Zen awoke in an empty space. All around her was a thin glow but everywhere she looked was bright white. What?

We are inside a restorative cocoon. It restores us to a hundred percent while the world can’t touch us.

Oh, I guess that doctor did some damage to me huh?

You put it lightly. Twice he made a hole within us, and once he nearly boiled us to death by injecting acid into our blood and letting it run through us. They cannot separate us by any means at their disposal. Not even the converter, which I fear is our next trial.

I’ve gone through the converter before. I don’t wish to repeat it, Vara!

Then you won’t, I’ll make certain of it.

Thank you, Vara.

I fear the cocoon has exhausted me a bit. I will sleep a little. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me ok?

Ok Vara, thank you for saving me.

You are welcome Zen.

Ishevara stopped shining and slowly the cocoon began to drift back. Zen lay on the bed completely diminished. The glow that surrounded her was gone except for the light glow at the center of her chest.

“Is someone going to get me out of this gurney? It’s sticky,” she cried trying to move around.

“Well none of her fire is gone,” said D’Angelo.

“Indeed,” muttered Bernado, taking in the fact that Zen wasn’t glowing anymore. Could the crystal be tired? Resting? That’s not good! She needs protection from D’Angelo and Cecile.

“Pon la descarada en el convertidor...ahora!” (Put that wretched girl in the converter...now!)

“Cecile,” called Vasquez from his position by the wall. “Deja la niña en paz! Por Dios! “Nos vamos para casa. Mariposa nos necesita más que un jodio cristal.” (Leave the girl in peace! For God’s sake! Let’s go home. Mariposa needs us more than a damn crystal)

“Pero Kiko el cristal puede…” (But, Kiko the crystal can...)

“No quiero oir mas de ese maldito cristal, Cecile. Nos vamos!” (I don’t want to hear another thing about that damn crystal! Let’s go!)

“No! Kiko!”

“Ahora mujer!” (Now, woman!)

Cecile stomped her foot and crossed her arms. “Si me mueves de aquí, te divorcio!” (If You move me from here, I’ll divorce you!)

“Me divorcias por un cristal? Perderias el poder de ser mi esposa por el cristal?” (You’ll divorce me for a crystal? You’d lose all the power of being my wife, for a crystal?)

Cecile bit her lip then nodded hoping Kiko would let her stay and call her bluff.

Vasquez pulled on his top coat and hat. “Entonces mañana te doy los papeles para el divorcio. Adios Cecile.” (Then tomorrow morning I’ll give you the papers for the divorce. Goodbye Cecile.) Vasquez took his golden cane and began walking towards the docking station. Cecile jumped up and followed him. “Lo lamento Kiko. Perdoname por favor!” (I’m sorry Kiko. Forgive me please!) Cecile’s pleas followed her out of the room and onto the docking station where she was belted down and they assumed kept on going through space.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Ding dong the witch is dead,” muttered D’Angelo as he stood from his seat in the large waiting room. It adorned the examination room and had the capacity for over a hundred people. It was made for the times when inmates needed intervention by medical needs. The examination room also could hold a hundred inmates and their doctors easily. Zen had demolished part of that room though.

“She does have a point though. The faster we get her in a converter and pull the blasted crystal from her, the better for everyone I believe.”

Bernado narrowed his eyes. He had gotten rid of one of the threats by discreetly talking to Kiko while Zen was in the examination room. Now he had to watch for another serious threat. One who was after the girl, not the crystal. Rosalinda, you have cursed your daughter with the attention of a Don like yourself!

“I’ll walk her to the converter room and make sure she is ready then,” Bernado said, booking no arguments with D’Angelo about this. She is my niece. I won’t let him see her naked if I can help it. There has to be a way out of this! Outwardly he presented the Arrio calm, and walked into the examination room toward his niece.

###

Zen squinted her eyes as the light shone into them. The door was pulled open.

“Well, Zen, you and I are going to take a trip to your preferred room. You know the little enclosed one off the converter,” said Bernado smiling.

“So you are putting me in that damn machine again,” she muttered as her uncle began to roll her bed out of the room “Don’t I get to walk at least?”

“Hush Zen.”

“You know uncle I wasn’t going to tell you this until we had hard proof, but seeing you work with Don D’Angelo just stirs me up. You know the poisoning of the men on your boat? Well, the poison turned out to be Guerrero’s Blood, and guess who in the family has that stockpiled? I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.”

“Enough Zen. We are almost there. Listen to me..”

“Your own son is trying to depose you uncle, and it's working. You still have Guerrero's Blood in your body. You need the antitoxin. It’s in Luis’s hands right now.”

Bernado shook his head. “Zen listen! D’Angelo isn’t after the crystal. He’s after you! I brought you to the room to safeguard you. Now I’m leaving you here til the tech lady comes in. The door will remain locked and only the tech can undo it. I’m leaving you bound til they get here.”

“Wait, uncle! Please at least release me from my bonds so I can fight off any intruders!”

“I’m sorry Zen it’s too risky.” He parked her bed in the room beside the real bed and left her there.

“Please don’t leave me uncle!” she cried as Bernado shut the door and locked it from the outside. Zen sighed and tried wiggling out of her restraints but she soon gave up on wasting energy. The straps were too tightly bound with metal filigree at that. She was not getting out of them anytime soon. She blew a strand of hair from her eyes and waited. A few minutes later the door was unlocked and three people walked in.

“Well, I finally have you alone and to myself,” D’Angelo said, nodding to Leroy who raised his hand the minute she began to shine. “Sleep Ishevara.”

Shit, the Soother knows my name! Zen! Fight with all you have! I...Zen!

Ishevara! Vara!

“Vara! What have you done with her! Bring her back!”

Leroy turned to D’Angelo and nodded. “Only the crystal is asleep sir as per your request.”

“Good now get out.”

The technician and looked scared and complied quickly, shutting the door behind her. Leroy just huffed and left. Whatever it was, it wasn't his problem.

Zen cried and tried to struggle against her bonds again.

“Don’t come near me asshole!”

“Zen Zen, Zen. We’ve been over this. I can and will touch you as I please,” he said, brushing his hands up her thighs. She bit her lip as his cold hands made contact with her skin. The doctor had changed her of her shirt and pants and put her in a flimsy hospital gown before he started his experiments. D’Angelo trailed them higher to the base of her panties then he slipped inside. Zen cried and he crushed his mouth onto hers. His tongue swarmed into her mouth as she gasped at the feelings he was evoking. Tears slid down her face and she closed her eyes envisioning this happening to someone else. He pulled back and began to kiss down her neck while touching her. He kissed her lower tracing her breasts with his tongue. Zen cried, shook her head, and bit her lip. She heard the jingle of a belt and a zipper and opened her eyes. No! This is not happening! I am not helpless.

She looked around for a dark shadow and found one by the door. She closed her eyes and willed herself to the shadow. She dematerialized from the bed and materialized by the door. She wasted no time in opening it and running out of the room tears streaming down her face. I was nearly raped because of my uncle! I can’t trust him anymore.

Zen ran straight into someone, almost falling to the ground in her weakness. The woman wrapped an arm around her, steadying her. “Woah, where did you come from?”