As The World Turns Cold

A Pawn In Their Games

He grinned like a Cheshire, his eyes lighting up with the most menacing of expressions.
Mercy's stiff demeanor almost crumbled at the mention of Lily. The government had Mercy. Why would they need her sister, too? "Don't you dare touch her! I did nothing wrong. It's not my fault your potions don't work on me!"

She paused, internally screaming, wishing nothing more than that her sister would be okay. She stared down at her hands and muttered under her breath. "Maybe your stupid oafs aren't capable enough to find what makes me tick."

"Now, now, was that really necessary? I think we all know that the only one to blame for whatever happens is you." He hesitated as he reached out towards his companion, ushering him out of the room.

As he was about to cross the threshold, he turned, showing her the evil grin upon his face. "I'm afraid you're a tad bit late to save the little wretch. I'm sorry to say your dear sister is now dearly departed."

Mercy scowled. "Funny how I don't believe you."

The guard reached into his pocket and pulled out a remote device. "Allow me to do you the honor of giving you a playback of the joyous accident." An audible click sounded as he pressed a button on the device.

A static-filled noise sounded throughout the room. Then all at once, from the speakers hidden in the room, she heard the one voice she had missed for far too long.

"You're the man that took my sister, aren't you?"

Mercy's eyes widened in alarm and she brought her hand up to her face. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"Lily Baudelaire, your sister has been a very bad girl. I'll have to punish her."

Mercy snarled as the guard's recording played on. He was the one with her sister. He was responsible for what happened.

"Don't you dare touch her! I swear to you, when we find her, I will end you."

Her sister sounded so strong, brave even, nothing like what Mercy had expected. Then again, Mercy always hoped the government had left her family alone, let them forget about her.

Unfortunately, she was never one to be granted wishes. Her years in captivity had taught her that. But to hear her sister's voice, though it brought her heart momentary happiness, was another form of torture. Mercy heard a shuffling from the recording and imagined the guard stepping up to her sister, gripping her harshly in his repulsive, haggard hands.

"Such strong words from a weak, little girl. Don't worry, Darling, I need her cooperation and I couldn't possibly get it from hurting her. That is merely to pleasure me." The guard has paused. "I find that you are all the leverage I need."

The tape had gone quiet and Mercy had believed it to be over. It could have been staged. Her sister could be safe and this was a ruse to get Mercy to comply and give in to the men.

Her hope was short-lived when a loud, booming noise sounded through the recording and she heard a gurgle as someone began to choke. Dear God, please don't let her be dead. It was impossible. Not her sister, not sweet Lily whom had never deserved a life filled with such violence and evil.

She sank to the ground, her knees too weak to lift her up. Her last memory of her sister was of the day Mercy was taken away from her family.

Lily had tears in her eyes from a recent crying fit and a booger was running down the side of her nose. Any other day, she would have laughed at her sister, joking about how gross she was. That day hadn't been one for humor.

Mercy had left with the men who had showed up that day for one purpose; to save her family. Now, after everything she'd been through, and the promise the officials made not to touch the Baudelaires, everything was a lie. "No. It isn't possible."

From yards away, the men began to walk through the door. "Your cooperation means the lives of your family members. I would keep that in mind if you want them to have any kind of life. Next time, don't hold back the change. You might save a life. Or buy them some time."

The door slammed into place and Mercy barely noticed the darkness. With her sister gone, what was the point in looking for light? Her parents would know exactly why she'd been killed. They couldn't possible forgive her after that. It was her fault and she needed to right the wrong. But how could she do that when she was stuck with no way out?

A tap made Mercy's gaze slam to the left. One by one the torches began to light and she remembered the young man who had come to see her. Through her blurry vision, Mercy could make out the shape of his figure as he walked closer to her.

Rogue hesitated, taking in her disheveled appearance. He looked beside himself, unsure of what to do, but Mercy didn't mind, she didn't believe there was anything that could fix this pain that she had been the cause of.

When he wrapped her into his arms she didn't hesitate to sink in. His hands ran up and down her back, as he tried to soothe her.

Mercy wasn't sure exactly how she had felt the urge to trust him, to lean into the affection he was showing and grasp it tightly like it would disappear as soon as she let go.

It was unlike her to willing search for comfort in anyone, and yet, here she was in the arms of a stranger. Mercy began to weep.

"How could they?" Her hands fisted into the fabric of his borrowed lab coat.

"I sacrificed my life for my family and even then it's not enough. In the end, it still didn't work." Mercy sobbed heavily. After years of holding everything in, the tears wouldn't stop flowing and the emotions wouldn't end.

Rogue's hand encompassed her head as she cried upon his chest. "I know what it's like."

He stiffened against her and clutched Mercy tighter. "They killed my entire family. The only reason I agreed to come here was because I had nothing left." He took in a sharp breath of air. Rogue shivered and gripped her tighter, holding on for his own sanity.

"We have to keep fighting. I will do anything to help you get out of here and return to your family. I won't let them take everything away from you like they did me. Don't give up. It's not healthy." He tried to amuse her with a light joke, but nothing would lift her spirits.

Mercy pushed away from his chest to look into his golden eyes. "We need to leave. Right now. I'm done being an experiment, done letting everyone have their fun. If I escape now, I won't be another pawn in their games."