Keifer's POV
We were on our knees.
Gravel digging into skin.
Hands restrained behind us.
Guns pressed to our backs.
Jay sat on the ground beside me, her injured arm cradled against her chest. I could see the pain in her face even though she tried to hide it.
Sienna sat comfortably in a metal chair in front of us.
Like a queen watching a show.
"You guys think you're so smart," she said, crossing her legs slowly.
Eli suddenly stood up.
Calm.
Relaxed.
"Look, um, Sienna," he said lightly, brushing dust off his sleeve. "I'm not part of this."
Luke stood too. "Yes. My brother and I have nothing to do with this."
Sienna tilted her head.
Then laughed.
"You two think you're clever?" she said. "One brother acts like a normal worker. The other acts like a normal doctor."
Luke blinked. "Wow. You got it right."
Even now.
Even at gunpoint.
I almost shook my head.
Sienna's expression hardened instantly.
"Both of you shut up."
They were forced back down.
Jay shifted slightly beside me.
"Sienna," she said, her voice steady despite everything. "You're making a grave mistake."
Sienna looked at her slowly.
"Jay. You have a broken arm. You should keep quiet."
"How can I keep quiet if you're making a mistake?" Jay shot back.
Sienna's jaw tightened.
"You talk too much."
She signaled her men.
Two of them stepped forward.
They grabbed Jay roughly and pulled her up.
"Let her go!" I shouted.
Before I could move—
The back of a gun slammed into my forehead.
Pain exploded.
My vision went white for a second.
I hit the ground hard.
"Keifer!" Jay shouted. "What's your problem?! Why did you hit him?!"
"Stop the drama," Sienna said coldly. "Bring her here."
They dragged her..
Felix's scream didn't sound human anymore.
It cracked halfway through.
Like his voice couldn't survive what his body was enduring.
His muscles locked. His back arched violently against the ropes. The device hummed with that sick, mechanical buzz.
Ten seconds.
It felt endless.
Then—
Click.
Silence.
Felix collapsed forward, gasping, barely conscious.
Smoke rose faintly from the fabric of his shirt.
My jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
Sienna clapped lightly.
"One point," she said casually. "He lasted the full ten seconds."
Yuri's hands were shaking behind his back. Not from fear.
From rage.
Jay turned her face away, her breathing uneven.
My heart dropped.
The man stepped behind Yuri.
Yuri didn't look at her.
He looked straight ahead.
Calm.
Too calm.
"Ten seconds," Sienna said softly.
The device pressed against his back.
Jay shook her head violently. "Sienna please—"
Click.
Yuri's body jerked hard.
A sharp gasp escaped him but he didn't scream.
His teeth clenched.
His shoulders trembled.
The current ran through him and I could see every muscle fighting it.
Five seconds.
Seven.
Nine.
His head finally dropped slightly as the pain overwhelmed him.
Click.
It stopped.
Yuri slumped forward, breathing heavily but conscious.
Sienna looked mildly disappointed.
"Still strong," she murmured. "Impressive."
Eli, kneeling beside Luke, finally spoke.
"You're proving nothing," he said calmly.
She looked at him.
"I'm proving they are weaker than they pretend."
She turned back toward us.
"Round three."
Jay stepped forward slightly despite her injury.
"No more," she said.
Sienna looked at her slowly.
"Oh?" she said softly. "You want to volunteer?"
The air froze.
I immediately shook my head at Jay.
Don't.
Don't you dare.
Sienna's smile widened.
"Actually," she continued thoughtfully, "maybe we should increase the stakes."
She walked back to her chair and sat down again.
Crossed her legs.
"Next one," she said casually, "gets fifteen seconds."