SSV: Project S.T.A.T.I.C.- Part 2

Chapter 9

Amelia sat behind her desk with her fingers interwoven together. She'd tucked her notebook away along with various sensitive documents that her new arrival didn't need to see. She needed to evaluate her potential recruit before involving her in any of her plans. One could never be too careful when planning an empire. Besides, if everything went well with her current benefactor, her plans would be unnecessary. She'd been promised a high ranking spot in the new world order. Holding such a position of power would be ideal, and she could slowly take over from the inside out should things go according to plan. The possibility of success on the part of her employer was the biggest reason she chose to keep an analog notebook. Logging anything on a computer was too risky. This woman had already proven that she had an uncanny ability to dig up digital information.

"Goddamnit, Miriam!" Nyx shouted as the door opened, "What the fuck happened to you?! Stop trying to grab my ass, you psycho!"

Amelia raised an eyebrow as Nyx walked in and practically threw the new arrival into the room. "Do you two know each other?" she asked as the girl, Miriam, managed to keep her footing and flash an excited smile.

"She was one of Goth's disciples," Nyx sighed, "She wasn't this insane when I knew her, but she was never what I'd call stable. I guess she finally snapped after Goth bit it."

"It's Miri, now, fatty," Miri said, "Guessing you still got a penchant for jelly doughnuts, Nyxy. Lucky for you, I think big butts are nice. I like having something to hold onto!"

"Would you knock it off, you moron?!" Nyx snapped as Miri tried to circle her again, "Fuck, are you sure you want to talk to this nut, boss?"

"A conversation never hurt anyone, Nyx," Amelia replied, "Leave us for now. I'll call Riley once I'm finished. Go take your lunch, Nyx."

"Yes, ma'am, and thanks," Nyx nodded as she left the room.

"Have a seat, Miri, was it?" Amelia said, gesturing to the chair in front of her, "I understand you wanted a word with me."

"That's right~," Miri said in a sing-song tone as she cartwheels into the chair, "Heard this place was under new management, and I also heard you're the type of woman who likes to strike deals."

"And where, pray tell, did you hear that?" Amelia asked, watching the unhinged girl closely.

"Well, technically I read it," Miri shrugged, "Goth had a pretty extensive library on everyone she considered to be a threat. Your file was particularly limited, but it was an interesting read all the same. No powers or abilities, but an uncanny ability to manipulate and get inside your enemies' heads. A silver tongue, a lust for power and wealth, and a dominant personality trait that marked you as a threat if left unchecked. Nyxy and the other girls were decent followers, but I try to make sure I soak up all the extra info I can when I can. Ya never know when you might need a leg up in life!"

"Interesting," Amelia mused as she let out a thoughtful hum, "Now, Nyx mentioned that your current mental state wasn't like this when you worked with her. Care to explain what brought about this change, Ms. Miri?"

"Drop the miss, I'm only twenty-six," Miri said, mildly insulted at the posh title, "I don't see why that should matter to, ya, but if that's what ya want, sure. See, it's like this. After the old big and broody got gone by the old heroes, I was left without a purpose. My therapist says I have attachment issues, or something stupid like that. Well, she said that before I jabbed a spoon in her eye and popped that pretty blue iris out. Guess she didn't want to see me anymore after that, go figure! Anyways, I did feel kinda lost for a while after Goth went bye-bye, and I may have taken a couple blows to the head that may, or may not, have knocked something loose. Unlike the idiots you've recruited from Goth's regime, I actually tried to fight back against the attackers. Those three turned tail and ran once the battle took a turn that was less than favorable."

"The girls have been rather forthcoming with their past and shortcomings," Amelia admitted, "They've sworn themselves to me, but I'm nothing if not cautious. Loyalty is something that has to be proven, not taken at face value. The girls haven't questioned me yet, and I have yet to notice signs of deceit from any of them."

"It was noted that you were cautious and highly observant," Miri remarked, looking down at her cuffs, "Hey, quick question, have you guys thought about color coating these things? It would be super cool if I could get some that were black and red!"

"I'll take that under advisement," Amelia said, mentally noting that this girl had a short attention span, "So, Miri, why is it that you wanted to speak with me?"

"Because you got Jake Blackridge locked up here, duh," Miri replied as though it were obvious, "Lemme ask you, do I look like the type of girl that would get herself caught for something as dumb as vandalism? I carved out my therapist's eye, and she never even bothered reporting me. I'm here because you've got a guy that I've had my eye on since Goth was in charge, and you're always looking for new talent."

"I see, so you're looking for a job," Amelia surmised, "Why not simply apply, or even call to inquire, though? Getting arrested seems like a foolish play, don't you think?"

"Did I say I was looking for a job?" Miri asked with a frown, "No, I didn't. I'm looking to have some fun with that pretty billionaire. If he was good enough for Goth to go wacko for, then he's got to have a talented tongue that I want to try out for myself. If I was a guard, I'd only have limited access to him, and that's not what I want. I want my own billionaire boy-toy."

"Interesting," Amelia said, leaning back in her chair, "I'm afraid that Mr. Blackridge already has someone that has staked claim to him. Granted, there are dozens of women here who want a chance to play with him. His current mistress understands that others are entitled to have their fun beyond the cell they share. You're more than welcome to try to get your hands on Mr. Blackridge outside of his time with his current cellmate."

"No dice," Miri said darkly, leaning in and slamming her fist down on Amelia's desk, "Blackridge will be mine, and I don't give a fuck who has claim to him. If she's smart, she'll back off and let me have my toy."

Amelia raised an eyebrow. The sudden shift in this girl's tone and demeanor reminded her of her old friend Alexis. Single-minded and driven, maybe this girl did have qualities she could use. "I cannot just move Mr. Blackridge to another cell, Miri," Amelia explained, "I'm not saying no, but you're going to have to-"

"Why the fuck not?!" Miri cut her off, "Aren't you supposed to be the warden in this shit-show?! If anyone can make that call, it should be you!"

Unwilling to take no for an answer, it was an almost admirable quality. "What do you propose then, Miri?" Amelia asked, "I'm a reasonable woman, and I'm open to suggestions as long as they're valid."

"Well, for one, let me beat this bitch's ass!" Miri exclaimed, exuding confidence, "I'll make it clear to her, and everyone else in this joint, that Jake is mine! I'll make whoever that dumb cunt is request a transfer of cells, and then you can put me in there with Jake!"

"You intend to force Razor to relinquish her boy-toy?" Amelia clarified, "That is a bold and, if I may say, reckless choice on your part. Razor is known for her brutality, and she's been rather lonely since she broke her last cellmate."

"Who the fuck picks the name Razor?!" Miri snorted, "I ain't afraid of anybody in this place. If she can beat me, then she can have him, but she's not gonna win."

"You have to understand, Miri," Amelia said, slowly becoming more intrigued by this idea, "Even if you manage to best her, you're going to have to let the others get a turn. This includes Razor, should she choose."

"Fine, whatever," Miri huffed, "As long as I got the billionaire-bitch at night, I guess that's okay. Your whole goal is to break him down, right?"

"Pardon?" Amelia asked, "Whatever are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on, Amy, sweetheart," Miri giggled, "I already told you, I read your file! You know why you were on Goth's watch list? It's not because she saw you as a threat to her empire. It was because she knew you had an interest in Jake, and Goth was super possessive of that boy. You want him broken and begging to be your little lapdog, and that's perfectly fine by me. As long as I get to have my fun with him, you can have him once I'm done!"

"You are quite the shrewd little nut, aren't you?" Amelia asked with a smile, "I'll even overlook shortening my name, this once anyways. How exactly do you plan on breaking Jake down?"

"Well, for one, I'm gonna make him deep throat my feet," Miri said with a dreamy smile, "Then, once I'm good and worked up, I'll probably sit on his face. If he can manage to get me off, then maybe I'll give the little bitch a break, but if not then he'll pass out and I'll strap him to my ass!"

"Simple tactics, Miri," Amelia chuckled, "You think this will break him?"

"I think it'll put him in his place, and keep him from questioning me," Miri replied, "See, you big bads and bitches all think you need brutality to keep someone under your thumb. Yeah, that works most the time, but you gotta have a balance! Some positive reinforcement to couple with the punishment that he's gonna receive from whatever nasties you've got tucked behind the curtain. I want him running back to me, scared and tail between his legs, when the going gets too much for him. He bends to me, follows my commands, and then all I gotta do is tell him to suck up to you! You get what you want, I have my fun, and then you get me the fuck out of this dump!"

Amelia sat up and nodded, "You're smarter than you appear, my girl. Very well, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself. You'll still have to contend with Razor, and I expect him to be passed around without interference when he's not with you."

"I already said fine," Miri rolled her eyes, "Just lemme at the pretty-boy already!"

"I'm afraid he's in solitary for the moment," Amelia sighed, "A fair amount of rough housing earned him some time alone, but he should be out before the day is over. You'll have your chance, don't worry."

"I fucking better," Miri said, "I'm guessing you got someone close-by to mess with him, huh? Someone to rattle his cage a bit, right?"

"Something like that," Amelia smiled, "Rest assured, you'll have your chance. I'll have Riley come and get you acclimated to your new living quarters for the time being. Oh, I'll be in touch and watching closely to see how things go. Don't worry about interference, either, I'll make sure you're not interrupted during your little showdown. Just make sure that it's a good show for me."

"Oh, this'll be something you'll never forget," Miri cackled as Amelia pressed the button to summon Riley.

—----------------

Beth checked her equipment as the afternoon sun began to grow lower. Jake had been locked away for a day, and she and Pam had spent the previous night, and bulk of today, strategizing and planning. Pam had managed to get a lock on Zoey's life force, and she had stayed up all night tracking her movements. They were going to move tonight, and Beth was ready to talk to their old friend. Her patience was wearing thin, and she couldn't bring herself to enjoy her usual distractions. Video games were out, the television was being bombarded with broadcasts about the new mayor, and target practice was too dangerous to try right now. So, she'd spent most of her morning cleaning her guns, polishing her knives, and making sure everything she had was in working order.

Her talk with Alexis had gone about as well as she'd expected it to. Her mad friend was absolutely livid with the turn of events. Something that was entirely unsurprising given that she had a date with Jake scheduled for this weekend. Still, Beth had managed to make sense of her furious and insane ramblings. Between promises of violence and pain, Alexis said she had a plan in place to get Jake out. The news had reported a bombing in the rebuilding zones of Metropolis, and Alexis explained that she'd had Miri plant the explosives. Thankfully, she'd made sure to choose a district that was vacant, but it had been enough to put Miri on the police radar. Miri was going to be their girl on the inside, and it was her job to ensure Jake survived. Truthfully, Beth wasn't sure how she felt about trusting someone as crazy as Miri, but their options were limited at best.

Alexis would handle getting Jake out, but it was up to Beth and Pam to take down Meg Myers. Not for the first time, Beth was glad to have someone as insane as Alexis on their side. She was a wild card on a good day, but she guaranteed results. She couldn't count the number of times that she and Jake had been outwitted by a driven Footgirl in the past. The fact that the majority of the city's underworld was terrified of her only added to their chance of success. Even the toughest and most proud villain held some modicum of fearful respect for the deranged supervillain. With one front secured, she and Pam needed to get to work as quickly as possible. Having someone inside to look after Jake was a relief, but Miri was only one girl. Granted, an insane and incredibly unstable one, but she was still outnumbered. Jake was tough, sure, but everyone had their breaking points. The fact that The Amazon was locked up in there with him was what had the most concerned.

Out of everyone that they'd fought over the years, that woman had been the one to get inside Jake's head. Abigail had nearly brainwashed him, Goth had stolen his heart, Amelia had managed to manipulate him, but The Amazon had nearly turned him into a pathetic and villainous slave. Her constant instance that she was his mother, combined with the frightening knowledge she had about him, had given her a terrifying and twisted advantage. Jake had fought against her, but she'd worn him down with intimate details that nobody in the city knew about him and past. He'd fallen victim to her sadistic ploys, and the woman had insisted that he refer to her as mommy. Beth knew she couldn't possibly be related to him, but it was a sick demand all the same. It had taken everything she had to free Jake from her mental stranglehold, and to this day, she regretted not ending the woman when she had the chance. Looking back, that had been one of the first instances where Beth had experienced true hate and bloodlust.

"Should have strangled that bitch when I had the chance," she said to herself as she reassembled her pistol.

"Who should you have strangled, Kitten?" Pam asked from the doorway.

Beth jumped and dropped the magazine she'd been holding. "Dammit, would you quit sneaking up on me?!" she shouted as she whirled around, "Seriously, you're gonna give me a heart attack!"

Pam crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and smiled, "Isn't The Feral supposed to have eyes in the back of her head? More importantly, isn't my pet supposed to show her mistress proper respect?"

Beth managed to keep herself from rolling her eyes, and instead bent down to pick up the pieces she'd dropped. "I'm on edge, cut me some slack," she admitted, "You know I'm not trying to be a bitch, right?"

"I know, and I am cutting you slack, dear," Pam said as she walked in and helped her pick up her tools, "You've had quite the attitude over the last twenty-four hours, but I know you're under a lot of stress. You're anxious, and I've always tried to be respectful of your nerves."

"I seem to recall a lot of overlooking my nerves back at the castle," Beth pointed out, "You know, the roughly dozen times you sexually assaulted me, tied me up, chained me to the wall, or found some other creative way to mess with me."

"That was training and conditioning," Pam sighed, "I was always careful to make sure I didn't push you too far, but my role requires that I help you push past your limits without breaking. Besides, I don't hear you complaining these days. If memory serves, less than a week ago you were begging me to tie you up."

Beth blushed and nearly dropped her magazine again, "T-that was different! You'd been teasing me all day!"

"A year later, and still so easily flustered," Pam smiled, placing her hand on Beth's to steady it and kissing her cheek, "It is absolutely adorable."

"I swear you get off on humiliating me," Beth sighed, her tone softening and her feet steadying.

"That much should be obvious," Pam grinned, "Anyway, who are you referring to, Kitten?"

"The Amazon," Beth replied as she slapped her mag back in her pistol, "I had the chance to kill her when we put her away, but I still had a line back then that I wouldn't cross. I was naive, and now Jake is stuck in prison with that sadistic freak."

"I see," Pam said, now understanding Beth's frustration, "This isn't the first time I've heard you say such things about old enemies. Once upon a time, I referred to you and your morale code as weak. I believe predictable and pathetic were the world I used, to be exact. At the time, I believed that to be true, and I reveled in your brutality when you first came into my possession. However, as I've spent more time with you and Jake, I've learned that restraint is something to be admired. It's easy to make things personal and take out a threat, but it's much harder to give someone a chance to be better."

"People like her can't change," Beth said, turning and setting her guns down.

"The same could have been said for Havoc, Kaitlyn, Alexis, Rebecca, and even myself," Pam pointed out, "Havoc gave her life to protect you, Kaitlyn renounced her old ways, Alexis, while still undoubtedly unhinged, has been trying to be better, and you and I are as one now."

"That's such a weird way to say that we're dating," Beth snorted before sitting down, "I guess you've got a point, but that woman is on another level. She's a mystery that neither of us were able to solve, and she's one of the most dangerous women we've encountered. Her cruelty and mind-games are on an entirely other level than most, and fucking Goth would have probably recruited her!"

"She tried, as a matter of fact," Pam said, sitting beside Beth, "Rebecca had a file on her, albeit a slim one, but the two could never come to an arrangement. That woman wanted Jake for herself, and she believed that Rebecca would be, ironically, awful for Jake. Talks devolved quickly, and they agreed to remain in separate cities and out of one another's way."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Beth asked with a sigh, "Of course Goth tried to recruit that psycho. None of that matters now, though. Jake is stuck with her, and even if Miri does her job, I doubt she can handle that monster."

"Jake is stronger than we give him credit for, and he's also got Ashley with him along with Miri," Pam reminded her, "Miri doesn't have to beat The Amazon, she just has to help keep her from getting inside of Jake's head."

"You realize we're putting faith in a lunatic, right?" Beth asked.

"It's not the first time we've done so, and we don't have many other options at this point," Pam countered, "Alexis just needs time to orchestrate whatever plan she has, Miri only needs to keep Jake safe, and we need to focus on unraveling the mystery that is Meg Myers and the Children of Darkness. Which brings me to my original reason for coming in here. Zoey has stopped by her apartment. I know we were planning on moving tonight, but there's no time like the present to strike."

Beth perked up at Pam's words, "Why didn't you lead with that?!" she practically shouted as she shot up and grabbed her gear, "C'mon, let's get a move on already! I want answers, and I don't care if I have to beat it out of her."

"Calm yourself, Kitten," Pam said, getting to her feet, "We're going to have a chat with her, but I don't want you doing anything rash."

"She threw Jake into a hole, Pam," Beth argued, grabbing her helmet and checking it, "She's going to answer for that."

"I don't think that we're seeing the entire picture," Pam sighed, "Just try to control your anger, Kitten."

"Fine," Beth grumbled, "Consider me a silent enforcer, I guess."

"Don't be like that," Pam sighed, "Ask your questions, scare her if you have to, but we aren't there for blood. That's all I'm saying."

"You're right, you're right," Beth sighed, checking herself, "I'm just-"

"I know, Kitten," Pam said as she approached her smaller girlfriend, "You're worried about Jake, angry about the betrayal, and you want answers. Your heart is in the right place, but your temper can get the better of you. Try to control yourself, pet, that's all I'm asking of you."

"Alright, I can do that," Beth said, taking a deep breath before putting her helmet on, "Let's go see if we can get some answers."

"There's my girl," Pam smiled as she walked over and held her hand up to ready the teleportation spell, "Bear with me, I need to make sure I've got a clear location in my mind."

Beth nodded and held onto Pam as they waited. A minute passed before Pam was sure she had a lock on Zoey's location. She could see their old friend sitting in her bedroom. Pam pulled the shadows in around the two of them, and they began to sink into an all too familiar pool of darkness. They were gone in the blink of an eye, and they were on their way to have a word with their old ally.

—-------------------

Jake laid on the small bunk attached to the wall of his new holding cell. Riley had taken him from the laundry room and shoved him into the small room underground without a word. It was quiet, boring, and almost lonesome, but at least he was finally free from the psychos above ground. Truthfully, he'd been in much worse situations both in and out of the prison than this. The only issue he saw was an inability to tell time. He could certainly see why some prisoners would snap in the hole, but his mind was stronger than most. Having Ashley around helped as well. He was tired, though, and he was close to passing out as he laid on the bed.

"What's our plan for getting out of here?" Ashley asked, leaning against the wall.

"Still working on that, Ash," Jake said aloud, not worried about anyone hearing him anymore, "Right now, I kinda just want to rest while we have a minute. That psycho I'm sharing a cell with wouldn't let me catch my breath."

"Don't remind me of that cunt," Ashley said venomously, "That Megan girl was bad, but she was tame compared to that disgusting woman. I nearly seized control last night midway through, but I didn't figure you'd appreciate my turning her into a hand puppet."

"What?" Jake asked, cracking a smile as he tried to make sense of Ashley's comment.

"You know, shoving my hand up her foul ass," Ashley explained, trying to demonstrate with her hand what she meant, "The other girl may have been a gas bag, but at least she was easy enough to handle."

"We're just lucky she still had her collar on," he said, "She's a lot harder to fight with that power dampener off."

"Talking to yourself, my dear little bird?" an all too familiar and chilling voice called through the walls, "Is my sweet boy losing what little is left of his sanity?"

Jake shot up, recognizing the almost frighteningly sweet and sadistic voice. "No," he whispered, "I must be imagining shit."

"Poor baby," the voice came again, "Life on the inside is hard, isn't it? Not to worry, dear, mommy is still here for you."

Jake swallowed nervously as he scooted to the edge of his bunk. "Jake," Ashley said, sensing the sudden rush of terror from her beloved, "Stay with me, love."

"That voice," he said, getting up and backing towards the opposite end of the cell, "She can't be here, she can't!"

"Oh, but I am, Jake, my darling little bird," the voice called back and let out a slow and dark chuckle, "Mommy is here to take care of her baby boy! Have the girls been mean to you? That Megan was always such a rough troublemaker, even before you broke her poor little heart."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Jake shouted, covering his ears, "You're not my damn mother, you fucking freak! My mother died when I was just a boy, so stop lying!"

"Don't you take that tone with me, young man!" the voice snapped back at him, "I've half a mind to put you over my knee before stuffing you under mommy's big butt!"

Jake grit his teeth as memories of past encounters, painful beatings, and nearly being broken by The Amazon. "Jake, breathe," Ashley said as Jake slid down to a sitting position, "Don't let her get to you."

"We were making such wonderful progress and bonding before your foul little friend got involved last time, Jake, don't you remember?" The Amazon asked, "Didn't it feel good being with your sweet mommy? Obeying my commands like the good little boy you're meant to be, wasn't that nice?"

Jake felt his chest grow heavy as his breathing intensified without him realizing it. He was starting to hyperventilate. "Shut up!" he shouted angrily.

"I can see that someone needs a reminder of their place," The Amazon said, "These walls won't hold me forever, Jake. You'll be back in my arms again before long, but at least we have time together now."

This must have been why Riley brought him here. It wasn't because of some rule or regulation, but because she knew that The Amazon was down here. Another clever plot from the mind of Amelia, no doubt. There weren't many women that he feared, but this woman was a force of nature. Rebecca had been the only woman to come close to matching her, but at least he knew her actions were born out of love and twisted by demons. The Amazon was something else entirely. After his traumatic experiences with her, he'd never dug into her files. He'd been too afraid that she could have been telling the truth.

"Jake, focus on me," Ashley tried once again to get his attention away from the sheer terror that was lurking beyond their cell, "Let me out, take a back seat while we're stuck here. We can find time to rest later, but we cannot afford to lose ourselves to madness this early in our stay here."

Jake was trying to listen to her, but vivid flashbacks of horrendous events and actions kept playing over and over in his mind. "Of course, I'll have to discipline you for that disrespectful tone you've taken," The Amazon said as she laughed, "What's the old saying, son? Ah yes, spare the rod and spoil the child! You've upset your poor mother by being so hateful, and we can't have that, can we?"

Ashley could tell that Jake was already on the edge. She'd promised him that she wouldn't jerk control away again, but she couldn't let him continue to teeter. "Forgive me for this, my love," she said as she forced Jake into the back of his own mind and took control of their shared body, "Hear me well, you insufferable dog! I will not stand here and let you get away with your twisted games! You are no mother of mine, and I'll be damned if you-"

"Tut, tut, tut, girl," The Amazon chuckled, "It's not polite to take what isn't yours, and I'm much more interested in speaking with my son. Bring him back, or his punishment will be twice as severe when I get my hands on him."

"How did you?" Ashley started, baffled that this woman could tell the difference, "Drop your insane act, whore!"

"Last chance, girl," The Amazon said, her tone calm but carrying a decisive edge with it, "Bring me my little boy back, or what happens to him will be on your head. I'm going to count to three, and he had better be here before I get to three. One…"

She had to be bluffing, she had to be! There were rumors that Jake wasn't quite human, but nobody outside of the old resistance group knew about her. "Two…" The Amazon's voice called again, "I'm warning you, Ashley, I'm not a woman to be taken lightly."

Ashley swallowed as she weighed her options. The fact that this woman knew about her and knew her name, was unsettling at best. Fear wasn't something too familiar to her, but she felt it now. She couldn't let Jake suffer because of her. His mind might be damaged now, but they could recover later. "Thr-" The Amazon started.

"Alright!" Ashley shouted, "You win this round, but try to hurt him and see what happens."

"I look forward to meeting you in person, you delicious little slut," The Amazon laughed as Ashley pulled Jake back to the forefront of their shared mind.

"What?" Jake asked, not sure what had just happened.

"Good girl," The Amazon laughed, "Your new girlfriend has spirit, Jake. I'd be impressed if she wasn't so opposed to your family."

"I'm sorry," Ashley whispered, unable to look at her lover, "I tried to give you a break, to stand up to her, but she made promises of pain and suffering if I didn't relent and bring you back."

Jake grit his teeth and found a new wave of resolve. He hated seeing Ashley so discouraged and, quite frankly, broken. He was one thing, but it was another to involve the people he cared about. "Don't you dare talk about her," he warned.

"Oh, it seems someone has decided to show a little spine," The Amazon mocked him, "Keep that tone, and perhaps I'll show you your own, boy. Mommy doesn't want to punish you, but I'll do what's best for my baby boy."

Jake stood clenched his fists and shook with rage, "Stop talking!"

"I love you, Jake, but this attitude is getting old fast," The Amazon said darkly, "Every hateful word out of your mouth is only earning you further punishment from me. I won't be stuck here forever, baby boy, and you know that mommy always keeps her word."

Jake swallowed the lump in his throat. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. Eventually she would be freed, Amelia would see to that, and she'd have her chance at him. The thought of more forced bonding with the sadistic matriarch made his skin crawl. He did the only thing he could think of in such a terrifying situation. Jake ran to the door of his cell and screamed, "Let me out of here! Get me out, goddamnit! Somebody, anybody, please, I'll do anything!"

He tried to shake the door, but it wouldn't budge. There was no answer to his screaming pleas, and he was utterly trapped until someone decided to let him out. There was no telling when that would be, either. With no way to tell time, and nothing to block out the terror seeping in, Jake fell to the floor and hugged his knees. The only sound was that of his alleged mother cackling and continuing to taunt him. For the first time since he'd arrived in the prison, Jake began to cry. He stifled his sobs, not wanting to give the mad woman any satisfaction, but still he wept. He was trapped here until somebody came to show him mercy. He prayed to a God he didn't believe in for a miracle that he knew wouldn't come anytime soon.