~ Jaden frantically jerked at the restraints binding his hands above his head and when that had no effect, forced himself to calm down and try a more methodical approach. As he worked at the strap holding his right hand, he lifted his head enough to look around the tiny room. It sure looked like the same cell. The door was closed and he could hear no sounds from the hallway, but it would be stupid to assume that he was alone at this point. The ache all over his body had settled back into a dull throb with several points retaining their former glory to serve as white-hot nexuses of pain.
Several minutes later and the only headway Jaden had made was to rub both of his wrists raw in his bonds. The bolts on the door clanged and he went still. Thomas stepped inside.
"So you're still alive," the man said, conversationally. "You might wish I'd done a bit more damage later on. Kathleen is pissed."
"Yeah I guess so," Jaden answered, watching Thomas carefully. Perhaps if he played his cards right he could get another chance at this.
"Did you look at the map that the girl you're with supposedly lost?" asked Thomas. Jaden was slightly surprised at the change of subject.
"Maybe. Why?"
"Can you draw it?"
"Shit," thought Jaden. This could easily go very well, or very, very badly for him. He had done no more than glance at the map that had been given to Takyle, so there was no way he could actually duplicate it even if he wanted to. If he said yes though, maybe Thomas would at least give him one hand free. Then again maybe not.
A chance was a chance.
"Yes, probably most of it at least." That was sort of the truth. He remembered it being square with some mountains on it.
"Good. Maybe that will give you something to help convince Kathleen not to kill you quite as fast as she would have. Fast being a relative term of course."
"If she's going to kill me anyway, why would I give her information that she wants?" demanded Jaden. Thomas shrugged.
"People do strange things when they're in agony. Sometimes the shadow of a thread of a hope is enough to make them grasp."
Jaden gazed at Thomas impassively for a moment.
"Well thanks a lot for this bit of heartening conversation, Tommy. Very cheering. The message of hope you spread is invaluable to those of us in dire straights."
Thomas smiled. "I do what I can."
"That being the case, perhaps you could answer a question for me," Jaden said casually.
"Maybe."
"Once I've died my long, undignified, and horrible death and Kathleen has what she wants, what's going to happen to my friends?" At this point Jaden was assuming that neither Takyle nor Andrew had violently rejected someone's sexual advances or, put more succinctly, rape attempts, and subsequently tried to stage an escape.
Thomas turned towards the door. "Well that might depend on whether or not you get that map right." He stepped out into the hallway. Jaden let his head roll back.
"Shit." ~
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