Chapter 25

                                    

                                          
Y'all need to calm your tits. I told you guys I would update on Sunday, so here I am. There will probably be only about 5 more chapters. Sorry, I can't continue it forever! The ending will be extremely sad, and you guys will be mad at me for months. *evilly cackles behind screen* I will most likely will not be making a sequel on this one, but I will probably make a sequel for aSS:WiAaD, which will have a happy ending. I'll try and make this chapter over 1,000 words, but I make no promises. This one will be in Ben's POV. Do you guys want me to do a Q&A? If so, vote in the comments and give me questions to answer! The song above is from one of my favourite musicals, Heathers. Check it out!
                          
I was by myself in the room. Elizabeth would come every hour or so to "persuade" me, as she put it. I resisted all of her advances. I knew Erica would be desperate to find me, and she captivated my thoughts. I needed to get back to her as soon as I could. It had been about 3 days if my internal clock was correct. 
                          
"But how..." I wondered to myself. I couldn't out right engage them. I was too weak for that. I was fed just enough to stay alive. I was barely given information, only the things Elizabeth blurted out when she was there. She was too smart for that and I soon realised it was a trick to make me think that I had the upper-hand. Coin, the guy who had given me my amazing scar, had come in and tortured me for information as well. I had plenty of time to think over some things. Coin came in for my daily 'interrogation'. 
                          
"What do you want this time?" I sighed, my eyes closed in exasperation. 
                          
"Persnickety today, are we? Why are you so loyal to them?" He asked. I still had no idea who 'Coin' really was. He always kept that half-baclava clown mask on. He seemed familiar though.\
                          
"Who?" I played dumb even though we both knew I was anything but.
                          
"The CIA."
                          
"Why do you ask?" He pulled out his knife, and my PTSD flared. It was the same one that I had escaped with, the same knife he had almost killed me with almost a year ago.
                          
"They lied to everyone for months for the sake of appearance, and now they believe you joined us. Even your precious girlfriend believed us." 
                          
His mouth was close to my ear, and he took the knife near my eye. I closed my eyes, remembering Erica's face and my friends, taking my mind away. I thought he was going to take out my eye and I didn't want my last sight to be a warehouse with a psychopath. However, he took the dagger to the corner of my eye and pressed down, drawing three parallel line from the corner of my eye to my chin. (Who can spot the two references in this paragraph?) What seemed like ichor dripped sluggishly down my face. 
                          
"I'll let you think over your associations." 
                          
With that, he left, leaving me bleeding and mentally violated on the floor. What did he mean by lying for months and believing I had joined Callim? The only thing that came to mind was when I had amnesia for months. The story had been that they had found me wandering in the woods, and I was only coming back after a week or two in the hospital. I thought that over and realised it was a pretty good story. If there had been a mole, they probably would have bought that story. In the hospital, both Erica and I would have been incredibly vulnerable, so putting out a fake story that I was only found when I was awake was a good cover. 
                          
What did they mean by the fact that Erica thought that I had deserted? She wouldn't have such little faith in me, would she? Didn't she realise that I would rather die because I betrayed them than live because I betrayed her? (LUNAR CHRONICLES WHOOO-HOOO)
                          
"No." I muttered to myself. This was just a mind trick to make me feel weak, just like everything else was. The blood was dripping on my shirt, and I could barely stay awake. I could see the stars, (milady) and the corners of my vision were becoming white until the light completely took over my world. 
                          
"Erica..." I murmured before succumbing to the darkness.
                          
___________
                          
The guard came around the corner, and stopped, his hand on his gun. He was greeted by empty of aisles of files and a black computer. He gave a small huff, sure he had heard voices, but he left. 
                          
"Guys, we need to get to Nefie. He can help us crack these files." Zoe whispered. 
                          
"I don't know... Will he believe us? If we're caught, we've lose our chance to save Ben, and we're considered rogue agents." Erica said, cautious as usual. 
                          
"Wouldn't be the first time in a government building." Mike deadpanned, flashing back to the time they were interrogated and sentenced to the pentagon. Zoe silenced him with a look. 
                          
"Yes, he will. For Ben, if anything. C'mon, I know exactly where his office is."
                          
"Zoe?"
                          
"Yeah, Mike?" She sounded a little annoyed, as if she knew he was going to say something stupid. 
                          
"How do you know where his office is?" He looked a little jealous and miffed. Erica almost smiled, thinking of Ben. 
                          
"Mike, we don't have time for this right now." Zoe rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek. Mike's enthusiasm kicked up a notch, and he smiled at her, throwing his arms around his friends. 
                          
"Onward, peasants!" He commanded jokingly, attempting to get Zoe and Erica to carry him. Both of the girls rolled their eyes. 
                          
"If anything, you should be carrying Zoe." Erica reminded him. 
                          
"What are you talking about? Her arms are bigger than my neck!" Mike mock gasped. 
                          
"I'll take that as a compliment. Just blend in and pretend we belong here." Zoe said, guiding them out of the file room and into a hallway. Erica's face morphed into a stoic mask. A guard came around the corner, and Mike's eyes widened. He turned to Zoe, and she seemed to read his mind. 
                          
"Like, omigod, did you hear about Janet's baby?" She said in a heavy New Jersey accent, and Mike played along. He laughed slightly. 
                          
"I know, and she doesn't even know who the father is! What do you think about it, Sash?" He turned to Erica and she appeared to contort into a gossipy girl. 
                          
"I think it's Conner. Y'know, Conner Murphy? From accounting?" She looked like she was chewing gum. The security guard didn't give them a second look as they entered Nefarious Jones' office. 
                          
"Ah, I thought I'd be seeing you three." The video game fanatic gave them a smile, looking up from his keyboard. He turned deliberate when he saw their exhausted faces. 
                          
"What do you need."