The Hostage and the Wanted

Isabella held tightly onto Killian’s neck as he lifted her from the tub, her hair clean and her pain manageable. The hot water really did help her joints.

“You look a lot better, little fawn.” Killian smiled, letting the excess water soak his chest as he carried her out of the bathroom and into a jointed bedroom, setting her on the hospital bed that he and Ethan had rolled in.

“I-it still hurts.” Isabella shivered, both from pain and the sudden cold.

“He broke your toes and ripped your fingernails out, lass, I’d call you unbreakable if it didn’t hurt.” Killian said, going back into the bathroom and grabbing a towel.

“Ethan w-won’t give me anything for the pain –h-he” Isabella couldn’t continue as the agony made it hard to concentrate on anything else. If Glen wanted to get a message through, she was reading it loud and clear. She couldn’t walk and had to be carried. Asking for the bathroom was particularly embarrassing and she had already had an accident, although surprisingly Ethan had handled it and she forgot that, even though at times a dick, he was a doctor and professionalism to him came first.

“I know, little fawn. I’m so sorry he did that to you.” Killian responded softly, his voice barely a whisper. He hated not being able to help the girl –or her friends.

“Little f-fawn? Why little?” Isabella asked, trying to get her mind away from her misery, the soft touch of the towel on her skin made her shiver. She was naked in front of a complete stranger and she didn’t even care.

“Because you’re small and fragile.” Killian replied, draping the towel to cover her once he had finished drying her off. “Let’s get you some new clothes, yeah?”

Isabella didn’t respond to the rhetorical question before she watched him go to the door and knock, it opened a second later. He whispered something and it shut just the same.

He came back and sat in a nearby chair to wait although he watched Isabella carefully. She noticed his eyes and shrunk away from his stare, now uncomfortable despite the pain. She didn’t know what ran through his head, his eyes were unreadable but they weren’t unkind. Quite the opposite. The brown orbs were filled with more emotions than Isabella could read.

After a moment Killian walked back to her.

“What’s your story, lass? I’ve never seen anyone in my life so set on causing one person so much misery. Surely this isn’t justified?” He gestured toward her broken and beat up figure.

Isabella hunched away from his approaching hand, flinching.

He noticed and dropped away, just looking to the girl.

“I’m deserving m-much as Saudimere wishes. I was caught because I was stupid, I got friends involved and now they’re going t-to s-suffer. Don’t g-get involved.” Isabella half pleaded and half begged before the door opened again.

Ethan walked in with a simple white undershirt and black stretch pants, the same everyone else in the cells were given to wear.

Killian reached for the clothes to help dress Isabella but Ethan held them from his reach and shook his head.

“No, I will dress my ex-fiancée, we have things to discuss.” Ethan told Killian sternly before the Irishman nodded and stepped back.

“As you wish Mister. Bright.” Killian answered him respectfully, turning to leave but Ethan stopped him, motioning him back.

“I never said to leave. I said I was going to dress her. Your job is to assist me, so assist and quit being stupid, huh?”

Killian nodded as he watched Isabella flinch back from Ethan’s hand as he pulled the towel from her and gently slipped the shirt over her head, helping her put her arms through into the sleeves before being pulled down, the material reaching below her butt. It was at least two sizes too big and he knew that two years ago it would have fit her perfectly.

“You’ve definitely lost weight, Sunshine,” Ethan said with an undertone of concern before taking the black sweatpants and putting her feet into them, as the material slipped against her toes she screamed aloud in agony. “Sorry.” Ethan apologized, almost flinching himself. He really didn’t like breaking her toes one by one, forcing them backwards until he heard a snap. It was a slow drawn out punishment and his ears were ringing by the time he was done. The fingernails were the hardest and he still couldn’t get that image from his mind. As much as he hated her, Ethan didn’t see the point in all the work that Glen wanted her for. Though why the fuck should he care? He’d be released from his contract soon enough.

“Is she allowed any pain medication? She was asking for some earlier, sir.” Killian told him, watching Isabella closely. The girl was miserable and barely able to function.

“Glen told me no, says it defeats the purpose of the punishment. She’ll have to wait for it to numb on its own. It might take a week or two but the boss doesn’t seem too much in a hurry.” Ethan shrugged turning to Isabella. “Sunshine? Glen would like to know what you were doing in the system before your capture, nothing seems out of place but I know you well enough, Isabel –Anastasia. I know you don’t just hack in and do nothing.”

Isabella smiled at the slip, despite so much pain.

“Anastasia? Please? I’m expected back with an answer to Glen within the hour.”

Isabella’s body shook but her green eyes lightened.

“My name is Isabella and Glen Saudimere c-can kiss m-my ass. If he’s so smart, he can get up o-off his l-lazy ass and suck me till I-I’m dry b-because that’s the only w-way I’ll ever answer to him.” Isabella hit back, wishing the pain would go fuck itself but she expected it, she still expected worse. No matter what she did, she knew Glen would eventually break her –right before he ordered her execution.

Ethan chuckled and Killian frowned.

“Is that you trying to be tough? I’ll make sure to pass on to him what you just said. Now, since he told me to personally deal with you –and you can be glad for that because Glen wants nothing more than to go round two on your ass, I will ask again; what the fuck did you do in the system! My team can’t find anything and I know damn well you didn’t just go hacker for a distraction.” Ethan insisted, leaning forward slightly.

Isabella flinched back but didn’t bother trying to speak. Her pain level was kicking up again and she would be damned if Ethan Bright was going to get the pleasure of finding out that, despite having the distraction, she had been looking through the system to find a video – her son’s murder video.

“F-fuck you, Ethan. I’m not telling.” Isabella decided before she saw Ethan’s fist pick up off the bed, she flinched back, knowing what was about to come and prepared herself for it.

Before his fist could make contact with the girl’s temple, Killian caught Ethan’s arm.

“Pardon my blatant disrespect, Mister. Bright but in Ireland, we do nu strike a lady. If you want information, your hand needs neither violence nor force. They need a soft touch –like this.” Killian explained, putting Ethan’s hand to Isabella’s cheek and unclenched his fist. “Isabella –Anastasia, needs that understanding and maybe if you gave er’ that, she wouln’t fight so much.” Killian explained, his voice slipping between his Irish and controlled tone in nervousness.

Ethan paused, clearly shocked at the slightly younger man. If it had been anyone else, he was sure that they would no longer be breathing but the younger man had a somewhat valid point –although he made a poor choice in words.

“You mean, like this?” Ethan asked, reaching down, his lips firmly placing themselves against Isabella’s in a passionate and heated kiss.

Isabella moaned against his lips before biting down on the bottom of his soft pink flesh, making him yell in pain and pull away.

Killian wanted to smile, he bit the inside of his cheek.

“Sometimes, Mister. Bright, you get a flower or a thorn in my country. Your lass has spunk.”

“She’s a thorn alright, a fucking pain in my side!” Ethan exploded, touching his lip before balling his hands into a fist and bringing it across Isabella’s temple, knocking her out instantly. “No more advice from your home country or next time I’ll make you kiss her.”

Killian chuckled despite himself, not a good idea but he couldn’t help it; especially seeing that Ethan currently had a bleeding lower lip. He felt bad for Isabella but there was nothing he could do –not in front of Ethan at least.

“My apologies, Mister. Bright. Although, I would not have suggested kissing her unless you knew what her move would be. She is her own person.” He sobered at Ethan’s intense gaze and cleared his throat.

“Not anymore she isn’t. Go on and get her down to the cells, lock her in the empty one next to the boys –maybe your usefulness extends well below your expertise but you show promise. Oh and use the poll in there to your advantage, lock her arms behind her to it. Glen Saudimere should be down to see her later and would want her in one place until his visit.” Ethan said, taking out a flexi-tie and handing it to the Irishman.

Killian took the tie and began to roll the gurney toward the door but Ethan’s voice stopped him.

“Oh and Killian? I won’t tell Glen about your slip in pronunciation this time but you need to remember yourself and where you stand. Am I clear?”

“I understand perfectly, Mister. Bright. I know where my position lies but if I may say, sir? What does all this violence really accomplish? Little fawn is scared and flinches at anything that come close to her face, fear is only good if it works, sir. Fear does not work on her, she needs other methods to garner cooperation and sadly, those vices have not been thought of because everyone around her quickly jumps to violence. There are other ways but I fear you are dealing with a half lost cause.” Killian nodded with respect before leaving Ethan to his thoughts, rolling Isabella away from the bedroom and toward the elevators.

*

Zayn stared upward to the enclosing space, the soft breaths of everyone were accounted for and despite the pain in his body that was never ending –he was thankful to be back with his friends; even if they weren’t doing much better.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and moved his head slightly to see Harry’s face in his proverbial vision. With great strength, Zayn sat up, groaning slightly as he did so.

“What’s up mate?” Zayn asked, his voice struggling to speak but also trying to keep it down. The other boys were fast asleep –which, he was thankful for small favors. Especially for Niall, he was having the most trouble out the five of them.

“Louis hasn’t moved from under the benches, do you think he’s alright? I tried to get him out but he just takes his arm back and keeps facing the wall.” Harry asked, sitting beside his friend.

“Louis is pouting for lack of better words. Leave him to his own for a while, yeah? We’ll regroup once everyone is ready –when they can and go from there.” Zayn smiled softly.

Liam had Niall’s head propped up on his lap, both were sound asleep. Louis just laid there silently under the benches in silence.

“This is so fucked up, mate. I know the wicked get punched in the nuts but – were we really this deserving?” Harry asked with a sigh before their eyes reached out to the door opening.

Harry instantly recognized Killian, carrying a knocked out Isabella bridal style into the cells, going to the one without any occupants –a guard following, unlocking the prison door before retreating outside and locking the outer door again.

“Killian?” Harry asked, making the Irishman look up.

“Hey, mate.” Killian greeted, walking into the cell and placing Isabella against the poll that sat dead in the center of the cell, much like the other prison.

“Is she ok?” Harry asked concerned, getting up and making his way to the side of his cage, his hand wrapping against the thick black bars, watching Killian tie Isabella’s hands behind her to the poll and look around quickly before pulling something from his pocket.

Harry saw it was a syringe.

“She will be.” Killian promised, popping the cap and hurriedly injected her with the needle before jamming the object back into his pocket, careful not to stab himself.

“What did you –“Harry saw Killian’s finger go to his lips as a signal to be quiet before meeting him the rest of the way to the bars and motioning him to come closer.

Harry obliged, abet cautiously.

“Saudimere wu give er anything fir pain. Sol I did.” He shrugged before clearing his throat and made his way from the cell, locking the prison door behind him, knocking on the titanium door and stepping back out.

Harry watched Killian go, confused beyond words but oddly proud of the stranger’s defiance.

“Lucky charms has guts.” Zayn said, overhearing them.

“He certainly has my respect. He seems like a nice bloke.” Harry agreed, glancing at Isabella’s unconscious figure before making his way to the other side of the cage where a plastic bucket sat.

Zayn made a disgusted face. The conditions, although were sanitary and clean, they were far from ideal.

“So, what do you think Saudimere’s plans for us are? Harry asked, relieving himself before grabbing one of the sanitary towels that were stacked by the bucket and wiped his hands, going to sit beside Zayn again.

“I’m not sure but I know as well as anyone here, if they did that to Louis and Niall without a second thought –I’m almost afraid to know what else they’re going to do. I have a feeling that will depend on Isabella’s cooperation and judging by how her current situation looks, I don’t think we’re going to fair much better, mate.” Zayn answered truthfully, seeing Harry nod solemnly.

“I’m having the same feeling.”

Notes