A/N: Alright, here's chapter six. I decided to cut it a little short so I could keep plenty of detail in the scenes without the plot seeming like it will drag on forever. I want to keep things flowing smoothly. Chapter seven will hopefully be here in the next day or so and it too will probably be fairly short. Next chapter the Cybersquad will finally make their full fledged debut here. Now for the warnings…

WARNING: This chapter contains violence and abuse (I know the earlier chapters had this but since I'm doing this warning I thought I'd include it) and Suggestive themes. Seriously it's only one line but I just thought I'd warn you for those who are faint of heart.

Ok then. Enjoy the chapter and drop me some feedback and you can also find me on deviantART. Thanks for all of the support!

Picking Up the Broken Glass

Kawaii Stella

Chapter Six

Welcome to Hell

Echo was sad to see Dr. Marbles leave. He was her closest friend after all. But Echo knew he had his own life to live and she hoped he had a good vacation with Ada and his family.

What had happened earlier, before Marbles had arrived, still shook Echo to her core. Echo had been right in her hunch that Ledge was evil. Why did Ledge want Echo to be his queen? From the way he had trailed his hands down her sides, Echo surmised that Ledge thought she was a weak and easy target that would succumb to his demands; i.e. he thought that Echo would be the one to "give him some".

Well, Echo had news for Ledge. Echo was not, nor would ever be, a sleep around gal.

With Marbles gone, Echo had no reason to stay in the visitor's yard. She quickly returned to her room. As she entered her little cell she found a folded slip of paper on the little table divided by the Plexiglas. Echo unfolded the slip of paper and gulped as she read it.

"He's gone now. You've got no one to turn to. You think you're safe but you're not. Nor will you ever be. I could have protected you, Echo, but you turned me down. You will rue the day you rejected my help. You could have had it made as my queen but no. You thought your life was miserable before? Well, welcome to hell, sweetheart. -Ledge"

Echo began to tremble and sat on her bed. Now what was she going to do? What Ledge had said in the note was correct. With Marbles gone, Echo had no one to turn to, not for the next two weeks anyway. She would just have to lookout for herself the best she could. Echo was grateful that she had work the next day. That, at least, would provide her with solace for the next several hours.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

As dawn rose as did Echo. Her Monday constant was that she worked. No visitors came. She worked as she had been for a month now. She didn't have to fear Solomon Quinn or Ledge while she was at work though the haunting thoughts of what they would, could, do to her lingered in her mind. Echo dusted, filed, and polished the wooden furniture as the day progressed. She liked the smell of the polish she was given to use. It had a pleasant lemony scent to it. Near the end of the day, a local, Deke, came into the courthouse to speak with the sheriff.

"What brings you here all the way from the lake, Deke?" Sheriff Judy asked.

"There's something fishy goin' on in the ol' abandoned sewage lines!" Deke explained.

"What do you mean?" asked Judy. Deke now had the attention of all the occupants in the room: Judy, Trudy, and Echo.

"There have been some suspicious lookin' folks goin in there. Carryin' strange boxes and cases and the peoples were all wearin' long white lab coats like they were doctors or somethin'." Deke explained.

"That's very strange. Going into the sewage lines is strictly prohibited." Trudy said.

"That's what I'm tryin' to say!" said Deke.

"There will need to be an investigation into the matter," sighed Judy. "We'll have to call in reinforcements. Our force here is too small to send out investigators. Our best bet would be to ask Motherboard to send in the Cybersquad. But Echo,"

"Yes ma'am?"

"I want you to be the one to lead the investigation, alright?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Then it's settled. The investigation will get going first thing tomorrow morning. We'll write up the warrants now." Trudy said.

"Since ya'll have this here under control now, I'm gonna go play to the fishes. Have a good afternoon now." Deke said, taking his leave.

"Playing to the fishes?" Echo asked confusedly.

"Yes, most of the time Deke will sit in his row boat and play his banjo. The bizarre thing is that when Deke plays, the fish dance." Trudy explained.

"Wow! I've never heard of something like that happening before." Echo said, surprised.

"Maybe you'll get to see it one day. For now, we'll get your warrant delivered to the orphanage first thing tomorrow morning." Trudy continued.

"Why do I need a warrant?" Echo asked.

"Just so you can get out of any visits so you'll for sure be in for the investigation."

"Oh, alright," Echo said happily. She would not have to deal with Solomon Quinn tomorrow. The clock then chimed four.

"Head back and get some rest, Echo," Trudy said. "You need to be in top shape for tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow morning, then."

Echo made her way back to the orphanage and was a little eager for the next day. She didn't have to fear a horrendous visit from Solomon. She would actually get to work. As quietly as she could Echo slipped into the orphanage and into her room. No sooner than Echo had shut the door and settled on her bed the door was slammed open again.

"You cannot be in here!" Ms. Truehart all but screamed.

"Wha-?" was all Echo could say as she was roughly pulled off of the bed.

"I just had this room sprayed for bugs! You can not be in here until after dinner is done. Now get out there and sit somewhere until dinner is served in the cafeteria." With that, Ms. Truehart stalked off leaving Echo alone.

Echo had no wish to go and stay in the lobby. So she simply sat in the small area outside of her room. She figured she'd wait for everyone to get called to dinner and then go to the cafeteria. Echo figured that no one would confront her. Echo rested her head atop her knees, closing her eyes to the world around her. She almost drifted off to sleep until she had a rude awakening. A foot collided forcefully with her ribcage, sending Echo reeling.

Echo looked up, seeing Ledge and his goons leering down at her. Even more to Echo's surprise was that Samantha, Emma, Alice, and Dior were with them.

"Hey there, little bitch," Alice said viciously.

"We are going to have so much fun with you." One of Ledge's goons grinned. "They say going at a punching bag is a good stress reliever."

"And we have loads of stress," Dior chimed.

"Ladies first," said Ledge. "I'll go last."

Echo tried to back away but the four vicious teen girls pounced like a pack of wild hungry panthers. It was like Echo's first night at the orphanage all over again. Echo did not know how long she was beaten for, but eventually the girls stalked off to another part of the orphanage and the goons took their place. They beat on Echo until they too tired. By the time they left, Echo was sobbing and was practically immobilized by pain.

"I'll give you one more chance," Ledge hissed, kneeling besides Echo who lay on her back. "Be my queen, and you'll never have to suffer this again."

"Go to hell, Ledge." Echo spat through her tears, a list of other expletives going through her mind.

Ledge did not take that well at all. With all his might he stomped his foot (the same foot he had earlier kicked into her ribcage) into Echo's gut. Echo yelped and gurgled in pain before curling up on her side, a fresh wave of tears cascading down her cheeks. Ledge knelt besides Echo again.

"I gave you your chance. Not once, but twice! Both times you turned me down foolishly. Now you're paying for your mistakes. I hope you're enjoying your stay in hell, baby. You don't know what you're missing from yours truly."

Ledge then forced his hand between Echo's legs and gave a squeeze. Before Echo could even attempt to retaliate, Ledge, and his hand, was gone. Again she was alone, beaten, scared and had no one to turn to. It took almost twenty minutes for Echo to be able to sit upright. What was sore now would be even more excruciating the next day. Just as Echo was sitting upright, everyone was called to dinner. Echo made her way to the cafeteria where she ate under the excruciating watch of everyone there. As she left the cafeteria, more than ready to return to her little cell, she swore she saw a smug grin on Ms. Truehart's face.

Inside her little cell Echo shut the door, locked it, and darkened the Plexiglas window. She went into her bathroom to survey the damage. It wasn't pretty. Worse than the bruises she had gotten when she'd first arrived. Looking at her reflection, Echo felt her soul, a thing as fragile as glass, crack and fracture to a new extreme. Echo showered and crawled into her bed. Her world faded into blackness, a blackness haunted by her worst fears.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Six a.m. That was the time that Echo's warrant was delivered to Abigail Truehart. Said woman, displeased about being woken early, burst into Echo's room. The sound of the door being slammed open jolted Echo from her slumber and the sight of the southern belle in a neon green face mask, hair curlers, and bathrobe sent her into alertness.

"Take your summons and get out of here!" Truehart hissed, throwing the paper at Echo and leaving with the door slamming shut behind her.

Echo quickly dressed in her standard jeans and long sleeved shirt, pulling her hair into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. With the promise of breakfast at the courthouse, Echo made her way out of the orphanage without delay. She had an investigation to conduct today.