[b][i][u]Frontier[/u][/i][/b] [i]Why would you save a person you barely know? Would you save her life... at the price of everyone else's? It's about time you wake up to the fact you are just another pawn. Do you hear me? WAKE UP.[/i] Micheal awoke slowly in a cold, dark room, bound to some sort of metal device that kept his entire body pinned down. In his ears there was a faint ringing, along with the sound of his own heartbeat. The room reverberated with background sound, suggesting that he might be on some sort of ship... "Ah! Mister Drake." a figure said, almost blurred in Micheal's vision. "Welcome back." The man chuckled, his voice cold and almost sadistic. Micheal's vision would finally start to focus, revealing the figure to him. It was the General himself, bearing an almost eerie resemblance to the IMC's own General Marder. He had grey hair, a rough face, and cold blue-grey eyes that stung into your soul. He had seen much for his time, and this seemed to barely phase him. "So tell me," the General started to say, "After all that you've done. Why did you choose to help her?" Drake remained silent, eying the General. "Fine. I promised the NTR that I would deliver you to them, but they didn't say anything about delivering you... unscathed. No one can help you now, Mister Drake. You're mine." The platform suddenly reconfigured, with Micheal's body in such a way as it was at an upper angle and was partially upside down. Suddenly, a massive electric shock coursed through him, causing an incredibly high amount of pain. The General merely smiled down at him. "Why? Why do you care about her? Is she... a surrogate perhaps? For someone you used to care about? Is she merely a vector for your retribution? A chance for you to wipe away your sins?" There was another electric shock, this time even more painful and exhausting. "What has she told you about her origins? What is she planning to do?" He paused, briefly reflecting. "Well now. I suppose you technically don't have to answer anyone of [i]my[/i] questions now do you?" the General said, chuckling, "The NTR has questions of their own to ask of you. And, since that is part of our contract, I am responsible for 'obtaining' that information. So let's start with the basics, shall we? Where is the rest of the Arrowhead crew?" Instead of an electric shock, a rectangular pool of water opened up directly below him, the black floor parting as to reveal it. The entire machine reconfigured, submerging his entire body it the frigid liquid to the point of practical suffocation. The machine lifted up, finally giving him air. "I'm going to ask you again," he said calmly, "Where is the Arrowhead crew?" Following Drake's silence, the machine once again submerged him, this time for a second longer. Once it brought him back up again, he could see the wry smile of the General. "Ah. Well I guess that's enough for the moment." he said, as the machine configured back to a normal state. He was propped up for the moment, in such a way that was almost comfortable in comparison to other possible...positions. "I can assure you," he continued, "That you will eventually give me the answers I'm looking for. I'm giving you a little bit of time to relax while I deal with... other matters. But when I come back, the intensity of this is going to increase. I'd advise telling me everything, before it gets to such a place to where you will be forced to experience something you can't come back from." And with that, the General left the room, leaving Micheal alone in the coldness of his ominous black cell. Caroline had been right. These people were something else. Something... wrong. If he couldn't somehow find a way out of here, he would be subjected to a horrible fate. And, more importantly, he would be delivered right into the hands of the NTR... [spoiler]Open for Ginger![/spoiler]