Scars Of Time

Fallen Angel

Tenley looked at the men who were holding her as they moved quickly through the snow-covered fields. The one on her left was a middle-aged white man, probably ten years older than she was. He seemed battle-hardened and not one to beg for mercy from. The man on her right could have been the left's twin had it not been for the simple fact that he was Middle Eastern.

She glanced over her shoulders to see the man who had been calling the shots talking with the fourth member of this group. The leader was another middle-aged white man but he seemed like a man of virtue. She had wondered who he was and what he wanted with her.

The fourth man that was walking along with the leader looked like a boy who had just graduated high school. He seemed incredibly nervous about everything, almost unsure that this was something he wanted to be a part of. The look on his face told Tenley that he also knew that it might be too late to reconsider his position with these Suits.

They stopped several yards in the woods. The two men holding Tenley had released her, pushing her forward into the snow. She sat there, looking up at the group. "Please," she started. "Please let me go."

The leader stepped forward and looked down at her. "You won't be harmed if you listen and do as you're told." He tilted his head at her. "Who do you work for?"

"No one," she stammered. He hit her across the face hard with the back of his right hand. The right side of her face burned as the bruise started to form almost instantaneously.

He released a curt sigh. "Let's try that again, shall we?" Her dark eyes lifted to see him glaring down at her. "Who do you work for?"

She swallowed, eyes darting between the four that loomed over her. "I swear, I-" Another strike across her face landed. She could tell immediately that that strike broke the skin on the corner of her eye because the cold air created a sting that lingered longer than normal. Her breathing began to quicken with her fear rising. "I swear...please..."

The leader sighed, checking his pocket watch. He turned to the Middle Eastern man who was holding her moments earlier. "We need to check-in. You come with me." He pointed to the other two. "Stay here with her. Get her to talk. We'll be back shortly." He replaced his watch into his pocket and knelt before Tenley. He whispered, "Do yourself a favor and cooperate. I'd hate to see someone of your stature rot in this God-forsaken countryside."

With that, the leader stood up and headed deeper into the woods with one of the men, leaving Tenley under the watchful gaze of a scared boy and angry man.

Once the leader was out of sight, Tenley asked, "Who are you people? What do you want with me?"

The older man was already flexing his hands, pumping them into fists then releasing them, almost preparing himself with the task of beating Tenley up for information. She quickly glanced over to the boy, eyes pleading for him to help her.

The older man asked, "Are you ready to cooperate?"

Tenley shook in her place on the snow. "I don't know what you want."

The man leaned forward. "The truth."

"About what?" Tenley gasped frustrated. "I don't know who you are or what you're talking about!" She hadn't meant to speak so loudly and instantly regretted doing so when the man slapped her face hard.

He hissed, "Lower your voice!"

"Why? Who's out here in the middle of the woods that you're so afraid of?" Tenley asked. She wasn't sure why she was antagonizing the man. She was scared. Normally when she was scared, she huddled in a corner and whimpered softly until the storm passed...and it usually was a storm that had her afraid. She hated thunderstorms.