Book Two: The Legends

Chapter Eight - The Compound

After my eyes adjusted, I glanced around, expecting to see some massive sky scraper. But I saw nothing except what looked to be some kind of solid stone or metal in the shape of a square that came a few centimetres of the ground.

I watched helplessly as Ava and I were grabbed roughly and pulled from the truck. Two people, dressed in the usual black, went and swiftly stole the baby out of Walter's arms. The tiny infant started crying at once and Walter leapt up, weakly trying to take baby back. The person who wasn't holding the baby held Walter back and took him to where I was stood.

Vet raised one hand in a sort of gesture and my vision was suddenly blocked by what I figured was a blind fold. Then I was pushed from behind and I started walking oddly forward. After a few steps, the stranger pushing me stopped, so I hesitated, half way between taking a step.

An odd whooshing sound filled my ears and I was pushed roughly forward. Immediately, I felt a different floor under my feet.

"Is the blind fold really necessary?" I muttered more to myself than whoever was holding me.

"Yes," Answered a voice that didn't sound like Vet's.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I heard the strange woosh noise and I suddenly realised I was on an elevator as it was zooming down into the earth.

"Down."

"No shit," I murmured sarcastically, annoyed at his one word answers, "Why are we going down?"

He was silent for a while until I felt the elevator slowing down. "Michael," He replied simply.

"I don't know a Michael," I hissed back at him. He chuckled and I froze as the elevator came to a complete stop.

"Michael," I whispered in realisation. And then I was pulled roughly out of the elevator and pushed to walk straight.

***

When my blindfold was removed, I immediately tried to break the tight grip on my arms but as soon as I was released, I was shoved face first forward. As I fell, I twisted and took the brunt of the fall on my shoulder. I glanced backwards to see a man dressed in black closing a large metal gate.

"What the hell?!" I yelled, leaping up and pressing my face against the odd metal bars surrounding me.

"You will remain here until you reveal the whereabouts of Michael Roberts," The man said grimly before turning away.

"I don't know where he is!" I called after him, my voice echoing strangely.

"Sorry," He whispered before vanishing quickly down the hallway.

I stumbled back away from the bars and glanced around almost frantically. Directly behind me was thick stone wall. On each other three sides, were bars of thick metal. Behind the bars on my left and right, I could see other cells identical to mine. The door was in front of me and within the cell itself was nothing. Outside the door there was a small hallway and another row of cells. The whole place was lit by two dim bulbs hanging from the ceiling in the hallway.

I felt a shiver go down my spine as I unsuccessfully searched for an exit. I let out a moan and sunk to my knees.

"Hello?" I heard a voice whisper from across the hall. I crawled oddly towards the metals bars and peeked through them. Across from me was a girl sitting on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees. She had long, knotted white blonde hair and strange violet coloured eyes.

"Hi," I murmured back, "Who are you?"

A strange look crossed her face. "Don't remember. They call me Winter, though."

"I'm Shayde."

"I know," Winder replied with a small smile, "They've all been talking about you for a while."

I narrowed my eyes slightly until the sounds of a struggle came into earshot and Winter and I both turned to observe the commotion. Seconds later, Oliver, held by two men was dragged quickly down the hall and shoved forcibly into the cell on my right.

Oliver started wrestling with the bars almost immediately, yelling at the men to release him. One of the men stepped forward towards Oliver and raised one hand. Out of nowhere, he brought his hand down and Oliver sunk to the floor, awkwardly position against the bars.

"Oliver!" I cried, trying to reach out to touch him, "What did you do to him?!"

"Don't fret. He's just knocked out," One of the men told me before both quickly disappearing.

"He'll be okay," Winter assured me quietly.

Then entered another man holding both Ava and Walter, who were weakly allowing themselves to be tugged along. The man shut Ava in the cell on my left and Walter in the cell across from her and again, vanished from sight.

"Ava," I sighed, crawling over to the bars my cell shared with her. She immediately gravitated to me and bent down to my height

"You'll be okay, I swear," Ava said in a forced tone.

"The walls," I moaned, already feeling sick to my stomach.

"Are not closing in. You're okay," Ava murmured.

I let out a deep breath and leant my head against the bars. I felt Ava's hand snake through and grip mine gently. And then I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to think about the tight enclosed space I was in.

***

I heard the low creak of a door and my eyes swung open. Outside my cell, the same man who escorted me here was standing in the low doorway.

"Come," He ordered with a hand gesture.

Slowly, I stood up and stumbled my way over to him. He instantly seized my arms and started dragging me out of the hallway. I glanced at Winter who hadn't moved from her sitting position and was surprised to see tears streaming down her face.

"Where are we going?" I asked in panic.

"Interrogation room," He answered.

"Oh..." I murmured, letting him drag me along.

Soon we came to a door and the man opened it. He made a hand gesture for me to enter and I reluctantly walked in. The door slammed shut behind me and I directed my attention to the room. I had to blink a few times in surprise from the pure white of the floor and walls. In the middle of the room was a chair and behind it stood Vet.

"Hello," He called cheerfully, "Take a seat!"

I crossed my arms across my chest and glared at him. He gave a low chuckle at this.

"Fine," Vet said, walking towards me slowly, "I have a question though, and I wish you would answer me."

He waited for me to reply and gave me a slightly twisted smile when I didn't. At this he was directly in front of me. He gripped my shoulders, digging his fingers so hard into my skin I flinched.

"Where is Michael?"

I gritted my teeth and pursed my lips at him. And then at my lack of answer, Vet released one of my shoulders and backhanded me. I fell to the floor from the force and stayed unmoving.

"Where is he?" Vet repeated calmly.

"I don't know," I whispered. Vet reached down and grabbed my hair, pulling me up to my feet. I felt tears of pain spring to my eyes.

"Maybe this will jog your memory?" Vet mused and then punched me squarely in the face.

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Don't hate me too much. :p And sorry for not uploading in a while.

Much love,

Lucie.

xo