Shun

While being distracted by watching Nero kill Xavier and take over, I didn't hear the Officials running around the building. None of the others seemed to have heard them either until they had us cornered against the wall. Ten of them had their rifles pointed at the seven of us.

Dan was about to lift his gun when Nero's voice came from above us. "I would think twice about doing that, my friend." He was leaning out the window, and small grin on his face. I growled at him as I remembered the hatred I had towards this particular Official.

He had almost killed me on several occasions, and used Alice as a weapon against me. "How long did you know we were here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice at a normal level instead of shouting it at him. Nero tapped him chin as he thought. "Hmm. I've known you all have been there for a while. Even before I shot Xavier in his back. I was just letting you enjoy the show," he said flatly.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Nero had allowed us to sit here and believe that we were unnoticed, but he had known all along that we were sitting right under this window. "Can we shoot them now?" a young female Official asked, finger ready on the trigger for whenever Nero gave the word.

The blonde psychopath above me looked at him and said, "Not quite yet, Kat. Let's see if they know anything that may be of use to us. If they don't spill anything, then you have free run of them." Kat smiled and tossed a lock of her tawny-colored hair over her shoulder.

The barrel of her gun never left us. Nero told them, "Bring them inside and lock them in separate rooms. Be sure to take their weapons away." One of the Officials reached his hand out to grab Val. The overly muscular fisherman from the lake then reached for the mace he took from a previous Official, and swung it.

The spiked ball hit the Official in the side, and I heard several of his ribs snapped from the blow. Blood began to flow from the wound and the injured Official dropped to the ground, groaning in pain. As Val turned around to attack again, the Officials had overpowered him, and took the weapon from him.

Val, now left defenseless, had his hands tied behind him and his face shoved to the ground with enough force, that I was sure his nose was broken. While we were distracted by watching Val, the rest of the Officials took our weapons from us, making sure to search us thoroughly for anything we may have hidden.

The only thing hidden they took from us, was Feliciana's weapon. They tossed the rifles, Feliciana's slingshot-like device, and Brunswick's bow into a large pile over to the side. Nero instructed, "Keep those. We needed a generous donation of weapons anyway."

The rest of our hands were tied like Val's, and we were being taken inside the headquarters. But I noticed that they were taking Val somewhere different from where we were going. "Where are they taking him?" I demanded to the Official in front of me. He turned slightly so he could glance at me.

"That's none of your business, Outcast. So, shut up," he said gruffly. The Official turned back around and proceeded to ignore me from there on out. As we were taken into the headquarters, each of us were deposited into a different room. The hand restraints stayed on us in case we tried to escape or fight back.

The room was empty expect from a table and two chairs; one sitting across from the other. That must be where they're going to interrogate us at. My eyes fell on a small metal box that was sitting on the edge of the table. It had tiny knobs on it, and a meter of some sorts.

I couldn't figure out was it was. The door behind me opened, and my Official popped his head in. Without making eye contact with me, he demanded, "Sit down in the chair and stay there. Your interrogator will be in here shortly." He then slammed the door shut without another word, or even so much as a please.

I turned and looked back at the chairs. Did it matter which I sat in? I walked over to them and took a seat in the chair that faced the door. I wanted to get an immediate look at who would be asking me questions. It was uncomfortable sitting in the chair with my arms tied behind me; the feeling reminded me much of the painful nights back in the prison.

Caught. Great. How are we going to get out of this one? That was the thing. We weren't. Up until now, all of our plights had been flukes. All of us should have been dead a long time ago. I guess this is fate's way of having a little fun before we die, I thought grimly. The same Official opened the door and said, "Your interrogator is here now." He held the door open and my judge, jury, and executioner stepped inside. I narrowed my eyes at him. Nero…

Shun

Nero didn't immediately take his seat. Instead, he walked around to mine, and whipped out two leather straps. He snapped his fingers and the Official who opened the door, walked over to him and untied my hands from my back. Feeling relief of having the tight bindings on me, I sighed.

But only to have my arms pinned down on the armrests of the chair and tied down even tighter by the leather straps Nero pulled out. "The hell!" I shouted and tried to fight them, but they had gotten them all the way tightened. Two more straps were produced, and my ankles were tied to the legs of the chair.

I struggled against my new bindings and felt the leather edges cutting into my wrists and ankles. "Get these off of me!" I spat. Nero dismissed his Official. The minion left the room, slamming the door closed behind him. Nero sat down across from me closed his eyes.

"That's better. Can't have you trying to lunge at my throat while I ask you your questions." I was still tugging at my restraints, and was even contemplating on chewing through the leather. "You're not going to break those straps. I hope you know that," he told me.

I growled and kept tugging. I said harshly, "I can try, can't I?" Nero rolled his eyes and said, "Try and try you might, you won't succeed. Now, how about we start by you telling us everything we want to know?" I stopped struggling and glared at him. "I'd rather die than tell you shit."

Nero shook his head in shame at me, then his eyes fell on the metal box that was still on the table. "I was hoping I didn't have to use that, but you're not giving me much choice." He leaned forward and slowly turned one of the dials. I watched the needle on the meter start moving, then I was overcome with a stabbing sensation that jolted through my body.

"Stop it! Stop!" I shouted and writhed in my chair. Nero turned the dial back down, and the pain subsided, leaving my limbs twitching from the leftover remains of whatever he did to me. He explained, "Those straps are connected with this special box, and every time you decide to be uncooperative, I'll turn that knob and send volts of electricity through you. The more stubborn you are, the higher the volts get, and so does the pain."

I felt my heart rate starting to return to normal. There couldn't be enough power in that box to kill me. No, I was worth too much to Nero. Informational wise, at least. He was going to torment the answers out of me. I can't let him do that. I wasn't going to let him win or get his hands on anything that I knew and let it be of use to him.

He could shock me into oblivion, but I wasn't going to break. Or, at least, I hoped I wouldn't break. Pain can make a person do crazy things if it's bad enough. Nero cleared his throat and said, "Now, how about we start again? Tell us what we want to know. Like-" I cut him off before he could finish.

"How about you tell me why you have such a damn problem with me?" I spat. "You've done nothing but try and kill me since this started," I added. Nero's eyes narrowed at me, and I saw a screaming familiarity behind them. It hit me, and truly surprised me. I said softly, "You were an Outcast, weren't you?"

Nero's jaw tightened and he slammed his hands on the table. "I am not, nor have ever been, one of those lowly and filthy creatures!…..I ought to have you shot in the foot for such an accusation." He could deny it all he wanted, but I had seen those kind of eyes all my life; eyes that have seen the struggles that we faced everyday out in the Wastelands.

I decided to press things further. "How'd you get back into the City and become an Official? Outcasts get in a lot of trouble if they even think about that." I could see the anger boiling up inside Nero. "I am no Outcast!" he shouted loud enough that I was sure they heard us in the room next to us.

"What did you do? Sneak into the City and change your appearance?" I asked with a sly grin on my face. He used my biggest weakness against me, so I was only returning the favor. "I've heard enough of you!" He reached for the dial on the metal box. The electric shocks bombarded me, causing my muscles to twitch and contract with pain.

I cried out and felt tears starting to form in my eyes. Through my watery eyes, I saw Nero turning the dial even further, and I felt the pain increase. Nero hissed at me, "I'm going to make you suffer until there's nothing left of you, just like all Outcasts should be done."

I tightened my hands on the armrests and was able to say through gritted teeth, "Then…Why aren't…You doing this to yourself?" His eyes grew wild with anger, and he turned the knob till it wouldn't move anymore. He turned it so far, that it actually broke off. Nero stared at the knob for a moment, then smiled evilly.

"Woops," he said and tossed the dial over his shoulder. I was screaming now as the pain only got worse and worse. Smoke began to rise from the metal box, and then the electric current was cut. The pain started to subside, but my body was still reacting to having the volts sent through it.

Nero stared at the device with wide eyes. "The hell?" He picked it up and examined it. "Damn thing seems to have broken. Shit!" He threw it down on the ground, and the machine broke apart. My eyes were struggling to stay open as I fought the need to pass out from pain.

My limbs still twitched, and I was sure it looked like I was having some sort of seizure. "Maxus!" Nero shouted. I was able to see the same Official walk inside the room. Nero told him harshly, "Get this filth out of my sight! I'm done here." Nero stomped out of the room, leaving Maxus to take care of me.

The Official took off the leather straps, and I saw the burned flesh that was underneath them. Maxus helped me to my feet, but the electric torment had left me too weak to walk. So, he had to help carry me out of the room. I caught a glimpse of Nero down the hall. He was pacing back and forth, talking to himself and swearing. I smiled. I thought before passing out, I told you I wouldn't tell you anything.

happy monday to all! -throws confetti- i have been sneezing nonstop all day and all yesterday, and i fear that i will not have any brains left. o.o well, let's hope i keep something in my head. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~