"Hey Reed!" Venn's voice wavered with a nervous edge that made Reed instantly alert. "Could you come down to the living room please?"

Reed stopped half way through making his bed and started downstairs. He walked with a wary step into the living room, where he stopped dead in his tracks. Venn's rapier lay on the floor a couple feet from the doorway. Malvagio stood near the couch with a glass of water in each hand. Raylan stood near the window, smirking. He held Venn by the arms and had an iron dagger to his throat.

Venn smiled weakly at Reed, fear glittering in his black eyes. "Surprise!"

Raylan released on of Venn's arms and Malvagio handed him one of the glasses. Malvagio drew a pistol a pointed it at Reed. "Diavolo, drink."

Reed shook his head slightly. "Don't do it, Venn."

Venn gave Reed an apologetic look and drank the contents of the glass quickly. He made a face at the taste and coughed. His eyes closed for a moment.

Reed groaned quietly as Malvagio handed him the other glass. "Your turn. Drink, or your little diavolo dies."

Reed glanced over at Venn before he drank the water slowly. It tasted faintly of lavender. He felt dizzy as soon as he finished the water.

Raylan released Venn, who staggered a few steps forward before falling to his hands and knees. A couple strong coughs sent him the rest of the way to the floor. "Malvagio you mostro," he gasped.

Reed took a step toward Venn, but stopped as black spots danced in his vision. Lavender. Ghost defense. Of course... Venn was having a more severe reaction, one that Reed had seen before. Garlic. Reed met Raylan's gaze and saw that his cousin was smirking victoriously. Reed swayed on his feet, reaching out one hand toward the wall.

Raylan laughed quietly. "We'll see you on the other side, Fifty!"

Reed's eyes drifted shut despite his best efforts to resist it. He felt himself fall to the side, but never felt himself land.

Reed groaned and reached a hand up to rub his temples. He had a splitting headache and felt nauseous. He opened his eyes slowly, squinting against the bright lights of the room. Everything seemed distorted. He pushed himself slowly to his feet and looked around.

He was in a large silverglass tube. He could see through it, but only just barely. The room outside his the tube was  mostly empty except for a large desk covered in switches that probably functioned as a control panel and a small ironglass box.

Reed stepped to the edge of his prison and pressed his hands to the glass. He could see Malvagio and Raylan standing near the ironglass box. Venn was sprawled on the ground in front of them. Blood trickled from a gash in the side of his head. Malvagio was rubbing his right arm and Raylan was nursing a bloody nose.

"Is he afraid of anything besides enclosed spaces?" Raylan asked, sounding extremely irritated. "At this point I think he deserves worse than a box."

Malvagio smirked and kicked Venn's side. "Oh he's afraid of a lot. I can fill you in after we get him in his box."

Reed punched the silverglass around him. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Raylan looked over with a mildly annoyed expression. "Shut up. You're in no position to be making demands here."

Malvagio and Raylan picked up Venn and started forcing his body into the box. Reed watched helplessly as Venn was pushed into a tight ball with his arms around his knees. Raylan attached wires to any bare skin he could see on Venn including his neck and face. When Raylan pulled back, Malvagio flipped the top of the box closed and locked it in place.

Raylan sauntered over to Reed's tube. "Surprised to see me, Fifty?"

Reed glared angrily at his cousin. "I have never hated being born in the same lifetime as you more than this moment."

Raylan laughed, grinning broadly. "Oh this is making me unbelievably happy. You have absolutely no idea."

Reed fell silent, his eyes flicking over to Venn's box. Venn was starting to shift slightly. Reed almost wished his friend would go into a coma until this was all over. Raylan flicked a lighter, drawing Reed's attention instantly. He took an automatic step away.

Raylan sneered. "Still skittish around flames I see." He closed the lighter with a sharp snap. "Excellent."

Raylan crossed to the control panel, where Malvagio was waiting patiently. The two exchanged a brief, quick conversation. A hiss sounded from somewhere near Reed's shoulder. The sharp smell of gas made Reed straighten up suddenly.

There was a whooshing sound and fire burst to life around Reed. Reed yelped and jerked back, colliding with the silverglass. The flames burned his cheeks slightly. They still stung as the fire dissipated. Miraculously, Reed's ponytail hadn't ignited.

Venn wailed from his box. Malvagio laughed. Reed turned moved back to the edge of the silverglass and pressed his hands against the glass. "Venn!"

Venn struggled to uncurl within the confines of his box. He looked across at Reed with a desperate gaze. "Reed, I- AGH!" He tensed and scrunched tighter into a ball, shuddering.

Little blue sparks flashed at the ends of the wires. Venn screamed in pain. Reed pounded the glass of his prison in a useless attempt to break it. "Stop! Torture me! Just leave him alone!"

The sparks stopped and Venn slumped against the edge of his ironglass box. "Reed no..."

Raylan smirked at Reed. He put his finger on the lever controlling the electricity for Venn. "Stop trying to play the hero, Fifty. Venn isn't Darrow and I won't go easy on him for you." He flipped the lever up again.

"NOOOOO!" Reed wailed.

Reed covered his ears and turned away in an attempt to block out Venn's cries of pain. He was marginally successful. The screams stopped after what seemed to be an eternity. Reed could hear Venn whimpering.

There was a loud whooshing sound. Out of nowhere, fire swirled around Reed. It burned his skin and clothes. The combined panic and pain made Reed go almost totally silent. He backed up instinctively and pressed his back against the glass. The band holding his hair back snapped.

After only a few seconds, ice cold water poured into the tube. The fire vanished. Reed yelped in surprise at the sudden cold on his burned skin. Dread formed in the pit of his stomach when he realized the water wasn't draining. It certainly wasn't stopping pouring in either.

Reed was dimly aware of Venn shouting something in Italian, which was answered just as sharply by Malvagio. A scream followed, but Reed didn't look. The water was up to his chest already.

Reed ran his hands over the entire inside of his silverglass tube. The only opening was the large spot on top that currently had water pouring through it, and a small tube in the side. The water made Reed feel weaker for some reason. The water reached his neck and he tried to keep his face above it.

It didn't last long. He took a deep breath just as the water closed over his face. He inhaled some, making him cough. He cursed internally as his body decided to try breathing. Of course, there was only water so he inhaled more. Reed twisted in the water trying to find some escape. His lungs burned painfully and his whole chest hurt from inhaling the water.

Just as he felt he was about to pass out, the water drained out. He collapsed, coughing up water. His hair clung to his neck and shoulders.

Venn knew exactly how long he had been in the box. He didn't count the three times a day he was allowed to eat and use the restroom in five minutes. It had been six days, two hours, forty nine minutes, and sixteen seconds.

He had gotten a similar water treatment as he'd seen Reed get several times now. On top of almost drowning numerous times, Reed had been set on fire more than once and locked in burning hot shackles. Raylan had taken Reed away at one point, but Venn didn't know where. All he knew was that Reed currently looked completely broken and sad.

Venn heard Malvagio say something, but he ignored it. He knew what was coming. Sure enough, sparks burst to life on every wire. Venn wailed.

A sudden, intense pain, worse than the shocks, arched through his neck and down his spine. His wail cut off in a strangled kind of halt, which made Venn cough. Malvagio switched the electricity off and strode over.

A sharp kick to the side of the box made Venn yelp, or try to. No sound left his mouth. Sharp pain arched up his neck. Across the room, Reed was pressed against his barrier.

"Raylan come here!" Malvagio called. He opened the top of Venn's box and pulled him out with ease. He flung Venn on the floor hard.

Venn struggled to push himself up, but Malvagio gave him a solid kick in the side to keep him down.

Raylan walked in. He frowned when he saw Venn out of the box. "What's this about?"

Malvagio smirked. "The little diavolo lost his voice." He kicked Venn again. "Didn't you?"

Venn curled his hands into fists. He pushed himself to his hands and knees and glared up at the pair. He tried to say something, but there was no sound. Just the breath.

Raylan seemed impressed. "Great! Now we don't need to put up with his pathetic whining all the time." After staring at Venn for a couple seconds, Raylan added, "Bring him to the other room. I want to test it."

Malvagio nodded and dragged Venn up. Venn struggled weakly, which earned him a sharp blow to the side of the head. He slumped silently in Malvagio's arms and let himself be dragged away.

He was pulled into a fairly small room made completely of concrete. A large concrete block sat in the middle of the room with iron chains bolted to it.

Venn didnt even try to fight back as Malvagio dropped him onto the table and started locking him in place.

Raylan pulled out an iron knife and touched the tip. "I think we should open a few scars, don't you?"

Malvagio left, presumably to "experiment" more on Reed. Venn was left alone with his least favorite person on the entire planet and he couldn't even insult him.

Venn didn't dare move as Raylan cut open the scar over his left eye. The pain was just as intense as when Malvagio had given it to him.

The door banged open just as Raylan touched his knife to the side of Venn's neck. He jumped, cutting a slash across Venn's throat that came dangerously close to killing him. Before Raylan could say anything, a gunshot rang through the air.

Venn turned his head as Raylan fell to the floor. His vision was blurred by blood so he couldn't see far. He didnt need to for long. One blurry figure ran over to him, the other, with a blob of red around a pale face, moved much more slowly.

The first figure became clearer. By the time she reached the block, the short, blonde haired, dark eyed girl was familiar.

"Brielle," Venn tried to say. No sound came out and he coughed. A small smile still reached his face.

Brielle freed him quickly and immediately pulled him up into a hug. "I was so worried about the two of you! Especially you. Are you alright? Did they do anything irreversible? You're not poisoned are you?"

Reed appeared, looking pained and exhausted, at Brielle's shoulder as she pulled back. She didnt let go of Venn's shoulders.

Venn looked at Reed helplessly. He touched his lips and shook his head, hoping that would get the message across.

Reed cleared his throat. "He can't speak, Brielle."

Brielle looked between the two of them in shock. She was silent for a few seconds before her expression turned murderous. She loosed several German words that Reed didnt understand, but made Venn laugh silently. Brielle turned, as if she were going to kick Raylan's body.

Venn reached out and grabbed her shoulder. He got up, but his legs collapsed. Reed caught him quickly, ignoring the pain from his burns.

Brielle turned back and took Venn away from Reed. "You, redhead, need to sit down."

Reed opened his mouth to argue but Brielle gave him such a stern glare that he closed his mouth and sat down. He leaned back on the concrete when he realized it was cold. His eyes slowly drifted closed. He fell into a light doze.

Brielle made Venn sit down on the stone table again and inspected him closely. Blood dripped down his face and neck and he had a bruise on the right side of his face. Tiny red electrical burns dotted his skin everywhere a wire had been taped.

Brielle pulled out some bandages and gently wrapped some around Venn's neck.  She folded another chunk and pressed it to his eye carefully. Venn put his hand over hers and looked at her apologetically. He tried again to speak, but started coughing painfully.

When the coughing stopped, Brielle put her other hand over Venn's mouth before he could try to talk again. "Shut up."

Venn looked at her sadly. He didn't try to remove her hand. He pointed at Reed, mimed talking with his hand, then pointed to himself. He tilted his head as if asking, 'you get all that?'

Brielle paused. "Reed will talk for you?" She asked slowly.

Venn nodded vigorously and gave her a thumbs up. He pointed at the door and raised an eyebrow.

"That I don't understand." Brielle turned to Reed and nudged him gently with her foot. "Hey. Get up. You need to translate Vennese for me."

Reed groaned and rolled onto his belly. "He wants to leave, which is just too bad because this cold floor is my new best friend."

Venn let out a loud sigh that made Reed twist around to look at him. Venn started gesturing at Reed. A few of the gestures were probably insulting and extremely rude, but apparently he got his point across.

Reed sighed dramatically and pushed himself to his feet. "Alright fine. But if we get home and I dont get a cold bath I'm bringing you back here."

Venn chuckled quietly. He held out his right arm for someone to support him. His other arm held the bandage over his eye.

Reed moved to help, but Brielle pushed him away with a sharp glare. She put Venn's arm around her shoulder and pulled him up. He winced.

With Reed walking close behind, Brielle helped Venn out of the room and the building. The sun was shining brightly overhead. Venn didnt bother to take in his surroundings. He tilted his head back and smiled at the sky.