Making the Video Tape [Private, Invite Only]

Cala could hear voices that faded in and out around her; not that people were coming and going but that was apparently what happened when you were punched in the head and knocked unconscious.

Not wanting to give herself away that she was awake she kept her eyes shut and just took stock of what, if anything, was wrong with her. Her eyes were swollen and likely black and blue from the punches to the face, and she was sure that she was feeling dried blood that had ran from her nose. Her lip was split as well, but it too seemed to have stopped bleeding. Her left arm seemed to be mostly fine but her right arm had several cuts on it on her forearm. Ribs hurt, and she was sure at least one on her left side was cracked: that was the rib that had been hit after she had sworn something fierce at her captors and called them all cowards. There were several cuts along her legs, and a few bruises, but nothing so far had been broken. 'Torture Light' they had called it; she still called it them being a bunch of bitches. She was pretty sure that her clothing, a tank top and shorts that she had been allowed to keep on, were soaked in her own blood but she would deal with it compared to being naked around these perverts and idiots.

She wondered how long she would be able to keep up this charade of being asleep before someone realized what was going on? Before someone realized she was conscious once more...

There were five men in the room with Cala, four of which had delivered her here and their leader who was standing in front of Cala and holding a video camera. Her breathing pattern had changed since she woke up and she wasn't fooling anyone by pretending to be asleep. The camera the leader had was to serve a purpose as he looked Cala over with it and took in all of her various injuries: this was the video he would be sending off to that large tower she had come out of.

The leader with the camera motioned with his hand for his goons to come and stand around Cala in case she somehow broke out of the bonds that held her, but it was doubtful she would be able to since the device was still tightly around her neck that would keep her from being able to use her supernatural speed and strength as well as any powers. The leader then handed over the camera to one of his goons so the following actions could be viewed by all. He then reached forward and roughly grabbed one of Cala's breasts, her right one, and gave it a rough squeeze. "Wake up, sweetheart. I know you can hear me."

Cala jerked back when she felt herself grabbed, not wanting any of their hands anywhere near any part of her body. Her eyes flew open and she spit at the man who had his hand on her. She took notice of the camera and the other four goons but quickly focused her attention back onto the leader: he was the one after all who had carried out all of the torture that had been done on her. "Let me go, you fucker!", she shouted at him, straightening against the chains and ropes that held her.

"Why the hell did you kidnap me to begin with?", she said, continuing to fight against the ropes that kept her in her chair, ignoring the pain from them digging into her skin as she strained against them.

"Haha, good morning to you too sunshine.", the leader said as he backed off from Cala and dropped his hand. He avoided the spit and backhanded Cala across the face for spitting at him hard enough to re-split open her lip. "Now now, we discussed this, no spitting." He then motioned for the goon with the camera to get a close up of her freshly bleeding lip for the video footage.

"Well, Cala. That's a very good question actually. I happen to know you work for the Company, and I also happen to know that something called the Apple of Eden was left in Edge back before it was a city. We want the Apple. That's what this video camera is for too, to show that we mean business with that boss of yours and whoever else is up there in that tower with you. Since you wouldn't tell us anything we had to change our methods. Smile, they're all going to see you."

Then the camera was focused on the leader, who after making a display of fixing his tie, leaned forward so his face could properly be seen. "Now listen here, Company people. I want the Apple of Eden and you're going to hand deliver it to me. If you don't then she dies. If you think I'm playing with you then take notice that none of her wounds are healing. That's because of the device around her neck that completely blocks all of her abilities, her strength, and that lovely speed of hers. So killing her won't be all that hard, now will it? You have twenty four hours to bring the Apple of Eden to me. I'm sending this message with my Courier who will also bring a cellphone to you. When there is an hour left of your time limit the cell phone will go off with instructions of where we are to meet for the swap. If you do not comply... well, your darling little friend here isn't going to enjoy how I deal with her."

The camera was then focused back on Cala. "Any last words, sweetheart? This might be your last chance to say something to those friends of yours."

Cala didn't doubt for a second that these men planned on killing her. She figured that they had no intentions of letting her go, even if Junior and the rest found this so called 'Apple' and were willing to hand it over. Cala had figured that this 'Apple' had to be pretty powerful for them to want it, and if that was the case then she would gladly die compared to them getting their hands on it.

So, Cala focused her attention on to the camera, marshaling her thoughts quickly since she didn't know how much time she would be given. "V... I'm sorry. About the other day, about disappearing like I did for those five years. I didn't mean to, I got trapped somewhere. I thought you'd be angry at me, and I didn't want to stare at you and make you uncomfortable. That's why I acted the way I did in the office. When I realized, later on, how it might have looked... I tried to follow you, to make things right, but then I lost track of you. I'm so sorry... I never meant to hurt you like that." She then took a breath and added on, "Please guys, don't let Devon come after me... I don't want her putting herself in danger, or beating herself up if something goes wrong... take care of my little sister for me."

"Alright, sweetheart, times up." The templar had been heating up a metal equal armed cross with a blow torch while Cala spoke and now it was red in color, indicating how hot it was. "Just to prove a point, let's show them how serious I am..." The leader pressed the hot cross to her flesh, burning her left arm and causing a sizzling sound to fill the air.

The leader listened to it for several seconds before punching her in the head, knocking her unconscious again and cutting the video tape off. He motioned for the goons to drag her unconscious body back to the cell she was kept in when they weren't torturing her. He then handed the video to one of them and sent them off to the tower with the video and the cellphone he had mentioned.

[Exit]

Cala was glad she had got what she could out with what time she had: she had apologized to V and while it wasn't in the fashion she had wanted to at least it was done. She had also had a chance to ask Junior and all who saw this to keep her sister safe and out of this, and to take care of her. It was all she could ask for.

When she saw the red hot cross coming towards her she attempted to scoot backwards, but the chair was bolted to the floor and she was going nowhere fast. When it touched her flesh she screamed in pain, at least until a fist was sent into her head and it was lights out once more. Sweet, sweet, unconscious darkness...

[Exit]