[b][center]Wednesday: 1227 am Enrick Valdea[/b][/center] It had been a long day. It was hard to believe that about 12 hours ago I was serving a hotdog to Kassie and joking about obtaining the fingerprints for tonight’s bomb. Now she was gone, taken away, not by the explosion but by the bastards it was intended for. At least the Rebels tried to limit the amount of civilian casualties. I clenched my fists again. Despite having short, thin nails, crescents had formed on my palms from the frequent action. Even after the doors to the bar had been unlocked, the rest of the evening had been slow. Apparently people did not feel like going out for a round after the Section had been attacked. I couldn’t understand why. I felt like downing an entire liter. But the night’s tempo affected both my pocket strings and my mind which had ample time to take in the situation. Every minute that passed I wondered what they were doing with her. Every hour felt like another slice had been cut into my heart. I replayed the scene over and over again in my head. I’d known I’d done what I needed to do… but I still felt like such a coward. The bus was agonizingly slow and, just like my bar, almost completely empty. No one spoke and the only noise, besides the grinding gears and squealing breaks came as the driver announced the stops. People were afraid to speak to each other and no one made eye contact. [b]”Havender’s Square”[/b] he announced. I got off early and walked the rest of the way. Even now, as my mind flashed with countless things that could be happening to Kassie, countless ways I could have stopped her abduction, I still remembered my training. I paused only a moment before heading through a side door. The hallway inside our headquarters was dark and cramped. I almost stepped on someone who’d been sleeping, curled up in one of the many doorways. I didn’t pause as I passed the room I knew belonged to Kassie. I couldn’t bring myself to think about it. I simply buried the pain deep, a talent I’d perfected over the years, and knocked on the Bosses office door. As I expected, he was in. A man I couldn’t remember the name of was speaking to him. Their heads bowed together, their voices so low I couldn’t make out a word. I waited in the doorway until the boss looked up and beckoned me closer. [b]” Enrick Valdea?[/b] he says, pausing only briefly as he tried to remember my name. Unlike Kassie, I don’t have frequent contact with the Rebel leadership. Just like in the rest of Restraint, my role is to be at the fringe of society. [b]”This is… unusual.”[/b] From the way he says the last word, I can tell he’s annoyed. It’s not good to do unusual things especially on an unusual night. [b]”I have important news.”[/b] I said, trying to check my temper. [b]”You couldn’t have found a runner?”[/b] the other man states. This time I don’t bother to hide my annoyance. Then I suddenly remember the asshole’s name. Ven. He outranks me, but just barely. I chose to ignore his comment for now and turn my attention back to our Boss. [b]”They took her. They took Kassie.”[/b] --- [b][center]???: ??? am/pm Louisa Essair[/b][/center] A moan escapes my lips. Without opening my eyes I can tell I’m lying on something cold and hard. My arm is at an awkward angel under my body. The hem of my dress is wedged higher up my legs than I would have liked. [b]”I think she’s finally awake.”[/b] The voice is female. Unfamiliar. [b]”Where am I?”[/b] my voice is hoarse, like I’m coming down with a cold. My eyes slowly adjust to the inadequate light around me. Dim, blue fluorescent lights cast shadows on my surroundings. I’m in a 6-sided cement box with a large metal door. There are two other women besides me. The one who spoke and the one who didn’t. [b]”Never been in a cell before, huh?”[/b] This is the same person as before. I shake my head and slowly sit up. I decide not to stand. There’s nowhere to go and nothing to do. In fact there’s nothing in this space at all besides me and my fellow inmates. [b]”So what you in for?”[/b] [b]”What are you in for?”[/b] I try to sound firm as I echo her question and study her reaction. A frown crosses her face. This woman isn’t attractive by any sense of the word. Her light hair is tied high in a bun and her grey eyes scan greedily over my dress. It’s not the way the men in my office do, but mirrors the look I saw on Barbara’s face. She has on ripped jeans and a dirty black t-shirt over her busty frame. Subconsciously I scoot back a few inches and eye my other companion looking to get support from her corner. Like me she looks dressed up to go out albeit to a much more casual place. Tattoos peak out from under her shirt. Her face is pretty, but it’s obvious she’s been wearing her make-up for too long. Nevertheless, her mascara isn’t runny a sure sign that either she’s a tough one or she can afford the water proof stuff. The light haired one speaks up again bringing my attention back to her. [b]”I was at the wrong place and the wrong time.”[/b] she points to the other woman, [b]”I heard the guards say something about missing papers when they dropped her off. You got a name, Angel?”[/b] [b]”Louisa,”[/b] I say correcting her. She doesn’t seem so bad but I can’t help the growing suspicion that I’m playing with a viper. [b]”I like Angel better. Mine’s Zorah.”[/b] We don’t shake hands. Silence resumes. There’s no sense of time in this box. My mind begins to wander. I wonder how Gabriel’s doing. I wonder if my mom’s been told. I wonder who will take care of my cat. What will happen to my clothes? The fact that I need to cancel my movie date with Samantha. How long I’ve been here. How long I’ll be here. Then I just can’t take being in my head anymore. [b]”They think I caused the explosion in Section 8.”[/b] I confess to the room.