile slammed the heel of his hook into Luffy's back, sending the boy into the ground. Luffy tried to get up, but Crocodile held him down with his foot. He pressed down, grinding Luffy into the ground.

"I would press harder, but, if I did then I would break your spine, and I am a little annoyed that I need you to be in fairly good condition when I sell you. So, I think I'll break something else. What shall I break?" Crocodile hummed still holding Luffy down. "I know, seeing as you broke my nose, I think it only fair that I break yours." he said and took his foot off of Luffy's back. He swung his foot back and slammed it into Luffy's face, flipping the small boy over and effectively breaking Luffy's nose. " I killed your parents so I could get you. Unfortunately your brother was too old and looked his age, unlike you. You look like a 10 year old. Perfect age for selling. I only let Trace send you to school because I thought you wouldn't have the brains to act like a normal child. I made that mistake, I won't make another. You are pitiful, and you belong to me." Crocodile said placing his foot on Luffy's chest.

"I…do not belong…to anyone." Luffy gasped. Crocodile pressed his foot down, grinding it into Luffy's chest and eliciting another scream from him. There was a crack and Crocodile laughed, his eyes narrowed.

"Your ribs beg to differ. Change your answer." Crocodile snarled leaning down and pressing against Luffy's chest.

"I…don't!" Luffy screamed as Crocodile snapped a second rib. The world blurred above him and Crocodile's face swam.

"We'll do this again later, until you realise the true answer." Crocodile said as Luffy passed out. The door slammed as Crocodile left and all was quiet.

Zolo looked up at the house on the cliff. It was a beautiful mansion. But, lining the way to the house, were at least a hundred dangerous looking men who were grinning insanely. Zolo placed the Wadau, the sword Kuina had given him before she left, in his mouth. He pulled the other two out carefully and held them steady in his hand.

This would be a battle. A big battle and Zolo wished he could avoid it, but, there was no other way.

"Nami, stay back and don't come anywhere near the battle until we call you." Sanji said quietly. Nami nodded, kissed Sanji and then hid behind the pillar's that lined the gateway. Shanks had his pistols out and Sanji stretched his legs. When they were ready, Zolo narrowed his eyes towards the men and then let himself have a feral smile.

"Let's go." he muttered and they walked forward. The men waited and Zolo, Shanks and Sanji didn't hurry. They stopped a meter away from the front four of the men.

"What do you want?" a burly man said. He was standing slightly ahead of the rest and Zolo took him to be the leader.

"We want Luffy. Let us pass and we won't hurt you." Zolo said adding a threatening tone to his voice. The burly man laughed.

"Hear that boys? He won't hurt us." he said and then frowned. "The big boss doesn't want you to interfere. We aren't going to let you pass." Zolo glanced back at Sanji, and then at Shanks.

"Then I guess we'll have to make our own path." Zolo said and crouched down. Sanji lifted his leg up high and Shanks pointed his pistols. The burly man was first forward and he was first to die. Zolo whipped his blades up and the man fell. Sanji did a front flip and slammed his foot into the chin of the next in line.

Shanks fired at anyone who approached, careful to avoid the areas where Zolo and Sanji were fighting. It didn't take long before the hundred men were dead or wounded on the ground. Zolo placed Wadau back in it's sheath and walked towards the gigantic doors. Nami came running up.

"No Nami, I think it's too dangerous." Sanji said as Zolo sliced through the door with one blade. He kicked it in and Shanks followed as he stepped in.

"Okay Sanji. I'm going to go and get the police. Be careful." Nami said a little sadly and hugged her boyfriend. She then ran down the road and out the gates and Sanji watched her.

"Sanji!" came Zolo's irritated voice.

"Yeah yeah moss head." Sanji said and lit a cigarette. He then stuffed his right hand into his pocket and walked in. They met very little resistance until they reached the top floor. Then they met with a weird looking man who was holding out a large ring on a string. He was leaning against the wall when Zolo and the others found him He smiled, the heart shaped glasses making him seem more ominous. He began to swing the circle back and forth, but Sanji didn't give him the chance to make an attack. He drove his boot into the man's chest and managed to send him through the wall and into another room. Zolo smiled.

"This is their big soldiers? We'll be through in no time." he muttered as they walked forward. There was a scream and Zolo recognised the voice.

"Luffy." he said and hurried forward. They ran down the corridor and found an interesting problem. The corridor split off in two opposite directions. "Sanji and Shanks, go left, I'll go right. Yell if you find him." Zolo instructed. Sanji blew out a puff of smoke and nodded. Shanks glanced at him and then followed Sanji as he ran off. Zolo ran to the right and heard another scream. Luffy was definitely this way then.

Good, it meant that Zolo would be able to save him all the quicker.

"Hang on kid, I'm coming." Zolo said and quickened his pace.