Chapter 3

I sat on the hood of the car staring at the ruins. I looked around and noticed the shutters were still suspended from the tree. Anger overtook me. I picked up a decent sized branch and stormed over. I swung and started breaking them in half. Rage and angst poured out of me in the form of "Grrr!" when I missed and "Argh!" when I connected. After my anger releasing session, my arms were really tired, I dropped the stick and walked back to the car. I sat on the hood some more.

"I have no idea what to do now" I said aloud. "I suppose I can stay in the barn."

I looked around and listened. I couldn't hear anything, it was deafeningly quiet. Somewhere in the distance a truck was rumbling along, but that was the only noise I could hear. Not even the birds were chirping.

I sighed heavily and moved to the driver's seat. I turned the car over and got back onto the road that would take me to the four corners. I rolled up to the stop light and looked around. There wasn't a lot of people here when I got here, but now it was deserted.

"Maybe the store has food" I thought, as I parked the car in front of the store. I pushed the door open and stood up. I listened intently, silence greeted me.

I walked cautiously to the store front and pushed the door open. A still air of old wood greeted me as I walked down the aisles. Everything looked untouched. An intentory list was sitting near the money box, I read over it and then looked around some more. My tummy was empty. I grabbed some crackers and peanut butter, then I grabbed a basket and started dumping food into it. I assumed that everyone had been killed or run off.

I carried the basket out to the car and then looked down the road, a black truck was parked there. My stomach felt a little queasy, I got back inside and waited. I didn't hear a motor running. I grabbed the little money box and walked briskly towards the door. I pushed it open and stepped out, looking all around me as best as I could.

I reached the car and pulled the door open. I noticed the truck wasn't there anymore. I started the car quickly, and started driving down the road. The money box rattled next to me with each foot I traveled on the rough pavement. My biggest concern was that it was the people from last night.

I turned to go south out of town and started speeding up. I looked back, the black truck was there, about the distance of six city blocks. I felt my stomach knot up. Fear crept through my body and I had to force myself to relax. I sped up a bit more, the truck paced my every move.

"Crap" I said silently. "I'm so ****ed. They're going to kill me"

I watched the truck in the rear view mirror. I was very warm in the hoodie now, with anxiety causing me to over heat. I saw the front of the truck lurch and the distance between up started getting narrower at an alarming rate. I hit the gas and let the car run down the straight section of road. I wasn't sure how to drive well yet, but damn-it if I was going to let them catch me without a fight.

I sped down the road as quickly as I could drive the car, I was going around a turn when I felt an unsettling feeling. The back end of the car whipped around, and I went spinning off onto the wide shoulder. The truck was still coming. I tried restarted the car, which had stopped running for some reason. I shifted it into park, then tried restarted it. The motor started turning over.

WHAM!

I felt a violent crash as the truck careened into the back of the wagon, sending me spinning 180 degrees. In a daze, I heard the doors open. I tried starting the car again... "WRrrrr-wrrr" the motor went. Then it stopped trying. I heard the driver's side door handle being manipulated, I slapped the lock down. The figure, clad in green spotted clothes waved and another of his group used their gun to smash out the back window.

"Don't ****ing move" He said finally, his voice was harsh, it sounded like he had done this before. "Put your hands on the wheel and don't try to start the car."

I heard the back door open, then an arm reached through, unlocking the driver's side door. H felt the wind as the door was forcefully ripped open. Tears ran down my face as I realized I was going to die. Two hands grabbed my shoulders and ripped me from the car. I was laying flat on my back, with a boot pressed into my chest.

"Ugh!!" I cried, breathing was a bit of a chore.

"Shut the ****up" the guy with his boot on my chest scolded, he put the muzzle of his gun on my forehead to emphasize his point. I laid there, labored breathing and waiting. I had a moment of mental clarity.

"My fight is almost over" I thought to myself. "Soon, I won't have to suffer"

"What's your name?" The guy spat, I stayed silent.

"You will talk, you're a spy, aren't you?"

I was in shock, so I didn't reply to this comment.

"Put her in the truck" one of the guys commanded. The boot guy leaned down and picked me up like a sack of potatoes. He more or less threw me into the back of the truck. I heard the rattle of the money box I had gotten from the store. Someone had opened it.

"Junk silver" came an assessment.

"****" keep looking

Then the back of the truck slammed shut and I could only hear bits and pieces. I looked around my new home, I was in the back of a large SUV. The rearmost storage area had a dog fence separating it from the forward seats. I twisted and saw the lever to open the back of the truck. I grabbed it eagerly and pulled. The hatch popped open.

I was about to jump out when the boot guy stormed over. He grabbed my throat and pushed me back into the truck, smacking my head on the metal fencing. He climbed in with me.

"You just cannot cooperate can you, spy?" He spat. I heard him working a zipper or something. He grabbed my right hand and zip-tied it to the metal grate, then started to repeat with my left. I struggled as much as I could, I got my left hand free.

"OOF!" I spasmed, a hard left jab landed square in my solar plexus. Gasping for air, I felt my left arm get zip-tied to the grate too. "Gah!" I screamed as he punched me again. I felt my legs flailing a little whenever they'd hit the sides of the truck.

He climbed out. I bit my lip and squeezed my eyes shut and focused on filling my belly with air. I felt the spasm taper off. When I took another breath, I was shuddering with pain. My teeth were chattering. I sat there, zip tied in this truck while the four guys ripped through the wagon, they threw everything onto the ground.

"****ing spy" I heard one of them shout, as he held up the phone I had found. "I ****ing knew it"

"We can use her" someone said

They rummaged through my stuff for a little longer and then they all piled back into the truck. I heard the engine turn over and I craned my head to try to look forward. Just as my cheek pressed the grate, an elbow flew back, nearly knocking my head around the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?" I asked weakly

"Shut up"

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"I said, SHUT UP!" one of the guys screamed. I slouched and didn't say another word. We traveled for what seemed like an eternity. I was secured at an angle where I had to keep my back tensed or my head would be pushed forward as my butt slid across the floor. My legs weren't quite long enough to press against the back hatch.

We eventually stopped. I felt my wrists suddenly become free as the ties were cut. The back hatch opened, two guys reached in and dragged me towards the opening by my legs. Once my knees were over the edge, they grabbed my shoulders and yanked. I nearly flew out and onto the ground, but I caught myself.

"Walk" one of them said sternly. I followed one of the four guys as we went through a little maze of passageways. They took me to a room and shoved me in. Then the door was pulled shut. I slouched against the wall. I was getting really tired of being locked in spaces.

I sat there staring at the wall for another eternity. I fell asleep a few times, but eventually, the door opened. Two guys picked my exhausted body up off the floor and dragged me to another room. They sat me in a metal chair, at a metal table. They didn't fasten me down as I had expected. Then they left and I was alone again. I considered my new environment. Without the chair or table, it reminded me a lot of the isolation room in the factory, it was about 10x12, with a door. Nothing else distinguished the room. I looked down at the floor, it looked like linoleum and there were red stains between the sheets. My tummy tightened at the thought that it was blood.

"This is all a big understanding" I told myself. "I'll go soon" "go where?" my thoughts started to concern me. "You have no where to go..."

I put folded my arms on the table and rested my head. My eyes were feeling puffy and I was worried I was going to never leave. I was even more worried that I had no where to go, even if I could. I heard a noise and the door opened. Two guys came walking in, one sat at the table, the other stood in the corner.

"So, what's your name?" the guy at the table asked.

I sniffled, "Courtney" I managed.

"Why were you in our town?" He asked

"I was staying with someone" I replied

"Un-huh..." he said quietly, he made a show of working his hands over. "You know Courtney you're going to suffer if you don't play ball."

"I don't know why I'm here!" I said

"No ... of course not, that's what we're going to figure out together." His voice took on a sinister tone.

"I'll tell you whatever you want, please don't hurt me ... your people"

"They did what I train them to do, now what's your name?" He said, cutting me off.

"Courtney" I replied

"Are you sure?" He asked

"Yes"

"I don't believe you, and when I don't believe you, I have to hurt you. Do you understand?" He said this in a mocking tone.

"I swear to God, my name is Courtney!"

"No ... it isn't..." He said, he waved to the second man, who walked over and pulled something from his pocket. The device was a string with two holds on either end. He walked over behind me. I craned my head around to see what he was doing.

"No!" "Please!" I begged, the second guy kicked my chair forward, squishing me between it and the table, the string was pulled around my neck. I grasped at it desperately, he was pulling up into his chest, I felt my butt leave the chair a little. I flailed, I felt my world spinning and eventually turning to dark. Then I snapped back to reality when my chin thumped on the table.

"What's your name?" The guy asked

"Courtney" I wept.

He sighed. "You know, this isn't all we'll do to you if you lie. I'm giving you a chance to be cooperative what's your name?"

"Courtney!" I shouted

"Do you have a last name? Or didn't your handlers give you one?"

"My surname is McDaniels!" I said somberly. I was waiting for an actual strike.

"So ... Courtney McDaniels."

I nodded

"Now we're getting somewhere." He waved to the other guy, and I watched him return to his corner in the room.

"Aaron enjoys making people hurt, you have to understand."

"I don't! Why are you treating me like this!"

"Courtney, are you ****ing stupid?" He spat. "Do you know what has happened this last year?"

I shook my head "no."

"Christ ... Aaron, make her understand we're not here to play games!"

"Please I was in captivity ... in a factory" the words poured out of me as the foot steps drew near. "I was taken from Virginia ... I don't know where I am ... I don't know if my parents are alive."

Aaron's hand clasped on my shoulder. "Please" I begged. "Please!" I started crying. I felt the pressure increase, the middle and index fingers were pressing in just behind my left breast. The pain was intense. I kept speaking through labored pains. "Please I swear to " before I could finish, I could swear I felt my rib separate as the guy's fingers seemed to penetrate into my body. I screamed louder than I thought myself capable, then he backed off. I grabbed at my side, my left arm was numb.

"See ... you should have said that from the get-go." The seated man said. "Take her to her room, she gets protocol four"

"What's protocol four?" I asked

"You'll know soon enough." He said, I felt Aaron's grasp on my shoulder, I stood on command, and walked as obediently as I could down the hall. The door opened, and I was shoved inside, then the door immediately closed.

I curled up in the corner, nursing my left side, my right hand probed, trying to figure out what had happened. My arm regained its feeling. I felt my neck, a thin area of welt was already forming. I pulled my knees in tighter, sniffling as I did so. "How am I going to survive?" I asked no one in particular. "Why didn't they just kill me?"

I laid in the room for a long long time, no one came to see me. No food was brought to me, no water. I simply just laid there in shock. After what I judged to be a whole day, the door opened. A tray was set on the floor and the door immediately closed. I crawled over to it. A cheap biscuit and chicken noodle soup, with a milk carton of 2% milk. I drank the soup down and ate the biscuit. Then chased both with the milk. I crawled back to the corner, and lay facing the wall. A long time passed and the door opened again. I heard the tray get kicked out of the way and I clenched up. Two sets of hands grabbed my arms and pulled me up. They took me to another room, this one was bigger, I was thrown down in the middle of it. I looked around at the empty space.

"You leave this spot, and you'll get a flogging."

I heard the question of what a flogging was coming up to my tongue, but I choked it down. I didn't want to know. I simply curled back up and waited for whatever was to happen, to happen. But after a long time, nothing happened. I uncurled and laid flat on my back, staring up at the blank white ceiling. There were ceiling tiles, so I started counting them. I was three quarters done with the room when I heard someone come in.

"On your feet, prisoner." I slowly stood up.

"What outfit do you work for?" He asked, it was the guy who was sitting at the table.

"I don't work for anyone" I said in some confusion.

"You're clearly lying." He said. "Flog her." Then he moved. Two more guys came walking up to me. I backed away and turned around. There were two guys behind me I hadn't heard them come up. The four goons surrounded me. I looked around desperately, there had to be a way out. My eyes scanned every inch of the four guys in a single breath. I was instantly back in the factory, being beaten for missing quota. I took a breath.

One of the guys produced a night stick, I saw it flash in my vision and then my legs no longer worked. I toppled to the floor, two of the guys moved to give me room to faceplant. Then they resurrounded me and started kicking me. The beating seemed to drag on. It felt like every square inch of me had been kicked at least once, with my sides taking the brunt of the punishment. The guy in charge said something and they backed up.

"Get up" he commanded me. I tried to get up and fell back to the floor. I felt a dribble of blood running down my cheek.

"Stand the ****up right now, or I'll put them back on you." He yelled intently.

I stood, I was wobbling back and forth like some kind of drunk. The change in perspective caused me to lose my dinner. I doubled over and then collapsed, I managed to get onto my elbow before I vomited, I looked down at the pool of soup and milk. It was sheening with blood. I used the sleeve of my hoodie to wipe my mouth off. I looked up at my captors, they simply turned and walked away. I heard them exit and the door shut. I laid next to the pool of vomit, unable to move.

"You deserve this" I told myself. "You deserve to die a slow death."... "NO!" my subconscious screamed. "No you do not! You will find a way out..." I listened to my internal dialogue drone on and on. I convinced myself that I was going to just have to try to survive until my captors came to realize I was actually telling the truth. But I didn't know why this was happening to me. That was the one thing I couldn't work out. I had no idea what had happened the past three years. After another long while, the door reopened. The five guys surrounded me. I hadn't moved so much as an inch from where they left me.

"Can you stand?" the guy asked with mock sympathy. I shook my head ‘no'.

"Get her up" he said, and two of the guys hefted me. It worried me how easily they moved me through space. I tried to balance on my own two feet, but failed. They moved and let me fall back to the cold hard floor, then picked me back up.

"You're not a very good spy, I thought you were trained to resist interrogation." He said with some disgust.

"I'm not a spy!" I said with all the strength I could muster.

"We'll see" he said. "Put her back in her room, let her recover a little and we'll get answers."

I looked into his eyes as they dragged me away, his eyes were cold and calculating. I'd seen the expression before, at my 12th birthday party, my dad had some of his co-workers over. One of them, named Robby, or Roberto ... something like that, he had that look. Always seeing, and deciding how to act. I felt a chill go up my spine and realized I was about to puke again.

"I'm gonna puke" I managed, the two guys didn't flinch, they kept dragging me. I felt the reflex and I gagged, but nothing came up. I gagged harder, my stomach twisted in knots. Involuntarily, my knees came up to try to soothe the pain. I gagged harder. The dry heaves were really really painful. The spasm stopped as they deposited me back into my room. I curled up and waited. The floor was very comfortable, I passed out.

I was awoken when a boot landed in my side. "Get up" the voice demanded. I flinched and rolled. "I said, GET UP!" the voice screamed. The boot landed right on my belly button. I folded in half and coughed hard. A hand grabbed my hair and pulled me up, then led me down the hall back to the interrogation room. Three other guys were in there already.

"Would you like some water?" the guy at the table asked, pushing a bottle of water towards me. I cautiously took the bottle and started drinking it down. It was a big liter bottle. I went for a second swig when someone grabbed me and another squeezed the bottle. I felt myself gulping water, and some splashed out of my mouth.

"Happy?" the seated guy asked. I coughed and spat some water up. My tummy started feeling weird again.

"Okay, now, tell me, Courtney ... why were you in the town?"

"I was just passing through" I said weakly. "I was staying with a man named Darren, his wife Martha, and their children. I was staying in their barn."

"Unhuh" he said

"I swear to you ... that's the truth!" I pleaded.

"Courtney, I'm afraid I just don't believe you."

"I'm not lying!"

"Are you sure?" He asked

"YES! I was a slave in a factory for the past three or so years. I don't know anything. I don't even know if my parents are still alive!"

"And where is this factory?"

"Oregon!" I saw one of his men nod.

"Excuse me" he said, he and his men exited, they came back in a few minutes later.

"Stand up, Courtney."

I stood.

"Take your clothes off"

I stared at the group.

"Either you will, or we will."

"Is that what you want?" I asked a little defiantly

The guy signaled to his companions.

"OKAY!" I cried. I turned around and faced the corner. I could feel their eyes on me as I pulled my sweater and halter top off, then my jeans, socks, and underwear. I buried my head in the corne and wept softly. My arms were clamped across my chest, and my whole body was shaking.

"Turn around" he demanded. I stood rigidly in the corner, accepting the inevitable. "I said TURN AROUND" he enunciated his speech a little, prouncing the syllables. I still stood rigid, too frightened to do anything.

"You're not helping yourself." He said, I felt the two goons come over to me. They grabbed my shoulders and pulled me out of the corner and pushed me back towards the table.

"Do you feel vulnerable?" the guy asked. I nodded

"Do you want your clothes back?" he asked next, I nodded

"You cannot have them back until you give me what I want." He said. "now tell me your whole story, and leave nothing out."

"Please..." I begged.

"Last chance, before things get worse for you."

"Please just let me have my sweater. It's so cold!" I begged.

He sighed hoarsely. "Take her and string her up." I looked up as I felt the hands on me. They pushed me down a hallway to another room. This room wasn't empty. Two ropes dangled from the ceiling. I stood there between them in defiance. One of the guards smiled at me as he recoiled his fist, then unloaded it in my midsection. My arms went limp as I struggled to regain my balance. The guards fastened my wrists into the restraints and the ropes were pulled taught. I looked down at the floor and all around, desperately seeking a way out, the two guards left me standing there. I was a little relieved when they left.

I started trying to remember everything I could. He said, to leave nothing out. I knew I had to tell the story the best I could, and be truthful. I tried to remember the first days. I was in the midst of this memory hunt when the door opened. The guy and his goons came walking in.

"I'd like to start this session with a question." The guy announced. "Do you know how long you have been with us?"

I was flush with embarrassment and too paniced to answer.

"It's okay... 10 days." He replied. "10 wonderful days, you have graced us with your presence. In that time, you have consumed exactly 20,000 calories. If you behave, we can keep that, if not, you will starve and you will die a very slow death. I believe you have something to tell me."

"Can you cover me up? I can't talk like this."

"Greg, cover her up." He said with a smirk. This Greg walked over and groped my chest, then his hand went other places. "STOP IT!" I screamed.

"You got what you wanted." The guy said indifferently. "Are you fine or should he continue?"

"I'll be okay" I said in the back of my mind, I was trying to figure out how to kill this man. The thought had come from no where, but it was there, and it was burning. I wanted nothing more than to be thrusting a knife through his neck.

"So talk." He said, he set my hoodie on his lap. "Tell us your story, and you can have this back."

I took a deep breath. I could still feel that guy's hands violating my personal bubble. I looked at the floor for a few moments while I collected my thoughts.

"My name is Courtney McDaniels, I was born in Manassas, Virginia to Mark and Sandra. I have no siblings, I would have had a sister, but she was premature and died in the hospital" I looked up to see if these words had any sway on my audience, I didn't see anything that would suggest so. I sighed. "I am not sure what you want me to say"

"I want to know how a little ginger girl from Virginia gets all the way to the other side of the country, and is in my territory, stealing food and money."

"Stealing" I said quietly "I wasn't stealing. I was under the impression everyone was dead."

"Why?" He asked

"Because the people I was staying with were murdered or didn't your people tell you that several houses were smouldering heaps!?"

I watched his face, he flinched just a little. "I'm aware" he replied. "BULL****" my subconscious replied. I smiled inwardly, one of the things I found I was good at in the factory was reading people. I didn't know I was good at it until I could tell which guards to watch out for. The ones who wanted to hurt someone always smirked just so. This observation had just given me the upper hand.

"I was awoken by gunfire. I fled into the woods in the car your people ruined."

"I see"

"I got here ... by bus."

"By bus?" He asked

"Yes, I was taken from school and brought here."

"Taken from school by who?"

"The school people"

"The school people forced you to leave."

"They told us if we left, we'd be in serious trouble."

"Hmm" He said quietly. "Will you give me a minute?"

I couldn't help but smile. "I'm not going anywhere" I said.

I watched him stand and his goons followed him out. I thought about what was going to happen. I decided none of my paths were particularly great.

The door reopened. The guy came back with a new guy. He looked me over and then opened a bag he was carrying, he pulled out a syringe. I tried to move in my restraints.

"Scared of needles?" the first guy guessed.

"Please..." I said

"It won't hurt that much." He said

I watched the guy draw back the plunger, the syringe filled with liquid. He started coming over to me. I felt my bladder release. "****" I sighed. The guy was unperturbed by the puddle of urine forming at my feet. He jammed the syringe into my arm and pressed the plunger down. My world went hazy.

I came to my senses a little while later. I was on cloud nine. Whatever they gave me made me feel super happy. "Wow" I said softly

"It's a hallucinogenic mixed with opium, just wait."

I breathed deeply, my ribs didn't hurt one bit. I saw a flash. "Ahhh!" I screamed "Oh my God, NO!! Rachael!!!"

"Courtney, what do you see?"

"They took Rachael! They took Rachael!" I shouted

"Who is Rachael?"

"One of my friends, they put her on another bus Sarah ... oh no!"

"What's going on?"

"We're being separated."

"Why?"

"I don't know, I just know we're being separated. I'm being dragged back to the bus I was on for the ride."

"What does the scenery look like?"

"I don't know, it's dark."

"How many busses are there?"

"Hundreds" I cried

"Where did Sarah go?" he asked

"I don't know..." I sighed

Knock! Knock! ... I heard the chair slide across the floor. I mouthed "pshhh clunk"

"what?" he asked

I felt my face go slack, the expression one wears when they know they're in a situation with no exits. I watched the bus pull up to the factory.

"Courtney, this is Doctor Grisby, can you explain to us what ‘clunk psh' is?"

"the factory, it's the first thing we heard."

"What is happening in your vision?" the soothing voice asked

"We're being debussed."

"What does the scenery look like?"

"I don't know, there are flood lights."

"Is it cold?"

"Very"

"When do you start to feel warm?"

"When we get inside, it's like an oven."

"What does the inside look like?"

"A big conveyer system."

The questions kept coming, and I kept answering, I felt them inject me again. I wasn't sure how long I was suspended there, answering question after question. I woke up though in my cell, still naked. I pulled my knees in and tried to move, my body ached, especially my arms. My head was killing me. A few minutes after I came to, the door opened. The guards came and took me down to the interrogation room. They plopped me down into the cold metal chair. I didn't bother trying to cover myself, I had lost all hopes of virtue.

The guy plopped back down across from me. He slid my hoodie across the table. "You've earned this"

I stared at it absently for a minute, while my mind computed what "it" was. Slowly, I put my arms through and pulled it down over my head. I hugged myself, feeling the warm liner press up against my clammy skin.

"So, the good news is I think you were being honest. The bad news is I cannot let you go."

"Why?" I asked

"It's for your protection."

"My protection?"

"Your protection, the world isn't what it used to be."

"Can I have my clothes back?"

"Sure" He replied.

"Do we have to talk in here?"

"For the time being."

"Are you going to kill me?"

"No"

"Rape me?"

"No"

"Sell me back into slavery?"

"No ... as a matter of fact, I'd like to ask if you want to join our cause."

"Why would I do that, you tortured me!" I screamed

"Easy there copper top. We had to make sure you were not a threat, you understand, right?"

Somewhere in my mind it did make sense, but I didn't understand why I had to endure that. I nodded.

"Good, we'll get you some clothes." He said as he stood, then he walked out of the room. I pulled the hood up and rested my head on my arms. It felt so nice to be partially warm.

I was sitting in the interrogation room, freezing from the waist down for another eternity. I even laid on the floor and pulled my knees up into the hoodie to keep warm. I wondered if they forgot about me. I heard footsteps. I perked up with the knowledge they were going to let me go. I heard a key in the lock and the door opened.

"Stand" the man said, I hadn't seen this one yet. He watched me used the table for support as I pulled myself up.