Hush Hush & Deception: Stolen

Chapter 10

Phil, the bag on his head once more, was lead down the hallways in a twisty-turny fashion until he was sat in a chair and handcuffed to it. The door slammed as his captors left him in the dark room, alone.

Minutes passed with nothing happening. Phil simply sat in the darkness, silent. Then, the door opened again, someone was pushed in, and the door slammed shut. Footsteps drew near Phil. Someone pulled the bag off of his head. His eyes squinted, adjusting to the light, but he made out Veronica's face.

"Phil? Oh, thank God you're alright!" She said, relief spreading across her face. Phil said nothing in return, simply staring at her blankly. Confusion briefly flashed on Veronica's face before returning to her look of relief, "I was worried they'd done something to the rest of you!" Phil still continued to speak in silence. Another emotion passed her expression--annoyance--then the facade went up again, "Have they done something? Why aren't you talking?"

Finally Phil spoke, "You weren't with us in the cells."

"They put me somewhere else. I don't know where cause of the bag, and they didn't say why," she said, keeping her expression of frightened hope aloft.

"You're not wearing cuffs," Phil noted.

Veronica glanced down at her arms, "Oh-that's-must be because of my arm." She moved her injured arm, still in a sling, slightly. She began looking slightly flustered, "What's your problem? I thought you'd be glad to see me."

Phil looked at her for a few more minutes, then sighed, "You're smart, but of course we knew that already. All those long periods by yourself, we thought you were mourning, but more likely you were communicating with Magnus. That right?"

Veronica's entire demeanor changed. She stood up straight and looked down at Phil with a cold, emotionless gaze, "Well then," she said disdainfully, "at least I can drop the act." She walked behind him, pacing the room, "I suppose this is when you chide me for betraying you, trying to appeal to my good nature by reminiscing of the times we were friends?"

Phil shrugged, "You obviously don't know me very well."

Veronica rolled her eyes, "Another of your, 'life is meaningless' speeches?"

"Well," Phil said dryly, "my best friend just ate a bullet and took a dive off of a boat, I'm likely about to get tortured, and now a former friend who sold us out for pennies and dimes is lecturing me on friendship. You tell me."

"Even in the face of death, you're an asshole."

"At least I don't trade lives for cash."

Veronica stiffend and looked at Phil with an intense gaze, capable of melting steel. She let the silence of Phil's cold comment fill the room before continuing. "I didn't betray you for money. It was for Magnus."

Phil raised an eyebrow. "Makes sense. I assume that's why I'm up first, since I pulled the trigger?"

"'You're smart, but of course we knew that already.'" Veronica spat, using Phil's words against him.

"Well, let's get this over with. I'm getting bored," Phil drawled.

Veronica smiled, "We'll see how bored you are when we're done with you." The door opened to Isaac, wearing a white, collared, button-up with the sleeves rolled up, pushing a metal rolling table with a variety of torture instruments on it.

Phil grinned dryly, "Cute."

***

Finn pried the grate off of the vent and crawled inside. The pain in his chest was terrible, but the new surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins kept him moving forward. The bullet had missed all vital organs, and although the cloth he used as a bandage was keeping him from bleeding out, he knew he didn't have much time left before infection would set in. Finn gritted his teeth as he dragged himself through the vents. The guard he subdued hadn't been much use. "The cells" wasn't much to go off of if he wanted to find his friends. He did get a pistol out of it, so it was worthwhile. The guard was gagged and tied up on the beach, out of sight, of course. Finn didn't want the whole place coming down on top of his head.