The Winds Continue: Young Justice, Zephyr Book 2

Chapter 17: Amongst the Torture

As I felt consciencness slowly seep back into my body, I attempted to move what body parts I could. I think I moved my facial muscles and fingertips, but everything else was weighed down by dizziness.

I urged my recovering mind to remember what had happened, only for my stomache to plummet as the memory came back.

Kaldur...he attacked the cave. Wait, everyone was taken down...did we...lose?

I used all my strength to open my eyes. I was in some kind of pod, the only thing I was able to see through was a panel of red-tinted glass. Outside of the pod appeared to be a...lab of sorts.

I looked around me to see Bart, Gar, and Maia around me. Jaime, Conner, and Dick were in the cave when Kaldur attacked to...where were they?

And while we were at it, where was I?

I urged my body to hurry up and move, ignoring the pounding in my head as I tried to find a way out of the pod. I had to help the others and get us out of here...wherever here was.

I tried to summon winds but...nothing came. My powers were...gone? I focused harder, calling out to the winds. But still nothing came.

"Maia! Bart! Gar!" I barked as I was resorted to hitting the heel of my palm against the metal pod in an attempt to escape. "Wake up!"

Slowly, the three of them began to awaken. A small part of me was relieved they weren't dead, but most of me already knew they weren't. Why would whoever is keeping us here keep the dead bodies of their victims? And the fact that I was very much alive was also a big indication.

"Where...where are we?" Gar groaned dizzily.

"That's a good question." I responded. "Just...stay calm and remember your training. Can any of you use your powers?"

"...Lina..." I looked to see Maia's eyes and head were whirling around urgently. Her hands were on the walls of her pod as terror painted all of her features. "I can't sense anything!"

I'll take that as a no...

"Calm down Maia." I said coolly, trying to urge her to calm down just through words, which was not an easy feat. "Just stay calm and we'll get of here. It's probably just these...pod-things..."

Pods...maybe it's a good thing Conner isn't here...

"I...got no speed." Bart said, disappointedly. Gar shook his head and I sighed.

"Perfect..." I groaned.

"Don't worry to much Humans..." A sultry, yet annoying voice said and I looked up to see...a humanoid-alien-creature standing in front of us. She (I assumed they were female, they appeared to have a feminine physic and voice) walked over to what I assumed was some sort of control panel and sent us a smirk. "Your powers will soon be the least of your problems..."

"Who are you? Where are we?" I yelled. "What do you want from us?"

"That's...something you don't need to know." The alien smirked before pressing a button. Suddenly, long metal prongs shot out, I saw similar prongs spring up from the other's pods. I tried to move away, but a moment later: they plunged themselves into all our chests. I winced at the sting, but it wasn't until they started electrocuting us that I felt a shriek of pain rip itself from my throat. I distantly heard the others cry in agony, and I felt the need to help them...but I couldn't.
***

It continued on for what felt like days. Realistically, I knew it had only been a few hours but it just...felt so long. Just when I felt like the pain was becoming bearable...it would increase so the feeling of my bones being lit on fire, and my skin being stabbed over and over would grow ten-fold. Just until I was dangling on the brink of unconsciousness, then it would stop. Not for long, maybe just for a minute tops and then it would start all over again.

Over and over and over again.

After the... something-eth time of the electric pausing. What felt like the thousandth time my vision blurred and darkened around the edges, I heard voices speaking. I was barely able to pry my eyes to see...two of the aliens and Kaldur talking.

Kaldur's eyes were scanning the four of the pods...his eyes landing on mine just as the aliens turned and left. Our eyes locked, like back at the cave. His body tensed in rage, but he didn't show any signs of...anything: just focus and anger.

That was it.

Why do I keep being surprised at the fact that the man I loved is dead? Why do I keep hoping that he'll look at me and...I'll see the love, kindness, and distant thought that I used to see when I looked into his eyes? Why does part of me still hope that somewhere, deep down, he's still the Kaldur I knew? Even after everything he's done: betraying the team and his king, leaving me, killing Artemis...that maybe, just maybe, he's still...my Kaldur?

And why is it that every time we lock eyes like this, pieces of that hope die?

He turns to leave, breaking the eye contact, and I drop my head. I feel a tear roll down my face, before suddenly: the electricity hits me again and I let out another scream of agony.

What would you guys think if I brought in some alternate universes into the story..? An idea hit me a while ago and I want to use it to get Lina's personality a little bit back on track and I think it would be a really cool couple chapters to write...