From Russia With Love

Lost in her thoughts, Dominika barely registered the door to her prison being opened before it was closed and locked again. She scanned the space in confusion until she spotted the plastic bowl and bottle that had been placed in front of the door. She stared at it for a moment, contemplating whether or not it could have been poisoned, but it had been so long between meals the last few days at this point she was willing to risk it. She shuffled slowly to the door, grateful her captors had at least spared her being tied up again. After all, how far could she really get locked in a windowless coolroom?

She began eating with the provided plastic utensils, not really tasting the food as she raced to get it down as fast as she could. She’d never eaten instant noodles in her life but the container was empty in minutes. She gulped half of the water in the bottle and lay back against the wall, oddly content given her situation. She had resigned herself to the fact this building was probably the last one she’d see, and at least if she didn’t get to see Gerard again, Dominika knew he would be proud of her for being brave. These people could do whatever they wanted to her, but she wouldn’t scream, nor cry, nor beg. She refused to give them the satisfaction.

Strength. She repeated the word over and over in her head, making herself believe.

She wondered where Gerard was, what he was doing, hoping and praying that he had found his way to the base and raised the alarm. She crossed her fingers tightly in her lap, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to visualize him making the journey safely.
The happy scene she played in her mind was quickly clouded with sadness as she remembered her parents and siblings, imagining them lying dead in their ransacked home, alone in the dark. Chills ran up and down her spine and she pushed the thought out of her mind, trying to focus on positive thoughts. Now was no time to dwell in the darkness, she could deal with that later when there was time to process this week that had changed her life forever. She slid further down the wall and curled into a ball on her side, back facing the entrance to her makeshift cell.

As her eyes grew heavy and slid shut her last thoughts were of her homeland, its rolling green hills and beautiful wooded forest, below a brilliant clear sky and surrounded by mountains.

When Dominika woke again, she hadn't the faintest idea whether it was day or night thanks to the lack of natural light in the room. Her pupils burned in the sudden brightness of the florescent tube above her and she rubbed her eyes, trying to let them adjust. She attempted to run her hands through her hair but it had been so long since she’d had access to a hairbrush her fingers caught in the strands, yanking her scalp painfully. She rolled over and chugged from the water bottle she’d been given last night.

She recognized the now-familiar sound of the key in the lock of her door and put the bottle back on the down, head whipping round to the entrance expectantly. The English speaker entered the small space, an odd smile on his face that unsettled her. He was lacking his usual nonchalance, instead his eyes filled with an unmistakable hunger as he looked her over, lying on the floor in her dirty dress.

“Get up” he commanded. She complied hesitantly, slowly rising to her feet while keeping her eyes fixed on him.

“It’s time for you to pay your way around here” he stated. She was confused, unable to comprehend his words even though she replayed them several times in her head.

“I don’t understand…” she trailed off, holding his gaze.

“You understand. Come with me”

Her heart leapt into her throat as he grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her through the door, out into the open space of the warehouse again. She felt disorientated, with no idea what time of day it was and where they were taking her and why. Dread slowly traced up her spine as she counted six men standing in a semi-circle at the far end of the space. They were too far away to make out their faces clearly but Dominika was certain some of them were her kidnappers from yesterday.

As they approached the group, one of the men broke free and met the English speaker halfway to wrap his hand around her other forearm. Panic started to set in as they restrained her, half dragging her now as they walked. Was this it? Were they going to kill her now? Had America not responded to their demands?

As they stood in front of the group, the English speaker barked orders in his language and the men shuffled their feet eagerly, was it nervous tension she could sense or something else?

The English speaker turned to her suddenly and addressed her in language she could understand.

“The Americans haven’t made a response to our demands” he stated. Dominika stared at him, unblinking, unable to comprehend what he was saying.

“You’re….you’re going to kill me now?” she asked. Mentally she willed herself to be strong, not to falter, and not to give them any satisfaction in scaring her. Maybe they were bluffing after all.

“No” he said, a smile spreading across his face, making her feel even more on edge. She could feel her pulse racing in her ears.

“It’s time for you to pay your way around here, Printsessa”

“W-what?” she stammered, heart pounding in her chest like a drum. She was sure she knew what they were eluding to, but her mind didn’t want to believe it.

The English speaker addressed the men standing in front of him and within seconds they surrounded the three of them and began to pull Dominika to the ground. Overwhelming panic flooded over her as she felt the cold concrete of the floor make contact with her thighs.

She kicked her legs out and screamed, so loud the noise echoed around the warehouse and repeated in her ears. Hands were all over, ripping at her dress, her skin her hair. She thrashed her arms and legs wildly in a feeble attempt to protect herself but she was completely outnumbered, six to one.

“No!” she screamed.

“Stop fighting it or we’ll beat the fuck out of you” snarled the English speaker, pinning her right hand by her head. She tossed her head from side to side and screamed, infuriated now rather than scared. One of them tore her dress off in one go and she lay in front of them on the cold, hard ground, bare-chested and wearing only her dusty white, lacy panties from almost a week ago when she’d escaped from her bedroom.

The sound of glass smashing and heavy footfall broke the chaos and caused them all to turn to find the source of the noise.

Notes

So sorry about the lack of update, was away for a few days and was supposed to be able to access the completed chapters via icloud but it decided it didn't want to work >.> Back to daily updates from now on! :)