Escape with My Heart
IV. Am I Made of Glass?
It was with great reluctance that Maddy awoke the next morning. She wanted to block out the sound of movement, to remove it from her consciousness and pretend that yesterday was all just a nightmare. Instead she opened her eyes and found herself staring languidly up at the ceiling of the cave, a soft light illuminating the rough to smooth textures of the rock formations.
Curiosity tugged at her mind as she listened to the soft clanging noises. She slowly turned her head, stiffening the moment she caught sight of who it was. He was standing near the table by the foot of the cot, stirring something in a bowl quickly. She recognized him from the profile view—dark wild hair, coarse stubble down the length of his jaw and a rather noticeable bruise beneath either side of his eyes.
Maddy swallowed and recalled breaking his nose.
From what she could guess judging by the departing words the woman said last night, this man was named Carter. She wasn't quite sure if she felt safer with him knowing she was responsible for the bruises on his face or with the woman who had spent hours torturing her for answers she already knew.
Considering that Carter had yet to actually harm her, with the notable exception of injecting her with something from a hypo needle, she was perhaps a bit more comfortable with him. It was a bit odd that she found herself more comfortable with two strange men who could easily over power her than she did with the psychotic woman only a few inches taller than her.
At that thought Maddy frowned a bit.
A quick glance around the cave confirmed that the other man, the one who had been here with her throughout the night, was nowhere to be seen. She felt strangely anxious knowing was gone, her heart pounding within her chest as she realized that she was alone with someone who could possibly want revenge for what she did to him. At least the other one seemed her no real harm. Her eyes slid passed the man intent in his task to the wide open door.
"Extremely bad idea," the man said abruptly with a sardonic smirk, not even bothering to turn way from his chore to look at her. She inhaled sharply, staring at him. "You could try to run for it, but considering we're dead-smack in the middle of nyko territory, you wouldn't make it far on your own before one decides to take you out for lunch. Not to mention you are probably as weak as a newborn kitten right now after the night you had."
Nyko…?
Nykoraptors were carnivorous creatures, not unlike the velociraptors of the Cretaceous period of the world before. From what little she had read on the subject, they were quite vicious when it came to hunting their prey. They usually ate the eggs of other dinosaurs, but they did have a particular taste for flesh as well, their three rows of incisors perfect for tearing into skin and cleaving through bone.
Shifting into a sitting position cautiously, Maddy gave the door one last considering look before conceding that he was right. There was a cold sweat secreting from her skin, her muscles felt weak and strained and even just sitting like this made her feel a little lightheaded. She doubted she could get more than ten feet before she collapsed, less than that if a nykoraptor caught scent of her.
"Drink this." He approached with something in his hands. It was a small cup. "It's just broth. You're so malnourished from all of that synthetic shit back there that anything richer will just make you sick again."
Maddy eyed it warily, unsure if she could actually trust anything from him after what happened last night. She must have hesitated for too long, because he soon grew impatient and simply grasped her wrist with his free hand. He ignored her frightened flinch, only placing the warm tin cup in her hand without a word. He grabbed another one from the table and sat on the stool beside the cot.
"You should really drink it." Carter told her firmly. He eyed her over the rim of his own cup as he took a long gulp. "You've been here for over two days and I'd rather not had to force a tube down your nose just to make sure you have something in your belly." He tilted his head back and simply waited.
Frowning at him distrustfully, Maddy peered down into the contents of the cup. It was a diluted golden color with fresh green flakes floating inside. She slowly lifted it to her face, inhaling the scent of it with trepidation. It smelled… good. Her stomach gave a rebellious rumble and she sighed inwardly, giving him another wary look before she took a tentative sip.
Nodding sharply in approval, the man said, "Good girl."
Maddy scowled at him before she could stop herself.
"Now, now little Kitten," he drawled, his eyebrows rising and a smirk on his face. "Retract those claws. "He tapped the side of his own nose carefully. "You already got me once. Nice move by the way." There was a genuinely appreciative tone in his voice that took her aback. "A hint more of pressure and you might have actually killed me. You're pretty strong for such a delicate little thing."
Maddy frowned at him and simply sipped the broth in silence. She had to admit, if only to herself, that it was probably the best thing she had ever tasted besides the fruit from last night, despite the fact that it was clearly watered down compared to his. She drank it slowly though, unwilling to show him just how much she appreciated it under his watchful dark eyes.
"Your leg should be fine," he added a moment later, filling the stillness of the cave with his own chatter. "Reynolds did a piss poor job of fixing it up last night. I rebound it this morning and it will probably smart for a while, although the scarring should be minimal enough."
Maddy glanced down to the leg in question. She was surprised to see just how efficient the bandage was. It was something she would expect to see from someone with medical training, not someone who lived out in the jungle. She looked back up at him curiously, wondering for the millionth time just who these people were exactly. She supposed most of them had to have been recruited and recruitment always searched for the best of the best… or perhaps someone had rigged the lottery.
A loud noise beyond the door startled her before she could contemplate further on her theories. She glanced at the man, but he seemed entirely unconcerned by the disturbance, sipping at his cup leisurely as he propped his feet up on a free section of the cot beside her. She inched away from him, turning to look as footsteps echoed down the corridor.
It was the other man who entered, the one she recognized from last night. Reynolds. He entered the cave swiftly and with a weapon in hand, some kind of sonic pistol that he quickly holstered as he quietly shut the door behind him. He paused the moment he realized she was awake, his eyes lightening into a light blue as one corner of his mouth tilted upwards, but he faltered immediately and as the other man turned to him.
"Is the coast clear?"
Reynolds tore his eyes away from her and nodded sharply. "For now," he replied. "Everyone else is in place. We have a thirty minute window, but we should probably leave now if we intend to reach camp before nightfall."
"Alright," the man said gruffly, tossing back what was left in his cup before he rose to his feet. He reached for the bowl he had been working with earlier and held it out for her. She eyed it curiously, not sure what to make of the sludge in the bowl. It smelled strong, pungent even, but somewhat fresh. "Rub it on your chest." He advised, noting her confusion. "It is a bit like eucalyptus and should help with your breathing just until we can get you to your medication."
Maddy pressed her lips together and grudgingly reached into the bowl, gathering a little of the mush onto her fingers. It felt oily, not watery like she expected. She brought it to her chest and smeared it on, the almost minty fragrance filling her lungs. She was surprised at how refreshing it was, breathing it in slowly.
Carter discarded the bowl and held out a hand for her, raising an eyebrow. "Time to go for a walk, little Kitten."
Maddy stared at the hand uncertainly.
"Should…" Reynolds began hesitantly. "Should I get the ropes?"
Maddy tensed at the question glancing down to her raw wrists. She clenched her jaw at the thought of being bound again, strung up like some animal to be led on a leash. She looked back up when there was no answer, only to find dark eyes regarding her in a thoughtful way that made her feel anxious.
"No," Carter said after a lengthy pause. "No, don't bother. She'll behave."
A sinking feeling erupted in the pit of her stomach at his meaningful look.
Reynolds looked at the other man with a frown. "How can you be so sure?"
"… Because we have something that she wants now," he replied without looking away from her. He raised an eyebrow again, tilting his head in question. "… You'll behave, won't you Kitten?"
Maddy had to look away from his knowing gaze, tightening her grip on the cup forgotten in her left hand to hide the fact that it was shaking. She closed her eyes briefly, her heart aching and she wanted to cry again. She had been hoping Zoe would remain undiscovered for as long as it took her to find a way out of here. She had to admit though that since chances of escaping seemed so slim, it was probably better that they had found her because the snacks and water in the bag had probably all run out by now.
Nodding slowly in answer to his question, Maddy reached out and placed her hand into his with reluctance. He pulled her up, steadying her when legs trembled and she nearly collapsed to the ground. He took the nearly empty cup from her hand and set it aside, giving her an approving nod.
"Good girl."
"… Where is she?" she asked hoarsely.
Carter gave her elbow a small pat. "You'll see her soon."
Maddy released a shuddering breath in frustration.
"Do you think you can walk on your own?"
Maddy could feel her knees ready to give out again at any moment, gripping his arm as he held her up for a moment. She nodded her head stubbornly though, not wanting to show just how weak she was in front of them. Taking a deep breath, she released her hold on him and lowered her arms to the side. She was able to stand on her own at least. She took a tentative step forward, pain surging through her stiff legs as a breathless gasp escaped her.
Arms wrapped around her middle before she could crumble to the stone floor, Carter hefting her back upright with a soft grunt. "Easy Kitten," he said brusquely, his arms the only thing keeping her upright. "You must have strained a muscle when you took off the other day."
"I'll carry her." Reynolds volunteered, taking a quick step forward.
Carter gave him a harsh look, but the other man met his eyes unflinchingly. "… Fine."
Maddy only stared down at her boots, her hair tumbling over her shoulders and forming a veil between her and them. The last thing she wanted was to be carried by either of them. She felt just as weak now as she had when she was bound and blindfolded, just as helpless and alone. She hated this feeling of having to be dependent on these people to take care of her.
As the younger man moved to grasp her arm, Carter made his way to the table to retrieve the few items he had left sitting out before moving toward the door. She shivered unpleasantly as a gust of cool air wafted through the cavern, gooseflesh erupting over her bare arms and shoulders. She curled her arms around herself, biting down on her bottom lip as she waited for further instruction.
"Here," Reynolds said abruptly reaching around her to pick something up from the cot. She leaned away from him, but watched as he brought it up for her to see. It was a jacket, the same one he had draped over her throughout the night. She half-half wanted to tell him that she didn't want it when he shook it open, presenting it to her. "It gets pretty cold out there in the mornings."
Maddy nodded slowly, urged by his prompting and another chill causing her to shiver again. She slid her arms through the sleeves with his help, the fabric practically swallowing her as she buttoned it up. It was obviously made for someone his size rather than hers, her hands covered by inches of material, but at least it was warm inside. She pulled it tight around her small frame as if it might protect her from the world.
Reynolds swept her up into his arms with little effort. "Put your arms around my neck," he told her quietly.
…
Enormous trees emerged from the ground in every direction, completely towering over everything in sight. The leaves cast shadows upon the ground, making the dense forest seem even thicker than it truly was. Only small bursts of sunlight illuminated the tall grass whenever the wind rushed up through the trees.
It was an amazing and beautiful sight, but Maddy could not bring herself to admire any of it considering the circumstances. She felt completely powerless, her arms looped loosely around the man's neck for balance as he carried her through the forest in silence. His own arms were curled around her back and beneath her knees, effortlessly keeping her stable in his strong arms.
Maddy could only gnash her teeth together to keep from saying something that might anger one of the men. She wanted to fight them. She wanted to get away from them. She had eyed the weapons on their bodies more than once, seriously considering trying to break free, but could not pluck up the courage to act so irrationally. She would just be placing herself and her sister into more danger than they were already in.
All she could do now was wait until they finally reached their destination.
Carter led the way from the small mountain range at a brutal pace. The cave had been a confusing labyrinth of mostly natural passageways nestled upon a large rocky outcropping, but everything beyond that was nothing but jungle. He seemed to know exactly where he was going though, never once stopping to look around to confirm the direction.
Reynolds was able to keep up even with her burdened in his arms, following the same swift pace. Neither man had spoken since they had emerged left the cave behind, seemingly too intent in getting to this camp of theirs as quickly as possible. She was all too willing to let them keep their silence.
From what Maddy could determine by the moss around her and the positioning of the sun when it was visible, they were headed south-east away from the mountains. She could barely keep track of where they were now and everything looked the same to her in her exhausted state, but she expected that they were moving further and further away from anyone who could rescue her and Zoe.
It was an estimated three hours into the journey when the forest began to thicken even more, the canopy heavier and the trees clustered together around them and casting an ominous dark shadow upon everything in sight. A sound nearby caused both men to stop in their tracks, all eyes going to the bushes ahead the leaves rustled slightly.
Carter began to fall back beside them as he raised his gun, while Reynolds relaxed his gentle grip on her suddenly, lowering her feet to the ground. She almost protested as he released her, her own arms tightening around his neck as fear began to clog her senses. He only reached up and loosened her frightened grip, turning his back to her as he drew his own weapon.
Maddy had the most foreboding sense as she caught sight of their faces. Both men had their mouths set into grim lines as they pressed in close around her and she seized as a high-pitched trill echoed through the shadows around them, sending shivers of terror down her spine. Her heart pounded as she frantically searched the bushes for whatever was there. Another came from across the way, followed by yet another just beside them.
"Damn it," Carter hissed slightly, taking a half-step forward with his weapon aimed. "There's more than one of them."
A cold sweat trickled down her neck as Maddy saw a dark shape move out of the corner of her eyes. She gasped out loud, instinctively latching onto the man in front of her, tangling her fingers in his shirt as she inched closer. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask what exactly was out there stalking them, but she was silenced by another haunting trill as it cut through the tense stillness.
Carter directed his aim up toward the canopy as a cascade of leaves rained down on them. "They're tracking her scent," he whispered grimly, his eyes moving down toward her bandaged leg.
Maddy looked at him with wide eyes, her breath catching in her throat. She clenched her hands tightly, shaking her head desperately and wanting to deny it. Something brushed against the back of her leg as if to confirm his words though and she whipped around unsteadily, crying out and stumbling back against Reynolds as the shadow darted away and disappeared.
Reynolds and Carter began to open fire instantaneously, the loud sound of gunfire ringing in her ears. A flash of eyes that seemed to glow in the blackness caught her attention just before several shapes leapt from the trees to surround them. One of the creatures leaped directly in front of her. It had ridges all above the eyes, wide nostrils and an elongated face. It was taller than her, even as strong and powerful legs obviously made for jumping remarkable heights bent in preparation to pound.
Nykoraptors, she realized with a gasp as the bright eyes peered up at her from the crouched position. It had feathers and follicle growth all along its body, spanning out at the narrow end of the strong tail in a wide fan. Sharp teeth gleamed in the enormous mouth as the long claws extended threateningly. The creature snarled and abruptly launched itself toward her.
Maddy could only stare, frozen in fright.
Strong arms secured around her middle just as the jagged teeth neared her face, her body pulled roughly into the chest of Reynolds as he took aim. Her eyes clenched shut as the gunshots cut through the air in front of her, blood splattering over her front as the creature released a high wail while it was felled. She felt dizzy and sick when she opened her eyes, spying the dying nykoraptor on the ground at her feet.
Staring in horror at the sight, Maddy was blindly allowing the man to pull her backwards even more, trying to block out the sounds of the gunshots and more of the creatures descended upon them. Shots rang out right beside her head, the arm around her waist tightening as the other extended out to fire upon the shadows leaping out to get a clear run at them.
Everything fell eerily quiet a moment later.
Maddy cautiously allowed herself to hope that the horrible incident was over. She took stock of everything around her, apprehension tight in her belly as she noted the dead bodies of at least seven nykoraptors littering the floor of the forest. And then quite suddenly there was a lightning quick flash in her peripheral vision and she reacted without thinking.
Reaching out to grasp the wrist of the arm extended around from behind her, she corrected the direction of the gun. Reynolds pulled the trigger just in time and she flinched as the sound of the gunshot burst near her ear, feeling the recoil of the weapon as if she had been the one to pull the trigger.
The creature tumbled to the ground with a hole between the eyes, staring up at her as the light left its eyes and blood tricked down the snout None of them could move for one long, tense moment, all listening hard for any traces of more movement.
Maddy was breathing harshly, her heart pounding so hard that she feared it might actually burst from her chest. She could feel the rapid drum of another heart against her back and hot puffs of breath spilling across the back of her neck. The hand resting on her stomach spasmed slightly and Maddy trembled as her mind caught up with her.
Reynolds tightened his grip on her to keep her upright as she trembled and gasped for breath. He turned her around in his arms and she buried her face into the solid chest, her terror bringing hot tears to the surface before she could stop them.
"It's okay," Reynolds whispered into her hair. "You're okay."
Maddy shook her head tearfully. She was far from okay. She felt like she was falling apart, lost in some macabre nightmare that she would never be able to escape from and it was all her fault. She was the one who entered to contest and now she was a prisoner and had just been attacked by a dinosaur. It was so much more surreal and terrifying than she could have ever imagined.
"We should go." Carter said roughly, reaching out down to pluck a handful of colorful feathers from a nykoraptor near his foot, giving it a considering look. He met their eyes evenly. "Now."
Reynolds nodded and quickly scooped her into his arms again.
…
It took several more hours to reach their destination. The trees thinned out once more, the sunlight peeking through the canopy above growing dimmer with each passing minute, although it still made it much easier to see if anything was stalking them through the forest. Nothing else had made itself known, but it was likely there was always something lurking about and just waiting for the right moment to pounce.
As they began to crest a small hill, Maddy opened her eyes slowly from the crook of his neck s she heard whispers. Reynolds had not mentioned her tears once during the rest of the journey, only squeezing her gently whenever she released a particularly loud sniffle. She despised how soothing she found his silent comfort, wishing she could just hate him despite the fact that he had saved her life.
People were at the base of the hill when she turned to look. She recognized a few of them from the day she arrived. They were all whispering amongst themselves, pointing at her and studying her. Some were even fingering their weapons as if they expected she might leap out of the arms supporting her at any given moment to lay siege.
Clearly these people had been out in the jungle for too long.
Everyone fell silent with a single look from Carter though, who then led the way to what she assumed was their camp. She was expecting tents made of dinosaur hide or thatched roof, but instead he walked directly toward the base of an enormous tree. He reached out for a vine in front of him almost absently, his body suddenly catapulted upward towards the branches.
Maddy followed his quick ascent with wide eyes.
It must have been a common practice because Carter seemed completely at ease doing it, landing with almost feline grace upon the wooden platform constructed high up in the tree. She immediately noticed the pulley mechanism that allowed him to do so, glancing around at all of the similar systems mounted to the branches all around.
It was then that Maddy realized that several more people watched from above, leaning over balconies or out of windows from the entire village built into the trees. She could hazard a guess that nearly every tree in the nearby vicinity had buildings built onto them, all interconnected with aerial ropeslides, walking planks or rope ladders that were tight up and hanging at the ready for access to the platforms higher up.
One such ladder suddenly dropped right in front of Maddy as they arrived at the base of another tree. She eyed the multitude of rigid rungs strung up by the thick, woven ropes that looked more like natural vines dubiously as they swayed like a pendulum in front of her. She could barely stand on her own—how did they expect her to climb up that?
Reynolds lowered her to the ground, keeping a steadying hand at the small of her back. "Just put your feet through here." He said, kneeling down to hold the bottom of the ladder to keep it stabilized.
"… I don't think I can climb that," she admitted quietly, but he only smiled slightly and pointed above.
"They will pull you up." He assured her.
Maddy frowned and looked up at the small hatched that the rope had been thrown from. She could see faces peeking out through the small opening, but couldn't make out distinct features from this distance. Swallowing her reservations, she did ad she was told, sliding her feet into a rung and looping one arm through the gabs so she could secure her hold.
Just as promised the ladder began to move. She grasped on even tighter, clenching her eyes shut as the ground became further and further away while she was slowly pulled up to the platform by two people she didn't recognize. She accepted the hand that reached for her once she was finally at the top, nearly stumbling as an odd sound whooshed beside her, followed by a loud thump of boots.
Reynolds stood firmly on the walkway, nodding his head at her as he released the rope. "You okay?" he asked grasping her arm as her legs threatened to give out. His brows pinched together when she only nodded. "Come on," he urged her carefully, leading her toward the open door just ahead of them. "You can sit down once we're inside."
Moments later Maddy found herself in a rather sizable room. it had two windows, both of them barred with a type of metal similar to the door from the cave, various cabinets and a desk along two of the walls, a large table to the side near the only exit and a small cot in the far corner near where the floor and ceiling was built around the trunk of the tree.
Sitting down on the cot gratefully, Maddy finally noticed what was hanging on the wall beside the bed with a grimace. In the same indeterminable metal as the bars was some kind of long chain with a manacled cuffed to the end, all embedded into the tree by some deep pike. She eyed it warily, her stomach sinking as one of the men who helped pull her up immediately walked toward it.
Kneeling beside her, the stranger took the cuff in hand and reached for her left wrist. The metal felt startlingly cold against her skin as he secured it, heavy enough that it weighed down her wrist as she felt it settled in place. She swallowed as the man fiddled with it, looking up anxiously to see Reynolds move outside to stand guard on the other side of the door.
The lock clicked as if it were sealing her fade.
…
It was hours before anyone entered again.
Maddy had already given almost every aspect of the room a cursory glance. It had taken her longer to maneuver around than it should have though, because she had fallen the moment she tried to rise. Her muscles still felt weak and tired, refusing to cooperate with her, but she was very certain that they must have gone through a lot of trouble to get her here and this room had been tailored for her.
Every cabinet was locked with the exception of the one with the drawers. It contained a convenient change of clothing, worn and tattered, but exactly her size right down to the underwear. In the drawer below that one, all of her medications were lain out and organized, another still containing some teas and herbal remedies that had obviously been made here—such as the eucalyptus rub that she had been given earlier. Her plexpad was sitting in the last one, the core removed so that it was more or less an expensive paperweight, but at least they left the hardrive and the actual device mostly intact.
Even the manacles were specified for her slender wrists, small enough that she could not pry her hand our no matter how hard she tried, but large enough that it allowed her room to twist her hand for free range of movement. She could not get the latch undone She thought it might require a key, but there was no opening for one. The cuff was completely smooth, the only exception the seams where it connected together. She supposed it could have an electronic key, some kind of magnetized way of unlocking it, but that was a bit… sophisticated… and she still wasn't sure what these people were capable of yet.
Maddy had just managed to shuffle her way along the walls and back to the cot when she heard voices outside. She recognized the female voice as the woman from yesterday and tensed the moment she opened the door and entered the room. She looked just as fierce as she had before, a scowl painted across her lips and her hair pulled back away from her face.
Walking closer with a steady look, the woman stared her down. "Are you going to cooperate this time?" she asked evenly, a satisfied smile settling on her lips when she received a muted nod in reply. "Good. That girl we found in your bag…" Her tone turned absolutely smug when she noticed the way every muscle in the young woman's body stiffened. "We couldn't find her on the pilgrimage manifest… which means you obviously had to smuggle her through the portal."
Maddy swallowed tightly, staring down at her hands as she nodded apprehensively.
"You're lucky that Carter ordered someone to search your bag for your medication last night," the woman added coolly, tilting her head a bit. "Poor thing was out of food by then. What is she to you?" She waited a moment with no answer before prompting, "Is she your daughter…? No, you're only sixteen and she looks at least four. Is she your sister or a cousin you just couldn't leave behind?"
Maddy lifted her head slowly, trying to regulate her panicked breaths before the other woman could notice. "Where is she?" she asked weakly, clenching her hands together tightly.
"So you can speak," the woman mocked with a successful twinge in her voice. "Finally, some progress." She crossed her arms and smirked in a self-satisfied way. "Now tell me your name."
Maddy twitched violently, jerking forward and narrowing her eyes. "Where is she?" she repeated evenly. "What have you done with her?"
"State your name first."
"… Madelyn Shannon."
"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" the woman cooed derisively. "What is she to you?"
Maddy gnashed her teeth together in frustration. "She's my sister." She admitted reluctantly.
Nodding thoughtfully, the woman only turned. "Carter!"
At her abrupt call, Carter entered through the open door. He had a small bundle in his arms and Maddy surged forward without thinking at the sight of her sister, dropping to her knees after just a few small steps with a pained gasp. She struggled forward anyway, moving on her hands and knees. Her sister suddenly began to struggle within his arms too, twisting violently to be released.
"Maddy!" Zoe cried loudly, pulling at the arm around her middle. "Maddy! Let me go!" She sunk her teeth into his arm suddenly, darting forward as the man dropped her with a startled curse.
Maddy caught her as the younger girl launched into her open arms. She closed her eyes, hot tears spilling out onto her cheeks as she held her close. "Zoe…" she breathed out, clutching her as if it might confirm that she was not just an illusion that would dissipate at any moment. She could feel her sister shaking, upset and scared, and tried to sooth her with shushing sounds as she attempted to pull back for a better look. "Are you okay?"
"Where were you?" Zoe asked tearfully, sucking in a shuddering breath.
"Oh, Zo," Maddy swallowed, unsure exactly how to answer that without alarming her. She just pulled her close again, burying her face into the dark hair. "… Did they hurt you?"
Zoe shook her head, still burrowed in the crook of her neck. "No."
"No? They haven't hurt you?" She questioned urgently, not quite sure if she could believe it. Zoe shook her head again though, repeating her answer and Maddy allowed herself to feel relief. She pressed even closer, kissing the side of her head. "It's okay Zoe… everything will be okay…" She wanted to offer more comforting words, but anything else would surely be a lie. She would do whatever they wanted though. She would.
"I want to go home!" Zoe cried into her neck, her small body shaking in her arms.
"I know, Zo…" Maddy said helplessly, running a hand down the small back to try and calm her. She closed her eyes again, trying to stop the tears that refused to slow. "I know. I do too." She held her for what seemed like only minutes before someone attempted to pull her away again. "No! No, don't!"
"Maddy!" Zoe screamed and shrieked as she was unwillingly lifted, thrashing fiercely in the arms that carried her away as if they were hot bands of molten iron searing her. "Let go! Maddy!" She reached out over the broad shoulders with another desperate sob. "I want Maddy!"
Each cry was like a blade carving deep into her heart and Maddy caught her hand for one brief moment as she urgently tried to pursue, but the chain snapped taut as the slack ended. "No! Bring her back!" She screamed, twisting against the restraint, uncaring of the metal that bit into her skin. "Zoe!" She could hear her sister crying even as the door slammed shut behind them, muffling the sound as she was taken further and further away.
"Have a seat."
Maddy stiffened at the calm, unaffected command. She looked up slowly, her eyelashes clumped together as she glowered at the woman who merely stood there with her arms crossed. An unfamiliar feeling surged through her veins at the sight, rage and hatred spurring her usually mild temper to its boiling point as she rose unsteadily to her feet. She moved without warning, hurling herself at the other woman.
Clearly disconcerted by the unexpected move, the woman did not react quickly enough to avoid the first blow—the wrist clad in metal clapping hard against her jaw as Maddy swung at her. She stumbled back in disbelief with blood trickling from her lip, dark eyes widening as the younger woman struck out for a second time. She grasped the wrist this time though and twisted viciously, forcing her to submit to the ground.
Maddy bit her lip against the pain, crying out as an arm locked around her neck. She struggled to breathe, trying to dig her fingernails into the flesh of the arm in an attempt to alleviate the pressure. She succeeded in drawing more blood, but the grip only tightened instead of loosening.
"Listen here, little girl," the woman said through gritted teeth. "The kid is safe…. for now." She tightened her grip even more, chuckling as she received the desired response, all of the fight suddenly draining out of her prisoner. "That girl is actually lucky, because as unexpected as she might have been, she may actually prove to be somewhat useful."
The thinly veiled threat caused her belly to clench with unease. "W-what…" Maddy choked out, her lungs burning with the need to breath. She drew in desperate breaths as the pressure was somewhat released, just enough for her to speak. "What… do you… want?"
"Your cooperation for starters," the woman said calmly. "Next time I ask you a question, you will answer it without hesitation. When I tell you to do something, you will do it immediately. You are never to strike out at me or my men again, because if you do…" She let the words hand ominously. "We need your obedience and if you do what we want you to, if you behave… we might just even let you and your sister go." She unwound her arm and pushed her forward.
Maddy collapsed onto the ground roughly, jagged coughs expelling from her lungs and gingerly reaching up to touch the sore exterior of her throat. She could not find the strength to move more than that. "… What do… you want me to do?" she asked softly, her voice gravelly and hoarse.
"You'll find out soon enough." The woman promised quietly.
…
"Are you okay?"
Maddy barely acknowledged the question as she remained curled upon herself on the floor, her knees tucked into her chest as she stared ahead bleakly. She almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the notion—how could she possibly be okay after her baby sister was violently ripped from her arms only moments after being reunited? How could she be okay after being nearly suffocated? She took in a quivering breath instead, gently tracing in the tender bruises on her neck.
Shifting uneasily near the door at her lack of reaction, Reynolds sighed heavily. He shuffled forward a little and closed the door behind him, moving until his back was against the wall, directly in her line of sight. He slid down the length of it, bending his knees as he rested his forearms atop the. He made no effort to speak; instead he just sat there quietly.
Maddy met his eyes for the briefest moment. She was unable to understand his motives. His face was younger than she had first realized. She suspected he may be closer to her own age, perhaps a bit older. She was not in the mood to even try and analyses his strange behavior right now though. She just wanted to be alone.
Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of her own ragged breathing.
…
It was difficult to find the energy to move.
Maddy had trouble laying her mind to rest as the hours passed. Her eyelashes were essentially glued together from her tears and she felt completely drained by everything that had happened. It all seemed to converge into one giant mess in her mind. She had barely moved an inch, still curled up on her side on the floor motionlessly as she absently listened to the unfamiliar sounds around her.
Unfortunately it gave her a lot of time to think. Her mind drifted to her parents and her brother, probably safe and sound elsewhere in a brand new home. She wondered if they were even looking for her under the circumstances. She could no longer picture them out searching the jungle after today. She didn't even want to, not after the encounter with the nykoraptors.
Not to mention Maddy had never heard of anyone ever being separated from the time stream like this before. She doubted there was any kind of protocol for it. They might even think she and Zoe were just suspended in time and could walk out of the terminus at any given moment as if it were still days before.
Maddy wished it were true.
Whatever these people wanted her to do could not be good, but Maddy knew that she didn't have much of a choice. She would do whatever they wanted as long as it meant that she could eventually take her sister and leave. She knew the chances of being released after giving them what they wanted were not exactly favorable though. She would need a contingency plan, a way to get her and Zoe out of here somehow just in case… as soon as she found where they were keeping her.
Eventually her thoughts were broken as Reynolds began to move around. She heard him rise, holding her breath as he started to approach. She felt him settle beside her with a sigh just before his hands slid under her. He carefully lifted her from the hard, wooden floor and moved her gently onto the cot, pulling a threadbare blanket over her. He must have thought she was asleep and she hadn't the desire to correct him.
"… I'm sorry," he whispered, arranging her arms into a somewhat comfortable position. "I'm so sorry. I won't let them hurt her…" He brushed her cheek lightly with the back of his fingers before he began to retreat from the room. "You have my word."
Maddy pried her eyes open, turning her head just as the door closed behind him. "Thank you." She breathed out, not quite speaking the words and she knew he had not heard. She wasn't quite sure if she believed him… but it was all she had.
