The Red Star

Chapter 34

Crys opened her eyes slowly, a blaring light before her making her shut them again. She groaned and let her head fall forward. It was then that she realized that she was standing up straight, but her legs, waist and arms were held tight, fastened to what felt like a metal wall.
Blinking once more, she opened her eyes and squinted. She saw then that she was in the center of a large room. She craned her neck as she upward into a dark dome which loomed overhead.
There was a movement in the room and her head turned in all directions, trying to find the source of the noise. She then began to pull and tug at her bonds, realizing that they were not going to budge.
All around her was darkness except a bright light shining a circle at her feet. She heard another movement and she looked forward with a frown.
"Who's there?" she shouted.
"There's no need to shout," a voice sounded. "Crystal."
Crys recognized the voice immediately and said,
"What do you want Eric?"
A dim light flicked on and she could see a very large room around her, with metal tables covered in all sorts of instruments, both sharp and dull.
"Well," Eric said, as he moved forward, closer to where she was being held. "We need answers from you."
"We?" Crys said as she tugged once more on the metal clamps that held her wrists.
"Yes." another voice said.
Crys looked up to see a railing along the bottom of the dome. There was standing there, a man, his head covered in a hood, his body clad in armor and a green cape.
"It's nice to see you again, Victor." Crys grunted.
"Likewise." he replied.
"That is, if you are really you and not a clone." Crys said as she watched him closely.
He walked to the side, his hand running atop the rail.
"In the flesh Crystal." he said.
"Now back to the reason you're here." he paused and leaned on the rail with both hands, "You are going to tell us Bluejay's weaknesses and we will let you go."
Crys laughed and said,
"Listen hon, you can do whatever you want to me, but I'm not going to betray my friends."
"Alright then," Victor said, "Since you just gave us the permission."
He looked down at Eric and said,
"Go ahead."
Eric looked at Crys then put up his hand. Crys could feel the cold metal tighten around her and she looked up at Doom.
Not a moment later, she saw a flash of light followed by a searing pain, tearing through her body. She clenched her fists and let out a grunt of pain before the pain vanished, leaving her form tingling with an aching sensation.
"It seems you are not as weak to electricity as I first thought." Doom said out loud.
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me." Crys chuckled painfully, her heart pounding heavily.
"Well then I guess I'll have to learn." Doom added, "Through trial and error."
Crys shot her eyes up and before a word could form on her lips, she felt the searing pain run through her, only this time it felt as if she was being burned. Her whole body felt like it was on fire and all of her muscles clenched.
When it stopped, she let out a breath and her head fell forward. Chest was heaving and her hands were clenched as the sting of the electricity seemed to sizzle on her skin. Sweat was forming on her brow and she heard Doom chuckle.
"It appears we are getting somewhere." he paused as Crys lifted her head, then he added, "Tighter Eric."
With that, Crys felt the metal clamps on her go tighter, the ones on her arms beginning to cut into the skin. It tightened even more and Crys sucked in a breath as the first line of crimson blood trickled down her arm.
"I don't suppose your willing to talk at all now?" Doom said calmly.
"Hell no." Crys said, setting her jaw. "Nothing you do is going to make me talk."
"I doubt that." Doom chuckled.
"Oh yeah?" Crys laughed painfully. "I think the worst you could do is talk me to death. That or show your ugly ass face."
Doom narrowed his eyes and thrust his hands forward, a heavy sheet of lightning shooting at her.
She screamed when it tore through her. The burn was so intense that she let out another scream. She had never felt this kind of pain before and it was beginning to frighten her. She shut her eyes as she clenched her jaw and her fists. She prayed that she would be strong enough to endure until they found her. If they found her.
The burn stopped and Crys let out her breath and quickly began to take in more.
Her head fell back and her eyes were shut as she struggled to catch her breath.
"You had enough yet?" Doom said.
Crys grunted when she tried to force a laugh.
"Is that," she gasped, "the best you can do?"
Doom laughed once more and said,
"Oh no. That was just the warm up. Im just getting started."
Again, not a moment after he stopped speaking there was a flash of lightning and Crys screamed.
The white light shimmered in Eric's ice blue eyes as he held the metal restraints solid. His eyes betrayed his actions. For these eyes were the eyes of an admirer not a captor.
Yet even as Eric's eyes betrayed what he did, so Crystal's eyes began to change. The dark and soft hue of her eyes was slowly changing. It was getting lighter and the pain was getting stronger. She was afraid.