The switch

Ropes burn less than a taser

A hard slap yanked him out of unconsciousness. Leo gasped in pain, his eyes darting around and trying to make everything come into focus.

His head hurt. Why did his head hurt? What happened? Where was he?

Finally the room stopped spinning and a violent wave of nausea washed over him. He tried to get up but something held him back. Panic seized him and it took another hard slap to bring him down.

"About time! Thought we were gonna have to pull one of ya nails off to get you to wake up! How was the nap, sleeping beauty?"

Leo groaned, concentrating on his breathing. He pulled at his hands but they didn't budge. He could feel thin ropes digging into his wrists.

He was tied to a chair, arms bound behind his back and connected to the wood. His heartbeat skyrocketed when his vision cleared and Ray appeared in front of him, feet just barely brushing the ground as he hung limply from ropes connected to the ceiling. His shirt had been removed and, to Leo's relief, no wounds were visible. His chest rose and fell with every breath he took but his head was still tilted forward, chin lightly resting against his chest.

A big hand landed on Leo's shoulder and yanked him against the back of the chair.

"Now, we know from experience pain don't make you talk. But we gonna ask anyway." Leo looked around, trying to make out details in the badly lit room. Three other men were there. One by the door and two sitting on and leaning against a table. "What's Alexa's code?"

Alexa? What? Leo tried his best to hide his confusion. Who was Alexa?

"What?" He managed to croak. He hated his voice for sounding so raw.

"Alexa! Now!" The man suddenly screamed.

Leo didn't answer and slammed the ice mask on. They couldn't know they'd gotten the wrong twin. One flinch could mean death.

"I'm gonna ask one more time." Leo closed his eyes, his brain spinning to try and find a plan. "What's Alexa?"

Leo wished he knew.

The man smiled. "Don't say we didn't try the good cop." Leo barely had the time to register the sentence before a strangled scream pierced his ears.

Ray's eyes were wide open and his mouth was hanging open in the confusion and pain that had suddenly struck him.

Leo couldn't tell if the blood drained from his face or rushed to his ears when he realized what had just happened.

One of the men was holding a taser just above Ray's ribs and an aggressive red mark had spawned over the skin. Ray pulled in a chocked breath just as the taser reconnected with his skin, sending the pain through his body once again.

"You got the reputation of a man who cares for family. Let's see if you consider your husband family enough."

Leo raged forward. The chair rocked under the force with which he tried to free himself as he struggled. They were going to die here. Both of them. Because Leo was too stupid to know who Alexa was.

"Get away from him!"

The electric buzz stopped and deafening silence fell over the room, leaving only Ray's pained whines and panting breaths.

"Snart.. what the f-"

Ray didn't have time to finish his sentence before a hard punch connected with his sides. The man standing next to Leo spoke again, his voice more annoyed now, like he'd just been interrupted by an obnoxious child.

"You, no talking. He's the one we want to hear." His hand cuffed Leo in the back of the head to indicate who he was talking about. He walked back in front of Leo and grabbed his jaw, forcing him to look up as he was examined.