CELL

/ FIFTEEN /

Back to the darkness.

The journey back to the cage was a silent one, but not because Ryan was unconscious. Rather, the thick tape covering his mouth prevented any speech. The handcuffs around his wrist stopped him lashing out and the taser pushed against his temple ensured any thoughts of doing either were pushed decidedly from his mind.

Besides, his vision was blurred from the blow from Jarvis. It was a precise punch that landed at the very top of his nose, right between his eyes. His head was throbbing and his eyes were struggling to see through the thick sheet of pain.

Jarvis, with one hand, lifted Ryan from the floor he'd been dragged across and threw him into his enclosure. He landed against the far side, the bars feeling as if they were equally slamming against him. Jarvis crouched low and entered the cage, causing his captive to shuffle quickly back, with nowhere to go.

"Hold still," he said, brandishing the taser. "Behave and you'll be fine. Got it?"

Ryan nodded. He thought about kicking out to return the favour of the fist in his face, but thought better of it. He would only end up with further injuries, or worse. He was surprised to be able to see his guard and glanced around. The illumination was coming from the bars themselves. They were glowing slightly from within.

Jarvis, keeping the weapon ready, reached forward and pulled away the tape. It detached with the sound of tearing and the feeling that the tear was of Ryan's flesh. He grunted, but the other's stare choked the sound back.

No noise. Make no noise at all. There'd be consequences.

Next, the orderly, for that seemed to be his actual role, if this was a hospital of some sort, took hold of the handcuffs by a central sleeve covering the chain. He squeezed and the cuffs fell open.

Ryan rubbed his wrists and stared at Jarvis. The latter saw the stare and ignored it.

"Maybe you'll play nice next time round," he said.

As he backed out, his eyes fixed on the captive, Ryan spoke. He had a question.

"What do you eat, seeing as you don't have a mouth?"

Jarvis stopped, and his eyes darkened with anger. After a second, he relaxed and, again, his eyes betrayed a smile.

"Blood," he said. "Human blood."

He closed the cage door, which locked with an audible click, and the lights went out. Ryan heard his footsteps recede and saw the door open. Jarvis went through without looking back.

Ryan breathed a sigh of relief. He knew it had been a risk to ask such a thing, especially when he was obviously being facetious. He could have been jabbed with the taser, switched up to full, but Jarvis had done nothing except answer.

An unsettling, hopefully false, answer.

He sighed again and settled back. The metal rods were uncomfortable, in a comforting sort of way, and he pushed against them, his eyes closed.

What was he thinking? Why be so provocative when it could lead to serious punishment. Injury. Even death. He wished there was someone else to talk to. Anyone. He thought about calling out to see if anyone was brave enough to respond, but didn't. He'd already been responsible for the suffering of one other when he arrived. Now he knew what happened, he was more reticent to allow a repeat.

He could hear them sleeping, anyway. There was no movement. No sound apart from the occasional snore.

How were they so accepting of so much bullshit? They could join together. If they made enough noise, Bradley and her leeches would never able to cope with them all. But, some would no doubt die, and no one wanted that. Well, perhaps they did. Some may have been in there for so long, death was their only escape. They might take any out offered.