| [May. 4th, 2009|04:46 pm] |
Whatever their captors were, they weren't stupid. They'd hung Genma and Raidou up just long enough to really hurt, to make breathing an issue, then cut them down. Granted a millisecond of hope with false freedom, then ripped it away. Tortured, healed, let them rest without ever getting comfortable. Used them against each other.
And now Sago was turning his attention on Genma.
Raidou didn't dare move. He couldn't take down both Green-eyes and Weasel fast enough to get there before Sago made good on his promise. He couldn't do anything when the leg-irons snapped around his wrists, pinning his arms wide again. Green-eyes sat companionably down by his side, pulling out a packet of cigarettes. Weasel got up and slouched over to the table the fourth ninja--one Raidou didn't recognize, but had to be the medic--had set up.
"So what're we doing?" Weasel asked, flicking a strand of mud-stained hair out of Genma's eyes. Genma didn't move, beyond trembling faintly. Why wasn't he moving? "Fingernails? Bones? Cutting off a few joints? S'gotta be something with these pretty hands."
Fury drowned fear. It spiralled down in Raidou's belly, sick and hot and full of bloodthirst, kicking pain so far down his list of priorities that he didn't even care. He'd known they'd go for Genma's hands--a torturer of Sago's calibre couldn't fail to know what those scars meant--but he'd hoped, damn near prayed, they'd keep their attention on him. Genma was strong, but Raidou was stronger. He could stand up; survive where others couldn't. And Genma's hands--
"No amputation," said Sago, pulling out an instrument that shone in the bright lights, fashioned like a heavy pair of silver pliers. "Whoever buys them will want all ten fingers for their money's worth."
"We knew you'd come, you see," said Green-eyes to Raidou, blowing out a curl of smoke. "When that stupid kunoichi sent off her bird, we knew they'd send ANBU to clean up the mess. So we figured we'd hang around, maybe make a little profit." He grinned, eyes on Genma. "You know how much people are willing to pay for information? Not nearly as much as they'll pay for living, breathing ninja. You boys are going to keep us flush for months."
They were close to Grass and Rain and Rock--three villages who weren't friendly enough to mind paying real coin for Konoha-ninja. Especially ANBU. Raidou didn't think about it--didn't think about anything but the metal gleaming in Sago's hand as he wrapped blunt fingers around Genma's left wrist and lifted it up. Weasel grabbed Genma by the shoulders, pinning him firmly down. Amber-brown eyes flew wide. Genma wasn't moving.
Raidou threw himself against his chains. "Wait!" He coughed, spat, drew a breath. "Sago, wait!"
The big man's hands paused.
Green-eyes lifted his eyebrows. "Something to share?"
"Yeah." Raidou bared his teeth and lashed out, cracking his heel down on Green-eye's right kneecap. Bone gave with a dull crunch. Green-eyes howled and jerked away, cigarette dropping from his lips. "You're not done with me yet."
Sago arched an eyebrow. "Nice try." He leaned down, caught the middle joint of Genma's left pinky between the pliers, and snapped it. |
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