"There could be more around," Ajax suggested as the three of them watched a small group of guards in what seemed like a medical storage room. They were nearing the basement due to the increasing number of guards they'd come across.

"We can't sneak around them, so we should keep an eye out when taking them down," Shadow added.

"Agreed. On my signal, shoot to injure as many as you can before going to hand combat," Zephyr ordered as she gave Shadow a look.

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in. That last job was tricky and I do better with my fists in their faces."

"Okay, Ali, just sting like a bee for now," Zephyr retorted, "Positions."

Zephyr stayed in the corner while Ajax ducked behind a crate and Shadow behind a shelf.

Zephyr focused over the top of her gun, aiming for one with a rifle. He'll have hip problems after this.

She lifted her left index finger and tapped the side of the gun.

Once.

Twice.

Bang.

Five of the guards fell to the ground while the others took cover. One of them went around the shelf where Shadow crouched.

He spun around to the right and smashed his arm to the guard's neck using its momentum, throwing him into the shelf.

Boxes and crates fell to the ground, scattering utensils and other equipment. They distracted the gunfire, allowing Ajax to pick up an item and throw it at one of the guards to stun him before attacking.

Zephyr used the chaos to injure a few distracted guards, sending them to the floor. When she got up to meet an assaulter who had run out of ammo, Ajax and Shadow were taking on two each.

Zephyr deflected an incoming punch and retaliated with a swift chop to the larynx. When he stumbled back, she put her fists together and whacked him in the side of the head with her elbow. He fell unconscious and she looked over to see the last two guards fall as well.

They nodded to each other, confirming that they weren't wounded and there were no more guards.

"Come on, someone will have heard that," Zephyr said as she pulled out her gun.

They had reached the basement doors quickly, having to knock out a few groups of guards. Ajax received a nasty gash from the last encounter, but that was the worst of their injuries.

"This is bottom level," Zephyr said, looking into the men's eyes, "I don't care what state she is in, we get her out of here without so much as a scratch. Act fast and quietly." They nodded and exchanged knowing glances.

"For Wren," Ajax muttered.

"For Wren," Shadow agreed.

Zephyr turned and pulled the latch on the door, crouching as she slipped through.

Numerous pipes lined the walls and ceiling, painted in different reds and yellows. They whistled and shook as gas and liquid shot through them. Except for that, the place seemed eerily quiet. There didn't seem to be a soul in the room from what they could see behind the generators and control panels.

Zephyr paused.

She squinted to see between the narrow space of a pipe and a panel. It was a blue light. The whole basement was dimly lit with orange-hued bulbs that cast wide shadows and a warm air to the already heated area. A blue light was definitely suspicious.

She changed her direction and silently crept behind a long row of panels, slowly poking her head above one.

Her eyes widened and she almost gasped. Her grip tightened on her gun.

The Interrogator stood with his back to Zephyr, looking with his arms crossed at a large glass container hooked up to hoses and pipes. Water quickly flowed in from them. It was almost full... with Wren inside.

There was a quiet, yet audible gasp, "Thomas?"

The Interrogator looked around frantically, "Who's there?" he shouted.

Zephyr knew their cover was blown and they needed to act quickly.

"Fire!" Zephyr yelled as she jumped up and shot at the glass, aiming as not to hit Wren.

The glass shattered, water, glass, and Wren all tumbling to the concrete floor. The Interrogator was knocked to the ground and Zephyr couldn't tell if it was from the container or a bullet.

She leaped over the panel and raced to Wren, sitting her up from the glass. Ajax and Shadow darted from a corner - Shadow reprehending The Interrogator, and Ajax helping Wren from the shards onto a clear space.

Wren didn't move. Her face was slightly blue, and bruises covered her body. The white dress she wore was torn and stained red. Her arms were lined with nasty cuts, some scabbing over, some still bleeding. Zephyr's gaze went to Wren's left shoulder. On it was a familiar mark. One she'd seen many times over the years- a dragon's claw clutching an M.

Mersor did this. If Zephyr had hated the man before, seeing his slave mark on Wren increased her rage ten-fold. Zephyr's jaw clenched. Focus on the mission.

"She's unconscious, but is she breathing?" Zephyr asked, standing and keeping watch at the door.

Ajax licked a finger and placed it under her nose. "No." He proceeded to check her pulse, "But her heart is beating."

Zephyr let out a breath of relief she didn't realized she was holding. "Good. Get her breathing," she said as she turned to Shadow.

He had gagged him and was proceeding to tie his wrists, "We have to take him in," He said before Zephyr had a chance to ask what he was doing.

She frowned, "Why?"

"He's The Interrogator we have to take him," Shadow said with his jaw clenched and a determined look on his face.

"This was not in the plan! We're already taking one, he'll just slow us down," Zephyr snapped.

"Think, Zephyr! Think of what he's done and tell me you want to be the one to look Wren in the eye and say you were this close to capturing the man who tried to drown her and you said 'it wasn't in the plan'! We not only get to bring him to justice, but we can prevent him from doing it to anyone else." Shadow glared at her as they all remained silent.

She glanced at the Interrogator as he eyed her in disdain.

Something had obviously changed in Shadow, but then was neither the time nor the place to call him out on it.

"Alright, we take him. But you take care of him. He's your responsibility from now until we reach the base. If I say he goes, he goes. I will not sacrifice our escape for him if push comes to shove. Do you understand?" Zephyr pointed a firm finger at Shadow.

He nodded and pulled the Interrogator to his feet.

"Good. Now let's get out of here."

***

Zephyr sat down on the bed next to Amanda.

She wasn't acting right. Zephyr understood what torture did to a person, but this wasn't Wren that happened to. This was Amanda.

Everything she had done since coming back to base was either an act, or strange. Amanda was resilient even if she was fourteen, but too much is too much. Little hints here and there alerted Zephyr to her change. Her speech, subconscious actions, sensitive reactions, and body language betrayed the damage.

As Zephyr sat next to her she was aware of her friend's posture. She stared into space as she slumped her shoulders, squeezing her arms between her legs.

"Amanda?" Zephyr asked softly.

Amanda turned her head, but there was a delayed light in her eyes; as if snapping back to reality took longer than it did to acknowledge the use of her name.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Zephyr felt like some sort of therapist. The baggage on the phrase as she had to say it made her flinch.

Amanda didn't show any signs of defensiveness or anxiety for ignoring the subject. She said what she meant, "No." And she meant what she said.

Zephyr knew there was no need to press forward. The experience was horrifying, but she hadn't kept any triggers. Zephyr was proud of her. Most girls would have freaked out by now... but not this one.

"It'll get better," she assured her.

Amanda cocked her head to the side and frowned, "What?"

"Reality will become easier to find. The lingering memories will slowly fade into the back," Zephyr patted the back of her head, "You won't see them every time your mind drifts."

"How do you know what that's like?" Amanda asked. Zephyr could hear the underlying question in her voice.

Have you had the same experience?

"I don't exactly. However, most of my men have been harshly interrogated at one time or another. I understand because I've heard their accounts of how it felt... and how they got better."

"How did they?"

Zephyr shrugged a shoulder, "They made sure they didn't have anything simmering on the back burner before moving on. Time does the rest."

Amanda grinned and played with her fingers, "I don't know if I'm cooking anything or not. It still hurts too much."

"That's okay. We'll take it as it comes," Zephyr nodded.

Her eyes twinkled and a smug little look crept into her face, "You're pretty soft for someone who likes to be the stone-hearted leader of a roughin'-toughin' band of spies."

She couldn't stand herself any longer. Zephyr leaned over and wrapped her arms around her friend, hugging her tightly, "Because I can never be the cold Zephyr with you. You remind me of who I was; who I really am. No matter how hard things get, there will always be Zoe at the core. I'll always be here for you. Whatever happens, we'll get through it together."