Author's Note: Just FYI, this chapter could be considered a little trigger-y? Not too much (in my opinion), but enough that I want to be safe. Jackal and Vincent are not good people.

He's trapped.

He's trapped, and he knows he's trapped, and he knows the worst possible thing to be at this moment is trapped… but there's nothing he can do to break out of the rusty steel cage he's currently shackled inside of, and he's on the verge of panic. He can hear The Jackal moving about in the darkness surrounding his prison, his low, intimidating growl sending shivers of fear up his spine-

'You need to wake up.'

It's the voice of a young girl's, familiar yet haunting. It takes him a second to place it.

'Magnolia.'

'You're in danger. You need to wake up.'

'In danger? What do you mean, I'm in-'

And that's when Izaya remembers what happened, his eyes flying open as a wave of defensive energy reflexively leaves his body. A man he doesn't recognize goes flying across what looks to be a four or five-star hotel suite, hitting the wall hard enough for it to shake. "Holy fuckballs!" The unfamiliar man gasps in surprise, ogling him like he'd just grown a second head or sprouted a pair of wings. At this point, trying to keep denying that he's got some sort of special power would just make him look like an idiot - though he still doesn't know how to actually control it yet. "Did you know that was going to happen?!"

"I had a suspicion." It's Vincent's voice, his Japanese as good as if he was a native.

I assume that means he was lying about needing a translator… but who's that with him?

"You couldn't have fucking warned me before I got that fucking close to him?"

"I could have, but this way was far more entertaining for me. Now finishing tying him to the chair and go get the duffelbag from the back of my rental car."

"No way, I'm not getting close to him again after what just happened!"

"It's not a suggestion, Jackal. Do as I say, before I make you."

Jackal?! Izaya's dream still fresh in his mind, his heart immediately starts thumping in his chest and his entire body tenses up.

Please let it be a coincidence...

The man - Jackal - seems suddenly either unwilling or unable to keep protesting, immediately shutting his mouth and doing what he's told. Izaya tries to struggle, but he's still groggy from the sedative...he can barely move, let alone put up a fight, and trying to force that strange energy wave to come out again only ends up giving him a headache. Without much trouble, Jackal is able to successfully bind Izaya's wrists and ankles to the arms and legs of the chair he's been placed in, keeping him from being able to run away (not that he'd have been able to do so anyway, considering how his legs refuse to move.)

This is a problem. This is definitely, definitely a problem...

Jackal accepts the keys from Vincent and exits the room, leaving the two men alone. "I'd apologize for the rough treatment..." Vincent begins, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and moving in close so he can clean off the blood that had trickled from his 'guest's' nose. Izaya realizes in a sobering yet terrifying instant that Jackal is the least of his problems right now; the expression on the American's face is dark, filling him with a sense of dread the likes of which he's never felt before. "But I'm of the assumption you prefer it that way."

"Excuse me?"

"Come now. Don't play innocent - I know what you and that so-called "monster" did." Vincent informs him, his contempt evident in his voice. "My associate, Jackal..." He gestures to the door the man had left out of only a few moments before. "He was listening in to your little late-night "bonding" session - he managed to record a little bit of it, too. Want to hear it?"

"..." Izaya really, really, really wishes that he could write it off as a bluff, but something tells him it's not. Trying to swallow back the bile threatening to rise up out of his throat, he takes a slow, deep breath and closes his eyes.

"I'm curious… is there something special about Heiwajima, or is any man fan?" Vincent asks, in a way that would almost seem nonchalant if it wasn't for the dangerous look in his eyes… a look that does nothing to intimidate the now incredibly offended informant, his own eyes narrowing.

"Is there a reason you've decided to try and humiliate me, Mr. Montgomery?" He asks, his voice eerily calm despite how upset he currently is.

"A few, actually, but we've run out of time." As if on cue, there's a knock on the door before Jackal reenters the room and places a large grey duffelbag on the ground in front of him. "Package retrieved." He says with a smirk.

"Excellent. Now open it and show Mr. Orihara what we have, won't you?"

Jackal complies, and the moment Izaya sees what's in it, he wants to scream in frustration; there, in all her ethereal beauty, is Celty's severed head.

Fuck! Fuck shit damnit fuck FUCK!

"Is that some sort of theatre prop?" He asks, his throat dry. It's a weak attempt at deflection, and he knows it.

"You tell me, Izaya. Jackal found it in your home, after all."

"Did he now?"

"He did. Now, are you going to be a good boy and tell me who or what this belongs to, or am I going to have to show you what I do to people who won't give me what I want?" Vincent asks, the implications in his words causing Izaya to swallow nervously and decide it's probably best to just give the man what he wants for now… or at least the bare minimum of it.

"It belongs to a Dullahan."

"A Dullahan?" Vincent ponders this information for a second. If the head belongs to a Dullahan, it would explain why it's still alive despite being separated from its host - it does not, however, explain why Izaya had it, or how he even got it in the first place. "And how did a simple information broker like yourself happen to get his hands on a Dullahan's head, I wonder?"

"..."

"Hey, guys? I'm still a little lost." Jackal interrupts. "What the hell's a Dullahan?"

"A type of fairy."

"A fairy?" The hacker snorts derisively. "You don't seriously believe in that shit, do you?"

"There is more in this world than that tiny brain of yours could ever comprehend, Jackal. If being tossed around like a rag doll without ever being physically touched isn't proof enough for you, I would gladly give you a more hands-on demonstration." It's less like an offer than it is a warning, the icy cold tone in his voice giving both Izaya and Jackal the chills.

"No, I'm, uh… I think I'm good." Jackal responds, his hands up in a gesture of submission. Izaya can't say he blames him… there's something strange about Vincent today, something about the way he's talking, the way he's standing, the way he's staring - at him more than the head, in a way that makes him a little self-conscious and more than a little uncomfortable.

I need to find a way out of this, and soon.

"I would appreciate it if you'd answer the question, Mister Orihara. My patience is not at it's strongest today."

"It's kind of a long story..." He trails off, not at all pleased with the idea of giving his captor any more information than he already has.

"Then give me the abridged version."

"..."

"That wasn't a suggestion, Mister Orihara."

"I'm thinking of where to start."

And how to not have to…

"I would prefer you start at the beginning. How did you discover the existence of this creature?"

"A friend…"

"A friend?" Vincent raises his eyebrow. "Ah, don't tell me… Shinra? Was that his name?"

How does he know about Shinra?

"..."

"Don't worry, I don't plan on hurting him - not until I cement relations with Nebula, at least. I can't afford to cut those ties right now… as much as I'd prefer to." Vincent informs him, wrinkling his nose in distaste when he remembers his contact's incredibly obnoxious personality.

Nebula? Ah, that's right. Shingen works there, doesn't he?

Izaya opens his mouth to ask him if he's met the elder Kishitani when he's cut off by the sound of a phone ringing, Vincent pulling an expensive iPhone out of his suit pocket and bringing it to his ear. "Hello, Father." He says, his voice and expression bitter.

His father?

Judging by his demeanor, their father-son relationship isn't the greatest. Unable to resist the temptation, Izaya tries to listen in on the conversation like he'd had Sumiye and her girlfriend… but for some reason it doesn't work, his headache growing so strong that he almost passes out.

Damn it, I must have used up all my energy already. Shit, shit, shit! What am I going to do?

Scavenging his brain for even the tiniest scrap of a plan, Izaya doesn't notice that Vincent has finished up his phone call until the taller man is directly in his face. "I do not like having my privacy trampled upon, Mister Orihara." Vincent tells him, his expression one of anger. "So consider this a warning… the next time you try to eavesdrop on a conversation of mine, you best be prepared to face the consequences. Do you understand?"

"..."

"Yes or no, Izaya. Do you understand?"

"...What happens if I say no?"

"Would you like me to show you?"

"Answering with your words is fine."

"Oh, but I'd much rather just show you." Vincent responds, an almost sadistic glint in his eyes. "Jackal."

"Huh? What is it, boss?"

"If you've done your job correctly, you should be an expert on our captive by now. Tell me - if I wanted to teach him a lesson, what sort of methods should I use?" He asks, walking behind Izaya and squeezing his shoulders in a way that's far more threatening than it is reassuring.

"Oh thank god, I was wondering when it would start to get fun." Jackal rubs his hands together greedily and licks his lips. "Let's see here…" He gives the captive man a creepily long onceover and an even creepier grin before continuing. "Well, he really doesn't seem to like being sexually harassed, if you're not still in denial about wanting to fuck him."

"Jackal…" Vincent's eyes narrow, his tone one of warning.

"I'm just saying, if you wanna do something he'll hate, the humiliation route's the way to go. It's worked real wonders for me so far."

Something clicks in Izaya's head, and the only thing that stops him from screeching and launching himself at the smug son of a bitch is the chair he's tied to. "You! You're the one that kept texting me, you… you…. Ugh!" He hates how powerless he is right now, how the sick bastard that's been messing with him all this time is standing right there in fucking front of him and he can't fucking do shit. "I swear to you, when I get out of this fucking chair, I am going to make you wish you had never been born!"

"See? He fucking hates it."

"What exactly did you do?" Vincent asks, both amused and a little surprised to see the informant break his composure so drastically.

"Just teased him a little, that's all."

"You 'teased him a little?' Exactly what do you mean by that?" Vincent asks.

"You know... sent him a dick pic, asked him if he thought Heiwajima had ever masturbated to the thought of raping him, little stuff. Holy shit, do you see how red his face is right now? He looks like he's about to explode."

Vincent glances at Izaya. The brunette really does look like he's about to explode, his cheeks stained with humiliation and his eyes wide with anger - if he hadn't already used up all his energy, he'd most likely have blown a couple lights just from the effort of holding it all in. Vincent has to admit… it's a good look for him. "Alright, here is what's going to happen: I have an errand I need to run, and you are going to stay here and keep an eye on our guest. If our guest misbehaves in any way, punish him in whatever way you see fit. I should be back in no later than an hour." Vincent hates it when his father orders him around like he hasn't carried The Project on his back since his father became convalescent, the only thing keeping him from murdering him being the fact that he hasn't finished signing the company over to him yet - but the "errand" he's been told to run isn't one he can afford to skip out on, so he doesn't really have a choice but to go.

"Wait, you can't leave me alone here with him!" Izaya protests, trying desperately not to let his growing panic overtake him completely.

"I think you'll find, Mister Orihara, that I can do anything I damn well please." Vincent replies coldly. "Goodbye, Jackal. Try not to have too much fun with him before I get back." Opening the door to the suite, Vincent heads out into the empty corridor while humming pleasantly to himself.

Ending A/N: Okay now that this chapter is over, I confess I'm having some issues with direction and was hoping to get a sense of what kind of things you all are hoping to see happen. Basically, if you could choose what happens to Izaya next chapter, what would you go with? Keep in mind I just want to get a feel for expectations, as well as give people a chance to say if there's anything they DON'T particularly want to see as well as anything they do. It's difficult for me to look at my work objectively, so I can't always tell if something is too much or not enough.