A screaming pain tore Alice from her sleep, wrenching her upright, her mind racing in confusion, unsure of her surroundings. Her mouth was dry and heart pounded, it’s weak thready pulse sending shivers through her. She was hurt, badly! In front of her her hands lay, drenched in sweat and drained of colour. She shook, terrified, unsure of what had happened.

It was then she noticed the numbing pain, that overflowed from her abdomen. It throbbed with agonising pain, making her want to scream and yell at the top of her lungs, but Alice kept quite, desperately trying to assess her situation. Slowly she reached downwards, her hand hesitant to move closer, as if trying to protect her from something. Reaching her abdomen an overwhelming sensation of warmth was transmitted through her hand, as tears began to unconsciously roll from her eyes, a silent scream echoing through her fractured mind. She had been shot!

The bullet had torn through her jacket and clothes, leaving a gaping exit hole in her flank. Her bright crimson blood stained herself, seeping viciously through her garments and into the soil below. Quickly Alice applied pressure to the wound, hoping to stifle the flow of blood, faltering as she attempted to stand, her legs weak and unsteady.

She walked slowly, dragging her body along with pure will, her strength all but gone. All around her the world twisted, it’s order distorted, collapsing in on itself. She couldn’t think, her breathing rapid, with each one becoming more shallow than the last.

Without warming another gunshot rang out, a second bullet striking Alice cleanly in the shoulder, the impact knocking her from her feet once more. A helpless cry breaking from the girl’s lips. While behind in the distance a set of heavy footsteps could be heard, slowly covering the distance towards her.

"It wasn’t very smart of you to run, now was it?" A familiar voice asked, their eeri mocking tone even more vile than it had been a few minutes before.

Above her Samuel Jones stood, leering down at her. His flanks stood guarded by two men, dressed in tailored black suits, their faces cold and emotionless.

Stooping down, Samuel began examining Alice. Deftly, he used the muzzle of his gun to pry away the chunks of flesh and fabric, soaked in blood, that clung to her wound. A perverse smile could clearly be seen, his eyes shining in excitement as he toyed with the wound, commenting as did.

"Ooooohh... what a lovely wound. Look at the colour of it! Such a radiant crimson, truly an exquisite flower. Though luckily... or unluckily maybe? The bullet seems to of only passed through your colon."

"Wonderful!" Alice spat, through clenched teeth. "Fancy taking a photo for me? I’m sure it’ll look great on my wall..."

"Oh my! How impressive. I’m surprised you even managed to talk in the state you’re in, let alone make such fearless comments."

"You know, I’m even surprising myself here," Alice quipped, the taste of blood filling her mouth. Her hatred of him binding her scattered mind together.

"Well. Let’s see how long you can keep this facade running shall we?"

"Sure... Sounds fun... just let me get comfortable alright. I don’t wanna miss the show."

"Foolish girl," Samuel snorted, holstering his revolver and turning to face his bodyguards. "Damian, restrain her. I don’t care what you do, just keep her still. If she so much as attempts to move in a way you don’t like, well... you know what to do." He continued. "And Roche, call the others off of the search, we need them here. I won’t accept anyone interfering, is that understood?"

"Yes boss! Right away boss!" The two guards chimed in unison, quickly splitting off into their designated tasks, Roche pulling out his phone while Damian, strolled over and restrained Alice, forcing her to sit upright, her hands bound behind her. Alice wanted to struggle, to break free from his grasp, but she was weak. Almost to the point where she was thankful for his help in holding her upright. All in all, if it wasn’t for the excruciating pain she could say that she was quite comfortable.

It only took a few minutes for Samuel’s men to begin filing into the forest, crowding around her while sporting their Kalashnikovs with an almost childlike glee. Idiots, Alice thought, trying not to sigh too loudly, her eyes rolling back into her head.

At the center of the group Samuel stood, tapping his foot, impatiently waiting for everyone to arrive. He was determined to get what he wanted. He’d waited too long for his chance to take the top, and he wasn’t about to let one girl and her wisecracking mouth get in his way.

"This is going to be fun," he muttered, stepping forward, ready to begin.

From the crowd, Samuel strode forward towards her, a crazed look in his eyes. Looks like the show’s about to start, Alice mused, guessing he’d gotten fed up of waiting, wanting to get his hands on her as soon as possible. Not just for the location of the case. As after all, he apparently had a thing for torture and Alice was quite literally at his mercy. Something that didn’t sit very well with her.

"Let us begin. Shall we?" Samuel declared, seemingly asking for his men’s approval, their wicked jeering becoming just another part of the show, ready for his enjoyment.

"Now then. Alice, before this goes any further I’ll give you one last chance to tell me where the case is. Tell me and I won’t make you suffer too much." He continued, bending down and kneeling before her.

"..." Alice didn’t respond, feigning ignorance, her eyes tightly shut.

"Don’t ignore me..." Samuel hissed, grabbing her hair and wrenching her head upwards.

Opening one eye, Alice calmly responded, a wide set grin across her face. "Oh sorry about that. I’d kinda drifted off..."

"Using humour as a way to calm yourself, smart but not good enough. Soon you’ll break and give me the information I seek." Samuel boasted.

"W-wow... R-really? I’ve heard movie villains with better material than that."

"Just wait," Samuel growled. "You’ll soon wish you’d been more cooperative. Damian, drag her over there and get her ready... I’m going to take my time with this."

"Fun for the whole family," Alice muttered as Damian hoisted her into the air, dragging her further into the forest, forcing her to kneel down before a great oak tree.

The interrogation itself was a fairly simple affair. Samuel would ask Alice the question, then she would answer. With him hitting or beating her as soon as she said something he didn’t like or just plain didn’t want to hear. Samuel’s true motive was easy to see and honestly, it played right into Alice’s hands. All she had to do was say the right phrase here, the right insult there and he’d smack her about a bit before continuing his questioning. Which was handy, especially when she felt like she’d pass out any moment due to the lack of blood in her body.

"Where is the case!" Samuel asked for the umpteeth time, stepping back from Alice, her blood still dripping from his left hand.

"Damn! How aren’t you bored of this yet?" Alice joked, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the forest floor, her eyes shining definitely from her battered and bruised features.

"Where is it? he repeated, his expression twisted in exasperation from all the repeated questioning.

"You just don’t give up do you Sam-" Even before Alice could finish her jeering remark, Samuel shot out a back hand swing, striking her in the jaw and knocking her to the ground.

"Enough of your childish remarks girl! I’m starting to loose my patience with you... and when I do, this will be the least of your problems." Samuel declared.

Releasing his tightly clenched fist that shook in anger and frustration, he ordered, with a quick flick of his for her to sat up once. The bodyguard complying immediately, with all the subtlety of a bulldozer, grabbing Alice by her hair and wrenching her back to her knees. All the while Alice did nothing but smile, her devilish, sickly sweet smile, that grinned victoriously. Alice, evidently quite proud of herself.

"Now, I’ll ask you again. Where is it. Where is the case?"

"You’re so fucked Samuel. Do you even see how much shit you’re in? You’re trying to steal one of Risha’s favourite toys. She’ll not let you off easily for this... and I’m sure we both can agree she’s not someone you want to piss off. But don’t worry, as I’m sure Noelle’ll hunt you down and kill you long before Risha does..."

"Hahahaha! You think I’m afraid of Risha? Her and Ian, the two of them have run this town since before the war. They’re old news! On their way out! But me? I’ve got vision, drive, ambition, and nobody will get in my way of the top. Not you. And certainly not a couple of old fossils, who’ve just kept the peace for the last half a century!" He boasted, laughing wildly.

"Then you’re more of a fool than I though..." Alice lamented, seeing Samuel for what he really was, a sadistic and power hungry upstart, who had more power than sense. A sickening reflection of herself.

"I’m what? What did you say?" He said, drawing his revolver and placing it to her forehead.

"I said you’re a fool. So go on, do it. It’s what we’ve both be waiting for, isn’t it? So go on. Pull the trigger!" Said Alice, her words urging him on, intent on making him do it. She no longer cared for her life, she just wanted to take him down with her.

Samuel hesitated, unsure of whether to do it. He wasn’t afraid of her or her empty threats, but something about it made him uneasy. His hand drawing away from her slowly as he spoke, his voice deadly calm. "No. I won’t kill you... Not yet anyway but when I’m done with you and the time comes you’ll beg for it. Who knows... if you give me what I want, I might even consider it."

"So what? You going to go back to beating me? I’m sorry to break it to you, but that hasn’t been going too well for you so far, has it?"

"No, it hasn’t, but I’m sure what I’ll do next will, I assure you," Samuel stated, strolling off towards him men, not once bothering to look back.

Around him his men stood, unsure, confused by the spectacle that had unfolded. They wanted to speak out, to express their concern, but they knew better. Samuel Jones was a man they respected and feared in equal measure, demanding their absolute and utter devotion to his cause, punishing those who’d betray him in cruel, twisted ways. It was this fear of him that grabbed their hearts as he approached, freezing them in place and sealing their lips.

It was then a voice called out, shocking the men, their eyes darting to it’s source. "What’s the plan then Samuel?" There in the center of them a lean man, dressed all in black stood. It was Samuel’s second in command, Roche, a man of few words and fewer emotions.

"..."

"Come on Samuel, what are we going to do?" Said Roche as Samuel closed the distance between them, finally stopping scant few inches from his face.

"Give me your knife," Samuel whispered, his words deliberate and slow, a deep anger seething beneath them.

"Hmpf... alright, just don’t get too carried away, we’re here for information, nothing else," he reminded, taking Samuel’s revolver and handing him his combat knife.

"Oh, are we finally getting to the good stuff? Cause those lame arse punches of your’s weren’t really doing it for me, But you know, it takes a special kind of idiot to try and use a knife on someone who’s already been shot twice. It’s almost like trying to get water from a stone? Or was it blood, I forget..." Alice remarked, noticing the knife that Samuel held as he approached her.

"I think I’ll managed," he smirked, kneeling before her. "You know, I could cut your ever so pretty face to bits... but I won’t," he said, running the cold steel of the blade across her cheek. "It’ll be something so much worse than that, I promise you."

"Don’t make promises you can’t keep, women hate that sort of thing."

"I’m sure they do, but sadly I don’t care." Samuel smugly replied, staring at the knife, rocking it back and forth, testing the balance, enjoying the feel of the cold steel in his hand.

"I’m sorry to say Alice, but the fun and games are over," Samuel solemnly retorted, standing once more.

"Do your worst!"

"I intend to," he grunted. "Damian restrain her please, I don’t want any mistakes."

At that Damian forced her head downwards, forcing Samuel from sight, while in the same moment also stretching her left arm out behind her, the back of her palm grazing gently against the rough, scratchy bark of the oak tree. In futile desperation Alice tried to force her head up, only barely catching sight of Samuel’s feet as the stepped to her side.

"Don’t worry, this is only going to hurt a lot!" Samuel whispered as he spun the knife around into a reverse grip, planting his foot heavily before stabbing it at full force into the open palm of Alice’s hand, staking her to the tree.

The pain was instantaneous, with every fiber of Alice’s body wanting to scream in agony but she kept quite, clenching her teeth in defiance. It would be too easy to scream, to cry, to beg. That was what he wanted her to do and she wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction, not now, not ever.

"Raise her head," he calmly ordered. "I’m not done with her yet."

Alice’s head was pulled up with a jerking motion, forcing her eyes up to face his. What now, she contemplated, her once beautiful face distorted in pain.

"Are we a little more hospitable now," Samuel joked. "Or shall we just continue our little game?"

"I’m fine to carry on if you are..." Alice said, her voice dreadfully tranquil.

"Oh really?" Samuel remarked, almost seeming surprised at Alice’s statement.

"Because I honestly thought you were about to cry..." He continued, grabbing her left arm and tugging it slightly, her hand instantly being overrun by a searing pain, one that shot through her body, stealing her voice from her.

"That’s what I thought." He smirked, clutching her face, forcing her to look at him.

"I’ll kill you! Alice snarled, a single tear rolling from her eyes.

"I’d like to see you try... But first, I’ll ask you again where is the case? And you’d better give me a straight answer or that little blade in your hand will be the least of your issues."

"Burn in hell!"

"Now that wasn’t very smart, well... nothing you’ve done the last few days has all that smart, so I’m not sure what I was expecting," he mused, backhanding her across the face once more, splitting her lip.

"Roche, my revolver if you will," he asked, his hand beckoning slowly out behind him.

"Of course," Roche smugly replied, slowly reloading the revolver’s cartridges before handing it over to Samuel, whistling softly as he did so.

"Now Alice, it’s time for you to pay the price for your mistake."

"I thought you weren’t going to kill me," she muttered through gritted teeth.

"I’m not going to kill you," he explained, kneeling down infront of her again, their faces level, the muzzle of his revolver held, hovering, just above Alice’s right thigh, as his shining emerald eyes stared at her, with great intrigue. In the next moment he pulled the trigger, lighting up in joy as Alice screamed in agony, her brave facade crumbling.

The gunshot rang endlessly in Alice’s ears as she bent over, as far as her capture and bindings would allow, trying hopelessly to crawl up into a ball to escape the pain. All the while Samuel sat crouched before her, whispering softly into her ear.

"See, this wouldn’t of happened if you’d just told me where it was... Now look at yourself, beaten black and blue, unable to move, unable to escape, with nothing left but a slow and painful death."

"But I’m a forgiving soul, so I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. I won’t even ask about the case’s location," he said, resting the revolver on his lap. "Just tell me who knows about the case and it’s contents."

"Go die in a hole," a voice whimpered.

"Such a dreadful waste," Samuel sighed almost remorsefully, leveling the revolver at her left leg and deftly squeezing the trigger. A moment later the gunshots powerful roar accompanied by the tormented howl of Alice echoed out into the forest, leaving an unnatural silence in its wake.

Even some of Samuel’s most experienced men stood aghast, shocked by the unusually cruel and painful torture enforced on Alice, gulping heavily as Samuel stood, leaving a Alice semi-conscious slumped over, her legs reduced to a bloody shredded pulp. They had seen him torture people before, but this was the most savage he’d ever been.

"Impressive," Roche hummed, stroking his stubbled chin in amusement, while across from him Samuel stood, breathing deeply, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, the revolver hovering uneasily at his side.

After a few moments Samuel broke from his silent thoughts, pacing over to Damian who stood motionless behind Alice, restricting her movements.

"She still Alive?"

"Her pulse is rapid and unstable, weakening by the minute, I doubt she’ll last more than another thirty minutes without medical assistance."

"More than enough time," Samuel rejoiced, revelling in the pleasure of it all.

"Wake up, I’m not done with you yet," he demanded, kicking Alice as he did so, the impact striking her ribcage, knocking her awake with a jolt.

"Not done yet?" Alice jeered, a thin strip of blood and mucus pouring from her mouth.

"No, not yet."

"Well get it over with... I’m starting to get fed up with this whole song and dance routine."

"Don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon, but first I’m going to beat you, over and over again, until you die." Samuel assured her, hooking a blow into her jaw, the bone cracking and splintering under the force of it.

"Didn’t hurt a bit," Alice muttered, breathing heavily.

"What was that?"

"I said.... It didn’t hurt, God! Is your hearing as pathetic as you are threatening."

"Big words for someone mere moments away from death," Samuel cracked, slamming his knee directly into her face.

"Damn... Are you even trying to get information from me?" Alice quipped, bubbles of blood and snot pouring from her broken nose.

"No... I’ve given up on that little avenue of inquiry but this has been so fun I thought I’d see it through to its inevitable conclusion."

"That being?"

"Your death," Samuel excitedly announced, raining down blow after blow into Alice, each more savage than the last and each impact accompanied with vast plums of blood that spurting violently across the forest floor.

Shit. Guess this is it then, it was a shit life... but it was mine. Alice thought to herself as her mind mind, no longer able to cope with the pain collapsed, beginning to shut itself down and leaving her to slip out of consciousness once more.

Damn, I should’ve apologised to Noelle before I ran off... told her how important she was to me too and thanked her for all she did for me... Mihai and everyone else too... shit! Fuck... even Risha I guess... I really don’t wanna die... damnnit... not to some bastard like this. Alone and by myself... I don’t want to die! She lamented remorsefully, as the last dregs of her consciousness faded, the darkness of it all actually feeling quite welcoming to her as she was enveloped by it, leaving the pain and agony behind.

In all the havoc and excitement no one really noticed as the girl, staked to the tree keeled forward, her last breath taken, leaving in her place a lifeless, broken shell, it’s skin torn and bones broken remained. Completely oblivious Samuel didn’t even let up his assault, striking her corpse again and again, lost in the pleasure and excitement of it all, only stopping once he’d thoroughly exhausted himself. It was only then that anyone noticed the deathly stillness of her body, quickly realising her fate.

"Damn," Samuel cursed in frustration at his broken toy, sending out a scything kick into Alice’s lifeless corpse, the force of the blow tearing the knife free from the tree and leaving her body to fall limply onto the ground in a contorted, bloody heap.

Next Chapter: Turmoil II - The Weak Inherit The Earth