Meeting Under Dark Circumstances

SORYU'S POV

You would assume that being the second in command of a large mafia, no one would ever think to interfere in my life; I was horribly mistaken.

One cold night as I was walking to my car from the hotel, my life changed completely. Inui and Samejima had to take care of a problem and were off-site. Normally they would accompany me for extra protection, but things had been quiet and work had to get done that night.

As I walked to my car in the dimly-lit hotel garage, I neglected to pay attention to my surroundings. My mind often wandered to the woman who would never be mine, Saori. She was mistakenly put up for auction and rescued by Eisuke; I wish she would have picked me.

I reached for my keys as I neared my vehicle when I felt a pinch at the back of my neck and my consciousness faded to black.

That is all I can remember as I sit here restrained to a chair. The more I struggle, the more the rope digs into my skin. Why didn't I pay attention? I should've been able to defend myself; if I would have had my head out of the clouds.

I must rationalize through this. Are the Black Panthers itching for another rumble? No, too soon. I've been in these types of situations before, I can always solve my way out of them. Surroundings... where am I?

I shake my head in an attempt to open my heavy eye lids. And after a few painful tries, I am able to take in the world before me.

I have been placed in a dimly lit room. What once where white ceramic tiles for both the floors and walls now exhibited dirt, grime, feces and copious amounts of dry blood.

The putrid smell of death fills my nostrils overpowering my senses. From what I can see, there are at least three bodies that are chained to the wall off to my right side that demonstrate signs of torture.

What the hell is all this?

I can slowly feel fear trickle in, but I mustn't allow it. I gaze again at the corpses and notice that their tongues have been ripped out due to the amount of blood that had once spilled from their mouths. Buzzing noises of countless flies swarming about makes this picture of horror all too real.

This is no mafia hide out, or a case of personal vendetta, this is more.

A sickening, gut-wrenching feeling inundates from deep within. Could I be in the den of a psychopath or serial killer?

My thoughts are interrupted by a couple of moans coming from my left side. I turn to see what it could be and to my shock I find a hospital gurney with a woman strapped to it and gagged.

Whoever this bastard is, he is one demented, sick son of a bitch!

I try and shuffle my body to move my chair closer to her. She shows some of the same signs of torture as the others, but unlike them, she at least has some clothing on her.

I manage to only inch forward a little and can make out that she's wearing a very dirty and bloodied t-shirt and underwear. Her legs are covered in bruises and cuts and her wrists are bloodied and bound. Her fingernails are broken with a mix of mud and dry blood adorning her fingertips. Her knuckles are swollen and raw with missing skin; she must be a fighter.

Her t-shirt looked torn and old; just like the rest of her, it too was a dark shade of red and dirt. She moved slightly revealing her stomach and a gasp leaves my mouth. A few stab wounds are evident on her torso and shoulders. The only part of her that seems untouched is her beautiful face.