Dirk had planned the most he could. After he left this room, he would be winging it. The man swallowed hard in the darkness. Rachel was asleep on the bed- having tired herself out from the story and the tears- and Nathanial would be coming soon. Nathanial thankfully stuck to patterns, so he knew the exact timeframe that Nathanial would wait until raping Rachel. He wouldn't get the chance of course, but it would be the perfect chance to play the monster against himself; Dirk knew he could do this- escape… he just needed a chance. His sensitive fingertips went over every inch of skin he could, remembering the bumps and scars in his flesh. The marks and bulges of badly mended bones and bruises- knots in muscles and branding marks in his skin from red hot pokers. If it was one thing Nathanial loved, it was torture. Dirk let out a breath into the room, listening to the footsteps above him. There was a moment that Dirk let himself go, picturing himself in his apartment sitting next to a sleeping Roxy, Jane, Jake, Frig, Bec, and Cal… It was the calm before the storm. "Are you ready?" The voice tore him from the memory and dream, his eyes opened to Hal having his arms crossed in front of him. "Long time, no see." Dirk slowly stood up to face him and Hal stood still, watching him. They were the same height; only difference was Hal being made of something straight out of the Tron series with red lines instead of blue. The symbol on his chest was still his Prince of Heart symbol. He looked up at him, eyes searching the red ones that did the same back at him. "Yeah… I am."

"You realize that your chances have dwindled to 9% and are dropping. You're prone to kidney failure at any time… not to mention that the past tribute here named Bobby attempted escape… and received a pair of clippers through his chest." Dirk smiled, nodding slowly, "I know that, Hal." Hal frowned back at him, before shifting slightly, "Then why try to escape? I tell you to fight… but there is a difference between fighting for life and escaping. You have a chance to go out with dignity if you die fighting but… escaping?" Dirk shook his head, "No… that's not what I'm trying to do." Hal looked back up at him, "Then what?" The blond let out a sigh, "I already know I'm not going to get out of this place. But she is… and it's not me whose going to take the names out of here… it's Rachel. If I still have breath, I'm going to make sure that Nathanial never is able to trap anyone else here. No more Jenna's, no more Bobby's…" He shook his head at Hal who frowned back at him like he still didn't understand. "Self-sacrifice will not mend the past." Dirk rested a hand on Hal's shoulder; still very well aware he was talking to a hallucination. "But it will damn sure make a better future." There was a pause, "I'm sorry… for what I tried to do to you in the game. I tried to end you… and I should have never done that to you, or myself. I am scared… especially to not exist." Hal met his gaze before flickering out and leaving the room in darkness. He sucked in a breath, before letting it out to calm him. It was like a game of Russian roulette and he was playing with a gun fully loaded.

He was terrified. But he wasn't going to give up. Not today. The door banged open and he pretended to be asleep. Probably like Jenna had had to do so long ago now. He came at Rachel, who blinked up at him as he held her down by her throat and took off his belt. Dirk rose slowly and stepped toward him; he felt cold air on his back as his hand went over Nathanial's shoulder. A gentle caress that made him turn sharply, brandishing a knife. Dirk smiled sweetly, "Nathan… I've had so long to think… I want to have a family with you." He whispered into his ear, eyes focused on Rachel. "Please? I want you to show me how you make me want to have a family." Rachel stared at him, her one violet eye left dilated and he winked at her leaning away as Nathanial slowly stepped away from Rachel. He took Dirk's hand, running it over his own cheek, smelling it and kissing his wrist. Dirk swallowed before reaching up and pressing his lips to Nathanial's. "Pretend its Jake. Pretend its Jake." The taste of blood was so disturbingly strong. Nathanial moaned into the kiss before pulling away, "Come on…" He whispered and Dirk looked back at Rachel for a moment, who was cowering in fear as he was led away into the bright hallway. Nathanial took him by the hand, lacing his fingers with his. "I'm so glad you finally agreed to love me, Dirk. I knew you would. Just like my brother, Daniel… He hated my father for forcing himself on the women he brought here, as do I on the women I bring here. But if that hadn't happened, neither of us would have been born. You see, we just want a family, Daniel and I… mainly me." Dirk swallowed as Nathanial brought him into a room that was too bright for him to really think. He shut his eyes, nearly forgetting he was light sensitive after all the time he was in the dark. His eyes shut and a cloth came over his mouth. "Sleep, Dirk…. Sleep. When you wake up everything will be alright." He fell before he was realizing what was happening. This had not gone according to plan.

xXx

Dirk blinked his eyes open. He was naked, on a saw board. He groaned at the pain in his body, eyes squinting upward to see his hands bound, then looking down to see his legs were as well. In a split second he could see a saw going far too close to his genitals. "Oh god this is what he meant but starting a family- that sicko wants to make me a woman by-" If he needed any more proof he could feel a hand moving up and down his thigh, "You have amazing bone structure… such soft skin and naturally hairless… You're going to beautiful once we got those nasty bits off of you." Dirk was gagged and he panicked, moving wildly but was tied too tightly. "You'll have to suffer briefly… But just try to manage the pain… for my sake. And our children." Nathanial was getting closer to him, stroking as he went. Dirk was pulling on one of his hands- it was slowly coming loose, his eyes kept glancing at the saw. "Don't worry, after a few snips…There will be a soft place to welcome my seed… and grow our little family." He sighed getting closer and closer. "Of course, the procedure will hurt, the conception and birth is well, never easy for anyone. But I'll make it fast… just close your eyes and think of our wonderful children with bright eyes and such beautiful structure…" He got close enough to kiss him and Dirk reared back and head butted the shit out of him.

Nathanial howled as Dirk pulled free and punched him in the jaw. It took a second to undo the other rope, before he was rolling out of Nathanial's reach. Dirk had fire in his veins now- grabbing for a weapon that Nathanial had off to the side and swinging it like he belonged on the best baseball team ever founded. It knocked Nathanial into the table where he hit his head and knocked him out momentarily. Dirk stumbled backward, gasping and mix of emotions containing fear, rage, panic and relief. He let out an uneven breath that had a sound with it that was a cry of triumph. "Fucker-" He spat before gathering up his clothing and slipping them back on, mid his rapid limp toward the only door that was open to the room. He stopped short, turning to lock the door behind him. Finding no lock he pushed down a filing cabinet beside the door to be in front of it. That would hold Nathanial only so long so he had to be quick. Dirk turned back to the room and stopped in his tracks. The room he had nearly forgotten about in the beginning with the jars filled with red. He swallowed, before dry heaving onto the floor. The jars were lining the wall were filled with organs and fetuses. All sorts that were either deformed or- or fresh- He couldn't handle it- he couldn't- Dirk held his stomach as he looked around at the parts of the room. There were kidneys in one part, livers underneath them- lungs- hearts. One of them was his and he didn't know whether that drove him to the point of puking nothing or he had just finally lost it. "Get up! This isn't a time to give up!" Hal was on the other end of the room. "You had your own head cut off- get a grip!" Dirk swallowed before struggling up, pushing the door open to the office area, stopping before he completely went out of the room to grab the keys hanging on the wall. There was a sign on the wall. It stated, 'Welcome to Morris Woodworking!' with a foundation date and picture of a man and a young boy that could only be Nathanial. He blinked, knowing if it was a wood working factory then there were fire escapes.

Hal disappeared and he shook terribly- he had been winging it since escaping the cell. Dirk trembled with the keys in his hand, trying each one on the door before it opened and he pushed it wide. "Rachel!?" He yelled and she jumped, "Dirk?! Oh my god, I thought you were-" He rushed in, grabbed the weapon he had made and took her by her hand, running back out of the room. Someone was crashing against a file cabinet from the sound of it. Dirk swallowed, looking around wildly and went an entirely different hallway than what he had before. There were doors that looked alike everywhere- he wasn't going to make the same mistake he had the first time. "We're in a factory- so there has got to be other exits and just two!" He gasped, leg still limping roughly from the old injury. His eyes were wide; at least the hallways were well-lit, despite his vision issues with that shared the same blessing. "Dirk!" Rachel pointed toward a hallway they were about the pass. Whatever this part of the factory was- it was like a damn maze. The blond let out a relieved breath- a hatch. They had been underground and there was a damn fire escape hatch. The exit door he had gone too in the beginning had just been a trap. "Come on!" He hissed, dragging her toward it. There was more banging. "STRIDER!" Nathanial roared not too far away and Dirk looked up at it.

The ladder was missing leading up. "Shit…" He breathed before frowning up at it. It didn't have a lock. "Get on my shoulders." He told her and Rachel did a double take- "Can you support me?" Dirk shook his head, "Not the time to question- just do it!" Rachel climbed him and he almost buckled entirely. Hal was in the corner of his eye then, holding him up. Whatever hallucination Hal was, it was strong enough mentally to give him a boost of strength, having to hold Rachel up long enough for her to push open the hatch and climb out. He tossed the weapon up to her and she reached back her hand. Dirk looked up at her, relief flooding through him. He reached up a hand but he knew he couldn't reach her. He dropped back down, shaking his head, "I can't reach and neither can you- go without me!" She shook her head, "Dirk!" Her eyes filled with tears, "I'm not leaving you here!" Dirk stepped back, "You have to. Go to the police station. Tell them everything- absolutely everything- the names- me- Nathanial." He swallowed, "And if you meet someone named Jake English… tell him I love him. Please." Nathanial was still bashing down doors behind him and he looked back, "Shut the hatch and run- I'll keep him distracted as long as I can for you to get away. Just get away from here and fucking tell everyone what happened here, Rachel." She bit her lip and shook her head, trying to reach for him still but finally stopped, "I'm sorry, Dirk- I'm so sorry…" Dirk nodded, "I know, Rach, I know, close the hatch. Run, don't look back." She nodded, taking the weapon he had made before shutting the hatch back down and he let out a breath. Hal was beside him looking back the way they had come. "You did it, you saved the girl." Dirk nodded, "Now for the hard part." He whispered and Hal disappeared again. He went through the first door he found that was unlocked.

Dirk was hoping for a room with two exits- or at least something other than a broom closet. He swallowed, knowing that it was bad luck. He ran his fingers through his hair- Nathanial would kill him for sure this time. But he had succeeded in the main goal- freeing Rachel. That made him damn near gleeful, but the fear of imminent death was severely downing his mood. He let out a low breath, tugging on the light in the room and stopped short. He had chemicals.

Dirk had never claimed to be a scientist… but he knew enough about chemicals that he knew exactly what not to mix together on a sunny day in July. Or in this case, what exactly to mix together. His frown turned into a wicked grin. He took a can of acetone off the shelf, a few buckets, bleach, and a few containers of industrial grade cleaner crystals from the shelf. His eyes were wild as he peeked out of the closet and carried out the items. He went into an office area in one of the rooms in the next hallway. Dirk poured the acetone into one of the buckets, then the bleach into the cleaner crystals. He set the crystal container with a cap on it into the acetone and ran out of the room after shutting the door. Nathanial was at the end of the hall, screaming out a string of profanities. Dirk ran the opposite direction and the chemicals didn't take long to react. There was an explosion so large the entire hallway burst into flames. He had a bit left and rounded the corner, making another bomb right in the middle of the damn hallway. Two hallways were set aflame and it was only rising. He ran, the fire spreading crazy fast- eating the air and the chemicals- the grime and the things that gave it strength. Dirk ducked as Nathanial came through the fire, swinging at him with a hammer and connected with the wall. Something exploded and all he saw were flames erupt from the ceiling.

Nathanial was on top of him. Hitting him over and over again as the world burned around them. Dirk just laughed, blood showing between his white teeth. Dirk's grin was a mix of insanity, isolation, and hate. "Who's the bitch now?" Dirk sneered up at him, Nathanial punched him again, blood flowing freely from his nose now. "What do did you do?! Where did she go?! WHAT DID YOU DO?" Dirk just kept laughing. "What do you do when one of your pets escape?!" He screamed back at him, eyes lit with ferocity that had long since been dead. "Rachel is gone... and no matter how many times you beat me, rape me, or rip me apart- Your kingdom will come crashing down!" He punched him back, teeth bloody and eyes reflecting the flames around them. "The prince is awake, bitch! And your shit is wrecked!" The blood dribbled down his lips as Nathanial snarled as Dirk stared up at him, grin still on his face. "I. Win." There was another explosion of flame, large enough to knock Nathanial off of him and Dirk into the wall. He blinked, staring at the fire coming toward him. Nathanial was nowhere to be seen. He let out a low breath, feeling it choke him and he rested his head on the floor. "I did it… I rescued Rachel. I beat Nathanial. He can't destroy any more lives. There won't be any more Jenna's… or Rachel's… or Bobby's… or Dirk's…" He drew a broken breath, "Funny thing is… when I'm at the moments of my life… I'm not near as ready to die as I thought I was going to be."

xXx

Jake drove like a bat out of hell. He hit each bump in the road at a good eighty miles an hour. His eyes were narrowed on the dark roar, feeling something deep in chest that things were going terribly wrong. He had never shaken the feeling since Dirk had been missing but now it just… pulsed in his chest. The man didn't flicker his gaze away at all, rounding each bend in the dirt road like a mad person until he saw an outline- hitting the breaks and stopping at someone who was running in the road. His eyes went wide and Jane left the car with him. A girl, maybe seventeen at the oldest, was breathing hard and was still trying to keep going. Jake shook his head stepping in front of her, "What the hell, hey wait, stop we're here to help!" He stopped her and at first she tried to fight him before she realized that he wasn't trying to hurt her, "Thank god- Please- You have to help me- My friend Dirk- he's trapped with this lunatic back at this house I just escaped from- There's a hatch- basement- he's in the basement!"

Jake's eyes widened, "Did you say Dirk?" She nodded, "Please- You have to help him-!" There wasn't even a moment's pause, before he was helping her to Jane. "Jane, get her in the car! Take her to the hospital! I'm going after Dirk. Call an ambulance to the house!" He was already running backwards and Jane nodded, "Come on, we're going to take you to a safe place." Jane soothed her, getting her in the front seat as Roxy still had a gun on Daniel who snarled and spat curses behind has gag. They didn't want to leave Jake, but they had to take care of the girl and Daniel before he did something far worse than what he already had. Roxy had the EMT's on the phone, telling them that someone had been had been shot and to have them come as fast as they possibly could. No one had been shot- they hoped- but the emergency personnel would come faster than if they just started spilling their usual gambit of a kidnapper. Roxy hung up, eyes never leaving Daniel.

Jake's arms pumped by his side as he ran full speed toward Nathanial's house, knowing that if the girl could make it so injured, he could certainly make it back there. His only thought was Dirk and what was happening. It made him run faster until he slid to a stop. The house in front of him was alight with flames. They were busting out windows in some parts of the house. His breath caught and he shook his head- he had to know. Even if he found him dead- he had to know. Jake covered his face and arms, running through the open door that had burst off its hinges. He was immediately blinded by smoke and flame. He called out for him, screaming his name in the madness and chaos- the roar around his ears had deafened him. He knew there was basement from what the girl had said. Jake pulled out a gun, from the inside of his jacket, staying low and making his way toward the center of the home where he saw a staircase going up. There was no staircase going down and he had to cross into the kitchen to avoid another burst of flame. He saw smoke coming up from behind the refrigerator and started to pull it out- a waste of time perhaps but he didn't have much of choice- the entire building was quickly running out of places to avoid being burnt to death that he could get to. He pulled it out and descended the staircase downward, shirt over his mouth to help him breathe through the smoke, though it did very little good.

He felt the doors, hissing as a few burned him. He made his way through the smoke and torture rooms, eyes wide in fear and hate. Knowing that if Nathanial hadn't burnt to death already that he would torture him for years for what he had done to Dirk. He passed a cell that was open and so far untouched. His eyes flickered, passing a hallway where an explosion had ripped through it and being blocked by another wall of fire. Jake called out for him again, screaming his name over the sounds of things exploding in not only the house but the factory above them. It was like something guided his eyes to the pile of debris from a recent eruption through a wall of red and orange. He just saw a tuff of hair and a twitch of a hand. "Dirk?!" He yelled and looked around- nothing that could protect him but like hell he cared about that when Dirk was right there. He took a step back and jumped through the flames, rolling to extinguish himself before knelling to start to unbury Dirk. "Dirk! Dirk, answer me!" His voice cracked, not from the panic of the building burning but that he might have been mere minutes too late. Jake looked around as more boards fell from the ceiling down to where they were. He dragged him out of the way, noticing how lighter he was. "Dirk!" He yelled, scooting to the far corner away from the flames. His eyes were wide; pushing Dirk's hair out of his face- so matted with dirt he couldn't see the blond in it.

"Dirk- please- love, open your eyes." He held him, glancing back up at the flames that were coming closer and closer. Dirk's eyes cracked open a hairline to see Jake and he let out a cough. "Jake…" He croaked and Jake let out breath of relief, "Thank you- Oh god, thank you. Yes, it's me." He whispered, "I'm here- I'm here now." He looked up at the flames. "It's okay." Dirk blinked up at him, lips cracked and brain muddled. Dirk wasn't sure if it was an angel or actually Jake that was coming to rescue him. His eyes drifted off to the side as a shadow rose from the flame. Jake heard the roar before he saw the man charging at them and took the gun from the floor the same moment that Dirk grabbed Jake's secondary inside his jacket. They both pointed, and fired, hitting Nathanial square in both eyes. Dirk's hand fell and Jake caught it, lifting Dirk up into his arms. "I've got you- I've got you-." Jake repeated, looking for a way to escape but finding none. Floorboards came down above them and it drove Jake farther back, Dirk a cross between coherent and too weak to function. "Stay with me, Dirk-" He told him and Dirk nodded, limp in his arms. "Leave me…" He mumbled, eyes slowly shutting again. Jake shook his head, "Over my dead body. I'm not leaving you here." He whispered, looking at the wall behind him now. Maybe he could kick it down into another room? Jake started doing that, shooting the wall to make it easier before a whistle was heard.

"Up here!" Jake looked up at a group of men in ranger uniforms with firefighting masks on. They offered a rope that Jake immediately grabbed, holding onto Dirk for dear life. They were pulled up, secured them and rushed out of the building. They took off their masks, gasping for breath before pulling both the men farther away from the burning house as it started to collapse down into the basement below. "How did you find us?" Jake gasped, looking down at Dirk as the men tried to stop some of the wounds that were bleeding. "A couple young ladies called the forest ranger service- said a house was on fire and there were people trapped inside- we came as quick as we could!" One of the older ones answered, giving oxygen to Dirk meanwhile, whose eyes were unfocused on the world around them. They seemed to find Jake and tried to focus, "Thank you-." Jake gasped, getting a mask of oxygen himself. "Thank you-." He took Dirk's hand in his, not looking away from his eyes.