Trusting the Enemy

Chapter 3

Darkness surrounded her and she could hear screams of agony around her but saw no one except for gleaming teeth and claws. Pain filled her as they tore into her skin and ripped away at her until her voice had joined in the screams filling the air. Outcast went limp before feeling a figure shake her, though the darkness hid the person from view as her eyes close and one last round of pain went through her chest.           

 The pain was gone, finally trickling away to nothing in a sudden burst, and Outcast jerked awake only to feel the tight bonds around her wrists and ankles. Panic flooded her mind as she stared up at the dark ceiling, where was she? Had that just been a hallucination created by the scientists? Anger took over and she struggled a bit before realizing it was only tightening her restraints. Relaxing, she slipped her wrist out and undid the rest of the restraints before getting to her feet, stumbling slightly as she did so.

Looking around she realized she didn't recognize the room, which meant it was either a different room or the Cybermen and Dalek attack had been real and she'd just regenerated. The latter seemed more likely the more her mind started focusing again, though the fact she was in a room like this only made her think of more experiments. It didn't help when she saw a Torchwood symbol on the wall. Spotting a camera she walked over to it, stood on a chair, and ripped out the wires. A moment later a man's shout came from another room and Outcast quickly grabbed a scalpel from a table and hid. Whoever came into the room wasn't going to leave.

About thirty seconds later a man with short hair and a black leather jacket came into the room... her bag in one hand while her knife was in the other. "Come out... you can't hide forever."

She didn't think he looked like a scientist but didn't want to be caught in a trap... though she didn't want to get blood all over her backpack. She shifted her position and waited until he walked past her before lunging at the back of his head. He turned to face her right before the blade went into his neck and Outcast felt a tight grip on her wrists as he dropped his items to defend himself.

"Feisty aren't you?" The man hit the pressure point on her wrist and she felt the scalpel slip from her hand as it went numb.

Outcast scowled before kicking him and twisting her arms free. She went for his throat while he was regaining his balance but a gunshot whizzing by her head distracted her long enough for the man to pin her down.

"I had that handled." The man called to the shooter.

Footsteps approached. "I told you to stay with her Owen."

"I got her didn't I?"

Outcast smirked before tensing up again and flipping herself, sending Owen to the side, though he still had a grip around her neck. Black dots swam across her vision as she kept fighting until she went limp again and half closed her eyes. Regenerating took some rest before it completed and she'd used up what little energy she had trying to escape.

"There, see." Outcast was dragged to her feet as Owen pulled her back to the table. "And her friend though she wasn't tame. You just need to show them who is in charge, Jack."

"I don't want her injured." Jack replied and she glared over at him halfheartedly, was that some kind of trick?

"Not a scratch." A familiar voice said.

The door opened again and Outcast saw Shylah enter. She glared at the other woman; she thought they were friends. Why was she now a prisoner again?

"Would you two like it better if I had let her stab me through the skull?" Owen responded, staring at Jack.

She would've loved it if she'd gotten to stab him but Outcast didn't speak as the lights were turned on, temporarily blinding her. Blinking a few times, she sent Shylah a betrayed look before shaking off Owen's relaxed grip and backing against the wall beside the medical table.

"Outcast..." Shylah took a step forward. "They're on our side."

Outcast didn't respond for a few moments and her friend backed away again, a hurt expression on her face. The look didn't even send a hint of guilt through her mind; in fact she reached up to her throat to swipe her prints across the TARDIS choker before noticing it wasn't there. This time she directed her glare back to Owen, he had been the one with her things, where had he put her only way out of here?

Seeming to know what she was thinking Jack spoke up. "We locked it away. You won't be seeing it again until we can trust you."

"So I'm a prisoner?" She hissed back, pressing harder against the wall.

"I didn't say that." Jack responded smoothly, still not making any move to come closer or leave.

"It's implied. I can't leave, I have to stay here an earn your 'trust'."

"I can't let you out unless I know you don't intend to harm people."

She scoffed. "What do you want me to say? I come in peace or some piece of crap like that? You don't see other species holding your kind hostage and demanding this shit. We don't see a human and go, 'oh look, a new science experiment to tie down and cut apart until it dies. I know, first let's play who can cut out its heart correctly!'"

"Outcast... calm down." This time the man did step forward and she tensed up, she wouldn't show she was too tired for another fight. "No one wants to hurt you here until you give them reason to."

"Torchwood already gave me a reason to hurt you. I used to be okay with humans until your people showed up. A year stranded and all of a sudden I'm locked up and tested on like I'm a lab rat." She edged towards the door only to see Owen cut off her path.

"Just trust them." Shylah spoke up again quietly. "Why would they save you if they wanted to kill you?"

"I have seven lives left. I'm sure losing my sixth was no big deal for them." Outcast was leaning on the wall now, using it for support as her internal injuries finished their regeneration. She hated this part of regenerating; it was always painful and draining.

"They'll take them if you try fighting your way out." Her friend reasoned.

"Is that a threat?" Black was edging her vision now, any moment she would sink back into unconsciousness to regain the energy she didn't have.

"A warning."

Outcast closed her eyes, partly trying to process what was happening, she didn't even know what century or city she was in, which made it worse. Opening them again she found the three of them had closed in on her just out of arms reach. She gave up and allowed them to take her as darkness covered her vision.