A pitiful groan reverberates off the wooden walls, and Bryce's pounding head couldn't even tell whether it was him who released the pitiful noise or someone else. Sore and weak, Bryce grunts as he pushes himself to a sitting position, and groggily examines his surroundings.

       "Andrew? Aiden? Ajax?" Bryce calls out, voice hoarse and scratchy from disuse. 'How long have I been here?'

       "Paislee?" He tries again, raising his voice, only to end up in a coughing fit.

      Shoulders slouching in disappointment when he receives no answer, he rubs his aching eyes and looks around again, squinting. He notices that the room is completely bare. No windows. No furniture. Nothing. Only him and empty space. He turns carefully, wincing, to inspect what is behind him, and finds himself face-to-face with a door. A door that isn't fully closed.

      The boy's droopy eyes widen, and his exhaustion fades and replaces with awareness. He shakily scrambles to his feet, and hurries to the jarred door. He flings open the door, nearly ripping it from its hinges, screaming at the top of his lungs while ignoring the rawness of his throat, "Paislee! Andrew! Aja-!"

      Before Bryce can finish his shouts, or step foot out of the room, he is thrown backwards by a sudden force. He cries out, as he slams into the floor with a loud thud. Dazed and confused, the black-haired boy raises his head to see the offending object that tossed him like a rag doll.

      "My, my, foolish aren't we?" Bryce's breath hitches as his brown eyes lock with green ones, sparkling with amusement. A woman with light, blonde hair stalks toward the sprawled out boy. The woman's cheek bones prominent, skin a caramel shade, nose narrow and sharp, and smile laced with malice. Apart from her facial features, her build is fit and muscular. The teen can make out the bulge of her biceps, and muscles in her legs through her navy blue jumper. If that isn't enough to startle him, her height definitely does. She has to be at least six feet tall. She is a frightening sight, and Bryce can't help but shrink away as she approaches him.

      "What's with that look? Huh? Am I intimidating?" The woman asks, with a cruel smirk.

       Bryce swallows, nervously, as his gaze darts around so he doesn't have to create eye contact with the woman. However, his wish is not granted when a strong hand fists the fabric of his shirt, and yanks him harshly to his feet.

      "Look at my eyes and answer me, child. It's rude not to," she snaps, as the hand not gripping his shirt snatches his chin and forces Bryce to stare into her cold eyes.

      "Y-yes ma'am," Bryce croaks, every part of him begging to break the eye contact.

      "Good," she shoves him away roughly, "remain this obedient and we will get along nicely, Bryce."

       After the boy regains his footing, he tilts his head at her, "how...how do you know my name?"

      "Oh, Bryce. Not even going to ask what my name is? Not going to bother exchanging pleasantries?" She asks, feigning hurt, as she circles the boy like a hawk who just spotted a possible juicy meal.

      Bryce furrows his brows together, as he keeps an eye on her suspicious movements, "what's your name then?"

      "Diana Stewart-Everett," she answers, halting her pacing with a cocky smirk on her face.

      "How do you know my name?" Bryce repeats his earlier question, relieved at how steady his voice is.

      Diana laughs. Her laugh is not a light, melodic laugh. Not deep and breathy like his brothers' laughs. The blonde's eyes didn't light up, and her nose didn't wrinkle adorably like Paislee when she used to giggle at his stupid antics. It's not even a laugh, but similar to an evil cackle. "Your friends, of course," she states, matter-of-factly, "they, however, weren't as accepting of their current situation as you are. It took a lot longer to get them to talk to me."

      Bryce feels his heart speed up in his chest. They are here. His captor must have seen the way he became rigid at the mention of his friends, and she sends him a malevolent grin.

     "Yes, I remember now. Your brothers, triplets, actually put up quite a fight against my men. I eventually got them to talk. The girl however..." The woman drawls, and pauses to see his reaction.

     "What about her?" Bryce queries, trying to remain calm. He wants answers to where he is, why he is here, and what this lady has in store for him. He wants to find his brothers. He wants-he needs to see Paislee to make sure she's unharmed.

     "She's a feisty little thing. She also put up a fight. Beat up one of my men, and when she woke up she did some damage to a few more of them. She refused to speak," the lady's left eye twitches, clearly annoyed by Paislee's failure to cooperate, "her silence will only make matters worse for her."

     The black-haired boy stiffens, and Diana jabs at him, "an absolutely lovely girl. A shame I had to bruise up such a beautiful face."

      Anger bubbles inside of Bryce at the realization that this maniac laid a finger on Paislee, "can I see them?" His eyes flicker to the open door just feet away from him. He could try to make a run for it, but he isn't leaving without his brothers and Paislee.

      "You want to see your friends?" Diana says, incredulously, and Bryce grits his teeth; he fears she is going to punish him for requesting seeing them. He drops his eyes, hoping she doesn't notice his trembling, as her hand clutches his shoulder.

       "Very well," the older of the two hisses, to Bryce's shock and pleasure, and pulls him out of the room. Bryce tucks away every detail of the building he passes, in case he has to make a hasty escape. She tugs him down a dark hallway, takes a sharp right turn, and stops at the first room.

      "Don't even get any ideas," she whispers in the boy's ear, as she releases her vice-like grip on his arm to unlock the door.

       Bryce knows his visit will be cut short if he tries to run, and does as she commands; waiting patiently for her to reveal what is on the other side of the door. Finally, she swings open the door and gestures for Bryce to enter.

      "Donovan, Griff, please get the other one to bring to this room," Diana quietly orders two men in masks standing to the side, who are both waiting for a task. They nod in unison, and exit the room swiftly.

     "Bryce!" Andrew shouts when he spots his youngest brother, but is soon quieted when he receives a kick to the back from the masked person standing over him.

       Bryce clenches his fists, wanting to punch the stranger for kicking his brother, but stays by Diana's side. His eyes flick over to where Aiden and Ajax are sitting with two more people standing over them, just like Andrew. They don't appear too hurt. All of their faces untouched, but they probably have bruises not visible to him.

      "I bet you boys are wondering why you're here," The blonde's words more a sentence than a question. "My men happened to have spotted you after you were all attacked. They also said they saw someone I have been tracking down," she explains, as the brothers listen intently. "He has curly, blonde hair and hazel eyes," she lists and Bryce observes, from the corner of his eye, his brothers casting each other knowing glances.

     "Ah, you recognize who I am talking about," she beams, triumphantly, "you were with him. You know where he is, and I need him. So, tell me where he is and I will gladly set you all free."

    Hampton. She is after Hampton for some reason. Bryce doesn't recall seeing the tattooed man during their ambush and, based on the expressions on the triplets' faces, his brothers do not either. Even if they did know, he has Lylleah, and they did not want to experience being the cause of another child's death again.

     "Your brothers have denied knowing where he is," Diana huffs and turns to Bryce, "I don't believe that. Tell me, Bryce, where is he?"

      "I-I don't know. I passed out before I could see where Hampton was during the whole ordeal," Bryce stutters, and the tall blonde swears under her breath.

      "Come on, child, I thought you were the wise one. You're preventing you and your loved ones their freedom," she clicks her tongue, guilting him, "you could all be on your way, protecting yourselves from this apocalypse if you just confess-"

       "How long have we been here?" Andrew interrupts, aware of his younger brother's uneasiness.

       Hard, green eyes flash over to glare at Andrew, and the woman runs a hand through her hair, irritated, "three days."

      'Three days?' Bryce repeats to himself, astonished. He was unconscious for a whole three days. They have been waiting for him to wake up, and his brothers have been interrogated and beaten in the meantime, while he was safe in his comatose state. That is probably the same with Paislee, and the thought does not settle well with him.

      "Well, are you going to feed us? Or at least give us water?" Andrew inquires. Bryce didn't even register his hunger and thirst until Andrew mentions it.

      Diana rolls her eyes at how straightforward Andrew is. "Chester," she snaps her fingers and the man hovering by Ajax exits rapidly, already knowing what the boss is asking for. He returns within minutes with a sleeve of crackers, and two bottles of water. Chester sets the items on the dusty floor, directly infront of Andrew.

        Diana steps away from Bryce, and the people near Andrew, Ajax, and Aiden follow in suite. Taking that as a sign that they are allowed to move, the siblings don't hesitate to rush toward each other. Aiden tears open the package of crackers while Andrew and Ajax open the bottles, and divide the crackers amomg the four. Andrew and Bryce share one bottle of water, while Aiden and Ajax share the other. They scarf down their portions, and gulp down their half of the bottle before Stewart-Everett can change her mind.

       After every drop of water is gone and all is left is crumbs, the brothers sigh with content. Their contentment does not long last, because the blonde begins chuckling; as well as the others in the room.

       "Why are you laughing?" Ajax grumbles, confused.

        "Because you boys ate and drank so fast, I didn't have a chance to tell you that whatever you didn't consume was for Paislee," Diana snorts, relishing the looks on their faces.

       "You haven't fed her? Or given her anything to drink?" Aiden gasps, guilt plasters across his face.

       "She hasn't slept either. Without any sleep, food, water, she's bound to snap. She will eventually say something to me," Stewart-Everett states simply.

        "She doesn't talk! She's been traumatized and she stopped talking. If she won't talk to us, she definitely won't talk to you!" Andrew shouts, furiously, as he crushes the water bottle in his hand. The men draw closer to Andrew, prepared if the man goes awol.

        "But she used to talk. Therefore, she just needs to be pushed enough that she does," The green-eyed woman smirks, "as do you, boys."

         "Wha-?" The door hurls open, cutting off Andrew, and two masked people, and the scrawny form of Paislee, burst into the room. The people practically toss the small brunette into the middle of the room. She crashes to the ground, hair falling out of her ponytail and in her face, as she struggles to get up; her skinny arms trembling at the exertion of pushing herself up. Bryce is horrified. Paislee has dark bags under her eyes from sleep deprivation, and sports a black eye, split lip, and bruised cheek.

         Bryce moves toward Paislee, but Diana stops him immediately, "don't you dare. She brought this upon herself."

         Paislee shifts slightly, eyes shining with pain, and her blue eyes catch Bryce's brown ones. Lightening fast, Paislee is staggering to her feet and running to Bryce. Diana, however, is quick to step between them and grab the girl. Bryce and his brothers watch wide eyed, as their friend thrashes in the blonde's arms. She is tiny compared to the woman, but that doesn't stop her from throwing a sudden punch to her jaw with surprising strength.

         Diana yelps, and flings the girl to the ground viciously. Bryce, unable to contain himself anymore, darts to Paislee's side. Before he can make it, Chester barrels into him and pins him to the ground. The others grab the triplets, while Diana wipes the blood from her lips and prods her throbbing jaw. Bryce can feel the anger coming off of the woman in waves.
   
        "Oh, you are fiery. My men adore fiery, and they've had their eyes on you," Diana spits at the half-awake, pale girl.

        "You're a monster! You are sick!" Andrew shouts, venomously.
        "That's the first correct thing you've said," the older woman cackles then commands her men, "take her to Chair Forty-seven."

       Bryce can't help but admire how Paislee kicks and claws when Griff and Donovan jerk her to her feet, and carry her away.

      She may be weak, but her heart knows to never stop fighting.

      After the men and Paislee disappear out the door, Chester tugs the teen to his feet. His siblings also being pulled to standing positions.

       "Take them back to their individual rooms," Diana rubs her jaw, watching her masked people nod and disperse.

       "Wait!" Bryce wails, as Chester guides him to the exit, "what is Chair Forty-seven? Where are you taking her?"

      The black-haired boy shudders at her wicked smile, as she follows Bryce and Chester to his room.

     "Not a 'what', Bryce."

     Diana promptly shoves him into his room, and locks the door behind him; grinning to herself.

      "A 'who'."

     Hi, Wattpaders and friends! I did not receive much love on some of my previous chapters, and barely any on my one that I deleted, which is a bit discouraging. I decided to rewrite to make it more interesting, and I hope you guys enjoy it. Please comment whether I should continue or not, and please vote! Criticism is encouraged! Thank you, and love you guys! Xx