Dangerous Game

To Live or To Die?

The large, well dressed man offers Louis a wordless nod.

Louis gives him a tight light lipped smile, tear stains dried on his cheeks. "Lead the way..." Louis gestures down the hallway before muttering, "minion of darkness."

The events of the night and morning are starting to catch up to him-- making him feel completely drained.The guard eyes Louis, determining he was unlikely to run, given his current state. Daemon leads an exhausted Louis down the hallway, stopping just before the opening to the main room-- where they held Louis, not even two hours ago. As the giant man unlocks the door, Louis looks out into the open space.

In the sunlight, the warehouse has completely changed.

The bloody screens have been removed and all traces of that dead man have been wiped clean. In its place is a long conference table with papers scattered across it. A large whiteboard sits near it, red frantic scribbles cover the surface.

Around the perimeter are various activities, like a living room area where some men are splayed across couches that surround a giant flat screen, a workbench with toolboxes and a variety of equipment hanging on the walls, a bunch of metal shelving units litter the lining of the walls--packed full of boxes and miscellaneous items-- there's even a kitchenette area where a few scary-looking men linger around a coffee pot.

If they weren't working for a mafia boss, this would look like a bunch of dudes living in dorms together.

But that's not at all what happens here, Louis reminds himself as his eyes drift toward the dark hallway. The three other captors from last night were dragged into that hallway... but Louis was set free..

Well as free as a caged bird-- Fed and groomed with space to flutter.. but never far enough to soar..never truly free again.

Daemon opens the door to Louis' new room.

It's plain and simple, resembling a hotel room. There's nothing to make it personal or homey, just a temporary place to stay. There's a window with the blinds drawn, slats of morning light leak into the tan room, a private bathroom blocks the view of the bed, only the foot of the white sheets are in view. A dresser, desk, and decorative chair are scattered about the room, beckoning Louis to make it his new home.

Louis looks to the dark hallway and back to the room.

But this place could never be home to him. Not with men being tortured across the way. Not with a mafia boss living in the penthouse. Not with his minions terrorizing the city.

No amount of hospitality or kindness that Harry and his men show Louis could ever make this place a home to him. People like Harry are merciless killers, who shoot people in the head without a thought. They take them to dark hallways and keep them there until there's no trace of human left in their victim.

They are ruthless and manipulative. And Harry's suave influence won't work on Louis. All these lovey-feelings that flood Louis' head every time Harry looks at him are just a distraction. Because in the end, Louis is trapped here. He's a prisoner.

And if he was going to be a prisoner, he should be treated like one.

Louis crosses his arms and takes a step back, "I want to stay there." he says, nodding over to the hallway across the open space.

Daemon's scary guise breaks for a moment when he realizes where Louis was referring to. He had been given specific instructions to be attentive to Louis' needs and accommodate to anything Louis asked, as long as it was within reason. But putting Louis in one of the Red Rooms would not be something that Daemon could imagine Harry being particularly happy with.