Escape with My Heart

III. Throw Away the Past

Time seemed to have lost all meaning through the months leading up to their departure. Maddy could still scarcely believe any of this was truly happening and not some made up figment of her desperate imagination. Everything felt so surreal, as if she had been lost in a dream for the past few months. She feared the day she might wake from it.

Everything had changed so drastically. As another part of the prize, her family had been relocated to a luxurious home in one of the largest hyperbaric domes in all of Chicago for the duration of the wait. It was a completely different environment than the outside world, so alive and colorful compared to the bleak monotone existence they'd had before. It was only a small taste of what the world was like in the past, but perhaps a glimpse of what was to come.

Winning the contest had also gained a lot of attention from the press.

Initially being interviewed on a world-wide broadcast had been a frightening prospect, but apparently the world was receptive to her awkward charm. Everyone across the globe knew all about the sixteen-year-old girl who had cracked the code no one else could. She had been shoved into the public eye for their scrutiny and somehow managed to win them all over. She had flourished during conversations with the people sponsoring the contest, discussing her hypotheses and how she had replicated their formula.

Even her family was interviewed. Her father was taking everything in a stride and not one night passed that he didn't tell her how proud and amazed he was. Her mother had cried during her own interviews with the press as she recounted the details of the medical scare from months ago and how grateful she was that Maddy would have better air to breathe from now on. There were also a surprising amount of people trying to claim that they had been her friend before any of this happened, most of which had actually bullied her at some point. Her brother had taken a great, vindictive pleasure in renouncing all of them on national television, ensuring that none of their stories could be believed.

There had been other interviews as well, more personal ones for psychiatric evaluations. Those had been a bit more stressful because they were being observed by a clinical psychologist who could potentially suspend their privileges and prizes depending on her findings. Thankfully the sessions ended on a good note and they were all approved to travel. Everything had just gone by in one great big whirlwind and tomorrow was the day.

In exactly eighteen hours they would all be in Terra Nova.

Maddy watched the particle accelerator begin the process of dilating the time fracture into a tangible portal. She had imagined this moment for years, but she never truly believed she would be standing here. A dream had become a reality and within the hour her whole life would change for the better.

Everything was finally coming to a close. There had always been a great pressure in her chest, some incorporeal force weighing down on her… now it all seemed so insignificant. She could breathe again—and she would breathe in air not poisoned by decades of pollution soon. She would be in Terra Nova in less than forty minutes. Her family would be there too and they would all be free of wasteland, but most importantly… they would all be together.

All they had endured will have been worth it and there would be no coming back.

Maddy felt exhilarated and amazed as she watched the long, slow moving conveyer mechanism begin to transport enormous crates of supplies through the shimmering blue energy that seemed to have a liquescent quality to it. The temporal matter was beautiful, much more than she expected it to be and the portal alit with radiant color as the technicians loaded the crates through. It was now only a matter of time before people for the pilgrimage would begin their own walk through time.

As another part of her prize, Maddy and her family were given special high security privileges so they could go on a grand tour of the entire facility. Security had taken them aside the moments their bags had gone through the mandatory inspection and then they were taken through the most secure operation in the world. It was an incredible experience. She was so thoroughly fascinated with everything and could not seem to stop asking questions about everything around her.

Maddy was in a place that very few civilians ever got to see and she wanted to take advantage of it while she had the chance—she would never be coming back, after all. She practically had unlimited access as well, so it was now or never. Some of the technicians only laughed at her apparent enthusiasm, taking the time to explain just how everything worked in intricate detail. One supervisor had even allowed her to sit at a station and input the sequence to activate the portal. The formula was quite similar to the one she had written to get her here, though much more complicated.

There was, of course, an ulterior motive for asking so many questions at such a rapid pace. Despite how genuine her curiosity truly was, Maddy was also the distraction. Her verbal inquiries and ability to capture and hold attention worked as a brilliant diversion as her father slipped away to retrieve the special package hidden within a restricted area. Their privileges of high security clearance meant that he could slip through doors undetected to switch a bag that had already been through the security checkpoint with the precious cargo they intended to take.

For the past few months, Zoe had been living with their uncle in the country. It had pained all of them to be separated for such a long time, but there had been little choice with the press constantly lurking outside of their front door in hopes of an impromptu interview. All it would have taken is one stray photograph, one little glimpse of her and the world would know of Zoe. It would be worth it in the end though. By tonight this would all be over and they could begin anew.

An old friend of the family who worked as a security officer within the facility owed her father a favor. He was paid to smuggle their cargo inside it in a secure location and he never asked questions. The bag looked like any other nondescript back they had all been given for their belongings—oblong and completely back. Inside was completely unique though, with a small oxygen unit that had enough air for several days and some snacks and water just in case the sedated child inside woke up during the journey.

It took all of ten minutes for her father to make the switch the bag containing Zoe out for the one full of useless clothing and books that had already made it through the checkpoint. He returned with no one the wiser and it had already been decided that she would be the one to carry it through. She was the winner of the contest and had to agree with her parents that if anything went wrong, they were less likely to stop her than the man who had unexpectedly disappeared earlier.

Eventually all of the supplies for the colony had finished going through and it was almost time for the pilgrimage to begin their own journey. Maddy joined her parents, accepting the precious bag carefully. As her father helped her secure the straps over her shoulders, she could only pray that the sedatives would keep Zoe from jostling the bag and keep from drawing any suspicion to what might be inside. It was a bit heavy, but it was a burden she would gladly bear to ensure her sister would be safe. They moved down to the loading area ahead of the crowds congregated behind a security barrier since her family would be privileged to go through first.

Going through the portal was the most unnerving and exhilarating experience in her life. Even just the anticipation of it, of watching her brother walk on ahead of her as the first pilgrim through the portal and knowing she would be next caused her stomach to churn with excitement and apprehension. She gripped the straps of her bag tightly as she watched her brother step into the glossy pool of light as if he were walking through no more than a simple hologram—she would never understand how he could remain so unaffected by what he was doing. She had to gasp out loud when his entire body suddenly evaporated, his body simply dissolving like he were made of dust.

From high above in the observation booth, the portal had appeared to be such a beautiful sight, but nothing could have prepared to see the temporal matter up close. It was nothing less than spectacular. She approached it cautiously, glancing around anxiously to the security officers who roamed the catwalks and the sidelines, the press likewise present to televise the moment their contest winner would leave them for a better life—some people stared on with a deep seated jealousy, others with wide and encouraging smiles, but none of them were stopping her.

Is this really happening? Maddy wondered in disbelief, a small inkling of doubt still nagging at her. For so long things had always taken a turn for the worst right when she had begun to believe otherwise, leaving her feeling defeated and losing hope that anything could ever change. She had been imagining this moment a thousand times over for the past few months and none of the images her mind conjured up had ended favorably. She swallowed and paused directly in front of the portal, her heart pounding wildly within the confines of her chest.

It was a bit hard to believe that taking one more step would take her over eighty-five million years into the past of an alternate timeline. She glanced over her shoulder briefly at her parents, uncertain and suddenly fearful, but they only smiled reassuringly. She drew in an deep, resolute breath and looked back at the shimmering blue energy, trying not to think of the fact that they would be leaving so many people behind. Her grandparents and her aunt and uncle… She would never see them again.

It had been a tearful goodbye, but they all understood that there was nothing she could do to extend the prize to them. It had been for immediate family only with four slots open because "A Family is Four." Those words only continued to taunt her even in what should have been the most freeing moment of her life. Her relatives assured that they would continue to apply for the lottery and hope for recruitment, but she had seen it in their faces when they finally said their goodbyes. They had no real hope of ever seeing each other again.

All it would take was this one last step and this world would be forever gone from her life, but never from her mind or her heart.

Maddy shakily extended one hand, brushing against the surprisingly cold substance. She gasped at the cool rush that tingled up her arm as she glided her fingertips across it, creating ripples and waves. She was not sure what she had been expecting, but it was a bit watery yet somehow firm, almost like a kind of gelatinous liquid. She inhaled what would be her last breath of toxic, miasmic air and steeled herself as she finally took the last step.

For one glorious and terrifying moment, Maddy was nothing and everything all at once. Her entire body tingled as if it was being disassembled into indescribable amounts of tiny, insignificant particles and then she was flying—soaring over air and through time and space. It was a completely alarming and disorienting occurrence, though somehow thrilling and incredible.

It was over all at once.

Maddy stumbled down onto her knees unexpectedly as the world came back into focus. She struggled to catch her breath, her hand automatically reaching for the rebreather hanging from her neck, desperate for clean air. Her mind caught up with her a moment later and her hand stilled as she wheezed—she wasn't breathing in noxious fumes that wanted to burn her lungs inside out; she was breathing in air that was too rich, too much for her body to handle at first.

It was overwhelming, the different scents that assaulted her all at once and the purity in the air. She coughed a bit, trying to calm her frantic breathing. She forced herself to instead draw in one deep breath, hold it for a small count and then release it slowly. She repeated the action several times before the dizziness fled and her breathing evened out. She was completely amazed at just how different the air was here. It was something she had known intellectually, but until this moment she had nothing to compare with and this was beyond anything she had imagined.

There was a haze over her eyes, some kind of misty fog obscuring her vision that made it difficult to see. Everything was so bright that she felt blinded by the array of colors burning into her retinas, but there were people suddenly around her, great shadows encircling her. She absently recalled something about medical assistance upon arrival and went willingly as someone grasped her arm, gladly accepting the help because the moment she was back on her feet, her equilibrium was just gone.

Maddy was caught by the waist as she began to tumble, forced to rely heavily on the man trying to hold her up. She came out of her delirium the second she realized that someone was trying to relieve her of the mildly heavy bag upon her back. She instinctively pulled away from the attempt, unwilling to let anyone else touch the bag that contained her baby sister. She muttered a protest and stumbled when she freed herself, gaining her footing quickly and blinking rapidly to clear her vision.

"I'm okay," she said quickly. "I don't need help."

Everything came to a sudden halt when Maddy finally felt confident enough to look up without toppling over. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized that the people around her were not the polished and uniformed soldiers depicted in the advertisements. The soldiers of the elite Terra Nova Security Force were regal and refined from what the recruitment videos showed, with their black plated gear and sonic weapons.

Instead these people looked almost wild and feral, their hair ratted in knots and decorated with twigs and feathers. Their faces were painted with streaks of colorful tribal markings and the majority of their clothing appeared to be made from scaled hides. They gave a very distinct vibe of danger, although the weaponry and decorative bones and teeth might have been a contributing factor. Some held small guns, but most of the weapons in their hands were primitive—spears and knives that had to have been made from materials right out of the jungle.

Maddy could not see her brother anywhere amongst the crowd and when she glanced over her shoulder, the portal was nowhere in sight with no sign of her parents or the rest of the pilgrimage. She could not see the device rumored to anchor the portal to a permanent location either; the portal terminus was just not there like it should have been. Her hands shook as she rapidly tried to come up with explanations. She had a feeling that this had not just been an ambush on the pilgrimage, because… she had not arrived with the rest of the pilgrimage. She was somewhere else; somewhere alone and surrounded.

Dread filled her heart as Maddy eyed the long spears and other makeshift weapons, all of which seemed to be aimed at her with intent. She tried to calculate just how many people there were, inwardly cringing as she realized there were at least five men and three women. She doubted she could outrun them if she tried to get away. Her lungs were just too weak to run for long and she had no idea where to go either. Considering the state of their appearances, they were obviously well acquainted with the jungle—far more than she could ever hope to be.

Maddy knew she had no choice but to surrender. She exhaled slowly and raised her hands into the air with reluctance.

One woman instantly began to emerge from the crowd, moving forward to come to a stop in front of the frightened teenager. She had a dark complexion, cold brown eyes and her black hair was pulled into micro braid and over her shoulder. She had a certain presence about her, something superior and commanding attention from all of the others.

"Welcome to paradise," the woman said coolly, nodding her head slightly at someone behind Maddy. "Do it."

Maddy gasped in alarm the moment she felt a sharp sting on the side of her neck. She swung around and acted on pure impulse as adrenalin suddenly surged through her veins. She struck out in one smooth move with the flat of her palm, thrusting it upwards towards the nose of the man who had just injected her with something. She felt the bone give away under the quick pressure and stumbled backwards.

For a moment time seemed to slow down. She stared wide-eyed at the man as he dropped the hypo needle in favor of grasping at his face in agony. She had never hit anyone before. It had been such an instinctive action that she had not even given herself a second to think about it at all. Her hand had simply assailed him in a move her father had once taught her by means of self-defense. She never actually thought she would ever have to use it, not even when she was being pushed around and abused by her classmates… because she had never felt this threatened before.

Heart suddenly in her throat as blood gushed out between his fingers, Maddy was suddenly in motion. She ducked under an arm that reached for her and darted passed everyone as quickly as she could, barely managing to outmaneuver them all. She heard the commotion behind her as they instantly gave chase, but forced herself to remain focused on what was ahead of her instead.

There were not many options for her. Her lungs were already beginning to burn from just what little she had already ran, dodging enormous trunks from the towering trees and jumping over anything low to the ground in her path. She had never run any kind of distance before, never had the need nor had the appropriate landscape to do so. It was much more difficult than it seemed in theory, especially had no real sense of direction.

Maddy could barely hear anything beyond the blood rushing through her ears and the calls and jeers of those pursuing her. She knew she could never get away from them. It was futile to even try, because she was probably running directly into the territory of some monstrous beast that likely feasted upon flesh, but… she had to at least try. Her father always spoke about gut feelings and right now she had one telling her that these people meant her harm.

The effects of whatever compound that man had injected her with was already beginning to take hold though, the swift movements allowing it to spread throughout her bloodstream more quickly. She ran and ran until she could run no more, hearing the distant roar of something terrifying in the distance as a sudden lethargy overtook her. She staggered halfway down a hill, tripping over her own feet until she felt her leggings rip on a fallen branch in her path and skinned her knees as she fell to the ground.

Maddy gasped for breath as struggled to stand, crying out when she felt hands on her. She was lifted up without her consent and into the warm circle of muscular arms. She fought weakly, her mind muddled and the edges of her vision darkening as she struggled vainly to get away. She beat her hands sluggishly against his bloodied chest, looking up to see hazel eyes from the man she had previously assaulted peering down at her calmly.

"No…" she whispered, her vision clouding.

"Don't fight it," the man said quietly. "Just sleep."

Maddy wanted to protest again and fight against him, but her limbs felt weak and she unintentionally went lax in his arms as the world around her became disorienting. With one last shuddering breath, she succumbed to unconsciousness.

Maddy drew in a shallow breath the moment her mind first began to stir, reluctantly leaving behind the blissful void of oblivion. She was sitting on something cold and hard and her legs were sprawled out in front of her. She felt distressed when she realized she had awoken to complete darkness. She could see nothing, her sense of sight limited to not even beyond her nose. It took her several moments of panic before she discovered that something was wrapped around her head to obscure her vision—a blindfold.

Against her back was a rough surface that grated harshly against her bare shoulders and all the way down the length of her spine. She thought it may have been a wall of stone, tall enough to scrape all the way up the back of her neck and farther above where her hands were tight high over her head. The cords binding her were thick and brittle, unbearably tight around her wrists and rubbing them raw; it left her hands feeling icy, like they were not getting proper circulation and were slowly dying.

Maddy tried to shift as much as she could from the uncomfortable position, only to gasp as aching prickles of pain surged throughout her whole body—it sent sharp pins and needles spreading down every frozen limb. She clenched her jaw in an effort to ignore the painful tingling sensation, trying to concentrate more on her breathing before she had a panic attack and suffocated herself.

Fear of the unknown caused her heart to race with uncertainty. She was having trouble remembering just what had happened, her mind full of a multitude of questions. Where was she? How did she get here? Where were her parents? Josh? Zoe? Why was she so cold? Her memories were so fuzzy; they were twisted and distorted like an old movie on a plexpad. Even as she searched her memory, her mind could only conjure up vague images.

A noise penetrated her thoughts abruptly, an impossibly loud roar echoing in the empty space around her. It sounded far away, although amplified by stone walls. The sound was inhuman, animal… it sounded like a call of a beast. Everything hit her all at once, like a heavy blow sustained to the chest. She remembered.

Oh… Maddy trembled against the restraints. The tour, the portal, those people with their primitive weapons chasing her… she remembered everything. She was lost. Her parents and Josh… she tried not to allow herself to dwell on their fate, hoping against all hopes that wherever they were, it was better than here. She felt so alone though… only… she wasn't mind immediately went to her sister. She had Zoe with her here somewhere and all she could afford to think about was finding her.

"Zoe...?" she called out weakly, her voice echoing slightly. It only served to confirm her theory about being in some sort of rock formation… a cave perhaps. Her mouth felt a bit dry and she licked her lips nervously when there was no answer. "Zoe? Are… are you in here?"

There was only silence. She could hear nothing except for the sound of her own ragged breaths.

Maddy bit down hard on her bottom lip as disappointment filled her heart, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes burned with the need to cry. So close… They had all been so close to finally achieving some peace. How did this even happen? The portal was only went one place. She should have walked right out to find her brother and a welcoming committee instead of an ambush.

The portal terminus should have prevented this sort of thing from happening. It was an anchor, the machine providing a single destination after that one pilgrimage allegedly materialized within the center of a lake. That was its whole purpose. Maddy should never have ended up separated from the others, because things like this don't just happen… unless…

Someone had to make it happen.

It was the only viable conclusion Maddy could think of. Someone had deliberately tampered with the portal terminus or with something else in order to bring her here. But why would anyone do something like that? Why her of all people? She couldn't even fathom what anyone would want to do with her. She was a sixteen-year-old science geek here by chance, not one of the brilliant minds that were recruited to help populate civilization. Had she just been chosen at random…? Or… or had they really targeted her specifically?

Maddy was drawn out of her thoughts suddenly when she heard a strange noise. It was not the sound of an animal, not like before; instead it was a subtle, repetitive sound that she could not differentiate. She struggled to identify it, but it was cut off abruptly only to be followed by another that began to draw closer. She tensed and swallowed fearfully as she registered the footsteps echoing down the cave.

Something clanged together, like metal upon metal, grating as it scraped along the stone ground. A rush of cool air gusted across Maddy as someone entered the chamber she was in, her cold fingers flinching as a chill went down her spine.

For a long, drawn out moment, the stranger merely observed her. "State your name." A woman said evenly, her voice cool and commanding; she obviously expected a quick reply.

Maddy recognized the voice and drew in a steady breath through her nose as she tried to gauge her options. It was her, the woman with dark hair that had been there when she had first come out of the portal; she seemed to be the one in charge of the people that had taken her prisoner. Maddy could only assume these people were a secessionist group who had deserted the original colony for whatever reason, but even so that still didn't explain what they wanted with her.

Running her tongue over the roof of her dry mouth thoughtfully, Maddy wondered if she would actually be given a truthful answer if she asked for her sister. She was almost desperate to ask, but something told her that this woman was not entirely trust worthy. She seemed cold and calculating, the type of person who gave little thought to the consequences of doing something.

A new thought suddenly occurred to her. If they had yet to go through her bag, then Zoe might not have even been discovered yet. The oxygen unit supplied enough air for at least four days, so as long as Zoe remained inside of it, these people might remain ignorant of her existence for a while. She wanted to ask, but now she was clinging to the hope that they had yet to discover the child.

"State your name," the woman said again, her voice growing agitated with the continued silence. "State your damn name!" She growled loudly. She released angry sigh when there was still no response, Maddy still inwardly weighing her options.

It was probably a bit unwise to be so noncompliant with her captor considering she was still in such a helpless position. She had no idea how long she had been here, but she could already feel the stirrings of hunger gnawing at her belly and her mouth felt too parched. She was entirely vulnerable and completely at their mercy and it was not a good feeling. But… she was stubborn.

"You know," the woman drawled in exasperation. "Your psychiatric evaluations made you seem like you were a pretty bright girl. Your grades alone are a testament to that. So why don't you tell me this… how long can a human being survive without food and water?"

The woman left without waiting for a response this time.

Maddy licked her dry lips and inwardly calculated her own body mass against the statistics. "It could take me as little as two weeks without food to die of starvation," she muttered hoarsely to herself, winching as she realized just how dependent she was on these people right now. "… and less than forty-eight hours to die from dehydration."

Had Maddy been at a healthier weight, she could have lasted up to thirty to forty days without food. Fasting actually used to be a common practice for religious or health conscious people, but it required a sustainable source of water and rather sedentary activities—neither of which she could be sure of. She had no idea what they wanted from her or if they would even provide her with anything to drink after that veiled threat.

Two days and two weeks was perhaps even pushing it, considering how underfed she was. Hopefully she and Zoe would have been rescued before it even became a possibility. Her mother must be beyond worried already and she could already imagine her father scouring the jungle for them after rallying up a search party. She inwardly cringed as she imagined how her brother probably reacted to their disappearance; he had become almost unbearably protective over these past few months.

Maddy tried not to think of how improbable the odds of being found actually were.

Hunger gnawed viciously at her stomach by the time the door opened again. Her tongue was heavy and dry within her mouth and she had been in the same uncomfortably position since the last visit with no reprieve. Most of her limbs felt as if they were dying; she struggled to move as much as possible in order to keep her circulation moving to prevent just that, but it was an difficult task.

It was the same woman as yesterday who entered, with the same inane demand. "State your name." She waited for a few moments of silence before she suddenly began to move closer, her footsteps drawing near like an ominous warning until they came to a stop just in front of her. "You are putting me in a very tough position, little girl."

Maddy only continued to breathe evenly. She knew what the woman wanted. It was not just her name. The mention of her psychiatric evaluations yesterday had not gone unnoticed. They somehow had access to those files, which meant they knew everything within them already including her name. They had all of her information. They had her name, her age, her academic transcripts and even her medical files. This was not about the answers… they had no real interest in those because they already had them.

This was about her. She was being toyed with.

"I would rather do this through cooperation," the woman added coolly, the barest hint of frustration tainting her tone. "This is your last chance before I have to resort to more… unsavory methods. State your name."

A few minutes later, Maddy heard a heavy sigh. She could feel the woman as she knelt down beside her and tensed when she felt the hand touch her. It rested on her shin, just below the torn remains of her leggings. She waited as she listened to the movement, a nervous pang growing in her heart.

"Fine." the woman said evenly. "Just remember that you're the one making me the bad guy here."

Maddy cried out suddenly as she felt a flash of pain across her leg, the sharp blade of a knife drawn diagonally across her shin. She clenched her eyes shut tightly behind the blindfold, tugging uselessly against her restraints as she gasped for air. She felt something warm and wet slide from the open wound, beads of blood dripping to the ground from the shallow cut.

The slickened blade was wiped against the fabric just above the wound, cleaning it of the evidence and then the flat of it rested against her skin. It was an unveiled threat of what would happen if she continued to remain silent, if she refused to cooperate and answer that one question. The pain was bearable enough, but the idea of more pain was hard to take. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and she trembled as tears stung her eyes.

"Want to give me your name now?" the woman asked, her voice remaining utterly emotionless.

Exhaling slowly and pushing her fears into the depths of her mind, Maddy pursed her lips into a firm line and blinked away the wetness in her eyes. She could read people well enough to understand that whatever these people wanted from her could not be good. She needed to try and buy herself as much time as possible, to think of some kind of plan. She was resilient and resourceful. She would think of a way out of this mess if help never came.

Time seemed to pass at an unusually cruel pace as the interrogation continued. The most prominent question seemed to be her name, but the woman had eventually gotten tired of repeating herself to no avail and began asking different queries. Some were completely mundane questions, other more personal and many were just entirely invasive, but they all had one common factor.

… They all remained unanswered.

Despite the tortuous methods designed to elicit answers, Maddy kept her mouth shut for the most part. Her only exceptions were an occasional whimper or gasp as the knife dug into particularly sensitive sections of skin. It hurt a lot like getting pushed into a wall had, the effect doing more psychological damage than the actual physical wounds were. She was hurting, but it was not quite as painful as it could have been.

Maddy knew her initial assessments were correct with each stroke of the blade. She knew this woman was not doing this to actually hurt her, but instead to scare her. It was the most likely scenario, although that didn't stop her from crying silently by the time the knife had slid across her skin for the eighth time. She had been unable to stop the tears since. She tried to focus on other things to keep her mind off of the pain, but it was difficult.

Considering the fact that they had apparently been reading her confidential files, Maddy was almost certain that she had been specifically targeted now. She just had no idea why. She wasn't quite sure how they managed to separate her from the time stream either. She imagined it would take someone incredibly smart and gifted in quantum physics to be able to relocate an individual midway through space and time, particularly among a group.

It was a bit outlandish to even think that these secessionists had the technological capabilities to do something of this magnitude. From what she could recall after regaining her senses, these people appeared to be tribal and disconnected from technology. She had to wonder if they were truly the ones who orchestrated this or if they were just the pawns of some greater community.

Maddy drew in a sharp breath as she felt another cut join the rest, this one crossing over another already in place and digging it twice as deep. Her leg felt as if it were riddled with hundreds of new wounds now, but realistically, she guessed there were only about twenty or so cuts—long and shallow wounds that caused her skin to burn and throb—but they weren't exactly lethal. She would probably still be able to run with only a little difficulty if the opportunity arose… and if her lungs held out.

"You are a lot more strong-willed than your profile led me to believe," the woman admitted with aggravation. "I figured you would be easy to break."

Maddy swallowed tightly and flexed her numb fingers.

"You do realize that you're only making this a lot more difficult than it has to be, right? I don't exactly enjoy hurting little girls who probably haven't even had their first kiss yet."

Beneath the blindfold, Maddy frowned at her for the jab. It was probably supposed to humiliate her, because that seemed to be what the woman was aiming for, but perhaps her kidnapper needed to rethink her strategy for the long commentaries she gave in between cuts. After some of the pain and humiliation Maddy had suffered, she was pretty sure she could endure a bit more of it.

This was mild compared to what Logan Reed had put her through emotionally months ago.

"I bet you're thirsty by now," the woman said, apparently deciding to switch tactics since torture had yet to yield anything. "Just give me your name and I'll get you something to drink."

Maddy swallowed again, her mouth feeling particular dry now that her attention was on it. She had felt the thirst all through the night and had been doing her best to ignore it, but Maddy wasn't going to tell her that.

The woman stood abruptly. "Fine," she hissed, moving away. She opened whatever barrier seemed to be between this chamber and the rest of the cave, the metallic scratching loud and grating as ever in the silence. "Get in here!" At her angry words, heavy footsteps echoed closer until they came to a stop near the entrance. "Do you have a problem?"

It was a man who responded. "… No."

"Good. Get inside," she snapped, and after a moment, the footsteps grew closer. "I am locking you both in tonight. She doesn't move. No food. No Water. She stays restrained and blindfolded until Carter or I arrive tomorrow. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Maddy trembled fearfully as she listened to the door being moved back into place; the final clank echoing throughout the cavern and sealing her inside with the stranger. She was acutely aware of his presence as he moved around on the opposite side of the cave without a word. There was something decidedly more frightening about being trapped in here all night with a man than the psychotic woman who had just spent hours torturing her.

Minutes dragged on without anything of consequence happening and the tightness in her belly gradually released. She could hear strange noises coming from his direction, but couldn't even guess what he might be doing over there. She wondered why he had been locked inside as well.

Maddy knew intellectually that the man might just resume where the woman had left off—trying to force answers from her unwilling mouth. He never came near her though. He stayed on the other side, not once taking a step in her direction. She found herself easing in his presence in if only slightly. She could concede that him being in here might be for his own protection.

Outside of this cave the world was foreign, completely alien and it had the potential to be potential to be deadly. She had to admit it would be the perfect place to build a prison, right in the heart of carnivore territory. Even if she did manage to escape, something could snatch her up before she got very far.

Maddy only hoped she was wrong.

Maddy could feel something soft and moist against her face as her mind slowly came into awareness. She was confused and extremely tired, her eyes fluttering as she felt the damp cloth suddenly retreat. Her eyes opened just as the blindfold was lowered black into place, catching only a glimpse of the man crouching beside her before she was once again encompassed in darkness. She sobered up in a single breath, abruptly feeling wide awake and twisting her body to get away.

"Whoa, easy," he said, sounding startled himself. "You're going to hurt yourself doing that."

Hysterical laughter bubbled up in her throat before she could stop it—she was already hurt. She could not seem to calm her racing heart either. Her skin flushed white wit panic at having him so close to her, inwardly cursing herself for mistakenly allowing her guard to drop for even a millisecond. She had just been so tired, despite her best efforts to keep herself awake.

Unable to retreat even just an inch with her back pressed up against the rough stone wall behind her, Maddy cringed instinctively when she felt him touch her. Calloused fingertips had barely even grazed the injured leg before the limb involuntarily jerked away from the foreign touch. She clenched her eyes shut tightly as he grasped her ankle to hold it in place.

"Try not to move," he said, and she was stricken by the kind tone in his voice. He was going to hurt her some more and he was being nice about it? It scared her to think he was capable of being so callous. "This will probably hurt a bit, but it will feel better in a little while."

Maddy winced with anticipation, biting down on her lip as he touched the first wound. He was surprisingly gentle, seemingly taking care not to push too hard or place is hands anywhere other than below her knee. She was quiet and immobilized with confusion as he began to assessing her injuries. She tried to make sense of it, but her mind was oddly blank at the feel of his touch.

"These are pretty shallow," he informed her, although she knew that otherwise she would have passed out from blood loss while the woman had been present. They were more like deep scratches than anything else. "Do they hurt badly?"

"Yes," Maddy answered without thinking. She had dozens of cuts crisscrossing the length of her lower left leg; lying would have been too obvious. She paused a moment later, inwardly grimacing as she realized that she had unintentionally broker her own vow of silence, but the damage had already been done.

Maddy drew in a quick breath as she suddenly felt something move over the multitude of cuts. She sighed in relief at the cool feeling that spread over the heated flesh, dulling the sting og pain slightly. He was washing the lingering traces of blood away with a wet rag and she unwillingly found her apprehension lessening under his attentions.

Moments ticked by in silence as the man worked. He was oddly dedicated to his task, his quietness allowing her to mull over what his angle might be. She was still a bit lost in thought as he began to finish up, first applying some kind of fragrant, herbal salve over the wounds once her leg was all clean and then binding it with a soft, dry cloth. He was still crouched beside her, rustling with something on the ground when he finally finished.

Maddy seized in renewed fear as he shuffled closer.

"Open your mouth," he said quietly.

Horror flooded her veins as she could only guess what he intended, Maddy struggling away from him with revived vigor. Her head knocked painfully into the solid rock behind her, her head ringing with his words as the tender skin of her wrists stung from pulling at her bindings. She kicked out violently, her feet knocking uselessly against the ground as she fought.

Petrified fear clogged her every sense, but she heard him suddenly release a soft curse through the blood raging through her ears. He quickly moved away, withdrawing from her until there was a considerable distance between them. "No! Not… I… water," he told her urgently. "I meant for water, not for…" She abruptly stilled her attempts to get away, scarcely willing to believe him. "… It's just water."

Maddy tried to process what he was saying.

Uncertainty and doubt filled her chest despite her considerable thirst. She could not be positive that he would actually give her water, especially since he had been instructed not to. It could be a trick, she reasoned. Even if he did offer her some, there was still the chance that it could be laced with something… or that he would expect something in return for it. She wasn't sure which concept was more frightening.

Clenching her eyes shut behind the fabric that kept her blind, Maddy desperately wished she could look at his face to assess if he appeared sincere. He sounded sincere, almost horrified even as he guessed what her initial speculation of his intentions had been. She felt so helpless like this and she was hesitant to trust anything he did without skepticism. She bit down hard on her lip as she fought with herself internally.

There was no surefire way to gauge just how long she had been here already. She thought perhaps at least a day and a half or possibly even longer, but she couldn't be sure how long they had kept her sedated. She was already beginning to feel sick from dehydration and she knew that if she didn't drink something soon, she would be at a severe risk of her body failing her. She could die if that happened.

Death was not something that Maddy had ever feared in the past. At one point in time the thought of finding peace had even been comforting, but dying could not be an option. Not here, not while her sister needed her to get them out of here. She had yet to experience any hallucinations that she knew of, but her skin did feel a bit irritated already and her tongue was strange and heavy.

Maddy was so thirsty and she didn't know what to do.

Unfortunately before Maddy had time to truly consider her options, the man took her silence as acquiescence and began shuffling forward once more before she could think to protest. He was slow and cautious; she could feel the heat of his hand near her face as he hesitated to touch her. She had a brief moment of panic when he finally did and her body tensed automatically in preparation to lash out again.

Something cold and rounded, like the rim of a cup, settled upon her dry lips and then something mercifully wet sloshed against them next. Her tongue darted out to test the substance before she could stop herself. Relief surged through her when it registered what she tasted was water. All thoughts of poison or sedatives or any consequence fled her mind as the chilled liquid flooded her mouth. She swallowed it all down eagerly, savoring the cool rush of it down the back of her throat.

It was unlike any water Maddy had ever tasted before. She could detect no purifying chemicals or dust like the heavily filtered water she was used to drinking. Instead this was crisp and refreshing, untainted by years upon years of pollution and processing. It was glorious and she tried to drink as much as she could of it, whimpering in protest when he pulled the cup away before she could finish drinking her fill.

The man only shushed her gently. "You need to slow down," he told her. "If you drink it too fast, you're only going to make yourself sick."

Knowing he was right, Maddy nodded grudgingly with a shuddering breath. He offered her more and she tried to drink it slower than before. Her chest felt cold from the water as it settled down into her stomach, but it was a good kind of cold. He stayed there for several minutes, allowing her to sip at as much as she could until she finally began to feel a bit better.

"Here," he said once she was finished, and she felt him press something small and yielding against her mouth next. She pressed her lips together uncertainly as the scent of something rich and perfumed assaulted her nose in a pleasant sort of way that made her stomach rumble, but she was still reluctant to accept anything else despite the kindness he was showing. "It's food," he promised.

Maddy hated herself for being weak and tentatively opened her mouth after an internal debate, but the hollow ache in her stomach outmatched any reservations she had. She could feel him pull away as her teeth closed around the small object—it was soft and moist and it broke apart easily between her teeth. She quickly deduced that it must have been some kind of fruit, the juices bursting over her tongue as she chewed.

It was sweet and full of amazing flavors she could hardly describe. She could only guess that it was a native fruit and not something that had been brought through, because it was unlike anything that her father had ever managed to snag on occasion. She winced at that thought, pushing him out of her head before she could dwell on the wide smile ingrained in her mind and the wide, comforting arms she longed for.

Swallowing the food gratefully, Maddy repeated the same procedure when he offered her another piece of it. She was fed in silence and she honestly had no idea what to think of this man by the time her brain caught up with her. He had all of the power here. She knew it and he knew it.

Maddy was completely defenseless against him. She knew what to expect from the woman at least; questioning, hostility and pain. His actions were the complete opposite and were confusing her… she didn't it. This had to be one of those planned out scenarios and he was just doing this to confuse her on purpose.

Although she was honestly grateful for the water and the food, Maddy couldn't help but suspect that this was some kind of ploy to earn her trust. She knew better than to be fooled by some kindness. She had learned that lesson the hard way once before and she would never allow herself to be deceived like that again.

"Do you need something for the pain?"

Maddy felt something else against her mouth before she could even consider the question. She could feel the general shape of it—tiny and oblong—and deduced it was some kind of pill. Her leg still throbbed terribly, though not as bad as before the salve had been applied and her entire body ached from being immobilized like this for hours. She thought about it and seriously considered accepting, but she did not know what it was and wasn't willing to risk it this time. She shook her head reluctantly.

The man gathered everything in silence. "Let me know if you get thirsty or hungry again," he said a while later, retreating back to the other side of the cave.

Maddy spoke before she could stop herself. "Why?"

It was a loaded question if there ever was one. Why was she here? Why did he disobey the order to deprive her of food and water? Why did they bring her here? Why was he being so kind to her? Why were they doing any of this? Why did he have to confuse her? Why did everything have to go wrong when she had finally begun to believe it was going right? Why? So many questions…

The man never answered her.

Agony rippled through her stomach when Maddy woke next. She writhed instinctively against her restraints as she drifted back into consciousness, unkind streaks of light flashing across her vision when she pried her eyes open. She snapped them shut against the fanatical colors that blinded her, nausea rolling violently through her belly.

Maddy could barely even breathe as acid and bile clogged the back of her throat, her gag reflex stimulated and causing her to heave helplessly. Her wrists had more feeling in them than before, she realized dazedly, but it was a small comfort compared to the terrible ache in her stomach, like something tearing her apart from the inside. She whimpered miserably, gagging and choking for to catch her breath.

Someone was beside her instantly. "Shh, you're okay," he said to her, his voice uneven and shaking, but the tone was somehow comforting. She blinked heavily, shaking her confused and muddled head in response to his words. "Just… just take deep breaths. Everything will be fine."

Everything felt wrong. She trembled, feeling sick and feverish. Her mind drifted back to the water and the food. Had she been tricked? He was there in front of her now and she tried to track him through the confusion as he grasped her bound hands, loosening the restraints even more until the cords fell away completely.

Maddy slumped forward, forced to lean heavily on him for support. She was belatedly disappointed that the urge to run was not nearly as prominent as the one to bend over and choke. She whimpered again, pushing him away as it happened, her body rejecting the food and water from before. Her skin felt slick and cold and her back automatically tensed as a warm hand settled on the center of her back, resting between her shoulders and moving soothingly down her spine.

Resting her forehead against the stone floor of the cave, Maddy weakly spat the lingering traces of the taste from her mouth to join the rest. She felt a bit better now that everything had been purged, but only by a small margin. "Why…" she croaked out, feeling too weak to resist as he carefully pulled her away from the disgusting mess.

Arms curled beneath her knees and around her back without acknowledgement to her broken words. Maddy was then lifted into the air and carried to the other side of the room, placed on a ridged cot opposite of the wall she had been tied to. She wanted to fight, but she could barely even manage to push at his chest as he sat her down on it.

"No," Maddy said quickly, turning away from the cup he tried to place at her lips. She glared up at the gray eyes staring down at her, belatedly realizing that the blindfold was off. He had dark cropped hair that was currently in disarray and thick eyebrows. Although he was dressed in rags much like the others she had seen, his clothes were seemingly the remnants of an olive green shirt and camouflage pants all in tatters. She narrowed her eyes accusingly at his concerned face. "… You drugged me."

The man blinked, a frown forming between his eyebrows before understanding clouded his features. "No." He shook his head. "No, I didn't drug you." He disappeared for a moment and she turned her head to watch him return where she had been five minutes prior. He retrieved something off of the ground and returned a moment later, draping it across her as he urged her further down onto the cot. It was a warm jacket and in the cold air it felt nice. "I shouldn't have given you the food."

Maddy frowned up at him in confusion as he placed a cool rag over her forehead. "What?"

"Your body is pretty malnourished," he explained gently, wiping the feverish sweat from her skin. "Everyone is supposed to be placed on a special diet of protein shakes that have all the correct nutrients to balance your diet in preparation for richer foods… I thought the fruit would have been mild enough, but…"

Maddy studied his face in search of any sign of deception. He seemed… completely sincere, but she couldn't be certain. She had to admit that it was a plausible excuse. She had even read about the nutritional shakes in the welcome pamphlet months ago, so it could have merit as much as loathed s she was to admit it. She felt more confused than ever.

Turning away to look around, Maddy discovered that she was indeed inside of a cave just as she suspected. It was a rather small one with an entrance that was completely barricaded with a solid door. It was made of some kind of undeterminable metal, something dark and matte, but obviously strong. She winced as she spotted a hood embedded in the wall across from the cot, her wrists stinging as she recalled being strung up and hanging from it. She could also spy a small table at the foot of the cot, discarded remains of a purple fruit lying abandoned beside a small bag.

"Do you feel any better?"

Maddy looked back up into his eyes and frowned at him. She felt a flash of surprise surge through her when he winced slightly under her scrutiny, not quite sure what to take from it.

"… I promise there was nothing in the food I gave you."

Maddy closed her eyes as they began to burn unexpectedly. She felt the cool rag wipe away the hot tear that escaped from the corner of her eye against her will. She was not even sure why she was crying right now, but she couldn't prevent the flood of emotions from overtaking her. She was grateful that he did not acknowledge her crying—he just wiped the tears away for a few minutes until she regained control.

"… Do you need more water?" he asked, and she immediately shook her head. "… You could just use it to wash the taste out of your mouth if you don't want to drink it."

Maddy opened her eyes distrustfully. She fought with herself for a moment, the sour, acrid taste coating her tongue. She was reluctant, but nodded slightly. He reached over to the table and retrieved the cup, ignoring the involuntary flinch she gave when his hand slid behind her neck in order to help her sit up. She took a small sip, swishing it around her mouth for a moment while he put the cup back and picked up a dirty bowl instead. She spat out the water as he held it in front of her, the taste still there but no longer as prominent.

"There you go," he said softly, laying her back down. "Try to get some sleep, okay? It will still be a few hours until someone comes back here."

Maddy blinked heavily at his words, suddenly realizing just how tired she felt. She knew there was no chance of escaping right now. The metal door was secured shut and she had no way of getting it open. She would have to wait a bit longer, but she was running out of time. She imagined they had probably gone through the bag by now, though she still prayed that her sister remained undiscovered until she could get them out of here.

Heavy thoughts weighing her mind down, Maddy closed her eyes reluctantly.