Fire and Ice

Chapter Nineteen

     Connor is my brother.

     I think the universe just loves shocking me lately.  I have a brother.  I actually have family alive right now.  I look at Connor and he's looking at me apologetically.  Then I realize, he already knew.  When we first entered this lab, I thought he just helped me because he needed me to destroy everything.  But he did it because I'm his sister.  

     "Now you're going to follow us, or I shoot your sister."  Alex says to Connor and shoves me out the door, making sure to keep the gun aimed at my head.  I think that he's just going to take us back to our rooms, but instead we enter the same I was in before.  He forces me onto the table again, putting the restraints back on.  I see a metal chair in the room.  "Sit there."  He says to Connor.  He listens, and Alex puts restraints on him too.  "I told you what would happen if you don't listen to me Amy."  

     "Please, just don't hurt Emmett."

     "It's not him I'm planning on hurting, sweetheart."  he says threateningly.  I shrink away from him in fear.  

     "Don't touch her."  Connor growls, struggling to free himself from restraints.  

     "I'll be back."  Alex says.  "Don't try to escape again, or your situation will become ten times worse."  He leaves the room, leaving me and Connor alone.

     "I'm sorry." Connor says quietly.  "I should have told you."

     "It's fine."  I answer softly, staring up at the ceiling and fearful of what's to come.  "You still helped me."

     "Who is Emmett?"

     "He's somebody that's helped me a lot the past few weeks.  He actually saved my life.  Not that it matters anymore."  My voice cracks at the end, and I laugh humorlessly.

     "I'm gonna get us out of here."  he says, determined.  "We're gonna be okay."  I don't believe him, but I don't say anything because Alex comes back in with the same scientists from earlier.  My eyes widen in fear.  

     "I wasn't planning on doing this until tomorrow, but I think that now's a better time." Alex says.  "We're going to test your resistance to pain."  Oh, no.  This is bad.  He's going to torture me and I have no way of escaping.  I look over at Connor and see that he has a look of fury on his face.  Alex takes a knife from the tray next to the table and slices my arm, from my shoulder to my elbow.  It isn't even that deep, but I still cry out, mostly from fear.  

     "Stop it!" Connor yells, still struggling in his restraints.  Alex ignores him, and does the same thing to my other arm, and I bite my lip to keep from yelling.  He slices a cut down the side of my face and my tears mix with the blood.  

     "Not a very high pain tolerance I see."  He observes, grinning maniacally.  He moves the knife towards my stomach and I think that he's going to stab me.  Instead he slices my tank shirt open, exposing my black sports bra.  I feel more vulnerable than I did before.  Alex puts the knife down on the tray and picks up something that makes me start to hyperventilate.  It's a whip.  

     "Don't you dare!" Connor yells.

     "Every time you yell, you make it worse for her." Alex says to him.  

     "Just look at me Amy." Connor says to me.  "It's gonna be okay.  Don't look at him, look at me."  I look at him and see that he's trying to look calm for me, but I see right through his facade.  A few seconds later, I hear the crack of the whip and feel a searing pain on my stomach.  I scream and let out a sob.  He does this five more times on my stomach, and each time I scream in pain.  By the end, I'm a sobbing mess.  I'm still looking at Connor, unable to move my head out of weakness.  My eyes are starting to become heavy now.  I just want to fall asleep and never wake up.  Alex then grabs my chin roughly and jerks my head to face him.  His hand is freezing and I would attempt to move my chin out of his grip if I had the energy to.