Permanent Mark

Chapter 26

Rey woke strapped to an interrogation table. How she knew that, she wasn't quite sure. She was disoriented but immediately sensed the overwhelming presence of the masked man who had come after her in the forest. His familiarity overwhelms her.

Kylo Ren had taken her.

Her head hurts.

"Where am I?"

"You're my guest," he replies, standing over her, his voice sounding distorted by the mask.

In Rey's mind she pictures Han, Maz, Finn and Chewie. She hopes they are safe.

The mask swivels towards her, almost violently. She gasps, almost wondering if he heard her thoughts, so quick was his action.

"Where are the others? My family? Where are they? Did you capture them too?"

He sniffs, disgusted. "You mean the traitors, murderers and thieves that were with you? I have no idea."

She simply stares at him, a riot of emotions coursing through her. She cannot shake that familiar feeling.

He looks at her again through the mask. "Who are you, girl?" She wonders if he feels it too.

"I'm wondering the same of you." Rey believes she hears him make a smirk, if she knew what a smirk sounded like. She doesn't know because she can't see his face.

"I'm Kylo Ren. You know that, girl." Her eyes narrow and she tilts her head.

"But who are​ you, really​? That's not your real name."

His entire body jerks. Her words have done something to him.

Aha. I've hit on something, she thought.

He just stares at her. Once again, she wonders if his force powers are strong enough to read her mind.

She wishes her training had been more intense. She knows what's coming. He's going to dig into her mind. She knows she's not strong enough in the force to resist him. She immediately begins to construct a wall, trying to protect herself, brace herself. It will be painful, whatever he does.

He asks again. "Who are you?"

She turns her head, refusing to give him her name. Refusing to even think her own name.

"You know I can take whatever I want."

"Then take it, Kylo Ren," she says daringingly, challenging him.

He sighs again and she somehow knows he's not treating her like he has his previous prisoners. She wonders if he too feels as she does, that familiarity.

"I wanted to avoid this. I don't take any pleasure from it. I'll try not to hurt you. Don't fight me, girl. I'll go easy but I will get what I want."

Rey has no intention of fighting him. It would be useless. He's much more powerful in the Force than she is. She wonders why he hasn't mentioned her force sensitivity.

He touches her face, almost gently, looking into her mind. He barely scrapes the surface when suddenly he jerks his hand back, like he's been shocked. She senses confusion in him. He stumbles back and reaches up towards his neck. His thumbs go inside the bottom of his mask. Rey notices a slight tremor in his gloved hands, hears two distinct clicks and realizes he's removing it. She flinches, nervous to see what is probably a horribly disfigured face.

But that is not what is revealed.

He breathes heavily. He's quite shaken.

She's so absorbed by the sudden well of emotions from him that her brain doesn't register what her eyes see. She blinks rapidly, hearing the words coming from him.