'Are the only things you say lies?'

Where? The cloudiness within my mind refused to be cleared. I rolled my tight joints. A loud noise followed my actions. My eyes shot open. Where am I! I scrambled up to my feet. The walls of the room were painted a deep navy blue.

The wall to my right held a floor to ceiling cupboard with drawers of different sizes. On the opposite side was bare with a sink in the corner. Jammed to that wall sat a metal table and two metal chairs on opposite ends. The wall before me had a single metal door to which there were two wall lamps on either side.

I pulled on the chains that bound me. They knocked loudly in the cold room. The door groaned as it opened, clearly in need of oiling. A tall, thin man dressed in a suit and tie entered. He placed a tray near my feet.

"Where am I? Hey!" I shouted at the man, yet he did not look my way. The door was closed behind him noisily.

My stomach rumbled in the room. I slid back onto the floor looking at the tray. What? I felt confused. This isn't what you serve someone imprisoned. A bowl of what I wanted to believe was either shrimp or lobster fettuccine alfredo sat on the tray, next to a utensil neatly wrapped in a white napkin and a bottle of water.

Placing my head between my knees I began to go over the numbers. I shook my head in disgust as I pushed it away. I over ate this morning. Alfredo is four hundred and fifteen that would put me over by two hundred and seventy-two. Why am I even doing this? I know the answer, before I can crunch the numbers. Ignoring the meal next to me I fell into a deep sleep.

A warm hand massaged my head. I raised my head up.

"Why didn't you eat?" said my visitor. If I weren't bound to the wall, I would have thought nothing had changed between us. "Damien, we're already on thin ice. Answer me!" He grabbed a handful of my hair. My face twisted in pain.

"I'm not hungry." I lied through my teeth. He removed his hands from my head.

"It's cold. Could I get you something else later?" I looked at the smiling man.

"Okay, but it's not needed." I agreed on the surface. He leaned in placing a soft kiss on my lips.

"Let me go Ace." Ace stared at me deep in thought.

"No," said Ace. I closed my eyes and leaned my head on the wall. "Please Ace. There are people who will miss me. People who will come looking for me..." Joshua's face flashed in mind. Tears escaped the confines of my lids and rolled down my cheeks. "People like..."

"People like Tendom?" said Ace. I kept my eyes shut and finished my sentence despite what he said.

"People like Joshua." Shit! How does he know about Tendom? Crap! Is that why he kidnapped me?

"Are you sure that's the name you were looking for?" Upon opening my eyes. A different mindset took hold of me. 'Find your advantage. Use it.' I slumped my shoulders and lowered my eyes.

"Yes. Ace please." I begged. I moved into a kneeling position and placed my hands around his neck. Burying my face into his neck, I said, "Please Ace, will you unlock the chains?" He rubbed his face on mine.

"Sure. If you tell me what I need to know."

"Anything!" I answered quickly not allowing a second to slip by.

Worry crept into the front of my mind. Ace is the type that tends to ask the right questions. I hope he doesn't...

"As the Leader of the Regalia Syndicate, I am asking you," He lifted my face to look into my eyes. I held onto the lazy look in my eyes. "Who do you work for?"

"New Age Engineering." I answered honestly. He smiled, placing a light peck on my lips.

"Who's syndicate do you belong to?" I felt his hands wrap themselves around me. I smiled.

"I don't belong to a syndicate!" I said. Shit he's onto me. The smile on his face did not waver, but his fingers began to dig into my skin.

"Damien." He called my name.

"Yes." I answered him.

"Tell me then. Why is it that you're always seen surrounded by Tendom's men?" My blood dropped in temperature heading into the negatives.

Without breaking character, I donned a delicately crafted mask woven with confusion. "I only hangout with my friends and my work colleagues." His eyes darkened. Burying my fear I took initiative and reached up to kiss him. "Ace?" He looked at me, not allowing his innermost thoughts to be seen.

"Tell me Damien. How long have you been a part of this group?" He continued his questioning.

"I'm sorry? I... I don't understand. Ace?" I furrowed my eyebrows deeply, expressing my confusion.

"Damien do you love me?"

"I love you Ace." I answered in a heartbeat.

"Then you understand why I must do this. I will return tomorrow, hopefully then you'll give me the answers I want to hear. Good night." My eyes widened, tears willed into existence ran down my cheeks.

"What do you mean? Ace? You said you'd release me. Please!" He ignored my words and took the tray out with him as he left. Flicking the switch, the lights came off and the door was shut. Plunged into pitch darkness, I wiped my tears. Fuck!

Why so loud? The metal door opened and the lights were switched on. Though they were not bright they caused my eyes to throb in pain. The same man from the previous day reappeared. He set down another tray beside me and then quickly left. A bowl of steamy oats sat on the tray along with a plate of smoked sausages, a fried egg and pieces of bread. A glass of pink juice sat on the side.

Looking at the devil in physical form, I began to dry retch. I pushed away the tray and ignored its existence hoping to overlook the putrid smell. I rose up pulling at the chains. The chains gave me about six feet of freedom from its point of connection to the wall. I walked to the table and chairs and sat down.

Feeling tired from doing nothing. I lay my head on the table and fell asleep. Those hinges really need to be oiled. Not giving me the time of day, he collected the old tray and placed the second one before me. I jerked away from the table. The door was shut and I was left alone. An oval bowl sat before me.

There seemed to be rice underneath the bed of asumingly braised pork and beans. I got up from the table and sat back down on the floor. The smell of the meat made me feel upset in more ways than one. I lay down on the floor. This is how I'm going to die? Not from a bullet, but starvation? I will never betray my King. I affirmed in my mind, as I answered the call of sleep.

I jumped at the sudden cold downpour. Trembling like a leaf in the wind, the room which was already freezing, dropped by a few more degrees. My eyes struggled to open only for me to look up and see a pair of black ones looking back at me. Whether my tears fell from anguish or the cold I couldn't say. However I kept to my prose.

"Ace..." I drew my legs into me as I sat up.

"Yes? Are you ready to talk?"

"Please I don't..."

"Who's syndicate do you belong to?" My face morphed into one of distress.

"I don't belong to anything. Please Ace. I don't know what you're talking about."

"You are the first I've come across that didn't carry his tattoo. Why?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I whined. "Why won't you believe me? Please!" I begged him. The pain was dull, but the effect shocked me. I grabbed at my chest, heaving air. I blinked twice. Shit. I can't feel my hands. If I don't find a way out of here, forget starvation I'll die of hypothermia.

Ace sighed in the silent room. "One answer for one comfort." He said as he looked at me.

"I've given you all that you've asked for. Please." I begged.

"Since you're so adamant in your decision. You can relax here for the rest of the week. If I were you, I would start eating those meals. You wouldn't want us to insert a feeding tube now would you?" He said while smiling at me. I swallowed.

Kingdom gave me everything. He fixed my family. This is nothing. I will suffer. I will not betray Kingdom. I will not betray My King!

Ace took up the tray before he turned off the lights and walked out of the room. "You hurt me Damien. Think deeply on your actions." The door was shut behind him. My world was taken over by darkness. My King I pray you strengthen me. A song embedded in my soul left my lips. I sang the lullabye softly to myself.

Memories flooded my mind of days long gone. It would be safe to say almost half my life had been dedicated to my training. So I could be in service to my King. Those efforts must not go in waste! The following four days passed by with the same routine. The man enters and switches on the lights. He places that days' selection before me and leaves.

After some time he returns with a second meal and removes the first untouched tray. On the 'night' of the fifth day, I lay on the floor unmoving. Not bothering to look up or inspect the dishes being served. I lay quietly with my hand covering my eyes awaiting ... nothing. A warm hand lifted my arm.

"I just need you to sleep for a while ok." A deep voice sounded in my ear. A cold sensation was felt on my arm.

The point of something sharp caused my eyes to shoot open. I stared at the new stranger who inserted the needle into my arm. I ripped the half empty barrel out of my skin. I stood up with my back against the wall.

"It's necessary... Get the other one." He said to the man behind him. A second needle and vial was produced. He filled the needle and walked towards me. Through the blurring of my eyes I watched his every moment.

"Hold him!" He ordered the second man. The second man behind him reached out to grab me.

"Don't touch me!" I warned. He laughed as though I said something funny. The second his hand grazed my skin. I sent one powerful punch to his elbow. A delightful popping sound could be heard in the room. I smiled as he cried out in pain. Not allowing him to retreat my fists reached out and two consecutive hits landed on his face. I grabbed his hair, slamming him into the floor.

"The fuck is you? If I say don't touch me! Don't. Touch. Me!" I spoke calmly to the man that lay beneath my foot.

"What's going on in there?" A familiar voice entered my ears. The scowl that was displayed on my face disappeared. I quickly removed my foot and the man scrambled away. Dropping into a defeated heap on the floor. I schooled my thoughts awaiting his return. Ace broke the corner in a rage swinging a bat.

Seeing my still conscious state, he swiftly turned to the two men. "I gave you one job!" He shouted at the two men, who looked more scared than a child that watched a horror flick.

"He's a handful. Look at what he did to Eron's arm!" The man stuttered pointing at me. My shoulders caved in and streams of tears rolled down my face.

"I didn't! He, he hit me! I, I, I tried to fr... free myself and he stumbled ... knocking himself into the table!" I cried long silent tears.

The two men that stood at Ace's side were flabbergasted. The expression on Ace's face was ugly.

"Who told you, you could hit my property?" The sweet echo of the bat connecting to the second man's head, filled the void called my heart. The man crumbled to the floor. With Ace's back turned to me I gave the other man a dazzling smile. Ace then turned to the first man.

"Give him the sedative." He barked at the man.

The closer the first man moved to me the harder I glared at him. He swallowed thickly, causing his adam's apple to bob several times. He reached forward to touch me. My knee shot upward knocking his hand. The loosely held needle flew out his hand and landed on the floor shattering on impact. Ace turned around in a rage.

"One job!"

The man scuttled away. Ace took a new needle and vial out of the bag. How many of those do you carry around? After ensuring all was in order he walked up to me.

"Damien I need to do this. I can't have you see where our base is located. You need to be asleep, so I can transport you to my home." He spoke softly to me. Transport me? Base?

"I... please let me go." I knocked the back of my head brutally against the wall repeatedly. He cradled my head with his hand.

"I will, when you tell me what I want to hear most." He stretched out my hand and inserted the needle. I watched as fluid left the chamber and entered my body. Now filled with a dose and a half, I felt groggy.

"Ace." I whispered his name as I leaned onto his shoulder.

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