7 Luke

I regained my consciousness and found myself befuddled that I was still drawing breath. Blindfolded, tied down to what felt like a chair, and being located in what felt like a cold and damp room, but still alive and for that much, I was grateful.

My current circumstances didn't scream safety, however, so I found myself struggling against my restraints. My 2 arms were bound by the wrist behind the back of the chair to the back legs while my 2 feet were bound at the ankles to the front legs. I was tied to the back of the chair at the chest, just above the heart. I found myself struggling with my abdomen to free myself to no avail. I wasn't strong. Not in any definition of the word. It was only when I tried yelling for help that I realized I was gagged as well. Better and better. As though my struggling was being heard, somebody entered the room. This I could tell by the change in atmosphere. That, and the loud ass creaking noise the door made. I stayed silent. If it was somebody here to save my sorry ass, they didn't need me to vocalize to know where I was. If it was my captor, it was probably in my best interest that I shut up and did everything possible not to annoy them.

Turns out, I'm better at not annoying people than I expected. My gag, wet with saliva was untied from the back of my head and removed as well as my blindfold. I only got a glimpse of the outside before the door was shut once again, but from what I could see, I was in the Hive. The same bleached stone walls and green shadow of sunlight against green tarp gave it away. I did nothing to indicate that I knew where I was, but slowly put 2 and 2 together in my head and concluded that this was about the Fire Nation equipment that I saw. I should've just walked. That's what I've been doing all these years and it's worked. They've broken the rules too. They shot the messenger. From behind me, Danev walked into my eyeline and checked to see if I was still awake. I was.

"You know what this is about, right?"

I nodded

"Then you know why we're keeping you here."

I figured it was an indicator of some alliance between the Hornets and the Garrison. Maybe security, police for the slums, smuggling, who knows, but I did know the basics. I nodded.

"Then you know what we have to do."

I shook my head. There were many possibilities that didn't involve my death many of which were going through my head as I sat there.

"We can't just let you out onto the streets, not with what you know. We can't get you out of the city. Too expensive and we don't really care that much about you. We definitely can't keep you in here forever. You have a good memory. Odds aren't good off you just miraculously 'forgetting' it all. That just leaves disposing of you.

Not consciously, but out of pure instinct, I struggled in my restraints to stand and run to no avail.

"You don't like that. Neither do I." He knelt down so his eyes met mine. "What would you have me do?"

I had never felt so small as I did in that moment. Him kneeling down to the ground just so he could look me in the eyes and he discussed the reasons why he had to kill me, but in that same moment, I felt like I was holding my life in the palm of my hands. The right answer, assuming there was one, would ensure my survival while the wrong one, well, best not to think of the wrong answer.

He was still looking me eye to eye, waiting for my answer.

"I could join the Hornets" I blurted out.

He gave enough of a look that he was thinking rather than just shooting it down. "And why would that work?"

"My survival would be dependent on yours. I don't imagine I would have much mobility starting off so there would be no way of telling. If I did rat out, I would die anyway. At this point, I've told nobody. There's no reason to kill me. If I'm working for you, you don't have to worry about me ratting. Not on you, anyways. The Hornets would get any information they needed from me. For free."

I tried to sound professional throughout, but couldn't help my voice from cracking at a few key moments. I hoped it wouldn't be enough to devalue my argument. The Citadel Slums knew me. They knew I could keep my word. It was more profitable for me anyway to join a gang in the long run. Neutrality wasn't a reliable position on the streets.

Danev broke his eye contact with me and kept them glued on the stone floor for what felt like hours until he stood up, turned around, and left. I was still breathing so I called it a success. For now, at least.