Splash!
A bucket of water is thrown over Ren's head and she sputters awake. She shakes her head with a gasp, water sloshing over her shoulders. Goosebumps rise on her skin and a shiver wracks her body.
"That's so cold!" She squeals, her eyes wide as her bangs stick to her forehead. She moves to stand, but finds that her wrists and ankles are tied to the chair with steel cable. She tugs at them with a grunt, her jaw ticking when they don't budge, and instead dig into her skin.
"It's no use."
Ren gasps, her head snapping up.
"These are specially made for IM's." Stephanie sits in a foldable metal chair across from her, a plaster holding her nose together. The area is bruised and swollen, her eyes red from popped blood vessels. Markus stands behind her like a loyal guard.
"Nice face." Ren snickers. Her body relaxes as she gives up trying to break free.
Stephanie lunges at her, the chair scteeching across the cement floor. Her blonde hair goes flying, her face twisted in a snarl, but Markus grabs her around the waist and holds her back just before she can get to Ren.
"I told you if you couldn't rein it in, you're going to wait out in the hall." He scolds her.
She makes a sound of annoyance and shakes him off of her. She adjusts her shirt and with a glare, settles back in her chair. "I'm good."
Ren snorts, then looks around the room. There's no furniture besides the chairs she and Stephanie sit on. The door that leads outside is metal, and there are no windows. Her ties are connected to chains that are bolted to the cement floor, and they rattle when she moves.
"Where am I?" She asks, not really expecting an answer from them, but it never hurts to ask. Just as she suspected, neither of them answer her. Markus leans back against the wall behind Stephanie and crosses his arms over his chest. "What about the other guy? Where's he?"
When they don't answer her again, she slumps back with a heavy sigh. She should've just stayed in her hideout and starved.
She glances down at herself and sees that she's still in the clothes they found her in. She takes a sniff and wrinkles her nose, yikes. They wouldn't happen to have a shower nearby, right? Would they let her shower? They can always tie her back up when she's done. She debates asking them, but figures they wouldn't answer her anyway. Let alone go along with her request.
"Is there a reason I'm getting the silent treatment?" She eyes the other woman. "Is it cause I messed up your pretty face-"
"I'm gonna kill her!" Stephanie jumps. Her hand curls around her neck and squeezes. Ren gasps but no air comes through. Her eyes water as she stares up at the lady's plaster that holds her nose in place.
Why isn't he stopping her?! Is this really how she's going out? At the hands of a petty woman? What was Ren supposed to do, let them take her without a fight? As if!
The metal door across the interrogation room creaks open, but Stephanie blocks Ren's view of whoever has come in. "That's enough, Steph. Let her go."
She bares her teeth but does as she's told. Stephanie backs up and an older man comes into view. He wears a camouflage jacket and nicely pressed pants, his leather shoes polished and shiny. His salt and pepper hair is styled back, and despite his older age and obvious lack of a fashion sense, he's rather handsome.
"I told you to keep her in check." Borse sounds tired, but not surprised, as if he already suspected this would happen.
Markus shrugs, "I did. She's not dead, is she?" He gives a lazy nod to their prisoner.
Ren pouts, "Not yet."
The three ignore her.
General Borse sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "Out. Now."
"But-!" Stephanie goes to protest but Markus shakes his head and tugs her out into the hall. The door slams shut behind them, the sound echoing in the nearly empty room, leaving Ren alone with the newcomer.
"Sir, Mister boss man." Ren puts on her most charming smile, and leans forward, ignoring the way her arms ache, "You wouldn't happen to have a young man named Seth among your workers, right?"
Borse settles in the chair that Stephanie once occupied and crosses one leg over the other. He leans back and stares at her. Well, it was worth asking, at least.
"How about," She chuckles awkwardly and slouches once more, "We pretend I never existed and you just let me go? Hm?" She asks, her voice hopeful.
"How long have you been infected?" Borse ignores her question for his own.
Ren whines and drops her head back to stare at the ceiling, "Damn it." How could she have gotten herself into this mess?
Right, this isn't her fault. It's the other IM's fault. If he had just ran away like she wanted to, they both would still be in the outer edges of the city. But noo, he had to sabotage her. For what? Because she happened to trick him into slaying the horde that broke the wall? How is that fair? It's not!
"The faster you answer the faster we can both leave." Borse breaks her out of her thoughts, his voice taking an annoyed edge.
Ren straightens, her eyes wide, "Really? You mean that?" All she had to do was answer his questions, and he'd let her leave? Her eyes narrow, she doesn't sense that he's lying, but surely there's something he's not telling her. IM's don't just get to leave the official government.
Borse nods his head, "How long have you been infected?"
Ren twists her lips, either way, she doesn't seem to have a choice, unless she wants to become skin and bones in this room. "Uh, maybe two months. Give or take a few days."
"How did you get infected?"
Ren's eyes narrow and her upper lip curls, "Like all other IM's." She bites out, "I got bit."