Ethan woke up to a scream that shook him to his core. Even before his eyes flew open, he knew it belonged to Hanna. He shot up off the mattress, looking around the dark room frantically for her. He spotted her immediately.11Please respect copyright.PENANA8QtgrYAuiy
11Please respect copyright.PENANAQKESHU8m2a
One of the dealers, a man he hadn't met before, had brought her over to the other side of the room. She was lying on the floor, still nude, and he was standing above her. She looked weak and vulnerable but otherwise unhurt as far as he could see.11Please respect copyright.PENANA127YRgXsgW
11Please respect copyright.PENANAedKHVaZ5Dq
Ethan noticed they'd put a collar on her and his anger flared. He went to go to her but he was forced to stop halfway as his leg was held back, his ankle was still chained to the wall. No matter what he did, no matter how much he pulled, he couldn't make it anywhere near them. The skin around his ankle had broken, despite Hanna's makeshift treatment.11Please respect copyright.PENANA1Wof1qMmsw
11Please respect copyright.PENANAe0jbyfAW5U
Ethan glared daggers at her torturer from his vantage point. He ignored the trickle of blood flowing down his leg.11Please respect copyright.PENANAu3fhQIOugZ
11Please respect copyright.PENANAD5EKH2yrVS
"Do I have your attention?" The man spoke in a deep voice.11Please respect copyright.PENANAW6KHYhZTDw
11Please respect copyright.PENANAzvIDShrTuq
Ethan simply continued glaring at the man. Unsatisfied, the man hit some button on the remote and Hanna cried out in pain.11Please respect copyright.PENANAg1vcNqxHZr
11Please respect copyright.PENANAqqXIy6RII3
"Stop! Yes!" Ethan yelled, reacting immediately. Not like I can do anything else from over here, he thought grimly. He watched Hanna grit her teeth as she looked at the floor.11Please respect copyright.PENANAcwngmP8eD9
11Please respect copyright.PENANAF3Tf3pMCqS
"Here's what's going to happen. You're going to tell me what I want to know or she's going to get it lot worse," their captor explained with pleasure. "That little demo was nothing." He smirked at the two prisoners.11Please respect copyright.PENANAPrz5aTGctv
11Please respect copyright.PENANA5QfKT19yyP
Ethan nodded cooperatively, trying to avoid Hanna getting another shock.11Please respect copyright.PENANA0t9KAKyWMU
11Please respect copyright.PENANAZRrwLx23fD
The older man's smirk widened. "Maybe we should reconsider training after all."11Please respect copyright.PENANANI3FG7iMpa
11Please respect copyright.PENANApLLUZ3NijT
Ethan met Hanna's eyes, noticing them narrow at the comment. They were clear, determined. She's going to do something, he thought. Then the look was gone, replaced with fear that he suspected wasn't entirely true.11Please respect copyright.PENANAkwW0cAPJEW
11Please respect copyright.PENANArGlETAdnUH
"First question, where are the other Charax hiding o ut?" The interrogator asked him sternly.11Please respect copyright.PENANAEWUSQqWM8U
11Please respect copyright.PENANAa9ofFXeJ8a
Ethan honestly had no idea where any other Charax were hiding on Earth, he'd said as much earlier. He doubted their new torturer was going to accept that answer. Ethan knew what was going to happen next but he was left with no other option. "I don't know," he gritted out in response.11Please respect copyright.PENANASmPFsSf5Gv
11Please respect copyright.PENANAbDLNRTY36v
"Wrong answer." Their captor dialled up the collar until Hanna cried out in pain.11Please respect copyright.PENANAfUXDl5UTvk
11Please respect copyright.PENANAzi5VC0304G
Ethan flinched at the sound. "Stop it!" Ethan yelled as he pulled on his shackled leg, ignoring the pain. The man didn't stop. He closed his eyes, trying to block the sound out as he was forced to listen to her screams a while longer.11Please respect copyright.PENANADkbep5J5MQ
11Please respect copyright.PENANAxcYK9KYqMB
Ethan wished it was anyone but her there. Her voice was triggering something primal in him. He wanted to rip this man's throat out so badly. The feeling was so strong that he was having trouble thinking straight, let alone coming up with a plan to get out of here.11Please respect copyright.PENANATDD78iPabG
11Please respect copyright.PENANA9KCAIgGOGQ
His head was spinning so much that he ended up collapsing to his knees. "Please stop," Ethan begged quietly.11Please respect copyright.PENANAg13EQzvSo5
11Please respect copyright.PENANAhG8jdsZIC6
The man finally turned it off, a satisfied smile plastered on his face. "I told them this would work. Now answer the question."11Please respect copyright.PENANAApnjEAvwvf
11Please respect copyright.PENANAkL7YbhkSYp
Ethan watched Hanna go still and silent once the collar stopped shocking her. Her long hair was covering her face so he couldn't see her expression. He hoped she was alright. He hoped she would be alright.11Please respect copyright.PENANAYdSgiZdR2z
11Please respect copyright.PENANA1dZItdiJjc
Hanna knew she needed to be patient. She knew the moment would come. She knew playing up the pain would make him drop his guard, now that his attention was on Ethan and not her, she had a chance.11Please respect copyright.PENANAXk9zIbGSGL
11Please respect copyright.PENANAKYSlayzO0H
She shot up like a viper and hit the dealer in the face with all her strength. He dropped the remote as his hands flew to his face. She ignored the device and grabbed at the knife strapped to his thigh, pulling it free. His hands were covering his face but she was aiming for his throat.11Please respect copyright.PENANA4pzCLdX8T6
11Please respect copyright.PENANA597yDl47UD
Ethan watched across the room in shock the scene that was over in less than a minute. The man who'd been their captor a moment ago lay dead there on the floor, his throat cleanly slit with his own knife. His brain was failing to process how his coworker had killed someone nearly twice her size so easily.11Please respect copyright.PENANAjP7yVORlL2
11Please respect copyright.PENANAFTxYqzjuIi
Hanna, seeming unconcerned with the splatter of blood on her skin, went straight to searching the body. She quickly found the key ring and headed over towards Ethan. She let a tiny smile grace her lips, the only celebration she'd get for that small victory.11Please respect copyright.PENANAYb5T4294aZ
11Please respect copyright.PENANAHstkusYhsZ
As soon as she got close, Ethan grabbed at her, pulling her in. He looked over her naked body unabashedly, checking for new injuries. "Are you okay?"11Please respect copyright.PENANAcbFC4msTvM
11Please respect copyright.PENANAoVUfcfOAxs
Hanna took a small step back. "I'm fine." She assured him with a small smile. She started examining the stolen keyring.11Please respect copyright.PENANAcwUK6Bn90Q
11Please respect copyright.PENANA9YaltxhBCQ
Not entirely believing her, he checked her over himself. He moved her hair away from the collar to examine it. She had some burns on her neck. He let out a hiss of anger when he saw this.11Please respect copyright.PENANA9MJq1gC9St
11Please respect copyright.PENANALeEkZ3s1Kt
"Let it go," Hanna told him sternly. "No point in being angry at a dead man." She passed him the keys. It took him a while but he found the one for this collar. She heard a click then it fell to the floor.11Please respect copyright.PENANA3DOlYZ8yCJ
11Please respect copyright.PENANAcX28dcYdjb
Now with the collar removed, Ethan was staring at the burns, which were starting to blister. He felt sick to his stomach. He needed to look away but couldn't at the same time.11Please respect copyright.PENANAdAJwHO2qU1
11Please respect copyright.PENANAQIqJkk3CSa
Noticing how still he was, Hanna gently pried the keys out of his hand. She went to work on the shackle. She went through the keys until she found the one that fit in the lock. A second later, his leg was free.11Please respect copyright.PENANAxQDs7A44zj
11Please respect copyright.PENANAJTMx5ah4MB
"Dammit," Hanna muttered, looking at his bloody ankle.11Please respect copyright.PENANAOJjfzmiqMZ
11Please respect copyright.PENANAZyBfwpfm52
Ethan started tying the bloody strips of cloth into a makeshift bandage. "It's shallow, I'll be able to walk on it."11Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZGhAOKUAV
11Please respect copyright.PENANAIXSePG8x11
"It's running I'm more concerned about," Hanna said worriedly. "Otherwise, how are you feeling?"11Please respect copyright.PENANAxvGkODgGOB
11Please respect copyright.PENANAMhLtFwX21C
"Better, not dizzy," Ethan answered, rubbing his forehead.11Please respect copyright.PENANAn8KKtW6PK2
11Please respect copyright.PENANArVaFkxnD9U
"Lightheaded?" Hanna studied him, observing how his symptoms had gone down, how he appeared to be stronger now.11Please respect copyright.PENANAfVOoYZa5tH
11Please respect copyright.PENANAeIm7uY2nxI
Ethan finished up the bandage. It was a mess but hopefully it wouldn't have to last long anyways. "A bit. It's manageable."11Please respect copyright.PENANAUqArBunZVP
11Please respect copyright.PENANAhA4CNrPFBT
Hanna smiled broadly. Step one complete, she thought. "Let's get out of here then."