Kanra tried to rip free of her restraints, knowing it was useless but still hoping they had messed up somehow. The man who had been hitting her hand dragged her to a new room, and then tied her to a metal chair that was as cold as ice.

"HEY!" Kanra called. "Can someone bring me water? I'm thirsty!" The had left her alone, still blindfolded, and hadn't returned for a while

"SHUT UP!" someone called.

That was all Kanra needed to hear to know that she was still being monitored. Someone may not be in the room with her, but there was probably something for them to see her.

Kanra whipped her head around, succeeding in loosening the blindfold and making it slip to hanging down from her ears. She shook her head around a little more, making it fall to her neck. Then she observed the room.

It was small and built to keep people in rather than out – the lack of a doorknob on the only door making this clear – but still had a couch so as to look like someone's bedroom rather than a prison. Looking around some more, she noticed that there were a few dolls sitting on the ground, shoved to the wall to be almost invisible.

Kanra smiled, recognizing one of the dolls as belonging to Simone. The girl was always carrying one around with her, so she had probably been in this room sometime and had dropped a few. That, or this was her room but with bed things removed to appear to not be inhabited by anyone.

The door opened, and Simone walked in with their father. Simone was carrying a tray of food, but didn't look at Kanra as she moved to the couch. She picked up one of her dolls, and settled down staring off into the distance.

"Come to apologize?" Kanra asked with a smile.

Her former father rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He was still standing between Kanra and the door, apparently going for an intimidating look. "I want to know where Shizuka is, Kanra," he said coldly. He glanced at Simone, and Kanra saw the small girl jump and hastily begin eating the bread on her tray.

Kanra shrugged. "Hell if I know. I already told you it's pointless. Hey, can I have some of that bread?"

Simone finally glanced at Kanra, but then looked to her father for an answer.

He smirked. "No, Kanra, you may not. I've decided the best way to deal with you is slow torture. Take it slow, my teachers always told me. See, immediate punishment doesn't seem like it will work with you, and I thought the slow way would be better."

Kanra tried to shrug, but failed. "You going to starve me then?"

"More or less," he said, his smile turning pleasant. "I thought it would be best to make you feel how angry I really am."

He left then, leaving Simone behind with Kanra. On cue, Kanra felt the fans in the room turn on and blast in hot air. It irritated her, but just annoyed her. She could easily ignore it.

"How have you been, Simone?" Kanra asked politely.

Simone stared at her and murmured something in Russian.

"Sorry blondie and I took off," Kanra continued. "Was he really mad?"

Simone nodded and said in perfect Japanese, "Father said that toys need to know when they're old and used up."

Kanra felt a flash of anger, but hid it from the smaller girl. "Well you were always his favorite," Kanra replied. "He didn't want the mutant or me contaminating your innocence."

Simone shook her head. "No. Father wanted me to be something I am not, and for that he decided I was too much of a waste. After you two left, he decided that he didn't need me either."

The girl lowered her eyes back to her tray of food, no longer eating. That was when Kanra saw the scars lining Simone's face. They were faint, probably caused a long time ago or treated well, but they made her look other places. Because the girl was wearing a skirt and tank top, Kanra could see the scars that covered the girl's legs and arms.

"Want me to hurt him back?" Kanra asked kindly, grinning widely at the smaller girl.

Simone shook her head. "No. It's pointless. Father is done experimenting, and has finished his Beta."

"Come on," Shizuka and Shizuo grumbled together. Shizuka was tapping her foot as she watched the floor indicator slowly increase, and Shizuo fiddled with the cigarette in his mouth. "Come on!" they growled, seeing the floor move to seven.

The elevator stopped and opened up. They both glared at the little light before lowering their gazes to the eight men blocking their exit.

"I'll have you come with me, little girl," an armored man said, pointing a gun at her. All the other men were armored as well, but with their guns focused on Shizuo. They looked nervous, fidgeting around and their hands shaking.

Shizuka glanced at Shizuo and said, "Sure."

She stepped forward and slammed a fist into the man's stomach. He fell to the floor, hugging his gut as she moved on to the next one. Shizuo had stepped out to help her, and together they quickly finished off the eight annoyances.

"Want to find the stairs?" Shizuka suggested, glancing at the elevator.

Shizuo shrugged. "Probably a good idea," she agreed.

They strolled down the hall they were in. The floor was an insurance company and all of the workers who saw them jumped and ran for cover. Soon no one was in their way, and they followed the little signs indicating where the stairs were without much trouble.

They didn't encounter another problem until they opened the door to the eighth floor. A man was standing with his back to the door. Shizuo KOed him pretty easily, but Shizuka groaned when she saw the security camera pointing directly at them.

A high-pitched whine pierced the air as the pair stepped into the hall. Within seconds three more men found them, and in five more seconds the men were lying unconscious on the ground.

"Where do you think she is?" Shizuo asked, breathing out a puff of smoke.

Shizuka shrugged. "We can just try every door and find out," she suggested.

"My kind of plan," Shizuo agreed with a grin.

Sarin: Simone's here! Yes, she's a pointless little girl, but I like her and felt like I needed to have her. Also, I think it would be hilarious to be in the office when Shizuo and Shizuka strolled through. Would make work a lot more bearable.