---------------------------------

CHAPTER THREE

---------------------------------

Water rushed over Caliko and woke her. She was confused, not able to figure out where the water had come from. She opened her eyes and saw the cell was lit. The light burned her eyes after days in darkness. She blinked them trying to see. She didn't see her captors come toward her, but she felt them roughly pick her up. She was too weak from lack of food and water to fight back. All she could do was allow herself to be carried. She heard Fox call out in protest, but she kept quite, resigned to whatever fate awaited her.

She kept her eyes closed and gasped at the pain when her injured ankle hit hard against stairs, as she was half carried, half drug up them. Down a corridor and another set of stairs then they stopped and she heard the sounds of metal clacking against metal as another door was opened and she was carried into a bright, warm room.

"I knew we had a girl down there somewhere, it was just a matter of finding her."

"Good. But this one looks a little banged up. You sure there aren't anymore down there?"

"No, I know there aren't. This was the last cell we had to look in. Besides," Caliko felt her chin being lifted into the light. "A little time with you and she'll be just fine for what we need. I think her leg is a little messed up, but she's not going to need to stand right?"

"Alright, here, lay here down on the table. She seems pretty out of it. She's not going to go crazy on me? I'd better make sure."

Caliko was lifted and set down on a hard surface, she tried to roll over and curl herself up, try to protect herself from whatever was coming. Her arms where pulled out and she was held there, too weak to fight against their strength. She tried to open her eyes, but the light seemed to be coming from over the table and glared down on her, blinding her once again. Something tight was wrapped around her arm and then something cold wiped across the underside of her elbow. A familiar, old memory came back to her of when she was eight and had to have blood drawn at her doctor's office. "No." She uttered, coming out barely over a whisper.

"Hush!"

She felt the sharp prick and then she was let go. She tried to sit up and managed it. She opened her eyes and forced them to focus. She saw nothing but bright light and blurred images. She felt her body start to go heavy and her thoughts thickening. She knew she wasn't going to be able to fight off whatever drug they had injected her with, she knew it was only a matter of time.

----

Caliko awoke sometime later in the same room. Her leg felt heavy, as did the rest of her body as she still felt the lingering effects of the drug. She looked around and saw that she was in a sort of stone room filled with medical equipment. She tried to lift her hand to wipe away a stray hair across her face and noticed her arms and legs were strapped down to the table she lay on. She fought against them briefly, checking their strength before calling out. "He---Hello?" It again, only came forth as a whisper.

Her throat felt dry and her lips were cracked. She tried to gather the remaining spit in her mouth and wet her throat a little and tried again. "Hello?" This time it came out a little louder.

"Oh, you are awake again are you?" A male voice answered from across the room. The voice's face appeared over Caliko and peered down at her. His face was pudgy and wore cracked glasses. He smiled and his teeth shown yellow. "Your ankle was fractured." He poked and prodded her and took the stethoscope from around his thick neck and listened to Caliko's heart and breathing. "Their hearts always beat so fast. Don't worry about your ankle, I fixed it right up and lucky for you, I was told to go ahead and cast it. I don't know why though." He chuckled to himself and crossed over to Caliko's other side and poked at her ribs. "They all come here starving. I suppose I could get you some food. But you have to promise me that you," He looked towards the door and then back to Caliko smiling. " will behave yourself and do me a favor."

"What favor?" Caliko's stomach started to growl at the mention of food.

"Oh, we'll get to that later, nothing much. Promise to behave yourself?"