Like A Lover //Lams

Chapter 31

John woke up sitting in a wooden chair with his hands tied behind his back by a coarse rope. He glanced around worriedly, his head throbbing, before doing the only thing he could think of.

"What the FUCK,"

He felt a nudge against his back and then heard rustling. "John, shut up!"

Maria leaned her head back against John's to show him that she was there.

"King must've got us."

"Shit, what do we do?" John tried to move and found that his ankles were bound as well.

"Stop moving."

John obeyed and there was a moment of silence.

"Regather your senses. We can't panic. Feel around and see if you can grab my ropes."

John moved uncomfortable until he could put his fingers around Maria's hand restraints. "Okay, found them."

"Good. Pull until I tell you to stop, I'm going I try to slip my hands out."

A door at the other side of the empty room slid open. "I wouldn't advise that."

Maria went completely stiff. And John started to understand.

The man approached and John looked him in the eye defiantly, his hair falling over his face. "Are you King?"

King smirked, his hand patting John's shoulder. "I am. And your name?"

"I'm not going to tell you, asshole."

"That's rude, John."

John glared harder. "What now? You've got us, good job. What the hell do you want?"

"I want..." King turned his back to John and clasped his hands behind his back thoughtfully. "Resolution. Your lover and I have some unfinished business."

"Why take us into it, then?"

"Alexander knows no limits. He would die to protect what he deems worthy of protection. So, I must bait him with something that he cares about much more than his own life. I don't want to bore you with my monologue, so I'll tell you straightforward what is going to happen.

"You and Maria here are guests until you decide to act out. Then you are prisoners. Submit to me, and you will be treated accordingly. Do you understand?"

There was a pause that hung thick in the air. King cocked an eyebrow dangerously.

John grunted and turned his head down. "Yes."

"And Maria?"

She quivered behind John as King stepped around to face her. To John's surprise, he looked a tad genuinely concerned, and put a gentle hand beneath her chin.

"Maria, calm down, sweet. You're alright."

She drew quick breaths until she eventually steadied, and she nodded slightly.

King gave an approving nod to her and pulled away, getting out a small pocket knife and kneeling beside their bonds. "Stay still, or this will cut your wrists."

The pair felt the icy blade against their skin and then their hands were released.

"Slight rope burn. I can get you some ointment if you'd like. I'm sure you've noticed that your ankles are still bound to the chairs, but you'll be freed in a moment. I'll have some guards come in. If I let you completely free now, you might overpower me, and we can't have that. Enjoy your stay."

King exited, replaced by three men with metallic half-masks over their mouths and noses. Their shirts were marked with a ragged 'K' symbol against a black background, and they bore the same symbol on a bracelet on their wrists. They moved wordlessly towards the pair and untied their bonds, helping them up and guiding them firmly towards the door.

"Where are you taking us?" John snapped.

They didn't even cast him a glance. The third guard had a gentle grip on Maria's shoulder, leading her as one would lead an absent minded child.

The hallways were long and winding, an intricate system that confused John as he tried to track his position. Eventually they arrived at a checkpoint, where two guards nodded to their comrades and allowed them into a new sector, marked residential.

Maria and John were shown to a door and allowed in, where they found a spacious two bedroom apartment with the amenities that were customary to one, save for the complete lack of knives.

Two of the guards filed out, one remaining.

He spoke softly, his voice deep. "Those at the checkpoint will answer any question you have about your accommodations. You are not permitted to leave the residential area. Down the hall you will find a common room. King will be meeting with you in a few hours, please keep yourselves presentable." He left.