Charley And The Swap Machine: Re-Ink'd

CHAPTER 5: Part 1 - Jailbird Blues

The Voice Of Joey Drew

A small memo to all administration offices:

Rumors have begun to fly that we simply can't tolerate any longer. The idea that the company is in some form of financial difficulty is untrue and a slanderous lie against us.

It's also been known to me that some backroom incompetents are not trusting in my leadership.

As a leader, I'm always steering the boat, guiding our destiny. Looking at the big picture. No need for you people to worry about such complicated things.

Just do whatever it is you do and trust your leader...

Which is me.

-----------------------------

"Rise 'n' shine, sleepin' beauty!"

Henry felt a gloved hand poke his face and wearily opened his eyes to find the imp from before looming towards him. Crying out, he made an attempt to back himself up on the cot he was on, but soon realized that both of his hands and feet were tied tightly together with his arms stuck behind his back. "Hey, hey! Calm down, you're gonna fall off the bed like that!"

"WHO ARE YOU? WHERE AM I? WH-WHY AM I TIED UP!?" Henry demanded, continuing to struggle against the bonds of his restraints to no avail.

"Well first off, I'm Bendy. Second of all, I guess you could say this is a...hideout of some sorts. Now quit moving so much or you'll get rope burn." He stopped thrashing around and felt himself glare a bit at the little devil. "Sorry, but that was Boris's idea. He doesn't like...your type...all that much."

Before Henry could question who Boris was, he caught an inaudible hint of a conversation in the other room.

He looked back over at Bendy, who was readying to leave. "I might as well let them know you're up before they start another fight." He said, leaving Henry alone on the cot.

After a while the door opened up once more, and the tall wolf who he could only assume was "Boris" stepped in. His helmet shadowed his eyes completely, but Henry knew that he was staring directly at him, studying him from the inside out.

"...Well....well, uhm....hello there....?" He stumbled over his words as he tried sparking conversation with the soldier that towered over him. Boris gave no response and tilted his head to the side with curiosity as he continued staring at him.

He soon found himself taken aback and exclaimed as the tall cartoon suddenly gripped him by the face and loomed towards him, forcibly turning it in a way to examine it closely.

Letting go, Boris backed away, still staring at him in silence.

After a long period of silence, the wolf opened his mouth and spoke to him, his words thick with an accent. "You aren't leaving anytime soon."

"H...Huh?"

Boris walked closer to him and stood above the tied up man as he continued. "Had I gotten my way, I would have wrung your damn neck like a bird by now." He snarled, clenching his gloved hand into a fist for a moment before relaxing. "But...Alice insisted on 'giving you a chance'. Of course, I know what you humans are capable of. "

The wolf stared at the ropes restraining Henry's limbs. "If you want these off, you'll have to prove yourself to me....good luck with that."

He sat himself up on the cot he was confined to. "Wh...Where are....Barley and....?"

"Unlike you, at least we can keep them around considering they're the same as us. Still, we have to keep a close eye on them."

The cartoon readied himself to leave the room. "Better get comfortable, because you'll be here a while."