Nicole // Book One

Chapter 16: Family Lies

T E S S ' S P O V: 

April 1st, 2018

Monday at 8:57 am

I woke up in the dimly lit room, the cold, hard floor beneath me. Memories of the previous night flooded back, and I shuddered at the realization of my captivity. The air was thick with tension as I glanced around, trying to gather my bearings. The metallic sound of a door creaking open made my heart race. Chris Paulson entered, holding a shock collar in his hand. Fear gripped me as he approached, his sinister smile sending shivers down my spine.

Chris Paulson: Good morning, Violet. Ready to cooperate?

I bit my lip, suppressing the urge to scream or cry. The shock collar dangled ominously, a constant reminder of the threat that loomed over me.

Chris Paulson: Now, tell me about XS. Who is she?

Tess: (whispering) I already told you, I don't know.

Chris Paulson tightened his grip on the shock collar, the threat implicit. Before I could respond, Reign and Chloe entered the room, their presence intensifying the dread.

Reign: (smirking) Still refusing, Violet? Maybe a little motivation will change your mind.

The atmosphere grew darker as the room echoed with sinister intentions. As Chris Paulson left the room, the heavy door closing behind him, Reign and Chloe circled me like predators closing in on their prey. The unsettling presence of Chloe's twin brother, ???, heightened the fear that gripped me.

Reign: (smirking) Looks like Daddy left us alone to have some fun.

Chloe's brother, ???, stood in silence, his sinister gaze fixated on me. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, realizing the horrors that might unfold.

Tess: Please, just let me go. I won't tell anyone about you.

Reign: (mocking) Oh, sweetheart, we're not letting you go anytime soon.

Chloe's brother ??? approached a wicked grin on his face. The room felt like a prison, closing in on me from all sides. I braced myself for whatever cruel fate awaited me at the hands of these malevolent captors. Reign and Chloe's brother ??? continued their menacing advance. I could feel their malevolent intent, and the panic within me grew stronger.

Reign: (taunting) Your precious Nicole can't save you now.

Chloe's brother ???: (whispering) Chris just wants some information. But we can have our kind of fun before he comes back.

My heart raced as they closed in, the air thick with the anticipation of dread. I tried to summon the strength to fight back, but the chains that bound me held me captive.

Tess: (pleading) Please, don't do this.

Reign: (leaning in) Oh, we're just getting started.

Chloe's brother ??? circled behind me, his touch sending shivers down my spine. The room became a suffocating nightmare, and the darkness within it seemed to consume any glimmer of hope. Just as the situation grew more dire, an unexpected noise echoed through the room. The entrance door creaked open, revealing a glimpse of hope.

*~hour later~*

My body trembled as I lay chained to the makeshift bed, my eyes pleading for escape from the nightmare that unfolded. Reign and Chloe's brother ???, faces twisted with malevolence, loomed over me.

Reign: (smirking) This is going to be fun.

Chloe's brother ???: (leering) She's a pretty one.

Tears streamed down my face as I felt helpless, the shock collar a constant reminder of the control they had over me.

Reign: (mocking) Such a brave little speedster. Let's see how fast you can run.

My heart raced with fear as Reign and Chloe's brother ??? moved closer, their intentions clear and sinister. The room felt suffocating, the darkness consuming any flicker of hope. Just as their malevolence reached its peak, a sudden burst of energy disrupted the scene. The air crackled with a powerful force, and I glimpsed a figure in the shadows, moving with incredible speed.

???: (threatening) Step away from her.

Reign and Chloe's brother ??? halted, uncertainty in their eyes as the mysterious figure emerged from the darkness.

Reign: (growling) Who the hell are you?

The figure stepped into the dim light, revealing a masked face, a symbol etched on their chest—an "XS."

XS: (cold) I'm the one who's going to make you pay for every ounce of pain you've inflicted.

A surge of relief washed over me as XS stood defiantly against Reign and Chloe's brother ???, a beacon of hope in the darkness.

XS: (addressing me) Tess, I'm here to get you out of this.

As XS approached, the shock collar's grip on my neck loosened, and the room echoed with the resonating promise of rescue. Nicole, in her XS suit, carefully approached me, her eyes expressing both concern and determination. As the shock collar released its grip, I was pulled into her comforting embrace.

XS: (softly) It's okay, Tess. You're safe now.

I clung to Nicole, sobbing on her shoulder, grateful for the rescue from the nightmarish ordeal. The weight of the world lifted as Nicole reassured me, her touch a soothing balm to the wounds inflicted by the torment.

Nicole: (whispering) I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you.

Meanwhile, at another part of the room, the authorities closed in on Chris Paulson, Chloe, and her twin brother ???. Handcuffs clicked into place, justice catching up with those who sought to inflict harm. As Reign, released from the spell that bound her to malevolence, found herself alone, a torrent of guilt washed over her. The realization of the havoc she wreaked weighed heavily on her conscience.

Reign: (softly, to herself) What have I done?

Nicole, still in her XS persona, took me to Star Labs, where Caitlin treated my injuries with care and compassion. The atmosphere at Star Labs shifted from despair to a sense of justice prevailing.

Cisco, eager to share the revelation about Chris Paulson, approached Caitlin with urgency.

Cisco: Cait, we need to talk. Chris Paulson isn't your and Marlie's dad. He's your uncle. The real dad saved your mom and went into witness protection.

Caitlin's expression shifted from shock to a mix of emotions, absorbing the truth about her family.

Caitlin: (softly) Witness protection? What have we been living all these years? I need to find Marlie, she deserves to know our parents are alive. 

A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter sorry for the delay I've been busy in real life and my draft books, remember this is based on a true story. but stay tune for Chapter 17, It's going to get good. ~Neecole Rice.