Bittersweet Agony

Chapter 2

My eyes snapped open and my body slowly kicked into gear when I was shaken awake by a harsh jolt. Hands instantly went flying and I smacked something hard and stiff. Admittedly, I didn't hit very hard, but enough to give me a second to breathe.
"Wake up." A harsh voice spat. I was wide awake at the sound of a voice, and when my eyes opened, I was greeted with the face of the devil and cold pavement only inches from my face. The click of my seat belt sounded and I fell completely out of the car, landing face first on the ground.
The man with the gun - I think that's what I'll call him - stood before me on the passenger side of the car, watching me flail helplessly.
"Get up; let's go." I obeyed unwillingly, and began to stand up as a second body grabbed my arm to "help". Unfortunately, this was my injured arm so I had to stop myself from wincing at the pain.
"I'm sorry about this, sweetheart." I didn't have time to figure out what was going on. I just saw the glisten on a gun in the moonlight, and immediately acted on impulse.
If I had been anyone else, in any other situation, maybe I would've believed the sickly sweet sound of the deadly man's voice. But I'm not anyone else. And this isn't any other situation. This is life or death, and for now, I chose life. I had to choose life, for my father.

So I kicked out from beneath me, hitting the shooters' shins. Unfortunately, instead of preventing the gun from firing at all, I only changed the destination of the shot. A bullet shot out from the gun, straight towards me, and effectively hitting me in my broken arm.
Despite my attempts to stay strong, I screamed in agony and my eyes flew shut so tight I was sure my eyes would fall out of their sockets and back into my skull.
I'm not sure if my eyes actually opened or not, because when I tried to, all I could see was black. To say I've never felt pain so excruciating would be an absolute lie, but it still fucking hurts. Fire shot up my right arm, and filled my body with licks of agony. I writhed pitifully on the floor until it was dark, and I was gone. My body stopped hurting, and my muscles stopped trying. I was dead.
Hopefully.
No wait, unfortunately. I couldn't die yet.
*~*
Well, everyone always told me you can't always get what you want. I guess this was it. My arm was bandaged, but only enough to keep me from bleeding out. They needed me alive. So did I.
At least I knew that much.
I was blindfolded and seated in a cool, metal chair. My arms were chained behind me and my legs were in the same position. I tried moving the chair, only to find it must've been bolted to the floor. I sighed from boredom and sat there, alone with my thoughts.
"Well, look who's awake." A deep voice boomed and through the blindfold, I could tell there was light coming from the doorway. Suddenly the blindfold was pulled down my face, and rested around my neck.
"Do you have trouble keeping your prisoners in often?" I asked, gesturing to the many chains holding me down. "Only the feisty ones." He replied evilly. "Oh, so I'm feisty, huh? Scommetto che ti piace" I spat. "Unfortunately for you, I do." He stepped closer slowly, and I swallowed my vomit.
He understood me?
Before I had time to contemplate how he understood what I was saying, all of a sudden he was right in front of me. He bent down, leaning forward so close that his face was no more than two inches from mine. I felt his warm breath fan across my face. His eyes squinted suspiciously, but I stayed stock-still.
"I want to know everything about you." He spoke quietly by my ear. "Now."
I didn't move.
He smacked my right cheek hard, and I let out a light laugh. "Come on, you can do better than that." I pouted.
Another slap to my left cheek, a little harsher this time. "That's better, but I think you're still holding back. Fammi vedere cosa si può fare. (Let me see what you can do.)"
He gripped my right arm, the one he shot and was recently broken, and it took everything in me to resist blacking out or screaming.
"What is wrong with you?" He shouted, making me wince from the loudness of his voice and closeness of his mouth.
"Believe me, I wasn't always this stoic. It took a lot of training to be able to endure this so easily. But if you really think you'll affect me with a bullet wound and a few hits, you're sadly mistaken." I explained.
He growled yet again with frustration, and dug two fingers into the hole in my arm. A cry ripped from my throat involuntarily, and I quickly forced myself to cover it up.
"You have a hard time listening, don't you?" He snapped, annoyed. "Listening was never the hard part. Performing, however, always got me. I've never really been one for obedience." I answered.
The man smirked viciously, and began to speak again. "I have some business to attend to, so I'll let you simmer for a little while to reconsider your decision. When I get back - if you're not dead yet - then we'll talk." He turned to walk out of the room, but stopped at the doorway. He didn't bother turning back around when he said the next words. "Try to stay warm." And I could hear the wry smile in his voice.
*~*
It hadn't been more than fifteen minutes - I would know since I was counting - before goosebumps rose on my skin and the shivers set in. Not only was I losing too much blood, which was causing me to freeze, but I'm pretty sure they turned the air conditioning way down to speed up the process. Soon my blood would start to freeze over and form ice crystals.
I shook violently in the chair, unable to even hug my own body for warmth. My eyes were beginning to close and I didn't even want to force them open. I welcomed death and all its gory glory.
Maybe my father can wait.
*~*
I don't know how long I was out, but by the time I woke up again, I was drenched in icy water and nearly frozen to death. The water droplets on my body froze almost instantly, and I long since couldn't feel any of my appendages. I wasn't even convinced they were still attached.
"Ready to talk?" "That depends. What do you want?" I spluttered through the water dripping off my hair into my nose and mouth.
"To talk. Explain yourself."
I huffed with defeat. "My name is Adelina Nazzari. My father is Abramo Nazzari. I've been trafficked since I was 12. I learned to shoot a gun when I was 7. I first shot, and killed, a man when I was 9. I strangled a man to death when I was 10. The first time I was raped was when I was 13, and it's happened quite frequently since. I lost all capability to feel compassion at the age of 5, when I witnessed my father beat my mother to death." I paused for only a second before I began again. "Is that a good enough sob story? Your turn."
"What happened after you got into trafficking?"
"W-what do you mean what happened?" I stuttered through the cold, even though I was thoroughly irritated at that point. "I was raped and beaten so people could get money or drugs or whatever it is sick minds like yours want."
"How'd you get into it?"
"My father s-sold me."
"Why?"
"How should I know? I guess he got sick of me and realized I was more trouble than I'm worth." My voice continued to lull through my shivers.
"Do you know who he sold you into?"
"If you're asking what gang, then no, I was told nothing. All I know is one minute I was trying to get some sleep in my bed, and the next I woke up in a cage like a wild animal. I was stuck in a room with at least 20 or 30 other girls, from what I could tell. Now I'm done following your rules, it's your turn. I want answers."
"What do you want to know?" He asked smugly.
"Everything. W-who you are, why you want me, what's your goal. What are you hoping to achieve by kidnapping a 'drugged up slut' as I believe you called me." I pried.
"Blake Knight, second in command for Knights. I want you because you're interesting and prove to be a challenge, and I like challenges. My goal is to tell you my proposition, and for you to take it. I have reason to believe you're more valuable than just a regular drugged up slut, therefore I'm hoping to achieve great things with you." He explained.
I couldn't help the gaping hole my mouth was forming. I stared at the man with wide eyes, despite trying to act nonchalant about the whole thing. "You... You're The Knights?" I asked breathlessly. "I got picked up by the fucking Knights?" I was beginning to get angry. "Stai prendi per il culo a me? (Are you shitting me?)"
He smirked victoriously and asked, "Is there a problem?"
"You guys have been off the radar for... Well forever! And all of the sudden you just decide to kidnap some crazy bitch?" I shouted.
"We're still off the radar. From the sound of it, no one will miss you." It was true. If it weren't for my traffickers, no one would even notice I was gone.
"S-so what exactly do you want from me, then?" I asked, irritated. "What's your 'proposition'?"
"I want you to join us."
I'm almost positive I died. Right there. In the chair. That, or my hearing was shot and I'm interpreting this man's words wrong.
"Excuse me?" An open pit took the place of my mouth, and I sat there helpless for words and meaning. My throat had already dried from the cold, but at that point it felt like swallowing sandpaper.
"I," he pointed to himself. "Want you," gestured to me. "To join the Knights."
"Why?" I asked dumbly.
"Because I think you'd be a good asset for us to have."
"Why would you think that? How could you know anything about me just from taking a look at me?"
"It's a simple request. Yes or no?" He insisted, ignoring my questions completely.
"Uhh..." Thinking about it, I realized it may be a good option. I'd have a bed, food, and protection from my traffickers. I'd also have a better chance of finding my father.
"What's in it for me?" I asked, a hint of power glinting in my eyes. Just to fuck with him.

Don't be foolish, Adelina.

Be grateful for the possessions given to you by others, Adelina.

"Do I need to answer that?" An eyebrow flicked up smugly.

"What would I have to do? Surely you're not just going to shelter me for free."

"Of course not." He almost sounded offended by my suggestion. "You'll work for my team, obey our rules, and do exactly what I tell you, when I tell you."

"And if I don't?" I smirked rebelliously.

"Well, Miss Nazzari, then this is only the beginning." He answered, speaking about the torture, I presume.

"Or-" he said loudly, "You are welcome to leave and be picked up behind another sleazy club by some disgusting scumbag."

"Don't you mean another disgusting scumbag?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously and he stepped forward patronizingly slow. "I'm feeling unusually kind today, so I'm not going to punish you for your last comment. However, you should understand that if you ever speak to me, or any of the people here that way, we will have no hesitation to punish you however we seem fit at the time."

"Understandable." I responded simply, shrugging my shoulders. "You have a deal, Mr. Knight."

"That was easier than I had expected." His eyes narrowed, unsure of my intentions.

"Honestly," I sighed tiredly, "I just don't care at this point. I've got nothing to lose but my life, and that's hardly a loss."

"What does that mean?" He asked curiously.

"What does what mean?"

"Why are you so dead-set on dying, but you won't just do it yourself? There's gotta be a reason you're keeping yourself alive. You seem so ready to die, but if that's what you really wanted, you'd have done it by now. So why do you pretend you're not scared of death?"

"Because I'm not. I'm not afraid of dying, Blake. There's one reason, and one reason only that I wasn't gone the second I was old enough to realize suicide was an option." I told him.

"And what's that?" He inquired.

"Well where's the fun in that...? If I told you, I'd have to kill you." I gave him another signature wink, and he left without a word, and I was again left to my own tortured thoughts.