Profit Margin (Criminal AU) (WayV x Reader)

Combatant

Chapter warnings: Mild language

Word count: 1236

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She spent the first few minutes of time trying to beat her way out. A boot that she assumed belonged to Hendery stamped on the ground a few times as she did so, but she was undeterred. She continued to try and force her way out despite the lock, continuously shouting Lucas' name. He was the most likely to break. It was only when a muffled voice interrupted her that she paused to hear.

"Could you fucking quit it?" Hendery said, "No one's coming to get you. Lucas is upstairs, he can't hear shit. Even if he could, I don't know why you think he'd help you. He was the one torturing you after all. When people say women are crazy, they really mean it, huh?" She wanted to say something back, but he cut her off again. "Anyway, this will be easier if you just be quiet. One more word and I'll make you shut up."

She wasn't really in the mood to get chloroformed- or more likely get the shit beaten out of her. She breathed in deeply, forcing herself to stop crying, although she couldn't quite get the shaking to subside. She decided to finally take in her surroundings properly. As she had originally assessed, the hole was no more than two feet deep. She could freely move her arms to about the height of her elbow, but it was quite claustrophobic.

There were various boxes and articles around her, but she doubted any of it housed anything useful towards her escape. Maybe if she could find a belt or some other metal apparatus, she could use it as a weapon? That would be an issue for later. Every time the bus took a turn, things were sliding into her from the left and right, pushing her around slightly. Fearing her own suffocation, she focused on slowing her breathing and staying situated under the trapdoor.

Once she was sufficiently calm, she started reaching out to her left and right, trying to feel around for items. Every time she heard someone step overhead, she paused, worried that they would hear her or Hendery would decide to mess with her for fun. She knew that they'd have to undo the lock and thus she'd be prepared, but it still unsettled her. Clawing at a box to her left, she felt something soft... It was likely a shirt or some other similar article of clothing.

Pulling on it, she found that it easily came loose, so she drew it to her chest, balling it up. Awkwardly shifting, she managed to get it up by her head, turning onto her side in an effort to get comfortable. Although her hips against the floor weren't too comfortable, the clothing supplied a decent pillow of sorts. Breathing in again, her nose was filled with the scent of laundry detergent and cologne. Well, at least it was clean. She found her mind wandering, wondering which man it belonged to. Shaking her head, she reprimanded herself for even considering her own kidnappers as the people she had thought them to be.

She shut her eyes and attempted to get a little bit of sleep as they drove. She wasn't really mentally prepared to stay in this position for nearly three hours, so the best she could do was black out for some of it. Throughout the ride, she found herself falling asleep for ten to fifteen minute increments, fading in and out as she woke up in between. She shifted a few times, but eventually the vibrations of the road beneath her and the soft voices above lulled her.

Thankfully, she awoke as they arrived, the metal of the brakes startling her slightly. She heard some heavier footsteps walk above the trap door, stomping down a few times.

"Honey, time to wake up." She heard. Hendery. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she looked up attentively, waiting for the door to open. The next stomp that came was much more aggressive, scaring her a bit. "Answer me, bitch."

"I-I'm up." She stuttered, not sure how to respond properly.

"Good. We have a show to play, you're going to stay here. After that, we'll bring you out to sit in the car with the other girls. And, well, I'm sure you'll find a good home." He laughed.

"W-wait! You really don't plan on leaving me here for another-"

"Did I ask how you felt about it? Like you have any way of changing it." After a short pause, she heard a few footsteps, and then, "Come on, Kun will be waiting for us." Out of the chorus of 'yes's and agreements, she heard one voice clear above the other, sparking a thread of hope in her heart.

"Lucas! Come on, you've gotta help me!" Silence. Shaking the trapdoor, she was practically begging. "Please, I..." More silence. She could almost sense the others looking at him.

"Why would I care how you feel about it?" His voice said, the spite in his tone feeling quite genuine. "As far as we're concerned, you're a five-hundred-thousand-dollar-paycheck. Now do yourself a favor, listen to Hendery, and shut your mouth." She couldn't help the tears welling up in her eyes as she heard all of their footsteps exit the bus, door slamming behind them. Only when she was sure they were gone did she allow herself to start full-on crying.

At first, she was confused. Why had Lucas pretended to care about her or try and be friends with her if he was just going to turn around and fuck her over? Was it just some twisted mind game he liked to play? Did he do it to all the girls. As she was wallowing in her grief, though, she began to realize the situation she had put him in. She had completely forgotten that the others didn't know how he had treated her. It had happened when he held the knife to her throat, and now it was happening again. She felt so stupid- now they would be even more suspicious of him. Still, it spoke of his character to some degree that he was still participating in these actions...

Just as she was reprimanding herself, she heard the bus door open again, and footsteps walk into the vehicle.

"Lucas?" She called out hopefully, wondering if he really had come back to save her. Maybe he would even let her go? Just as she spoke, though, the steps paused. A voice that she was completely unfamiliar with grunted something that she could just barely make out.

"Did you hear that?" It was a deep male voice, clearly weathered- maybe mid thirties? Who could it be? Was it a manager? Should she call out for help?

"I told you they'd have some whores on here. Let's grab them and bounce!"

"Spread out, we'll find them." Shit. These definitely weren't any people with WayV. Why hadn't they bothered to lock the bus? Or was this part of some plan. She forced herself to keep quiet as the steps wandered around the vehicle, tearing open cabinets, curtains, anything that had the slightest chance of hiding a person. Suddenly, she heard the smashing of metal mere inches from her nose- she couldn't help but whimper as she saw the door shake. With a slight snicker, she heard the first voice.

"Found them!"