Tw: imprisonment, torture

:)

'What now?' Gem whispers as me, her, Fwhip, Hbomb and Pete reach the Hawk base. At night. On a mission to mess with the Hawks. Apparently if it's successful, I'll be freed from house arrest. I might even become a Listener, if I even want to be.

'We could jump from a building on this side onto one of the Hangars if we continue around,' is my only idea. Gem and Fwhip share a glance, but accept.

'Lead the way.'

I do, following the fence around and ducking into the dark occasionally to avoid patrolling Lions or the giant searchlight. It isn't long until we reach reach Hangar 3, and on our side of the fence, an abandoned block of flats.

'There's Lions on watch at the top, but if we're fast, we shouldn't be spotted...' Gem's eyes narrow as I explain. 'It's our only option. This place is very protected.'

'Fine,' She signals to the building 'Go ahead.'

I look over the building before starting to climb There's only few places for grip in the brickwork. I'm thankful for the strength Hawk-training has given me, soon reaching high enough to jump over. From here, the hangar looks even further away. If I fall, I'll break something. If I hit the electrocuted fence, I'm dead.

I close my eyes and jump.

My hands hit the edge of the building buy my leg catches one of the spikes on the fence, and sending pain and a shock through me. I bite my tongue, refusing to scream, gripping the ledge as much as I can before clawing my way onto the roof.

I lie there recovering as the Listeners follow me over, all of them more successful. Someone ties up my leg. I don't dare to move. If my leg had been on there any longer, if I'd misjudged my jump even more... I'd be dead. The shock would've killed me.

'Here.' Gem holds out a hand, 'Can you still walk?' I let her help me to my feet. My foot explodes with pain the moment it touches the ground. But I can't give up now.

'Y-yeah...'

From there, we navigate down to the ground. Fwhip and Pete are given instructions on how to reach the storage room above Elex's office to plant cameras. Me, Gem and H continue into the first hangar.

'Right,' Gem says. 'Grab some stuff, get into the engines, and make sure none of these planes will ever fly again.'

'What?'

'We're breaking planes,' H explains. 'So they're left grounded. Come on.'

I watch the pair start destroying planes, fighting the urge to stop them. Ever since I was a child, I've loved planes. I've watched them fly, read about how they work. All the complex parts and careful equations And now I'm watching them be disembowelled in seconds.

But I can't appear to be doing nothing, and hobble deeper into the Hangar, searching for any planes I know more about, or feel more comfortable causing minor damage to.

And then I see the VX_5, right at the back, and freeze. I glance back at Gem and H. They're distracted. So I approach the plane, running over the paintwork until I spot a scratch.

EARENDEL

I have to break my own plane. The plane I've flown for so long... I can't. Gem and H are still at work...

Movement.

Muttered voices.

They found us.

'LIONS!' I yell. 'RUN!' In seconds, Gem and H flee. I try to follow, but my bad leg stops me doing more than stumbling vaguely towards the exit. And I told them where I am. I feel like I'm going to collapse before I even get out this place, staggering towards the faint light of-

A shove.

Someone yells my name.

And the world goes dark.

My head hurts as I wake, trying to open my eyes. All I see above is bright white. I can't move. I'm lying down, cold metal around my wrists and ankles.

'You're awake.'

Elex.

'Captain Elex I can explain. They forced me to help them. They imprisoned me, and they made me go...'

'Silence.' I stop talking. My heart races. 'You're supposed to be dead. But since you're not, we can ask some questions.'

'Qu-questions?'

'Where is the Listener base?'

'I don't know. They never told me. I was kept in a house nearby, but never told where...'

'Hypno?'

'What?' I turn. My hands shake. My fellow Officer and friend is standing there, expression cold. There's something in his hand. 'Hypno? What are you doing here? It's me. Officer Cub. I'm- I'm innocent. I'm your friend.'

'I'm not friends with traitors.'

A low hum fills the room as Hypno switches on whatever he's holding. The top glows red. My blood turns cold. I can't move as it's brought closer and...

I scream as pain burns through my neck. I can't move away. I can't do anything. I feel like I'm dying. I want to die.

It stops.

I'm left gasping for breath, sobbing. Elex's expression remains cold, except the smallest smile.

'Where is the Listener base?'

'District- district... 3...?' I don't know if I'm lying. Tears run down my face. My neck still stings with pain. I smell burning.

'How many people were on your mission?'

'5.'

'What are their names?'

I don't speak. I can easily give up the Listeners' names, if I wanted to. But I can't. They didn't do anything to me. They even helped me. I can't give them. I just can't...

I scream as the device sears my neck again. I feel it moving. I hear the nightmarish hum. I think I black out; next moment all I hear is my terrified breaths and the rhythmic drip of my blood.

'Come on, Cub. Just tell us 1 name for now, and the others another time.'

I can't speak, just shaking my head. Terror, betrayal and pain drown me. The hum starts again, my terror with it.

'No- no please... don't-'

I'm still not ready for the pain, screaming again. Elex watches, expression cold, until the hum stops. The pain doesn't. I feel like it never will.

'Well?'

I can't speak.

'Alright then. If you're not cooperating now, we'll try again tomorrow.' He picks something up. My blood turns cold as I recognise one of the metal half-masks the servants wear. The ones that silence them. The ones that can electrocute them.

'H-Hypno...' I turn to him, pleading, hoping he has enough morality to save me. 'Remember when we were made Officers? Together? Remember how proud Xisuma was? Remember competing to be Officer first... you- you always said you won because you were given your badge first...' Elex lowers the mask towards my face. 'Hypno- Hypno please, man pl-' I can't speak as the cold metal covers my mouth. And, just as Hypno turns away, clicks locked.

:)