Was I hungover? It certainly felt like it. The sheer thought of doing anything other than riding these waves of pain was petrifying as I tried to gather my thoughts. But it felt like I was gathering water with a sieve; everything was slipping through before I could bring it all together and make sense of it as a whole. Defeated, I focused on the hum of a vehicle underneath and the slippery leather that squeaked as I shifted. The seat belt chafed at my shoulder and as I tried to make myself comfortable I noticed the handcuffs keeping my hands together.

"What the-" I murmured, my words coming out slurred. And sure enough, as I blinked to clear my vision, it was a definite; I was cuffed.

"Ah, so she awakens," a voice said. Its owner sat nearly straight opposite in what appeared to be a limo, complete with a bar and TV. "He'll be happy to hear we can just walk you in." Christophe smiled. I spat at him and he recoiled back in his seat, eyes narrowed. "Hm, definitely awake. Good to see, good to see though keep an eye on her Elisavet."

"With pleasure," a female voice to my right replied. I shifted away, abruptly uneasy, only to press into another body on my left. The woman in question smirked, satisfied with her reception. She was sallow skinned with black hair and while she was all curves, nothing about her seemed the slightest bit soft. "Do not bother try telepathy around Shiyoon honey." She said her dark eyes cutting to the burly Asian man to my left. "Nobody will hear even a scream." She breathed leaning in close. I coiled up, desperate to keep this snake of a woman far away.

"Back off Elisavet," Christophe ordered. Thankfully she complied and I relaxed marginally without her overpowering perfume clogging my pores. His eyes swung back to mine with laser sharp focus. "Nice to meet you again Willow though the circumstances may be a little, ah, inconvenient for you."

"What the fuck is going on?" I snapped, not in the mood for pleasantries. It was clear this was anything but a social call. The fact I was handcuffed and in the back of a limo with windows tinted pitch black verified that.

"Well," he started conversationally. "Soon enough or already your friends will have untied themselves, gone to check on you and discovered an eloquent letter explaining things."

"Which you have yet to explain to me."

"Ah, ah," he said shaking a finger. "Patience. This might be a lesson on not associating with Benedicts. Anyway, it clearly outlines the S.C.S can no longer tolerate their attempts to destroy our beautiful organisation. Do you realize the work our Boss has put into these circles?"

"You are Dr. Chree," I whispered. He bowed his head to that in a mock congratulations. "You, you guys are the reasons all those students died. The reason Nicolette died!"

"Who?" he said. He dismissed this with a flick of his fingers. "Collateral damage in the grand scheme of things. No great operation ever succeeds without a little."

"Not in the form of lives!"

"Hm, you would be surprised outside of America how frequently the collateral is that." He sighed as though tired by the conversation. "Nevertheless, I would like to believe those Benedicts care enough for your life to discontinue their frankly futile efforts. A life for a blind eye."

I inhaled sharply and I heard Elisavet snort. My heart, as though it knew its beats might be numbered, thumped fast and hard in my chest. Ok, just calm down Willow. We have time. Or so I desperately wanted to believe. "So, you are betting on the fact a family I have no relation to will bow down to this?"

"Sure, would they not for one of their own soulfinders?" he said. "Despite how tumultuous the relationship?"

"They know nothing of it."

"I highly doubt Mr. Soulfinder will be keeping that a secret much longer. Even without it, their nature will not let them be stupid about this." Christophe finished in a steely tone. When my expression remained blank, he rolled his eyes and started mixing himself something from the minibar on board. Once again I wondered how old he was. Then again back home we could drink at eighteen and judging by his accent, I doubted he called America 'home'. Perhaps France or Belgium.

"Anyway, until the Benedicts can be reasonable," Christophe continued. "You'll remain at ours, which we should be at any second." He said giving his flashy watch a look. "Elisavet and another shield of ours will keep you," he took a drink, "safe. Would she be there yet Shiyoon?"

"Yes sir," perhaps the deepest voice I had ever heard replied. "The lift was made and Saoirse said a large number of FBI personnel were taken down."

It took the highest level of self control not to ambush them with questions. Had they known the FBI were coming? For now, I had to believe the Benedicts were smart enough to take care of themselves. I fell silent and as the minutes passed, I began to notice the familiar sound of New York traffic. As my hearing cleared up with the rest of my senses, I listened hard. Yep, definitely New York. Whether this was meant to be secret, I had no idea but New York was the only part of this country I knew. If I managed to escape, at least I had a shot of knowing where to run.

Another few minutes passed before the limo turned tightly and slowed to a stop. Christophe put down his glass and slapped his hands together. "Perfect. Now Willow," he said addressing me more with those unsettling eyes than his words, "We are going to be using the side entrance to go in here. I would appreciate you being compliant as see the lovely Elisavet," he said innocently tilting a finger her way, "She can hide away your memories. Care to tell her how many?"

"Months," she breathed in my ear. "Months and months and months..."

"And so if you try to run or cause too much disruption, we may have to take away a bit. I have been told it is terribly frightening so I advise you comply. Got it?"

I needed to remember everything. What if she took so much I thought they were the good guys? They could tell me anything and… and… I would think the Benedicts were in the wrong. I never realized how frightening the prospect of losing my memory would be. So I nodded in submission and followed them in, the driver immediately leaving. I watched the limo go, saddened as it went back to the main road. To freedom. I tried to get a look at my surroundings but Shiyoon shoved me forward to a fire escape door.

It was surprisingly worrying that they let me walk up the narrow back stairs without knocking me out or covering my eyes at least. Then again, all I could do here was count the floors and my mind was too fuzzy to focus much. We reached the eighteenth or nineteenth floor before Elisavet opened doors to the landing. It split into two corridors, one to my right and the other leading straight ahead. White walls were dotted with artwork probably twice my month's rent each and hardwood floors shone from light coming in from the wall length windows in what looked like a little lobby area down the hall to my right. Shiyoon pushed me straight ahead before I lingered too long.

"Saoirse did an excellent job fixing the cameras," Christophe mused out loud. "And not a soul in sight either. Is it not excellent Willow?"

I replied with a glare when he glanced over his shoulder at me. He shrugged it off and turned to knock on a door ninety seven. I quickly noted this as a tall, pale young woman opened the door. Like Elisavet, there was something disconcerting about her; maybe the hard edges to her face or how tightly her hair was knotted back. She gave a curt nod and walked back into the apartment. For New York, it was large with a wide open living area and a kitchen that put any good TV chefs to shame. The woman, who I presumed was Saoirse, turned off the living space to a hall and brought us down to the last door. And unlike the rest of the apartment, this room had the barest of furnishings. A steel framed bed that looked bolted to the floor, a chair shoved against the far wall and a two litre bottle of water beside it. Room for a prisoner and the jailer.

Shiyoon sat me down on the bed and within seconds had me cuffed to it. I was too tired to protest and looked out the window beside me. Escaping that way would be suicidal and I sighed in resignation. Christophe noticed this and ordered Elisavet and Shiyoon out of the room. "To be honest Willow, these are perfectly adequate conditions. Saoirse, how did the lift go?"

"Fine, those FBI yobs showed up like you said and I left Issa with the packs." She replied in a distinctly Irish accent. She gave me a once over. "So you have me babysitting?"

"If those Benedicts have a brain, this should be no more than a few days. Boss needs Shiyoon so you and Elisavet stick around here. Send her out for food, she," Christophe said throwing a thumb my way, "cannot contact them."

"Fine," she said. "Keep me posted."

"Whatever you want," Christophe purred leaning in to give her a quick kiss. Her cold expression did not falter and she followed him out. At the last second, Christophe stops and comes back to turn off the light. With his hand resting on the switch, he addresses me. "No need to have this on with the sun coming up soon. Anyway things should work out relatively well. No need to worry."

I was exhausted but I mustered up enough strength to shock him a little through the bare bones light switch. He leapt back, much to my delight, swearing. He glared at me as he shook his hand out. "Saoirse," he called without breaking my eye contact. "Turn off the electricity at the box unless you need it. And you," he said in my direction. "Better get used to these four walls." He slammed the door shut and I heard a key turn in its lock.

I could feel Saoirse's as well as Shiyoon's shields lingering around the room like a bad odor so I settled myself in for the long run. I was this close to falling into a pit of despair it was just waiting for the right opportunity to make a break for it now. I honestly doubted it would be as simple as having the Benedicts agree to take a blind eye to this group's misdeeds so it looked like I had two options.

Yes, for now it was a waiting game. But once I saw an opening I would take it and contact someone through telepathy. I was still in New York so hopefully my messages would have an answer. Or just run for it and pray that whichever way I went would not cost me the ultimate price.

Author person here,

I got a new job so to say I have far less time on my hands is an understatement. And I had some family matters that just made concentrating on this difficult. Sorry for the wait on this chapter, I hope you liked this chapter anyway :)

So, yeah, the name is Elisavet (E-leese-a-vet). I would have gone with Lisa on its own except as you can tell, Elisavet is not a nice character and I thought Lisa was too sweet a name for her on its own.