The Dark Star - Lockdown Vol. 01

The continued screams echoing through his head. Fighting and struggling Logan could gain no purchase as their brute strength overpowered him pinning him face first to the floor of the lift as they descended towards the basement car park. Covering his head as viscous kicks struck him and brutal hard stamps from heavy heels of shoes rained down on him in the confined space.

Dazed, confused, his ears ringing as he accepted the beating, his ears ringing but not louder than the memory of those helpless screams.

**********

Ari lay shivering in the darkness

Her eyes no longer burning from the substance that had been forced into her eyes. No pain that she was conscious of, the remainder of her body now ached broken and bruised from the ordeal she'd just endured.

Rubbing her swollen sore wrists she shivered, being unable to witness what had happened diluted none of her anguish. Only serving to highlight and warp her mental images. Cruel imaginations of the sadistic individuals responsible for what she had just been subjected to.

Below her she felt the sodden mattress, the mattress on which she'd lay tethered by wrists and ankles for a prolonged period of time. The mattress where she'd begged for her ordeal to be over, begged and pleaded to each new voice each new set of hands on her and that fell upon her now naked body.

She heard the familiar creak of the door and felt an almost welcome breeze across her body.

An audible gasp filled the room

"My God.... Oh my God they weren't kind to you were they?" Ari recognised Yvette's voice by the accent within her astonished tone.

A cold gentle touch of slender fingers on the left-hand side of her face brought tears to eyes that could not see.

**********

Like a caged animal Logan paced the now near empty Car Park his rage building he kept checking his phone; no new messages the bowels of the car park and the building sat above him offering limited reception at best.

The steady flow of bodies to high performance vehicles over the last half an hour indicating that whatever had transpired on the seventh floor had drawn to a conclusion.

At the lift doors watching him like hawks the two burly heavies didn't fail to let him out of their sight.

His anger still simmering his only thoughts now, his only concerns being for Ari's welfare. He didn't want to think of the possibility of her not emerging from that lift. His demons gnawing at him. Thoughts of failing Ari just as he'd failed Hetti ate away at him fuelled an anger in him that tore through his very being. He knew full well what Salazar and his cohorts were capable of. He'd seen with his own eyes the brutality and torture they could inflict on victims willing or otherwise. Ari had been foolish to be sucked into the cess pit of debauchery. No doubt through promises made to her that were not upheld. Sickening visions of her in pain filled his mind. Grinding his teeth as he paced the concrete floor over and over again.

Stopping dead on hearing the lift descending. Standing back, stood clear of the two thugs who'd given him nothing short of a pasting, watching expectantly.

The doors slid open from the inside. The tall dark-haired girl in a dark two-piece suit over a black bra was the first face he saw, then Salazar, then he saw her, or what he recognised of her.

Ari supported by Salazar's arm around her waist limped from the lift. Barefoot her long black jacket did not fasten all the way up, revealed a silver steel collar around her neck. The jacket covered most of her obviously naked body. Her hair was dishevelled; her face dirtied from make-up that streaked from her eyes, her physical appearance stopped the breath in his lungs.

The closer she drew the more he could see how red raw, horrifically swollen, and puffy her beautiful pale blue eyes were. Lost in her drawn face, they were undistinguishable.

"What have you done to her Salazar?" Logan barked as they approached.

"Lo...Logan" Ari cried out desperately on hearing his voice. "Logan I can't see...I can't see they blinded me... they've fucking blinded me."

Salazar didn't respond, his sardonic grin spoke for him. Rushing forward as Salazar pushed her away from his grip. Ari stumbled crashing into Logan's outstretched arms as he caught her fall, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

"There were...there were so many of them." she whimpered. "I couldn't stop them... they wouldn't.... they...."

Her sentence went unfinished Logan made his own conclusions glaring at Salazar.

"Her eyesight should sufficiently recover," he stated coldly.

"Should?" Logan sneered backing away as he supported Ari's slender frame, cradling her against his chest; his gut instinct was fight but he knew for Ari's sake flight was the only option.

Backing up towards the passenger side door of their vehicle as he stroked her dishevelled hair, all the while his eyes did not leave Salazars.

"I've got you..." Logan reassured Ari. "I've got you...you're safe now."

Trembling in his arms, her tears soaking his shirt he backed away to the black Land Rover parked up still alongside the Ferrari Spider.

Opening the rear passenger door, he spoke softly. "I'm going to put you in the back...I'm going to lay you on the back seat, ok?"

Ari exhausted and weary nodded her understanding as he assisted her into the back of the car, clumsily laying her out across the leather bench seat.

"We're going..." he whispered "...we're going."

Closing the door Logan looked back at the still advancing Salazar.

"She was worth the wait." Salazar mocked. "You should have seen how she handled everything we did to her.... everything"

Logan turned his back

"You may need this." Salazar offered goading him to turn back when all he wanted to do was leave. Turning his eyes fell on a small gold key held in Salazar's gnarled fingers "Tell her she can keep the collar for when she returns.... we are always grateful for such perfect young fuck meat."

Logan snapped his right arm drew back and swung catching Salazar square in the face, blood sprayed from his nose immediately and he stumbled crashing against the side of the parked Ferrari.

"She was definitely worth that," Salazar chuckled darkly. "I do hope that tight little cunt isn't too ruined for you."

Logan refused to be further goaded, turning he swung open the driver's door wide, the heavy door was no match for the carbon fibre door panel of the Ferrari, carving a gouge out the side of the super car.

"That'll buff out." Logan offered without looking back hearing the secondary scrape as he pulled the door closed.

Looking back over his shoulder as he reversed back steering purposely close to Salazar who stood head in hands inspecting the damage to the prized asset.

Logan glanced across Ari's broken form as she curled up on herself on the back seat.

"You're safe now" he reassured her "You're safe now.... I've got you"

**********

Carrying Ari in through the front door of the house. Logan didn't pause or hesitate. Headed straight upstairs he looked down into still raw and blood shot eyes. Water purchased at a roadside garage had helped a little; litres of water washed into her eyes in desperation. She had refused to allow him to take her to hospital.

"How you feeling now?" Logan enquired realising how utterly worthless words were given her physical and mental state. Surprised at a glimpse of the weakest of smiles, a smile no doubt of gratitude than relief

"I've been better," she croakily offered with a hint of her inner defiance.

Logan shook his head. Looking cautiously along the corridor towards the room Sienna was residing in, there was no sign of her, therefore no explanation needed to be given should she have been present. A relief of sorts.

Carrying Ari along the corridor to the master bedroom he laid her across the plump pristine white duvet which was in stark contrast to her sullied face and dishevelled appearance. She had never looked so frail to him; including the dash to A and E when the abuse at his hand had proved too much.

"I'll run you a bath," he offered stepping away.

"I'd prefer a shower."

"I'll start you a shower."

Headed to the vast en-suite bathroom Logan reached into the double walk-in shower enclosure and turned brass dials within minutes the hot water from the large overhead shower head filled the room with steam.

Turning back, he was surprised to see Ari stood behind him, he couldn't keep the look of shock and horror from his face. Stood there naked before him there was barely an inch of her slender body that wasn't covered in welts, already forming bruises or abrasions, her wrists ankles and neck seemingly bearing the brunt of what horrors she'd endured.

"That bad," she offered.

"I'm sorry.." Logan offered, "...I'm so sorry"

"I knew you'd be there for me...even when...even..." Ari offered not for the first time unable to or unwilling to offer detail "And by the looks of that lip...and that eye you did your best to get to me."

"I failed you," Logan offered remorsefully.

"I failed myself..." Ari oddly stated. "Had I told you what I was...what was.... you'd have never let me...you'd have..."

Tears fell down her cheeks once again.

"We'll deal with this...I'm here for you Ari," Logan offered.

"Thank you," she softly mouthed.

Stepping aside as she entered the shower, Logan made to walk away his own aching muscles and tormented mind in need of the numbing anaesthesia that a half bottle, or more, of brandy would bring.

"Logan..." Ari stated as he walked away. "Join me...I don't want to be alone."

Moments later he held her once more in his arms, the near scalding water cascading over the pair of them easing his own bruised ribs a little and stinging the exposed cut on his lip. Ari winced as he softly lathered soap in his hands which he traced over her broken body, cleaning her skin but painfully aware that he would be unable to cleanse her exhausted fractured mine of the torment and abuse she'd suffered.

Ari turned and leant against his chest, as the steam consumed them. Looking up at him with raw looking eyes, which mercifully we're now near fully open.

"Stay with me tonight...I... I just need you to hold me".