Nothing for Anything - a Badge-Holder's Tale

Chapter Three - Family Traditions

TW/CW: this chapter includes implications/mentions of kidnapping and human experimentation 

Treasure awoke in a lit room. She was expecting to be tied up, and in the dark, but she was sitting in a reclining chair. The television was on, and there was a game of cricket being shown. 

"What's going on?" Treasure asked. 

"Oh, nothing you need to worry about", the man in the red tie smiled. "The boss'll see you shortly."

Treasure was in the room for another hour or so. She learnt in the process that the two men were named Elliot and Henry Broadwater. Elliot always wore blue and Henry always wore red so they could be told apart. They were identical twins. And, to her surprise, they were actually pretty chilled out. 

They spoke mostly in hushed tones, but she could make it out. They were talking about interviews, an investigation, and they threw a lot of names about. 'Atid asked for this', 'Wilson asked for that', 'Isabella asked to see the boy'. The boy? Who were they referring to? And where was Jacob? Did they have him?

Elliot's radio went just as Treasure was becoming invested in the game. 

"The boss is ready to see you", he said, and he and Henry exchanged glances. 

Treasure nodded. That couldn't mean good. 

Henry led the way down the hall, and Treasure followed him closely. Elliot escorted them both, waving to anyone who walked past. 

Treasure was then led into a dark room, where Henry handcuffed her to a table. He flicked the switch on a headlamp placed on the table, which hurt Treasure's eyes, and Elliot locked the door they came in. Through a door on the other side of the room, the cloaked woman entered. Treasure looked up at her, angry. The woman loomed over her. Granted, she was sitting, but the woman still stood at around 5'9" and she was taller than the twins, who now stood behind her. 

"You have a lot of explaining to do", the woman said, her arms folded. She radiated authority, and even the twins cowered away a little when she spoke. 

"As do you!" Treasure said, irritated. 

The woman laughed. "Well, that was unexpected."

Treasure went to respond, but saw the gestures the twins made and refrained. When the woman turned around to see what she was looking at, they stopped. 

"Well, I see you've met the boys", she said, pointing behind her. "Biologists. Not the sharpest tools in the shed...if you get my drift." She winked. 

"And you think you're any better?!" Treasure said, trying to squirm out of the handcuffs. 

"Oh, I don't think", the woman smirked. "I know." She hit the light switch on the wall, and revealed they were in a secluded corner of a large laboratory. There were medals and certificates hanging on the wall. They dated as far back as 2092. 

"Wow", Treasure said, stunned. "I mean, I gotta hand it to you. You might be a kidnapper, but you must be good."

The woman frowned. "I..." she shook her head. "We should really get down to business."

"Way to change subject", Treasure scoffed. 

"That's not how I meant it", the woman said, flustered. "I don't have all day."

Treasure sat back in the chair she was in. "What do you want with me?"

The woman nodded to Elliot, who clicked a button on a remote. The screen behind them lit up.