Here we are, at last, at the final chapter. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me on this long, long road. I'm truly grateful for every view, rating, comment and follow you guys have given me. It's what kept me going right until the end.

So thank you all. And enjoy the conclusion to Dan and Rose's story.

— — —

Rose

"Ouch!" I yelp, as Dahlia presses the damp cloth against my burning behind without any of her normal gentleness.

Thistle and Leilani look up from whatever it is they are doing at the sudden sound, but don't comment.

"Rose," Dahlia whispers frantically, "you can't steal from a Warden! You're not allowed!"

Given the circumstances she's reacting better than I would have expected. If one of my sisters had asked me to help her steal something from a Warden, I would have—as my owner would say—freaked out. At least she's not stated yelling for a Warden, yet.

"It's okay," I say, trying to sound soothing, as I reach back to grab her wrist, preventing her from applying any more pressure to my injured behind.

"It's not okay!" she whispers harshly. "None of this is okay!"

"I need that card," I say. "I don't have a choice in this."

"Yes you do! Chose to be a good girl!"

"Come here," I say softly, gesturing to the space on the bed beside me.

"But I'm meant to clean your cane marks," my sister says, sounding lost.

"It doesn't matter," I reply. Which is true. Unless I can escape soon the lack of medicine will kill me before any infection I might get from my caned bottom.

Dahlia lays down beside me, her emerald eyes, darker than mine, set with worry.

I throw the blanket over our heads, making a sort of cocoon for the two of us. The threadbare material does little to keep out the light, but it should muffle our whispers allowing us to talk without my other sisters hearing—despite the fact that they seem to have no interest in talking to me anyway.

"Rose, whoever took you, did they hurt your head?" my sister asks, reaching out and brushing my temple, as if she might be able to feel some injury there.

"No," I reply, feeling a smile pull at my lips, "but they taught me to see the world in a new way; like a free girl," I say, trying to keep the pride from my voice. Saying words like 'free' could be as dangerous as talking about stealing from the Wardens around my sister.

Dahlia frowns, "Like a free girl? But you're not a free girl! You're a slave!" she says, stroking my cheek tenderly.

"I want to tell you everything," I reply softly, stroking my sisters cheek in return. "But if I do, you will have to keep it secret, even from the Warden's. Can you do that?"

I feel a touch of guilt for laying this all on Dahlia so suddenly. I can only imagine what my reaction might have been if our roles were reversed, but I can't let up now. I need to get back to my Master, and I can't do that alone.

"I can't keep the secret if they ask me to tell it," she says, choosing her words carefully, "but I won't tell them, unless I have to."

I sigh in relief. It's not a complete promise of secrecy, but I didn't expect one. This is enough. I'm so lucky that Dahlia and I are so close. Having a best friend is, of course, against the rules here. But, in the real world, it would be the best way to describe our relationship.

I don't think I could go to the other girls a secret like this.

Thistle would report me at once. She's not mean, just determined to be the very model of obedience. Not that I don't try to be a good girl. I just find reigning in my curiosity much harder than she does, and my time with Master has not improved matters.

Leilani might hear me out, but her primary concern is for the wellbeing of us all. If she thought I was a danger to the group—and given what I plan to do, she would definitely think I was dangerous—she would do whatever she had to do, to keep my other sisters safe. Even if it meant losing me.

Brushing a strand of Dahlia's black hair out of her face, like Master does with my hair, I wonder if these realisations about the nature of my siblings means I love them any less. It's not even something I need to think about. I will always love them, no matter what. That knowledge at least gives me something to smile about.

"You're smiling," Dahlia says shakily.

I nod slowly, offering no explanation. Dahlia isn't like my other sisters. She's obedient, of course, but where Thistle yearns to be the most well behaved girl in the compound. Dahlia obeys because she's terrified of punishment. Of all my sisters she is the most sensitive to spankings. It's like she feels more pain than the rest of us.

But, despite her fear of punishment, Dahlia looks after us all. She isn't like Leilani, who will try and help practically, assisting us with lessons and explaining why we were punished. Dahlia helps by being here. She is always the one who will cuddle with us after a punishment. Protecting us the best way she knows how.

"You seem so different now," my sister continues, "it's scary."

I grimace, "I'm still Rose."

She nods slowly, "You smile more now, that's a good thing," she pauses, "I think."

"You can keep my secret?" I ask again, needing to be sure.

"I will," She says softly, "but I won't lie!"

"Okay then," I reply, suddenly feeling nervous. This could be a massive mistake. Telling Dahlia anything could get me killed. It could get her killed.

Wincing I shift onto my side. The marks from my punishment still burn, and I doubt I will be able to sit down or lie in my back for a while. Master will be angry. Not because my skin is damaged, but because they hurt me—he's strange like that. I take comfort in the thought, as I wonder how exactly to start my story.

Dahlia watches me closely, her eyes wide. She reminds me of a rabbit I saw in one of Emily's shows. It was being hunted by a hawk and kept looking around frantically, before bolting away in random directions. Not that it did the poor bunny much good in the end.

Afraid she might go all rabbity and start darting around the room, I try and put myself in her shoes. Which is a silly expression, because I don't think any of my sisters have ever worn shoes. But it's something Master said and I think I understand the meaning, even if in this case it doesn't make much sense.

Dahlia lives in another world, one I used to live in before I was brought to my Master. I remember the constant fear of being punished, and of trying so hard to be a good girl, while all the time feeling like a constant failure. I used to think that was what life would always be like, but I was wrong. My sister's need to learn they are wrong as well, even if it's painful.

"Dahlia, they are never going to sell us," I say quickly. "You're never going to have an owner."

She doesn't look so afraid anymore, instead she looks like someone just slapped her.

"Rose, that's a horrible thing to say!" she gasps.

"I'm not saying it to be horrible. I'm saying it because it's true," I shake my head. "Look, I'm going to tell you what happened to me, all of it. Then you can decide what you will do."

Taking a deep gulp of air, I start to tell her about life with my wonderful Master. I leave out as much detail as I can, because, I realise, the Warden's knowing this won't just get me in trouble. It will get my owner in trouble as well!

--- --- ---

Dan

I wait anxiously, as the train pulls to an agonisingly slow halt. Before the whole train slides smoothly sideways against the platform. The doors open with a hiss, and the sounds of a packed central station assault my ears. Despite taking a prime seat by the door, I hesitate before stepping out. Which doesn't seem to concern the people behind me, as they push their way out onto the gleaming white platform.

Not for the first time since I got on the train I wonder how Rose is getting on. The inspection is supposed to happen in two days time, which simultaneously feels far to soon, and far to far away. There's been no word from her, or, if there has, X hasn't felt it necessary to tell me. Having that suited pompous prick out of my life is going to be nearly as sweet as having Rose back.

Though, I will miss Lucy.

I keep my head down, as I walk through the station. I take the stairs down to the ground floor. I don't want to be stuck in a lift with anyone who realises I should be in school. Even if my Ident chip has been modified to avert suspicion, there is no hack to counter curiosity. Hell, nineteen years of slave training couldn't dull Rose's.

Finally making it to the ground floor, and only a little out of breath, I tuck into the protected niche from which I have given out so many leaflets. Surreptitiously, I rub the pins and needles from my right hand. I hope the taser implant isn't malfunctioning. Being electrocuted out of nowhere in a busy station is bound to blow my cover.

With a little more feeling in my hand, I head for the exit. A huge cargo freighter takes to the sky as I walk by, leaving only scattered leaves and turned up collars in its wake.

--- --- ---

Rose

"You really just ask him questions like that?" Dahlia says in awe, her eyes sparkling. She is equal parts horrified and amazed by what's happened to me, and the simple act of talking about my wonderful Master has made me feel much better.

I nod, "Master likes it when I ask questions!" I can barely hide the excitement from my voice.

"He doesn't sound like a real Master at all," Dahlia says. "He taught you to lie."

"Not revealing your owners secrets is one of the Overriding Edicts," I counter.

"But that isn't the same as lying," Dahlia protests.

"Why?" I ask. I don't really understand how there's much of a difference between keeping a secret, and not telling the truth. Either way, if you don't answer honestly, or withhold important information, that is the same as a lie. We spent a lot of time when we were younger learning what a lie was.

"Because..." My sister falters. "I don't know. But why do you need to be the one to help us leave? Why can't your Master, or another Human, do it?"

I notice my sister doesn't use the word escape, even after hearing what they have planned for us here. She still thinks it's where she should be. But I know Dahlia. Taking her babies away from her will hurt her in ways she doesn't understand—not yet.

What about the girls who are breed here? Like my mother. Do they care when their babies are taken away? Do they wonder what their offspring are doing? Or how we are doing? I never considered these questions until I met Master and his family.

"Because no Human can get inside like I can," I say softly, remembering what Mr. X said. "And I can do this, Master says I can do anything if I put my mind to it."

"You can't fly," Dahlia replies, absentmindedly tracing paths in the markings on my neck.

I feel myself purring, the vibrations rippling painfully though my cane marks. "It's a Human saying," I tell her, "they don't always make sense. It means I can act like a Human."

"He still doesn't sound real," my sister says. "None of the Masters in books act like yours."

"He is a real Master!" I say defensively. "He's my Master!"

Dahlia's looks down, easily scolded.

"You can meet him," I say apologetically. "He can find you a Master or a Mistress, but only if I can escape. Only if you help me," I pause to let me words sink in. "I need you Dahlia."

My sister frowns. "I can't make a choice like this," she whispers.

"You have to," I say, feeling cruel. Once, Master and I watched a really gross movie. In it, a deep space miner got caught up in his ships machinery while working alone very far from any help. To escape he used a plasma torch to cut off his own arm.

At the time I couldn't understand how anyone could do that to themselves. My owner told me that sometimes when a human was desperate enough they would do anything to escape. I remember thinking that a human might, but a Lower Vil would never behave like that. Except now I know that's not true. I will do anything to get out of here.

"I'm going to read for a little while," Dahlia says, not meeting my gaze.

"Okay," I whisper, not sure what else to say. I doubt I will know if Dahlia will vouch for me, until I need her to.

The waft of recycled air that hits my face as Dahlia pulls away the blanket makes me realise just how long we've been hidden. I watch as my sister slides out of bed and walks away. I wonder, for a brief moment, if my Master would prefer her bum or mine.

Rolling onto my front, I watch her select one of the four books in our cell. Two of them are training texts, explaining commands and the correct positions to take when told. Another is what Master would call a horror story, about a girl who is very disobedient and ends in a windowless cell, where her Master uses her as a toilet for the rest of her life. Unsurprisingly that book is the least worn of our collection, even though all of us have read it multiple times.

The last book is about a girl who falls from a transport truck and gets lost in the woods. Before she finds her Master and proves just want a good girl she is. That story also has a part where the girl is used as a toilet, but it's to please her Owner and not as punishment. So it's okay. I'm not surprised that this is the book Dahlia selects.

I glance over at my other Sisters, who are cuddled together on Leilani's bed. I can't see if they are talking or not. With a sigh, I pull the covers back over myself, wincing as the soft fabric brushes against my cane marks.

Despite the pain, I find myself drifting off to sleep.

--- --- ---

I wake up with a start feeling the wave of nausea just as it peeks. I sprinting to the bathroom just in time. My stomach aches, as I noisily expel what feels like every meal I have ever had with my Master, leaving a rancid taste in my mouth.

Shaking all over I collapse onto the floor. Only to spring back up again, as my bruised and cut behind touches the cold tiles. Utterly defeated I fall against the toilet, trying to ignore the smell. I hate being sick.

It takes me a long time to get my breathing back under control, and for my head to stop spinning. I hear someone enter the room, but can't find the strength to move my head enough to see who. Well, whoever it is will just have to step over me to pee. I'm not moving.

I jump as a hand falls across my forehead. "You're running a temperature," Leilani says, her tone hard to read.

"Amongst other things," I groan.

"Don't answer back," my sister scolds, passing me a bottle of water, which I chug down with a thirst I didn't know I had.

"Thanks," I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and flushing the toilet.

"You missed lunch."

I grimace, "Might have been just as well."

"You never used to talk like this," my sister says coldly, I'm not sure if it's an observation or an accusation.

"I'm sorry," I say, though I don't feel sorry. "I didn't sleep last night, and being punished really took it out of me."

I curse my automatic reaction to explain myself. Leilani has barely even looked at me since I've been back. We don't—or at least we didn't—have a relationship like Master and his sister, we don't snap at each other or fight. But something's changed now. I just wish I understood what.

"You shouldn't stay here," my sister says, a little more gently.

If only she knew how hard I am working not to stay here. Nonetheless, I take her hand and allow my oldest sister to pull me shakily to my feet. My head still spins, but it isn't nearly as bad as it was just moments ago.

In silence we pad quietly back to the main room. There's a tray of bland looking food next to my bed, which I'm lucky not to have knocked over in my haste. Despite having had nothing to eat since yesterday just looking at the tray makes me feel queasy.

Dahlia looks up at me from her own bed, offering a small smile before returning to her now nearly finished book. Thistle looks up at us from her bed as well, but takes no notice. She seems to be sitting in an uncomfortable looking position, so perhaps she is practicing being restrained.

"It's nearly teatime," my sister says. There are no clocks on the walls, but spend long enough here and you get a sense of time—enough to predict meal times anyway. Pushing her blonde hair from her face Leilani helps me climb onto my front into bed.

"I'm not hungry," I say at once.

"You're going to get in trouble for not eating your lunch," Leilani scolds. "You don't want to make it worse do you?"

"You and the others should share my lunch," I say, glancing at the ribs visible under my sisters pale skin.

"We don't need it."

"Yes, you do, I can see your bones Leilani, that isn't right."

"If something was wrong with us Dr. Walker would do something. It isn't up to you," Leilani replies, kneeling beside my bed so my head is level with her ample chest. I bet my Owner would like this view.

"Something has happened to you," she continues, "it's like you're a whole new person."

"I've changed?" I answer grumpily, my head starting to spin again. "You didn't even want to look at me until just now."

I watch the normally passive expression on my sisters face shift into one of regret. Not able to meet my gaze she stares at the floor in front of her.

I reach out and brush her hair. "What's wrong?" I ask, suddenly feeling very separate from my sisters. My leaving is the biggest thing that has happened to us in nineteen years. Is it any wonder that it has affected them as much as it has me?

"Oh Rose," Leilani whispers. "I just," she pauses, "I just thought you had found a Master, and I thought," she continues quickly, "that at least one of us would have an owner. Because I don't think we're ever going to be sold."

I look at her with my mouth open, before quickly closing it. I've never heard doubt from Leilani before. She's the one who tells us that things will be alright. I didn't know she thought like this.

But, this would explain why Dahlia thought my other sister's were acting strangely. They thought they were going to be sold when I was, and now they have slowly started to see the truth. That's there's no owner in their future. That all the training and their obedience were for nothing.

Maybe that's why Dahlia was so willing—for a slave—to keep my secret.

I nod slowly. "We will," I try and smile, the feeling of giving reassurance to our unelected leader is very strange. "The Wardens are just waiting to find us perfect Masters or Mistresses."

"What did you and Dahlia talk about?" Leilani asks, looking at me intensely.

"What it was like outside," I say quickly, happy to not have to tell a complete lie.

"Will you tell me?" My sister asks, sitting on the floor and resting her head on my pillow.

I nod slowly. My stomach has started to ache, and I have the uneasy feeling I'm going to be throwing up again soon. Nevertheless, I press on, telling my sister about how blue the sky is, and how wonderfully green trees are. The memories helping to keep me distracted.

--- --- ---

Dan

Waiting at a traffic crossing, I wish I had thought to bring some warmer clothes. It's supposed to be summer. Then again the weather here has always been unpredictable, an aftereffect of the bomb, or so I've been told.

The café, where I'm meant to be meeting our supposed benefactor, is in a part of the hub I'm not familiar with. Still, I have the map feed open on my tablet and it's not far now, which I'm thankful for. I just hope our meeting is a quick one, so I can get back to worrying about Rose in peace.

The light turns green, and a 'Safe to cross' notice pops up on my tablet, as it does for everyone in range waiting to cross with their heads buried in their gadgets. The warm air displaced by the waiting Anti-grav cars playing around my ankles reminds me of the last time I was in the city, picking up Rose's collar.
Reaching into my jeans pocket to make sure the leather band is still there, I hurry on down one of the busy shopping streets. Signs protrude from the walls at right angles, each one trying to push past it's neighbour for a more prominent spot. Some have even done away with being attached to the wall all together, and hang in the air on micro Anti-grav drives.

I'm so focused on trying to find the sign for the café that I walk into what feels like a wall, but turns out to be a person.

"Sorry," I say quickly, looking up.

"Oh fuck," I groan, as something cold and round is pushed into the small of my back from behind.

"That's right," A cool voice says, his breath hot on my ear. "You're going to come with us nice and slow like. Otherwise you're going to have a little accident."

My mind races as I look up at Vin. The half rhino, half monkey who pulled me into an SUV the last time we met. It doesn't take much deduction to work out that the guy currently behind me was the driver that day.

What the hell do they want with me? Rose is back at the compound so it can't be her. I mean, maybe they don't know she's back, and they think they can extort her location from me. Well, that's not happening.

"I take it you no longer wish to fund the Western Hub Anti-Slavery society?" I ask the big one, trying to buy myself some time to come up with a way to escape.

I have no idea how either of these two managed to get a gun. If, indeed, what is poking me in the small of the back even is a firearm. There's no way to tell, and calling their bluff could end very badly for me.

I could try and draw some attention from passes by, but there's no way of doing that without alerting my kidnappers. Who have positioned themselves so that, from the outside, it looks like we are a group of friends just chatting.

"Stars, I can't believe you fell for that," the man with a gun to my back says with glee.

"Me either," I say, trying to sound more relaxed than I feel. Stars, I'm going to have to ask Rose to teach me to hide my emotions if being kidnapped is going to become a regular part of my life.

"Ha, he's funny!" Vin says with a strange sort of snorting laugh. "Funny guys are fun. Especially when you stop them laughing!"

I flex my knuckles, considering my third option for escape. If I activate the taser in my hand I'm fairly sure I could get the guy behind me. But I don't know if I could outrun Vin. Who could break my neck with his bare hands if he really wanted to, and I have the feeling that it is the kind of thing he would really want to do.

On top of that, isn't there something about electric shocks causing people to clench? Not ideal if someones finger is on the trigger of a gun at the time. No, I need to channel Rose here. Act like I'm going along with them, and find a way out when a moment arises.

"So, how can I help you?" I ask.

"You're going to come for a little walk with us," the man behind me says.

"You guys remember what I said last time? About not telling you anything, and having an extremely low pain tolerance, right?" I feel my hand shake as I let my mouth fly. This whole situation is terrifying, but the adrenaline rush from my faux-confidence is helping to keep the fear at bay.

I didn't notice before, but my assailants stoped me perfectly adjacent to an ally. Vin gives me a nasty look, before his friend gives me a hard push in that direction. Taking the hint I start to walk, keeping pace with Vin.

"We remember," the big man grunts, "but, we're not so worried. You'll tell us what we want to know. That I can guarantee."

"Careful now, Vinnie," the armed man warns. "Wouldn't want to go ruining the surprise now, would we?"

I risk a glance over my shoulder, but a stout poke in the back soon has me facing forward again as the noise of the crowded street slowly fades away. Fuck, I can't die like this. The smugness from X would follow me into the afterlife.

I need a way out.

--- --- ---

Rose

There a loud beep that causes Leilani and me to jump. My sister leaps to her knees. While I do my best to sit up, before stumbling out of bed and onto my own knees. I swallow down the bile that rises in my throat, as the two wardens walk into the room with a tray in each hand.

"So you coming or not?" Jones asks, his voice eager.

"I dunno," the older Warden replies, placing one tray in front of Dahlia's and picking up her spotlessly clean tray from lunch. "They're going to move that inspection forward, do it as a surprise a day early."

"I thought that was just a rumour?" the younger man, Jones, says eyeing Thistle's breasts as he puts her tea down in front of her.

"Nah, spoke to the bossman. He says it's happening tomorrow," The old warden replies, before continuing, "Don't know whose working yet though."

Have the Wardens always done this? Acted like they were in an empty room when they were around us? They must have done, but I never noticed it before. Perhaps that's why they feel so confident about doing it now. But the jokes on them—assuming i'm using that phrase correctly—they have just told me everything I need to know.

"Should I ring though?" Jones asks, stepping over to me and Leilani, followed by his red faced colleague. "Show a bit of initiative."

"You're not payed to show initiative," Red-face snaps. "You're payed to do what your told."

With a grunt he kneels in front of me, pushing a finger against my burning forehead until I look up at his face. "Fuck Red, I don't think you're long for this world."

"Should we call Dr. Walker?" Jones asks, sounding worried as he places a tray in front of my sister. "She hasn't eaten."

"It's just a temperature, isn't it Red?"

"I also feel sick, Sir," I say softly, "and dizzy."

"Well, that's because you haven't eaten," he smirks, picking up my lunch tray. "No need to call the doctor because the stupid girl refuses to eat."

"I'm sorry sir." I say softly, feeling something burning in my chest that has nothing to do with my fever. I'm not a stupid girl, and I don't feel this way just because I haven't eaten. I think the Warden knows that, but he wants me to be in pain.

With a laugh the warden stands up. "Your tray better be empty next time Red," he says. "Otherwise your arse is mine... Again."

My bum belongs to my Master I think in defiance, but I keep my head down and say, "Yes Sir," politely. I don't think I can take another punishment today, not if I want to escape tonight—or this afternoon, in reality. But before I can escape, I need to steal a key card—somehow.

Collecting the last of the empty trays the men walk to the door, which beeps as Red-face scans his card. The beep is a problem, but I don't think there's anything I can do about it. I just need to hope that no one hears.

Once again I feel bile rise in my throat as I consider the congealed mess that is my dinner. I don't think I can eat this. And if I can, I'm sure I won't be able to keep it down. I scratch my hot, itchy skin as I stare at the tray.

I jump as a fork looms into view, spooning a clump of the grey sludge from my tray. Looking up quickly, I see a Leilani with a strange look on her face.

"We can share the food," she says, loud enough to draw the attention of my other sisters. "But, you should drink," she gestures to the plastic cup full of water.

I shake my head slowly. I want to drink, but I'm going to need the cup and it's contents if I'm going to escape. "Thank you," I say, climbing back onto the bed and laying down on my stomach so that I'm still at eye level with my kneeling sister.

"The Warden said that your tray had to be empty," Leilani says as Dahlia and Thistle approach. "He didn't say you had to be the one to eat it," she seems to be speaking more to herself than me. Making sure her loophole works, and that she's not doing anything directly disobedient.

Dahlia settles down next to me. Resting her tray on her lap, she leans her forehead against mine, before starting to eat. Thistle sits beside Leilani, giving me a brief unidentifiable look, before digging into her own grey slush.

"Do you know what pizza is?" I ask, biting my bottom lip. It might be dangerous to ask, but, I don't like sitting in silence. And, though none of them can know it, this might be the very last time any of us see each other.

"It's a type of food," Thistle says at once. "Consisting of a flat round base of dough baked with a topping of tomatoes and cheese. Typically with added meat, fish, or vegetables."

I can't help but giggle. I'm sure that if I looked up pizza on one of the education tablets that would be, to the letter, the description. "It's really tasty," I say, swaying as another wave of dizziness hits me.

"The man who took you gave you non-approved food?" Thistle asks, her folk of grey mush halfway to her mouth.

I nod. "I liked it."

"You're not allowed to have a favourite food," Leilani says, peering at Dahlia who has been focused on her meal. Apparently working on the basis that the best way to avoid saying something incriminating, is to say nothing at all.

"I know," I say quickly, "but it tastes nice."

"I wonder if my Master or Mistress will allow me to try pizza," Dahlia asks, having picked up on Leilani's looks.

And just like that the conversation turns to a discussion of my sister's preferred type of Owner, and what each one hopes to be allowed to do. I smile. I don't need to imagine a perfect Master. I already have one.

--- --- ---

Dan

"I don't mean to sound too childish," I say, "but are we there yet?"

Vin glares at me, his fists clenching with an audible crack. It sounds bad, but it would be great if he where to lose his temper and punch me. With his strength it would set off the medical alert in my ident chip for sure.

Of course, his friend might then shoot me in the back. But I'm fairly sure even this side street has cameras. At the moment, my modified ident chip causes me to be invisible to them, but once alerted I have no doubt that they will be able to record enough of my kidnappers to insure a conviction.

I just have to hope that they are fine with an assault charge, but don't want a murder one.

"I must say, your very eager Mr. Fallow," the man behind me says. "If it were me, I wouldn't be in no rush."

"I thank the stars every day that we are nothing alike," I say, looking up at the thin sliver of sky between the high rise buildings on either side of us. I have no idea where we are. But if I had to guess, I would say we are between office buildings, and we're moving towards the industrial section of the hub.

"Shut up."

"I never did catch your name," I say, wondering if I could hit something hard enough to activate the medical alert while not drawing attention to myself. I doubt it.

"Juke," he replies after a moment. "It's good you know my name boy. That way you can run home and tell your mummy who hurt you."

A comeback involving his mother does spring to mind, but for once I decide to remain silent. I want them reckless, not murderous.

"Juke and Vin, huh," I say. "I'll remember that."

"See you do," Juke says, jabbing me in the spine with his gun. "Now shut up."

We continue on in silence. The paths becoming more and more rutted and overgrown. This part of the hub is old, close to the site of the original military base—now long gone. Back before the hub shield was expanded, industrial and living spaces were combined in a cramped mess.

Now most of our industrial sites are isolated outside of the hubs, or else off-world on giant space stations. That way the pollution can be dumped harmlessly into space, and there is endless room for expansion.

A thought strikes me as we turn down a lane littered with old rusting shipping boxes and broken glass. Are there any off-world compounds? Surely it isn't healthy to grow up with such limited gravity. Then again, as X delights in telling me, the Lower Vil are infinitely adaptable.

We stop in front of pair of heavy steel doors. Though by now, they are probably more rust than steel. Regardless, with a grunt, followed by the screeching of metal, Vin heaves the doors open. The sound bounces off the walls of the tight ally, and I cover my ears to protect them from the cacophony.

The inside of the warehouse is dark. With only the light from the grimy overhead windows to illuminate the stacks of metal shipping boxes and aged machinery. I peer inside, a cold feeling filling my stomach. This looks like a great place to kill someone.

Grabbing a touch from his belt Vin leads the way. He moves between the dusty boxes with purpose. The boxes aren't arranged in any kind of logical order. It's like they've been dumped here in a hurry. Still, Vin doesn't seem to have any difficulty in finding a path though this make-shift maze. He must spend a lot of time here. I notice a lot the crates have been prised open, before being tipped over, their contents scattered haphazardly across the floor. Clearly not everything in here can turn a profit.

The building is bigger than I first thought. After what feels like a long time walking past the smaller crates we reach an open area, where the ceiling is even higher. Here lie huge metal boxes, their sides hanging with wiring which goes nowhere, and interspaced with metal doors. With a start, I realise what i'm seeing. These are spaceships, or at least rooms form spaceships. Torn out, I presume, to make room for cargo.

Peering through the open door of one of the stacked rooms closest to me, I can just make out a row of bunk beds. And in the room beside it there is a shower room, dusty, but otherwise intact. I shudder just thinking about what living on one of these ships during the war most have been like: cramped, no sun, constantly worried that the entire ship may explode without warning at any moment. Or worse, part of the ship may explode, and leave you trapped in a floating metal tomb, with only the amount of food or oxygen acting as a countdown timer to your inevitable demise.

"What the hell is this place?" I ask, looking around in wonder at the stacked rooms which tower above us, easily as high as the roof of the central transport hub.

"This?" Juke asks, prodding me once again. "This is a billion credits worth of scrap left to rust," there's a bitterness in his voice that catches me by surprise.

"Why am I here?" I ask, doubting I will get an answer.

"You will see," Vin smirks, leading us to the bottom of another tower of rooms. However this one is different. The door to the bottom room is open revealing the bright glow of electric lights from inside. My uneasy feeling turns out to be correct, as I'm prodded in the direction of the lit room.

Stepping up though the door, the first thing I notice is how much cooler the air seems to be in here. Though, I don't know if it really is colder inside or if my mind playing tricks on me. What is for sure is that his must have been some kind of data centre or control room when it was originally part of a ship. Racks of computer servers stand or lean against the walls, where they have been pushed out of the way to make room for a leather chair, similar to a retro dentist chair, placed in the middle of the room.

I notice dim blue light strips set into the floor and ceiling, almost invisible against the bright overhead lights. Realisation suddenly hits me. This is a clean room, no signals in, no signals out, designed to protect the fragile tech from the thousands of rogue data streams shooting through space.

"Shit!" I say, just in time to spin on the spot and see Juke—harmless metal tube in hand—slam the heavy door in my face.

--- --- ---

Rose

I kneel beside my bed feeling like i'm going to be sick again. Gripping the cup of lukewarm water in my right hand, I go over my plan in my head for what must be the thousandth time. It doesn't help much.

I take a deep breath, my lungs feeling ragged and my stomach burning. My body is failing faster than I thought possible. I'm not going to be able to last for much longer. The fact that the inspection has been moved forward may just be a blessing.

Though, given what i'm about to do, it feels like a curse.

I close my eyes, counting down from a thousand in my head as they taught us to do during truly unbearable bondage sessions. I get to seven hundred and sixty before a beep from the door causes me to snap back to reality.

This will either work, or I will be stuck here forever.

"Stars Red, you ate your food and you're still looking like shit." The older Warden says as he collects my tray.

Pushing the cup of water a little further in the bed I nod at him, "I'm still feeling sick and dizzy, Sir."

He shrugs, picking up Leilani's tray. "Sleep it off Red, if you're still sick in the morning the doctor will deal with you."

"Yes, sir," I say, balling my fist as he turns and walks away.

I count the seconds as my heart pounds in my chest, before getting to my feet. "Sir," I say, grabbing my cup and moving towards him. "I forgot to return my cup."

"What?" He says, turning.

My plan had been to pretend to trip, but due to either my neves, my dizziness, or both there's no need to pretend. I fall over my own feet, sending the full cup of water straight into the Warden's face as I fall heavily against him.

"What the fuck!" He sputters, dropping the trays which clatter to the floor before shoving me away.

I grab onto his keycard as I fall, the cord splitting just like in the movie Master and I watched. My owner told me not everything shown in a movie works in real life, but I'm very thankful they got this detail right.

Slamming into the ground I throw the keycard away from me, trying to get it under my bed. But I'm not strong enough. It comes to rest in the space between two beds, where Dahlia kneels. My way out is hidden for now, but it won't be hard to find.

I try and get to my knees, but a hand on the back of my neck stops me, pushing me forcefully into the concrete."I'm sorry sir," I whimper, watching Jones moving towards where I threw the card.

"You fucking will be," the warden, with his hand on my neck, snarls. Drops of water from his face and clothes drip onto my back.

I close my eyes, not able to bare the sight of Jones finding the card. However my eyes are forced back open again as a powerful smack is delivered to my bottom. Right across the cane marks.

I can't help but to scream in pain, bucking as my bottom burns. It's as if someone has poured molten lead over it. Gasping for air I look over to the card, which unsurprisingly has vanished.

Learning down my tormenter puts all his weight on the back of my neck, choking me as he whispers, "You better hope you're dead by morning cunt, else you're going to fucking wish you were."

I try and nod, breathing hard as he finally lets go and retrieves the fallen trays and cups. Laying on my side, I hug my legs to my chest. Unable to do anything but listen the beep of the door. Followed by the hammering of my heart.

A deep silence fills the room. There's a shuffling of feet, and I feel an arm on my shoulder. I want to tell whoever is trying to comfort me to go away, but that would draw even more attention to me. So I open my eyes blinking at Leilani who looks at me for a long moment.

"Are you okay?" she asks at last.

I shake my head. "I felt dizzy," I say softly, trying to focus on something other than the pain emanating from my bottom. "And my butt hurts," I grumble.

My sister frowns, apparently not sure if my language is appropriate, before smiling softly and stroking my hair. A strangely intimate gesture. "That's because you where a naughty girl," she says.

I sigh softly, "I didn't mean to be."

"That's why you got off so lightly," Leilani replies.

Trying to remember a time when I ever thought the burning pain running down my thighs was getting off lightly, I spot Thistle. Who rises from the floor and returns to her bed without a word to anyone.
"You should lay in bed," my sister says. "The floor is cold, and you're already sick."

I nod slowly, getting shakily to all fours. But before I can throw myself onto one of the beds something catches my eye.

"I will," I tell Leilani, getting to my feet with a lot of effort, "but I want to make sure Dahlia is ok."

My black haired sister hasn't moved since the Wardens left, and she's still kneeling on the floor beside her bed.

"Okay," Leilani says, peering over at Dahlia. "Don't get her into trouble."

I stare at her. Does she know something? Without another word Leilani moves over to sit beside Thistle, who is back to contorting herself into uncomfortable positions for the amusement of her future Master.

"Are you okay?" I ask, kneeling down beside Dahlia, wincing as the motion causes the pain in my bum to flair, and my head to spin.

As an answer my sister, her eyes glazed over and unfocused, holds up a red cord with a key card swinging from it.

Without thinking about it I throw my arms around her. I'm surprised when she doesn't hug me back. Is this how I acted when I ran into Master in the woods? When that happened my owner fixed it by kissing me. I hope I don't have to kiss Dahlia!

Thankfully, before I have to do anything that feels too wired for reasons I can't really explain to myself, Dahlia stirs.

"Rose?" she asks softly.

"You did it!" I say, struggling to keep my voice low, as I stare at the keycard in wonder. I almost giggle when I read the old Wardens name is Steve Smith. It's far too innocent a name for someone so cruel!

"I was bad," Dahlia says, her knuckles white on the cord.

"No," I say softly. "Well, yes, but it was bad for a good reason."

Looking over my shoulder, I reach for the keycard, before my other sisters spot what we are doing. Dahlia however doesn't let go, her eyes darting from me to the card.

"We need to hide this," I say, tapping the card while trying to keep my pounding heart under control. I'm so close, but everything can still fall apart so very quickly. "I need you to give me the card."

Slowly Dahlia lays the card flat across my palm. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and wrap and arm around her, feeling her tremble as she leans into me.

I'm caught between wanting to continue hugging her until all the signs of her fear go away, and wanting desperately to find a place to hide the card. Finally I can no longer keep my heart-rate under control. I'm terrified that the Wardens are going to burst back into the room at moment. Disengaging from my one armed hug, I look around, wondering where in our almost empty concrete cell I can hide my only means of escape.

At first, I consider tucking the card under one of the thin mattresses, but i've seen enough beds ripped apart for not being perfectly made to quickly decide against that. I wish I was wearing something, there's nowhere to hide anything on you when your naked!

Looking around critically, my eye catches the small pile of books. I might be able to hide the card there, especially if I took off the cord. But any one of my sisters might decide they need to catch up on the slave codex. And, anyway, in movies people always check though books for secret things.

"Rose?" Leilani calls, "Would you like to play the maze game with Thistle and me?"

For the first time in my entire life I hesitate before agreeing to the euphoric tickling of my sisters fingers as they trace the maze in my markings. "Umm, ok!" I say, trying to sound bright and cheerful.

Panic rising in my chest, I turn back to Dahlia, who is still somewhat spaced out. She taps her knuckles against the metal foot of my bed. The tapping sound is grating as I struggle to think, before it hits me. The metal tube frame of the bed is hollow!

Ignoring the startled look on my sisters face, I lift the conner of the bed and run my fingers over the tube that forms one of the legs of the bed frame. Yes! I wince as I bend the card so that it will fit into the tube. Worried that at any moment it will snap. However, it remains whole, and not only that but holds itself inside the tube. Quickly I push in the cord, careful not to push it too far out of reach, while hoping it doesn't fall out should the bed be disturbed.

"Rose?" Thistle calls, in a tone somewhere between concern and impatience.

"Coming!" I say, dropping the conner of the bed and taking Dahlia's hand.

She looks at me with big wide eyes and shakes her head.

"Come on," I tell her, "the maze game will make you feel better."

I'm not sure if she agrees with me, or simply wants to be told what to do, but either way she stands up. I'm so elated that I hardly notice the pain, coursing through my whole body. I'm close now. Only a few more hours and I can escape. I can deal with the pain for that long, after all, I've been taught about pain for my entire life.

With a final glance to make sure the card is completely hidden, I head over to the far side of the room and my sisters bed, a purr rising preemptively in my throat.

--- --- ---

Someone rubs my back as I cough. I have no idea which of my sisters it is, but the action makes me feel a little better. Everything hurts. It's like my entire body is erupting from the inside-out, and, before long, I will simply split down the middle.

Shuddering at the thought, I hug Dahlia's midriff tighter, drawing comfort form being so close to my sisters. I love cuddling with my owner, but there's only one of him. Here with my sisters in a pile of flesh and interwoven limbs I'm surrounded by one big hug!

It will be lights out soon—I think—all I need to do is wait until it's time for the inspection, and then... I shake my head. Despite everything there is still so much I don't know for sure. Like when is the best time to escape? If I put my ear to the door will I be able to hear something that will give me a clue? Where do I go if I do manage to get out of this cell and up the stairs? How will I know what to look for?

Maybe I can try the communicator chip again after lights out. It might work this time. Marvin is very smart, even if it he is a bit odd. He might have realised the chip isn't working correctly, and has done something to fix it. Then I can ask my Master, or perhaps even Mr. X, what time I should escape, and where to go when I do.

With that much of a plan decided, I close my eyes. Focusing on the feel of my sisters and the purr in my throat, I let the pain and fear drift away. We might even sleep like this tonight. Though sleeping in a pile isn't always for the best. There is a lot of fidgeting, and elbows or knees in uncomfortable places.

Plus you have to wake up—and hear complaints from—three grumpy girls if you need to pee.

"You're hot," Thistle mummers, placing her hand on my forehead.

"Rose isn't well," Leilani replies before I can, a note of concern in her voice.

"I'll be okay," I say softly. "Tomorrow I'll be better."

"You don't know that," Thistle says, her voice low as she moves her hand to stroke my hair.

I don't reply, simply enjoying the sensation of my sisters fingers in my hair. I'm about to close my eyes again, when the quiet tranquility of the room is shattered by the crash of the door flying open.

At once my sisters and I break apart. Like a nest of rats we scatter, crawling over each other to kneel on the floor as a very red faced Warden Smith storms into the room. He looks like Mistress Jezebel when she's mad at my Master, but a thousand times worse.

His eyes fall immediately on me. I bow my head at once, trying to ignore the dizziness that's making the room sway. Oh stars! He must have realised it was me who took his key card. He's going to kill me!

I stare at the floor, focusing on making my face natural. Pain rolls throw me like a wildfire, igniting my very bones. Using all of my training I manage to keep myself completely still, even as the Warden walks towards me. His heavy black boots echoing around the room.

"Where is it?" he asks, his voice low and shaking, as if he can hardly keep it under control.

I don't know if he's expecting an answer, but he didn't specifically which girl he was talking to. Nor did he ask a question any of us could reasonably answer. We've all been trained that in this situation we should remain silent. However, even though we are all being obedient, our silence just makes him more angry.

I close my eyes as he takes another step forward, sure I'm about to feel the back of his hand.

Suddenly someone else speaks from the door, their voice a hushed whisper, "What the fuck are you doing?"

I risk glancing up. Warden Jones stands in the doorway, worry written all over his greasy face.

"One of them has my fucking key card," Smith snarls like a feral dog, turning back to us so quickly that I barely have time to return my gaze to the floor.

"Impossible," Jones says, still keeping his voice low. "You've lost it. Come on, man. You're going to get us in the shit if anyone finds out you're in here."

I don't understand why either of the wardens would get into trouble for being in our cell. They come in at least six or seven times a day normally, though, now that I think about it they haven't ever come again after taking away our dinner trays. Jones is acting as if Smith is doing something bad, but I don't know if that true. I'll have to remember to ask Master.

"She took it," Warden smith says, and I can tell by the way the spittle from his mouth hits the top of my head he's talking about me. "When she pretended to trip and fall. I'm going to rip her fucking head off."

"She can't have man!" Jones says, his panic rising at the same rate as Smith's fury. "Are you even listening to yourself right now?"

"She's been gone fucking stars knows where!" Smith yells, his enraged voice echoing around the cramped cell. "We don't know what she's capable of doing."

"You can't unlearn a lifetime of training in a mouth," Jones pauses. "Sure, Red is a little screwy at the moment, but she's always been wired."

"No, the little cunt is planning something."

"Red are you planning anything?" Jones asks curtly.

"No Sir," I reply at once.

"There you go," Jones says, apparently placated.

"Well, of course she isn't going to admit to it!" Smith growls, grabbing a hand full of my hair and forcing my face up to meet his.

"You're the one that told me they are incapable of lying!" Jones protests, his face flushed red, and his eyes darting to the still open door. "Here, I'll prove it!"

"You," he says, pointing at Thistle, "When was the last time you played with that sweet little cunt of yours?"

"The night before last Sir," my sister admits without hesitation.

Despite Warden Smith pulling out my hair by the roots, I manage to turn my head and stare at Thistle. I didn't know she played with herself! I thought that was something only I did! My own personal naughty secret.

"And the last time you took a shit?" Jones asks.

Thistle makes to answer again, but the younger Warden cuts her off, "I don't want to know," he tells her. "But you see my point, they can't lie to you."

"But you saw it. She fell on me! When has one of them ever done anything like that before?" Smith says, his death hold on my hair mercifully relaxing.

"You said yourself that she's sick," he gestures to me, "It's not like she's looking any better, is it?"

He looks down at me, staring into my eyes intently. For one crazy moment I imagine telling him the truth. Being a good girl like I tried so hard to be before meeting my Master, but the thought leaves me as quickly as it arrived. Life with Master may not be easy, but it's better than this, much, much better.

"Come on Man. Lets go get a drink and watch the game."

"We have time?" Smith asks, letting go of my hair and looking down at his wrist.

Tempting his rage when he seems to be calming down is beyond foolish. But nevertheless, I need to know the time. So, instead of returning my eyes to the floor I glance over at his watch. I have only moments to read the dial. It's nine forty-five in the morning, not night time at all.

"Inspection team gets here at one," Jones says. "We have time."

Smith takes one final look at me, before nodding slowly, "Maybe I left it in the car."

"Sure man," Jones sounds relieved. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The two men leave, the door closing with click behind them. Letting out a slow breath, I glance at my sisters. Thistle is looking at her hands guiltily, refusing to meet anyone's eye, while Leilani's attention is fully focused on Dahlia. Who doesn't look right.

Wincing, I crawl over to them. Leilani looks at me, her disapproval clear, as I get a good look at Dahlia. She lays slumped against the end of her bed. Her hands twist continuously in her lap, and her eyes are glazed.

"Dahlia?" I ask softly.

She doesn't answer me. I want to shake her, tell her that there is no reason to be scared. That I have the time now. That I know I need to escape in a little over three hours. That the Wardens don't suspect us, and that we are closer to escape than we have ever been.

"Dahlia," I say, "Dahlia, look at me, it's okay!"

She doesn't respond.

Guilt flooding over me, I wrap my arms around her, rocking her limp body back and forth. I feel battered, like the buildings Master and I saw when we were running away. Worn away and ready to collapse into dust.

"I hope it's worth it," Leilani says, her voice cold.

"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to sound innocent.

"Whatever you and her have done," she gestures to Dahlia, "I hope it's worth this."

"If you knew," I say slowly, still not admitting to anything, "why didn't you say anything?"

"I want my owner," she whispers. "I want all of us to have owners! Maybe whatever you're going to do will make that happen."

I nod slowly, "I hope it does."

Leilani shakes her head, before glancing over her shoulder at Thistle. "Do you think she realises that we all play with ourselves?"

I shake my head. Not wanting to admit that I thought exactly the same thing until only moments ago.

"I better take care of her," Leilani says. "You should go to bed with Dahlia, it will be lights out soon."

I nod once again. Watching as my older sister whispers something to Thistle, before leading her to the bed closest to the bathroom. It's not lost on me that she leaves the beds closest to the door free.

With an effort I get to my feet, pulling my stunned sister up with me. She offers no resistance as I lead her first to the bathroom, and then to bed. Unsure what else to do, I wrap her in a blanket, before wrapping my arms around her.

A few minutes later the lights go out, and I begin to count in my head. Counting up three numbers before going back one. A technique taught to us to keep us focused and alert even during times of constant inactivity in bondage, restricted to a single pose.

Two, four, six... I know I need to keep myself awake, but, more importantly, I need to be able to judge how much time has passed since lights out. There's no real guarantee of accuracy over such a large amount of time. But if I can keep to a rhythm I can count the seconds, which will tell me the minutes, which in turn will give me the hours.

I just hope it's enough.

--- --- --

Dan

"Sit," Vin says, a malicious grin on his face, as he points to the dentist's chair. Which I quickly notice is covered in dark stains. Oh stars, is that blood? I shudder, looking at the leather loops waiting to secure an unfortunate victim.

"Can't we talk about this?" I ask, panic rising in my chest.

"We are going to talk," Vin grunts, taking a step toward me. "But I don't think you're going to be honest with me."

"Fine," I say, trying to buy myself some time. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Sit," he says again.

I need a way out of this! My mind races as I step away from Vin and towards the chair. Panic strips the power of thought from my head, and before I realise what i'm doing i'm sitting down in the chair, the worn leather sagging under me.

"When did you last see Ernie?" Vin asks, his back turned to me.

There's a squeak as the large man wheels a small metal trolley towards me. One of the wheels doesn't spin and squeals in protest. The sound makes me wince. It's like having a dentist drill boring directly into my brain.

"What?" I ask, temporarily stunned by the question.

"When did you last see Ernie," Vin asks again, raising his voice to be heard over the wail of the trolly.

At last the trolly, and the sound, come to a stop, and I focus my attention to the black bundle sitting it it's shiny surface. With an uneasy feeling, I watch as vin unrolls the material revealing a gleaming selection of knives and other tools. All designed to cause pain by the looks of them.

"When he came to my house weeks ago!" I lie. In fact I saw him yesterday afternoon with Rose. Though judging by his appearance, he wasn't given nearly as much hospitality as I was while in Mr. X's care.

"Don't bullshit me!" Vin roars, "You're not just some dumb kid! You know more than you're letting on. And you know where Ernie is!" The words are coming from Vin's mouth but they are unmistakably Jukes.

"Look, I don't know where your friend is," I say slowly. "Why do you care so much about him anyway?"

Vin studies his tools for a long moment. Before he looks up, his dull eyes meeting mine. He looks at me like a cat watching a mouse, waiting for me to make a move, hoping I will make a move. Anything to give him an excuse to strike.

"He owes us," Vin snarls, and there's something primal in the sound. There is some genuine hatred here, but not directed at me. It's Ernie, all of this revolves around my fathers friend.

Something clicks. "You helped him steal Rose," I say, Vin's head snaps up and stares at me. "Then he sold her, and he was meant to share the profits with you."

The big man nods slowly.

"Only he never did. So, you approach the compound telling them you know how to find him. And that you can get Rose back, as long as they are willing to pay. But you didn't get Rose, and you can't find Ernie. So you are out of pocket on two fronts."

It all kind of makes sense now. Ernie stole Rose with the help of these two thugs, and probably intended to split his meagre profit. Then he realised, or more likely was forcibly informed, of just what he had stolen. And the price to pay if Rose wasn't returned. That's why he never gave up his share. He needed the credits to get Rose back, and save his own sorry neck from the compound.

The compound must have called off the search for Rose. Maybe they did it the moment she returned. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that without the bounty on my slaves head the only way these two are ever going to make any money out of all of this is by finding Ernie.

The big man nods again, his hand hovering over one of the knives on his little table.

"I'm no friend of Ernie's," I say, which is perfectly true. "If I knew where he was I would tell you. I promise you that."

With a grunt of what I can only assume is disappointment the huge block of a man walks over to me. Grabbing my wrist he secures it to the arm of the chair, seeming not to even notice my efforts to fight him off. The leather strap cuts angrily into my wrist. Far tighter than any enforcer restraint I've thus far encountered. Who on earth would have thought those black visored thugs were going easy on me?

I instinctively pull my other hand back as Vin reaches for it. Causing him to pause, and laugh. "You're just delaying the inevitable. Give it up."

"I told you, I know nothing!" I protest, holding my arm as far away from him as I can.

"You know something." Vin growls. "And by the time I'm done with you, I'm going to know everything. You think you're so smart. But you were fucked the second you walked through that door.
For a moment I think he's right. Then I remember the icy pain from when the taser chip was injected into my hand. I've never actually tested Marvin's crazy implanted tech, but now seems like a good time. My heart lurches as I tap my middle finger tip against my thumb three times, before I repeat the action with my ring finger: the activation-sequence.

Vin snorts at my look of relief. "Got some plan, boy?"

The now activated taser feels like a nest of hornets buzzing under my skin, and I waste no time aiming a punch at his chest. A grin still on his face, he makes no effort to dodge—which is a mistake.

It feels like punching a speeding Anti-grav train. The impact throws my hand back, slamming my still sparking knuckles against the bulkhead, and ripping at my shoulder. As for Vin, the huge man is thrown backwards as if he weighed nothing. His bulk collides with the wheeled table, sending both him and it clattering to the ground.

Smoke gently curls from Vin's massive, and thankfully still moving, chest. Whatever happens, I don't want to be a killer. Flexing my severely bruised knuckles, I wait for ten agonising seconds to see if any more movement is forthcoming. But he seems to be out for the count. Shaking my free hand to restore the feeling, I turn my attention to my restraints.

"What the hell is going on in there?" Juke yells from outside, his voice muffled by the heavy metal door.

I freeze, statue like, before sense hits me nearly as hard as I just hit Vin, and I quickly undo the strap holding my arm. Juke continues to shout through the door, adding his pounding fists to the cacophony of noise. Doing my best to block the sound out, I jump to my feet, searching the floor for some kind of weapon.

Despite the numerous instruments of pain and destruction I saw on the table earlier. I can't spot a single one. My mind is racing to fast, I can't focus. A loud hiss echoes through the room, and I suddenly find that I have no trouble focusing on the thick metal door that slowly swings open with a mournful groan.

It seems to take awhile for Juke to register what he's seeing. His eyes flicker between his fallen partner and me. Slack jawed he finally settles his gaze squarely on me.

"You know," Juke says slowly, "I actually told him to go easy on you." Though he projects an air of serenity, I can see the rage boiling in his eyes.

I don't say anything. Some crazy part of me had been hoping that upon seeing his much bigger friend incapacitated Juke would have decided to cut his losses and ran. But fleeing seems to be the last thing on his mind.

With a gulp, I tap out the activation sequence for the taser again, hoping it has recharged enough. I can tell at once it hasn't, the buzz from before is now more a tingle. I don't doubt that it will still pack a painful punch. But that's all it will do.

"Just walk away," I say, gesturing to the big man still smoking on the ground.

"Oh no, you're not walking away from this." Juke snarls, his usually calm, lizard like face now contorted in rage.

I take a step back as my would be murder takes a step into the room. This seems so unfair, how can it be that I manage to take out the big guy, only to fall prey to his fun-sized accomplice? There's no justice in the world.

"Stop!" I say, my voice wavering as Juke takes another step towards me rolling up his sleeves. Looking over the top of his head, I notice that the door is still open. If I can find some way to dart around him, maybe I can make a run for it.

Already I know that's a stupid plan. This room is too small, and even if by some miracle I do get out, this warehouse is a maze. A maze that Juke knows a lot better than I do.

Wild ideas run rampant through my head, as I stumble backwards into one of the disused computer terminals. Where one last ditch, insane option presents itself. Time seems to slow down. Juke is about halfway across the room and approaching fast. I only have a few precious seconds to act.

Taking a deep breath. I plunge my electrified fist into my stomach. At once all my muscles contract and I bend in half, before falling sideways onto the floor. The shock the guards gave me in prison is nothing compared to this. It feels like my very bones are on fire. All the air is forced from my lungs, and my vision blurs.

"What the fuck!" Juke yells, jumping back in surprise.

With my eyes watering and every limb shaking, I triumphantly hold up my right hand. My little finger blinks with a rapid red light. Outside the building somewhere there's the sound of an enforcer siren.

"I told you," I say between clenched teeth, "I have a very low pain tolerance."

Eyes wide Juke's gaze flickers between me, Vin and the door. Stunned even as the wail of the sirens draw closer. With a roar like a feral beast he turns on his heels and runs. Not looking back at either me, or his partner.

Silently thanking the stars that there just so happens to be an enforcer patrol close by. I lay flat on my back, looking up at the metal ceiling as I wait for rescue.

--- --- ---

Rose

One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, one thousand eight hundred... I breathe a sigh of relief as my countering finally finishes. My mind rings with numbers, reverberating in my aching head.

Nineteen different ways of counting up to six-hundred seconds should give me three hours and ten minutes. I gently rub my aching chest—a result of a fresh coughing fit—before pressing a finger to the spot just below my ear.

"Please," I whisper into the darkness, as the familiar beeps of the implant trying to find a single start up. If the Warden's catch me they will hurt me badly. They might even kill me. And even if they don't, without the medicine from Dr. Walker or Mr. X I will be dead very soon. I just want to hear my Master's voice again, even if it's for the last time.

The no connection tone rings in my head.

Sighing softly in disappointment, I move to the edge of the bed, wincing in pain. The cane marks on my bottom burn, my chest throbs, and the ache in my joints is almost unbearable. How am I supposed to escape when it feels like my body has already failed? I slowly sit up my bottom screaming in pain as I put pressure on it, but I don't have a choice. If I stand up too quickly the dizziness will make me fall over.

Spies in Master's movies never fall over.

It takes more effort than I was expecting to stand up. And even then a fresh wave of coughing nearly has me back on the bed again. Rubbing my chest I shake my head. I need to do this!

It wasn't difficult to persuade Dahlia that we should sleep in her bed tonight. Leaving my bed, and the keycard hidden inside it, free to access.

After Warden Smith came in and yelled at us Dahlia's been even more passive than usual. I hope she's okay. She kept my secret, and now, if I can do what I came here for, I can give her an owner in return.

Being careful not to stub my toes—my feet might be the only part of me that are not currently hurting—I make my way to the empty bed and quickly kneel down to retrieve the keycard. It comes free easily, and I quickly tie the cord around my wrist so I don't lose it in the darkness.

"You shouldn't leave," Dahlia whispers, close behind me.

I jump, slapping my hands over my mouth just in time to stop my yelp of panic. "Dahlia!" I whisper, "Go back to bed!"

"I don't want you to leave," she replies softly, "not again."

"I'll be back soon," I whisper, trying to sound reassuring.

"What if you're not?" She asks sadly.

"Then you look after Thistle and Leilani," I reply, standing up and turning to the door. I need to be the hero like in Masters movies. Just one more free girl thing to do, then I will be back with my owner.

My sister throws her arms around me suddenly, nuzzling my neck in the darkness. I hug her relishing the closeness before pulling away.

"Go to bed," I say softly. "Everything will be better in the morning."

I can hear my sister hesitate behind me, before the creek of mattress springs tells me she has returned safely to bed.

Taking a deep breath, I move to the faint red glow beside the door. I stand frozen in front of the access panel. One more choice, just one more and I can go home to Master. I hope he's proud of me. I've done so much. I've lied and stolen and done all the things that should have broken my mind. Maybe Master is right, maybe we can make choices for ourselves. Well, after this, I'm going to chose not to make another choice for a very long time!

I need to focus. I'm still not done with my mission, not yet. I look back into the room, imagining I can see the shapes of my sisters in the darkness. I will find you owners, I promise.

With the care I normally use to stoke Barnaby, I press the card to the scanner. The beep seems to boom around the room, far louder than when the lights are turned on, followed by a click that seems just as loud. I wait to see if any of my sister's will react, but there's nothing. I suspect that Leilani has much to do with keeping Thistle quite, and Dahlia already knows what's happening.

Outside the corridor is dimly lit with green lights above some doors, and red lights above others. Peeking my head out, I look up and down the corridor, relieved to find it's completely deserted. Well, perhaps not completely deserted. At the far end of the hall there's a light on in Dr. Walker's office, but even squinting as hard as I can I can't see anyone moving inside.

The stone floor of the corridor feels like ice as I step outside, and for a frantic moment I wonder if it's burning the souls of my feet. Before I reason with myself that it's the same floor as the cell and I'm just letting my panic get the better of me. Still, this is the most disobedient thing I have ever done. Come to think of it, this might be the most disobedient thing that any Lower Vil has ever done!

Master would think that an amazing achievement.

Taking another step forward, I jump as I hear a click behind me. Spinning on the spot I'm just in time to see the green light above the door turn to red. And I'm not surprised to find that when I push against the cold metal door it's locked. No way back now, not without risking another loud beep.

Turning I pause to let me head stop spinning, before setting off down the corridor. Despite being barefoot my footsteps still seem to echo with alarming volume. I try to walk on tip toe, which does cut down the noise, but after nearly stumbling over twice I give up, and just focus on getting to my destination.

The first two doors I pass have green lights overhead, but the third is bathed in red light. It's locked. I curse myself for stopping, the stairs are only one more door down, but what if there are more girls like me and my sister's down here? Or boys? Should I try and open the doors and help them?

No. I've never seen anyone one else down here. And even if there are more Lower Vil down here, there is no reason why they would want to escape with me. I'm just being stupid and wasting time. Still, I can't help but press my ear against the cold metal just in case.

I can't hear anything.

Leaving the locked door behind, I make my way to the fourth door. A painful sting from my bottom reminds me of what this door cost to find. There's an access panel beside the doorframe, identical to the one in our cell. I reach out to press the card against it, but before I can the light above my head turns green.

"What?" I say, confused for a moment before the door bursts open and I only barely manage to jump backwards out of the way. I slam into the wall opposite the stairs, the blow knocking the air from my lungs and setting my punished bottom on fire.

Oh stars, oh stars! Gasping for air I look up to see a man silhouetted against the bright lights of the stairwell. How? I glance at the door which has slammed against the wall. I can see though the top panel! It's phased just like Master's skylights in his bedroom. Whoever was behind the door could see me perfectly!

I have to push my back against the wall to keep standing, as a hacking cough forces its way out of me, bringing tears to my eyes. The figure in the stairway moves slowly towards me. Though my watering eyes he seems like a black blur—more a monster than a person.

"Well, fuck me Red," he says, and I recognise the voice at once: it's Warden Smith.

"Who would have thought you had it in you?" he snatches the keycard from my hand. "I'm almost impressed."

My heart thunders in my chest, and I feel like I need to throw up and pee at the same time. But I stand up a little straighter. I don't want this evil human to know how much he scares me. I want to be strong. Like my Master would want me to be.

"Oh Red, don't look so down," he says with a smirk, grabbing my chin and pitching up my face so I'm forced to stare straight into his pale eyes. "This was brave, and I can admire that."

"Thank you sir," I say automatically, my words muffled by his grip.

He barks out a laugh, "You lot really are fucking pathetic, aren't you?" His tone changes as he takes a step forward, only inches away now, "I bet you just wanted a good hard fucking huh? Like you got when you were away? Well, don't worry sweet cheeks daddy'll look after you."

He takes another step forward forcing me against the wall, his disgusting lips finding mine. I can feel his erection poking me as his weight crushes my breasts. He tries to push his tongue into my mouth, but I clamp my teeth together not letting him.

"Come on," He says, grinding his hips against my stomach. "You be a good girl for me, and no one has to know you were out of bed out of hours."

I feel his cold clammy hand start to slide down my belly, moving towards the junction of my legs. No, no, no, stars no! I don't want him to touch me there! That part of me belongs to my Master. And even if it didn't, I wouldn't want such an evil human to put his hands on me. I hate this, I hate this! I hate him!

"No!" I say, placing my hands against his chest and pushing as hard as I can.

To my surprise he falls backwards, clearly not expecting me to fight back. For a moment all is silent as our eyes meet. Then he explodes. "You little bitch!" he yells. "You filthy fucking whore!"

I stand frozen in fear. Until I see him stating to stand up, and I come to my senses. I do my best to hobble passed him to the stairs. But my body refuses to obey my commands. My head spins and my lungs burn. I'm so close, but I'm too slow. He grabs my upper arm and with no real effort turns me back to face him. Before slapping my face so hard I fall to the ground.

I blink away stars, my cheek burning. I feel tears in my eyes. No! This is unfair, I'm so close! I mange to roll onto all fours. Only for him to kick me in the ribs, sending me to the cold concrete floor once again.

"Fucking cunt!" Smith snarls from above me. I cower away, imagining I can feel the rage radiating from him.

"What do you think you are doing?" A cool female voice says, and both me and the Warden turn to look at Dr. Walker striding down the corridor, her white labcoat steaming behind her, glowing attentively green and red in the darkness.

Not wanting to waste the distraction, I half crawl, half slide my way to the towards the stairs.

"Ah, Linda," Smith says, his anger from a moment ago seeming to vanish, "I didn't realise you were still in the building."

"Clearly," She replies. "What is going on here?"

Tasting vomit in the back of my throat, I make it to the door frame. And with the Human's still distracted, I do my best to get to my feet.

"I found this one out of bed and out of her room," Smith says, pointing at me, "When I tried to help her return to bed she attacked me. And I was forced to defend myself."

"I see," Dr. Walker says, looking over at me without any obvious expression. Our eyes meet and I notice, yet again, how tired she looks. It's like she hasn't slept for days. I feel a stab of guilt. Did I do this to her?

"She broke one of the overriding edicts," Smith says slowly. "You know I have to report this to management."

"That won't be necessary," Dr. Walker says quickly, looking at me with wide eyes.

I look at the stairs beside me, they are so close. But as I fight down the urge to throw up, I realise it's hopeless. I'm too weak, too exhausted. I'll never make it.

"I'm afraid that it is Doctor," Smith says. "See, I've been talking to management. They were worried you're emotions might be getting in the way of your judgement."

I watch Dr. Walkers face turn from tired and confused to furiously angry in seconds, and I thank all the stars that I was always a good girl in her presence. However she quickly swallows down her anger, nodding slowly.

"I understand," she says softly, "but, it's been a long few weeks hasn't it? You really want to bring management into this? I was thinking we could just grab a drink instead."

Smith blinks at her, clearly as surprised by her reaction as I am. Dr. Walker likes this Man? That's what 'grab a drink' means isn't it? That she wants to go on a date with him and become his girlfriend.

The Warden looks at her for a long time, before grinning and flatting his hair with his palm. "Yeah, that sounds nice, real nice Linda," he places his hot sweaty hand on my shoulder. "And you're right I don't have to report Red here. We're friends, I do a favour for you, you do one for me," he winks.

I'm a little surprised he doesn't see Dr. Walker shudder before she smiles brightly. "Why don't you take Rose back to her room while I freshen up? It looks like she might need some help walking."

"Come on then, Red." Smith says cheerfully, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards him. I grab the door frame with both hands, holding on with everything I have. "Come on you stupid little bitch," he snarls.

Suddenly his grip on my arm loosens. What? I look up at him in shock. There's a syringe in the side of his neck, held by Dr. Walker. He turns, and the two humans look at each other face to face, his lit by red light, hers by green.

Then he sways once, twice, three times, "What the fuck!" he groans. Letting go of me altogether he turns towards the stairs. Once again he sways his eyes rolling back up and into his head and he takes an unsteady step backwards.

Dr. Walker reaches out her arms as if she were going to catch him. But just when it looks like he's going to topple backwards he seems to come to his senses. He takes a final rickety step forwards overcorrecting himself, and falling forward. His face hits one of the concrete steps with a moist crunch.

Despite how evil a human Warden Smith is, I wince at the sound. So does Dr. Walker. Slowly our eyes meet, neither of us speaking. I glance over at Smith's still body, did she kill him or just knock him out?

"What a pig," she says at last.

I don't understand what's happening. All I know is that the inspection team is somewhere up those stairs and—more importantly—so is my Master. I'm battered and exhausted, and I feel like I'm going to be sick at any moment. But I know i'm going to feel a lot worse if I don't at least try to get back to my owner.

I make a break for the stairs. I mange about two steps before stumbling over my own feet, my head spinning.

"Rose!" Dr. Walker says in alarm, catching me and, with a grunt, pushing me back to an upright position. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Falling over," I groan, there's no point pretending now. Whoever I was before I met my Master that girl is truly gone. I'm a slave, I will always be a slave, but I'm Dan's slave, and that means something.

Dr. Walker blinks at me. "So, is sarcasm a symptom of genetic imbalance or something you learned on your adventure?" I can't tell from her voice if she's angry or not.
I begin to answer her, then stop myself. If I tell her the truth would she help me? She might, but the more important question is: If I tell her the truth will it get my Master into trouble. I pause for a long moment thinking, before softly answering. "I'm sorry Miss," I say. "I think I picked up some bad habits."

"You realise that even if you make it up the stairs you are in the very centre of the compound. You'll never escape."

"I'm not trying to escape," I say, before I can stop myself. My head isn't working right, it aches, and throbs and pounds all at the same time.

"Then what—" Dr. Walker suddenly stops speaking, and I look up at her, she's gone deathly pale. "Rose, sweetheart," she tries to speak calmly but there's an unmistakable tremble in her voice, "does anyone else know you're here?"

I take a long time in answering, trying to imagine what Master would say. Before deciding to tell the truth. "Yes, lots of people, I think."

"Oh stars," Dr. Walker whispers. "Do," she pauses, "do you know why you and your sisters are special?"

Again, I decide to tell the truth. "Yes, we don't grow older like normal girls, or we won't look older. But it also makes us sick without medicine." As if my body wants to prove my point I'm hit with a sputtering coughing fit.

"Oh fucking hell," Dr. Walker whispers, so quiet I can barely hear her even in the silent corridor. Letting go of my arm she moves away, leaning against the wall with her chest heaving.

"I'm sorry," I say, feeling guilty for causing her so much distress. I don't want to make anyone unhappy. Well, okay, maybe I wouldn't mind if the evil Wardens were unhappy. But Dr. Walker has always been kind to me.

She looks at me her eyes sparkling as if she's on the verge of tears. "Oh Sweetheart," she says, "I'm the one who should be sorry. When you were younger..." She pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"When you were younger it was so much easier. I was so new, and I didn't know you. For all the world you were basically just obedient lab rats. But, it's not like that now, you've all grown up into such beautiful young women and I feel, like... Well, lets just say I care for you. All of you."

"I'm going to die," I say softly, blinking back tears of my own. "If you don't help me, I'm going to die."

"I can't," she replies with a sob, not meeting my eyes. "Even if I had enough time to run the gene sequencer for the therapy, I would never be able to requisition the materials. They watch everything I do. Everything Rose!"

"Just let me go," I say quickly, feeling fresh hope rise in my chest, followed swiftly by another wave of nausea. "Let me find the inspection team."

She suddenly looks up, blinking at me. "The inspection team?"

"I need to find them," I say again. "The people who know I'm here, they can help me. They can help my sisters. Please just let me find them."

The doctor looks scared, but somehow, despite how much older she seems to have gotten since I left, she suddenly looks much younger. Almost as I remember her as a child. She considers me for a long time, before slipping off her white coat and handing it to me.

"Put it on," she says, smiling softly. "And, well, then I'll take you up."

I look at the white coat in my hand. Is this a trick? I glance at the stairs, they seem to go on forever. I don't have a choice, I have to trust her.

"Thank you," I say quietly, meeting her gaze. Pulling on the coat I wince as the soft marital brushes against my raw bottom.

Dr. Walker doesn't say anything as she takes my arm, leading me to the stairs. The only sounds in the entire world are our footsteps. Time seems to slow and disconnect as together we step over Warden Smith, and begin to climb the mountain of stairs. My body shifts between agonising pain and numb dizziness as we move.

At last we reach the top step and emerge onto a small landing, with what looks like a solid wall in front of us. It takes me a moment to notice the door handle. Dr. Walker smiles at me gently, "I wish they would let me see the look on the boards face when all this comes out."

I nod. I don't really understand what she means, and I don't want to waste what little breath I have left on asking. Dr. Walker, however, doesn't seem to have been expecting an answer. With a grunt she pushes down the door handle, pulling the entire wall towards us.

A broom-closet. All of this was hidden behind a broom-closet! I can't help but marvel at the way the entire rear wall of the tiny room folds back. Leaving the sink and shelves, cluttered with cleaning supplies, still attached.

Stepping over a dustpan and brush, we open the outer door of the closet, and step out into the compound itself. I blink away the bright new lights, looking around as memories hit me one after another. This is where my sisters and I grew up. White walls, White ceiling, no colour or variety except what the Wardens gave us.

"Ready?" Dr. Walker asks gently.

I nod again, trying my best to smile. Though, for some reason, even that seems to hurt now.

I wonder if Dr. Walker has a Lower Vil of her own? A male one perhaps like Zack. I hope she does. I think she would be a kind Mistress.

We walk past classroom after classroom of girls of different ages, all kneeling behind desks obediently. The large windows in the walls must be one-way phased like the door downstairs. Because Wardens in grey overalls stand by some of them, taking notes and pointing to the girls. There must be thousands of Lower VIl here. And not just those who look mostly human like me, but girls with scales and spikes, pink skin, blue skin even a few with violet scales. I shake my head, trying to clear it to remember the details. Master will want to know about this!

We get a few odd looks as Dr. Walker hurries me along, almost causing me to stumble. At last we come to a junction where another long corridor branches off of this one. Turning the corner quickly, we almost walk straight into a someone.

Dr. Walker gasps and we both look up at the people in front of us, a mixture of well dressed humans and tall scale-covered Vil. All wearing those bright yellow vests that humans wear when they want to be seen. I've found them! I think giddily. The inspection team!

"What is this?" A man asks. I can barely hear him over my heart hammering in my chest. I found them! I found them! I can go home! I feel like crying and screaming and dancing all at the same time! Even though I don't know how to dance, maybe Master will teach me? I'm so happy the room starts to spin. Wait that isn't righ—

And just like that, the world turns to black.

--- --- ---

Dan

Rose, for all that she's pale and lifeless does at least look peaceful. I double check the heart rate monitor, just to make sure she's still alive. Which she is. Thank the stars. Her list of medical problems is as long as my arm. It's literally as if she's started falling apart from the inside.

I look up at her blonde sister on the other side of the bed—Leilani, I think?—and I try to smile. "The doctor says she's doing okay. She just needs time to heal."

"Yes, Sir," the girl says at once, bowing her head.

I try not look too disappointed. 'Yes sir' and 'No sir' are normally the only words I can get out of any of them. It's been three days, but I keep hoping they might open up, if only a little. Still, I suppose they are worried about Rose. I've noticed that none of the girls will let Rose be without at least one of them holding her hand, or stroking her hair. Timid as they are, they obviously care for their injured sister.

I frown, watching the other two girls take turns sitting down opposite each other. One watches the other sit down, then they trade roles. It takes me a moment to realise they are practicing not flashing their panties while wearing skirts.

I don't know why, but I kind of assumed that Rose and her sisters would be identical, like twins. But no, they are all unique. Which is helpful, as my sister has decided completely matching outfits are in order. I thought her head might explode when I told her she had three life sized dolls to dress to her heart's desire.

Though they are all different. They still share the maze like markings that run from their necks to their hips. They arrived completely naked, so I got a peek. I'm just hoping Rose never finds out I spent time around her naked sisters. Though, I doubt she would see any problem with that.

Sitting down beside Rose's bedside, I grunt in pain. The burns around my tased stomach are still a little raw. I look up once again at Leilani, "Your sister's is a really good artist."

A look of panic flashes across her face so fast that, if not for the fact I've spent so much time with Rose, I never would have spotted. "Yes, Sir," She says gently, and that's the end of that conversation.

I'm not entirely sure how the girls see me. They know I own Rose, and they don't seem actively afraid of me. They will do anything I ask them without hesitation. Other than open up to me, obviously.

I have wondered if they try and say as little as possible in case it gets their sister into trouble. So I've tried to keep things light and friendly. Though now I'm wondering if silent and friendly might not be the better option.

Still, there's a subject I need to breach. "I have some friends coming to visit," I say softly.

"Yes, Sir," the girl opposite me replies. Seemingly not sure how else to respond.

How to say this, "Are you still sure you want an owner?" I ask tentatively.

It was black haired girl, Dahlia? Who first asked me about an owner, and I've been racking my brains to find a way of talking them out of it ever since. But, in my heart of hearts, I knew they would never settle for being free, at lest, not yet.

"Yes Sir," Leilani answers quickly. "We all do Sir, please."

I glance over to where the other girls nod once, bowing their heads. Right, well hardly an unexpected answer. Just one that causes a few complications. "Well, my friends are coming," I say again. "And, if it's agreeable to you three, they may consent to be your Masters."

I pause, "Well, one will be a Mistress I suppose. Is that a problem?" The brown haired Thistle's head snaps up and our eyes meet, before she quickly looks at the floor. I can't help but laugh. It's a very Rosy thing to have done.

"We will all be happy to have any owner, Sir," Leilani, who is apparently the leader, says gently. I think that might be the most words she's ever said to me in one go.

"Well," I say, leaning back in my chair, "I can't promise anything." Maybe I should have mentioned to my friends in the anti-slave society that I intended for them to be slave owners by the end of the day? Nah, they might not have shown up.

The two girls behind Leilani return to their sitting and standing practice. While Leilani herself takes Rose's hand in hers. I smile at her, before turning my attention back to Rose. Despite her injuries she's as beautiful as ever. I even find myself marvelling at how her deep red hair contrasts with the white fabric of the bedclothes.

She twitches.

I blink. Did she just move? Is my mind playing tricks on me? I've spent the last three days staring at her, and the only movement I've seen is the gentle rise and fall of her chest. But no, there it is again. I start to rise ready to run and find a Doctor in case something is wrong, when with a soft sigh she blinks once and opens her eyes.

"Rose!" I say, leaping to my feet.

"Dan?" She replies hoarsely, blinking at me.

All her sisters gasp, gathering around the opposite side of her bed. Their eyes fixed on their sister.

"Our sister is confused, Sir," Leilani says quickly, earning sharp looks from the other two—or at least what constitutes a sharp look by Lower Vil standards. "She didn't mean to disrespect you."

I snort out a laugh, kissing my slave girls forehead. "Are you kidding? I've spent weeks trying to get her to use my real name."

"Master!" Rose says again, struggling to reach for me.

"I'm here! I'm here," I say gently pushing her back down into the bed. "Don't try and move, okay?"

She nods slowly, her eyes growing wide in panic as I start to turn away from her. I can't believe someone can make me feel guilty for finding them a glass of water.

"I'm not going anywhere," I tell her, "I promise."

I hold a cool glass of water to her lips. "Have a drink, It'll make you feel better," she obeys without complaint, and I smile as her eyes start to wonder around the room.

I'm lucky enough to catch the moment she realises all her sisters are present. "Master!" she says as I pull the glass away, "These are my Sisters! Leilani, Thistle and Dahlia," the excitement in her voice is adorable.

"We've met," I grin, leaning my head against hers. "Stars Rose, I thought I had lost you."

"The communicator didn't work," Rose says apologetically. "I tried to find high ground, but it still didn't work."

"The place was shielded," I tell her. "Apparently they were even more paranoid that we realised."

There's a long moment of blissful silence, before, with a blush in her cheeks, Rose whispers, "I love you."

There's an audible gasp from her sisters, but I ignore them.

"I love you too, so, so much" I reply, kissing her cheek and meaning every word.

"Where are we?" Rose asks, straining to look out of the window behind her bed.

"The Weston Hub," I laugh, gently pushing her back down into bed once again. "As it turns out the department of Inter-Species relations has a private ward here."

"When can we go home? Can my sisters come as well? What about their owners?"

"Rose!" Leilani hisses.

"She's really allowed to ask questions?" Dahlia asks.

"She really is," I reply, smiling at the girl, who blushes. Stars, if you ever want an ego boost just spend your time in a room of Lower Vil girls.

"But I'm afraid I don't know yet sweetie," I say, peering over my shoulder as a guard opens the door. Letting three people enter the room.

"Hello Miss Clare," Rose says politely. Ever a stickler for rules, even after a top secret spy mission. "Mr Theo, Mr Jasper," she smiles at each of my friends in turn. Well, thats new.

Rose's sisters, as one, drop to their knees. I sigh. They were doing so well remembering not to kneel for me or the medical staff here. Though, I suppose from their point of view they just want to make a good first impression on their future Masters.

"Rose!" Claire says, "you're awake!"

"She is," I say with a smile. "Guys, I would like to introduce you to Leilani, Thistle and Dahlia, Rose's sisters."

"You should stand up," Rose tells her sisters softly, "Master's friends aren't like normal humans."

Theo and Jasper turn to the new girls introducing themselves. Apparently determined to be less nervous than when they met Rose. Claire on the other hand walks over to me.

"How are you feeling Dan?" She asks, not quite able to meet my eye. I don't blame her for what happened, but she certainly blames herself. And she's not prepared to let stupid things like my opinion of the matter change her mind.

"Still a little sore," I reply, "but it's nothing."

"What happened?" Rose squeaks, looking at me with wide eyes trying to sit up once again. This time it's Thistle who pushes her back down.

Ah, of course she had no idea about my heroics. Well, there's no reason to worry her.

"He tased himself in the stomach," a strong confident voice says, as the door swings open. Mr. X grins as he walks in followed by two black clade enforcers.

Oh wonderful, X is here.

But he's not alone. He's followed into the room by a tall tan-skinned man. His long nose and small beady eyes make him look something like a hawk, and I instantly place him on the do not trust list in my head.

I'm just about to ask the man who he is, when a green scaled head, covered with rainbow feathers, ducks under the door way. A Vil, followed quickly by her small scale-covered slave. I stare at them both in amazement. The last time I met one of her kind she seemed tall, but that was in the massive transport hub. In a normal sized room they seem enormous.

Talking of the last time I saw a Vil, why does she look so familiar?

--- --- ---

Rose

Ignoring all the new people entering the room, I focus on my Master, trying to spot any obvious signs of damage. I was punished with a taser once at the compound and the idea of my sweet gentle Master going though that much pain! It's unbearable.

"Why did you tase yourself, Master?" I ask, unable to keep the worry from my voice.

"I tactically tased myself," Master says, his cheeks going red as he turns back to me. "It was a brilliant piece of strategic genius."

Mr. X snots but doesn't add further comment. I wish I could tell all these people to leave so I could speak to my owner alone. Make sure he isn't all twitchy like I was after being tased.

"Are you okay?" I ask softly.

"I'm fine," he says, leaning down and pressing his soft warm lips on my forehead. I feel myself purring, and blush as Claire and my sisters turn to me.

"I'm afraid we need to make some decisions," Mr X says, nodding to the man beside him.

I can't help but think of Suit-man from the compound as I look at this stranger. He smiles at all of us, but he doesn't seem friendly at all. I shiver, taking Master's hand in mine.

"I'm Senator Lane," the man says, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"So, you're the man responsible for institutionalised abuse, rape and enslavement of thousands of innocent people?" Mistress Claire demands, turning to the man with anger burning in her eyes.

The man takes a deep breath, before beginning to speak, "Although the breeding, raising and ultimately sale of Lower Vil is controversial to some people. It is undoubtedly the best way of ensuring peace and prosperity between our decimated worlds."

"Rest assured that this government does everything within its power to ensure the Lower Vil are treated fairly, and within the confines of the original peace agreement." The way he replies, it's almost as if he's reading from a script.

"Why you smug son-of-a—" Mistress Claire starts, but Master gently pulls her away.

"That will do Claire," he says, before leaning in and whispering something in her ear. She frowns, but nods slowly and takes a step back.

"Why are you here?" Master asks.

"We need to discuss what happens to these former test subjects," Senator Lane replies.

"Oh, well you don't need to worry about that," Master says taking a step forward and deliberately putting himself between me and the senator. "We have things completely under control."

The man laughs, a cruel sound that reverberates around the room. Taking Masters absence as a chance to move, I sit up. I'm happy to find my bottom no longer burns as much as it did.

Looking around I notice that Mr. X doesn't seem to react to the senators laugh, but the Vil woman raises her scalely eyebrows. She looks a little like Emily, but a lot more scary.

"I suppose you are going to tell me that everyone will be leaving in a peaceful commune where freedom and happiness will reign?"

"No, actually," Master says. "There are three girls here who, by law, require owners. And there are three humans here who are the best possible owners for the girls."

All of Master's friends spin around and look at him. But my sister's don't seem surprised by the news. It's a good idea, Master sees his friends often, and that means I will be able to see my sisters often as well!

Ignoring the looks from his friends Master carries on talking, "We plan to move in together when we attend university in the Point Loma Hub. I was thinking more student housing than a hippy commune."

"You think you have this all planned out?" Senator Lane laughs.
"We cannot understate the help these citizens have been in this operation," X says, taking a step forward. "I do hope, mister senator, you are not making light of the sacrifices these young people have made for this government? Voluntarily I might add."

The smirk is wiped from the man's face, "Well, no of course not. Undoubtedly without your help this whole situation would not have had nearly so favourable a conclusion. And of course you will be compensated accordingly."

"However, I'm afraid the girls you have rescued are simply too valuable to be left out in the world. They represent an entire new breed of Lower Vil."

"An illegal breed of Lower Vil." Master says.

"Even more reason to keep them off the streets," Senator Lane says. "I'm sorry, but simply put this government cannot risk losing such vital research."

I feel my heart sink. After everything, everything I did, everything Master did! They are going to take us away. I won't be able to escape again, and even worse I will have broken my promise to my sisters!

"That's not fair!" I say, blushing as every pair of eyes in the room turn to me.

"Rose!" All three of my sisters hiss at me.

"Whose slave is that?" Senator Lane asks, raising his eyebrows.

"She is mine," Master says fiercely.

"Then perhaps it's just as well. She's not very well trained."

"She's perfect," Master snarls. "You tell him what you think sweetie," my owner says, nodding at me.

That being taken away was unfair was what I thought, and even that I said without thinking! But, Master is counting on me to explain why I shouldn't be taken away. Even though, really, a slave shouldn't have any say on what's done with her.

"I don't want to be locked up again," I say quickly before I can lose my nerve, "I didn't do anything wrong, none of us did! We deserve to have our owners and-"

Senator Lane cuts me off, "Enough! This creature has no legal rights. She is property of this government, and I will not have her talking as if she anything but an observer here."

"The slave will speak," a new voice, low and dangerous, carries through the room. Everyone turns to the Vil. Who has finally spoken. I watch as her slave pokes a shy face out from behind the legs of her owner.

"But," Senator Lane protests.

"The slave will speak," the Vil woman says again, and I notice a few of the feathers that lay flat on her head start to rise. Though I don't know what that means.

"Go ahead, Rose," Mr. X says, not unkindly.

"We deserve to be happy," I say. "That's what I was going to say: we deserve to be happy."

Master smiles at me, and with a sudden shock I realise he's crying. Oh no, I didn't want to upset him! But there is nothing I can do to comfort him at the moment! Every set of eyes in the room turn back to Senator Lane.

"Well, we certainly won't mistreat the them," he says, apparently taken aback. "They will live in comfort with all their needs met. Everythin—"

This time it's my Master who interrupts, "Wait I know you!" he points to the Vil woman. Who looks at him in confusion for a few moments before a smile—which shows off a pair of sharp fangs—lights up her face.

"Yes, with the paper containing kindness, I am remembering," she replies. Master knows her?

"You told me I didn't understand a Lower Vil's nature," my owner says, his eyes still red. He continues speaking as he reaches over to stroke my hair, "You were right. I used to think it was simply a case of freeing them. That the only reason they act the way they do is because of how we raised them, and It would be wrong to say that there isn't some truth in that."

"But, Lower Vil are not human. They need an owner to feel safe, to give them a stable base from which to explore the world. Because when they are free to express themselves, they are curious, and loving. They make beautiful art. They love stories and they actively want to learn about the world."

"I want to give Rose and her sisters the chance to grow, we all do," he gestures to his friends, who nod, though they all look very confused. "They deserve to be happy," he finishes, looking at me with pride.

Something like a smile touches the Vil woman's face, "The slaves, they will go with these humans," she says, pointing to Master and his friends.

"And be given Ident chips," Master says, a broad smile on his face.

The woman nods.

"And the balancing agent they need to survive."

The woman nods again.

"You don't have authority here!" Senator Lane says, his face going red. "You are not in a position to give me orders!"

Mr X, who was smiling to himself moments ago, suddenly freezes, and even the black clad human guards shuffle uneasily. Everything is silent for a few moments. I notice a few more of the feather rise on the woman's head, standing up like hair. Her full, and terrifying focus is fixed on Senator Lane.

"But the potential profits!" Senator Lane gasps, his eyes darting from the Vil woman to me and back again.

The woman shows her fangs.

"What do you think of all this?" Senator Lane says, rounding on Mr. X, who shrugs.

"Given that, despite our best efforts, the compound managed to destroy roughly ninety-eight percent of any relevant data on the girls I would say this is not an advisable hill to die on."

Senator Lane blinks, shaking his head. "Oh very well then, very well! But these girls are your responsibility. I trust you are able to take care of things?"

"Of course," Mr. X says brightly. "Don't worry sir, leave everything to me."

He nods once, "Madam Zxxit'pah'rookah my apologies for that unfortunate misunderstanding. Shall we return to my office and discuss number projections?"

The Vil woman takes one last look at us, as does her Lower Vil. Before she places a hand on the girls head, and, with a smile, follows Senator Lane out of the door escorted by the two enforcers.

"What just happened?" Master asks, looking around the room.

"Politics, Mr Fallow." Mr. X says with a grin. "An impassioned stance quickly replaced by an opposing stance when the situation no longer seems favourable. Yes, it's a fair miracle indeed that I am above such things."

Returning to my side, Master grabs a pillow and pushes it behind my back. I look at him guilty, biting my bottom lip. But he just smirks at me. Across the room my sisters shyly approach their perspective new owners.

Turning his attention back to Mr. X Master frowns. "He seemed to give up on the girls very easily. Are you sure we don't have to worry about him?"

"The girls were an unexpected windfall. He would have liked to grab them up, but really, he wasn't so invested."

"But," Master says, a puzzled crease forming in on his forehead, "I thought the plan was to get the girls out. So he should have been expecting them?"

Beside the bed Thistle sinks to her knees in front of Miss Claire, who quickly pulls her to her feet. Before bending down to brush my sister's knees with her hand. I didn't know Thistle wanted a Mistress. I don't have much time to wonder about my sister though, as Mr. X's laugh draws my attention back to him.

"You think, Mr. Fallow," he says, trying to contain his laughter. "That the plan was to wait for one of the girls to get kidnapped. Find her, heal her and then employ her to go undercover in the compound and alert a passing inspection team."

"Well, when you say it like that," Master grumbles. "Fine, what was the plan?"

"We were simply going to arrest a Doctor Linda Walker, and obtain enough evidence to convince both our own and the Vil's government to launch their own investigation. However, we assumed that the girls would have been destroyed along with all other evidence, and that most of the people involved would escape justice altogether," Mr. X shrugs. "Thankfully fate and chance gave us a better, albeit more complicated, option with a very satisfactory result."

"I'm happy they didn't kill us Master," I say, looking at my sisters with a smile. Dahlia blushes as Mr. Jasper says something to her. Meanwhile Leilani and Master's slightly odd friend Theo seem to have found something to talk about. Or, at least, Theo has, and Leilani is listening intently.

"Why would they have killed them?" Mr. Jasper asks, placing a hand protectively on Dahlia's shoulder as he turns to stare at my Master. My sister's look less concerned, but in their own way, no less interested.

My owner looks to Mr. X, who nods, "Go ahead and tell them Mr. Fallow. We will have to reveal the truth publicly, now that the girls will be out in the world."

Master looks at me, before shrugging, and beginning to tell everyone all about the rescue mission and the genetic modifications. I try my best to listen. Even though it's a story I already know, but I get distracted as Mr. X walks over to me.

"You have done very well Rose," he says brightly. "Far better than even I imagined."

"Thank you, sir," I reply, the praise making my cheeks warm even when it's not coming from my Master.

"Doctor Walker sends her regards, and hopes you're okay," he says quietly. "As does Lucy."

I look at him open mouthed, feeling instantly guilty. Dr. Walker helped me escape, but I haven't thought about her even once since I woke up. I glance over at Master but he's still explaining things to his friends and my sisters.

"Dr. Walker isn't in trouble for making us?" I ask nervously, not wanting to get my friend punished.

"Well, most of the people we have enough evidence against to arrest have been split between ourselves and the Vil. They will face justice on one world or another. But, thankfully, before we could officially arrest her, Doctor Walker volunteered to help us."

I frown, "Like how Master and I volunteered to help you?"

Mr. X laughs gently, "As it happens it was just like that."

The department of Interspecies relations isn't a horrible place to live, and Mr. X isn't a horrible person. Even if he does tease my Master. I hope Dr. Walker will be okay, and she's not too sad that she can't make more girls like us.

"Can I visit Lucy?" I ask, watching my sister's touch their faces. Master must have gotten to the part in the story where we don't get any older.

Mr. X frowns, "A visit might be a little complicated to arrange, but you can always talk to her," he taps my cheek with two fingers.

I had forgotten about the communication chip! I smile. "Thank you Sir! For everything."

He looks a little taken aback, but nods and winks, "You will look after Mr. Fallow won't you? I do worry about him and the state of our education system."

Ignoring the rude comments about my Master, that may or may not be a joke, I nod enthusiastically.

"We look after each other!"

Mr. X smiles gesturing with his head to Masters friends. Who stand looking stunned. Master must have finished his story. He frowns at Mr. X, before sitting on the bed beside me and letting me cuddle against his side.

"I hope you're friends agree to be my sisters owners," I say softly.

"Me too," my owner says, watching his friends and my sisters. Before he slaps his hand to the side of his head. "I almost forgot!" he says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black band.

"I've been keeping this safe for you," he says, handing the object to me.

My collar!

"Thank you Master!" I gasp, letting him fix my collar around my neck.

I can't help but giggle at the looks my sisters give me!

Mr. X smiles at me, before turning his attention to Master's friends. "Well, we have some formalities to deal with," he says. "Are you all happy to take of these girls into your care?"

"Do I have a choice?" Mistress Claire asks, looking between Me, Master and Mr X.

"Not really," Master says, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. "But we promised to protect the Lower Vil. This is our chance."

Mr Jasper, looks down at Dahlia and smiles, "I'm willing."

Mistress Claire nods slowly, taking Thistle's hand in hers. "My parents are going to give me hell for this."

Everyone's attention turns to Theo, who looks at Leilani. "Is this what you want?" he asks my sister. "I'm afraid I don't know much about being a Master, or caring for you."

"You're perfect," Leilani says, "and I want to belong to you."

Theo blushes. It must be a rare event because all of Master's friends look at each other in amazement.

"Well, that settles things," Mr X announces. "I'll arrange for ident chips to be provided," he continues, pulling his tablet from his pocket and tapping it a few times. "If you really need me then Rose knows how to contact me. Otherwise do try and stay out of trouble," he says with a small smile, before leaving the room with a final nod to my owner.

Master strokes my hair, as I watch my sister's and their new owners. Each group seems as stunned as each other. I think it's going to take my sisters a little while to get used to life outside the compound. Like it did for me. But they will get there.

"Do you think he had this all planned out?" Master asks, and I notice his gaze hasn't left the door Mr. X just left though. "Like, he knew exactly what would happen the moment he stepped into this room?"

Shrugging I reach up to kiss my owners cheek. Mr. X is smart, but I don't think he can predict the future.

"So..." Mistress Claire says, walking over with Thistle following close behind her. "What do we do now?"

Master grins at me, "I wonder if you can get pizza delivered to a hospital?"

--- --- ---

Epilogue

Dan

"Ready?" I ask, taking a final look around my bedroom.

"I think so Master," Rose replies, playing with the hem of her hoodie, well, of my hoodie. It's still too big for her, but at least she will be warm. And I can't help but appreciate how cute she looks in it.

Smiling I open my arms and she gladly falls into a hug, leaning up so that our lips meet. As always the world fades around me and all that really matters is the beautiful girl in my arms. Even now, I sometimes wake up in a panic wondering if this had all just been a dream.

"Come on you two!" Claire shots up the stairs. "We're going to miss the train."

Rose looks up at me in alarm.

"Relax," I say with a smile, "we have lots of time."

Even so I grab my suitcase, before making sure Rose has her coat, hat and gloves. It's been nearly four months since she left the hospital and she hasn't shown any symptoms in all that time. But I'm not taking any chances.

"Mr Jasper says that were we are going the weather will be hot."

"Jasper says," I correct her. "And he's right. It's on the West coast, right next to the ocean."

Apparently I didn't get the hint, because she frowns at the hat, "It will mess up my hair Master."

Ah, the hair that Jezebel did for her this morning. I throw the hat back onto the bed, before holding out the gloves. Which she dutifully puts on.

"Good girl,"

Her brilliant smile is all the reassurance I need that, despite having made leaps and bounds in the recent mouths, she still enjoys being praised. Picking up my large suitcase, I follow her out of my room and down the stairs.

Our feet crunch on the gravel as we step outside. A large hover bus sits idling at the end of the driveway near where my friends and Rose's sisters gather. My slave girl looks up at me with an unasked question, before I take her suitcase and watch as she rushes over to her siblings.

Watching her hug and nuzzle them you would think it had been weeks since they last saw each other. Instead of about nine hours. I hear someone walk up beside me and smile as Emily comes into view.

"The house is going to be very quiet without you and Rose here, Sir," she says, looking down at her feet.

I grimace. I really do feel guilty for taking Emily's friend away from her. "We'll be back at Christmas," I say apologetically. "It's not so long, and you have our number so you can talk to Rose and me whenever you want."

She nods slowly, still looking down.

I learn over and pull her into a side hug, "Of course, Mum and Dad are going to want to visit. And the Point Loma hub just so happens to have the biggest sea life zoo in the world. If you're interested in that kind of thing?"

My father's slave beams at me, "Yes sir!" she says. "May I go and say goodbye to Rose?"

"Of course. If you can pry her away from Dahlia that is."

The rest of my family step out of the house a few moments later. I almost laugh at the different levels of dress on display. My dad is wearing his finest suit, while mum is in her weekend clothes. Jezebel is still in her yellow nightdress.

"My little guys off to university," my mum says, wrapping me in a bone crushing hug. "Do you have your sun-cream? How about your swim trunks? And a sun hat? You still remember how to swim if you go into the sea, right?"

I laugh, "I have all of that!"

"And yes, I remember how to swim. Gotta learn how to surf though."

"Sorry," Mum says, sounding embarrassed. "Just, natural for a mother to worry."

"I understand," I say, glancing over at Rose, who is hugging Emily tightly.

"Good luck son," my father says, offering his hand.

Ignoring his outstretched hand, I pull him into a hug. "Thanks Dad," I say, "for everything."

"Do me proud son," he says gruffly, pulling away.

"I'll see you soon little brother," Jezebel says with a smirk. "You're not allowed to be the only one enjoying the golden coast."

Laughing, I hug her. Before taking a step back to look at my family, my home, my life.

"Better go before you get in trouble," Mum says with a soft smile, pointing behind me.

Claire is glaring at me, repeatedly checking the watch on her wrist. I wave at her and take one last look back, before pulling mine and Rose's suitcase over to the bus. I meet her by the door, the two of us being the last to get on.

"Ready for another adventure?" I ask.

"As long as it's with you Master!" she says, a wide smile on her face.

--- --- ---

The End