The room still spun whenever Isaac opened his eyes. The nausea had not disappeared, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been the last time he woke up. Back then, he had felt as though he might throw up at any moment. Now it was more of a constant, unpleasant swaying, as if the ground beneath him would never quite come to rest. Like after he had drunk far too much.
Isaac had lost all sense of time. There was neither a clock in the room nor had they kindly brought him his phone.
The room did, however, have a window. What day it was or how much time had passed since the attack, he did not know. It felt like an eternity, though surely only a few days could have gone by.
Fortunately, he was alone at the moment.
Perfect for gathering his thoughts and working on an escape plan.
There was one thing he needed to take care of first, however. The active talismans were still draining his strength, and he urgently needed to sever the connections that no longer mattered.
His body still ached, and his wounds certainly would not heal as long as his powers were being used elsewhere. He cut the connections to Noctis's replacement talismans. That alone helped ease the heavy feeling in his chest.
Afterward, he turned his attention to his connection with Noctis.
He let out a relieved breath. The connection was still there. Physically, Noctis seemed to be fine, and as far as Isaac could tell, the talisman had not been activated either. Isaac sank a little deeper into his pillow and, with a trembling hand, brushed it across his face.
Thank goodness you're safe... thank goodness you're okay...
The tension that had settled inside him since he had awakened eased slightly.
At least for now, he did not need to worry about Noctis. The warehouse was probably empty, or their enemies had been so incompetent that they had simply been taken out. Knowing Noctis, he probably had not even broken a sweat.
Isaac wished he could talk to him, tell him that he was alright.
It was time to familiarize himself with his surroundings. Somehow, he had to find a way out of here. Past Ashe, Levi, and their men—and preferably as quickly as possible. He wanted to avoid having too much contact with Levi.
He tried to sit up, but of course it was impossible without pain. At the slightest movement, agony exploded through his abdomen. He groaned, pressing a hand against the wound as he forced himself upright.
"Come on, Isaac," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Just a little more."
With trembling arms, he pushed himself up further. Inch by inch. When he finally managed to sit upright, he had to remain completely still for several seconds.
The room swayed dangerously around him. Nausea rose in his stomach while his heart hammered against his ribs. Only after a while did the dizziness begin to subside. The throbbing in his head, however, remained. The pressure behind his eyes was almost unbearable.
The painkillers still seemed to be working, though.
So Ashe had apparently not been lying when she claimed she did not want him to suffer.
Levi, too, seemed intent on not injuring him any more than necessary. Not if he was truly after Isaac's abilities. The thought was anything but comforting.
Still, it meant that his life was not in immediate danger—for now.
Carefully, Isaac felt along his torso. Even the slightest touch sent fresh waves of pain through him. Beneath the bandages, everything felt swollen and sensitive. He could not rule out broken bones.
Damn, it had been so long since he had last seen Levi. The scar on his neck burned unpleasantly and seemed to tighten around his throat whenever he thought about that day. He had to pull himself together.
Otherwise, he would never get out of here.
When the dizziness eased, he cautiously looked around the room. It was simply furnished, and there was nothing fragile or particularly heavy in sight that he could use as a weapon. Smart of them. He would have shamelessly used any shard of glass to kill anyone who came too close.
Carefully, he moved to the edge of the bed.
One hand remained pressed against the bandage covering the gunshot wound. Cold sweat gathered on his forehead and slowly ran down his temples, but he ignored it. Just as he ignored the trembling in his muscles and the dull throbbing in his abdomen.
His gaze settled on the door.
There lay his first opportunity.
Slowly, he rose to his feet.
His knees threatened to give out immediately, but he forced his body to obey. With unsteady yet determined steps, he made his way toward the door. Every step sent fresh bursts of pain through his body. By the time he reached it, his breathing had already become ragged. Black spots danced at the edges of his vision.
Isaac braced a hand against the doorframe and quietly pressed down on the handle.
Nothing. The door would not open. It would have been surprising if they had left it unlocked.
"Shit..." he cursed under his breath.
Without his lockpick set, he was not getting out.
Frustrated, he let his gaze wander around the room once more.
There was another door that might lead to a bathroom. With a bit of luck, he might be able to break the mirror there, but first he wanted to take a look at the window.
Maybe I'll recognize something if I look outside.
With that thought, he dragged himself over to it. Outside, it was dark—a crystal-clear night. For a moment, he gazed longingly up at the stars before opening the window and letting the cool night air drift inside.
Isaac shivered as the cold air touched his bare skin. Apparently, they had not considered it necessary to leave him with anything more than his underwear. Nor had he seen a single other piece of clothing anywhere in the room.
That's not important right now.
He forced himself to focus on what mattered.
The open window. It was fitted with metal bars. Isaac wrapped his hand around one of them and gave it a hard shake. No chance. The bars were firmly secured and did not move even the slightest bit.
So the window was not an escape route either.
Isaac let out a quiet curse.
Then he carefully leaned forward, trying to get a better look at his surroundings. From up here, the view was limited. He was at least on the second floor, perhaps even higher. In the darkness, he could neither tell whether guards had been posted outside nor how large the building actually was.
Only the distant lights of Magnolia were visible on the horizon. At least that gave him something to work with. Apparently, they had not taken him far beyond the city. He was probably somewhere on the outskirts.
Exactly where, however, remained a mystery.
He sighed and closed the window again.
In daylight, he would definitely be able to see more. His gaze shifted to the door he had not yet opened. His body felt as though it might give out at any moment. The short walk across the room had already pushed him to his limits. Perhaps it would be wiser to rest and make another attempt later.
Reluctantly, Isaac admitted defeat.
Slowly, he dragged himself back toward the bed.
Conserving his strength was the sensible thing to do. Who knew how long he would be kept here? Or when the first—and perhaps only—opportunity to escape would present itself?
He couldn't afford to waste everything before that moment came.
Just a few steps from the bed, his legs gave out. His balance faltered. Isaac stumbled forward and failed to catch himself in time. He landed heavily on the mattress and grimaced in pain as a fresh stab shot through his abdomen.
"Damn..."
Those few meters had felt worse than running a marathon.
Panting, he remained where he was and stared up at the ceiling. His heart pounded against his ribs. Every breath burned in his chest. Slowly, he tried to bring his pulse back under control. Exhaustion washed over him almost instantly.
More than anything, he wanted to crawl beneath the covers and close his eyes.
Whatever Levi was planning, he certainly wasn't going to leave Isaac alone long enough for him to recover completely.
And even if he did, Isaac had no intention whatsoever of giving in to his demands.
The door clicked softly as the lock was opened. Instantly, he was wide awake. His head snapped toward the door. Instinctively, he straightened up and sat on the edge of the bed.
He wasn't about to give Levi the satisfaction of seeing him in a weakened state.
But no matter how determined he was to keep the upper hand and resist Levi, his body reacted differently than his mind intended—as it always did. The moment his personal nemesis stepped into the room, his muscles tensed. His hands trembled, and the familiar panic rose within him. The fact that he had exhausted himself only moments earlier did nothing to help him maintain his façade.
For a moment, Levi remained standing in the doorway, watching him closely. Then that smug smile appeared on his face.
"Isaac, you're awake!" he greeted him in a tone that was probably meant to sound charming. Instead, it sent an icy chill racing down Isaac's spine.
Isaac merely stared at him. Any sound that passed his lips would betray his nervousness. Every word would come out with a tremor that would immediately hand Levi the advantage.
Levi studied him intently. He seemed to absorb every reaction Isaac gave him. At last, he grinned.
"Oh, come on! Don't be such an ice block," Levi said in a conciliatory tone. "We haven't seen each other in seventeen years—isn't that reason enough to be happy? At long last, we're together again!"
Isaac's fingers dug into the mattress. Anger flared inside him.
That damn bastard was acting as if they had simply lost touch, not as if Levi had tried to kill him! His panic mixed with fury. He had suffered so much from Levi's betrayal all those years, only for that damn asshole to make light of it and downplay everything Isaac had gone through?! For fuck's sake, he had been moments away from dying!
Isaac felt his hands clench into fists. His fingernails dug into his palms.
He let out a shaky breath.
Which, of course, Levi noticed.
He was watching him so intently that Isaac found himself wishing he at least had a shirt to cover himself. More than anything, he wished he was wearing his choker. But that, like the rest of his clothing, had simply vanished. All he had left were his earrings and his underwear.
He felt so exposed without the gift Noctis had once given him. And on top of that, Levi now had a perfect view of the scar he had personally inflicted on Isaac.
By now, panic had his heart firmly in its iron grip.
Calm down, Isaac...
But he couldn't. He had never been able to stand up to Levi. Not back then. Not when his name was mentioned. And certainly not now, with him standing right in front of him. Isaac had no idea what to do. How was he supposed to keep that damned bastard from getting too close?!
His breathing grew uneven, and the world around him seemed to spin once more. He forced himself to search for some inner calm, but he couldn't find it. He was completely at Levi's mercy.
What would Noctis do in a situation like this?
He nearly let out a hysterical laugh.
Noctis would never let anyone intimidate him. If anything, he would threaten anyone who dared attack him in any way. Noctis was impulsive, acting on his emotions rather than cold calculation.
Enough whining, Isaac. You're not going to let this asshole terrorize you any longer.
So Isaac stood up and fixed Levi with a cold stare. He was slightly taller than Levi, which gave him at least a little courage. It was a trivial thought, but it proved that Levi wasn't superior to him in every way. At the very least, he could look down on him.
His gunshot wound throbbed painfully. He suppressed the urge to press a hand against it, and the room was swaying dangerously again. His head pounded where he had been injured. He could no longer tell what was making him feel sicker—his concussion or Levi's mere presence.
Even so, he gathered every ounce of his courage and tried to face his nemesis.
"Don't pretend we're friends," he hissed. He tried to suppress the tremor in his voice, but he couldn't hide it completely.
Levi chuckled.
"But we are friends. There was even a time when we were best friends, wasn't there?"
Isaac scoffed.
"Were we? Unless my memory is failing me, we were never friends because everything was just an act to you."
"It was a job, Isaac. The Boss wanted me to completely destroy your self-confidence," Levi said as he studied him. "You were supposed to feel betrayed and despised, so you'd do anything he asked of you. Even though I never knew why."
Stop staring at me...
Levi lifted his gaze. A smile played on his lips.
"But now I know why he wanted you so badly," he continued. "Oh, Isaac! You have no idea how attractive your abilities are. Not only can you pick any lock in the world, but you can accomplish things others can't even imagine!"
He laughed loudly. Every high-pitched note struck Isaac's head directly, worsening the pain. Isaac squeezed one eye shut and suppressed a groan.
Levi slipped a hand beneath Isaac's chin, and a moment later their eyes met.
"I want you to serve me," he murmured. "Now that you're finally mine, you'll use your abilities to create even more of your wonderful portals! You'll take my men wherever no one else can break in!"
Isaac slapped his hand away. He felt as though his skin was rotting wherever Levi touched him.
"Forget it!" Isaac hissed. "I'm definitely not helping you! Besides, there are rules I have to follow. Do you really think I can just teleport you and your men anywhere with the snap of a finger?!"
Levi's expression darkened briefly, but then he smiled again.
"Your rules don't matter to me, Isaac," he replied coolly. "Do what I tell you while I'm still being nice to you."
His hand found Isaac's face again, then slowly slid downward, brushing over his throat before coming to rest on the scar there.
"You've grown into a very handsome man, Isaac," he purred. "You were cute even as a child. I've always wanted a white rabbit, did you know that?"
Isaac had to fight the urge to step back.
Levi's fingers traced the scar on his neck. Isaac didn't dare move.
"This scar connects us. It's proof of my affection for you," he continued. A gentle smile appeared on his face. "If the Boss hadn't wanted to destroy you psychologically, maybe we really would have become friends. And who knows—perhaps even lovers."
The thought alone made Isaac want to throw up.
"Never..." Isaac replied. "I never would have gotten involved with a rat like you!"
"Aaaaw! How mean!" Levi chuckled. "And here I was thinking I might actually have had a chance with you. But apparently you're not into the nice guy type. Seems you prefer the aggressive psychopath."
A sickening grin spread across his face.
Isaac's heart skipped a beat.
"That can be arranged," Levi said calmly.
Before Isaac could react, Levi shoved him backward. The world tilted. His back hit the mattress. The impact sent an explosive burst of pain through his side and straight into his skull—so intense that the air left his lungs for a moment and tears sprang to his eyes.
Black spots danced across his vision.
He tried to blink the pain away. The dizziness subsided only slowly. He attempted to sit back up, but he got nowhere. Levi was already over him, pinning Isaac's wrists above his head. He forced them brutally into the mattress, preventing Isaac from breaking free.
"What do you need to create portals?" Levi asked calmly. "This is your last chance to do it voluntarily."
"Forget it," Isaac hissed.
Levi's free hand brushed gently across Isaac's side.
Before Isaac could wonder why he was touching him like that, Levi pressed his thumb directly onto the wound.
Isaac cried out. He tried to keep his voice under control, managing only barely. Then Levi tore away the bandage and pressed his thumb into the wound with such force that Isaac felt the stitches give way.
Levi laughed softly as Isaac cried out again and writhed beneath him.
The air caught in Isaac's throat.
"Mmmmmh, you're wonderfully warm. You feel good, darling," Levi murmured. "Does he always say it like that?"
Damn psychopath!
Levi moved his thumb, and the pain was unbearable. Black spots were already dancing at the edges of Isaac's vision.
"S-stop..." Isaac pleaded.
Levi ran his tongue across the scar on Isaac's neck.
"I still like you best when you're bleeding," he grinned. "A shame we can't always play like this. Then again, I rarely dirty my own hands."
He withdrew his thumb from Isaac's wound. A tortured sound escaped Isaac's lips, his entire body trembling. He could feel blood running down his side. The wound burned unbearably, and he still couldn't break free of Levi's grip.
His breathing was ragged as he looked up at Levi. Levi's gaze was cold as he stared down at him.
"If you don't want me to shove my entire hand into you next, you'd better agree," he threatened.
But Isaac was already on the verge of losing consciousness. Was he still bleeding? He didn't know.
"Besides, I know where your lover is," Levi continued. "He may have killed my assassins last time, but let's see how well he handles snipers."
"No!" Isaac blurted out.
His talisman was still active, so Noctis should survive a gunshot. Even so, Isaac didn't want to take that chance under any circumstances. Tears streamed down his face.
"Don't hurt him... I'll make you a portal..." he murmured in a low, hoarse voice.
A satisfied smile appeared on Levi's face.
Isaac's eyes drifted shut.
A slap across the face dragged him back.
"Now why couldn't you have done that from the start?" Levi said. "Tell me what you need."
It took Isaac a moment to process the words.
"Paintbrushes, acrylic paints... pencils, a sketchbook with sturdy paper..."
It was difficult to stay focused. Everything seemed to be drifting farther and farther away.
Isaac's eyes closed again.
Another slap across the face.
"What else?! Stay awake!" Levi snapped.
"T-two canvases... the same size... human-sized..." Isaac murmured.
"As soon as the supplies arrive, you're going to start. Understood?!"
But Isaac no longer answered. His consciousness drifted away. Thankfully, his body had decided it had had enough.
The last thing he heard was Levi calling for a doctor.
After that, he was aware of nothing.
___
The next time Isaac woke up, he felt as if he had been run over by a train. His limbs felt heavy, and his head still seemed unwilling to function properly.
"Don't move too much," Ashe said beside him.
Isaac grimaced.
"Go away..." he muttered.
Ashe sighed. "I know you're angry with me, but please listen to me for a moment," she said.
Isaac didn't answer. It was hard enough just to stay awake.
"You nearly bled to death because you didn't listen to him. Though he definitely overreacted," she scoffed.
Isaac looked at her wearily.
Was that why he felt so weak? Damn it. He had sworn to himself that he would escape from here. In this condition, however, he could forget about it.
"Do I finally have your attention? Good," she sighed. "He wants you to create a portal for him. The person who will receive it is fond of women in nude poses. Preferably redheads. Levi demands that you complete it within a week. However, I managed to convince him that you'll need at least two weeks, probably three in your current state."
She brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.
"You look terrible, Isaac. Take today off and get some rest."
Isaac slapped her hand away. He wished Noctis were with him. But no matter how broken and exhausted he was, an idea had just come to him about how he could free himself from his predicament.
"Bring me the sketchbook, pencils, the acrylic paints, and the brushes," he said in a hoarse voice, trying to sit up.
Ashe jumped to her feet in alarm.
"I just told you to rest!"
Isaac groaned in pain as he forced himself further into an upright position.
"Do you really think he'll wait until I'm feeling better?" he scoffed. "I also need a ruler and a pair of scissors."
Ashe rubbed her face in frustration.
"What do you even want all that for in bed? You can't paint a canvas properly while half lying down!"
"I can make sketches and experiment with colors," Isaac replied in a rough voice. "You saw what he did to me when I refused."
Ashe paused briefly. "Yes, but that's why I—"
At last, he had managed to sit up. He leaned heavily against the headboard of his bed and tried to regain a steady breathing rhythm. He couldn't afford to rest. If he wanted to get out of here, then he had to start doing something about it.
"Bring me the supplies, Ashe. As long as I'm working on the painting, he'll leave me alone," he said in a trembling voice.
She let out an irritated sigh.
"Fine, have it your way!" she scoffed. "But you're only working on it until I bring you your food. You haven't eaten a single bite in two days! I'm starting to get really worried about you!"
So it's been two days?
How could he have eaten when he'd been unconscious the entire time?
He looked at the person whose betrayal had put him in this position in the first place and nodded.
Just wait until I'm stronger again and able to get my revenge on you.
"Deal."
Maybe it was finally time to learn how to manipulate others and put on a friendly face while hiding his true intentions.
"That would be very kind of you. I'm really hungry. Could you maybe make me a stew?" he asked quietly. He couldn't manage a smile, but at least his voice sounded friendly enough.
Ashe sighed and brought him everything he had asked for.
"I need to go shopping for a few things. I don't have all the ingredients for your favorite stew," she said, turning toward the door. "You have three hours. No more!"
With that, she left the room.
The moment the door closed, Isaac began working on a sketch. However, it was not of a red-haired woman in a nude pose, but of a subject he had painted only a few days earlier.
One of the very subjects he had painted on Noctis's cards.
He felt miserable, but it wasn't the first time he had forced himself to work through pain.
So he got started.