"There's something special about you, the four of you," Caesar announced.

"Is it because we died but now we're not dead anymore?" ACE groaned. "LAW did it. LAW's special."

"No, I mean, yes, but no," Caesar insisted, "LAW was the catalyst, but each and every one of you is so miraculous…" Caesar clasped his hands together and approached the glass. "Out of 15 thousand samples, you were one of the 29 infected with LAW's Amber Lead. And out of the thirty people who sat up, you are one of the four who are in control of themselves…"

"Is this your way of telling them that they still can't go home?" LAW murmured.

Caesar frowned, "I'm afraid not, boys. Besides, where would you even go? We don't know where you came from or who you are!"

"I'm pretty sure I'm from Mexico and I live on the beach," TCH joked. "And I have lots of money."

"I miss trees," LUF said suddenly. "I hate it here. Everything's ugly."

"I don't even particularly like kids," TCH added, "And now I'm stuck with three of 'em."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure that I have better fucking things to be doing too," ACE snapped. "It fucking blows in here."

"Anything you'd like to add, LAW?" Caesar mused.

"Yeah," the teen drawled slowly, "I wouldn't mind some books."

"Soon," Caesar agreed with a nod, "Books can be arranged."

"Can we add more snacks?" LUF asked, blinking.

Caesar waved his hands dismissively, "Sure. Fine."

It would be over two months before Caesar would deliver on the books. And it was soon discovered that only LAW could enjoy them. "Read to me! Read to me!" LUF demanded, pushing the book into ACE's face.

ACE threw the book across the room, "No. Read it yourself."

"I can't read!" LUF exclaimed, as if it were the most obvious thing on Earth. "I'm five!"

"Five year olds can read," ACE argued, "You're just dumb."

"Shut up, both of you," TCH growled. "Bring it here, I'll read it to you."

"Whooo hooo!" LUF shouted in excitement, plucking the book up from the floor. He handed it to TCH who just looked at it in confusion. LUF looked from TCH to the book with a worried expression, "What's wrong?"

"A Treatise on Insanity in its Medical Relations," TCH read aloud, "By William Alexander Hammond." TCH tossed the book, "Get another. This one's no good…"

LAW let out a breathy sound, nearly a laugh, "They're all like that." LAW stood, kneeling to examine the shelves of books, "You could try 'Insensibility During Surgical Operations Produced by Inhalation'," Law actually smiled, "It's a page turner."

"What the fuck…?" TCH exhaled, "Fucking cruel."

"I assume they're from Caesar's personal collection," LAW explained, thumbing one of the spines, "'The Science and Art of Surgery'."

"You'll scare the children," TCH accused, covering LUF's ears.

"I'm not scared," ACE snapped.

TCH made a face, "I meant normal children."

"We should probably discuss this," LAW said suddenly. "I want the children to have logical expectations of their time in this place…"

"Just leave it," TCH sighed, "Life is horrible enough without talking about it."

"We're never leaving here," LAW blurted out. "We're here to test on. They're going to do terrible things to us until we die."

"What?" LUF asked, looking from LAW to TCH.

"Shut up," TCH snapped, standing up.

"Those people are lying to us. They don't care about us at all. But I won't lie. I'll never lie to any of you. We're in danger…" LAW pressed on. "The moment they aren't afraid of us anymore, the moment your blood comes back clean… They're going to start cutting us apart and-"

"I told you to shut up!" TCH roared, smacking LAW across the face. The slender teen stumbled backward like he weighed nothing. He hit the wall, his air escaping loudly. TCH was on top of him, his fingers catching in LAW's black hair, "Don't fucking talk like that! You don't know shit!"

"Teach," ACE grunted, shoving his shoulder into the man's side. "Get off 'im."

TCH slapped LAW across the face, not budging an inch despite ACE pressing into him. LUF stood next to the others and cried. "Don't fight! Don't hurt Law!"

"Stay outta it!" TCH barked, elbowing ACE in the face. And then he rounded on LUF, "And you… Stop fucking crying for twenty god damn minutes! For fuck's sake!" He grabbed LUF and bent him over his knee, delivering two sharp smacks to his bottom.

"STOP CRYING!" TCH bellowed, completely losing it.

There was a loud, deep rumble of a laugh and everyone stopped what they were doing to look toward the glass window. There was a man, so tall he had to stoop down to see them. He had yellow blonde hair and a dark tan. His face was split wide into a grin. "Hello."

"Who the hell are you?" TCH asked, letting go of ACE.

"My name is Doflamingo Donquixote," the man said in introduction, adjusting his sunglasses.

"Why are you dressed like an old Queen?" ACE accused, making a face.

Doflamingo shrugged, "It's style."

"Where?" ACE murmured, nudging LUF in the side to snicker.

"Who are you?" LAW demanded, wiping his bloodied face as he climbed to his feet.

"I'm Doflamingo Donquixote of the D Foundation. And I don't imagine that means anything to you yet," Doflamingo replied, "But we're going to get to know each other very well."

"You're the one keeping us here." LAW realized.

Doflamingo shrugged, "Not really…"

"Then what?" LAW pressed.

"I own you." Doflamingo breathed out, smiling still.

"The fuck you do," TCH snapped, standing up straighter.

"And I'm very interested in seeing what you'll each be capable of."

"What do you mean?" LAW asked.

Doflamingo shrugged again, "Who knows. I'm not a scientist. I pay other people to do the thinking for me." Doflamingo rapped his fingers against the glass, "I don't know what I was expecting… but you're all so underwhelming."

"I was dead 9 weeks ago," LAW spat in annoyance, "You'll have to forgive me."

"Shh," TCH hissed, slapping LAW's hand pointedly, "Don't bother…" LAW looked toward TCH in confusion. TCH leaned in closely to whisper, "He looks like the sadistic type. Don't even talk to him."

The silence seemed to deflate Doflamingo's interest. He nodded and turned, pausing at the door before adding, "You're already one hell of an investment."

"What was that?" ACE asked, rubbing his sore jaw.

TCH shrugged, "More bullshit."

"I think he was nice." LUF decided, grabbing one of the medical textbooks.

"Why?!" ACE demanded, making a face.

LUF opened the book and squinted hard before answering, "He had a nice smile."

"You're a terrible judge of character," TCH moaned, dropping onto the ground.

LUF handed the book to LAW, "Can you read to me?"

LAW's face twisted through several emotions before finally, and without much enthusiasm, he opened the book and began to read.

The tests began the next night.

They were sleeping when the door opened. LUF, being the smallest and lightest, was taken first. He was afraid but he had no clue how afraid he should be. He only started to fight when they held him down, placing an IV into his inner arm. They injected him with serum and tied him down on a table. And they started cutting, small at first, but increasing as they watched it heal.

The next night they took ACE. He saw how battered LUF was. And he knew to be afraid. They did the same, administering more serum and tethering him to the table. And they used the same torturous methods to test the regeneration power. Cut by cut they tore away flesh to see if it regrew.

And the next night was LAW's turn. But something happened. LAW couldn't tolerate the serum. He began to shake violently, breaking through the restraints. He went wild, slashing and clawing and biting anyone or anything he could reach. He'd killed four researchers before Caesar and Doflamingo decided to take him down.

Doflamingo pulled a pistol from his waistband, firing a single shot directly into LAW's head. LAW collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from his wound. Doflamingo walked over to him, raising his pistol to shoot again. He nudged LAW's face with his shoe, "Such a shame to kill the handsome one."

And just when he was about to pull the trigger a second time, LAW opened his eyes. He stared up at Doflamingo for only a second before rolling to the side and to his feet. LAW bolted, running screeching up the stairs and out of the lab.

Doflamingo put his gun away, turning back to the researchers, "Bring him back. Alive."

"We're scientists not cage fighters!" a researcher complained, shaking his head in refusal.

"I'll get someone to help you tomorrow," Doflamingo replied, "Go get him now."

Law didn't return that morning and finally it was TCH's turn. He hugged both the kids, patting them affectionately on the heads. "Be brave."

"Yeah," they both agreed.

But even though TCH was returned the next morning, he was never really the same TCH. It didn't take as long to make him angry. He wasn't as kind. He wasn't as selfless. It was a sudden change for the children and it seemed to become more extreme every time he was taken away. Until eventually he was no longer a friend.

And LAW was complicated. He would be gone for days at a time. And sometimes he would go crazy, like those others in the freezer. Sometimes he knew it was coming and he'd throw stuff at them, screaming at them to just go. But there was nowhere to go; nowhere to hide from LAW when they shared such a small, cramped place. And other times there was no warning and he would suddenly change; biting one of them until the others could force his jaw open.

So often it felt like ACE and LUF were the only two people left on Earth. They were close, they were brothers. They were the last sliver of sanity in the world.

Their first keepers were wonderful. At least LUF thought so.

"Do it again!" LUF begged, tugging on the red-haired man's shirt. "Do it again!"

"Again?" the man panted, exhausted.

"Again!" LUF cheered, so enthusiastically the man agreed instantly. He hoisted LUF onto his back, flipping him over his head and rolling him onto his feet. "Ta-dah!"

"You gonna be an acrobat when you grow up?" the man asked.

LUF made a face, "No. I'm going to be a ninja."

"You're going to be a lab rat." TCH barked, laughing at his own joke.

"Leave him alone, fat ass," ACE snapped.

"Call me a fat ass one more time, I dare ya," TCH snarled.

"Calm down," the red haired man sighed. "Let's not fight with children, Teach."

Teach laughed loudly, rolling onto his side and showing his back, "So you say."

"Shanks," the other keeper called out, knocking on the window, "It's time to go."

Shanks groaned, giving LUF a little twirl, "Seems my time is up." LUF grabbed hold of Shanks's leg, forcing the man to drag him across the floor. Shanks laughed, "You gotta let go. I'll see you tomorrow…"

"Beckmannnn," LUF whined, fighting against Shanks trying to free himself. "That wasn't long at all…"

"Sorry," Beckman sighed sadly, "We've gotta get some sleep."

"I'll bring you something good tomorrow, to make up for it," Shanks offered.

"Like what?" ACE asked, "I'm torn up about it too."

"How about…" Shanks drawled, thinking fast, "barbecue?"

"I'd sell my soul for barbecue," ACE murmured.

"No need," Shanks declared, "I'll bring some tomorrow. So be good so they let me."

"Bring barbecue or I'll kill you," TCH warned, cast a glance over his shoulder. "I mean it."

It took another six months of experiments before the others began to have episodes too. The first time TCH had an episode he nearly killed ACE and LUF. He was brought back in the morning, so out of control that Shanks and Beckman were cursing and sweating, barely managing to hold on to his thrashing body. Beckman opened the door and Shanks pushed him in. They slammed the door and both sighed in relief.

"Relax, Teach," Shanks murmured, "Sleep it off."

TCH turned immediately diving after ACE. ACE dodged and TCH turned his attention to LUF. He plucked LUF up from the ground by his head. LUF screamed as TCH's mouth closed around his abdomen.

"Fuck!" Shanks shouted, slapping the glass. "Open it up. I'm getting them out…"

TCH chewed on a mouthful of LUF's flesh as he chased after ACE. ACE threw a book at TCH, hitting him in the chest. It only enraged him further and he sped across the room after him, LUF still dangling sickly by his head.

"We can't open it," Beckman breathed out. "If he gets out…"

Shanks turned toward Beckman, "Open it."

Beckman opened the door and Shanks stepped into the cell. He yanked ACE by the arm, nearly throwing him outside. LUF was more difficult. He was critically wounded and still in TCH's grasp. Shanks could barely think over the sounds of LUF's agonized screams so he simply reacted, "HEY, TEACH!"

TCH turned around, his bloodied mouth hanging open. He lurched forward, directly into Shank's uppercut. TCH staggered backward, dropping LUF to the ground. Shanks ducked under TCH's lumbering attack and grabbed LUF by the leg. He dragged him out quickly, Beckman slamming the door behind him.

"What the ever loving fuck?!" ACE shouted, visibly trembling.

"Hurts…" LUF whispered, tugging on Shank's pant leg.

Shanks dropped down to the ground. He didn't need to examine LUF to know that it would have been a fatal wound. "Do we call Caesar?"

Beckman sighed, kneeling beside LUF, "He probably already knows," he nodded toward the camera, "I wonder what he'll say."

"It hurts…" LUF repeated, blood staining his teeth.

"I know, Luf," Shanks murmured, "Let's just get it over with."

LUF didn't even have time to scream before Shanks shot him in the head. ACE punched Shanks roughly in the spine. "What the hell! Fuck you, asshole!"

"It was faster," Shanks explained, smoothing his hand over LUF's forehead, "Less suffering."

LUF sat up abruptly, gasping for air. He looked from ACE to Shanks before bursting into tears. "You killed me!"

"I'm sorry," Shanks cooed, brushing his hand over LUF's hair. "I'm sorry."

"No," LUF groaned, sniffling, "Teach!"

"What?"

"Teach killed me! It hurt! He bit me! He was eating me!" LUF sobbed.

"He can't control himself." Beckman excused quietly.

"Am I going to be like that?" ACE asked, his eyes on the ground. "Am I going to turn into a monster?"

Shanks and Beckman exchanged a look. Shanks shook his head, "Nah. We're going to get smart."

"What do you mean?" ACE questioned.

"Teach is big and strong." Shanks replied, "But you guys are small and fast. Use your talents. "

"So we're screwed," ACE groaned.

Shanks shook his head, "Not at all. It'll be like playing hide and seek."

Beckman nodded in agreement, "Exactly. Teach starts going crazy and you two get high and stay quiet. He doesn't look like he can jump."

"Where? We live in a box." ACE snapped.

Shanks pointed at the ceiling of the cell, the rafters. "There."

"How the hell do we get all the way up there?"

"We'll work on it," Shanks replied, smiling kindly. "Until then, come with us. We're going to sleep somewhere else tonight."

Shanks was fun and friendly with everyone. And Beckman was smart and cool. Between the two of them, the four residents of Deadhouse found themselves content for a little while. They spent one week a month suffering terribly in the name of science, but the rest of the time they played games and read more appropriate books. And then one day Shanks and Beckman were gone.

In their place were six new keepers. They still worked in pairs, but they worked much shorter shifts, and, as they'd learn, they were contracted for only two years. LUF didn't speak to the new keepers for months as a form of protest. Any time he'd see Caesar or Doflamingo, he'd demand to know where Shanks and Beckman went and when they'd be back.

But LAW and ACE felt differently. They instantly connected with the night shift team; Marco and Corazon. Marco didn't baby ACE like Shanks and Beckman did, which the 13 year old appreciated. Corazon was quiet, unnaturally quiet. And when he finally spoke to LAW it felt like a reward. They were both smitten with the young, attractive keepers. And eventually, with enough bribery, LUF accepted the food gifts along with Marco and Corazon. TCH was TCH, and TCH hated everyone equally.

Caesar organized many sorts of experiments; physiological, physical, emotional, intellectual. And before the incident, the residents of Deadhouse were expected to perform them to his satisfaction. Failure meant severe, and often unthinkable, punishments.

The day of the incident, Caesar was conducting a test. He had the residents of Deadhouse locked in four separate chain-link cages. The cages were then placed in a glass box. The purpose of the test was to pick the three locks before the glass box filled with water.

LUF knelt on the ground, the cement cool through his thin clothes. He tried his best to ignore the timer, counting down the seconds until he'd officially failed. He wiped the sweat from his brow. He tried to focus. The timer kept ticking downward and he panicked. He screamed in frustration and jumped to his feet. "I can't fucking do it! Leave me alone!"

"LUF," Caesar called out. "Time is still on the clock."

He shook his head, tearing at his hair, he cried out, "No, leave me alone."

"The clock is still counting down, LUF. Time is running out." Caesar announced, clapping his hands together sharply. "Hurry! Hurry! Or you'll drown!"

"Come on, Luffy," ACE grunted, breaking through his first lock, "It's easy."

"Tick tock, boys," TCH murmured, picking his second. "Tick tock."

"Shut up." LAW murmured, still struggling with his first lock. "I'm trying to focus."

"I can't…" LUF whined, shaking his head. "It's too hard."

ACE was sweating hard, "Come on. You can."

LAW was out first. He didn't smile, but the way he held his head you would know he was proud of his accomplishment. He climbed on top of the box and sat down and pretended he didn't hear Doflamingo say, "And you didn't even get wet."

The timer buzzed, a great red zero flashing on the clock. There was a loud groan as the pipes shuddered awake. Water began filling the box. "Luffy, hurry it up," ACE grunted, still working his second lock.

TCH was out second. He had the third lock undone but struggled with pulling himself out of the chain-link cage and onto the top of the glass box. He shrugged and decided to ride the water to the top and save himself the effort.

LUF was shivering in chest deep water when he got his first lock open. He moved onto the next lock, muttering under his breath. The second lock was easier than the first and LUF cursed the time wasted.

"Good boy," ACE breathed, still struggling with his second lock.

And finally LUF, the water to his neck, finished. The third lock popped open. He pulled himself up, water sloshing onto and over the glass. LUF whistled lowly, turning to ACE. "I got it. Thanks…. ACE!"

LUF rolled onto his stomach. He watched ACE struggling with the second lock, a magnetic lock, one of the hardest to pick. The water was just under his chin and he had two locks to go.

"Relax," ACE said, smiling, "You're stressing me out."

"You've already failed the test," Caesar sighed. "Only LAW was within the time limit. Except for LAW, you've all failed."

"Hurry up, Ace," LAW murmured, watching ACE struggle with growing concern.

"I got it. I got it." ACE assured them, smiling. "Just one more minute."

The water filled up to the top of the box and the pipes stopped pumping water. A few seconds passed and then another few and then LUF and LAW dove back in the box, picking the third lock. They got it off quickly and moved down to the lock ACE was still working on.

LUF couldn't breathe. He pulled himself back to the surface for air. He gasped frantically before diving back down. He couldn't swim but he could pull himself along by the cages. He watched as LAW took the lock from ACE.

ACE couldn't hold his breath any longer. He reached through the chain-link and squeezed LUF's hand. He smiled, air escaping his lips. "It's okay…." He murmured under water, "I'll reset."

LAW pushed back to the surface to breathe. He inhaled as deeply as he could before submerging again. He picked at the lock, blood spreading through the water. He continued as LUF pulled himself back to air.

Eventually, completely soaked and beyond pissed off, LAW demanded the key, "Unlock it already. Fuck."

"I suppose he's learned to be quicker." Caesar allowed, handing the key to Marco.

Marco moved quickly, jumping into the box to open the lock. He pulled open the chain-link cage and grabbed ACE, swimming with him to the surface. He sat on the box, lying ACE down beside him.

Corazon lifted ACE, lowering him down on the floor. "CPR?"

"He'll reset," Caesar replied, waving his hand.

"How long has it been?" Marco barked, pointing toward the clock. "How long since he passed out?"

"Uh, I don't know…" Caesar panicked, grabbing the nearest clipboard. "Ten minutes?"

"CPR." Marco instructed. "Airway, breathing, chest," Marco repeated the mantra.

Corazon moved ACE's head to the side. He breathed into ACE's mouth and started the chest compressions. He pumped his hands over ACE's heart and counted. He checked for breathing and repeated the process.

"Get the crash cart," Marco instructed.

Caesar started to grasp the situation. He began to order everyone around. Corazon didn't budge. He kept up the CPR, his arms aching. Eventually, Marco nudged him, "I'll take over."

Corazon didn't even bother with a response. He timed it perfectly as he switched positions with Marco.

"What's wrong with him?" LUF asked, water dripping off his slender and slightly gangly eleven year old frame. LAW didn't say anything. LUF looked toward TCH with uncertainty, "Why's it taking so long?"

"Why isn't he resetting?" Doflamingo demanded. He stood up and pulled his pistol out of his pants. He kicked Marco hard, rolling him out of the way. And then he fired, piercing ACE in the chest.

Someone screamed. Another person cried out in shock.

Blood spilled across the cement under ACE. But still, ACE did not move. He didn't sit up. He didn't gasp for air. He didn't choke on water or retch it across the floor. He lay on the floor, his eyes half-open; his hair clinging to his freckled face. He didn't cry out in pain. He didn't feel pain.

"No…" LUF groaned, dropping to his knees. He crawled quickly across the floor, touching ACE's cold, wet face. "No…"

"Inject 200 ccs of serum T," Caesar instructed.

"No…" LUF cried, his throat constricting painfully. "Please… no…"

"Move, LUF," one of the researchers barked, shoving him out of the way.

"Nothing," another said, checking his pulse.

"Another 150 ccs," Caesar shouted.

Another minute passed. "Nothing."

"Ace," LUF cried, pushing his way back through. He beat his fists against ACE's chest. "No, Ace! No…"

"Fix this, Caesar," Doflamingo barked.

"Take those three back to their room," Caesar instructed. "Get ACE into the wet box."

"NO!" LUF screamed as they pried his fingers loose. "NO! Ace!"

"Come on," Marco breathed, scooping LUF into his arms. "There's nothing you can do right now, Luffy. There's nothing you can do."

"Don't leave me here!" LUF screamed. "Ace! Please! Don't leave me!"

Corazon and Marco moved the residents of Deadhouse back to their cell. They looked odd, their faces were red and their eyes wandered. They hesitated outside the door a little longer than usual as well. Finally, Marco said, "I'm sorry."

Marco didn't come back to Deadhouse. Rumor was he handed in his resignation letter on his corpse. ACE didn't come back either.