25. Dear Riden

"Wonderful," Anne whispers in awe. With sparkling eyes, she takes in Elisa. After exactly three hours, they've finally drawn ten gowns that'll be ready tomorrow.

Unamused, Elisa looks down at herself. A sigh leaves her lips. Okay, she does look absolutely stunning in this red dress. Her whole back is free of any fabric. It's quite showing-even on the front. It's a long dress. That combined with the heels Elisa is wearing is not a good combination.

"I didn't know she literally meant walking in her footsteps," Elisa murmurs quietly. "I look exactly like her."

The man, who Elisa found out is called Liam, nods. "You should as her heir."

Elisa doesn't react to this. The handler's heir. The next handler. She doesn't accept that. She won't ever rule this place.

"It's a good thing we brought you some dresses already." Anne pats Elisa's shoulder. "You couldn't continue wearing . . . that."

"I like the jacket a lot." Elisa turns her back on the lot, almost falling already. This is going to be a challenge. "I'm keeping it."

"Of course you are," Liam says under his breath, but Elisa catches it. She doesn't react, though.

The stylists say their goodbyes, but Elisa doesn't react much. Her eyes stay on the jacket that's been thrown on the bed. Yes, she adores the jacket. It reminds her of her real home. The home that needs her help.

Vanya needs to be found.

Because of the damn dresses and gowns, Elisa has lost a lot of time. It's already evening. She swings the door open, careful not to move too wildly with her dress and all. Once in the hallway, a content smile lights up her face. There's no guard. Good. Elisa did expect Hazel to be assigned to guard her, to make sure Elisa doesn't leave, but it wouldn't be handy. Next to that, it would make her happier to see his face again, though.

Elisa hurries herself to the door. She needs to find Vanya. But where to start? The commission is huge. It has multiple wings and hidden passages. Vanya could be everywhere.

There's one place to start. The torture chamber. The one next to the handler's office. That's where Elisa got trapped by Five, Mor and the handler. It's probably one of the dumbest choices Elisa is making, but at least-if Vanya is not there-it's one room less.

Not unseen, Elisa continues to head toward the handler's hallway. She catches everyone's eye-obviously. The red, showing dress is making sure of that. It's probably what the handler wanted, too. She has everything figured out.

"There you are." Elisa stops abruptly, sighing. "Miss Brookle! You weren't in your room."

Elisa turns around to face an elderly woman. "I needed some air," Elisa explains. A second sigh follows.

"Right." The woman smiles. "Well, I'm assigned to bring you dinner . . . in your room. Please, come with me."

"I'm not hungry," Elisa says. "I really wish to-"

"Elisa," a familiar voice behind her sounds. "The handler really wants you to go to your room."

"Let me guess. . ." Elisa turns around to face Hazel. "You're commanded to make sure I stay in my room?"

Hazel nods, the kind smile doesn't leave his lips.

"Oh, come on!" Elisa groans loudly. "This is a prison!" An idea comes to her suddenly. "Why does the handler need me in my room? It's like I'm not allowed to wander around."

Uncomfortably, Hazel lays a hand of his on her shoulder, starting to push Elisa to the door. "Your dinner can't get cold." He forces himself to keep smiling. Elisa sees right through it.

He knows.

"Hazel-" Elisa stops herself. Not here. Too many listening ears.

So she obliges. Elisa follows closely behind Hazel. His pace is fast-it makes Elisa wonder if her endurance really has suffered that much. In no time, she's back in her room. In her cell.

"I'll be in the hallway," Hazel informs Elisa as she bites off the top of a croissant. It's not a typical dinner for many, but Elisa has grown up with the handler. This is nothing out of the ordinary. Ignoring Hazel's eyes on her as he grabs the handle, Elisa keeps her eyes on her dinner.

Should she ask him for help? She won't be able to get out of this room to look for Vanya if not.

Would he stop her? Probably.

Would she have to hurt him in order to get time to continue her search? Elisa shakes the possible images of the fight out of her head. She doesn't want to fight him. All these years, he's only been kind to her. And all that while she was a true bitch. It's a miracle he hasn't cracked her neck yet.

But Vanya needs help. She's here, Elisa knows it. Everyone is acting too suspicious. They're hiding something-Vanya. They just don't know Elisa knows.

For a moment, Elisa wonders what would happen if she knocked Hazel out. He'd sleep for several hours if she does it right. She'll have time to search, but when he wakes up, he'll alert the handler. She'll do everything to stop Elisa, of course. If Elisa knocks Hazel out, she only has a few hours to find Vanya, and then she has to escape. That's not enough. That's impossible!

Elisa glares at the door. If there only was another way. Why can't-

There is another way.

Smirking, Elisa leaves the plate for what it is, and she stands up. She straightens the red dress she's wearing, and then heads to the window. This one has already given her entrance once. Now, it's time for it to provide Elisa with a way out.

"Have you finished?" Hazel asks loudly so that Elisa will hear.

"Shit," Elisa curses quietly while slowly opening the window. "Shit. Shit. Shit!"

She turns her back on the window, and she heads for her bed. "Uhm, Hazel?"

"Yes?"

Quickly, Elisa grabs the food left on the plate, heads to the window again, and she throws everything out. Then she forces her breathing to calm down before opening the door.

The door cracks again, signalling Hazel. He moves closer to the door in order to check if Elisa still there.

"Here." Elisa puts the now empty plate in his hands. He watches her, but doesn't say a thing. "I'm going to lock the door."

Because of this, he frowns. "Why is that?"

"I don't want anyone coming into my room while I sleep," Elisa explains him, using dramatic hand gestures. "I've got nothing else to do than sleeping, so that's what I'll do."

"It's not even eigh-"

"Unless you allow me out of this damned room, then yes, I'm going to sleep."

Before Hazel can reply to this, Elisa closes the door in his face. The lock clicks loudly, and she can hear Hazel's sigh on the other side of the door. She ignores this completely. When passing her bed, Elisa happily grabs her leather jacket.

Her smile widens when she puts it on. It feels reassuring on her shoulders. At least now nothing shows anymore.

Elisa strides across her bedroom, towards the window. For the last time, she glances at the door. It's locked. Hazel will expect her silence. He won't barge in, destroying the door meanwhile. Everything is perfect . . . except her outfit.

With eyes burning with fury, Elisa glares at the red dress she's wearing. How is she supposed to climb through a window and descend a tree with a dress on like this?

"Fucking fashion."

Elisa stretches her arm, reaching for the branch. She has done this so many times, but never with a dress on. Pants are better.

A groan leaves her lips when she throws both her legs out of the window. Now sitting on the windowsill, Elisa bows forward. Every limb of hers is shaking. She did this many times before-but she isn't worried about her own safety. If Hazel does decide to enter her room while she's gone, then it's done. Elisa can imagine it, really; some sick alarm will go off, and she'll have to flee. All right, perhaps she has seen too many movies with Mor that her fantasy has changed her reality. Reality. One would never know that being a literal bomb, being an assassin could be someone's reality.

If an alarm really does go off, then Elisa won't flee. No, she's sure of that. She'll find Vanya-even if it means being captured. The handler-oh, she'll be so displeased. But she could've expected it. She should've.

Elisa crawls forward, attempting to keep her balance. When not thinking about her dress, it works. When realizing that someone could look up at her, she almost falls. "Shit!"

Fortunately, Elisa saves herself by clawing her arms around the trunk already. She then starts the descent. This goes rather quick. Plus, she can't wait to be with her feet on the ground.

Excited, Elisa lands on both her feet. Her dress isn't completely ruined-which is good since she's going to have to go inside the commission again. If she succeeds in not catching anyone's eye, then everything will be well. But in these clothes . . . this style . . . She practically is the handler. At that thought, Elisa has the urge to puke.

Now, with a rather annoyed feeling rising inside of her, Elisa straightens herself. She frees the trunk, and then looks down at her clothes. The dress. She really does follow in the handler's footsteps right now.

She starts walking. It's quiet and dark. Only insects are heard. The sound calms Elisa.

The calm before the storm. Elisa forces the thought away. No, everything will be all right. She'll find Vanya, or one of the others will. Everything will be all right. It has to be.

One single woman is outside. She has just exited the commission, letting the door fall closed behind her. The woman grumbles something angrily, but Elisa doesn't understand. With a sigh, the woman grabs a sigaret lighter out of her purse as she continues walking.

When she's out of sight, Elisa heads for the door. She opens it slowly, not wanting to make a big entrance. She'll have eyes enough on her when they notice her clothes. The door does crack open, though not too loud. Inside, there aren't many people. Elisa knew this, of course. The handler doesn't like people trumpeting around at night. That's when she's sleeping, and she can't control them.

But something inside of Elisa tells her that the handler isn't sleeping now. She has bigger matters to handle with. Vanya.

No one really recognizes Elisa. No one has laid eyes on her, actually. They just pass and ignore her.

Content with that, Elisa starts to walk again. Still planning to go and check if Vanya is in the handler's hallway, Elisa follows the path that she has followed so, so many times. When she was younger, she'd go to the handler's office frequently: every day two or three times-if not more.

The commission truly is almost empty, Elisa notices when she's almost in the handler's hallway. Only six people have passed her, and none really noticed her-again. Elisa feared it'd go completely different, but it seems that she's lucky.

Once in front of the door leading to the hallway, Elisa frowns. If the handler is in here, then she's fucked. But it's a risk she has to take.

Slowly, she opens the door. It cracks loudly-the handler probably wanted it to so she knows when someone enters. She has a reason behind everything. Everything she does. Everything she says.

But again, no one is in the hallway. Suspicious, Elisa cocks her head to her side. She has never sneaked in this hallway at night, so it could be normal. But to have not a single guard in here . . . is a little disbelieving, perhaps.

Still, Elisa strides forward. She can't doubt. Not when Vanya her life might be at risk. Every second that passes might bring Vanya closer to her death-if she's not dead already. Not wanting to even imagine it, Elisa shakes her head. She has seen too much death already, Vanya hers can't be one more. Elisa won't allow it. She just won't.

Before entering the torture chamber, Elisa presses her ear against the door. She closes her eyes, concentrating. No sound fills her ears. There's no one there.

Having to be sure, Elisa opens the door. There could still be breathing-Elisa wouldn't have heard. Vanya could be done screaming. Her lungs could be burned from calling for help. Her voice could have faded away.

The door opens quickly, and Elisa scans the chamber. She can't see anyone yet, but that can change. She knows the tricks of this place.

Immediately, Elisa steps forward, needing to see if Vanya is in the cage of glass. No figure is there. None. A disappointed sigh leaves Elisa's lips. Vanya isn't here. It was obvious that it would take a lot to find Vanya, but this might take too long. What if Vanya has given up by then? What if she is no longer? Elisa remembers these worries too well. It's the same fear she felt when searching for Morgana. But this . . . this is different.

Different.

"Bring him here, please," the high-pitched voice of the handler sounds through the hallway.

Elisa her eyes widen immediately. She was too busy scanning the room, worrying, to hear the cracking sound of the door.

Having no time to curse, Elisa looks around. There's no time to run. She can only hide. There's nothing much in the chamber; only weapons and the cage, really. There's no way to actually hide.

That doesn't sound right, Elisa thinks. The handler likes to watch the ones she captures. She likes to see them while they think if they should break or not. She can't do so here. That means . . .

The mirror on the wall. A hint of a smirk plays on Elisa's lips as she runs through the room. They're close. She can hear the voices, the footsteps.

"Don't be so dramatic." The handler her heels are audible. There's not much time left.

Elisa touches a corner of the mirror. She wiggles it a little, having to be completely sure if this thing isn't going to fall on the ground and break in a thousand pieces. It moves with without a problem.

Now that she's sure, Elisa pulls the mirror to her side. Just like a door, it opens perfectly. In surprise, Elisa takes in the space behind it. She never knew about this tiny space.

"Come now." The handler chuckles. "In here."

Eyes wide, Elisa jumps in the tiny room, and she pulls the mirror back where it should be. The darkness takes over. There are light switches, but Elisa is too afraid to be caught. For all she knows, the handler could have a tiny system to know if someone's in there or not. That's why Elisa presses her back against the wall-even though she has lots of space. She presses her knees against her chest, and watches the situation.

First, the handler enters the torture chamber, grinning. Behind her, Cha Cha pushes a man inside. The man-oh, he looks horrible, all right. He doesn't look exactly old-he can't be older than thirty years. But he looks utterly defeated. His lips form a thin line, and his eyes stay on the ground. His red hair droops over his shoulder.

"You know where to put him, Cha Cha." The handler gestures to the cage, and Cha Cha nods.

It's as if the man knows what his fate is. He doesn't even try to escape. Without a problem, he walks into the cage, and the lock clicks.

"Now," the handler says, watching the man through the glass. "Dear Riven, you know why you're in here?"

"I won't do it," the man, Riven, speaks up. For the first time, his eyes leave the ground. They flicker to the handler. "I won't fucking gut someone for you." His British accent is clear.

Elisa watches as the handler chuckles. Her eyes are sparkling, Elisa notices. Next to her, Cha Cha is glaring at the man. If a stare could kill, then he'd be buried in the ground already.

"We've talked about this, Riden." The handler pouts, more to laugh with him. "You know what you have to do in order to get out of this gorgeous cage."

"Gorgeous," he murmurs under his breath. "Bloody woman."

"Very bloody," the handler nods. With that, she turns around. Cha Cha her eyes follow the handler, but her feet don't move. She only waits . . . "Play a little with him, will you, Cha Cha?"

"It'd be my pleasure." Cha Cha her smile widens enormously. It's a cruel one, and Elisa is sure it'll haunt her in her nightmares.

Cha Cha approaches the rack full of weapons. Her fingertips touch the cutlass' metal, but they leave it for the knives that are hanging on the wall. She goes for two knives. Her fingers fold around the handles, and then she turns around to look at Lucas again.

The cruel smile makes Elisa close her eyes. She knows what's about to come. She knows what the man will have to endure. And now she has to watch every detail.

No. Elisa puts her head between her knees and her chest. It won't work entirely, but the screams will lessen a little. If she just presses her hands hard enough against her ears . . .

Soon enough, Elisa finds out that it doesn't matter how hard she presses her hands against her ears. The screams are loud and unbearable. They make Elisa want to disappear in thin air.

Crying, she curls up. Hot tears slip down her cheeks. It doesn't stop. It feels as if this crazy woman is never going to get enough from hurting the man.

The screams, the death that the commission-the handler-has caused are enough for Elisa to loathe the commission even more. She hates this place . . . death. This is her personal hell. She's sure there are many more who count this as their hell, but she's probably the only one who's still alive.

If everything goes well, you'll inherit my status here, at the commission.

Her heir.

Elisa's eyes narrow at the darkness around her. No. No. No. No. She will never rule this place. She will never be the one responsible for the commission's destruction and death.

-

Okay, so I'm posting this rn, and honestly—after only one SINGLE exam I'm already dead. DISEASED (if you get it, I adore you). I haven't read or written so long cuz of stupid business and math, and I'm so done ;( uhm... Hope you enjoyed my rambling and the chapter!

Five isn't in here. Actually, he isn't in several chapters. I hope you don't mind, but as you all know, I don't like to keep the normal tua story line while writing since there are SOOOO many fanfics that have the exact same plot. That's why I completely change the storyline in my fanfics (hehe). I mean . . . I've got to do something with the thousand ideas zooming around my head, don't I? And yes, this is me avoiding studying. Woops! Gotta go! Bye!