Despite his being half dead, Sunitha had enjoyed seeing Quinn again. He wasn't nearly was gruff or rude as he had been during their first meeting. It was kind of nice. No, it was very nice. That wasn't all, though. He had kissed her. Kissed her. And he'd meant it. It had been a wild ride, that past twelve hours or so. Quinn has swept back into her life like a hurricane, had told her so much about the trouble he was in, and he had kissed her, which she was still honestly having trouble getting over. Every time she thought about his lips against hers, she couldn't help but smile, her heart pounding happily in her chest.
Only a few minutes ago, Sunitha had been transferring every credit she had left to her name over to Quinn in hopes that it would help. He had promised to pay her back, but hadn't given her the time to retaliate. She didn't want him to pay her back. It had been a gift. Besides, as soon as she went to work for Rory, she would be perfectly financially stable-- for the most part, anyways. Already, she had told Quinn not to worry about paying her back, and yet, he had still promised to do so. She was broke now, though. It would only last a short while, though. Within a few days, she would be moving and Rory had promised her a much more stable life. It was a nice thought, and she was more than grateful for the opportunity. She would have to remember to call and check in with him soon.
Sunitha was sitting on her blood-soaked couch, looking down at her old iX, not really seeing it. Her fingertips were touched lightly to her cheek, where Quinn had kissed her before walking out her door. He had actually managed to convince her that everything would be just fine. He would come back after the two weeks were up and he wouldn't be dead. For a time, Sunitha sat there, a smile on her face.
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Had it been five days? Or six? Sunitha hadn't really been counting the nights she spent alone, but she knew it had been a while since she had last seen Quinn. However long it had been, she was really feeling it. There was a longing in her heart that she couldn't quell. Truth be told, she was a bit worried about him. She couldn't quite place a finger on why-- it was just a gut feeling she had. For the most part, she ignored it, pushed the worries aside to focus on everything else.
She was moving.
Today was the day. What little she had was all packed up into a few boxes. The furniture that she had managed to get would be left behind-- it wasn't all that great, and besides, it was stained with blood. Quinn's blood. It would be the second time she was moving within the year. It felt strange to her. When she had come to Cometra, a martyr hated by most everyone for her views on the aliens, she had never really expected to even move out of the slums. Now she was moving into her own little home. And it would be a home-- not just an unstable shelter where she hid from hateful words and attackers. Rory had given her much and more. She would never truly be able to repay his kindness.
Just an hour earlier, he had stopped by to check on her. She had greeted him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Rory had taken two of the boxes with him when he'd left, leaving Sunitha with just the one to tote. It was her box of sentimental items-- the things she had saved from earth (which wasn't much) and the few important things she had gathered during her time in the slums. Some oddly-shaped items kept the box from being able to close entirely, but Sunitha was certain she would be able to manage it no problem.
Stepping out the door, Sunitha was prepared to never look back at the little apartment like house she'd been living in for the past few months. Setting the box down carefully on the ground, she attached a note to the outside of the door with her new address-- just in case anyone should come looking for her. Once that was done, she picked up the box and turned to continue. With the box in her face, though, she stumbled on the step that led down from the door. With a soft squeak, she caught herself, but her grip on the box began to fail. On the other side of the box, Sunitha felt it steady. She was so sure it was Rory, come to make sure she was safe and could find her way to her new home. "Oh, thank you!" When she lifted her brown eyes to the face of her savior, however, it wasn't anyone she recognized.
The man standing there, holding her box of sentimental items, was big and frightening. His face was just about emotionless, making him look almost robotic. "Um... Th-thank you, Sir. How can I...how can I repay your kindness?" She offered a delicate and warm smile as she looked up at the man towering over her. Without a word, he grabbed Sunitha as if she were a ragdoll, throwing her over his shoulder. The box hit the sidewalk with a crunch, its contents spilling out as the only sign of struggle.
Sunitha wriggled in the man's grasp for only a short time before she realized it was a fruitless effort. Finally, she gave up. There was nothing else she could do.
Sunitha stood before a woman with a dark look in her eye. Wherever she was, the place was expensive. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she glanced around the pristine room. Finally, her eyes made it back to the woman lounging in front of her. As Sunitha gawked, the woman's lips curled into a devious smile. "Hello, Dear." The woman's voice was sickly sweet. There was something about it that made Sunitha feel sick and frightened. "You're probably wondering where you are and why I've had you brought here." Sunitha nodded slowly, afraid to speak. "You see, a certain...Mr. Quinn Dwyer owes me some money. A great deal of money. Which he has neglected to get to me for a long, long while. And well," The curl of the woman's lips deepened into a sadistic smile. "You're collateral."
Sunitha's breath caught in her chest, her eyes widened. She wanted to protest, to do something, but fear rooted her to the ground. All she managed was a tiny squeak before the gigantic man who had taken her in the first place hit her in the back of the head and everything went black.
She was moving.
Today was the day. What little she had was all packed up into a few boxes. The furniture that she had managed to get would be left behind-- it wasn't all that great, and besides, it was stained with blood. Quinn's blood. It would be the second time she was moving within the year. It felt strange to her. When she had come to Cometra, a martyr hated by most everyone for her views on the aliens, she had never really expected to even move out of the slums. Now she was moving into her own little home. And it would be a home-- not just an unstable shelter where she hid from hateful words and attackers. Rory had given her much and more. She would never truly be able to repay his kindness.
Just an hour earlier, he had stopped by to check on her. She had greeted him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Rory had taken two of the boxes with him when he'd left, leaving Sunitha with just the one to tote. It was her box of sentimental items-- the things she had saved from earth (which wasn't much) and the few important things she had gathered during her time in the slums. Some oddly-shaped items kept the box from being able to close entirely, but Sunitha was certain she would be able to manage it no problem.
Stepping out the door, Sunitha was prepared to never look back at the little apartment like house she'd been living in for the past few months. Setting the box down carefully on the ground, she attached a note to the outside of the door with her new address-- just in case anyone should come looking for her. Once that was done, she picked up the box and turned to continue. With the box in her face, though, she stumbled on the step that led down from the door. With a soft squeak, she caught herself, but her grip on the box began to fail. On the other side of the box, Sunitha felt it steady. She was so sure it was Rory, come to make sure she was safe and could find her way to her new home. "Oh, thank you!" When she lifted her brown eyes to the face of her savior, however, it wasn't anyone she recognized.
The man standing there, holding her box of sentimental items, was big and frightening. His face was just about emotionless, making him look almost robotic. "Um... Th-thank you, Sir. How can I...how can I repay your kindness?" She offered a delicate and warm smile as she looked up at the man towering over her. Without a word, he grabbed Sunitha as if she were a ragdoll, throwing her over his shoulder. The box hit the sidewalk with a crunch, its contents spilling out as the only sign of struggle.
Sunitha wriggled in the man's grasp for only a short time before she realized it was a fruitless effort. Finally, she gave up. There was nothing else she could do.
..................................................................................
Sunitha stood before a woman with a dark look in her eye. Wherever she was, the place was expensive. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she glanced around the pristine room. Finally, her eyes made it back to the woman lounging in front of her. As Sunitha gawked, the woman's lips curled into a devious smile. "Hello, Dear." The woman's voice was sickly sweet. There was something about it that made Sunitha feel sick and frightened. "You're probably wondering where you are and why I've had you brought here." Sunitha nodded slowly, afraid to speak. "You see, a certain...Mr. Quinn Dwyer owes me some money. A great deal of money. Which he has neglected to get to me for a long, long while. And well," The curl of the woman's lips deepened into a sadistic smile. "You're collateral."
Sunitha's breath caught in her chest, her eyes widened. She wanted to protest, to do something, but fear rooted her to the ground. All she managed was a tiny squeak before the gigantic man who had taken her in the first place hit her in the back of the head and everything went black.
..................................................................................
The room was dark save for the glow of what appeared to be a brand in the hand of the monstrous man. It was moving towards her.
Sunitha's screams ripped from her lungs, echoing around the sound-proofed room.
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When she woke, she was in pain. So much pain. Sunitha couldn't recall having ever been in so much pain before in her life. Every time she moved, it was like her body was on fire. Red flashed before her eyes before dissolving into dots of pain. Her breathing was harsh and ragged. Tears fells from her eyes over her cheeks, cutting paths through the grime that had accumulated there.
Sunitha had no idea how long they had been torturing her, but it felt like it had already been a lifetime. Blood has dried on her back, her arms, her face...everywhere. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for something, anything, that might be of use. Nothing. These people-- whoever they were-- were not new to this game. That frightened her even more.
Just as her breathing seemed to settle into a normal pattern, the door opened. The woman with the sinister smile waltzed into the room, that same sadistic smile playing on her lips. Something flashed in her hand and Sunitha's heart pounded harder and harder, her breathing growing ragged once more.
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There was so much pain that Sunitha could hardly feel anything anymore. Her body was battered and broken and scarred. She felt dead-- knew this had to be the end. She would never get out of here. The door opened, spilling light into the dark and bloodied room. Sunitha didn't fight it anymore. She stayed still as a corpse, waiting for the torture that she knew was coming. Instead, she was lifted off the ground by the monster of a man who had kidnapped her in the first place. The movement made her whole body flare to life, shooting pain everywhere making her cry out.
The man brought her to the room she had first met the sinister woman in. This time, it was a bit different. There were body guards standing around the figure of another person. The monster of a man flopped Sunitha down onto the floor without care. She winced and cried out from the pain once more, before cautiously lifting her head to glance at the other person who had been recently bloodied. When her eyes landed on him, they widened with terror and worry. It was Quinn.
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