I endured what felt like the 100th punch from the mayor. I tried punching him back but other agents held me back.

  “I’m getting tired of how persistent you are! Answer me!!”

  “It’s getting harder to answer you when you keep punching me before I can answer.” I said.

  The mayor kicked me down to my knees and grabbed my chin roughly.

  “You’re only delaying the inevitable. I will find your little friends and I will correct their ways.”

  “This isn’t the right path you-”

  He shot me in the thigh.

  “Don’t lecture me on morality or pathfinding! You ancient freaks only cared about violence and power! You know nothing about modern ideals or how things work now!” he barked at me.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  I wanted to clutch the bleeding hole but the other agents still held my hands behind the pole.

  “Cuff her and let her bleed out.”

  An agent nodded and carefully cuffed my hands behind the pole. I decided to just use one of my two tails to cover it when the mayor left.

  About an hour later, the woman walked in. She uncuffed me and set down a tray of what looked to be some stale bread and beans.

  “I snuck extra for you. Eat it quickly.”

  “Why have you been kind to me?” I asked the woman.

  She paused, “It’s none of your concern as of right now. Your only concern is surviving.”

  She then exited the room and I was left there with my thoughts. I ate the food because I was hungry. It didn’t taste as bad as I expected it to be. After eating it I wanted to walk around the room but the pain in my thigh and leg was too much so I stayed where I was at.

  After another hour the mayor walked in.

  “Alright let’s get this over with, go ahead and torture me.” I told him.

  “I only did that because I needed the location of Torshik and Shade.”

  He then stepped aside, revealing them both in handcuffs as well as Knicatru. My eyes widened. Torshik was knocked out.