All I see is darkness, but what they will see is much more than darkness many even worse then hell. The man pulls out the raf that was in my mouth and puts in a gag, making it harder for me to breath steadily. He walks away and closes the door behind him, i quickly pulll out the razor the was stuffed in my back pocket, he never even realized that I had any weapons because he’s not experienced at this I can tell it’s his first or second time. As I hold the razor at the right angle, I get an accurate cut to release the rope from my wrists. I roll my wrists around to relief my joint pain, now the only thing I have left to do is cut the rope off from my ankles. “Slice” they quietly dropped on the floor. I quickly sprinted to the door to lock it, think of it as an extra precaution. I look around to find a window just barely big enough for me to slide out from. I open it and slide out of the window. He then starts banging on the door trying to break it open, i turn around and realized that I hadn’t taken off the gage yet, I was so focused that my brain didn’t care at the time. I unlatch it and throw it in the bushes, then I run off. After I got home I took extra precautions since then. But I was never really afraid because now he’s in jail, because police tracked my location while I was in the room and arrested him.

I woke up in a place that smelt of mold and mildew. The walls were covered in a thick layer of black mold that only made me cough frequently. A headache perpetrated my head, and soon, it ached without remorse. Yes, I knew I had been captured, but my kidnapper must be a stupid soul to kidnap an ex-wrestler. I was tired to a black swivel chair—not the most appealing choice for a kidnapper. The whole warehouse I was in looked oddly familiar, only increasingly rusted and worn-down. My speaking was muffled by a thick layer of duct tape and a rope that went across my entire head. My hands were planted behind the swivel chair, also tied in a very poorly knotted rope. My legs were sprawled out on the ground, placed up against a plastic pole in the swivel chair, tied up as well. It seems that my kidnapper has little to no experience. With the swivel chair, I turned around to face a table with various weapons placed about. One of which was a pocket knife. I laughed to myself. How could anyone be so dumb. At least they took my phone out of my pocket, but he left it on the table next to all his weapons he probably placed their to intimidate me. The warehouse bad a very earthy, unpleasant smell. I couldn’t cover my nose though. Was this person plan to kill me with how much mold was in the room? I grabbed the knife off the table, turning the swivel chair around before grabbing it and setting my hands free with the magic of sawing the rope. I probably could’ve unknotted the knot to begin with. My kidnapper must have been delusional. They were probably on some shopping trip getting more ‘torture weapons.’ This was the most pathetic setup I’ve ever seen. Who in the right mind would think to put a victim right by a table with a bunch of weapons they could use to escape. I was practically dying on laughter by this point. It struggled to get my legs free from how hard I was laughing. I would’ve expected this kidnapping to be more serious but I couldn’t take it seriously at all. I finally got my legs untied before ripping off the tape and rope they had put on my mouth. I put the the pocket knife in my pocket just as my kidnapper walked in. He stared at me in pure shock. His mouth hung open. He wore a black ski mask and a black coat, concealing his eyes with sunglasses. He looked like a low-budget robber if they didn’t have enough money to buy a gun. The kidnapper quickly pulled off his ski mask, revealing himself to be my old boss. Before I became a wrestler my old boss begged me to stay, but I declined his offer. My old boss walked out toward me and smiled, but it was more of a friendly gesture than a sinister one. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Barbra,” he said after a long pause.

Her eyes fluttered open. She was in a dark room, filled with boxes. She was tied up and gagged, in a corner of the room. Unfortunately for her kidnapper, she is highly trained, in control, and unafraid. She grabbed a knife from her pocket and turned it over. She began sawing the rope. After she was done she ripped the gag off. Her gold and black hair draped over her shoulders, and her green eyes examined the room. The person who had kidnapped her had left 2 hours ago to get McDonald's. So they thought they could stop her. Not a chance. She slid her knife back into her pocket and kicked down the door. She ran down the empty hallways and emerged into Central Park, New York City. She saw a woman heading for the door. She jumped into a bush and watched the girl. She had blonde hair and freckles that looked like mud splatters on her face and arms. The strangest thing was that she was wearing a… cheetah costume. The cheetah girl walked into the hallway, and she followed. She pulled out her knife and got ready to pounce. Just before she jumped to hit the strange girl, she turned around and jumped at her with mechanical claws. As the weapons clashed a shock went through her. She tried to sneak a hit in but the cheetah girl dodged. If you can’t stab them with your knife, stab them with your words. “What are you? A kitty?” “Actually, I have a name. It's Reedah.” “Nice to meet you Reedah the cheetah, I’m Legend. In case you haven’t heard about me, I’m the leader of Death.” “Wow so you’re like the lady of death,” Reedah said. “Not real death. The secret organization Death. Just so you know, it was a mistake kidnapping me.” “Why, I think I’ve done a pretty good job?” “Because of this,” Legend stabbed at the woman's stomach. “HEY!” Reedah roared. She swiftly stabbed her in the chest. “What the he…” Reedah collapsed. Legend put her hand on Reedahs chest. She couldn’t feel a heartbeat or the rise of her chest. Reedah was dead. “That's what you get for messing with me,” Legend laughed. Two girls walked in. They both had purple hair with green eyes, which were looking up at Legend. “It is done,” Fortune said. “The base has been defeated,” Recieve said quietly. “Good,” Legend said. Death would become a Legend. Just like her. Watch out heroes, Legends coming for you. She smirked wickedly.

_ What? _I found myself tied on the floor with a gag in my throat, I was resting on the edge of a fireplace. I had the same dress on that I wore to my girlfriend’s bat mitzvah. I saw my shoes resting on a pile of books in the corner of the room. It had no furniture except for a chair and a small table with coffee on it. In the chair sat a man with brown hair. He had a slightly scruffy beard, but other than the bandages wrapped around his hand he looked like nothing special. “Ah, you’re awake.” The man walked up and squatted in frount of me. _I know how to handle this _I reassured myself. “Here, little girl. Listen; I’ll take off the gag. You won’t scream, you won’t make a single noice, because if you do, girl,” he shook his head, “I’ll be forced to kill you. And I don’t want to kill. Just your father.” He took off the gag, “Son of a bitch!” I headbutted him in the stomach. I quickly cut the ropes off on one of the fireplace tools and grabbed my shoes. The man was getting up and I grabbed his phone and called 911. “Hello?” I ran out of the room panting, “I was kidnapped.” I said before they could ask what was wrong, “Where are you?” I looked at the adress of the building. There wasn’t one. I looked at the street. Rosefield. Around a thirty minute drive from my house in Arizona. “A run-down house on Rosefeild—“ I saw the man chasing after me. I quickly pulled up the camera and took a picture. I typed in my number (while running away) sent myself the picture. I spotted a lady in her mid-forties with a kid in a stroller and a little girl holding her hand. “Hey, auntie!” I ran up to her, “hows’ my baby cousin? Is school going well?” I acted like I knew the kids and woman. The lady smile and whispered, “what’s wrong?” “Kidnapper,” I looked behind me, “He’s gone now. Can you help me to the closest police station?” I showed her the picture. “Of course, no problem,”

The first three seconds when you wake up is bliss. You have a clean slate, innocence, and then you remember. I blinked away my grogginess and swallowed, my mouth was dry and unsavory. My cheek was against cold cement and I had a dirty rag shoved into my mouth—I could tell it was dirty, because I could taste the dirt inside of my mouth. My hands were bound behind my back with what I assumed was the same shitty material that was in my mouth. Same with my feet. I could sense the idiot who did this to me behind me on the other side of the room, and then I heard him or her rummaging through something. I rolled my eyes, annoyed, and waited until my kidnapper moved from behind me so that I could begin freeing myself from the shitty tie job.

Waking up in an unknown room bound and gagged can be… disconcerting, to say the least. There are a few things you have to remember in this scenario. Stay calm, the longer you panic, the longer you’ll be trapped. Second, fear is normal, but don’t let it overtake your decisions or your actions. Parience is key to escaping a dangerous situation. Last, don’t draw extra attention from your captor until you’re ready to take them.

This is how we do things in my line of work. It’s what they drill into our heads from day one. And people who don’t follow this advice end up worse off than the ones who do. Training isn’t essential to escaping, but personal restraint is. So, i slowly start to survey the scene, not making too much movement. Just observe, no action until i have a solid plan.

There are (obviously) no weapons on the floor, and i’m handcuffed to the chair. Surprisingly though, there didn’t seem to be any cameras either. There’s nothing on my wrists, no bracelets or hairties. My hair is down so no hairpins either and my jewelry was all removed. Whoever this was, they were thorough. I decided there was nothing i could do as of now, so instead i waited for my captor to pay me a visit.

When they did they were wearing a mask, so i couldn’t tell anything about them. They brought me food, ungagged me, and watched carefully as i ate to ensure i didn’t break the utensils to escape. Afterwards i was informed of a ransom put out, that i already knew my bosses would refuse to pay. Not out of heartlessness, they just knew i would be alright on my own.

So i waited a few days, and i made small talk and tried to seem as harmless as possible, anything to make them slip up. Then, finally, they did. I managed to keep a plastic spoon without them noticing, and as soon as i was sure i wasn’t being watched, i broke it and slowly, methodically used one of the pieces to pick the handcuff lock.

Then, i waited for my captor to come back in, and i quickly took him down. I had no plan from here, but there wasn’t much opportunity to get one either, so as quietly as i could, i snuck around trying to find an exit. I quickly found one, and thankfully it didn’t require any identification to unlock.

The door opened onto a city street of some kind, and i went to the nearest store. The cashier gave me an odd look when i asked what city we were in, but i couldn’t care less about something like that right now. Thankfully, it was a sister city to where i had been. I had no money, so stopping somewhere would be necessary, and then i would finally be on my way home. This had been… eventful, in a word. But it was time for me to report back home.

Kam woke up. She was sitting in a chair, in a dark room, gagged. The typical scenario. She grabbed a safety pin she kept hidden in her pants and unlocked the handcuffs. Now her hands were untied, time to work on her legs. She pulled the gag out of her mouth. One minute must’ve been a record. Unfortunately, her kidnapper would be coming soon. She put the gag around her mouth loosely, put her hands behind the chair, held the handcuffs in a ready position for her kidnapper, and tied the rope around her legs and one loose chair leg. Perfect. She heard footsteps down the hallway. It would probably be some old man in a military uniform. She was right, again. “Well, well, well. Look what we have here. He circled her. She pulled the chair leg, it snapped the gag fell around her neck like a bandanna, and the old man was handcuffed. “Try me later old man.” And she walked out the door. She wanted something different than this. Always the same thing, the same techniques for training. When she walked outside, she found herself on an island with a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean. A man in a green shirt with green camo pants and short brown hair waited for her by a rescue boat. “Should’ve known you’d escape Kitty.” “Don’t call me that Dustin.” The man cocked his head and pouted his lips. “What happened to Dusty?” “I grew up, too bad you didn’t choose the same. Now let me see the boat.” He held out his arm. “Go for it.” She probably shouldn’t have trusted him, but she had no choice. Too bad he winked at her before she fell in the hole.

The first I recall is drinking at Loney’s Bar, and next thing, I’m tied up in these beginner-level handcuffs you could probably find in a Dollar Tree.

Don’t underestimate me, I thought. It’s the absurd** idiots** that think I can’t bust out of these like they’re children’s toys.

All I need is something sharp.

My eyes trail to the open concrete floor, focusing on a metal paperclip. It was something I slipped behind my back, using it to work on these handcuffs.

But, I hear footsteps and stop to conceal myself. A shadowy figure reaches through the door, turning on a blinding light.

“Hi. Little lady.”

The man whispered. My eyes stared at him coldly.

“Mmmghf…” I realized I couldn’t speak. There is a towel in my mouth. Great, no shit-talking for me I guess.

His smile was yellowed and twisted, I wondered how much longer before I threw my fist into his jaw. He doesn't figure out I'm not afraid, and neither does he know that my hands are being freed.

He crouches to my face, playing with one of my strands of black hair. His breath smelt like rotten eggs and mildew.

“You’re gonna be a fun one, aren't you?”

A growl escaped me, but knew to breathe as I felt my wrists being released and almost out of instinct, I punched him.

After that, I pulled the towel out my mouth, kicked off my leg restraints, and stood.

He stepped back, and I exchanged another blow. It echoed through the room and he fell right on his butt. He was out cold.

I sighed.

“I'm never getting kidnapped again.”

I swim in a stream of blurred memories, distorted by intoxication.

I remember gliding through a lavish ballroom, mingling with dangerous guests in unfamiliar territory. My obsidian dress flitted around me, shimmering like a thousand dark gems. I’d dressed as extravagantly as possible, hoping to attract the company I desired. I had nearly finished my third glass of champagne when my vision began to tilt, gravity threatening to pull me to my knees. A sinister smile awaited me as darkness crept in.

“Rise and shine, sweetheart,” a sultry voice coaxes, just before a chilling splash of cold water shocks me out of the comforting darkness. My eyes snap open, despite the pounding headache that matches the beat of my heart. My fingers twitch as blood rushes back to them, but I quickly realize my movements are limited—my hands are bound behind me to a wooden chair. I scoff, rubbing my wrists against the coarse rope, eliciting a soft tut from my captor.

“Ah-ah! Don’t do that, darling. You’ll ruin your beautiful skin.” The voice calls again, and this time I can place the body attached to it. A young man, likely in his late twenties, with platinum blond hair pushed back and icy blue eyes that glint in the dim light. He leans casually against the wall, one hand resting in his pocket. Pushing off, he strolls toward me with a feline grace, stopping just before he reaches me, towering over me with a smirk.

“How was your beauty sleep, Selene?” He grins, reaching out to brush a stray lock of my raven hair behind my ear. “Or should I say, Agent Lenora?” His hand trails down to my chin, gripping it as he tilts my face up, my hazel eyes locking with his icy blue. “Your reputation for stunning beauty precedes you, though I expected you to be more cautious. Considering you’re one of the top elites at your agency, drinking three glasses of champagne was an awfully stupid choice.”

I glare up at him, recognition hitting me like a gunshot.

“Alexander Rovenoski.” The name rolls off my tongue as our eyes meet. “I should have known you were behind this. The drugs, the trafficking—all of it, your doing.”

He chuckles, clearly amused. “Did you really think those barons could pull off something like this? Sergeant Garrick doesn’t have half the brains or guts to orchestrate a scheme of this scale.” He leans in closer, his smile widening. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?” My silence is all the confirmation he needs. He tilts my chin higher, stroking it lightly. “Such a smart girl.”

He releases me, taking a step back as he assesses me with a cold, analytical gaze. “It really is a shame I’ll have to kill you. Just think of the fun we could have had.” He sighs, shaking his head, then turns toward the far wall, now revealed to be covered with an array of sharp and deadly instruments.

My blood runs cold. It’s a torture room.

Fear sharpens my focus, spurring me to work faster on the knot binding my hands. I’m nearly there when his voice startles me again.

“Did you know there are 206 bones in the human body?” he calls, lifting a heavy hammer off the wall and testing its weight with a few swings. He turns back, an odd glimmer dancing in his eyes. “How long do you think it would take to break each and every one of them? I can’t say it’s been officially timed, but I bet it’s entertaining.” He laughs and continues his dark musings as he picks up a long, pointed instrument.

The second he turns away, I seize my opportunity. Gritting my teeth, I press on a pressure point in my thumb, dislocating it with a painful pop. My hand slips free of the binding, and I quickly pop my thumb back into place, biting back a hiss as I shake feeling back into my fingers.

While he continues rambling about bones and medical practices, I silently rise from the chair, the rope wrapped around my fist. I’m three steps away when he turns, his eyes widening as he realizes I’m loose. I lunge forward, sweeping his legs out from under him, and he crashes to the floor. Swiftly, I pull his arms behind his back, binding his wrists as I press my knee into his spine.

I grab the hidden gun strapped to my leg, pressing the cold steel against the back of his head. My voice is low, calm. “You didn’t really think you could kill me, did you?” I press my knee deeper, tightening my hold. “I didn’t take you for a fool.”

He twists his head slightly, meeting my gaze with a bored expression. Blood trickles from a cut on his lip, which he licks away before speaking in a strangely calm voice.

“Are you done yet?”

Alexander’s calm sends a shiver through me, the air between us heavy with tension. He’s lying on the ground, blood trickling from his lip, yet he looks as composed as if he were still the one in control. His smile only deepens, the predator waiting for the prey to make a mistake.

“Did you honestly think a few ropes and a gun would stop me?” he asks smoothly, his voice tainted with mockery. His icy blue eyes flick up, catching my gaze with a chilling intensity. “Sweetheart, I’m disappointed.”

A pulse of unease runs through me, though I keep my stance firm, pressing the gun harder against his head. “You underestimate me, Rovenoski. I’m not like your usual targets.”

He lets out a soft, amused chuckle. “Oh, I know, Agent Lenora.” With a quick, almost imperceptible movement, he shifts beneath me, his muscles tensing like a coiled spring. Before I can react, he surges up, throwing me off balance. The gun clatters to the floor, and I stumble back, just barely catching myself.

Alexander rises with an effortless grace, rubbing his wrists where the rope had been. “That little tussle was almost fun,” he remarks, his eyes gleaming with something dark and dangerous. He steps toward me, his posture relaxed but every inch of him radiating lethal intent.

I take a steadying breath, backing up to put distance between us. I’ve studied men like him before, and I know his arrogance will be his undoing.

“Oh, you’re right,” I say, slipping one hand subtly to the clasp on my belt. “This isn’t a game. But you’re wrong about one thing.”

He arches an eyebrow, amused. “And what’s that?”

A small smirk tugs at my lips. “You’re not the only one who knows how to set a trap.”

Before he can respond, I pull the pin on a small flash grenade hidden on my belt and toss it at his feet. In a blinding burst of light and deafening sound, he reels back, momentarily disoriented. I waste no time, darting forward to retrieve my gun and slipping it into my holster. As I slip around him and toward the door, his vision starts to clear, and he whips around to face me, fury blazing in his eyes.

But I’m already gone, slipping into the hallway, where I activate a secure line to my team. “Target in sight and contained. You’ve got ten minutes to pick up the package.”

The last thing I hear as I sprint down the corridor is Alexander’s enraged shout echoing from the room, realizing too late that he’s been outplayed.

It’s always a strange feeling when you wake up and your hands are tied behind your back. A quick resistance test reveals that these are cheap cable ties. Noted. You’d like to take a look at your ankles to verify that they are also tied by the same material, but of course — of course — you’re also blindfolded. You can’t even mouth a “puah” as a handkerchief is miserably separating your lips. Oh well, it’s time to start rolling. You push yourself against what must be a metal container and tumble across the floor of what must be a garage — you’re now plastered in motor oil and smell of engine. You come to an abrupt stop, as you meet the foot your captor. One, two, three... Your left side now explodes in pain, as their boot makes violent contact with your ribs and you hear them crack. No matter. They’ve taken your bait: you curl around their ankle and throw them off balance. You insert their leg between your tied ankles and twist. It’s a powerful snap. His agonising cry is cut short by a well placed head butt between the eyes. “Pathetic”, you think.