Chapter Text
It was supposed to be a simple mission. An easy in and out.
005 was supposed to slip some harmless pills into a politicians drink, guide the by-then loopy man outside where they'll then use him for ransom at the behest of another greedy man.
It was supposed to be the usual "dog on dog" crime. Fueled by greed, and completed by ghosts, 005 wasn't supposed to get caught. Yet here she was, being dragged away by her curled hair, done up specifically for this mission because she was a woman.
She could hardly lift a finger, weak from constant fighting, and sleep deprivation, she was completely open for these men to hurt and use. As usual, it made her sick. Always, always, always was she stripped down to her reproductive organs, reduced to nothing but a slab of meat in the eyes of men. Of predators. 005 hates feeling weak.
This mission was supposed to be easy, but as she was dragged away through rough, jagged concrete that left little scrapes in her battle hardened skin, and into a van where her own wide green eyes met the accepting and resigned eyes of 032 and 006, she knew that something went horrible wrong.
Her vision blurred and burned as a black scratchy sack was placed over her head, heard as 006 growled protectively over 032, listened to how 001, silent as a Lion stalking it's prey, bashed into his attackers with reckless abandon. He never knew when to stop, he didn't know how to.
The dress the Camp stuffed her in was torn and stretched from the rough handling and it made her feel horribly bare. As if anyone could come and take, and take, and take. She couldn't decide what she wore, or how she acted. Always forced to appease a man who wouldn't know hardship if it slapped him in the face.
why couldnt 005 ever have anything? Why doesn't she ever have an option besides death? Why was she brought into this world only to be used? Surely, there had to be something more to life than this.
005 felt her consciousness wane and wobble- their attackers must've done something to her, only what? She didn't drink, too paranoid to while on a mission. She didn't touch anything she didn't know, didn't talk to anyone that would raise too many flags. What went wrong? How did they know? Her mind shook with questions unanswered as she desperately fought against forceful sleep and her own bondage. Everything felt too much, too scratchy, too stiff, and too stuffy. Thick and heavy, bile rose up her throat as she valiantly fought against whatever they put in her mask-bag. A sort of sleeping agent?
From directly across she could feel with an outstretched foot, now completely bare of any heels, as 006 slumped against his brother with a withering threat on his lips, spoken in a language that barely made sense. She could still hear and feel the vibrations of 001's desperate grapple for, well, not exactly freedom, but success. She could almost imagine the way he bared his teeth beneath his worn mask, how his eyes would narrow with a silent threat.
She could hear their kidnappers growl and shout accusations of; "You killed him!" Such childish words. This was war, albeit different from what many people thought. This was war between two greedy men, this was a battle of resources and money and connections. How could they have gotten caught by idiots who couldnt understand even that?
005 felt her eyelids grow weak at the same time 001 was thrown back with enough force to elicit a small, almost unnoticeable gasp. It didn't matter that 001 was strong, not when they laced their masks with some drug, and not when 001 could barely move in this confined space.
Still, even as her eyes unwillingly slipped shut, she knew that 001 would get them out. He was quite the infamous escape artist, and a master of ambush. Surely, their leader will get them out. 005 has never trusted anyone- doesn't think she ever will, but she is confident that they'll make it.
The Camp raised them to be little cockroaches who didn't know the meaning of loss, trained them to spit in the Grim Reapers face and tango with death, always carefully balancing that thin thread of life and death.
They will not die, but 005 knows that she'll have wished she did after this. No one likes the Camp. The power they held, the connections. The Numbers. Captured Numbers never made it back whole afterwards, always mangled and broken like a worn blanket left forgotten by its owner. They survived, but remained more animal than human. Growling and mindless, devoid of humanity.
As 005 embraced the blankness of forced rest, she felt as if she had embraced an old friend. The black that rested beneath her eyelids, nothing if not a distant relative of death, comforted her.
Nothing could break her when she was asleep, at least not more than she already was.
000
005 awoke to cold concrete, bound hands and ankles, and a killer headache that pulsed with her every breath. Everything ached, and from around her she could here whispered growls and the persistent pounding of balled fists on tough concrete.
"001," called out a raspy voice that sounded very much done with his cellmates actions, "cut it out, you insane bastard." 006 growled out. 001 obviously elected to ignore him as the resounding pounds continued in that same steady pattern.
The blurred greys, and stale oranges of her environment twisted for a few seconds more before 005 finally managed to get her sense of self under control. While goin through her own personal struggle, 005 heard 006 curse their leader with, she's assuming, bared teeth. All of them were quick to anger (aside from 008, he is an angel amongst demons,) but 006 was perhaps the easiest, annoyed by even a brush of arms. 005 truly has no idea how 032 handles the ball of rage that is 006. It must be a family thing, not that she knows anything about that.
005 took in her now clear surroundings. The room was in a rather boring box shape, the walls a firm concrete stained with God knows what, and littered with scratches and a few bullet holes. It was rather demeaning that their captors couldn't even get them a new room.
She tested her restraints with a grim frown. Her hands stayed chained together, pinned to the ground by a long chain that provided decent mobility, and a quickly glance down showed that her ankles were also chained together with a shorter chain.
As she tested her chains, she could hear 032 talk in that fluid tone he had adapted meant to disarm and keep peace. It was the tone he used when the higher ups back at Camp wanted to do something... detrimental to their health.
"Don't pick a fight, you know this is just how 001 gets when we're in trouble." And he's not wrong. Mad Dog did good in making sure 001 prioritized returning over death, somehow made 001 scared of it in ways even she was not. Right now, 001 was working on fumes, ramming bloody hands into the closest wall with a desperate sort of rage, making the other two captors that were imprisoned alongside them shiver in fear, and wince in empathy.
006 scoffed with a scowl, "He's gonna get us in deep shit if this continues, you know that!" He bursts with a raised voice. It wasn't uncommon for 006 to yell at his brother, but it wasn't exactly expected either, and the near full body flinch 032 had only further proved that.
Instead of waiting for 032 to come up with something to say, 005 chose then to interject, "Just let him burn out," she rasped, her dry throat burning with dehydration. Speaking made her eyes pound, but it was necessary. 006 only listened to Numbers higher than himself, and 005 fortunately met that condition, albeit only barely. He was regularly pretty calm, but she can understand his rage. The were captured, completely at the mercy of people they don't know, and here 001 was, throwing himself at the walls without a single thought of them.
A broken grimace meant to be a fake smile stretched unnaturally across her face, "He'll be good after he fucks himself up a bit." It wasn't exactly ideal, but this was just how the infamous mercenary was. He was punishing himself, and 005 wasn't exactly strong enough to stop him like she usually did.
006's mouth clicked shut with an audible *clack* while 032 sent her a grateful look mixed with concern. "Are you alright?" He asked with a frown, he was placed directly beside 006 while 001 prowled from across the room, sandwiched between the other two strangers.
032 scooted towards her with a half limp, he mustve gotten quite the beating it seems. "Our captors were rough with you." He says with a deeper frown. It was sweet that he cared, but 005 has been through worse- has done worse. 032 knows this. 005 wasn't fragile like everyone thought she was. She was a soldier, raised just as they were. She could handle herself.
She shakes her head with an easy grin, ignoring the way it made the room spin and her stomach lurch, "I'm good enough." She waves away the concern with both chained hands.
032 doesn't believe her if the way his ruby eyes squint is any proof, but he doesn't push and instead settles back against the way to watch as 001 slams himself into the wall with the same ferocious tenacity he showed in the van. She doesn't comment on the way 032 sighs in defeat, or how 006 pulls at the long chain keeping him just out of reach from 001.
005 turns her attention to the other two occupants. She doesn't recognize the one to 001's left who has black hair and is as gaunt as a corpse, but she does recognize the other more plump man who's curled up in the corner near the entrance.
He's a famous informant who's known by the name "Prophet". Seems like not even the neutral Prophet is safe from situations such as these. She wants to ask, to interrogate him on what he knows, but before she can, the metal door that is the only entrance/exit to this place is slammed open with a harsh "BANG", startling 001 from his manic self destruction, and her fellow Numbers from their self depreciation.
The man that walks in is a wall of muscle and followed by two other men decked out completely in black gear. She even recognizes her favorite brand; SLVER. What a shame that such nice gear is being wasted on stupid assholes like these. The Camp doesn't like loosing their property to other people.
The main man stares at the bloodied 001 with a look made of pure arrogance and sick pride. His broad chested puffed like a peacock showing off it's feathers. It's a type of posturing that 005 never not sees, and it's annoying every goddamn time.
001 doesn't move, or even make a sound for that matter. Only lowers his body and stares with the eyes of a predator, his mask gone to reveal sharp teeth that 005 knows has torn through human meat in times of desperation. He didn't make himself look bigger, instead, his instinct was to shrink in on himself and tense up. He was far more dangerous than this wannabe.
How could a Lion possibly be prey to a peacock? Just the very notion of it was absurd.
The main guy scowled at 001's expression of utter defiance, reaching over to harshly pull at long silver hair, only rear back in surprise as 001 lunged with sharp teeth, intent on harming anyone who so much as attempts to touch him. 005 doesn't know how, but 001 manages to pull himself back before the chain yanks him back, landing gracefully on his feet like a cat. She's just a little jealous.
The wannabe mercenary stares at 001 for a second more, only to break out in mocking laughter. "Ooh! We've got ourselves a fighter!" He cackles in English, slapping his friends shoulder.
001 and everyone else doesn't react to his poor attempt at a taunt, they only continue to stare dispassionately as the man beat 001 who rolled into whatever hit he could, and lunged whenever the main guy attempted to go further. A beating they could take, and as she watches this man beat their leader, she can't help but wonder how these dumbasses managed to capture them. Was it truly only because they caught them off guard?
Then, just after an hour, the man left, telling his men to "Do whatever. Numbers are some tricky bastards, break 'em whichever way you want." Already 005 knows what awaits her. Knows just what those words meant, and those downright hungry eyes that laid upon her vulnerable form mean. She knows whats gonna happen now. Knows what they're gonna do.
The first one who makes a move has dark brown hair and far too spread eyes, "Who knew the Camp had such a pretty little thing. I'm almost jealous they get such a pretty toy!" He laughs, approaching playfully slow, face adorned with a soft smile mean to calm her, only it does the exact opposite.
005 pushes herself up against the wall, retreats to the far corner as fast she could. Distantly she can hear 006 screams and yells and thrashing, can hear as 032 promises a painful death. The sounds nothing more than static to her ears as her body stills and freezes, as her mind forces a cloud over her eyes. Green eyes painfully open, yet unseeing and blank. She can't feel her limbs, can only hear the steady beating of her heart, almost a lullaby meant to send her into a peaceful rest.
005 is pulled into a state that carefully borders sleep and wakefulness. She retreats to that safe room in her mind, so very dark and devoid of all that might harm her. It's slow, the transition to complete numbness, the shock and suddenness of their situation enough to slow her mind.
"Hey!" Whines the other man, his words painfully clear in the suddenly loud room, "why do you get her first?" They talk as if shes not even a person, and in their eyes she isn't. Just a means of self pleasure. It's disgusting, and her body flinches. The shame, the self hatred, and loathing is almost too much. Was this really all she was good for? A quick fuck? All of those years fighting to become one of the best, only to be caught helpless again. Or, maybe secretly 005 liked it. Liked being used. She had to like, because then that meant she had options, and choices. It meant that she had control over her own body. It meant she was a person, and 005 wanted so badly to be a person. She likes it. She does. She really does.
Please--
005 hates it. Hates her body. Hates the men who stole what she is for their own pleasure. Why couldn't she be a person? Wasn't she human? Didn't God create everyone equal? Why was she less because of her gender? What made her less w orthy of respect? why was she born a woman? She was never religious, but why did God curse her? Why was she so unloved? WHY WAS SHE USED--
a hand inching up her thigh, playing absentmindedly with the fake diamonds sewn into her golden skin tight dress, "Because," he sighs heavily, as if he were explaining something complicated to a toddler, "you broke our last toy like a selfish asshole." His hamd continued a freezing path upwards, uneven nails curling into her thigh.
He turns his attention to her face, studying her features with a slight pout. "So pretty.." he sighed with leery eyes, his tongue, white with bad hygiene, swiped across his lips, and 005 actually flinched.
His friend sighed loudly, "Fuckin' asshole.." he muttered to himself and crossed his arms. It was revolting. She wasn't something to be passed around-- she wasn't! She- she--!
Hands forced her legs open and she wants to screams, wants to hurt someone. She kicks, and thrashes. She pushes and hurts and claw but nothing ever works. She never fights them off. Never protects herself. Why was she so weak? What did she do? Why-- why only her? She can't speak, can't get her heavy tongue to move, can't make her vocal cords work. Always so painfully still, paralyzed from years of use. The Camp taught her well, and 005 was supposed to be strong enough now. Was supposed to be able to kill anyone who tries to touch her. She was strong. She made herself strong, so why--
He hikes her dress up, and every touch feels like a burn. Bile, hot and heavy, rises up her throat and 005 screams a yell so gutteral, so very human and wounded.
I miss my mom. Such a human thought, but 005 missed the woman who she could hardly remember. Missed how she would run gentle fingers through her hair. Missed how she would say something that felt like a name. Missed how she would call her "my sun" with such a kind smile. She wanted, wanted like she has never wanted before. Mom-
hands curl around her waist, digging into her covered flesh like a vulture peeling skin off of a carcass, hungry and without hesitation. He runs dirty teeth down her throat, and contemplates tearing into her throat like a man depraved of water. He whispers broken words with an intense drive to hurt, and take, and plunder, and break.
005 waits for the inevitable. Waits patiently for the forceful burn, and soul crushing hatred, and the screams, and the fists. She waits because that is all she can do. She never has another option, and her mother, long gone in all but memory, begged for her to live. Longer than everyone else.
She waits for pain that doesn't come, and looks up with bleary green eyes as the man cradled her body is pulled back by the hair, revealing the long column of his tanned neck.
She watches as bottomless pits for eyes stare, unnaturally wide and filled with a bloodlust that could never be quenched. 005 watches as 001 bares sharp teeth, as his silver hair drips with red blood, his face covered in ruby red. A mask that fits better than his skin ever could.
The man between her legs gurgles with surprise, and let's out a muted scream as 001 tears into his throat and bites.
It resounds through the room with a squelch as 001 slowly tears a chunk of meat from his neck, the wound deep and so very animalistic. The skin stretches from the man's neck like gum being pulled apart.
001 stands above the twitching, gurgling man. His teeth dripping with blood after he spits out the chunk of meat. His mouth twisted into a snarl that feels like a Cheshire grin. He pants, chest rising and falling with relaxed breaths, looking to the ceiling as he were presenting himself to some God.
In that moment, 005 finds him beautiful. She yearns, yearns to have his strength. She too wants to tear and rip and destroy. She's so very jealous of his almost divine bloodlust. She wants to be him. Wants to settle beneath his skin and command his body as if it were her own. And it's such a physical want, that her bones ache, and her mind burns.
Slowly, so very predatory and powerful, 001 looks down at her with teeth bared proudly.
"You are a Number," he sad to her bruised and used form, her indecency covered by a thrashing corpse, "You do not need to bow to these bastards."
And he's right. 005 is a person. She is, she is, she is, she is, she is, she is, she is, she is, SHE IS.
He bends over with unnaturally gentle hands, guides her chains off with a key he must've picked off of the main guy while he was being beaten.
When she stands with unsteady legs, he looks to her with solid eyes, lucid and alive, and so very different to what Mad Dog twisted him into.
"Let's leave." He says.
It's so easy. To leave. She could stay, could continue to beat them mens corpses. Could brutalize them, and break them as they intended to do to her.
But.. 005 doesn't want to.
Instead she whispers a near silent;
"Okay."