USER: "How, on earth, was the baby not detectable during her actual labor, there was only one heartbeat? I find that one hard to belie . I was dreaming. She hasn't even-" he was shaken by laughter and the hand on his shoulder . "We did assume that when you arrived here ..with a wife carrying one child, that we were monitoring one heartbeat when , considering the complicated positioning of your infants, we may have fluctuated heartbeats . The thing that we can't fathom is how a Caesarean section wasn't needed . It took over hours to deliver your first child after Lila began crowning. " Liam directed his gaze into the distance . "We had an ultrasound a month ago. How did she slip past that ?" It stole his mind for a long moment. "Wait , she-knew-? Did she think I would - that it would change-please tell me I was dreaming-it was a nightmare-I -I -" . Dr Mathew's smile was gone as he countered. "Well , Mrs Weston did ask me an odd question. She wanted to know , if the explanation to a second baby , might have been a "phantom pregnancy", where she was unable to feel the baby's movements and blamed herself for imaging the entire thing , said the labor never happened and she must have dreamt it. Then I had to tell her that you wouldn't think she was crazy, and had to take to her to see both her children. She was rather confused , alarmed , and under the impression that you would be devastated to have no child at all. . What I'm seeing here is, two perfectly normal reactions to something b...

USER: Which dialogue is realistic

USER: "How,As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on earth, was the babya criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not detectable during her actual labor, there wasone finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only one heartbeat?palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I find that one hard to belie . I was dreaming. She hasn't even-" he was shaken by laughter and the hand on his shoulder . "We did assume that when you arrived here ..with a wife carrying one child, that we were monitoring one heartbeat when , considering the complicated positioning ofwanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your infants, we may have fluctuated heartbeats . The thing that we can't fathom is how a Caesarean section wasn't needed . It took over hours to deliver your first child after Lila began crowning.fused mouth. " Liam directed his gazetwisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into the distance . "We had an ultrasound a month ago. How did she slip past that ?" It stole his mind for a long moment. "Wait , she-knew-? Did she think I would - that it would change-pleaseocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was dreaming-it was a nightmare-I -I -" . Dr Mathew's smile was gone as he countered. "Well , Mrs Weston did ask mea muffled scream , serving as an odd question. She wanted to know , if the explanation to a second baby , might have been a "phantom pregnancy", where she was unable to feel the baby's movements and blamed herself for imaging the entire thing , said the labor never happened and she must have dreamt it. Then I had to tell her that you wouldn't think she was crazy, and had to take to her to see both her children. She was rather confused , alarmed , andinsidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the impression that you would be devastated to have no child at all. . What I'm seeing here is, two perfectly normal reactions to something bizarre and I've had quite the 48 hour shift myself. " Liam was swift to hide his tears of anger. "I-I -know she'd never lie-that's why I knew it was a nightmare. I'll just go and wake up -and it'll make sense." He laughed darkly, more to himself than anyone. Dr matters smiled with a hint of sympathy. "Or you could meet me and your wife in my office in an hour while I walk you through some of her recent ultrasounds. I can go into specifics regarding the uterine cavity and the positioning of each twin during various phases . Then it will make senseinfluence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent intrusion , peeling Liam's jeans from a scientific point at least. Would you like me to pinch you , Liam, or will you be alright?" They both shared a wry smile , albeit weary on Liam's part as he nodded "pinch me all you want. She's still stronger than the both of us and now there's three of her to deal with. Three. I'm never gonna be out of the woods . We both know that"-----////////his legs as he resisted his teeth driven shut in anguish,

USER: As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on a criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. " Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent intrusion , peeling Liam's jeans from his legs as he resistedpresence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, "you don't want to know , huh? " Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . "Tape recording. You don't have Ryan. " Valen sneered at the estimation . "Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don't have Ryan.. anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. " Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . "I'd tell you to go to hell but-we're already in some sick version of it-not that I'll break. I'll never , ever , break. " . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . "I don't intend to break you Liam, I don't want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-". Liam only laughed in defiance , "oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-" . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull.

USER: As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on a criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. " Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent presence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, "you don't want to know , huh? " Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . "Tape recording. You don't have Ryan. " Valen sneered at the estimation . "Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don't have Ryan.. anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. " Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . "I'd tell you to go to hell but-we're already in some sick version of it-not that I'll break. I'll never , ever , break. " . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . "I don't intend to break you Liam, I don't want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-". Liam only laughed in defiance , "oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-" . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull. "You know that after you , and Ryan , and the other useless fools , none of you have served a purpose to the Vanderine, to the drug's survival , and yet, while it won't serve my purpose to implant you -again-I don't have the strength to resist. Business. And I'm the boss. Another day in my office. Another fine opportunity to play with the clientele." Liam managed a twisted smile , the notion flooring him . "Have you ever ingested it yourself. The Vanderine , what does it feel like, you can't imagine the dreams I've had, the ideas I've been invested with-" Valen's cool trail of voice interlaced with the stagnant air . "Have, in any of these dreamscapes Liam , have you encountered this-" . In a swift movement, Liam's abdomen was against the concrete on a deeper level. "Nah, but you and me , me and you-there's really no end to the scenarios -" Valen, his voice fading an inch into the background, expensed a proposition. "There may be a way to embed the drug, that you're disposable bowels failed at tolerating. " then as Vaken removed the heat of his touch from Liam's pulse points , his blood flow was syringed with a profound chill. "It seems however , that ny entire digestive system is a ravaged wasteland , explored to the last inch, every cavity stripped and yet the darkest space is still untouched , pure, unvarnished-." Valen's breath was at his ear as his low voice caressed the silence, a threat in its proximal absence as it few further away. "And yet, your vocal cords survived the trauma , but, Liam . I don't want to cause you to scream ,only to hear your voice echoing into that mouth... but I wonder if Ryan would care to indulge in the reminder of his mistake-his failure. Would he write a little harder at the sound of your pleas-" As he fought the urge to retch, wincing , the taunt of the potential voice recording pierced the air , the muffled scream lacing his mind and entangling with his resistance. "I'll need proof before I believe you captured Ryan, I'll need to feel his pulse against mine ...I'll need to feel the reverberation of his cries against my chest -" The air held a disconcerting void in its hands as Valen's unsynchronised gait dragged across the ground. "Will I dangle the carrot until the horse starves out of spite , or will I strip his gag and ask him something that only the present moment has the captivity to answer ?" Liam's stomach, dropping into its seventh circle of condemnation, raged with nausea. "There's nothing you could ask him that isn't predetermined-nothing-" Liam felt his own fear deceiving him with a deft profanity as he cursed into a whisper. "Oh sweet Ry' , is it a shame that , when you abandoned Liam in the heat of your desperation , that he became my chew toy. Well riddle me this -exactly how long ago was it that you left him. Tell me the minutes , the hours , the seconds. When you can -" Liam then spat , his tongue enraged with the constraints of his binds "Shit.." There was an engrained anticipation in the air, spiralling in a tight burst of thrilling panic , as Liam's pulse throbbed in his eye sockets, and the veins in his temples ticked against his skin. Then it slithered through the room. "Exactly ...one day.....eight hours...maybe twenty minutes and..fuck I don't -" . There was a muffled distilling of Ryan's voice. As Valen's hands came down over Liam's pulsing ankles. "Ah, faster. And harder. But , it's not my intention to break you now is it? You will undo yourself in my embrace -" Yours are lacklustre ... let me try : he lay face down on the pavement to hell, a maze of stones and ever present magenta particles , sifting through Liam's vision as he withheld a gasp. "I can't see my damned watch-" . Valen , dismissing Liam's frustration, loomed close and yet far enough away to unsettle the balance of intamacy and isolation. "Now Liam, if you know how long you've been alone, berating yourself for urging him to forget your existence, if you can answer within yourself, the question. Well then, you know if it's all just a tape recorded dream. Or perhaps ..it's a reality. A truth that Ryan lies bound , and as his mistake , your heart beats on his time, borrowed for you. Be grateful to hear him. Or regret that you will..." . Liam's eyes slid closed as his mind referenced the previous night. Ryan's eyes, swallowed by the insufficiency of the street light, had bore a sharp hesitation as he'd hailed the oncoming traffic. A lone , sleek black Chevrolet, coming to a halt , the only traffic on the bare highway of promise married with ultimatum . "I'll go , Liam, if this will save you , but you some time. it's against my better judgement and I don't feel I'm doing right by you, but, you lay in my position and I owe you this. Please don't thank me. Not ever. But ...forgive me . In time I need to know, that you'll see what I'm doing as what I have to for you , and not some calculated mistake. " Liam , taken aback in his shocked pupils , glanced at his gleaming watch. "Ry' , I'm telling you to do this , don't you ever blame yourself for what happens -don't you dare, for one second , frame this in your mind as betrayal-" Ryan pulled Liam into a hug that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan's arm came down over Liam's spine. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan's neck, he placed an open palm on the back of his head. "Don't let them take your humanity brother, now go-" There was a resilience in Ryan's grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam's jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. "Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We've seen hell, and there may be no heaven , but there's being alive . Please hold onto that ." His slate -gray voice , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , his released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if he weighed down with bricks. The passenger door caught in the moonlight as he slid down into the Chevrolet and disappeared. Liam's eyes flew open , and the scorn of his binds jolted him into reality.

USER: As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on a criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. " Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first inIs this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent presence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, "you don't want to know , huh? " Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . "Tape recording. You don't have Ryan. " Valen sneered at the estimation . "Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don't have Ryan.. anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. " Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . "I'd tell you to go to hell but-we're already in some sick version of it-not that I'll break. I'll never , ever , break. " . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . "I don't intend to break you Liam, I don't want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-". Liam only laughed in defiance , "oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-" . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull. "You know that after you , and Ryan , and the other useless fools , none of you have served a purpose to the Vanderine, to the drug's survival , and yet, while it won't serve my purpose to implant you -again-I don't have the strength to resist. Business. And I'm the boss. Another day in my office. Another fine opportunity to play with the clientele." Liam managed a twisted smile , the notion flooring him . "Have you ever ingested it yourself. The Vanderine , what does it feel like, you can't imagine the dreams I've had, the ideas I've been invested with-" Valen's cool trail of voice interlaced with the stagnant air . "Have, in any of these dreamscapes Liam , have you encountered this-" . In a swift movement, Liam's abdomen was against the concrete on a deeper level. "Nah, but you and me , me and you-there's really no end to the scenarios -" Valen, his voice fading an inch into the background, expensed a proposition. "There may be a way to embed the drug, that you're disposable bowels failed at tolerating. " then as Vaken removed the heat of his touch from Liam's pulse points , his blood flow was syringed with a profound chill. "It seems however , that ny entire digestive system is a ravaged wasteland , explored to the last inch, every cavity stripped and yet the darkest space is still untouched , pure, unvarnished-." Valen's breath was at his ear as his low voice caressed the silence, a threat in its proximal absence as it few further away. "And yet, your vocal cords survived the trauma , but, Liam . I don't want to cause you to scream ,only to hear your voice echoing into that mouth... but I wonder if Ryan would care to indulge in the reminder of his mistake-his failure. Would he write a little harder at the sound of your pleas-" As he fought the urge to retch, wincing , the taunt of the potential voice recording pierced the air , the muffled scream lacing his mind and entangling with his resistance. "I'll need proof before I believe you captured Ryan, I'll need to feel his pulse against mine ...I'll need to feel the reverberation of his cries against my chest -" The air held a disconcerting void in its hands as Valen's unsynchronised gait dragged across the ground. "Will I dangle the carrot until the horse starves out of spite , or will I strip his gag and ask him something that only the present moment has the captivity to answer ?" Liam's stomach, dropping into its seventh circle of condemnation, raged with nausea. "There's nothing you could ask him that isn't predetermined-nothing-" Liam felt his own fear deceiving him with a deft profanity as he cursed into a whisper. "Oh sweet Ry' , is it a shame that , when you abandoned Liam in the heat of your desperation , that he became my chew toy. Well riddle me this -exactly how long ago was it that you left him. Tell me the minutes , the hours , the seconds. When you can -" Liam then spat , his tongue enraged with the constraints of his binds "Shit.." There was an engrained anticipation in the air, spiralling in a tight burst of thrilling panic , as Liam's pulse throbbed in his eye sockets, and the veins in his temples ticked against his skin. Then it slithered through the room. "Exactly ...one day.....eight hours...maybe twenty minutes and..fuck I don't -" . There was a muffled distilling of Ryan's voice. As Valen's hands came down over Liam's pulsing ankles. "Ah, faster. And harder. But , it's not my intention to break you now is it? You will undo yourself in my embrace -" Yours are lacklustre ... let me try : he lay face down on the pavement to hell, a maze of stones and ever present magenta particles , sifting through Liam's vision as he withheld a gasp. "I can't see my damned watch-" . Valen , dismissing Liam's frustration, loomed close and yet far enough away to unsettle the balance of intamacy and isolation. "Now Liam, if you know how long you've been alone, berating yourself for urging him to forget your existence, if you can answer within yourself, the question. Well then, you know if it's all just a tape recorded dream. Or perhaps ..it's a reality. A truth that Ryan lies bound , and as his mistake , your heart beats on his time, borrowed for you. Be grateful to hear him. Or regret that you will..." . Liam's eyes slid closed as his mind referenced the previous night. Ryan's eyes, swallowed by the insufficiency of the street light, had bore a sharp hesitation as he'd hailed the oncoming traffic. A lone , sleek black Chevrolet, coming to a halt , the only traffic on the bare highway of promise married with ultimatum . "I'll go , Liam, if this will save you , but you some time. it's against my better judgement and I don't feel I'm doing right by you, but, you lay in my position and I owe you this. Please don't thank me. Not ever. But ...forgive me . In time I need to know, that you'll see what I'm doing as what I have to for you , and not some calculated mistake. " Liam , taken aback in his shocked pupils , glanced at his gleaming watch. "Ry' , I'm telling you to do this , don't you ever blame yourself for what happens -don't you dare, for one second , frame this in your mind as betrayal-"hug well written? Ryan pulled Liam into a hug that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan's arm came down over Liam's spine. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan's neck, he placed an open palm on the back of his head. "Don't let them take your humanity brother, now go-" There was a resilience in Ryan's grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam's jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. "Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We've seen hell, and there may be no heaven , but there's being alive . Please hold onto that , Li' ." Liam flashed a lopsided grin, his right dimple enlivening its usual position as he smiles "Well give the bastards hell, Ry, I'll see you on the other side-" As Ryan stalled a second longer he added , "I'd better, and that's a threat." His slate -gray voiceinflection , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , hisrasped as he released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if he were weighed down with bricks. The passenger door caught in the moonlight as he slid down into the Chevrolet and disappeared. Liam's eyes flew open , and the scorn of his binds jolted him into reality.

USER: Is this hugRyan came into focus , and his bare feet came to a nullification of movement as he collapsed to his knees, "Liam? When I told you not thank me, well written? Ryan-" Liam's comatose stare barely registered Ryan's voice as he gazed into his vast , engulfing blue eyes.. "Liam , look at me, I know I didn't reach you in time. Blink twice if you can hear me" , Ryan whispered into the malaise of pale magenta dust that clung to the air . Liam fought with the sandpaper in his lids for co-operation as he blinked once. "Come here , Liam" Ryan's voice cracked as it intermingled with the only other sound; Liam's fragile breathing, that slowed with each disintegrating inhale as he pulled him into a gentle, one sided embrace. Liam into a hugdragged his pupils to the left , gritting his teeth inside his mouth , as he choked out "Ry-Ryan-it's -it's ok-". Initiating a second blink , his eyes reeled back out of focus , and Ryan felt Liam's chest collapse inwards as his breathing ceased . It only amounted to one. Ryan clung to Liam's emaciated biceps with a profound dread crawling through his veins , pulsating with his heartbeat, as he felt his own ribcage inch closer around his lungs and he fought to respire. "I left you that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan's arm camenight to save you but-Oh God if I'd known it'd end like this-" . Ryan ripped his scathing retinas away from Liam's vacant stare as he broke down over Liam's spine. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan's neck, he placedin tears, interring his red eyes into Liam's clavicle, his heaves wracking him, echoing through the room at an open palm on the back of his head. "Don't let them take your humanity brother, now go-" Thereencompassing volume. Only the clinical metal walls could hear him grieve. Twice; and it was a resilience in Ryan's grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam's jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. "Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We've seen hell, and there may be no heaven , but there's being alive . hold onto that , Li' ." Liam flashed a lopsided grin, his right dimple enlivening its usual position as he smiles "Well give the bastards hell, Ry, I'll see you on the other side-" As Ryan stalled a second longer he added , "I'd better, and that's a threat." His slate -gray inflection , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , rasped as he released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if he were weighed down with bricks.too late.

USER: Ryan came into focus , and his bare feet came to a nullification of movement as he collapsed to his knees, "Liam? When I told you not thank me, well -" Liam's comatose stare barely registered Ryan's voice as he gazed into his vast , engulfing blue eyes..eyes... "Liam , look at me, I know I didn't reach you in time. Blink twice if you can hear me" , Ryan whispered into the malaise of pale magenta dust that clung to the air . Liam fought with the sandpaper in his lids for co-operation as he blinked once. "Come here , Liam" Ryan's voice cracked as it intermingled with the only other sound; Liam's fragile breathing, that slowed with each disintegrating inhale as he pulled him into a gentle, one sided embrace. Liam dragged his pupils to the left , gritting his teeth inside his mouth , as he choked out "Ry-Ryan-it's -it's ok-". As he held a deep eye contact , a stray tear escaping his gaze, a thousand words flickered across his irises. Initiating a second blink , his eyes reeled back out of focus , and Ryan felt Liam's chest collapse inwards as his breathing ceased . It only amounted to one. Ryan clung to Liam's emaciated biceps with a profound dread crawling through his veins , pulsating with his heartbeat, as he felt his own ribcage inch closer around his lungs and he fought to respire. "I left you that night to save you but-Oh God if I'd known it'd end like this-" . Ryan ripped his scathing retinas away from Liam's vacant stare as he broke down in tears, interring his red eyes into Liam's clavicle, his heaves wracking him, echoing through the room at an encompassing volume. Only the clinical metal walls could hear him grieve. Twice; and it was too late.late

USER: Ryan cameReleasing a controlled, soft moan , she overrode the urge , finding equilibrium on the consuming edge of euphoria and agony. "This-is-so-in--uhh...mm-in-tense" , she breathed, collapsing against Liam's arm , unable to speak as she panted out small moans. "I know , Lara, but you've got this. You've come so far and you've done such amazing work. I love you , and you can do this" he said, continuing his movements as she focused intently on his touch. She concentrated on each jolt of raw pleasure his touch created inside of her, as her baby moved down , and the familiar urge rolled over her once again. She panted hard, letting herself finally give an engulfing push at the very peak of her contraction. Controlling its length , she restrained the effort , instead breathing out the remaining desire as it dissipated in her gasps. Lara focused on the nurses hands at he opening, and her low voice. "The head is crowning Lara, now this will be intense and if you feel any burning , I'm right here to help keep you lubricated . You keep up the amazing pushing, and if you're perennial area becomes too thin we will deal with that very carefully. It's all looking good Lara. The big moment is here" she encouraged , and Liam grasped her hand tightly. "I want to catch her when she-"the nurse , focusing on Lara slow progress , gestured toward the baby's emerging head. "You'd better get down here then Dad, shes on her way." Liam ran his hand across Lara's abdomen as he moved to position himself between her thighs. The nurse guided his hand to cradle the emerging head of his daughter , and he lifted his gaze to lock eyes with his wife, as bore down, channeling the urge that stole her breathe and her voice. She couldn't even manage a grunt as she breathlessly pushed the head out into Liam's waiting hand. The room remained silent she fell back, gasping, and the nurse informed her "you did it Lara , but I'm really going to need you to focus , and his bare feet came to a nullification of movementhard, and pant for me , while I clear her umbilical cord. Don't push Lara . " she took over from Liam's cradling of his daughter as he collapsed to his knees, "Liam? Whenrepositioned himself at Lara's side , as she gripped his shirt and drained her knuckles white. "Li-uhhh-" . Liam tightened his grip on hers as he urged ." Just vocus on my voice Lara , no one else is here alright. Pant through it. " Lara's desperate pants punctured the air as she rested her head against Liam's , his deep stare the only place she found the strength to ride each breath u til the urge faded. "great job Lara , the cord is clear , really amazing work, now the first shoulder is coming, nice deep breaths for me ..." Liam held Lara's head in his palms , planting a kiss on her forehead as she leaned against his forehead , still panting. Lara fell away into a deep push , her abdomen shaking as Liam kept his hand on her pelvis, applying counter pressure. The nurse continued supporting the baby as Lara gasped against Liam's arm. "It's -". Liam's eyes flashed with concern as Lara dug her nails into his forearm, tearing his skin as she muffled a scream . "The shoulders are on a bit of an angle , Lara this is a perfectly normal, but challenging thing. We can try and move your baby through smoother, but this could take a few extra pushes-. " Lara shook violently , tears streaming from her eyes . "Lara , listen to me. " the nurse instructed, as the room buzzed with activity that seared through Lara's concentration. "Its so loud----I want to stop" she whimpered, collapsing against Liams chest as the nurse intervened. "I'm holding her head , Lara, and her shoulders are coming. I'll have to guide them through but we can't stop now. " Lara shook her head, her teeth clenching in distress . "I need -to- stop" The nurse began to manipulate the first shoulder as it edged on Lara's opening and her hips jerked forward as she ground her teeth in resistance. Another nurse was at Lara's side , briefly encouraging "just take a minute , she doesn't have to come right now, but it IS time to meet your baby Lara, what have you worked so hard for?" Liam squeezed his fingers against Lara's abdomen, creating a firm line of comforting sensation between her hips. "she's coming Lara, we're all here , she's so close, baby.soo close." Lara gasped out "she's --ugghh ----I " . As Liam removed his now bleeding arm from her grasp, he redirected her trembling hand to his jeans , encouraging her to take hold . "I wasn't joking when I toldsaid she was strong ..." he muttered, as her hands ground into his thigh, and she panted desperately, and small grunts fell from her lips. "She's just taking her time-she one resilient little girl, just like her mom huh? " The nurse said, turning the shoulder as Lara's cervix continued pushing and she surrendered helplessly , as the room remained a blur of noise and activity , and Liam was suddenly gone from her side. The nurse announced as the lip remained caught around her baby's shoulder, and her push ended with a tortured scream. "she's in a better position now , Lara , take a few minutes to catch your breath , it'll be a good few minutes before she gets past the lip however. maybe a little longer. ". The room blurred as Lara gripped the railing of the bed, her arms shaking as she pled "I can't-" . The searing pain tore through her skin as she felt the nurse silently pushing her cervix aside, and the sea of pain consumed her. Her hands clamped the railing with all she had as she resisted the irresistible urge to push, fearful her opening would explode into a thousand pieces . "I need to stop-uhhhh-" He hand searched frantically for Liam as he braced himself on the sterile wall , a pained look in his eyes . "I can't -I just need a moment, I--" he explained to a distracted nurse passing by. His admission fell into the hall and he stared in exhausted disbelief as she screamed into the air . As he rubbed a hand over his drawn features , her pained cries the only sound in the bustling room that hurt his head , Liam turned to another nurse , grabbing the sleeve of her scrubs . "Please , give her anything-she's in too much pain and -I cant do a damned thing .", he broke out in frustration and concern. "Sir, we need to respect her choices, but we have the situation under control, we will manage the shoulders , she's doing amazingly well considering the duration of her labour and the choice not to have an epidural-you should be very proud." He looked at the stark linoleum floor , as her grunts punctured the air. "Sorry I-oh God I just, I haven't slept , or eaten but I can't stand to watch her anymore . I didn't mean to-" . The nurse glanced at her pager with an urgent tone "it's alright, take a moment if you need , also you can go back inside when you're ready. Maybe take a walk and clear your head. This stage may take some time-it isn't easy" and then she was gone in the crowd of medical staff, leaving Liam alone. As he stepped out into hall , steeling himself, there wasn't any solace in the quiet, only guilt and fear. "Well you're useless out here -can't sleep or eat when she's -and you know the damn window for an epidural is gone. " The As another nurse passed he called out, his frustration and concern lacing his voice, the frantic environment drowning him "My wife has been in labour for over twenty hours and they expect her not thank me,to push out this shoulder that is ripping her half -apart. What if something goes horribly-" The nurse placed a hand on his shoulder, only passing briefly as she assured ,"that's what we're here for. You should go and be with her when you're ready." And then she too was gone. Liam approached a vending machine , scanning the soda but only seeing his worn reflection staring back as he slammed a fist over a random button. he drained the can and crushed it in his fist , it's metal absorbing his anguish. As another half hour slid by, he trudged back over to the bed where Lara was deep in the throes of a contraction, the nurse gone . "Baby , they left you? What's happening? " a nurse returned and stripped the curtain back as she deftly checked Lara's progress . "You're doing well -"Lara , the lip will mean that her shoulder will move foward , but slide back, but we're getting there " Liam's comatose stare barely registered Ryan'scomplexion paled as he dropped to Lara's side and she wrenched his shirt, without looking up from her trembling thighs. "Uhh-Li--uhhhh" she moaned in a desperate plea , as she fought to push through a punishing barrier , all of her strength gone , enduring each contraction with all she had left . "So , how many pushes could this take?" Liam asked , and the nurse replied , as she swiped Lara's brow with a damp cloth "Maybe a few more, it depends on when the lip of her cervix gives way. This isn't entirely common but- while it takes time it's not a risk to the baby's health. She has a good strong heartbeat, she's proving her resilience-" Liam grasped Lara's hand protectively, as he muttered. "I'm getting damn tired of hearing bout resilience , an hour ago it was "a few pushes and-" . Sliding , defeated, onto a chair at Lara's side his strained voice as hereached her, "I'm here, I'm sorry I-" Liam said , and dropped his head into his free hand as she tightened her grip in his . Lara panted , her womb clenching down with a ferocity that was visible on her sweat drenched abdomen. As the contraction finally released her, the blissful reprieve afforded her a few deep breaths . Then the familiar stalling hovered in the air . Lara gazed into his vast , engulfing blue eyes... "Liam , look at me,her expensed husband , and smiled through gritted teeth. "He's always been-like-this" she gasped and fell back against the headboard. "But it's too-late -for-"she gasped out. Liam readjusted his fingers between Lara's, his eyes glassed over. "I know baby, and I know you really are stronger than me. "I just don't like that you're working so hard and -" then the nurses voice cut through the intimate moment of reprieve , her fingers against Lara's opening "seems that lip has cleared Lara, now , work with your body and have your baby. Let's do this Lara. When your contractions start up again, give me a hard push and don't breath away the urge. " . As Lara accepted a rough kiss on her temple from Liam as he displayed both urgency and hesitation to begin the way, not not close enough , Lara gasped out "ok -I'm -re-" as she cradled her abdomen, her muscles clenching and pushing as she held her breath, savouring the intensity she could no longer exert by herself. As she went with the push, her fingers found the curves that needed her touch , and she trembled against them . As the nurses hand guided the shoulder out , she motioned to Liam with her head. "Get ready , Liam, the time is now " Liam ran the back of his hand over his eyes, the lights of the room barring his vision with harsh lights . As he let the nurse position his arm in place , all he could hear was static and the noise of the room. "Ok Lara , the first shoulder is out, once more" Her breath stopped in her throat as her scream tore through the air . The left shoulder , grinding to a halt , left her panting in agony as the nurse manoeuvred it . "Ok Lara, deep breaths she really is a fighter, keep pushing" . Liam felt the bed rail shake with her hands as she collapsed against the side. "No-" . She was soon crying as the nurse kept her hand firmly in place . "This time she's coming Lara, there's no turning back, deep breaths -" it seemed as if she were yelling besides Liam's ear as the exhaustion gave the room an echo "She said no- " his voice broke with confusion and an anger he'd never felt on his own tongue. Another nurse grabbed his shoulder "get ready Liam, it's now ". He watched as his own hands shook with fatigue and the baby's shoulder , along with her body, emerged and was suddenly on his forearm , along with more blood than he'd seen . "Oh God -" he muttered, as his daughter was swept away from him . "Clean her airways ..." a distant voice blared as Lara's pants punctured the room and she fell back, her hands sliding from the bedrails as she lay crying through a smile. Then there was a silence , not as disturbing as a calm before a storm . "Alright Lara. Rest a bit, catch your breath , you're doing amazing ". Lara felt her cervix stretching with a familiar fullness, and she cried out "Li-help-m-" "the second one has a clearer path, here we go" Lara clutched at the open air , as her uterus pushed with a force she was too exhausted to resist , moaning weakly as he arm went limp. Liam watched , his eyes glossing over as he muttered. "But I-she-we-already went through this part. " the nurse barely managed a smile as she she kept her focus on second babys head as in slid into a full crown. "Keep pushing Lara , your first daughter is healthy , now keep going. "No-I Uhhhh- " Releasing a controlled, soft moan , she overrode the urge , finding equilibrium on the consuming edge of euphoria and agony. "This-is-so-in--uhh...mm-in-tense" , she breathed, collapsing against Liam's arm , unable to speak as she panted out small moans. "I know , Lara, but you've got this. You've come so far and you've done such amazing work. I love you , and you can do this" he said, continuing his movements as she focused intently on his touch. She concentrated on each jolt of raw pleasure his touch created inside of her, as her baby moved down , and the familiar urge rolled over her once again. She panted hard, letting herself finally give an engulfing push at the very peak of her contraction. Controlling its length , she restrained the effort , instead breathing out the remaining desire as it dissipated in her gasps. Lara focused the nurses hands at he opening, and her low voice. "The head is crowning Lara, now this will be intense and if you feel any burning , I'm right here to help keep you lubricated . You keep up the amazing pushing, and if you're perennial area becomes too thin we will deal with that very carefully. It's all looking good Lara. The big moment is here" she encouraged , and Liam grasped his hand tightly. "I want to catch her when she-"the nurse , focusing on Lara slow progress , gestures toward the baby's emerging head. "You'd better get down here then Dad, shes on her way." Liam ran his hand across Lara's abdomen as he moved to position himself between her thighs. The nurse guided his hand to cradle the emerging head of his daughter , and he lifted his gaze to lock eyes with his wife, as bore down, channeling the urge that stole her breathe and her voice. She couldn't even manage a grunt as she breathlessly pushed the head out into Liam's waiting hand. The room remained silent she fell back, gasping, and the nurse informed her "you did it Lara , but I'm really going to need you to focus hard, and pant for me , while I clear her umbilical cord. Don't push Lara . " she took over from Liam's cradling of his daughter as he repositioned himself at Lara's side , as she gripped his shirt and drained her knuckles white. "Li-uhhh-" . Liam tightened his grip on hers as he urged ." Just vocus on my voice Lara , no one else is here alright. Pant through it. " Lara's desperate pants punctured the air as she rested her head against Liam's , his deep stare the only place she found the strength to ride each breath u til the urge faded. "great job Lara , the cord is clear , really amazing work, now the first shoulder is coming, nice deep breaths for me ..." Liam held Lara's head in his palms , planting a kiss on her forehead as she leaned against his forehead , still panting. Lara fell away into a deep push , her abdomen shaking as Liam kept his hand on her pelvis, applying counter pressure. The nurse continued supporting the baby as Lara gasped against Liam's arm. "It's -". Liam's eyes flashed with concern as Lara dug her nails into his forearm, tearing his skin as she muffled a scream . "The shoulders are on a bit of an angle , Lara this is a perfectly normal, but challenging thing. We can try and move your baby through smoother, but this could take a few extra pushes-. " Lara shook violently , tears streaming from her eyes . "Lara , listen to me. " the nurse instructed, as the room buzzed with activity that seared through Lara's concentration. "Its so loud----I want to stop" she whimpered, collapsing against Liams chest as the nurse intervened. "I'm holding her head , Lara, and her shoulders are coming. I'll have to guide them through but we can't stop now. " Lara shook her head, her teeth clenching in distress . "I need -to- stop" The nurse began to manipulate the first shoulder as it edged on Lara's opening and her hips jerked forward as she ground her teeth in resistance. Another nurse was at Lara's side , briefly encouraging "just take a minute , she doesn't have to come right now, but it IS time to meet your baby Lara, what have you worked so hard for?" Liam squeezed his fingers against Lara's abdomen, creating a firm line of comforting sensation between her hips. "she's coming Lara, we're all here , she's so close, baby.soo close." Lara gasped out "she's --ugghh ----I " . As Liam removed his now bleeding arm from her grasp, he redirected her trembling hand to his jeans , encouraging her to take hold . "I wasn't joking when I said she was strong ..." he muttered, as her hands ground into his thigh, and she panted desperately, and small grunts fell from her lips. "She's just taking her time-she one resilient little girl, just like her mom huh? " The nurse said, turning the shoulder as Lara's cervix continued pushing and she surrendered helplessly , as the room remained a blur of noise and activity , and Liam was suddenly gone from her side. The nurse announced as the lip remained caught around her baby's shoulder, and her push ended with a tortured scream. "she's in a better position now , Lara , take a few minutes to catch your breath , it'll be a good few minutes before she gets past the lip however. maybe a little longer. ". The room blurred as Lara gripped the railing of the bed, her arms shaking as she pled "I can't-" . The searing pain tore through her skin as she felt the nurse silently pushing her cervix aside, and the sea of pain consumed her. Her hands clamped the railing with all she had as she resisted the irresistible urge to push, fearful her opening would explode into a thousand pieces . "I need to stop-uhhhh-" He hand searched frantically for Liam as he braced himself on the sterile wall , a pained look in his eyes . "I can't -I just need a moment, I--" he explained to a distracted nurse passing by. His admission fell into the hall and he stared in exhausted disbelief as she screamed into the air . As he rubbed a hand over his drawn features , her pained cries the only sound in the bustling room that hurt his head , Liam turned to another nurse , grabbing the sleeve of her scrubs . "Please , give her anything-she's in too much pain and -I cant do a damned thing .", he broke out in frustration and concern. "Sir, we need to respect her choices, but we have the situation under control, we will manage the shoulders , she's doing amazingly well considering the duration of her labour and the choice not to have an epidural-you should be very proud." He looked at the stark linoleum floor , as her grunts punctured the air. "Sorry I-oh God I just, I haven't slept , or eaten but I can't stand to watch her anymore . I didn't reach you in time. Blink twicemean to-. We discussed all of this of course , but she's past the point where this much pain was expected . She's past the damn window and I just -. The nurse glanced at her pager with an urgent tone "it's alright, take a moment if you need , also you can hear me" , Ryan whispered into the malaise of pale magenta dust that clung to the air .go back inside when you're ready. Maybe take a walk and clear your head. This stage may take some time-it isn't easy" and then she was gone in the crowd of medical staff, leaving Liam fought with the sandpaper in his lids for co-operation as he blinked once. "Come here , Liam" Ryan's voice cracked as it intermingled with the only other sound; Liam's fragile breathing, that slowed with each disintegrating inhale as he pulled him into a gentle, one sided embrace. Liam dragged his pupils to the left , gritting his teeth inside his mouth , as he choked out "Ry-Ryan-it's -it's ok-".alone. As he stepped out into hall , steeling himself, there wasn't any solace in the quiet, only guilt and fear. "Well you're useless out here -. " he sighed , the realisation of being useless everywhere sinking in. Then as another nurse passed he called out, his frustration and concern lacing his voice, the frantic environment of the hallway drowning him. "My wife has been in labour for over twenty hours and they expect her not to push out this shoulder that is ripping her half -apart. What if something goes horribly wrong, what if she-" The nurse placed a hand on his shoulder, only pausing briefly as she assured ,"that's what we're here for. You should go and be with her when you're ready, I would suggest taking some time to regroup your nerves , it's normal to feel inadequate when the reality is we have manoeuvres that will prevent injury. And your presence is always more than adequate." He offered a grateful stare and then rested against the wall as she walked away . Liam finally approached a vending machine , his own instincts overriding him, and scanning the soda but only seeing his worn reflection staring back as he slammed a fist over a random button. he drained the can and crushed it in his fist , it's metal absorbing his anguish and exhaustion . As another half hour slid by, he returned to the bed where Lara was deep in the throes of a contraction, the nurse momentarily gone . "Baby , they left you? What's happening? "He asked as a nurse returned and stripped the curtain back as she deftly checked Lara's progress . "You're doing well Lara , the lip will mean that her shoulder will move forward , but slide back, we're getting there, just take each breath as it comes , and each push as it happens. " Liam's complexion paled as he dropped to Lara's side and she wrenched his shirt, without looking up from her trembling thighs. "Uhh-Li--uhhhh" she moaned in a desperate plea , as she fought to push through a punishing barrier , all of her strength gone , enduring each contraction with all she had left . "So , how many pushes could this take?" Liam asked , and the nurse replied , as she swiped Lara's brow with a damp cloth "Maybe a few more, it depends on when the lip of her cervix gives way. This isn't entirely common but- while it takes time it's not a risk to the baby's health, we are working to optimise her position , and to guide her through safely.. She has a good strong heartbeat, she's proving her resilience-" Liam grasped Lara's hand protectively, as he muttered. "I'm getting damn tired of hearing bout resilience , an hour ago it was "a few pushes and-" . Sliding , defeated, onto a chair at Lara's side his strained voice reached her, "I'm here, I'm sorry I needed a moment before " Liam said , and dropped his head into his free hand as she tightened her grip in his . Lara panted , her womb clenching down with a ferocity that was visible on her sweat drenched abdomen. As the contraction finally released her, the blissful reprieve afforded her a few deep breaths . Then the familiar stalling hovered in the air . Lara gazed at her expensed husband , and smiled through gritted teeth. "He's always been-like-this" she gasped and fell back against the headboard. "But it's why I love-his -overbeari-"she gasped out. Liam readjusted his fingers between Lara's, his eyes glassed over. "I know baby, and I know you really are stronger than me. And don't need me to - "I just don't like that you're going through this -it hurts to watch, baby" Then the nurses voice cut through the intimate moment of reprieve , her fingers against Lara's opening "seems that lip has cleared Lara, now , work with your body and have your baby. Let's do this Lara. When your contractions start up again, give me a hard push and don't breath away the urge. " . As Lara accepted a rough kiss on her temple from Liam as he displayed both urgency and hesitation to be in the way, nor not close enough , Lara gasped out "ok -I'm -ready-" as she cradled her abdomen, her muscles clenching and pushing as she held aher breath, savouring the intensity she could no longer exert by herself. As she went with the push, her fingers found the curves that needed her touch , and she trembled against them . As the nurses hand guided the shoulder out , she motioned to Liam with her head. "Get ready , Liam, the time is now " Liam ran the back of his hand over his eyes, the lights of the room barring his vision with harsh disorientation. As he let the nurse position his arm in place , all he could hear was static hum of the room. "Ok Lara , the first shoulder is out, once more" Her breath stopped in her throat as her scream tore through the air . The left shoulder , grinding to a halt , left her panting in agony as the nurse manoeuvred i gently past her pelvis . "Ok Lara, deep eye contact , a stray tear escaping his gaze, a thousand words flickered across his irises. Initiating a second blink , his eyes reeled back out of focus , and Ryanbreaths she really is a fighter, keep pushing" . Liam felt the bed rail shake with her hands as she collapsed against the side. "No-" . She was soon crying as the nurse kept her hand firmly in place . "This time she's coming Lara, there's no turning back, deep breaths -you're almost done-" it seemed as if she were yelling besides Liam's chest collapse inwards as his breathing ceased . It only amounted to one. Ryan clung to Liam's emaciated bicepsear as the exhaustion gave the room an echo "She said no- " his voice broke with a profound dread crawling through his veins , pulsatingconfusion and an anger he'd never felt on his own tongue. Another nurse grabbed his shoulder "get ready Liam, it's now, keep your hand under our arms ". He watched as his own hands shook with his heartbeat, asfatigue and the baby's shoulder , along with her body, emerged and was suddenly being held just above his forearm , along with more blood than he'd seen . "Oh God -" he felt his own ribcage inch closer around his lungs and he fought to respire. "I left you that night to save you but-Oh God if I'd known it'd end like this-" . Ryan ripped his scathing retinasmuttered, as his daughter was swept away from him . "Clean her airways ..." a distant voice blared as Lara's pants punctured the room and she fell back, her hands sliding from the bedrails as she lay crying through a smile. Then there was a silence , not as disturbing as a calm before a storm . "Alright Lara. Rest a bit, catch your breath , you're doing amazing ". Lara felt her cervix stretching with a familiar fullness, and she cried out "Li-help-m-" A voice cut through her plea with calm reassurance. "the second baby has a clearer path and is optimal position, now here we go" the nurse instructed briskly, and the movement of the baby's head stretching and burning Lara's opening was undeniable as it claimed her entire being. Lara clutched at the open air , as her uterus pushed with a force she was too exhausted to resist , moaning weakly as her arm went limp. Liam watched , his eyes glossing over as he muttered. "But I-she-we-already went through this part" the nurse barely managed a smile as she she kept her focus on the second baby's head as in slid into a full crown. "Keep pushing Lara , your first daughter is healthy , now keep going. "No-I Uhhhh- " She released a moan that was filled with instinct , as her control was relinquished to the overwhelming pressure of the pull of her next push, its essence involuntary. It was happening faster than her breaths could match, as her gasps grew lighter and faster , and she was panting without trying. "Great job Lara , the head is out " the nurse said as she held Liam's vacant starehand in place and his arm trembled against hers. "And here come the shoulders , breathe Lara, let it happen , breathe-" Her moans spilled through the room as the first shoulder eased out , followed by the second, and their second daughter's body was above Liams' arm, secure in the nurses hands as he brokerolled back onto his heels. She was swept away just as quickly, as Lara's legs fell closed , her body shaking with relief. "Up off the floor Dad, I know it's a lot but-Congratulations you have two of them -" He rose, dazed and smiling through tears as Lara was handed her two newborn daughters . "Let's just name them both after you, I always knew you had two middle names for a reason-" . She shook her head, enamoured with them both at once. " I'll name this one Lila Rose . " Liam gazed down awestruck yet uncertain. "Do you really trust me with this -" Lara laughed through her tears. "I know it'll be perfect" . His fatigue slowed him down as he mused ..."Lily..Grace. That's the word I have . It's fits. " Liam let his eyes close as he micro slept, weathered by the ordeal. As Lara recovered , a nurse explained as Liam asked" why did she go through such an ordeal with Lila, but Lily just -kept coming ?" "With twin births, the baby can get stuck with the pressure of the second twin making her way down right after. It can cause trauma for both infants... so you have two incredibly strong girls. Liam leaned in tears, interring his red eyes into Liam's clavicle, his heaves wracking him, echoing through the room atto sling an encompassing volume. Only the clinical metal walls could hear him grieve. Twice; andarm around Lara "Nah, make that three"As Lara moaned softly , feeling a few weak contractions taking hold , a nurse took Lila from her , holding her hand "good job Mom, the placenta means there's certainly no third one in there " After a careful half hour of Lara handling the contractions with comparable ease, it was too lateremoved from her opening and Lila was returned to her arm, as she sank back smiling , and falling asleep. Liam told the nurse "we already wanted to use these names , and our first argument might have been that . But well , I just want to sleep now that she's not in any pain . It's just a relief to see her smiling. I'll have two of them screaming soon enough. I need all the sleep I can...." He trailed off into a deep yawn. "It's fine Mr Weston , we'll take them off your hands and let Lara recover properly, we have sleeping arrangements if you'd like a proper bed a proper meal. "Can I just sleep here for a bit " he mumbled at no one in particular as the room faded out.. There were so many minute details that had slipped their minds; the absence of their daughters as their health was monitored and ID bracelets were assigned. As Liam came to in a haze, it was almost as if Lara were still pregnant and it had all been a dream. In the sterile, silent room where he had been ushered mid-sleep, he was alone. "Two of them-here of them. You're outnumbered. Can't hide in here forever." ----After Liam had showered and thrown down a cafeteria tray of compartmentalised slop, he encountered a doctor , still in disbelief. "How, on earth, was the baby not detectable during her actual labor, there was only one heartbeat? I find that one hard to belie . I was dreaming. She hasn't even-" he was shaken by laughter and the hand on his shoulder . "We did assume that when you arrived here ..with a wife carrying one child, that we were monitoring one heartbeat when , considering the complicated positioning of your infants, we may have fluctuated heartbeats . The thing that we can't fathom is how a Caesarean section wasn't needed . It took over hours to deliver your first child after Lila began crowning. " Liam directed his gaze into the distance . "We had an ultrasound a month ago. How did she slip past that ?" It stole his mind for a long moment. "Wait , she-knew-? Did she think I would - that it would change-please tell me I was dreaming-it was a nightmare-I -I -" . Dr Mathew's smile was gone as he countered. "Well , Mrs Weston did ask me an odd question. She wanted to know , if the explanation to a second baby , might have been a "phantom pregnancy", where she was unable to feel the baby's movements and blamed herself for imaging the entire thing , said the labor never happened and she must have dreamt it. Then I had to tell her that you wouldn't think she was crazy, and had to take to her to see both her children. She was rather confused , alarmed , and under the impression that you would be devastated to have no child at all. . What I'm seeing here is, two perfectly normal reactions to something bizarre and I've had quite the 48 hour shift myself. " Liam was swift to hide his tears of anger. "I-I -know she'd never lie-that's why I knew it was a nightmare. I'll just go and wake up -and it'll make sense." He laughed darkly, more to himself than anyone. Dr matters smiled with a hint of sympathy. "Or you could meet me and your wife in my office in an hour while I walk you through some of her recent ultrasounds. I can go into specifics regarding the uterine cavity and the positioning of each twin during various phases . Then it will make sense from a scientific point at least. Would you like me to pinch you , Liam, or will you be alright?" They both shared a wry smile , albeit weary on Liam's part as he nodded "pinch me all you want. She's still stronger than the both of us and now there's three of her to deal with. Three. I'm never gonna be out of the woods . We both know that"-----////////. The room swam, and Liam's corneas were as sick as they'd always been at the sight of concrete. "Vanderine." When ? How much . Lara was-" Ryan , out in the way a light with a lost bulb flickered , only muttered "No-It's already in the car, damn kids never-I'm not an ATM -" Liam felt a profound sickness wound with sympathy cross his features. "Poor bastards in suburban hell again-"

USER: Releasing a controlled, soft moan , she overrode the urge , finding equilibriumAs Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on the consuming edge of euphoria and agony. "This-is-so-in--uhh...mm-in-tense" , she breathed, collapsinga criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. " Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's arm , unable to speak as she pantedstretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent presence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, "you don't want to know , huh? " Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . "Tape recording. You don't have Ryan. " Valen sneered at the estimation . "Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don't have Ryan... anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. " Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . "I'd tell you to go to hell but-we're already in some sick version of it-not that I'll break. I'll never , ever , break. " . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . "I don't intend to break you Liam, I don't want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-". Liam only laughed in defiance , "oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-" . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull. "You know that after you , and Ryan , and the other useless fools , none of you have served a purpose to the Vanderine, to the drug's survival , and yet, while it won't serve my purpose to implant you -again-I don't have the strength to resist. Business. And I'm the boss. Another day in my office. Another fine opportunity to play with the clientele." Liam managed a twisted smile , the notion flooring him . "Have you ever ingested it yourself. The Vanderine , what does it feel like, you can't imagine the dreams I've had, the ideas I've been invested with-" Valen's cool trail of voice interlaced with the stagnant air . "Have, in any of these dreamscapes Liam , have you encountered this-" . In a swift movement, Liam's abdomen was against the concrete on a deeper level. "Nah, but you and me , me and you-there's really no end to the scenarios -" Valen, his voice fading an inch into the background, expensed a proposition. "There may be a way to embed the drug, that you're disposable bowels failed at tolerating. " then as Vaken removed the heat of his touch from Liam's pulse points , his blood flow was syringed with a profound chill. Liam shivered , as he said, observing the perverted truth encroaching on his existence "It seems however , that my entire digestive system is a ravaged wasteland , explored to the last inch, every cavity stripped and yet the darkest space is still untouched , pure, unvarnished-." Valen's breath was at his ear as his low voice caressed the silence, a threat in its proximal absence as it crept further away. "And yet, your vocal cords survived the trauma , but, Liam . I don't want to cause you to scream ,only to hear your voice echoing into that mouth... But I wonder if Ryan would care to indulge in the reminder of his mistake-his failure. Would he write a little harder at the sound of your pleas-" Valen said, in a lingering snarl. As Liam fought the urge to retch, wincing , the taunt of the potential voice recording pierced the air , the muffled scream lacing his mind and entangling with his resistance. "I'll need proof before I believe you captured Ryan, I'll need to feel his pulse against mine ...I'll need to feel the reverberation of his cries against my chest -" The air held a disconcerting void in its hands as Valen's unsynchronised gait dragged across the ground. "Will I dangle the carrot until the horse starves out small moans.of spite , or will I strip his gag and ask him something that only the present moment has the captivity to answer ?" Liam's stomach, dropping into its seventh circle of condemnation, raged with nausea. "There's nothing you could ask him that isn't predetermined-nothing-" he said, almost with a spit of poised saliva. Liam felt his own fear deceiving him with a deft profanity as he cursed into a whisper, and ground his jaw. Valen taunted , seeming closer to the doorway than a moment earlier. "Oh sweet Ry' , is it a shame that , when you abandoned Liam in the heat of your desperation , that he became my chew toy. Well riddle me this -exactly how long ago was it that you left him?. Tell me the minutes , the hours , the seconds. When you can -" Liam then spat , his tongue enraged with the constraints of his binds "Shit..." Liam lamented, awaiting Ryan's response. There was an engrained anticipation in the air, spiralling in a tight burst of thrilling panic , as Liam's pulse throbbed in his eye sockets, and the veins in his temples ticked against his skin. Then it slithered through the room; Ryan's voice. "Exactly ...one day......eight hours...maybe twenty minutes and...fuck I don't -" . There was a muffled distilling of Ryan's voice, as his gag was reinserted between his teeth. As Valen's hands came down over Liam's pulsing ankles, he flinched. "Ah, your pulse is faster. And harder. But , it's not my intention to break you now is it? You will undo yourself in my embrace Liam -" He lay face down on the pavement to hell, a maze of stones and ever present magenta particles sifting through his vision as he withheld a gasp. "I can't see my damned watch-" Liam muttered. Valen , dismissing Liam's frustration, loomed close and yet far enough away to unsettle the balance of intamacy and isolation. "Now Liam, if you know , Lara, buthow long you've got this. You've come so far and you've done such amazing work. I love you , andbeen alone, berating yourself for urging him to forget your existence, if you can do this" he said, continuing his movements as she focused intentlyfind the answer within yourself, to the question. Well then, you know if it's all just a tape recorded dream? . Or perhaps ...it's a reality. A truth that Ryan lies bound , and as his mistake , your heart beats on his touch. She concentratedtime, borrowed for you. Be grateful to hear him. Or regret that you will..." Liam's eyes slid closed as his mind was transported to the previous night. Ryan's eyes, swallowed by the insufficiency of the street light, had borne a sharp hesitation as he'd hailed the oncoming traffic. A lone , sleek black Chevrolet, coming to a halt , had been the only traffic on each jolt of raw pleasure his touch created inside of her, as her baby moved down , and the familiar urge rolled over her once again. She panted hard, letting herself finally give an engulfing push at the very peak of her contraction. Controlling its length , she restrained the effort , instead breathing out the remaining desire as it dissipated in her gasps. Lara focused on the nurses hands at he opening, and her low voice. "The head is crowning Lara, nowthe bare highway of promise married with ultimatum . "I'll go Liam, if this will save you , buy you some time. I mean , it's wrong and I know it , and I don't feel I'm doing you right, but, I owe you." Ryan's gaze rested on a space between the stars as his voice hollowed out, a cool edge welding his plea. "Please don't thank me. Not ever. But ...forgive me . In time I need to know that you'll see what I'm doing as what I have to -for you , and not as some calculated mistake. " Liam , gazing directly into Ryan's peripheral vision, said , without missing a beat. "Ry' , I'm telling you to do this , don't you ever blame yourself for what happens -don't you dare, for one second , frame this in your mind as betrayal-" Ryan then pulled Liam into a hug that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan's arm came down over Liam's back. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan's neck, he placed an open palm on the back of his head. "Don't let them strip your humanity , now go-" There was a desperation in Ryan's grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam's jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. "Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We've seen hell, and there may be intense andno heaven , but there's being alive . cling onto that , Li' ." Liam flashed a lopsided grin, his right dimple enlivening its usual position as he smiled "Well give the bastards hell, Ry, I'll see you on the other side-" As Ryan stalled a second longer he added , "I'd better, and that's a threat." His slate -gray inflection , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , rasped as he released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if you feel any burning , I'm right here to help keep you lubricated . You keep up the amazing pushing, and if you're perennial area becomes too thin we will dealhe were weighed down with that very carefully. It's all looking good Lara.bricks. The big moment is here" she encouraged , and Liam grasped her hand tightly. "I want to catch her when she-"the nurse , focusing on Lara slow progress , gestured toward the baby's emerging head. "You'd better getpassenger door caught in the moonlight as he slid down here then Dad, shes on her way." Liam ran his hand across Lara's abdomen as he moved to position himself between her thighs. The nurse guided his hand to cradle the emerging head of his daughter , and he lifted his gaze to lock eyes with his wife, as bore down, channeling the urge that stole her breathe and her voice. She couldn't even manage a grunt as she breathlessly pushed the head out into Liam's waiting hand. The room remained silent she fell back, gasping, and the nurse informed her "you did it Lara , but I'm really going to need you to focus hard, and pant for me , while I clear her umbilical cord. Don't push Lara . " she took over from Liam's cradling of his daughter as he repositioned himself at Lara's side , as she gripped his shirt and drained her knuckles white. "Li-uhhh-" . Liam tightened his grip on hers as he urged ." Just vocus on my voice Lara , no one else is here alright. Pant through it. " Lara's desperate pants punctured the air as she rested her head against Liam's , his deep stare the only place she found the strength to ride each breath u til the urge faded. "great job Lara , the cord is clear , really amazing work, now the first shoulder is coming, nice deep breaths for me ..." Liam held Lara's head in his palms , planting a kiss on her forehead as she leaned against his forehead , still panting. Lara fell away into a deep push , her abdomen shaking as Liam kept his hand on her pelvis, applying counter pressure. The nurse continued supporting the baby as Lara gasped against Liam's arm. "It's -".the Chevrolet and disappeared. Liam's eyes flashedflew open , and the scorn of his binds jolted him into reality. "So the plan is , to torture me with concern as Lara dug her nails into his forearm, tearing his skin as she muffled a scream . "The shouldersRyan's captivity. But, if he were to die , before me , what do you have left. My wife and three kids-" Valen's reply was as audible as a pin dropping, and Liam resisted his own tears as hands rested on his thorax . a finger escalated his ribcage , now a perilous stairway to his primal despair. "Ah Liam, joke of your imaginary life, but do not call the bluff on the only real family you have , his life is-disposable , but fascinating beautiful in the way it could visit that place I cannot , simply by being extinguished. A flame can just-" the snapping of Valen's fingers caused Liam to blink away a tear , his jaw trembling with the tension as he denied his humanity. His empathy simmered behind his eyelids as he watched the insides of them swim with moisture. "I implore you to kill me first-A suicidal cannon will only light up the sky when the wick burns out. If you exterminate my only reason to breathe-what then? Let me go and have a fading trail -or torture his existence with mine?" . The complexity ignited a strange amusement in Valen's response , eliciting a new depth of laughter . "Ah Liam , you are on a bit of an angle , Lara this is a perfectly normal,a mental fortress of entertainment, but challenging thing. We can try and moveeven the cryptic suggestion that without him you'll be nothing, you've transcended the reason I am tracing your baby through smoother, but this could take a few extra pushes-. " Lara shook violently , tears streaming from her eyes . "Lara , listen to me. " the nurse instructed, as the room buzzed with activity that seared through Lara's concentration. "Its so loud----I want to stop" she whimpered, collapsing against Liams chest as the nurse intervened. "I'm holding her head , Lara, and her shoulders are coming. I'll have to guide them through but we can't stop now. " Lara shook her head, her teeth clenching in distress . "I need -to- stop" The nurse began to manipulate the first shoulder as it edged on Lara's opening and her hips jerked forward as she ground her teeth in resistance. Another nurse was at Lara's side , briefly encouraging "just take a minute , she doesn't have to come right now, but it IS time to meet your baby Lara, what have you worked so hard for?" Liam squeezed his fingers against Lara's abdomen, creating a firm line of comforting sensation between her hips. "she's coming Lara, we're all here , she's so close, baby.soo close." Lara gasped out "she's --ugghh ----I " . As Liam removed his now bleeding arm from her grasp, he redirected her trembling hand to his jeans , encouraging her to take hold . "I wasn't joking when I said she was strong ..." he muttered, as her hands ground into his thigh, and she panted desperately, and small grunts fell from her lips. "She's just taking her time-she one resilient little girl, just like her mom huh? " The nurse said, turning the shoulder as Lara's cervix continued pushing and she surrendered helplessly , as the room remained a blur of noise and activity , and Liam was suddenly gone from her side. The nurse announced as the lip remained caught around her baby's shoulder, and her push ended with a tortured scream. "she's in a better position now , Lara , take a few minutes to catch your breath , it'll be a good few minutes before she gets past the lip however. maybe a little longer. ". The room blurred as Lara gripped the railing of the bed, her arms shaking as she pled "I can't-" . The searing pain tore through her skin as she felt the nurse silently pushing her cervix aside, and the sea of pain consumed her. Her hands clamped the railing with all she had as she resisted the irresistible urge to push, fearful her opening would explode into a thousand pieces . "I need to stop-uhhhh-" He hand searched frantically for Liam as he braced himself on the sterile wall , a pained look in his eyes . "I can't -I just need a moment, I--" he explained to a distracted nurse passing by. His admission fell into the hall and he stared in exhausted disbelief as she screamed into the air . As he rubbed a hand over his drawn features , her pained cries the only sound in the bustling room that hurt his head , Liam turned to another nurse , grabbing the sleeve of her scrubs . "Please , give her anything-she's in too much pain and -I cant do a damned thing .", he broke out in frustration and concern. "Sir, we need to respect her choices, but we have the situation under control, we will manage the shoulders , she's doing amazingly well considering the duration of her labour and the choice not to have an epidural-you should be very proud." He looked at the stark linoleum floor , as her grunts punctured the air. "Sorry I-oh God I just, I haven't slept , or eaten but I can't stand to watch her anymore . I didn't mean to-" . The nurse glanced at her pagerribcage with an urgent tone "it's alright, take a moment if you need , also you can go back inside when you're ready. Maybe take a walk and clear your head. This stageease. You are yet to contemplate the heart of my intentions. It may take some time-it isn't easy" and then she was gone in the crowd of medical staff, leaving Liam alone. As he stepped out into hall , steeling himself, there wasn't any solace in the quiet, only guilt and fear. "Well you're useless out here -can't sleep or eat when she's -and you know the damn windowtime -I'll afford you as long as you need Li' . Ryan has -more than enough time to wait for an epidural is gone. " The As another nurse passed he called out, his frustration and concern lacing his voice, the frantic environment drowning him "My wife has been in labour for over twenty hours and they expect her not to push out this shoulder that is ripping her half -apart. What if something goes horribly-" The nurse placed a hand on his shoulder, only passing briefly as she assured ,"that's what we're here for. You should go and be with her when you're ready." And then she too was gone. Liam approached a vending machine , scanning the soda but only seeing his worn reflection staring back as he slammed a fist over a random button. he drained the can and crushed it in his fist , it's metal absorbing his anguish. As another half hour slid by, he trudged back over to the bed where Lara was deep in the throes of a contraction, the nurse gone . "Baby , they left you? What's happening? " a nurse returned and stripped the curtain back as she deftly checked Lara's progress . "You're doing well Lara , the lip will mean that her shoulder will move foward , but slide back, but we're getting there " Liam's complexion paled as he dropped to Lara's side and she wrenched his shirt, without looking up from her trembling thighs. "Uhh-Li--uhhhh" she moaned in a desperate plea , as she fought to push through a punishing barrier , all of her strength gone , enduring each contraction with all she had left . "So , how many pushes could this take?" Liam asked , and the nurse replied , as she swiped Lara's brow with a damp cloth "Maybe a few more, it depends on when the lip of her cervix gives way. This isn't entirely common but- while it takes time it's not a risk to the baby's health. She has a good strong heartbeat, she's proving her resilience-" Liam grasped Lara's hand protectively, as he muttered. "I'm getting damn tired of hearing bout resilience , an hour ago it was "a few pushes and-" . Sliding , defeated, onto a chair at Lara's side his strained voice reached her, "I'm here, I'm sorry I-" Liam said , and dropped his head into his free hand as she tightened her grip in his . Lara panted , her womb clenching down with a ferocity that was visible on her sweat drenched abdomen. As the contraction finally released her, the blissful reprieve afforded her a few deep breaths . Then the familiar stalling hovered in the air . Lara gazed at her expensed husband , and smiled through gritted teeth. "He's always been-like-this" she gasped and fell back against the headboard. "But it's too-late -for-"she gasped out. Liam readjusted his fingers between Lara's, his eyes glassed over. "I know baby, and I know you really are stronger than me. "I just don't like that you're working so hard and -" then the nurses voice cut through the intimate moment of reprieve , her fingers against Lara's opening "seems that lip has cleared Lara, now , work with your body and haverevelation. To hear its undertones in your baby. Let's do this Lara. When your contractions start up again, give me a hard push and don't breath away the urge. " . As Lara accepted a rough kiss on her temple from Liam as he displayed both urgency and hesitation to begin the way, not not close enough , Lara gasped out "ok -I'm -re-" as she cradled her abdomen, her muscles clenching and pushing as she held her breath, savouring the intensity she could no longer exert by herself. As she went with the push, her fingers found the curves that needed her touch , and she trembled against them . As the nurses hand guided the shoulder out , she motioned to Liam with her head. "Get ready , Liam, the time is nowscreams. " Liam ran the back of his hand over his eyes, the lights of the room barring his vision with harsh lights . As helay in the cling wrap of sweat, not quite daring to let the nurse position his arm in place ,his mind connect the dots that reeled across the concrete , like a constellation of fallen stars . Whether it had become day, or remained night, failed to matter. The magenta haze was all he could hearconsuming. Everywhere, and he was static and the noise of the room. "Ok Lara , the first shoulder is out, once more" Her breath stopped in her throat as her scream tore through the air . The left shoulder , grinding to a halt , left her panting in agony as the nurse manoeuvred it . "Ok Lara, deep breaths she really is a fighter, keep pushing" . Liam felt the bed rail shake with her hands as she collapsed against the side. "No-" . Shenowhere. Ryan had been eerily quiet . And his voice was soon crying as the nurse kept her hand firmly in place . "This time she's coming Lara, there's no turning back, deep breaths -" it seemed as if she were yelling besides Liam's ear as the exhaustion gave the room an echo "She said no- " his voice broke with confusion and an anger he'd never felt on his own tongue. Another nurse grabbed his shoulder "get ready Liam, it's now ". He watched as his own hands shook with fatigue and the baby's shoulder , along with her body, emerged and was suddenly on his forearm , along with more blood than he'd seen . "Oh God -" he muttered, as his daughter was sweptonly a plea away from him . "Clean her airways ..." a distant voice blared as Lara's pants punctured the room and she fell back, her hands slidingescaping him. "I knew from the bedrails as she lay crying through a smile. Then there was a silence ,start , your true intention.....I've always understood the purpose of my life -to kill me -but not as disturbing as a calm before a storm . "Alright Lara. Rest a bit, catch your breath , you're doing amazing ". Lara felt her cervix stretching with a familiar fullness, and she cried out "Li-help-m-" "the second one has a clearer path, here we go" Lara clutched at the open air , as her uterus pushed with a force she was too exhausted to resist , moaning weakly as he arm went limp. Liam watched , his eyes glossing over as he muttered. "But I-she-we-already went through this part. " the nurse barely managed a smile as she she kept her focus on second babys head as in slid into a full crown. "Keep pushing Lara , your first daughter is healthy , now keep going. "No-I Uhhhh- " Releasing a controlled, soft moan , she overrode the urge , finding equilibrium on the consuming edge of euphoria and agony. "This-is-so-in--uhh...mm-in-tense" , she breathed, collapsing against Liam's arm , unable to speak as she panted out small moans. "I know , Lara, but you've got this. You've come so far and you've done such amazing work. I love you , and you can do this" he said, continuing his movements as she focused intently on his touch. She concentrated on each jolt of raw pleasure his touch created inside of her, as her baby moved down , and the familiar urge rolled over her once again. She panted hard, letting herself finally give an engulfing push at the very peak of her contraction. Controlling its length , she restrained the effort , instead breathing out the remaining desire as it dissipated in her gasps. Lara focused the nurses hands at he opening, and her low voice. "The head is crowning Lara, now thisto end my misery. To destroy Ryan. Because unlike me-Ryan believes in -humanity. in dignity. He's everything you can't be . Morally good . You have to end me -to truly leave a mark that will be intense and if you feel any burning , I'm right here to help keep you lubricated . You keep up the amazing pushing, and if you're perennial area becomes too thin we will dealsear like a brand . But good luck with that very carefully. It's all looking good Lara. The big moment is here" she encouraged , and Liam grasped his hand tightly. "I want to catch her when she-"the nurse , focusing on Lara slow progress , gestures toward the baby's emerging head. "You'd better get down here then Dad, shes on her way." Liam ran his hand across Lara's abdomen as he moved to position himself between her thighs. The nurse guided his hand to cradle the emerging head of his daughter , and he lifted his gaze to lock eyes with his wife, as bore down, channeling the urge that stole her breathe and her voice. She couldn't even manage a grunt as she breathlessly pushed the head out into Liam's waiting hand. The room remained silent she fell back, gasping, and the nurse informed her "you. Because he did it Lara , but I'm really going to need you to focus hard, and pant for me , while I clear her umbilical cord. Don't push Lara . " she took over from Liam's cradling of his daughter as he repositioned himself at Lara's side , as she gripped his shirt and drained her knuckles white. "Li-uhhh-" . Liam tightened his grip on hers as he urged ." Just vocus on my voice Lara , no one else is here alright. Pant through it. " Lara's desperate pants punctured the air as she rested her head against Liam's , his deep stare the only place she found the strength to ride each breath u til the urge faded. "great job Lara , the cord is clear , really amazing work, now the first shoulder is coming, nice deep breaths for me ..." Liam held Lara's head in his palms , planting a kiss on her forehead as she leaned against his forehead , still panting. Lara fell away into a deep push , her abdomen shaking as Liam kept his hand on her pelvis, applying counter pressure. The nurse continued supporting the baby as Lara gasped against Liam's arm. "It's -". Liam's eyes flashed with concern as Lara dug her nails into his forearm, tearing his skin as she muffled a scream . "The shoulders are on a bit of an angle , Lara this is a perfectly normal, but challenging thing. We can try and move your baby through smoother, but this could take a few extra pushes-. " Lara shook violently , tears streaming from her eyes . "Lara , listen to me. " the nurse instructed, as the room buzzed with activity that seared through Lara's concentration. "Its so loud----I want to stop" she whimpered, collapsing against Liams chest as the nurse intervened. "I'm holding her head , Lara, and her shoulders are coming. I'll have to guide them through but wemake a promise and you can't stop now. " Lara shook her head, her teeth clenching in distress . "I need -to- stop" The nurse began to manipulate the first shoulder as it edged on Lara's opening and her hips jerked forward as she ground her teeth in resistance. Another nurse was at Lara's side , briefly encouraging "just take a minute , she doesn't have to come right now, but it IS time to meet your baby Lara, what have you worked so hard for?" Liam squeezed his fingers against Lara's abdomen, creating a firm line of comforting sensation between her hips. "she's coming Lara, we're all here , she's so close, baby.soo close." Lara gaspeda lawful good from his word-" Valen's clap, a drawn out "she's --ugghh ----I " . As Liam removed his now bleeding arm from her grasp, he redirected her trembling hand to his jeans , encouraging her to take hold . "I wasn't joking when I said she was strong ..." he muttered, as her hands ground into his thigh, and she panted desperately, and small grunts fell from her lips. "She's just taking her time-she one resilient little girl, just like her mom huh? " The nurse said, turning the shoulder as Lara's cervix continued pushing and she surrendered helplessly , as the room remained a blur of noise and activity , and Liam was suddenly gone from her side. The nurse announced as the lip remained caught around her baby's shoulder, and her push ended with a tortured scream. "she's in a better position now , Lara , take a few minutes to catch your breath , it'll be a good few minutes before she gets past the lip however. maybe a little longer. ". The room blurred as Lara gripped the railing of the bed, her arms shaking as she pled "I can't-" . The searing pain tore through her skin as she felt the nurse silently pushing her cervix aside, and the sea of pain consumed her. Her hands clamped the railing with all she had as she resisted the irresistible urge to push, fearful her opening would explode into a thousand pieces . "I need to stop-uhhhh-" He hand searched frantically for Liam as he braced himself on the sterile wall , a pained look in his eyes . "I can't -I just need a moment, I--" he explained to a distracted nurse passing by. His admission fell into the hall and he stared in exhausted disbelief as she screamed into the air . As he rubbed a hand over his drawn features , her pained cries the only sound in the bustling roomslap of his palms together , held a faint mockery. "Perhaps that hurt his head , Liam turned to another nurse , grabbing the sleeve of her scrubs . "Please , give her anything-she's in too much pain and -I cant do a damned thing .", he broke out in frustration and concern. "Sir, we need to respect her choices, but we have the situation under control, we will manage the shoulders , she's doing amazingly well considering the duration of her labour and the choice not to have an epidural-you should be very proud." He looked at the stark linoleum floor , as her grunts punctured the air. "Sorry I-oh God I just, I haven't slept , or eaten but I can't stand to watch her anymore . I didn't mean to-. We discussed all of this of course , but she's past the point where this much pain was expected . She's past the damn window and I just -. The nurse glanced at her pager with an urgent tone "it's alright, take a moment if you need , also you can go back inside when you're ready. Maybe take a walk and clear your head. This stage may take some time-it isn't easy" and then she was gone in the crowd of medical staff, leaving Liam alone. As he stepped out into hall , steeling himself, there wasn't any solace in the quiet, only guilt and fear. "Well you're useless out here -. " he sighed , the realisation of being useless everywhere sinking in. Then as another nurse passed he called out, his frustration and concern lacing his voice, the frantic environment of the hallway drowning him. "My wife has been in labour for over twenty hours and they expect her not to push out this shoulder that is ripping her half -apart. What if something goes horribly wrong, what if she-" The nurse placed a hand on his shoulder, only pausing briefly as she assured ,"that's what we're here for. You should go and be with her when you're ready, I would suggest taking some time to regroup your nerves , it's normal to feel inadequate when the reality is we have manoeuvres that will prevent injury. And your presence is always more than adequate." He offered a grateful stare and then rested against the wall as she walked away . Liam finally approached a vending machine , his own instincts overriding him, and scanning the soda but only seeing his worn reflection staring back as he slammed a fist over a random button. he drained the can and crushed it in his fist , it's metal absorbing his anguish and exhaustion . As another half hour slid by, he returned to the bed where Lara was deep in the throes of a contraction, the nurse momentarily gone . "Baby , they left you? What's happening? "He asked as a nurse returned and stripped the curtain back as she deftly checked Lara's progress . "You're doing well Lara , the lip will mean that her shoulder will move forward , but slide back, we're getting there, just take each breath as it comes , and each push as it happens. " Liam's complexion paled as he dropped to Lara's side and she wrenched his shirt, without looking up from her trembling thighs. "Uhh-Li--uhhhh" she moaned in a desperate plea , as she fought to push through a punishing barrier , all of her strength gone , enduring each contraction with all she had left . "So , how many pushes could this take?" Liam asked , and the nurse replied , as she swiped Lara's brow with a damp cloth "Maybe a few more, it depends on when the lip of her cervix gives way. This isn't entirely common but- while it takes time it's not a risk to the baby's health, we are working to optimise her position , and to guide her through safely.. She has a good strong heartbeat, she's proving her resilience-" Liam grasped Lara's hand protectively, as he muttered. "I'm getting damn tired of hearing bout resilience , an hour ago it was "a few pushes and-" . Sliding , defeated, onto a chair at Lara's side his strained voice reached her, "I'm here, I'm sorry I needed a moment before " Liam said , and dropped his head into his free hand as she tightened her grip in his . Lara panted , her womb clenching down with a ferocity that was visible on her sweat drenched abdomen. As the contraction finally released her, the blissful reprieve afforded her a few deep breaths . Then the familiar stalling hovered in the air . Lara gazed at her expensed husband , and smiled through gritted teeth. "He's always been-like-this" she gasped and fell back against the headboard. "But it's why I love-his -overbeari-"she gasped out. Liam readjusted his fingers between Lara's, his eyes glassed over. "I know baby, and I know you really are stronger than me. And don't need me to - "I just don't like that you're going through this -it hurts to watch, baby" Then the nurses voice cut through the intimate moment of reprieve , her fingers against Lara's opening "seems that lip has cleared Lara, now , work with your body and have your baby. Let's do this Lara. When your contractions start up again, give me a hard push and don't breath away the urge. " . As Lara accepted a rough kiss on her temple from Liam as he displayed both urgency and hesitation to be in the way, nor not close enough , Lara gasped out "ok -I'm -ready-" as she cradled her abdomen, her muscles clenching and pushing as she held her breath, savouring the intensity she could no longer exert by herself. As she went with the push, her fingers found the curves that needed her touch , and she trembled against them . As the nurses hand guided the shoulder out , she motioned to Liam with her head. "Get ready , Liam, the time is now " Liam ran the back of his hand over his eyes, the lights of the room barring his vision with harsh disorientation. As he let the nurse position his arm in place , all he could hear was static hum of the room. "Ok Lara , the first shoulder is out, once more" Her breath stopped in her throat as her scream tore through the air . The left shoulder , grinding to a halt , left her panting in agony as the nurse manoeuvred i gently past her pelvis . "Ok Lara, deep breaths she really is a fighter, keep pushing" . Liam felt the bed rail shake with her hands as she collapsed against the side. "No-" . She was soon crying as the nurse kept her hand firmly in place . "This time she's coming Lara, there's no turning back, deep breaths -you're almost done-" it seemed as if she were yelling besides Liam's ear as the exhaustion gave the room an echo "She said no- " his voice broke with confusion and an anger he'd never felt on his own tongue. Another nurse grabbed his shoulder "get ready Liam, it's now, keep your hand under our arms ". He watched as his own hands shook with fatigue and the baby's shoulder , along with her body, emerged and was suddenly being held just above his forearm , along with more blood than he'd seen . "Oh God -" he muttered, as his daughter was swept away from him . "Clean her airways ..." a distant voice blared as Lara's pants punctured the room and she fell back, her hands sliding from the bedrails as she lay crying through a smile. Then there was a silence , not as disturbing as a calm before a storm . "Alright Lara. Rest a bit, catch your breath , you're doing amazing ". Lara felt her cervix stretching with a familiar fullness, and she cried out "Li-help-m-" A voice cut through her plea with calm reassurance. "the second baby has a clearer path and is optimal position, now here we go" the nurse instructed briskly, and the movement of the baby's head stretching and burning Lara's opening was undeniable as it claimed her entire being. Lara clutched at the open air , as her uterus pushed with a force she was too exhausted to resist , moaning weakly as her arm went limp. Liam watched , his eyes glossing over as he muttered. "But I-she-we-already went through this part" the nurse barely managed a smile as she she kept her focus on the second baby's head as in slid into a full crown. "Keep pushing Lara , your first daughter is healthy , now keep going. "No-I Uhhhh- " She released a moan that was filled with instinct , as her control was relinquished to the overwhelming pressure of the pull of her next push, its essence involuntary. It was happening faster than her breaths could match, as her gasps grew lighter and faster , and she was panting without trying. "Great job Lara , the head is out " the nurse said as she held Liam's hand in place and his arm trembled against hers. "And here come the shoulders , breathe Lara, let it happen , breathe-" Her moans spilled through the room as the first shoulder eased out , followed by the second, and their second daughter's body was above Liams' arm, secure in the nurses hands as he rolled back onto his heels. She was swept away just as quickly, as Lara's legs fell closed , her body shaking with relief. "Up off the floor Dad, I know it's a lot but-Congratulations you have two of them -" He rose, dazed and smiling through tears as Lara was handed her two newborn daughters . "Let's just name them both after you, I always knew you had two middle names for a reason-" . She shook her head, enamoured with them both at once. " I'll name this one Lila Rose . " Liam gazed down awestruck yet uncertain. "Do you really trust me with this -" Lara laughed through her tears. "I know it'll be perfect" . His fatigue slowed him down as he mused ..."Lily..Grace. That's the word I have . It's fits. " Liam let his eyes close as he micro slept, weathered by the ordeal. As Lara recovered , a nurse explained as Liam asked" why did she go through such an ordeal with Lila, but Lily just -kept coming ?" "With twin births, the baby can get stuck with the pressure of the second twin making her way down right after. It can cause trauma for both infants... so you have two incredibly strong girls. Liam leaned in to sling an arm around Lara "Nah, make that three"As Lara moaned softly , feeling a few weak contractions taking hold , a nurse took Lila from her , holding her hand "good job Mom, the placenta means there's certainly no third one in there " After a careful half hour of Lara handling the contractions with comparable ease, it was removed from her opening and Lila was returned to her arm, as she sank back smiling , and falling asleep. Liam told the nurse "we already wanted to use these names , and our first argument might have been a nice twist to play with. Killing you, to watch Ryan suffer. Or killing him ti destroy you. Perhaps I may play with my food , or throw in complementaries with the service . Keep thinking Liam. What we don't know , can indeed be dangerous. But what we do know, can be a slow burning nightmare. " As the air crept closer , Liam cursed under his breath. His cards flashed their expiry dates as he almost threw his failed royal flush across the table. But all he mustered was a faint "you'll be waiting a while .. maybe I never figure it out..." Valen , laughing at the delight in his own voice , positioned his mouth at Liam's ear. "You will come to a conclusion , and don't tell me about it. I'll feel it in your waters as you drown" Liam's weakened mindset crumbled with dehydration, and malnourishment, as he grappled with a notion that .almost set fire to his lungs. "The Vanderine- you've never ingested it. You won't . Implant it in me. But well , I just want to sleep now that she's not in any pain . It's just a relief to see her smiling. I'll have two of them screaming soon enough. I need all the sleep I can...." He trailed off into a deep yawn. "It's fine Mr Weston , we'll take them off your hands and let Lara recover properly, we have sleeping arrangements if you'd like a proper bed a proper meal. "Can I just sleep here for a bit " he mumbled at no one in particular as the room faded out.. There were so many minute details that had slipped their minds; the absence of their daughters as their health was monitored and ID bracelets were assigned. As Liam came to in a haze,my body won't make it was almost as if Lara were still pregnant andover the border in this condition. Implant Ryan , he can't hold it had all been a dream. In the sterile, silent room where he had been ushered mid-sleep, he was alone. "Two of them-here of them. You're outnumbered. Can't hide in here forever." ----After Liam had showered and thrown down a cafeteria tray of compartmentalised slop, he encountered a doctor , still in disbelief. "How, on earth, was the baby not detectable during her actual labor, there wasas long as me. Kill Ryan , and torture me . kill me and torture him. kill is both and the game ends . But there's only one heartbeat? I find that one hard to belie . I was dreaming. She hasn't even-" he was shakenthing-" . Valen's eyes lit up , pyromania dancing wildly in his pupils, "you're getting warmer, Liam. I think you may already be .. burning. Shall I throw you into the ocean yet or would you like a moment?" Liam's blood , screeching to a halt in his veins, choked as he whispered "You need me-alive-because you don't have anyone else left to hide the drug inside of - you were never trying to preserve it , you need -to display it, showcase its fucking beauty , in the middle of nowhere . Have someone , at the right , opportune moment , but what doesn't add up is -why hide it inside me . If I'm not a vessel of transportation , why not just give the damn substance to -why implant it? " Liam's thoughts , blurred together by laughter and the hand on his shoulder . "We did assume that when you arrived here ..with a wife carrying one child, that we were monitoring one heartbeat when , considering the complicated positioning of your infants, we may have fluctuated heartbeats . The thing that we can't fathom issheer panic , had him screaming , "Ryan , I'm sorry !" . Preserving his silence, Valen produced a gleaming sac from his pocket , and crouched by Liam's temple , placing and unlacing his boot as he hummed. "I want the world to see , how a Caesarean section wasn't needed . It took over hours to deliver your first child after Lila began crowning. "this drug , this vile responsibility to traffic something so resistant to ingestion , can be hidden inside even the weakest, most unsaleable , adverse body. And there's a place , a place deep inside you Liam directed his gaze into the distance . "We had an ultrasound a month ago. How did she slip past that ?" It stole his mind for a long moment. "Wait , she-knew-? Did she think I would -, that it would change-please tellcan be retained . But also , there's a place inside you that I can visit along the way. I won't overstay my welcome, I promise . You're right about me I was dreaming-it was a nightmare-I -I -" . Dr Mathew's smile was gone as he countered. "Well , Mrs Weston did ask me an odd question. She wanted to know , if the explanation to a second baby , might have been a "phantom pregnancy", where she was unable to feel the baby's movements and blamed herself for imaging the entire thing , said the labornot getting your deteriorated meat suit over any borders but. business calls . And I take walks in the park . I stop to smell the roses . I admire the architecture and I never happened and she must have dreamt it. Then I had to tell her that you wouldn't think she was crazy, and had to take to her to see both her children. She was rather confused , alarmed , and under the impression that you would be devastated to have no child at all. . What I'm seeing here is, two perfectly normal reactions to something bizarre and I've had quite the 48 hour shift myself. " Liam was swift to hide his tears of anger. "I-I -know she'd never lie-that's why I knew it was a nightmare. I'll just go and wakepass up -and it'll make sense." He laughed darkly, more to himself than anyone. Dr matters smiled with a hint of sympathy. "Or you could meet me and your wife in my office in an hour while I walk youa stroll through some of her recent ultrasounds. I can go into specifics regarding the uterine cavity and the positioning of each twin during various phases . Then it will make sense from a scientific point at least. Would you like me to pinch you , Liam, or will you be alright?" They both shared a wry smile , albeit weary on Liam's part as he nodded "pinch me all you want. She's still stronger than the both of us and now there's three of her to deal with. Three. I'm never gonna be out of the woods . We both know that"-----////////. The room swam, and Liam's corneas were as sick as they'd always been at the sight of concrete. "Vanderine." When ? How much . Lara was-" Ryan , out in the way a light with a lost bulb flickered , only muttered "No-It's already in the car, damn kids never-I'm not an ATM -" Liam felt a profound sickness wound with sympathy cross his features. "Poor bastards in suburban hell again-"the Sistine Chapel after dark..."

USER: Filter It only amounted to one, and it would always be one and never two --and through his jaundice-soaked corneas, all he could see was nausea. Suddenly, a violent heave claimed him, a primal urge rising in his liver. Bile stained his teeth, and the following retches were acidic, lashing the roof of his mouth with fury. It could never stop: his body rejected the substance over and over; he was dangling on the edge of sanity . "Not again. Please no-" Liam clenched his teeth, the crucial moment upon him; he had to keep the substance down, or the consequences would be dire. His eyes scanned the horizon with desperation before his lids slid closed, resistance wracking him. Then, as the urge to be sick overcame him, a voice pierced through his fog of despair, a lifeline amidst his struggle. "Can you hear me?" the rough, concerned tone asked as Liam writhed against the concrete, groaning... "Don't try to answer that, but try to blink twice. Take it slow." As he fought to drag his eyelids upward, the pain, like a coiling wire, constricted his blood flow in retaliation. "Make it stop-No I-" he choked out , his voice puncturing the air. If he expelled the Vanderine from his intestines, his efforts would to amount to zero. Square one. He was at the end of a long night,his vision raw from never resting his eyes, the blood vessels all but ruptured and torn. The ingested substance had been a sinister mistake. And if he threw up twice, the Vanderine risked expulsion from his system; he battled to hold it inside. All he had could never be enough, he countered, what ever could? Even his attempts to obey the voice , coming from somewhere above him, seemed in vain. As Liam writhed in the dying sunlight, his skin erupted in feverish bumps, a crawling sensation exploring the surface of his skin. Violation jolted down his spine as he screamed through his clenched teeth . As the nausea rose again, claiming his entire being, his heart continued to pulse, counting away the seconds. "Help me--No. No," he pled through his locking jaw as he fought another gripe. The instinctive reaction of his body gripped every fiber as he felt his fight ending. He embedded his teeth into his gag, screaming against the material bound across his tongue, taunting him. Then, in one dreaded motion, the inevitable rise built within him. His pupils dilated with horror as his gag soon became saturated with the vile substance, leaving a bitter sting as he struggled against it; the retches that followed heaving through his chest. Liam collapsed into the unforgiving embrace of the concrete, his ravaged body welcoming the end with resignation. "Shit," he lamented , the heat in his own voice spreading across his flesh like untamed fire . "Twice... now it's too late." Twisting his gaze away from the glistening pool of Vanderine, he diverted his gaze from the evident failure. And in a mixture of pure shock and trauma, his eyelids slid closed with exhaustion, his body embracing closure of his fight. After his ongoing efforts and endless torment, he failed to hold down the vandarine, and it was over. But the voice persisted, causing Liam to force his eyes open, gritting his teeth. "No, I'm still here Liam; I'm getting the binds off--hang tight," the voice reassured. Liam shook his head , protesting, the fear tugging at his psyche like a fishing line as he cursed in his mouth. "No, you can't help--" As Liam fought to refocus his gaze, a pair of deep hazel eyes locked onto his own with concern. "Hey, breathe. I've got you. It's me, Ry'. Hold on while I get rid of this--" Liam flinched as his gag tore from his mouth, and he gasped for fresh air, the stifling atmosphere saturating him with perspiration. "Now hang tight while I get these damned binds off-" , Ryan's voice reassured with an undercurrent of urgency, as Liam's arms obstructed his ribcage from accomodating his lungs. Liam's voice died in his throat as the sear of rope twisted itself around his flesh , grinding like wildfire into his veins as Ryan worked at the constraints with bare hands. His deft fingers delivered frantic sensations into Liam's malaise as they eroded the rope's grained surface, causing the fibres to snap. Then, as Ryan tossed the strews of rope aside, he rolled Liam onto his back, smoothing a palm over his chest and anchoring his sternum. "Ryan? How the hell did you get out of your?" , Liam questioned in untamed confusion, shocks coursing down his spine as Ryan elevated his head and hauled it onto his thigh. " It took a hell of a long time to wear down my own, but I managed to-ah it doesn't matter , just concentrate on the breathing." As his head lolled to the side , Liam's laboured breaths stalled his movements , the horizon meeting his vision while Ryan held his jaw in place . "Easy, slow breaths, feel how I'm breathing buddy and mirror that." It was a few minutes before Liam's chest finally fell into a rhythm, his spasmodic breathing evening out. "There we go, give it some time, it's been a long damn night.", Ryan said, his hands remaining secure against Liam's face as he refocused his vision on Ryan's steady gaze. Liam, reaching up and gripping Ryan's arm, smiled against the warm twilight rays of daylight that bathed his features. "Hell of a thing to endure, seeing all that... Damn lucky that we're both still here." Liam, pulling on Ryan's arm, found the strength to prop himself into a seated position, still deprived of breath. "Shit. Get over here, Ry'" he said, as streams of magenta dust hovered , creating a surreal haze that reflected the rising sun. Liam raised his arm and enveloped Ryan in a warm but rough embrace , melding their silhouettes into one as their shoulders collided. As Liam delivered a thump to his back, Ryan reciprocated by bumping his fist against Liam's shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, calm down," Ryan laughed in spite of his cool demeanour. "We'll get a decent shot of water into you, after we find your clothes." Ryan, lowering his deep hazel irises to meet Liam's contrasting blue stare , placed a hand on Liam's knee. "thank God I reached you in time." Although the light had drained from his eyes , Liam managed a smirk. "Yeah, I know what you did Ry' . It's all kinda hazy but-" Ryan dodged the heroics as he offered a smile and turned his head, the hues of the ominous sunrise casting across his profile , promising impending heat. "Nah, I don't go down easy or nothin' but someone had to save your ass." Passage two "The sight of his crumpled jeans, smudged with fingerprints, hijacked his attention. "Those bastards don't care what they leave behind," Liam muttered as his eyes located his left sock, freezing his joints. "Please help me-" he whispered, readjusting his grip on Ryan's shoulder, wrenching his gaze away from the twisted display of inhumanity. Liam's jaw clenched as he then noticed his dehumanizing undergarments strewn across the footpath, along with his boots and shirt. Ryan held his gaze steadfast on Liam's faltering eyes as he approached Liam's belongings, gathering them and subverting the underwear, scuffing it away with his boot. Liam was already sliding toward the dusty ground as Ryan handed him the brusque garments, his expression gentle. "You earned your dignity, just focus on that," he reassured as Liam accepted his ruined clothing with a wince. "Yeah, give me a minute-" he said with a glimmer of resistance in his bloodshot eyes. The drugs in his vision burned with a harsh sting, and Liam shook his head to regain some clarity. "I don't remember how I got here. No damn clue. Now here I am stripped naked- Ry', I'm not even sure what's real or what the Vanderine made me believe--and I only said yes because -". With a jerk, Ryan pulled Liam inward by the waist. "Doesn't matter. We never had a choice. But you put yourself in my place. And they never broke your damn spirit. And I can tell you right now, this is real." Liam, looking away with a nod, fell into silence as he wrestled with the task of dressing himself. Ryan was quick to offer careful attention as he assisted Liam into his jeans. The denim, rough against his bare skin, left his bite crooked with agony. Each movement caused Liam to flinch as he guided his ankle through the hem and then buttoned the waist of the stained jeans . Ryan passed him his destroyed Henley , and Liam yanked it over his shoulders. With a groan , Liam sought leverage in Ryan's grasp, haling himself upright. "Can you walk? Coz we need to find water , c'mon Li' , sweet hydration awaits-". As Liam broke into a grin that reached his pupils with a spark , his feet found equilibrium alongside Ryan's stance. "Hell yeah-I'm dyin' of thirst-" . But as they attempted to leave, Liam's breath was stolen by confronting remnants of his ordeal. He steeled his grip on Ryan's arm as his eyes swept over the discarded bottle of lubricant and plastic glove, turned inside-out on the pavement. "Sick, perverted bastards." Ryan almost spat as his heart was seized by the disarray that had paralysed Liam. Shielded only by Ryan's insistence as he guided Liam past the aftermath , he whispered, his tone punctured with disbelief. "So you're outta your binds and you untied mine, stripped my gag -and-" Liam's head fell to his hand , cradling his temple and gritting his teeth. "A lot of what happened is ..missing Ry' -how many times did they?" Ryan responded with a gun-metal hollowness, his words smoked out by his steady exhale. "Several times at least . Enough times enough for anyone, let's say that." Liam disengaged himself from Ryan's grasp as he diverted the glare that was already rebounding off the asphalt . "I wish you hadn't been forced to watch-" Ryan dragged his legs into co-operation as he anchored himself against Liam. "It was hard yeah-but what they did-I know you think it was a mistake to say yes , but my mistake was to resist-" The air clung to his flesh as Liam dragged his knuckles over his vision , finding a semblance of composure as he argued. "How the hell was it a mistake to avoid-this? Don't you go getting all survivor's guilt on me Ry. " The amber flecks dissolved from Ryan's aspect as he mumbled at the ground , grinding his hands into his pockets. "I just , never mind. We both need water, and shade. And soon." Liam slung a recuperating arm around Ryan's shoulder , and staggered in sync with his footsteps as the navigated the footpath as it winded into potential oblivion... As they walked in shared disorientation, and noon encroached, Liam's psyche was flooded with a flashback. His hand flew to his temple, clutching his hair as the thumping blades of a chopper cut through his thoughts. The unforgiving smash of his torso onto the ground, the impact coursing down his spine as he thrashed across the dirt and onto the pavement, echoed through his chest. "They threw me from a chopper, Ryan, arms bound to my sides. Did they do the same to you? Please tell me you know more than you've been letting on-" At first Ryan hesitated, his words dead on his tongue as he swiped it across his teeth , as he stared out into the distance. "Yeah, after you, they hurled me down here , and I found myself staring into the barrel of a gun. Said there were more captives , but nothing about their sick intentions. Then you know the rest-" With a somber nod, Liam added "Yeah, they brandish the damned pistol in my face and -" Liam exhaled into the particles of oppressive dirt and debris as his posture slackened with the sobering reality of the moment . "I already feel like they've killed me, Ry'. And they'll be back. They'll kill us like dogs-" Ryan's complexion drained out a shade of its colour and he shifted his weight under Liam's one sided embrace, maintaining his stare into the spanning horizon. "Well, I'm guessin' they could zone in on us at any moment, and while I've out walked my limits, it's probably only been under a mile. But as I said before , I don't go down easy. " he said, his detached voice peppered with defiance. "Hell yeah you don't " Liam's appreciative chuckle warmed the air along with a resonating smile, shrugging Ryan into closer proximity and supporting his weight. "If I live to see a stiff drink, I owe you . Speaking of which-". Ryan's eyes followed Liam's to a ransacked dumpster further up the path, garbage cascading onto the concrete. "Liam, I don't know that I'm above crawling in there to get out of this sun...just pull the lid down and die of dehy-" Liam interjected as his eyes caught on several bottles of water , his relief interspersed through his laughter. "Don't finish that thought Ry' , I think we might not be the only survivors out here after all-" As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on a criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. " Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent presence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, "you don't want to know , huh? " Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . "Tape recording. You don't have Ryan. " Valen sneered at the estimation . "Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don't have Ryan... anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. " Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . "I'd tell you to go to hell but-we're already in some sick version of it-not that I'll break. I'll never , ever , break. " . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . "I don't intend to break you Liam, I don't want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-". Liam only laughed in defiance , "oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-" . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull. "You know that after you , and Ryan , and the other useless fools , none of you have served a purpose to the Vanderine, to the drug's survival , and yet, while it won't serve my purpose to implant you -again-I don't have the strength to resist. Business. And I'm the boss. Another day in my office. Another fine opportunity to play with the clientele." Liam managed a twisted smile , the notion flooring him . "Have you ever ingested it yourself. The Vanderine , what does it feel like, you can't imagine the dreams I've had, the ideas I've been invested with-" Valen's cool trail of voice interlaced with the stagnant air . "Have, in any of these dreamscapes Liam , have you encountered this-" . In a swift movement, Liam's abdomen was against the concrete on a deeper level. "Nah, but you and me , me and you-there's really no end to the scenarios -" Valen, his voice fading an inch into the background, expensed a proposition. "There may be a way to embed the drug, that you're disposable bowels failed at tolerating. " then as Vaken removed the heat of his touch from Liam's pulse points , his blood flow was syringed with a profound chill. Liam shivered , as he said, observing the perverted truth encroaching on his existence "It seems however , that my entire digestive system is a ravaged wasteland , explored to the last inch, every cavity stripped and yet the darkest space is still untouched , pure, unvarnished-." Valen's breath was at his ear as his low voice caressed the silence, a threat in its proximal absence as it crept further away. "And yet, your vocal cords survived the trauma , but, Liam . I don't want to cause you to scream ,only to hear your voice echoing into that mouth... But I wonder if Ryan would care to indulge in the reminder of his mistake-his failure. Would he write a little harder at the sound of your pleas-" Valen said, in a lingering snarl. As Liam fought the urge to retch, wincing , the taunt of the potential voice recording pierced the air , the muffled scream lacing his mind and entangling with his resistance. "I'll need proof before I believe you captured Ryan, I'll need to feel his pulse against mine ...I'll need to feel the reverberation of his cries against my chest -" The air held a disconcerting void in its hands as Valen's unsynchronised gait dragged across the ground. "Will I dangle the carrot until the horse starves out of spite , or will I strip his gag and ask him something that only the present moment has the captivity to answer ?" Liam's stomach, dropping into its seventh circle of condemnation, raged with nausea. "There's nothing you could ask him that isn't predetermined-nothing-" he said, almost with a spit of poised saliva. Liam felt his own fear deceiving him with a deft profanity as he cursed into a whisper, and ground his jaw. Valen taunted , seeming closer to the doorway than a moment earlier. "Oh sweet Ry' , is it a shame that , when you abandoned Liam in the heat of your desperation , that he became my chew toy. Well riddle me this -exactly how long ago was it that you left him?. Tell me the minutes , the hours , the seconds. When you can -" Liam then spat , his tongue enraged with the constraints of his binds "Shit..." Liam lamented, awaiting Ryan's response. There was an engrained anticipation in the air, spiralling in a tight burst of thrilling panic , as Liam's pulse throbbed in his eye sockets, and the veins in his temples ticked against his skin. Then it slithered through the room; Ryan's voice. "Exactly ...one day......eight hours...maybe twenty minutes and...fuck I don't -" . There was a muffled distilling of Ryan's voice, as his gag was reinserted between his teeth. As Valen's hands came down over Liam's pulsing ankles, he flinched. "Ah, your pulse is faster. And harder. But , it's not my intention to break you now is it? You will undo yourself in my embrace Liam -" He lay face down on the pavement to hell, a maze of stones and ever present magenta particles sifting through his vision as he withheld a gasp. "I can't see my damned watch-" Liam muttered. Valen , dismissing Liam's frustration, loomed close and yet far enough away to unsettle the balance of intamacy and isolation. "Now Liam, if you know how long you've been alone, berating yourself for urging him to forget your existence, if you can find the answer within yourself, to the question. Well then, you know if it's all just a tape recorded dream? . Or perhaps ...it's a reality. A truth that Ryan lies bound , and as his mistake , your heart beats on his time, borrowed for you. Be grateful to hear him. Or regret that you will..." Liam's eyes slid closed as his mind was transported to the previous night. Ryan's eyes, swallowed by the insufficiency of the street light, had borne a sharp hesitation as he'd hailed the oncoming traffic. A lone , sleek black Chevrolet, coming to a halt , had been the only traffic on the bare highway of promise married with ultimatum . "I'll go Liam, if this will save you , buy you some time. I mean , it's wrong and I know it , and I don't feel I'm doing you right, but, I owe you." Ryan's gaze rested on a space between the stars as his voice hollowed out, a cool edge welding his plea. "Please don't thank me. Not ever. But ...forgive me . In time I need to know that you'll see what I'm doing as what I have to -for you , and not as some calculated mistake. " Liam , gazing directly into Ryan's peripheral vision, said , without missing a beat. "Ry' , I'm telling you to do this , don't you ever blame yourself for what happens -don't you dare, for one second , frame this in your mind as betrayal-" Ryan then pulled Liam into a hug that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan's arm came down over Liam's back. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan's neck, he placed an open palm on the back of his head. "Don't let them strip your humanity , now go-" There was a desperation in Ryan's grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam's jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. "Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We've seen hell, and there may be no heaven , but there's being alive . cling onto that , Li' ." Liam flashed a lopsided grin, his right dimple enlivening its usual position as he smiled "Well give the bastards hell, Ry, I'll see you on the other side-" As Ryan stalled a second longer he added , "I'd better, and that's a threat." His slate -gray inflection , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , rasped as he released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if he were weighed down with bricks. The passenger door caught in the moonlight as he slid down into the Chevrolet and disappeared. Liam's eyes flew open , and the scorn of his binds jolted him into reality. "So the plan is , to torture me with Ryan's captivity. But, if he were to die , before me , what do you have left. My wife and three kids-" Valen's reply was as audible as a pin dropping, and Liam resisted his own tears as hands rested on his thorax . a finger escalated his ribcage , now a perilous stairway to his primal despair. "Ah Liam, joke of your imaginary life, but do not call the bluff on the only real family you have , his life is-disposable , but fascinating beautiful in the way it could visit that place I cannot , simply by being extinguished. A flame can just-" the snapping of Valen's fingers caused Liam to blink away a tear , his jaw trembling with the tension as he denied his humanity. His empathy simmered behind his eyelids as he watched the insides of them swim with moisture. "I implore you to kill me first-A suicidal cannon will only light up the sky when the wick burns out. If you exterminate my only reason to breathe-what then? Let me go and have a fading trail -or torture his existence with mine?" . The complexity ignited a strange amusement in Valen's response , eliciting a new depth of laughter . "Ah Liam , you are a mental fortress of entertainment, but even the cryptic suggestion that without him you'll be nothing, you've transcended the reason I am tracing your ribcage with an ease. You are yet to contemplate the heart of my intentions. It may take some time -I'll afford you as long as you need Li' . Ryan has -more than enough time to wait for your revelation. To hear its undertones in your screams. " Liam lay in the cling wrap of sweat, not quite daring to let his mind connect the dots that reeled across the concrete , like a constellation of fallen stars . Whether it had become day, or remained night, failed to matter. The magenta haze was all consuming. Everywhere, and he was nowhere. Ryan had been eerily quiet . And his voice was only a plea away from escaping him. "I knew from the start , your true intention.....I've always understood the purpose of my life -to kill me -but not to end my misery. To destroy Ryan. Because unlike me-Ryan believes in -humanity. in dignity. He's everything you can't be . Morally good . You have to end me -to truly leave a mark that will sear like a brand . But good luck with that . Because he did make a promise and you can't stop a lawful good from his word-" Valen's clap, a drawn out slap of his palms together , held a faint mockery. "Perhaps that might have been a nice twist to play with. Killing you, to watch Ryan suffer. Or killing him ti destroy you. Perhaps I may play with my food , or throw in complementaries with the service . Keep thinking Liam. What we don't know , can indeed be dangerous. But what we do know, can be a slow burning nightmare. " As the air crept closer , Liam cursed under his breath. His cards flashed their expiry dates as he almost threw his failed royal flush across the table. But all he mustered was a faint "you'll be waiting a while .. maybe I never figure it out..." Valen , laughing at the delight in his own voice , positioned his mouth at Liam's ear. "You will come to a conclusion , and don't tell me about it. I'll feel it in your waters as you drown" Liam's weakened mindset crumbled with dehydration, and malnourishment, as he grappled with a notion that almost set fire to his lungs. "The Vanderine- you've never ingested it. You won't . Implant it in me. But my body won't make it over the border in this condition. Implant Ryan , he can't hold it down as long as me. Kill Ryan , and torture me . kill me and torture him. kill is both and the game ends . But there's only one thing-" . Valen's eyes lit up , pyromania dancing wildly in his pupils, "you're getting warmer, Liam. I think you may already be .. burning. Shall I throw you into the ocean yet or would you like a moment?" Liam's blood , screeching to a halt in his veins, choked as he whispered "You need me-alive-because you don't have anyone else left to hide the drug inside of - you were never trying to preserve it , you need -to display it, showcase its fucking beauty , in the middle of nowhere . Have someone , at the right , opportune moment , but what doesn't add up is -why hide it inside me . If I'm not a vessel of transportation , why not just give the damn substance to -why implant it? " Liam's thoughts , blurred together by sheer panic , had him screaming , "Ryan , I'm sorry !" . Preserving his silence, Valen produced a gleaming sac from his pocket , and crouched by Liam's temple , placing and unlacing his boot as he hummed. "I want the world to see , how this drug , this vile responsibility to traffic something so resistant to ingestion , can be hidden inside even the weakest, most unsaleable , adverse body. And there's a place , a place deep inside you Liam , that it can be retained . But also , there's a place inside you that I can visit along the way. I won't overstay my welcome, I promise . You're right about me not getting your deteriorated meat suit over any borders but. business calls . And I take walks in the park . I stop to smell the roses . I admire the architecture and I never pass up a stroll through the Sistine Chapel after dark..." Ah Ryan, you're a good-lookin' bastard , from the collarbone up, that is. But for a rude shock , all a woman needs to do is--" . Ryan snatched up a fistful of fries, tossing one into his mouth and assailing another at Liam's unkempt hair. "You just drink the alcohol I shouted you, alright." Liam's smirk enlivened his features with electricity as the grease-laden fry embedded itself in his gritty strands. Midnight had come and went and the bruises under Liam's eyes collected the darkness of the bar, Ryan's fatigue glowering in his eyes as he yawned. "Oh, I'll enjoy every drop, but seriously, the blonde at three o'clock ...has her eyes all over you. You're already naked at this point, in her head anyway." As Ryan's head turned with wry inquisition , Liam emptied his glass, swilling the final mouthful as amusement danced across his unshaven face. Ryan cursed under his breath, winking into the sea of bodies and forgetting Liam's existence as he rose from his stool. "Finish my Hennessy Li'..." he trailed off as he disappeared under the dim filter of light, abandoning the counter with distraction. "Yeah, you won't be back," Liam muttered, tracing the rim of his glass in a dwindling circle as Ryan's voice faded under the din of chatter and a vague Red Hot Chili Pepper song. As traces of cigarette smoke filtered through the air, perspiration and the fatigue of two am weighed on his posture as he countered, "And I'll just be finishing this..." Then, as his hand gravitated towards the abandoned Hennessy, the tepid feel of the glass caused him to reconsider. As he found himself staring at the basket of remaining bar fries, his stomach churned with revulsion. His eye sockets ached with the impact of his earlier scuffle, and the fleeting solitude left him recounting his brush with the concrete. "Well here's to drinkin' alone" , he muttered to no one in particular, the dank atmosphere receiving his one-sided toast . "What do we have over here, a sight for sore eyes , busy talking to himself?" As the smoke infused lilt of a female voice wove through his moment of introspection, her eyes caught him off guard and he paused. "I was not talking to myself," he replied with a weary grin. "It seems I was talking to you too-" Her green irises held his gaze with a hint of unmatched humour as she claimed the space Ryan had abandoned, swinging around on his vacant stool . "And he thinks he's funny, huh?" Liam's broad grin, lopsided and drunken, propped up a dimple on his right cheek as he asked, "Well, he made you laugh, I suppose that's something goin' in my favour?" She was already reaching out and rearranging his grime-infused hair as her laughter interspersed the closing space between them. Her weathered jacket, a khaki, vintage leather, contrasted against the counter's dulled wooden surface. "Yeah, maybe he got a laugh , but can he talk me out of leaving here with my friends...he has twenty seconds starting from now". As her finger grazed his earlobe , he raised an eyebrow, taking on a lesser challenge than his night had endured. "Oh, twenty seconds huh? Gimme ten. My friend up and left his drink, and now, you're gonna let me finish it ? I'll end up rotten ya know..." She smirked as she finished her toying with his light strands , and roughed his hairline as he leaned forward , resting his chin on his elbow. "You look like you haven't slept in a week, and I know the feeling to be honest " she said with a casualty in her voice, ensnaring a fry from the basket and helping herself to a sodium hit. As she engaged with his bloodshot eyes, her own gaze shone with flecks of amber, hidden amongst a distinct green hue. "So you're telling me you haven't slept , I'd say you don't look half bad for it. Here I am looking like shit on toast-and hell, maybe I haven't slept either," he admitted, his fingers tracing circles on the counter between them. She offered a smile laced with jest, the fatigue in her own eyes betraying her tease of his time running away. "Well, you had more than twenty seconds, but the question is, will I stay?" As her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders in loose ringlets , she turned away, and Liam asked, only half joking, "Oh, I failed huh? There may just be a dark corner over there, where you could tell me your name..." Her eyes, flickering with a challenge, confronted him as she smoothed her palm over the collar of his Henley. "If I drag you over there, how long could you stay awake, soldier?" She gestured towards his fatigues, the dust imbued in the fibers, as he managed a grin. "We could always fall asleep together..." She broke into a smile, her laughter intoxicating as she twisted around to face him. "So you are in the force? You're deployed?" His eyes held on hers as he shook his head, reaching for a dilapidated fry and rotating it between his knuckles. "No, but I did spend a hell of a time in the middle of nowhere-but what I want to know is, why haven't you slept huh?" Her softened gaze almost answered for her as she leaned in on one elbow. "I was - in fact you know what- let's just start with the basics. I'm Emma." As he absorbed her striking features, his own name, already off his tongue, struck him whilst his facade maintained its forefront. "Liam. Not deployed , but hey I'll take it. Beats the alternative at this stage. " Her smile was gentle as she tucked a strand of hair from her vision . "The alternative huh -a stint in the middle of nowhere , sounds intriguing to me ." He averted his gaze, caught off guard yet again by her raw nonchalance. "So, you're still here huh? And I bet you're thinking, how the hell did get this-' he asked , gesturing to the indentations above his cheekbones, still screaming with pain , the dark circles prominent . "Well, you were probably rough-housing , acting dumb-" she said, amused yet unfazed. He only offered a smirk, before shaking his head and eyeing the basket of fries with reconsideration. "Damn it's been a hell of a night. Rough-housing, that sounds a lot better than what happened-good thing I can handle myself I spose' " . After almost succumbing to a fry despite his churning stomach, he noticed her smoky, metallic scent, its overtones of embers and warmth infiltrating his lungs. He missed a breath, savouring its contrast to the sweat and alcohol clinging to his flesh. "I might have lost my drivers license , lucky I didn't have a wallet to fleece, kept my credit card in my other pocket thank God for that- But I'll live-let's talk about you" he said, as his wits drowned in the encroaching lull of her presence, as her fingers hovered near his hairline in concern. "Yeah, still I'm sorry you've had a rough night. " She traced a finger through his hair, the pain easing under her cool skin as his resolve finally broke and he picked up a fry, snagging it in his teeth. "Thanks, but I've had worse nights-the company ain't half bad. " he said, ingesting the food and reaching for a napkin . As Emma grazed her hand against his , gathering a few more of the limp fries into her hand , as she moved her other hand toward his eyebrow. "As for me, well, I guess it's been awhile since I've set foot in a place like this , and I haven't been home in even longer. But I don't want to bore you with the details. There's too many , and you look as though you've lived through a fair amount of details already . I'm surprised that blow to your right eye didn't clear you out cold ." The memory , causing him to flinch and chuckle at the same time had him musing in silence. "Well , that was before I sank a few. And I don't wanna press ya for details , green eyes, tonight can be for tonight huh? " as her finger roamed across the scar in his brow, she smiled , "Sure, tonight is just for us-So tell me, how did we get this ? You're gonna play it off but, it looks like it was painful-hasn't even faded" . With a shrug, his tone lost the encompassing energy that had laced it and he answered in one breath. "That scar , I wasn't conscious when they-. " As if expecting the deflection but not retreating, she asked , as her finger remained in the etched line , rough with stitches . "So what's the story ? Just an honest truth...for tonight...I'm still here right? So hit me" . He offered a crooked smirk, and replied "ah cmon now , I would never hit a woman with ...this ugly incident. Ryan was unfortunate enough to have had to play surgeon on that . Hell of a wound but, he don't flinch easy. And yeah that was only a few months ago." As his eyes darkened , she reached forward and buttoned his crooked Henley, and then unbuttoned it again, as he gazed into his lap. "Yeah , it was a long month, and I feel like if you don't leave, I might tell you things you don't wanna hear. Talking to you is too easy -" His eyelids sank with inebriation and fatigue as his ran a hand over his face, groaning at the touch of his own skin. "But on the other hand , I might just pass out if you keep talking with that voice of yours-" Emma laughed as she reached for the last fry, absentminded in doing so, and sighed as she admitted "It's a weapon, right? But I wouldn't dream of having you all messy and ass-down on a greasy counter at four am. I assume Ryan is that dark haired stranger whose stool I claimed? I can hear him from over here." Ryan's laugh rang through the air as he strode toward the exit, leading an unfamiliar woman through the crowd behind him. "Ah that's the guy, sometimes the back of him is a nice view because it means I can think", Liam smirked , tilting his eyes under the fluorescent light. "Oh , think about what? " she asked , catching his gaze with inquisition. "Well, I've long overstepped my twenty seconds and I still don't know a thing about you. And I've got all night. " With her chin propped between both elbows , the dim light flickered across her cheeks, and she eyed the empty basket . "How about I shout us some fries , and I'll tell you about my dog , zeppelin, I left him to be on the road and I bet he's peed on every carpet by now..." . Liam , rearranging his own hair as he followed the lilt of her voice into a micro sleep, and woke to her holding him upright. "Hey , he's slipping away , am I that boring I suppose" she said, but still laughing . "Oh God I'm sorry -" he said, the rusted shadow of his unshaven jaw masking his drawn appearance. "Ah , it's your fault anyway , I told ya that voice is -well anyway, you'd better get home to your dog, maybe not yet but , y'know... before the poor ol' boy has to move in with the neighbours. " All she said was a resolute "Yeah. " And silence fell between them. ----//// As an hour elapsed , the fresh heat of the fries deteriorated into cold remains . Several rounds of drinks slaved their nerves as Liam spun his credit card under his thumb. "Those bastards had me in both eyes, and they were this close to my temporal-y'know -thing up here somewhere" He stabbed , albeit messily, at his forehead, and swung his arm back down on the counter. "Looks like we're shutting this place down ..." she noted, as her own awareness grew hazy. "I guess, you've earned this , soldier " As she nodded toward his pocket, sliding a napkin with traces of matte orange lipstick and a scrawled number into his hand, she pulled her jacket tightly around her frame. Then as he accepted the stained remnant of their night into his fatigues , he dodged the yellow lights and their spasmodic flickering . "I want to tell you... the reason you might not-" . Liam's hand hesitated as he continued , almost drawling with the alcohol catching up to his accent. "You ain't gonna hear from me again because...that operation that went south, it was illegal , and I wasn't there because I wanted to be-" Her face, draining of its warmth, mirrored her paling eyes. "Tell me, you weren't jumped earlier, when your listener was beaten out of you, it was more than that?". His gaze trailed back to his lap as he cursed out of ear shot. "I was nearly dragged back to that middle of nowhere-nearly pissed myself right there in the street and well, Ryan's shout of drinks was as much for himself as it was for me. I know I have more history than anyone else here, and you should probably be-" . There was a long silence, his eyes disengaged from hers as she finally found words. "That's true, that I shouldn't be sitting here wasting my time with you-but you have a few things that come with the dark past, that I happen to notice. Half of these guys dont have the depth ..." He laughed , more to himself , his voice hollow. "They don't have the guts , but then , what makes me so special , I'm a mess but-" She smiled , and answered with a deft swipe at his hair . "Oh deal with it, I can see through it y'know, you've already lost the argument before you started." He stared at his lap , incredulous, as he drained his glass and said, flatly. "No , I'm outright telling you, I'm a ghost." As Emma's rose from her stool she said a few words he had to strain to hear. "But, soldier , you're not dead."Drown Maybe it amounted to nothing-after hours of rotting in the daylight , night had fallen over his helpless frame, bathing him in solitude. Maybe it could only ever be nothing, and he was nowhere, as a thousand stars danced across his vision. Blood pulsed in his throat , chasing the burn of rope that encircled his wrists . It was useless to seek solace amongst the dazzling constellation, his pupils shone with the terror of his demise. His spine , bound against the metallic surface of the black Mustang , refused to elevate as restraints held it captive . In a thrash of despair , his pelvis rose upwards , only to be scorned with the grind of further entrapment . Victor's helpless screams punctured the air , sending a reverberation to his core. "Please-help me -please-" With the wheels of the car submerged under water , the underpass flooding, his pulse was counting his moments away . Time pirouetted in tight circles, casting shadows that piqued over and over as he screamed. "Please-help me-". Victor could almost taste the hollow voices that had taunted him , whispering his fate against his flesh. He thrashed, despite the protest of his limbs , resisting the suffocation of his bindings. As the menace of frigid water encroached the edges of his mind , his demise was closing in. And while the car's wheels were against the ground, his captors had left him unable to escape as he lay infused with the car's roof. Binds had been wound over his torso and hips, securing his fate atop the dormant shell of freedom and open roads . Victor had been fleeing his ill choice , until the day had taken a twist toward hell, with his beloved Mustang now on the floor of the highway's underpass, and the ocean's water set to flood the channel . Entering his peripheral vision , a now buoyant can of soda that had been embedded in the mud hours earlier sent a wave of nausea to the pit of his guts. Victor had resisted the implantation of the contraband , and as a consequence, he awaited the flowing seawater's embrace. It had been a mistake to resist. To misinterpret an ultimatum for an option. Had he been too blind to see with the clarity his eyes did now , as they gazed in terror at the clear , taunting glow of the stars , his heartbeat striking against his shivers of revulsion . With his boots soaked in freezing saline and his clothing sodden with his autonomy; it was ending. His delusion of agency, of his earlier liberation as the steering wheel had laid under his hands, was running dry. It seemed the very essence of his humanity was seeping into the air as he closed his eyes. "Don't worry Vic, someone will notice you're gone , right?" , the voice had sneered against his neck. "Before we rope you to the roof of your vehicle, here , take the keys , so you can drive it on out of the middle of who knows where, you pathetic fool." The flashback lingered on the edges of his psyche , as he flinched at the recollection. His eyes refocused on the sky, and he struggled to hold back another futile scream, his ears ringing from the sound of his own pleas. And as his tears bled into the void atmosphere, he convulsed in reactive horror, the sensation of his captor's breath still travelling across his flesh, draining his insides. Twisting his head away from the rising soda can , another scream wrought itself from his chest, albeit his better instincts . "Help me-" , his own voice echoed against the underpass , surrounding him. As he thrashed against his binds , throwing his head back against the roof of the drowning car, the frigid water bit at his flesh as it rushed over the gleaming surface of the Mustang's roof. The same one he had driven to the side of the highway earlier that day. Now with his hands placed on his chest, and clasped around its keys , his teeth clenched with the irony of control being buried in his own grip. "Those bastards -" he muttered, his energy dying , the stars seeming closer yet further away as water lapped over the car's bonnet. As his eyes slid closed , the silence mocked him. With its clinical , resounding illusion, rushing water creeping closer , he cursed. Poised to spit at how his existence was unheard in the lucidity, he heard the voices of drunken strangers . "Yeah Ryan, I don't understand where this Hennessy came from but , damn I'll take what I get." Laughter followed , and the air was filled by the oncoming revelry. . "Nah , Liam, it was abandoned , which is why I'm thinking these roads aren't so safe-who would leave a bottle of decent-" Victor elicited another scream, his chest encompassed by the unyielding binds. "Please-Oh God-please-" --------- Ryan halted in his tracks, gripping Liam's forearm and steering him toward the overpass , as the wrenching voice curdled through his eardrums. "Bloody hell, Li , I'm sobering up damn quick-" he said, his voice skirting a whisper. Liam dropped the bottle , splinters of glass raining over the pavement , along with the remains of their alcohol ."Ah, shit. Well fun's over Ry-but what the hell was that ?". As Ryan surveyed the scene below ; a dark figure strapped strategically to the roof of a car , he identified the nylon ropes with a hint of distress occupying the rasp in his voice . "It seems like those bastards -namely Valen-are getting into more intricate tactics. I'm guessin' the poor guy is no older than us, and he made the same mistake I did -" Ryan stumbled back into Liam's shoulder , his face consumed with pallor. "I think if that underpass could flood it'd take hours but- cutting through those damn ropes would take just as long- but I can tolerate the cold at least-" Liam was already stripping his shirt as he nodded "Well, it's not as if we can keep walking now, and this place is only bearable after dark anyways-" . Ryan levelled his gaze at Liam as e inspected a rock and other various debris in his hand as he crouched by the roadside. "Are you sure you're alright to -after , well..." Liam, dropping to his knees beside Ryan, scooped up a handful of stones."I'm -lost in the middle of nowhere-I'll deal with

USER: Filter It only amounted to one, and it would always be one and never two --and through his jaundice-soaked corneas, all he could see was nausea. Suddenly, a violent heave claimed him, a primal urge rising in his liver. Bile stained his teeth, and the following retches were acidic, lashing the roof of his mouth with fury. It could never stop: his body rejected the substance over and over; he was dangling on the edge of sanity . "Not again. Please no-" Liam clenched his teeth, the crucial moment upon him; he had to keep the substance down, or the consequences would be dire. His eyes scanned the horizon with desperation before his lids slid closed, resistance wracking him. Then, as the urge to be sick overcame him, a voice pierced through his fog of despair, a lifeline amidst his struggle. "Can you hear me?" the rough, concerned tone asked as Liam writhed against the concrete, groaning... "Don't try to answer that, but try to blink twice. Take it slow." As he fought to drag his eyelids upward, the pain, like a coiling wire, constricted his blood flow in retaliation. "Make it stop-No I-" he choked out , his voice puncturing the air. If he expelled the Vanderine from his intestines, his efforts would to amount to zero. Square one. He was at the end of a long night,his vision raw from never resting his eyes, the blood vessels all but ruptured and torn. The ingested substance had been a sinister mistake. And if he threw up twice, the Vanderine risked expulsion from his system; he ba...

USER: Filter It only amounted to one, and it would always be one and never two --and through his jaundice-soaked corneas, all he could see was nausea. Suddenly, a violent heave claimed him, a primal urge rising in his liver. Bile stained his teeth, and the following retches were acidic, lashing the roof of his mouth with fury. It could never stop: his body rejected the substance over and over; he was dangling on the edge of sanity . "Not again. Please no-" Liam clenched his teeth, the crucial moment upon him; he had to keep the substance down, or the consequences would be dire. His eyes scanned the horizon with desperation before his lids slid closed, resistance wracking him. Then, as the urge to be sick overcame him, a voice pierced through his fog of despair, a lifeline amidst his struggle. "Can you hear me?" the rough, concerned tone asked as Liam writhed against the concrete, groaning... "Don't try to answer that, but try to blink twice. Take it slow." As he fought to drag his eyelids upward, the pain, like a coiling wire, constricted his blood flow in retaliation. "Make it stop-No I-" he choked out , his voice puncturing the air. If he expelled the Vanderine from his intestines, his efforts would to amount to zero. Square one. He was at the end of a long night,his vision raw from never resting his eyes, the blood vessels all but ruptured and torn. The ingested substance had been a sinister mistake. And if he threw up twice, the Vanderine risked expulsion from his system; he ba...

USER: Filter It only amounted to one, and it would always be one and never two --and through his jaundice-soaked corneas, all he could see was nausea. Suddenly, a violent heave claimed him, a primal urge rising in his liver. Bile stained his teeth, and the following retches were acidic, lashing the roof of his mouth with fury. It could never stop: his body rejected the substance over and over; he was dangling on the edge of sanity . "Not again. Please no-" Liam clenched his teeth, the crucial moment upon him; he had to keep the substance down, or the consequences would be dire. His eyes scanned the horizon with desperation before his lids slid closed, resistance wracking him. Then, as the urge to be sick overcame him, a voice pierced through his fog of despair, a lifeline amidst his struggle. "Can you hear me?" the rough, concerned tone asked as Liam writhed against the concrete, groaning... "Don't try to answer that, but try to blink twice. Take it slow." As he fought to drag his eyelids upward, the pain, like a coiling wire, constricted his blood flow in retaliation. "Make it stop-No I-" he choked out , his voice puncturing the air. If he expelled the Vanderine from his intestines, his efforts would to amount to zero. Square one. He was at the end of a long night,his vision raw from never resting his eyes, the blood vessels all but ruptured and torn. The ingested substance had been a sinister mistake. And if he threw up twice, the Vanderine risked expulsion from his system; he ba...

USER: Filter It only amounted to one, and it would always be one and never two --and through his jaundice-soaked corneas, all he could see was nausea. Suddenly, a violent heave claimed him, a primal urge rising in his liver. Bile stained his teeth, and the following retches were acidic, lashing the roof of his mouth with fury. It could never stop: his body rejected the substance over and over; he was dangling on the edge of sanity . "Not again. Please no-" Liam clenched his teeth, the crucial moment upon him; he had to keep the substance down, or the consequences would be dire. His eyes scanned the horizon with desperation before his lids slid closed, resistance wracking him. Then, as the urge to be sick overcame him, a voice pierced through his fog of despair, a lifeline amidst his struggle. "Can you hear me?" the rough, concerned tone asked as Liam writhed against the concrete, groaning... "Don't try to answer that, but try to blink twice. Take it slow." As he fought to drag his eyelids upward, the pain, like a coiling wire, constricted his blood flow in retaliation. "Make it stop-No I-" he choked out , his voice puncturing the air. If he expelled the Vanderine from his intestines, his efforts would to amount to zero. Square one. He was at the end of a long night,his vision raw from never resting his eyes, the blood vessels all but ruptured and torn. The ingested substance had been a sinister mistake. And if he threw up twice, the Vanderine risked expulsion from his system; he battled to hold it inside. All he had could never be enough, he countered, what ever could? Even his attempts to obey the voice , coming from somewhere above him, seemed in vain. As Liam writhed in the dying sunlight, his skin erupted in feverish bumps, a crawling sensation exploring the surface of his skin. Violation jolted down his spine as he screamed through his clenched teeth . As the nausea rose again, claiming his entire being, his heart continued to pulse, counting away the seconds. "Help me--No. No," he pled through his locking jaw as he fought another gripe. The instinctive reaction of his body gripped every fiber as he felt his fight ending. He embedded his teeth into his gag, screaming against the material bound across his tongue, taunting him. Then, in one dreaded motion, the inevitable rise built within him. His pupils dilated with horror as his gag soon became saturated with the vile substance, leaving a bitter sting as he struggled against it; the retches that followed heaving through his chest. Liam collapsed into the unforgiving embrace of the concrete, his ravaged body welcoming the end with resignation. "Shit," he lamented , the heat in his own voice spreading across his flesh like untamed fire . "Twice... now it's too late." Twisting his gaze away from the glistening pool of Vanderine, he diverted his gaze from the evident failure. And in a mixture of pure shock and trauma, his eyelids slid closed with exhaustion, his body embracing closure of his fight. After his ongoing efforts and endless torment, he failed to hold down the vandarine, and it was over. But the voice persisted, causing Liam to force his eyes open, gritting his teeth. "No, I'm still here Liam; I'm getting the binds off--hang tight," the voice reassured. Liam shook his head , protesting, the fear tugging at his psyche like a fishing line as he cursed in his mouth. "No, you can't help--" As Liam fought to refocus his gaze, a pair of deep hazel eyes locked onto his own with concern. "Hey, breathe. I've got you. It's me, Ry'. Hold on while I get rid of this--" Liam flinched as his gag tore from his mouth, and he gasped for fresh air, the stifling atmosphere saturating him with perspiration. "Now hang tight while I get these damned binds off-" , Ryan's voice reassured with an undercurrent of urgency, as Liam's arms obstructed his ribcage from accomodating his lungs. Liam's voice died in his throat as the sear of rope twisted itself around his flesh , grinding like wildfire into his veins as Ryan worked at the constraints with bare hands. His deft fingers delivered frantic sensations into Liam's malaise as they eroded the rope's grained surface, causing the fibres to snap. Then, as Ryan tossed the strews of rope aside, he rolled Liam onto his back, smoothing a palm over his chest and anchoring his sternum. "Ryan? How the hell did you get out of your?" , Liam questioned in untamed confusion, shocks coursing down his spine as Ryan elevated his head and hauled it onto his thigh. " It took a hell of a long time to wear down my own, but I managed to-ah it doesn't matter , just concentrate on the breathing." As his head lolled to the side , Liam's laboured breaths stalled his movements , the horizon meeting his vision while Ryan held his jaw in place . "Easy, slow breaths, feel how I'm breathing buddy and mirror that." It was a few minutes before Liam's chest finally fell into a rhythm, his spasmodic breathing evening out. "There we go, give it some time, it's been a long damn night.", Ryan said, his hands remaining secure against Liam's face as he refocused his vision on Ryan's steady gaze. Liam, reaching up and gripping Ryan's arm, smiled against the warm twilight rays of daylight that bathed his features. "Hell of a thing to endure, seeing all that... Damn lucky that we're both still here." Liam, pulling on Ryan's arm, found the strength to prop himself into a seated position, still deprived of breath. "Shit. Get over here, Ry'" he said, as streams of magenta dust hovered , creating a surreal haze that reflected the rising sun. Liam raised his arm and enveloped Ryan in a warm but rough embrace , melding their silhouettes into one as their shoulders collided. As Liam delivered a thump to his back, Ryan reciprocated by bumping his fist against Liam's shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, calm down," Ryan laughed in spite of his cool demeanour. "We'll get a decent shot of water into you, after we find your clothes." Ryan, lowering his deep hazel irises to meet Liam's contrasting blue stare , placed a hand on Liam's knee. "thank God I reached you in time." Although the light had drained from his eyes , Liam managed a smirk. "Yeah, I know what you did Ry' . It's all kinda hazy but-" Ryan dodged the heroics as he offered a smile and turned his head, the hues of the ominous sunrise casting across his profile , promising impending heat. "Nah, I don't go down easy or nothin' but someone had to save your ass." Passage two "The sight of his crumpled jeans, smudged with fingerprints, hijacked his attention. "Those bastards don't care what they leave behind," Liam muttered as his eyes located his left sock, freezing his joints. "Please help me-" he whispered, readjusting his grip on Ryan's shoulder, wrenching his gaze away from the twisted display of inhumanity. Liam's jaw clenched as he then noticed his dehumanizing undergarments strewn across the footpath, along with his boots and shirt. Ryan held his gaze steadfast on Liam's faltering eyes as he approached Liam's belongings, gathering them and subverting the underwear, scuffing it away with his boot. Liam was already sliding toward the dusty ground as Ryan handed him the brusque garments, his expression gentle. "You earned your dignity, just focus on that," he reassured as Liam accepted his ruined clothing with a wince. "Yeah, give me a minute-" he said with a glimmer of resistance in his bloodshot eyes. The drugs in his vision burned with a harsh sting, and Liam shook his head to regain some clarity. "I don't remember how I got here. No damn clue. Now here I am stripped naked- Ry', I'm not even sure what's real or what the Vanderine made me believe--and I only said yes because -". With a jerk, Ryan pulled Liam inward by the waist. "Doesn't matter. We never had a choice. But you put yourself in my place. And they never broke your damn spirit. And I can tell you right now, this is real." Liam, looking away with a nod, fell into silence as he wrestled with the task of dressing himself. Ryan was quick to offer careful attention as he assisted Liam into his jeans. The denim, rough against his bare skin, left his bite crooked with agony. Each movement caused Liam to flinch as he guided his ankle through the hem and then buttoned the waist of the stained jeans . Ryan passed him his destroyed Henley , and Liam yanked it over his shoulders. With a groan , Liam sought leverage in Ryan's grasp, haling himself upright. "Can you walk? Coz we need to find water , c'mon Li' , sweet hydration awaits-". As Liam broke into a grin that reached his pupils with a spark , his feet found equilibrium alongside Ryan's stance. "Hell yeah-I'm dyin' of thirst-" . But as they attempted to leave, Liam's breath was stolen by confronting remnants of his ordeal. He steeled his grip on Ryan's arm as his eyes swept over the discarded bottle of lubricant and plastic glove, turned inside-out on the pavement. "Sick, perverted bastards." Ryan almost spat as his heart was seized by the disarray that had paralysed Liam. Shielded only by Ryan's insistence as he guided Liam past the aftermath , he whispered, his tone punctured with disbelief. "So you're outta your binds and you untied mine, stripped my gag -and-" Liam's head fell to his hand , cradling his temple and gritting his teeth. "A lot of what happened is ..missing Ry' -how many times did they?" Ryan responded with a gun-metal hollowness, his words smoked out by his steady exhale. "Several times at least . Enough times enough for anyone, let's say that." Liam disengaged himself from Ryan's grasp as he diverted the glare that was already rebounding off the asphalt . "I wish you hadn't been forced to watch-" Ryan dragged his legs into co-operation as he anchored himself against Liam. "It was hard yeah-but what they did-I know you think it was a mistake to say yes , but my mistake was to resist-" The air clung to his flesh as Liam dragged his knuckles over his vision , finding a semblance of composure as he argued. "How the hell was it a mistake to avoid-this? Don't you go getting all survivor's guilt on me Ry. " The amber flecks dissolved from Ryan's aspect as he mumbled at the ground , grinding his hands into his pockets. "I just , never mind. We both need water, and shade. And soon." Liam slung a recuperating arm around Ryan's shoulder , and staggered in sync with his footsteps as the navigated the footpath as it winded into potential oblivion... As they walked in shared disorientation, and noon encroached, Liam's psyche was flooded with a flashback. His hand flew to his temple, clutching his hair as the thumping blades of a chopper cut through his thoughts. The unforgiving smash of his torso onto the ground, the impact coursing down his spine as he thrashed across the dirt and onto the pavement, echoed through his chest. "They threw me from a chopper, Ryan, arms bound to my sides. Did they do the same to you? Please tell me you know more than you've been letting on-" At first Ryan hesitated, his words dead on his tongue as he swiped it across his teeth , as he stared out into the distance. "Yeah, after you, they hurled me down here , and I found myself staring into the barrel of a gun. Said there were more captives , but nothing about their sick intentions. Then you know the rest-" With a somber nod, Liam added "Yeah, they brandish the damned pistol in my face and -" Liam exhaled into the particles of oppressive dirt and debris as his posture slackened with the sobering reality of the moment . "I already feel like they've killed me, Ry'. And they'll be back. They'll kill us like dogs-" Ryan's complexion drained out a shade of its colour and he shifted his weight under Liam's one sided embrace, maintaining his stare into the spanning horizon. "Well, I'm guessin' they could zone in on us at any moment, and while I've out walked my limits, it's probably only been under a mile. But as I said before , I don't go down easy. " he said, his detached voice peppered with defiance. "Hell yeah you don't " Liam's appreciative chuckle warmed the air along with a resonating smile, shrugging Ryan into closer proximity and supporting his weight. "If I live to see a stiff drink, I owe you . Speaking of which-". Ryan's eyes followed Liam's to a ransacked dumpster further up the path, garbage cascading onto the concrete. "Liam, I don't know that I'm above crawling in there to get out of this sun...just pull the lid down and die of dehy-" Liam interjected as his eyes caught on several bottles of water , his relief interspersed through his laughter. "Don't finish that thought Ry' , I think we might not be the only survivors out here after all-"Highlight intelligent dialogue : As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on a criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. " Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent presence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, "you don't want to know , huh? " Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . "Tape recording. You don't have Ryan. " Valen sneered at the estimation . "Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don't have Ryan... anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. " Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . "I'd tell you to go to hell but-we're already in some sick version of it-not that I'll break. I'll never , ever , break. " . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . "I don't intend to break you Liam, I don't want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-". Liam only laughed in defiance , "oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-" . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull. "You know that after you , and Ryan , and the other useless fools , none of you have served a purpose to the Vanderine, to the drug's survival , and yet, while it won't serve my purpose to implant you -again-I don't have the strength to resist. Business. And I'm the boss. Another day in my office. Another fine opportunity to play with the clientele." Liam managed a twisted smile , the notion flooring him . "Have you ever ingested it yourself. The Vanderine , what does it feel like, you can't imagine the dreams I've had, the ideas I've been invested with-" Valen's cool trail of voice interlaced with the stagnant air . "Have, in any of these dreamscapes Liam , have you encountered this-" . In a swift movement, Liam's abdomen was against the concrete on a deeper level. "Nah, but you and me , me and you-there's really no end to the scenarios -" Valen, his voice fading an inch into the background, expensed a proposition. "There may be a way to embed the drug, that you're disposable bowels failed at tolerating. " then as Vaken removed the heat of his touch from Liam's pulse points , his blood flow was syringed with a profound chill. Liam shivered , as he said, observing the perverted truth encroaching on his existence "It seems however , that my entire digestive system is a ravaged wasteland , explored to the last inch, every cavity stripped and yet the darkest space is still untouched , pure, unvarnished-." Valen's breath was at his ear as his low voice caressed the silence, a threat in its proximal absence as it crept further away. "And yet, your vocal cords survived the trauma , but, Liam . I don't want to cause you to scream ,only to hear your voice echoing into that mouth... But I wonder if Ryan would care to indulge in the reminder of his mistake-his failure. Would he write a little harder at the sound of your pleas-" Valen said, in a lingering snarl. As Liam fought the urge to retch, wincing , the taunt of the potential voice recording pierced the air , the muffled scream lacing his mind and entangling with his resistance. "I'll need proof before I believe you captured Ryan, I'll need to feel his pulse against mine ...I'll need to feel the reverberation of his cries against my chest -" The air held a disconcerting void in its hands as Valen's unsynchronised gait dragged across the ground. "Will I dangle the carrot until the horse starves out of spite , or will I strip his gag and ask him something that only the present moment has the captivity to answer ?" Liam's stomach, dropping into its seventh circle of condemnation, raged with nausea. "There's nothing you could ask him that isn't predetermined-nothing-" he said, almost with a spit of poised saliva. Liam felt his own fear deceiving him with a deft profanity as he cursed into a whisper, and ground his jaw. Valen taunted , seeming closer to the doorway than a moment earlier. "Oh sweet Ry' , is it a shame that , when you abandoned Liam in the heat of your desperation , that he became my chew toy. Well riddle me this -exactly how long ago was it that you left him?. Tell me the minutes , the hours , the seconds. When you can -" Liam then spat , his tongue enraged with the constraints of his binds "Shit..." Liam lamented, awaiting Ryan's response. There was an engrained anticipation in the air, spiralling in a tight burst of thrilling panic , as Liam's pulse throbbed in his eye sockets, and the veins in his temples ticked against his skin. Then it slithered through the room; Ryan's voice. "Exactly ...one day......eight hours...maybe twenty minutes and...fuck I don't -" . There was a muffled distilling of Ryan's voice, as his gag was reinserted between his teeth. As Valen's hands came down over Liam's pulsing ankles, he flinched. "Ah, your pulse is faster. And harder. But , it's not my intention to break you now is it? You will undo yourself in my embrace Liam -" He lay face down on the pavement to hell, a maze of stones and ever present magenta particles sifting through his vision as he withheld a gasp. "I can't see my damned watch-" Liam muttered. Valen , dismissing Liam's frustration, loomed close and yet far enough away to unsettle the balance of intamacy and isolation. "Now Liam, if you know how long you've been alone, berating yourself for urging him to forget your existence, if you can find the answer within yourself, to the question. Well then, you know if it's all just a tape recorded dream? . Or perhaps ...it's a reality. A truth that Ryan lies bound , and as his mistake , your heart beats on his time, borrowed for you. Be grateful to hear him. Or regret that you will..." Liam's eyes slid closed as his mind was transported to the previous night. Ryan's eyes, swallowed by the insufficiency of the street light, had borne a sharp hesitation as he'd hailed the oncoming traffic. A lone , sleek black Chevrolet, coming to a halt , had been the only traffic on the bare highway of promise married with ultimatum . "I'll go Liam, if this will save you , buy you some time. I mean , it's wrong and I know it , and I don't feel I'm doing you right, but, I owe you." Ryan's gaze rested on a space between the stars as his voice hollowed out, a cool edge welding his plea. "Please don't thank me. Not ever. But ...forgive me . In time I need to know that you'll see what I'm doing as what I have to -for you , and not as some calculated mistake. " Liam , gazing directly into Ryan's peripheral vision, said , without missing a beat. "Ry' , I'm telling you to do this , don't you ever blame yourself for what happens -don't you dare, for one second , frame this in your mind as betrayal-" Ryan then pulled Liam into a hug that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan's arm came down over Liam's back. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan's neck, he placed an open palm on the back of his head. "Don't let them strip your humanity , now go-" There was a desperation in Ryan's grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam's jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. "Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We've seen hell, and there may be no heaven , but there's being alive . cling onto that , Li' ." Liam flashed a lopsided grin, his right dimple enlivening its usual position as he smiled "Well give the bastards hell, Ry, I'll see you on the other side-" As Ryan stalled a second longer he added , "I'd better, and that's a threat." His slate -gray inflection , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , rasped as he released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if he were weighed down with bricks. The passenger door caught in the moonlight as he slid down into the Chevrolet and disappeared. Liam's eyes flew open , and the scorn of his binds jolted him into reality. "So the plan is , to torture me with Ryan's captivity. But, if he were to die , before me , what do you have left. My wife and three kids-" Valen's reply was as audible as a pin dropping, and Liam resisted his own tears as hands rested on his thorax . a finger escalated his ribcage , now a perilous stairway to his primal despair. "Ah Liam, joke of your imaginary life, but do not call the bluff on the only real family you have , his life is-disposable , but fascinating beautiful in the way it could visit that place I cannot , simply by being extinguished. A flame can just-" the snapping of Valen's fingers caused Liam to blink away a tear , his jaw trembling with the tension as he denied his humanity. His empathy simmered behind his eyelids as he watched the insides of them swim with moisture. "I implore you to kill me first-A suicidal cannon will only light up the sky when the wick burns out. If you exterminate my only reason to breathe-what then? Let me go and have a fading trail -or torture his existence with mine?" . The complexity ignited a strange amusement in Valen's response , eliciting a new depth of laughter . "Ah Liam , you are a mental fortress of entertainment, but even the cryptic suggestion that without him you'll be nothing, you've transcended the reason I am tracing your ribcage with an ease. You are yet to contemplate the heart of my intentions. It may take some time -I'll afford you as long as you need Li' . Ryan has -more than enough time to wait for your revelation. To hear its undertones in your screams. " Liam lay in the cling wrap of sweat, not quite daring to let his mind connect the dots that reeled across the concrete , like a constellation of fallen stars . Whether it had become day, or remained night, failed to matter. The magenta haze was all consuming. Everywhere, and he was nowhere. Ryan had been eerily quiet . And his voice was only a plea away from escaping him. "I knew from the start , your true intention.....I'veintention......I've always understood the purpose of my life -to kill me -but not to end my misery. To destroy Ryan. Because unlike me-Ryan believes in -humanity. in dignity. He's everything you can't be . Morally good . You have to end me -to truly leave a mark that will sear like a brand . But good luck with that . Because he did make a promise and you can't stop a lawful good from his word-" Valen's clap, a drawn out slap of his palms together , held a faint mockery. "Perhaps that might have been a nice twist to play with. Killing you, to watch Ryan suffer. Or killing him ti destroy you. Perhaps I may play with my food , or throw in complementaries with the service . Keep thinking Liam. What we don't know , can indeed be dangerous. But what we do know, can be a slow burning nightmare. " As the air crept closer , Liam cursed under his breath. His cards flashed their expiry dates as he almost threw his failed royal flush across the table. But all he mustered was a faint "you'll be waiting a while ..... maybe I never figure it out..." Valen , laughing at the delight in his own voice , positioned his mouth at Liam's ear. "You will come to a conclusion , and don't tell me about it. I'll feel it in your waters as you drown" Liam's weakened mindset crumbled with dehydration, and malnourishment, as he grappled with a notion that almost set fire to his lungs. "The Vanderine- you've never ingested it. You won't . Implant it in me. But my body won't make it over the border in this condition. Implant Ryan , he can't hold it down as long as me. Kill Ryan , and torture me . kill me and torture him. kill is both and the game ends . But there's only one thing-" . Valen's eyes lit up , pyromania dancing wildly in his pupils, "you're getting warmer, Liam. I think you may already be ..... burning. Shall I throw you into the ocean yet or would you like a moment?" Liam's blood , screeching to a halt in his veins, choked as he whispered "You need me-alive-because you don't have anyone else left to hide the drug inside of - you were never trying to preserve it , you need -to display it, showcase its fucking beauty , in the middle of nowhere . Have someone , at the right , opportune moment , but what doesn't add up is -why hide it inside me . If I'm not a vessel of transportation , why not just give the damn substance to -why implant it? " Liam's thoughts , blurred together by sheer panic , had him screaming , "Ryan , I'm sorry !" . Preserving his silence, Valen produced a gleaming sac from his pocket , and crouched by Liam's temple , placing and unlacing his boot as he hummed. "I want the world to see , how this drug , this vile responsibility to traffic something so resistant to ingestion , can be hidden inside even the weakest, most unsaleable , adverse body. And there's a place , a place deep inside you Liam , that it can be retained . But also , there's a place inside you that I can visit along the way. I won't overstay my welcome, I promise . You're right about me not getting your deteriorated meat suit over any borders but. business calls . And I take walks in the park . I stop to smell the roses . I admire the architecture and I never pass up a stroll through the Sistine Chapel after dark..." Ah Ryan, you're a good-lookin' bastard , from the collarbone up, that is. But for a rude shock , all a woman needs to do is--" . Ryan snatched up a fistful of fries, tossing one into his mouth and assailing another at Liam's unkempt hair. "You just drink the alcohol I shouted you, alright." Liam's smirk enlivened his features with electricity as the grease-laden fry embedded itself in his gritty strands. Midnight had come and went and the bruises under Liam's eyes collected the darkness of the bar, Ryan's fatigue glowering in his eyes as he yawned. "Oh, I'll enjoy every drop, but seriously, the blonde at three o'clock ...has her eyes all over you. You're already naked at this point, in her head anyway." As Ryan's head turned with wry inquisition , Liam emptied his glass, swilling the final mouthful as amusement danced across his unshaven face. Ryan cursed under his breath, winking into the sea of bodies and forgetting Liam's existence as he rose from his stool. "Finish my Hennessy Li'..." he trailed off as he disappeared under the dim filter of light, abandoning the counter with distraction. "Yeah, you won't be back," Liam muttered, tracing the rim of his glass in a dwindling circle as Ryan's voice faded under the din of chatter and a vague Red Hot Chili Pepper song. As traces of cigarette smoke filtered through the air, perspiration and the fatigue of two am weighed on his posture as he countered, "And I'll just be finishing this..." Then, as his hand gravitated towards the abandoned Hennessy, the tepid feel of the glass caused him to reconsider. As he found himself staring at the basket of remaining bar fries, his stomach churned with revulsion. His eye sockets ached with the impact of his earlier scuffle, and the fleeting solitude left him recounting his brush with the concrete. "Well here's to drinkin' alone" , he muttered to no one in particular, the dank atmosphere receiving his one-sided toast . "What do we have over here, a sight for sore eyes , busy talking to himself?" As the smoke infused lilt of a female voice wove through his moment of introspection, her eyes caught him off guard and he paused. "I was not talking to myself," he replied with a weary grin. "It seems I was talking to you too-" Her green irises held his gaze with a hint of unmatched humour as she claimed the space Ryan had abandoned, swinging around on his vacant stool . "And he thinks he's funny, huh?" Liam's broad grin, lopsided and drunken, propped up a dimple on his right cheek as he asked, "Well, he made you laugh, I suppose that's something goin' in my favour?" She was already reaching out and rearranging his grime-infused hair as her laughter interspersed the closing space between them. Her weathered jacket, a khaki, vintage leather, contrasted against the counter's dulled wooden surface. "Yeah, maybe he got a laugh , but can he talk me out of leaving here with my friends...he has twenty seconds starting from now". As her finger grazed his earlobe , he raised an eyebrow, taking on a lesser challenge than his night had endured. "Oh, twenty seconds huh? Gimme ten. My friend up and left his drink, and now, you're gonna let me finish it ? I'll end up rotten ya know..." She smirked as she finished her toying with his light strands , and roughed his hairline as he leaned forward , resting his chin on his elbow. "You look like you haven't slept in a week, and I know the feeling to be honest " she said with a casualty in her voice, ensnaring a fry from the basket and helping herself to a sodium hit. As she engaged with his bloodshot eyes, her own gaze shone with flecks of amber, hidden amongst a distinct green hue. "So you're telling me you haven't slept , I'd say you don't look half bad for it. Here I am looking like shit on toast-and hell, maybe I haven't slept either," he admitted, his fingers tracing circles on the counter between them. She offered a smile laced with jest, the fatigue in her own eyes betraying her tease of his time running away. "Well, you had more than twenty seconds, but the question is, will I stay?" As her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders in loose ringlets , she turned away, and Liam asked, only half joking, "Oh, I failed huh? There may just be a dark corner over there, where you could tell me your name..." Her eyes, flickering with a challenge, confronted him as she smoothed her palm over the collar of his Henley. "If I drag you over there, how long could you stay awake, soldier?" She gestured towards his fatigues, the dust imbued in the fibers, as he managed a grin. "We could always fall asleep together..." She broke into a smile, her laughter intoxicating as she twisted around to face him. "So you are in the force? You're deployed?" His eyes held on hers as he shook his head, reaching for a dilapidated fry and rotating it between his knuckles. "No, but I did spend a hell of a time in the middle of nowhere-but what I want to know is, why haven't you slept huh?" Her softened gaze almost answered for her as she leaned in on one elbow. "I was - in fact you know what- let's just start with the basics. I'm Emma." As he absorbed her striking features, his own name, already off his tongue, struck him whilst his facade maintained its forefront. "Liam. Not deployed , but hey I'll take it. Beats the alternative at this stage. " Her smile was gentle as she tucked a strand of hair from her vision . "The alternative huh -a stint in the middle of nowhere , sounds intriguing to me ." He averted his gaze, caught off guard yet again by her raw nonchalance. "So, you're still here huh? And I bet you're thinking, how the hell did get this-' he asked , gesturing to the indentations above his cheekbones, still screaming with pain , the dark circles prominent . "Well, you were probably rough-housing , acting dumb-" she said, amused yet unfazed. He only offered a smirk, before shaking his head and eyeing the basket of fries with reconsideration. "Damn it's been a hell of a night. Rough-housing, that sounds a lot better than what happened-good thing I can handle myself I spose' " . After almost succumbing to a fry despite his churning stomach, he noticed her smoky, metallic scent, its overtones of embers and warmth infiltrating his lungs. He missed a breath, savouring its contrast to the sweat and alcohol clinging to his flesh. "I might have lost my drivers license , lucky I didn't have a wallet to fleece, kept my credit card in my other pocket thank God for that- But I'll live-let's talk about you" he said, as his wits drowned in the encroaching lull of her presence, as her fingers hovered near his hairline in concern. "Yeah, still I'm sorry you've had a rough night. " She traced a finger through his hair, the pain easing under her cool skin as his resolve finally broke and he picked up a fry, snagging it in his teeth. "Thanks, but I've had worse nights-the company ain't half bad. " he said, ingesting the food and reaching for a napkin . As Emma grazed her hand against his , gathering a few more of the limp fries into her hand , as she moved her other hand toward his eyebrow. "As for me, well, I guess it's been awhile since I've set foot in a place like this , and I haven't been home in even longer. But I don't want to bore you with the details. There's too many , and you look as though you've lived through a fair amount of details already . I'm surprised that blow to your right eye didn't clear you out cold ." The memory , causing him to flinch and chuckle at the same time had him musing in silence. "Well , that was before I sank a few. And I don't wanna press ya for details , green eyes, tonight can be for tonight huh? " as her finger roamed across the scar in his brow, she smiled , "Sure, tonight is just for us-So tell me, how did we get this ? You're gonna play it off but, it looks like it was painful-hasn't even faded" . With a shrug, his tone lost the encompassing energy that had laced it and he answered in one breath. "That scar , I wasn't conscious when they-. " As if expecting the deflection but not retreating, she asked , as her finger remained in the etched line , rough with stitches . "So what's the story ? Just an honest truth...for tonight...I'm still here right? So hit me" . He offered a crooked smirk, and replied "ah cmon now , I would never hit a woman with ...this ugly incident. Ryan was unfortunate enough to have had to play surgeon on that . Hell of a wound but, he don't flinch easy. And yeah that was only a few months ago." As his eyes darkened , she reached forward and buttoned his crooked Henley, and then unbuttoned it again, as he gazed into his lap. "Yeah , it was a long month, and I feel like if you don't leave, I might tell you things you don't wanna hear. Talking to you is too easy -" His eyelids sank with inebriation and fatigue as his ran a hand over his face, groaning at the touch of his own skin. "But on the other hand , I might just pass out if you keep talking with that voice of yours-" Emma laughed as she reached for the last fry, absentminded in doing so, and sighed as she admitted "It's a weapon, right? But I wouldn't dream of having you all messy and ass-down on a greasy counter at four am. I assume Ryan is that dark haired stranger whose stool I claimed? I can hear him from over here." Ryan's laugh rang through the air as he strode toward the exit, leading an unfamiliar woman through the crowd behind him. "Ah that's the guy, sometimes the back of him is a nice view because it means I can think", Liam smirked , tilting his eyes under the fluorescent light. "Oh , think about what? " she asked , catching his gaze with inquisition. "Well, I've long overstepped my twenty seconds and I still don't know a thing about you. And I've got all night. " With her chin propped between both elbows , the dim light flickered across her cheeks, and she eyed the empty basket . "How about I shout us some fries , and I'll tell you about my dog , zeppelin, I left him to be on the road and I bet he's peed on every carpet by now..." . Liam , rearranging his own hair as he followed the lilt of her voice into a micro sleep, and woke to her holding him upright. "Hey , he's slipping away , am I that boring I suppose" she said, but still laughing . "Oh God I'm sorry -" he said, the rusted shadow of his unshaven jaw masking his drawn appearance. "Ah , it's your fault anyway , I told ya that voice is -well anyway, you'd better get home to your dog, maybe not yet but , y'know... before the poor ol' boy has to move in with the neighbours. " All she said was a resolute "Yeah. " And silence fell between them. ----//// As an hour elapsed , the fresh heat of the fries deteriorated into cold remains . Several rounds of drinks slaved their nerves as Liam spun his credit card under his thumb. "Those bastards had me in both eyes, and they were this close to my temporal-y'know -thing up here somewhere" He stabbed , albeit messily, at his forehead, and swung his arm back down on the counter. "Looks like we're shutting this place down ..." she noted, as her own awareness grew hazy. "I guess, you've earned this , soldier " As she nodded toward his pocket, sliding a napkin with traces of matte orange lipstick and a scrawled number into his hand, she pulled her jacket tightly around her frame. Then as he accepted the stained remnant of their night into his fatigues , he dodged the yellow lights and their spasmodic flickering . "I want to tell you... the reason you might not-" . Liam's hand hesitated as he continued , almost drawling with the alcohol catching up to his accent. "You ain't gonna hear from me again because...that operation that went south, it was illegal , and I wasn't there because I wanted to be-" Her face, draining of its warmth, mirrored her paling eyes. "Tell me, you weren't jumped earlier, when your listener was beaten out of you, it was more than that?". His gaze trailed back to his lap as he cursed out of ear shot. "I was nearly dragged back to that middle of nowhere-nearly pissed myself right there in the street and well, Ryan's shout of drinks was as much for himself as it was for me. I know I have more history than anyone else here, and you should probably be-" . There was a long silence, his eyes disengaged from hers as she finally found words. "That's true, that I shouldn't be sitting here wasting my time with you-but you have a few things that come with the dark past, that I happen to notice. Half of these guys dont have the depth ..." He laughed , more to himself , his voice hollow. "They don't have the guts , but then , what makes me so special , I'm a mess but-" She smiled , and answered with a deft swipe at his hair . "Oh deal with it, I can see through it y'know, you've already lost the argument before you started." He stared at his lap , incredulous, as he drained his glass and said, flatly. "No , I'm outright telling you, I'm a ghost." As Emma's rose from her stool she said a few words he had to strain to hear. "But, soldier , you're not dead."Drown Maybe it amounted to nothing-after hours of rotting in the daylight , night had fallen over his helpless frame, bathing him in solitude. Maybe it could only ever be nothing, and he was nowhere, as a thousand stars danced across his vision. Blood pulsed in his throat , chasing the burn of rope that encircled his wrists . It was useless to seek solace amongst the dazzling constellation, his pupils shone with the terror of his demise. His spine , bound against the metallic surface of the black Mustang , refused to elevate as restraints held it captive . In a thrash of despair , his pelvis rose upwards , only to be scorned with the grind of further entrapment . Victor's helpless screams punctured the air , sending a reverberation to his core. "Please-help me -please-" With the wheels of the car submerged under water , the underpass flooding, his pulse was counting his moments away . Time pirouetted in tight circles, casting shadows that piqued over and over as he screamed. "Please-help me-". Victor could almost taste the hollow voices that had taunted him , whispering his fate against his flesh. He thrashed, despite the protest of his limbs , resisting the suffocation of his bindings. As the menace of frigid water encroached the edges of his mind , his demise was closing in. And while the car's wheels were against the ground, his captors had left him unable to escape as he lay infused with the car's roof. Binds had been wound over his torso and hips, securing his fate atop the dormant shell of freedom and open roads . Victor had been fleeing his ill choice , until the day had taken a twist toward hell, with his beloved Mustang now on the floor of the highway's underpass, and the ocean's water set to flood the channel . Entering his peripheral vision , a now buoyant can of soda that had been embedded in the mud hours earlier sent a wave of nausea to the pit of his guts. Victor had resisted the implantation of the contraband , and as a consequence, he awaited the flowing seawater's embrace. It had been a mistake to resist. To misinterpret an ultimatum for an option. Had he been too blind to see with the clarity his eyes did now , as they gazed in terror at the clear , taunting glow of the stars , his heartbeat striking against his shivers of revulsion . With his boots soaked in freezing saline and his clothing sodden with his autonomy; it was ending. His delusion of agency, of his earlier liberation as the steering wheel had laid under his hands, was running dry. It seemed the very essence of his humanity was seeping into the air as he closed his eyes. "Don't worry Vic, someone will notice you're gone , right?" , the voice had sneered against his neck. "Before we rope you to the roof of your vehicle, here , take the keys , so you can drive it on out of the middle of who knows where, you pathetic fool." The flashback lingered on the edges of his psyche , as he flinched at the recollection. His eyes refocused on the sky, and he struggled to hold back another futile scream, his ears ringing from the sound of his own pleas. And as his tears bled into the void atmosphere, he convulsed in reactive horror, the sensation of his captor's breath still travelling across his flesh, draining his insides. Twisting his head away from the rising soda can , another scream wrought itself from his chest, albeit his better instincts . "Help me-" , his own voice echoed against the underpass , surrounding him. As he thrashed against his binds , throwing his head back against the roof of the drowning car, the frigid water bit at his flesh as it rushed over the gleaming surface of the Mustang's roof. The same one he had driven to the side of the highway earlier that day. Now with his hands placed on his chest, and clasped around its keys , his teeth clenched with the irony of control being buried in his own grip. "Those bastards -" he muttered, his energy dying , the stars seeming closer yet further away as water lapped over the car's bonnet. As his eyes slid closed , the silence mocked him. With its clinical , resounding illusion, rushing water creeping closer , he cursed. Poised to spit at how his existence was unheard in the lucidity, he heard the voices of drunken strangers . "Yeah Ryan, I don't understand where this Hennessy came from but , damn I'll take what I get." Laughter followed , and the air was filled by the oncoming revelry. . "Nah , Liam, it was abandoned , which is why I'm thinking these roads aren't so safe-who would leave a bottle of decent-" Victor elicited another scream, his chest encompassed by the unyielding binds. "Please-Oh God-please-" --------- Ryan halted in his tracks, gripping Liam's forearm and steering him toward the overpass , as the wrenching voice curdled through his eardrums. "Bloody hell, Li , I'm sobering up damn quick-" he said, his voice skirting a whisper. Liam dropped the bottle , splinters of glass raining over the pavement , along with the remains of their alcohol ."Ah, shit. Well fun's over Ry-but what the hell was that ?". As Ryan surveyed the scene below ; a dark figure strapped strategically to the roof of a car , he identified the nylon ropes with a hint of distress occupying the rasp in his voice . "It seems like those bastards -namely Valen-are getting into more intricate tactics. I'm guessin' the poor guy is no older than us, and he made the same mistake I did -" Ryan stumbled back into Liam's shoulder , his face consumed with pallor. "I think if that underpass could flood it'd take hours but- cutting through those damn ropes would take just as long- but I can tolerate the cold at least-" Liam was already stripping his shirt as he nodded "Well, it's not as if we can keep walking now, and this place is only bearable after dark anyways-" . Ryan levelled his gaze at Liam as e inspected a rock and other various debris in his hand as he crouched by the roadside. "Are you sure you're alright to -after , well..." Liam, dropping to his knees beside Ryan, scooped up a handful of stones."I'm -lost in the middle of nowhere-I'll deal with

USER: Highlight intelligent dialogue : As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on a criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. "Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-" His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam's ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . "You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-" . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . "Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what's to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?" . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam's skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered "Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?" Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam's boot and placed it by his temple. "Oh , we've danced before . I've wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There's other way's to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. " Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. "Fear is human, Li' , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?" Liam's grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. "Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-" . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. "Well , maybe it's Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you'll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-" Valen's finger traced the hem of Liam's jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam's stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam's hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam's teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam's hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen's' touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam's lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam's thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam's awareness. "There's a place, I haven't explored . A place I haven't had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-". Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam's heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam's knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. "Ah, it grows faster , for me-" Valen's whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam's flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. "Well, it wouldn't exactly do you any good to repeat history -I'm still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I'm your greatest failure yet -" . Valen's touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. "Hey Ry', have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?" . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. "Damnit", he cursed as Valen maintained his silent presence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, "you don't want to know , huh? " Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . "Tape recording. You don't have Ryan. " Valen sneered at the estimation . "Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don't have Ryan... anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. " Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . "I'd tell you to go to hell but-we're already in some sick version of it-not that I'll break. I'll never , ever , break. " . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . "I don't intend to break you Liam, I don't want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-". Liam only laughed in defiance , "oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-" . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull. "You know that after you , and Ryan , and the other useless fools , none of you have served a purpose to the Vanderine, to the drug's survival , and yet, while it won't serve my purpose to implant you -again-I don't have the strength to resist. Business. And I'm the boss. Another day in my office. Another fine opportunity to play with the clientele." Liam managed a twisted smile , the notion flooring him . "Have you ever ingested it yourself. The Vanderine , what does it feel like, you can't imagine the dreams I've had, the ideas I've been invested with-" Valen's cool trail of voice interlaced with the stagnant air . "Have, in any of these dreamscapes Liam , have you encountered this-" . In a swift movement, Liam's abdomen was against the concrete on a deeper level. "Nah, but you and me , me and you-there's really no end to the scenarios -" Valen, his voice fading an inch into the background, expensed a proposition. "There may be a way to embed the drug, that you're disposable bowels failed at tolerating. " then as Vaken removed the heat of his touch from Liam's pulse points , his blood flow was syringed with a profound chill. Liam shivered , as he said, observing the perverted truth encroaching on his existence "It seems however , that my entire digestive system is a ravaged wasteland , explored to the last inch, every cavity stripped and yet the darkest space is still untouched , pure, unvarnished-." Valen's breath was at his ear as his low voice caressed the silence, a threat in its proximal absence as it crept further away. "And yet, your vocal cords survived the trauma , but, Liam . I don't want to cause you to scream ,only to hear your voice echoing into that mouth... But I wonder if Ryan would care to indulge in the reminder of his mistake-his failure. Would he write a little harder at the sound of your pleas-" Valen said, in a lingering snarl. As Liam fought the urge to retch, wincing , the taunt of the potential voice recording pierced the air , the muffled scream lacing his mind and entangling with his resistance. "I'll need proof before I believe you captured Ryan, I'll need to feel his pulse against mine ...I'll need to feel the reverberation of his cries against my chest -" The air held a disconcerting void in its hands as Valen's unsynchronised gait dragged across the ground. "Will I dangle the carrot until the horse starves out of spite , or will I strip his gag and ask him something that only the present moment has the captivity to answer ?" Liam's stomach, dropping into its seventh circle of condemnation, raged with nausea. "There's nothing you could ask him that isn't predetermined-nothing-" he said, almost with a spit of poised saliva. Liam felt his own fear deceiving him with a deft profanity as he cursed into a whisper, and ground his jaw. Valen taunted , seeming closer to the doorway than a moment earlier. "Oh sweet Ry' , is it a shame that , when you abandoned Liam in the heat of your desperation , that he became my chew toy. Well riddle me this -exactly how long ago was it that you left him?. Tell me the minutes , the hours , the seconds. When you can -" Liam then spat , his tongue enraged with the constraints of his binds "Shit..." Liam lamented, awaiting Ryan's response. There was an engrained anticipation in the air, spiralling in a tight burst of thrilling panic , as Liam's pulse throbbed in his eye sockets, and the veins in his temples ticked against his skin. Then it slithered through the room; Ryan's voice. "Exactly ...one day......eight hours...maybe twenty minutes and...fuck I don't -" . There was a muffled distilling of Ryan's voice, as his gag was reinserted between his teeth. As Valen's hands came down over Liam's pulsing ankles, he flinched. "Ah, your pulse is faster. And harder. But , it's not my intention to break you now is it? You will undo yourself in my embrace Liam -" He lay face down on the pavement to hell, a maze of stones and ever present magenta particles sifting through his vision as he withheld a gasp. "I can't see my damned watch-" Liam muttered. Valen , dismissing Liam's frustration, loomed close and yet far enough away to unsettle the balance of intamacy and isolation. "Now Liam, if you know how long you've been alone, berating yourself for urging him to forget your existence, if you can find the answer within yourself, to the question. Well then, you know if it's all just a tape recorded dream? . Or perhaps ...it's a reality. A truth that Ryan lies bound , and as his mistake , your heart beats on his time, borrowed for you. Be grateful to hear him. Or regret that you will..." Liam's eyes slid closed as his mind was transported to the previous night. Ryan's eyes, swallowed by the insufficiency of the street light, had borne a sharp hesitation as he'd hailed the oncoming traffic. A lone , sleek black Chevrolet, coming to a halt , had been the only traffic on the bare highway of promise married with ultimatum . "I'll go Liam, if this will save you , buy you some time. I mean , it's wrong and I know it , and I don't feel I'm doing you right, but, I owe you." Ryan's gaze rested on a space between the stars as his voice hollowed out, a cool edge welding his plea. "Please don't thank me. Not ever. But ...forgive me . In time I need to know that you'll see what I'm doing as what I have to -for you , and not as some calculated mistake. " Liam , gazing directly into Ryan's peripheral vision, said , without missing a beat. "Ry' , I'm telling you to do this , don't you ever blame yourself for what happens -don't you dare, for one second , frame this in your mind as betrayal-" Ryan then pulled Liam into a hug that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan's arm came down over Liam's back. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan's neck, he placed an open palm on the back of his head. "Don't let them strip your humanity , now go-" There was a desperation in Ryan's grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam's jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. "Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We've seen hell, and there may be no heaven , but there's being alive . cling onto that , Li' ." Liam flashed a lopsided grin, his right dimple enlivening its usual position as he smiled "Well give the bastards hell, Ry, I'll see you on the other side-" As Ryan stalled a second longer he added , "I'd better, and that's a threat." His slate -gray inflection , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , rasped as he released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if he were weighed down with bricks. The passenger door caught in the moonlight as he slid down into the Chevrolet and disappeared. Liam's eyes flew open , and the scorn of his binds jolted him into reality. "So the plan is , to torture me with Ryan's captivity. But, if he were to die , before me , what do you have left. My wife and three kids-" Valen's reply was as audible as a pin dropping, and Liam resisted his own tears as hands rested on his thorax . a finger escalated his ribcage , now a perilous stairway to his primal despair. "Ah Liam, joke of your imaginary life, but do not call the bluff on the only real family you have , his life is-disposable , but fascinating beautiful in the way it could visit that place I cannot , simply by being extinguished. A flame can just-" the snapping of Valen's fingers caused Liam to blink away a tear , his jaw trembling with the tension as he denied his humanity. His empathy simmered behind his eyelids as he watched the insides of them swim with moisture. "I implore you to kill me first-A suicidal cannon will only light up the sky when the wick burns out. If you exterminate my only reason to breathe-what then? Let me go and have a fading trail -or torture his existence with mine?" . The complexity ignited a strange amusement in Valen's response , eliciting a new depth of laughter . "Ah Liam , you are a mental fortress of entertainment, but even the cryptic suggestion that without him you'll be nothing, you've transcended the reason I am tracing your ribcage with an ease. You are yet to contemplate the heart of my intentions. It may take some time -I'll afford you as long as you need Li' . Ryan has -more than enough time to wait for your revelation. To hear its undertones in your screams. " Liam lay in the cling wrap of sweat, not quite daring to let his mind connect the dots that reeled across the concrete , like a constellation of fallen stars . Whether it had become day, or remained night, failed to matter. The magenta haze was all consuming. Everywhere, and he was nowhere. Ryan had been eerily quiet . And his voice was only a plea away from escaping him. "I knew from the start , your true intention......I've always understood the purpose of my life -to kill me -but not to end my misery. To destroy Ryan. Because unlike me-Ryan believes in -humanity. in dignity. He's everything you can't be . Morally good . You have to end me -to truly leave a mark that will sear like a brand . But good luck with that . Because he did make a promise and you can't stop a lawful good from his word-" Valen's clap, a drawn out slap of his palms together , held a faint mockery. "Perhaps that might have been a nice twist to play with. Killing you, to watch Ryan suffer. Or killing him ti destroy you. Perhaps I may play with my food , or throw in complementaries with the service . Keep thinking Liam. What we don't know , can indeed be dangerous. But what we do know, can be a slow burning nightmare. " As the air crept closer , Liam cursed under his breath. His cards flashed their expiry dates as he almost threw his failed royal flush across the table. But all he mustered was a faint "you'll be waiting a while ... maybe I never figure it out..." Valen , laughing at the delight in his own voice , positioned his mouth at Liam's ear. "You will come to a conclusion , and don't tell me about it. I'll feel it in your waters as you drown" Liam's weakened mindset crumbled with dehydration, and malnourishment, as he grappled with a notion that almost set fire to his lungs. "The Vanderine- you've never ingested it. You won't . Implant it in me. But my body won't make it over the border in this condition. Implant Ryan , he can't hold it down as long as me. Kill Ryan , and torture me . kill me and torture him. kill is both and the game ends . But there's only one thing-" . Valen's eyes lit up , pyromania dancing wildly in his pupils, "you're getting warmer, Liam. I think you may already be ... burning. Shall I throw you into the ocean yet or would you like a moment?" Liam's blood , screeching to a halt in his veins, choked as he whispered "You need me-alive-because you don't have anyone else left to hide the drug inside of - you were never trying to preserve it , you need -to display it, showcase its fucking beauty , in the middle of nowhere . Have someone , at the right , opportune moment , but what doesn't add up is -why hide it inside me . If I'm not a vessel of transportation , why not just give the damn substance to -why implant it? " Liam's thoughts , blurred together by sheer panic , had him screaming , "Ryan , I'm sorry !" . Preserving his silence, Valen produced a gleaming sac from his pocket , and crouched by Liam's temple , placing and unlacing his boot as he hummed. "I want the world to see , how this drug , this vile responsibility to traffic something so resistant to ingestion , can be hidden inside even the weakest, most unsaleable , adverse body. And there's a place , a place deep inside you Liam , that it can be retained . But also , there's a place inside you that I can visit along the way. I won't overstay my welcome, I promise . You're right about me not getting your deteriorated meat suit over any borders but. business calls . And I take walks in the park . I stop to smell the roses . I admire the architecture and I never pass up a stroll through the Sistine Chapel after dark..." In Liam's resounding screams, his voice begged Ryan to hear what he could muster . "Don't .. you ..ever.. let my broken body.. be your mistake. I'm thanking you, and there's nothing to for-" His mouth, slamming closed with the brutal mercy of the concrete , bleed through his teeth. "Oh , Ryan , he says you're welcome , and there's plenty he can't forget, nor forgive, nor forgo not even forbid. He's bound, and he's listening and oh his heart's beating-so thank him for being alive. thank him for being too pristine to make an exhibition that can illuminate a thousand skies. Thank good 'ol Ryan for not embodying the toxic playground you breathe to life..."