At some point, I had fallen asleep. And it was no other than pain that woke me up:

I hissed through my tightly clenched jaw. Something had cut across my thigh. Red liquid dripped down to the concrete floor drop by drop. I can resist this much blood and pain after what I've been through, but no one can survive to blood loss. And besides, I won't need to worry about scars since I'm already covered in them. 

"Talk." Someone said in front of me. My gaze shifted and I see Rabenda directly in front of me just meters away, behind her are Hiro, Kenshi and Riki. They're resisting with everything they've got but their mouths are muffled and Hiro is binded behind to a metal chain in the room. Takuto was still nowhere to be seen.

"Mmmnph!" Riki called out. I was opening my mouth to say something when I felt a sudden burning sensation across my stomach. 

Screw you. I thought. Rabenda has just wipped a wip at me. I peered down at my now-bruised stomach. 

“That's gotta leave a mark." I said calmly. Wonder why? Cuz I don't want to make Rabenda think her advances are working on me! Which they clearly already are!

"It'll leave bone-breaking scars if you don't talk." she said, then set her index finger on a button on a control pannel.

"Talk? Sure. Let's see...the weather is jet-black skies, there's that weird pannell board thingy that has like a million buttons on there--"

Suddenly, a painful shook ran through my left leg. I tried to contain it, but I still squinted and flinched. She smiled cruelly, the button she just pressed must be a low electricity. If any higher, I would've at least felt it through all of me.

"You know what I want you to talk about." she said, obviously on her last string of patience.

I kept silent and glared at her. She pushed another button and flames started at my feet, gradually getting higher. [Smarts-chan's idea XD]

This can burn me to crisps when it gets to my legs....

"Not so *cool* now are you?" she said, "I'll use bullets if I have to. I've got all sorts of ways to torture without having you dead before you give us information we need."

"Where's Takuto? I haven't seen him." I say finally and she clicks her tongue saying: "I would've been so touched if I have heart. But no." she pointed to her chest: "it's just a dark space in here."

I rolled my eyes. How many bad puns does she have? "answer me or else, b**ch."

There was a swoosh sound being heard, my eyes widened. A dagger flew to me, just an inch beside my neck. 

Rabenda: "I see you still don't grasp where you are right now. I'm the one who says 'or else' here. And if you don't behave right. You won't be the only one with the tortures." she pointed to the guys behind her. Riki already has a swollen eye; Kenshi just wiped some red stuff away from his mouth; Hiro has purple bruises all over him. 

Riki said somethingg through a muffled cloth. I could still understand he said: don't worry about us, Lillie! Quickly find a way to escape! 

I looked down. I was focused on something else and forgot about the heat that are at my toes already. 

Well. I do believe that's the smell of my burning flesh. 

She continued her wip while the fire stopped at my feet. Blew out. I guess they don't want me dead just yet. 

"Ugh..." I couldn't contain a whimper sliping through my lips are she mercilessly stabbed a knife right into my left palm. A single tear flowed down my cheek. I can't take it anymore..everywhere burns so much.... It was like my entire nervous system was reacting. 

I couldn't feel my fingers, all I can feel is burning pain. I fight the urge to surrender, cuz I'm not gonna.

"Hmm...I couldn't kill you just yet, but I can always start with the Black Fox." Rabenda turned her target to Hiro. "Talk, Lilith. Or *they* gets it!" she pulled out a mini-gun and fired, shooting scarttered a flower pot before pointing it directly at Hiro's temple. 

"Leave him alone! You son of troll! B****! Sl*t!" I tried to kick, but my ankles were firmly cuffed to the metal bar. I could barely move. 

She clicked the safety off of her gun, it's loaded, a bullet will be through Hiro's skull as soon as she tugs the trigger. 

"Stop it...." I said through my gasping breaths. For once in my life, I'm pleading.

"It'll depend on how you behave." she said. Good, at least she lowered her gun. There's only me, the guys and her in the whole room. That's an advantage. Tho other people might be watching through monitor. 

Hey.... Just past Rabenda's shoulder, I see Kenshi bending the cage bars quietly. He managed to get out of his ropes! Now all I have to do is stall.

"So, you wanna know how to open the case?" I ask. She nodded and took a few steps closer. She's too eager to get some information. Tsk. She's just too young....even tho she's like, two years older than me.

"Nothing else will work? Not like, razors, chainsaws..?" I ask again cocking my head. 

Rabenda: "Nothing. Now tell me how to open it."

Kenshi already slipped a leg out of the cramped cage...come on, Lillie! Just a minute longer!

 Lillie: “You know, there’s an entire story on how to get that case open. It all started…”

Rabenda: “I am not interested in your lame stories! Just tell me the combination already!”

Idiot, doesn’t she notice there’s nothing but a small pad on the briefcase?

Lillie: “It’s actually a pretty long string of numbers, it took me a while to memorize it all. You should probably get something to write it down.”

She growled and snatched a pen and pulled her sleeve up. Wow is she serious she’s not even wasting a second to get a notebook. I swallowed. I glanced back, the cage was empty. Where’d Kenny go??!

Lillie: “0-1-1-1-2-0-1-9-6-5-2-3-7-5-0-7-1-” I start to say every possible number I could think of. I’m already sweating as I narrated my birthday, ID number, bank account, phone number, even pi.

Lillie: “-3-1-4-1-5-9-2-6-5-”

Her brows creased. I can tell she’s getting suspicious. What idiot would make that longa combination? Kenny I need uuuuu!!!!

Lillie: “-4-1-6-9-6-9-4-0-3-1-” my voice slowed down more and more as I’m getting nervous.

Rabenda: “Okay that’s it! You’re definitely lying, you brat!”

You just now noticed that?

Before I could open my mouth for a comeback, her eyes flipped over and she suddenly collapsed onto the ground. Seconds later my arms and legs were free and I fell down from the table. Ugh I’m too weak to stand…not to mention escaping….

Strong arms caught me.

Lillie: “Arigato! Kenny!” I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly. “Where were you?!”

“I went to find Takuto, I can’t disable all those machines myself.” He gave me a reassuring smile and I followed his gaze to Takuto, who was just in front of the control panel. Phew, thank god he’s alright.

Riki: “Get outta here, now!”

We ran out the only door in the room and it lead directly to a library. There was huge table in the middle of the space and a black briefcase was lying on it.

Hiro: “Is that..?!”

I quickly jump off Kenshi and hold the pain spreading through me and run up to the case. There it was. I pressed my index finger against the little black pad in the middle and the case unlocked with a *beep*.

Kenshi: “oh muffins….”

Everybody else gathered around as I flip open the case. Inside was a blueprint.

“Huh? I thought it was supposed to be a painting?” I ask confused and pick it up. It had another lock on it despite it being plastic paper.

RIki: “I’ll explain later. Right now we seriously need to get outta here!”

Everybody: “Right!”

“Not so fast.” Just as we turn towards the window, a man stepped in our way. Hey, I heard his voice through the mic!

Riki & Takuto: “Sean Kim….”

“Okay. I hate it when u guys no things I don’t.” I say, still clutching the blueprints tightly in my hands.

Sean: “thnx for opening the case for me. Hand it over now, I can sell trillions for it.” He pointed a gun directly at my head.

We don’t have guns right now….what can we do…? I still refuse to give him the blueprints. He clicked the safetly off, his finger already tugging slowly at the trigger. I squeezed my eyes shut.

*bang*

My eyelids flew open when I felt no additional pain. My eyes dart to the left and see…Tatsuro…standing there, he just shot at Kim’s right arm. Now Kim can’t hold his gun, it had flew to the other side of the room.

Oh god…the police…we’re doomed after all…. I forgot Tatsuro is an FBI agent.

My breaths came uneven as I watched Tatsuro take out his phone and dialed.

Riki: “Togoshi…!”

I stopped him from snatching Tatsuro. I’ve really only talked to him twice, but he’s my best friend’s brother.

Tatsuro: (into phone) “Hello. This is Togoshi. I need backup. Sean Kim—suspect of the leader of a mafia group named the White Raccoons. His mansion is busted.”

Five seconds of silence passed, then Tatsuro stared at me before saying: “…No. The Black Foxes escaped.”

I gasped. He’s…covering for me? For us? A gush of tears suddenly rised to me. I hadn’t even cried during my long torture. We barely know each other. Why’s he covering for me? Even though he worked for so long just to catch the BF?

He hung up the phone, then spoke to us: “Leave, now. The cops will be here within ten minutes.”

“T-Tatsuro….” I murmured.

Tatsuro: “Get her outta here, Inagaki!!”

Kenshi gave him a respectful look before taking my hand and leapt out the window after Riki, Takuto and Hiro.

“I’m sorry! Gomen’nasai, Tatsuro! Gomen!” I managed to shout.

Tears streamed down my face as we ran across the courtyard. I ran with the others. Suddenly, I heard a shout from behind, and I turn back to see two more of White Raccoon members. One of them held up a gun and—

“There!” Hiro shouted. We found a vehicle parked.

As I was the last one that got on. I felt something funny in my arm as I pulled the door shut and Kenshi started the engine.

“No one’s gladder than me that that’s finally over.” Takuto let out a long sigh and opened his laptop.

“Where were you the whole time?” Hiro asked.

“Since I’m a tech genius, Sean got me to try to crack the case. But of course I didn’t. I don’t think I could’ve if I really tried.”

Riki: “I don’t know how much time has passed. What happened with OUR lives?”

Takuto checked the time: “holy crap! It’s been four frickin days!”

Kenshi: “Kim must’ve paid for his late sale.”

All: “Shit.”

“I’ve missed work for that long…boss’ gonna be mad.” I mumbled.

“It’ll be tough to catch up absent four days.” Hiro said more to himself than anymore and leaned back to the seat.

“But best news. We’ve finally got this!” I say excitedly and raised up the blueprints. When I felt something funny in my arm again.

Everybody looked at me and their jaw dropped: “Lillie?!! Your arm!!!”

I looked down. The wound was starting to burn now.

I’d been shot.

I’d been shot?

I mean, I’ve been with the mafia and all. But I’ve never actually been shot myself before. There were guns with those guys, and I was there. It just seems unreal. I clapped a hand over the bullet, but that made it worse. It hurts like hell.

And to make things more worse. There was a sudden lump in the roads and Kenny didn’t have enough time to avoid it. To the big jump, I bumped against the window, hard. Blood was running down my entire arm from my shoulder, now. It’s burning so bad….

Takuto: “Lillie!”

That was the last thing I heard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yay XD @Smarts02 I went on basically exactly as ur plan!!

And then BANG a cliffhanger XP

Some people r probably gonna hate me for that, tho.

I regret nothing~~~

This is 2100 words. Longer than what I usually write.

--Lillie