“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Leader said, fingers splayed out on the letter Villain had sent them a few hours ago, gaze flicking through the contents once more.
Hero nodded, pushing away the doubt and fear settling in the pit of their stomach. “If it’s the only way to get Villain to stop, then I’ll do it.”
Leader eyed them warily. “The consequences of giving yourself up to one of the cruelest people in this whole damn city—,”
“Is nothing if this whole damn city is blown to smithereens,” Hero snapped back. “It’s my choice.”
“Your choice to get beaten up and used and tortured,” Sidekick said from the back of the room. “You could die, Hero.”
Hero bit their lip. “I know,” they muttered. “But lots more people are going to die if I don’t.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, then they made to get ready. Hero took a deep breath to steady the pounding of their heart.
By what Villain had written in the letter, Hero was to be restrained and gagged before they met at midnight just outside of Villain’s headquarters. The trade was to be quick and easy, in and out without so much of a scuffle.
Soon, Hero was locked up in heavy metal shackles and a cloth had been placed between their teeth and tied around their head to immobilize their speech. The team helped them out the door as they headed to the enemy’s base.
Villain was already standing outside the door when they arrived. They were flanked by two henchmen.
“Have my payment?” they mocked, sliding their hands into their pockets casually. Their eyes were dark with malicious intent.
“They’re not payment,” Leader hissed. Hero clenched their jaw and lowered their face, teeth digging into the cloth in the mouth.
Villain grinned. “Say your goodbyes.”
Sidekick was the first to embrace Hero in a tight hug, body shaking with sobs. Then one by one, everyone joined in and murmured their farewells. Hero closed their eyes, savoring the warmth and love of their teammates that they probably wouldn’t feel again. A lump formed in their throat.
“I’m waiting,” Villain interjected, their voice like a knife through Hero’s chest.
“You’ll call off the attack if we give them to you, right?” Leader said, tugging Hero over gently by the arm.
“Right.”
Leader nodded and walked Hero over, allowing Villain to take them. Hero immediately tried to jerk away, but Villain held fast and pulled them close to their body possessively.
“Rule number one,” Villain whispered in their ear, making them shiver, “never pull away from me. You’re my property now.” They slammed their leg into Hero’s back, who released a muffled cry and collapsed onto the ground.
Through their haze of pain, they saw their friends lurch forward, but Villain’s henchmen stepped forward, bearing guns and forcing them away.
“You might as well leave,” Villain said casually, but the threat was clear. The guards lifted their weapons, loading the barrels.
Hero lifted their head, back throbbing, and nodded at Leader.
I’ll be okay.
Leader exhaled and lifted their hands up. “We’ll go, we’ll go. No need to get all fussy.” They glanced back once at Hero, eyes shining with apology.
Then they were gone, along with everyone else on the team.
Hero groaned and tried to prop themselves up, but Villain grabbed their hair and yanked them to their feet.
“That was almost too easy,” Villain murmured. Hero tried to snarl at them, but their efforts were futile thanks to the gag in their mouth.
“We’re going to have so much fun together.”
