"Get dressed." The Baton said calmly, "The Lieutenant wants to see you." He stepped over and picked the bandages up off of the floor before handing them to her. She hastily pulled her top down over her head to cover herself. The Baton crouched down beside her and unshackled her, allowing her to wrap the cloth around her torso again. She struggled with the material; her arms were shaking slightly and her torn shoulders screamed at her when she moved her arms behind her back.
This did not go unnoticed by the Baton. He stopped her and took the bandages in his hands. Jay couldn't help but flinch as his fingers brushed her skin but she allowed him to swiftly bind her chest. When he was done she readjusted her top and stood up.
"Come on." He said, gesturing towards the open door for her to walk ahead of him. She obeyed. As they were leaving the Dark, the second Watcher from earlier returned with the Cheap. His hands were tightly cuffed behind his back. On his head he had a thick black hood, zip tied around his neck so that it could not be removed. Beneath the hood, Jay could see the muffled outline of a pair of headphones. She knew from experience that they had been duct-taped over his ears. They had a wireless receiver in them so that what the Cheap heard through them could be changed and controlled by the Watchers. Jay knew she would never look at headphones in the same way again.
"Dispose of the body." The Baton barked at the Watcher. He suspected he had been involved somehow. His eyes rested on the Cheap for the briefest of seconds before he pushed Jay forward.
He leaned forward to speak to her. "I have to tell the Lieutenant about the Watcher back in the Dark, but I think it unlikely that you will be punished. In attempting to violate your protection order, he disobeyed a direct order from the Lieutenant. He would have been killed anyway. I would not be surprised if the Lieutenant were to approve of your lack of hesitation."
His words went a long way to dissipate the cold ball of fear that had gathered in Jay's stomach.
Several dimly lit corridors and doors later they arrived at the Lieutenant's office. She was nervous, but she trusted the Lieutenant. Before the Baton opened the door, he murmured something in her ear. "Do not react." With that he opened the door and shoved her into the room. She stumbled slightly, but didn't fall. She frowned in confusion. It was just the Lieutenant, sat as usual behind his desk.
Then she smelt it.
It was a scent that froze her blood in her veins. Bourbon, mixed with a faint hint of antiseptic and cigar smoke. Her mind shrieked at her to escape, to fight, to hide. Anything but to be anywhere near the man belonging to that smell.
With a massive effort of will she overrode her instincts and remained stock-still. Calm down she told herself. You belong to the Lieutenant. Washington can't hurt you anymore. The Lieutenant will protect you. She repeated it over and over to herself in her head like a mantra, clinging to it as though it were a shield.
"1058 as requested, Sir" the Baton said, walking over to the Lieutenant. Bringing a hand up to his mouth, he said something quietly to the Lieutenant. Even if Jay had been concentrating, she wouldn't have been able to hear what he was saying. She was listening intently to the rest of the room; behind her, she could hear quiet breathing. She knew it was Him.
"Thank you, Baton, dismissed." The Lieutenant nodded and the Baton left the room, shutting the door behind him. The Lieutenant got up from his chair and walked round towards Jay. "As you can see, Mikhail, she is as prime a specimen as ever. As I'm sure you can imagine, I am reluctant to part with her."
"Nikolai, this matter is non-negotiable. You require more sophisticated weapons and ammunition to resist a takeover by the Boston First. You know he is planning it, he has already choked your supply of prescription drugs and counterfeit money. That was certainly a smart move on his part." Washington chuckled quietly.
