Eiji watched Ash through the darkness, trying to make out the faint rise and fall of his chest. The screams were bad but the silence was worse. Eiji opened his mouth to call out to him, but then closed it again. If Ash was asleep, it would be best to let him rest while he could. If he wasn't sleeping… there was nothing he could do about it anyways.
The door opened and Eiji glared into the sudden light that spilled into the dark room, the chains rattling as he stood up straight to face the approaching figure.
His eyes adjusted and he blinked as Blanca glanced around the darkness before hurrying to him. Yut-Lung followed behind him, closing the door but leaving it open a crack so they wouldn't get locked in.
"Are you hurt?" Blanca whispered urgently.
Of course he was. What did Blanca expect? Eiji glared at him, "What are you doing here?"
"Busting you out."
Eiji's eyes narrowed as he studied Blanca warily. "The keys are on the table," he said finally.
Yut-Lung glanced over and inspected the keys suspiciously. He picked them up and looked around, as if half expecting some alarm to start blaring. But nothing happened. The room stayed quiet.
"Why would Fox leave the keys out in the open?" Yut-Lung asked.
He tossed the keys to Blanca who raised them to Eiji's shackles.
The key turned uselessly within the lock.
"False hope?" Blanca offered. "It doesn't fit."
Yut-Lung glanced at Ash. He took the key and fit it into the lock of one of his shackles.
The shackle opened with a sharp click and Yut-Lung gasped in surprise as Ash collapsed on top of him.
"Blanca!" he hissed, struggling beneath Ash's weight.
Blanca hurried over and wrapped an arm around Ash's chest, holding him up while Yut-Lung moved out from under Ash and unlocked the other shackle.
Blanca lowered Ash gently to the ground where he lay, unmoving.
Yut-Lung stepped forward quickly and held Ash's head in his lap, gently laying a finger to his throat.
"Is he…" Blanca asked, glancing back. Eiji had gone pale and quiet and his eyes didn't move as he watched Yut-Lung inspect Ash delicately.
"He's alive," Yut-Lung answered and Eiji's breath suddenly found its way back into his chest.
"God…" Yut-Lung gaped, his hand pulling away blood that covered half of Ash's face. "What did they do to him?"
"Why does Fox want Ash to escape?" Blanca asked, his cold eyes finding Eiji.
Yut-Lung looked up at him in disbelief. "Escape? Look what they've done to him. They tried to kill him."
Blanca shook his head. "We're in the heart of Fox's lair, where his two most valuable prisoners are, and we haven't encountered any guards. They left keys on the table. My guess is we won't run into much resistance on the way out, either."
"But…" Yut-Lung glanced up. "What about Eiji?"
Blanca turned his gaze to Eiji darkly.
Eiji's heart sank in his chest and he lowered his head. "Guess he isn't willing to let me go," Eiji laughed weakly.
"Screw that," Blanca growled and grabbed a knife. He set the point to the metal and began to work the lock.
The lights came on suddenly with a loud click.
Blanca turned, the knife gripped in his hand. But the room remained silent.
"I think that was your warning," Eiji whispered. "Fox is letting you go. Get out of here before he changes his mind."
"No," Blanca growled. "I'm not leaving you."
"I should have listened to you," Eiji said quietly.
Blanca stopped and looked back at Eiji.
"I should have left him while I had the chance. But I didn't and now I've pulled him into my mess. I made a mistake and now I can't fix it. Blanca, please. Get him out."
Blanca shook his head.
"Blanca, it's okay," Eiji smiled through his tears. "As long as I know he's okay, there's nothing they can do to hurt me. Please. You have to save him for me.
Blanca's eyes flicked briefly towards Yut-Lung who looked up at him, still holding Ash's head cradled in his lap.
Blanca glared up at the viewing windows above, dark and shadowed like the eyes of cruel gods. He looked back at Eiji and lowered his eyes and nodded.
Blanca turned and looked at Yut-Lung. "Do you still want to stay?" he asked darkly.
Yut-Lung looked at his hands, Ash's blood staining his pale skin.
He sighed and looked up at Blanca. "I have to. I may have been sold off to Dino, but I'm still a member of the Lee family. He won't do… something like this."
Yut-Lung smiled at Blanca with more confidence than he felt. "There won't be anything I can't can't handle. I can protect myself."
Blanca glared at him darkly but he could see the resolve in Yut-Lung's eyes. He leaned down and picked up Ash carefully and set him across his shoulder before helping Yut-Lung to his feet. "Then you'd better get back before they realize you're missing."
Blanca looked back at Eiji one last time. The young boy, caged and chained like an animal, trapped back in a life of torture and death, smiled his thanks as Blanca turned and carried Ash out the door.
As they disappeared and the door closed again, Eiji's smile faded and he broke down and wept.
