(hellooooooo :) so, I did as promised - I cnaged my tense. I hated the first chapter I wrote, personally, but I dodn't want to change it. What's done is done, yeah know? PS: PlaidWrappedmoose - I'm sorry for the long wait! To everyone else, read, review and enjoy :D You're all fabulous!)

The man Shepherd called Ghost approached me. What was he going to do? He wouldn't hurt me… right? Wrong. As soon as I looked at him, he grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me onto the floor. That hurt – a few of my dried cuts reopened and started to trickle blood down my skin and stain the hardwood beneath me. I tried to get up, but Ghost placed his booth over my throat and firmly pressed down. I couldn't breathe.

"S…stop…" I managed to gurgle out. Wrapping my hands around his boot, I tried to remove it, but, to no avail. Ghost was simply too strong.

"Where's Makarov?" Shepherd knelt down next to me. I wouldn't tell. Two reasons, mainly. One – I am not telling this American jack shit. Two – I honestly don't know where Vlad is. He has no reason to keep in the loop of his whereabouts.

"Go… t-to hell…" I guess he didn't like that answer. The steel tip of Shepherd's boot connected with my temple. In an instant, everything was gone. At least in darkness, I couldn't feel anything – I was numb. It was a strange sensation indeed. When I finally did come around, everything was different. I was still in the office, but I wasn't on the floor. Through blurred vision, I could still see the smirk across Shepherd's face. After a few moments, I was able to see what they had done – somehow, they had suspended me from the ceiling. They must have wrapped the rope around the light fixture. That didn't matter – all that mattered was trying to get free. No matter how hard I struggled against the rope, it simply cut deeper into my wrists. God, were my arms ever in pain. What really irked me was the fact that they had me suspended just so that my feet wouldn't touch the floor – those bastards.

"Ah, I see sleeping beauty has woken up…" I lifted my head towards the voice – it was Shepherd. Things were about to get worse… much worse. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep my head up for very long. That blow had taken a toll on me. My head sunk back down – below me, I could see the puddle of blood from my wounds starting to form. Shit, if I ever get out of here, I'm getting Makarov to kill him.

"Why…?"

"Why what?" Shepherd gently tipped my head up to look me in the eyes. The concern he wore was obviously fake – almost sickeningly so.

"Why are you being a bastard?" I spat a clump of saliva onto the side of his face. Immediately, my head was sent reeling from his fist connecting with my jaw. Blood started to pool in my mouth – great. I watched as it added to the puddle beneath my feet.

"You should learn to mind your tongue." That sounds familiar. Damn, I don't know how much I can actually take of this torture. He's barely started and I can't even take it.

"Why are you here?" Honest question, right?

"Simple," Shepherd grabbed the side of my face forcefully, getting closer than before, "we have reason to believe that Makarov has affiliations here."

"No, he hasn't. This is my house for fucks sake."

"You're lying." Shepherd sent another blow to the side of my face, along with a flurry of punches to my abdomen. With the wind knocked out of me, only gasps escaped my lips. As I coughed, I felt blood being forced up my throat and being expelled onto the floor. Tears welled up in my eyes – I couldn't take it.

"I don't know where he is," I wasn't lying – I really didn't know where he was. There was no reason for Vlad to tell me, "I'm just a young girl."

"If you want this to be easy," I felt the other man from behind me hold my head straight up, forcing me to look directly into Shepherd's eyes, "I suggest you answer his questions."

Without warning, Shepherd sent a punch to my throat. I couldn't breath – it hurt so much. He wasn't going to stop until he got what he wanted. I couldn't give him anything – Vlad would do worse to me than they were. I was gasping for air – what else could I do? Forcefully, I shut my eyes – the darkness was a comforting sight. Thud after thud, his fists pounded into me. There was no way to stop it. Each bolt of pain that rocketed through me had me recoiling deeper and deeper into my subconscious. The pain was unbearable.

"Now, now," My eyes opened as Ghost shook my head. Shepherd looked as though he was getting tired of this, physically and emotionally. The smug look had been replaced by one of annoyance, "we don't need you to fall asleep again. This should wake you up."

The man behind me kept my head firmly in place as Shepherd wrapped his arms around my waist. No… he wouldn't. My worst fears were validated as he pulled down. I screamed as both of my arms audibly popped out of their sockets and I was left to dangle even more precariously. A flurry of sobs flooded out of my mouth and assaulted the room. This… this was hell. Tears carried away some of the dried blood on my face and splashed onto the floor.

"Where's Makarov?!" Shepherd placed a handgun to the side of my head, cocking the gun. My body trembled uncontrollably – I didn't want to die! I've barely lived!

"I DON'T KNOW! PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!" I screamed, pleading for my life. This couldn't happen.

"Wrong answer."

"I'VE SEEN HIM!" Shit, why did I say that? Damn, Vlad's going to kill me… if I ever make it out of here alive.

"Keep talking." He held the tip of the gun more forcefully against my temple.

"It was last week. I don't know where he is now."

"Shepherd, I think she's telling the truth." Ghost loosened his grip on my head as he spoke.

"Well, the truth isn't good enough."

"NO!" I screamed as he pulled the trigger. I shut my eyes as I heard the gun discharge… and nothing happened. Ghost let my head hand down as I sobbed. Why did he just do that?! He scared the shit out of me. I can't do this…

"Why…?" I asked though choked sobs. I had almost died… if that gun had been loaded… I would have added to the pile of blood substantially.

"To teach you a lesson. Ghost, join up with the team. I'll be there in a few min, understand?"

"Yes, sir." Even in my broken state, I could tell there was slight hesitation in his voice. Inside, I don't think he condoned my torture. His footsteps faded out and were replaced by Shepherd's sadistic laugh. This was going to be bad.

"I think I need to leave a message for your kind…" Shepherd titled my head up, looking deep into my eyes. His other hand started to trace its way down my torso and stop by my thigh. If he was going to do what I think he was about to…

"Don't…" I thrashed my leg away, but he halted it with his vice grip. He was going to rape me – that fucking bastard. I couldn't even do anything about it. As he pulled down my pants, I shut my eyes. I didn't want to remember this. The sad part was, I could hear my mother criticizing me in my head that this was my fault. Even though she was now dead, she still managed to torment my life. With him violating me, all I could do was scream. It was the only thing I could do to block out his laughing. No one came, though. None of these savages cared. Every moment that I felt accentuating his laughing with each thrust, I cried out even louder. Almost as soon as it started, he finished. My thighs dripped with dis desecration – my body felt filthy. Once he has stopped, he looked deep into my eyes, grinning.

"Something to remember me by." With that, he sent one last blow across my temple. The room around me spun as I fought to stay conscious. I lost the battle, though, and found myself enveloped in darkness once again. Strangely, it was calming. Here, at least, I could feel nothing. In the back of my mind, I could hear a muffled voice. It sounded so familiar. My mind must have been trying to protect itself. Slowly, I could see the darkness dissipating and making way for a blinding light. As I blinked, the voice was getting stronger.

"Veta?! VETA!" It was screaming out. I knew that voice. It was from a distant past – it seemed so long ago, but, in reality, it wasn't. My eyes focused on the floor. I could see my pants soaking with blood. My throat was raw – I could not return the call. The door swung open and slammed against the wall.

"Veta…" I heard footsteps quickly make their way over to my dangling body. Gentle hands cradled my head and tilted it up word. His blue eyes were a true sight for sore eyes.

"Y…yu…yuri.."