Chapter 6: Ten

Thirteen had his head thrusted to the floor, his neck forcefully pressed down causing him to groan in pain. All he was supposed to do was shoot the man, how did it end up like this? Forced to the floor like an animal, oh wait that's what he probably was seen as. Thirteen no longer remembered what he was called, he didn't remember his name. In fact he didn't seem to remember what his parent's looked like, nor did he remember who's hand he had held on that day, he only remembered that he had held someone's hand and the blue ribbon. The ribbon around his neck was a constant reminder of that day, not of who was there, but of what had happened.

"Who sent you?" The man behind him had spoke with an authoritative voice demanding an answer.

"No clue." Thirteen had managed to grunt back as he shifted a bit due to the uncomfortable position he was forced to maintain. Thirteen could only grunt once more when the hand pressing down on him exerted another forceful push down.

"As if I'd believe that." Another deep voice had said coming from in front of Thirteen rather than behind him, this voice was rather smooth not as rough and uncultured as the voice that came from behind him.

"Don't know" Thirteen frowned as he rebutted.

"What's your name boy?!"

"No name." Thirteen responded. "Number thirteen."

"I'll be damned, they actually sent a numbered after me this time!" The voice from in front of Thirteen said, but the voice wasn't exactly enthusiastic but rather sounded amused as if teasing a child.

"What was your purpose anyway?" the man in front asked rather dully.

"Threaten Viktor Ivanov, shooting a limb or two." Thirteen responded just as dully.

"Ah, are you supposed to be telling us this?" The man in front asked sarcastically.

"The mission wasn't confidential." Thirteen replied easily with a dull expression, no longer flicking to the sturdy calloused hand that was squeezing the back of his neck.

"Oh? Is that so. Well …" the man paused as Thirteen easily escaped the calloused hand grip that onced pinned the back of his neck, then bashing the man's head as a small sort of revenge. Before there could be a response from the gentlemanly figure in front, Thirteen caused a 'BANG' to ring in the air as he shot the man's foot, only leaving after placing a letter with an old fashioned red wax seal on it in front of the screaming gentleman.

"Dammit." Thirteen grunted. 'Now I have to report back with a flaw in my record.' he thought. Thirteen ran a hand through his white hair, realizing that he probably shouldn't have done that because his fingers got caught in the unruly white locks. When was the last time he combed the dang mop on his head? Anyway, Thirteen had to leave to return to the base, if he stayed any longer it would really dampen his record. He was so close to leaving, he wasn't about to let such a measly thing break his chances to leave as soon as possible.

Thirteen arrived at the base not sure if he should be disheartened about this slight mishap or not, well it depends on how "kind hearted" the staff feel about him being a bit exposed, but it wasn't his fault that the information was leaked without his knowledge, actually he was more of an innocent victim in this case.

"Thirteen reporting." Thirteen automatically stated for it was a natural response after coming back from a mission. Thirteen was greeted by a number of staff, they walked towards him, even though thirteen wanted to run, there was nowhere to run to.

Thirteen was once again pressed down into submission, he had messed up and was not required to take punishment. His clean record was really going to go down the drain now.

"We were ordered to tell you that you have two options, one is confinement. Two is a hundred cuts. But with option two you will be temporarily recuperating in guardian." The staff in front of Thirteen robotically informed.

"Option 2, sir." Thirteen obediently replied. Actually, for once in this lifetime something went his way, although it wasn't the most pleasant means of getting to his short term goal.

Thirteen was then dragged to the punishment room. He bit his lips and shut his eyes tight as he was strapped to the chair with metal shackles. Not long after they got him settled in, Thirteen felt the cold blade slide across his skin, slicing through his pale flesh allowing the vermillion blood to slowly seep out. The drips of hot blood slide down only to allow an echo to release as the droplet fell to the floor. Thirteen's teeth sunk deeper into his pink lips, stabbing into his own flesh as he was slowly being lacerated. The cold knife danced across his skin leaving trails of crimson, coloring him.

Meanwhile, somewhere relatively far away, a simple looking girl with glossy black hair and thick rimmed glasses that was looking at the sky suddenly turned her head towards the right feeling as if she could hear someone's plea for the pain to stop.

"Ten what are you looking at?" The young child softly tugging at the girl's white lab coat sleeve. Ten didn't automatically look towards the child tugging at her sleeve, she couldn't stop herself from wanting to reach the voice that continued to echo in her ears. Ten new that the echoing voice was not something some was saying out loud rather it was the cries and screams from deep within their soul. The echoes caused Ten's heart to clench, and made her want to dig out her ears, the cries sound so heartbreaking that she no longer wanted to hear them because she knew that she could do nothing to ease their pain.