On and on and on we go
I just have to know
I'm not over it
I'm not over it

- Arcade Fire - Porno -

He dropped her hand, and nodded, pushing the door open and walked in.

Ines was shackled to the far wall of the room, hands bolted in secure brackets level with her shoulders. She seemed asleep, but started awake as the door opened. Her left leg was out in front of her at an odd angle, and she was pale and filthy. The room smelled strongly of piss.

Lorna smiled cruelly at the state the woman was in. It was only what she deserved, for the things she'd put them through. Sebastian would never have had his finger maimed if it hadn't been for her. Though, conversely, it was possible they would never have gotten engaged without her interference. She would never have thought to use it as revenge against Armetti, that was for certain. "Ines, sweetie, how are you? Terrible, I hope. We've come to offer a proposal, which you're going to take. I know I would."

"Fuck off, birdie," Ines growled, voice hoarse with disuse. She shifted her body, moving her leg by accident, and her charcoal skin grew even more ashen.

She just barely tamped down on the urge to slap the woman across the face, and instead smiled wider. "Oh, trust me, you don't want me to. See, Ines; you've fucked over your darling Keira. If she doesn't return to us, she's going to die, slowly and painfully, after we've gotten all the information out of her that we need. So here's what you're going to do. You're going to tell Keira that you never loved her. That it was all a lie to get her on your side. Tell her you've betrayed her, and she'll live."

Ines's expression faltered, but she forced a grin. "If you're going to fuck with me, do it properly. Moran already told me he killed her- or did you forget?"

Lorna smirked. "You know what? I actually did. And you know why I forgot? Because she's alive, and I've actually talked to her during this time, unlike our silent treatment to you. You really think we would let you live relatively unscathed like this unless we were figuring out what to do with Keira?"

She gave a cocky laugh, or an attempt at one, but there was uncertainty now. "Let me see her."

"Only once you agree," she said, folding her arms across her chest. "Agree to tell her that it was all a lie, or watch as we blow her brains out in front of you. You thought it was bad just hearing about her death? Wait until you have to live with seeing it. I know it hurt me."

Ines was distinctly less sure of herself now, but was still clinging to hope. Her eyes flicked to Moran, a last effort. "You didn't kill her then. You won't now. She's your daughter, Moran. I know you care. You wouldn't put her down."

He shrugged. "Think what you will. But even if- and this would never happen- I did try to shield her from Jim, he'd just shoot me first and her next. The only reason he isn't killing her as a traitor now, no matter what she says, is out of respect for me. Make the smart choice, Ines. Or she's going to die."

Ines looked conflicted, her eyes shutting for a moment, and Lorna leaned against the wall to wait, patiently. There would be no sense in rushing her now. Eventually, she must have come to the conclusion that they were all waiting on her to make: the fact that she had something to lose before she died, and the fact that she could save someone before she went. "Fine," she said, her eyes opening again. "Fine. I'll do it."

He nodded. "Good. Now, she can't know you know she's here, or she'll suspect the lie. One of us will be interrogating you, and Keira will be brought by while it's happening. From this point on you never gave a shit about Keira. Understood?"

Ines looked pained, but nodded. "Yes. I understand."

"Good." He glanced at Lorna. "Do you want to interrogate, or shall I?"

"I think it will be more believable if you interrogate her," Lorna said, sliding a hand into her pocket. "It will look less like we're grifting."

He nodded in agreement, walking over to a cabinet. "Then Keira is your operation. Get her yourself, send someone else, up to you."

She nodded, turning for the door. "I'll be back in half an hour with Keira in the observation room."

He nodded again, already walking over to open up one of the hidden cabinets in the walls. "Take your time. I've been looking forward to this."

She nodded a little and turned to leave, going down to the staff lobby to wait before she went to get Keira.

When she did open Keira's door, she was solemn. "Keira. We're going on a walk."

The girl looked up from her corner, eyeing the woman with tired bitterness, and nodding to the shackles between hers wrists and the wall. "How far? A meter?"

"No," she replied, brandishing the key in her hand so the girl could see it. "A little farther."

She frowned then, eyeing Lorna more carefully. "Killing me already?"

Lorna gave her an exasperated look. "I would just kill you here, idiot. I'm going to unlock your chains now. Are you going to behave?"

She sighed, but then nodded slightly. "Yes."

"Good," she nodded, walking forward to unlock Keira's manacles. "What we're about to go do will not be pleasant for you. It's not meant to hurt you, but you won't enjoy it."

Keira nodded, moving slowly at first, but before Lorna could lean back up she grabbed onto the woman's head with shaking hands and pulled her hard off balance, slamming her head into the wall above her shoulder and grappling for a grip on her neck.

Lorna had lived through vivisection. The only thing she registered when her head hit the wall was a twinge of anger. That would ache later. That made her unhappy. She grabbed Kiera's wrist and wrenched it away from her neck, driving her knee up into her chin and then grabbing the side of the girl's head with her free hand and pushing down and sideways, and a moment later was sitting on her, nails digging into the girl's skin. "I said behave, you little brat. Don't test me. I'm twitchy and I'd prefer not to shoot you."

Keira let out a grunt of pain at the knee to her chin, but otherwise went down fairly silently. She caught her breath, spitting blood out onto the ground, but then nodded slightly. "Fine. Get off."

She considered for a moment, then stood, getting off her. "Try it again and I'll knock out a tooth, alright? Now let's go."

She stood slowly, wincing a little as her joints protested the movement. She didn't try to go for Lorna again. "Come on, show me whatever you're planning here."

"Alright," she nodded, beckoning her along. "Let's go."

She sighed, but followed quietly, ignoring the odd looks the guards gave her and Lorna as they passed.

She led Keira to the door to the observation room, and turned to look down at the girl. "Ready? As much as you can be, I suppose?"

"Whatever," she said, outwardly disinterested, though her eyes glinted slightly.

She sighed, rolling her eyes, and opened the door. Then she pushed Keira in.

The room was fairly small, and dark, lit only by the light from the room adjoining it via one-way mirror. Keira moved immediately to the window, alert, eyes wide. Ines was strapped to a chair, now, broken leg dangling at a horrid angle, but her expression was fierce as her eyes followed Moran around the room. "-don't give a fuck what Jimmy says, my people are loyal. It's only a matter of time," she was saying.

If Keira had been less strong she would have welled up with tears, seeing Ines that battered. God, what had they done to her? What were they doing to her? "What is this? Why are you showing me this?" She asked sharply, turning around to look at Lorna, who stepped into the room and shut the door behind her.

"Because you need to see it."

"A matter of time? Yes, well. The only one who's got any loyalty to you at all right now is Keira. And she's paying the price for that loyalty. Heavily." Moran was leaning against the wall, a belt in his hand that matched welts on Ines's body, evidently taking a break. The interloper laughed.

"She would be on my side. Did you like that, by the way? God was she a trip to play with..." She smirked. "When you left I just knew I had to get my revenge on you somehow, and how better than to get your little bitch of a daughter licking the palm of my hand, begging for more?"

Keira whipped back around, eyes wide on the scene in front of her, her stomach dropping. "No... No, she's lying. She can't be serious. This is a set-up."

"She keeps saying it, Keira. As soon as we captured her she ditched you. Said it wasn't worth it anymore. I'm sorry."

He snorted. "Yes, very clever. You're going to get my spawn killed. Happy now?" he stood, walking over to Ines. "Congratulations. One more wasted life. Not going to save yours, though, you know." Ines eyed the belt unhappily.

"Not much I can do about that, is there? So I'll go out and take as much as I can with me, your brat included."

Keira fell silent, watching stone-faced, like her father would have. Had it all been a lie? Every soft caress, every whispered word? No... No...

He rolled his eyes. "A bit petty, don't you think? Just dragging her down for fun?" The belt swung, whistling and cracking, striking Ines across the cheek and opening a gash. She cried out, but once she regained herself she continued the conversation like the strike had never happened.

"Petty, sure. I've earned petty, I think, though. You lied to me, maimed me, betrayed me... If all I get out of this deal is a few months in your daughter's gullible cunt, so be it."

Keira took in a sharp breath through her nose. God... "I've seen enough," she said quietly. Her heart was beating fast.

"She also fucked your father, you know," Lorna said, just a bit cautiously. "I assume she never told you."

Keira went a bit green, and turned for the door, only to find it locked. "Let me leave, please," she asked quickly, voice tense, trying to ignore the conversation as it continued, the crack of the belt again.

"Don't leave the building," she said in response, reaching past her to unlock the door with her thumb. "You won't be able to anyway."

She nodded just a little, not responding beyond that and wandering out of the room, looking a bit dazed.

Lorna stayed for a minute, watching the torture expressionlessly, then knocked on the window twice to single Keira's leaving.

He glanced up at the mirror, and smiled, turning his eyes on Ines. "That's that, then. I'll leave you be until Jim gives me free reign... I don't want to waste any more of your energy on something I have to hold back with." He smirked and walked over to return the belt to where it belonged. "You seem comfortable in the chair. I'll leave you there."

Ines was fighting back tears as he left. Lorna was waiting outside. "I told her Ines fucked you, too. She didn't know."

He nodded a little. "That'll drive the last nail into that particular coffin, I hope," he said as he shut the door. The lock clicked as it engaged. "She come around, then?"

"Well on her way if not," she sighed. "She turned an interesting color."

He glanced at her, confusion clear on his face as they headed for the lift. "Care to expound on that...?"

"She turned green," she replied, shrugging a little. "I know I would."

He shrugged. "Betrayal stings, but she'll deal with it. She's alive."

She nodded. "She's your daughter, after all."

He chuckled, stepping into the lift. "Almost yours, at this point, too."

"Ugh, god, that's so weird," she groaned, fake-shuddering. "I was just saying that she's a lot like you."

"Yeah," he said noncommittally, trying not to let his posture change as he mentally bristled. Get a hold of yourself, Moran. That was an idiotic thing to say.

She glanced over at him, wondering why he was being so weird, but deciding that it wasn't worth bringing up when he was obviously about to change the subject anyway. "Does Jim know what he needs from Ines, yet? I'd like to just rip into her already."

He shrugged. "Hell if I know. We can go talk to him now, if you like. He has a lot on his mind." He coughed slightly and cleared his throat, the must from the basement still lingering.

"Mm. I don't really approach Jim uninvited," she hedged. Not unless she was making a booty call, but hell if she was going to tell him that, with the unnamed feelings he had about the whole affair.

"No, but I do, and we need information," he said, hitting the button for Jim's floor. "Are you coming with me?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I might as well. It'll look bad if I don't."

He shrugged. He considered mentioning that Jim almost certainly knew about the kitten, and the fact that she had scorned his gift to them for it, but he wasn't certain how Jim would react to that. Not to mention he wouldn't mind terribly if she caught a little flak for that particular bit of nonsense. He stepped out of the lift as it opened and lead the way over to the door, knocking.

Jim was in the middle of working, but he'd seen the alerts on the morning memo, and the people behind that door held some interesting information. "Come in."

Moran pushed the door open and left it open for Lorna, nodding to the boss as he stepped inside. "Afternoon, Boss."

Lorna shut it behind her and came to a stop by Moran in front of the desk. Jim gave them both an expectant look. "I assume you have news for me?"

Moran nodded. "Ines agreed to our request. Keira will come around within the next few days and be more loyal to us than ever."

"Delightful. I'm sure that was amusing," Jim snorted. "Did she act out, or has she got her sperm donor's impressive self-control?"

"The latter, sir," Lorna replied, hands folded together in front of her.

Moran's nostrils flared slightly at the terminology, but he didn't react otherwise. "What's your plan for Ines at this point, sir?"

"I need the rest of her web dismantled. There are loyalists hiding in the corners amongst the cobwebs, and I can't find them all without a little intel. After that, she'll live a long, painful existence."

He nodded. "Understood, sir. I'll get that information as quickly as possible. Anything else that you would like to see us doing over the next few days?"

Jim glanced at his computer. "I believe I promised drinks. Expensive ones. Let's shoot for finishing this nonsense within a week, hm? I'm getting thirsty. Otherwise, I'll update you as I see fit. Dismissed."

He nodded his understanding and turned for the door, Harrison on his heels.