Chapter 10
The heroes had left the sleeping boy. They had managed to contact Daedalus and Charon to come and get him. Charon said he would be there in a few minutes.
In the short amount of time between the heroes leaving and Charon arriving, Tommy had disappeared.
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"Is the boy awake?" Quackity paced in a room, glancing over to the closed door that held the avian. It hadn't been very long but the villain was growing impatient.
"Not yet," George muttered from where he sat. They had placed cameras in the room for preparation. George could keep an eye on the vigilante when the others weren't with him. And from what he could see the avian was still asleep. His head was hanging down and his eyes looked closed. George almost felt bad, thinking of how uncomfortable it would be to sleep tied up like that. His wrists were bound behind his back, his feet were tied to a leg of a chair. The avian even had cuffs on his wings to prevent anything from happening.
"So what do we do when he wakes up?" Schlatt asked from the corner. It was one of the times he wasn't full on drunk, instead sipping on a protein shake.
"I'll go in there, I'll need you to shadow. Just in case things go wrong. Or if we need to use you for your own method of persuasion," Quackity spoke eerily calm.
George turned to look at the others, "He's up,"
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Tommy had expected to wake up at home, curled up with his family. His flock. He expected to have preened wings and to see the SBI later that night.
He hadn't expected to wake up tied to a chair.
"What the fuck?!" He shouted, wriggling to try and loosen any of the bounds, "What the hell is this shit?!"
He paused when a man entered. A beanie resting on his head, a clean shirt, a coat, suspenders, platform boots. He grimaced at the brass knuckles. Though continued to examine the man before he stared at his face. There was a scar running from under his eye - from what he could see, the man was wearing a red jester mask that covered his face around his eyes - down to his jaw. When the man gave a smile, a gold tooth was shown.
"Avian!" The man spoke casually, keeping his voice chip. It was almost welcoming if not for the slight anger behind the word, "I'm sorry I haven't yet introduced myself. I'm Quackity,"
Tommys eyes flickered to the door as someone else entered. This man, he recognized. He wasn't wearing a mask. A clean suit with gold stitching, the belt with a bottle opener. Though now he even had brass knuckles.
"This," Quackity gestured to the man behind him, "Is Schlatt,"
Tommy couldn't even hide his scowl.
Quackity crouched in front of him, meeting his eyes with a serious look, "I see you turned down my first offer," he began, scarily calm, "So I'll give you another,"
Tommy glared at Quackity as a sadistic grin spread onto Quackitys face.
"If you don't join my team," Quackity stood, moving behind Tommy. He began running his hand through the vigilantes feathers, making the avian shudder, "Then you can say goodbye to being a vigilante,"
"I'm never joining your fucking team,"
"Very well," Quackity sighed, looking over at Schlatt, "I guess he did bond with those heroes,"
Schlatt made a small noise, looking more amused now. An excited glint in his eyes.
"Doesn't matter. Must mean the heroes care about him, at least a little bit. Either way, we'll be taking care of the avian," Quackity's sadistic grin never left his face as he turned back to face Tommy, "Let's start with this," he reached for the mask on the vigilantes face, easily pulling it off.
Tommy felt as if time had stopped. He saw the surprised look from Quackity and the glare of Schlatt. Still, Quackity easily brushed it off as if it was nothing.
"Schlatt, ready to begin?"
Schlatt gave a nod.
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Tommy ached. His wrists and ankles felt raw from the rubbing of the rope. His head pounded with the promise of a migraine. He couldn't even open his eyes without the light causing his headache to spike. His wings were uncomfortable in the position they were in, held so they wouldn't move. He knew he had bruises blooming along his face and sides. Paired with a few cuts.
They had started with the brass knuckles. They took turns, making it into a game. When they got bored with that, Quackity turned it over to Schlatt for a moment. He let the villain increase Tommys pain. Though the quiet noises he made weren't enough there.
They later brought out a knife. Or Quackity did. Quackity began etching small marks into his arms, legs, torso, anywhere really. With each small cut came a new feeling of pain that made Tommy scream, trying to pull himself away from the two.
They finally left him after Tommy grew too exhausted to scream. His voice was hoarse and his throat ached. He wasn't sure when the two would be back but he was glad they were gone for the time being.
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Ranboo had gotten the message from the heroes. He had arrived literally only a few minutes after. Yet he couldn't find Tommy. The heroes had told them that he had fallen asleep. Did he wake up in those few minutes and leave? That could have been why he wasn't there. That had to be why.
Ranboo quickly called Tubbo, pacing back and forth in worry. It only took one ring before the older boy answered.
"Boo?" He yawned, "Why're you callin'? Did ya' get Tommy?"
"No, no he's not here…" Ranboo muttered, his voice coming out more rushed and panicked, "Is he home? Maybe he woke up and flew home? Yes, that has to be it,"
"No, Tommy isn't here,"
The two sat in silence.
"I'll be right home. Don't move,"
"Got it, Big Man. I'll send a message to Sam,"
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Tommy wasn't sure how much time had passed between his last beating. This next one felt too soon though. The moment Quackity and Schlatt stepped in, broken chirps fell from the avian.
"Aw, it's okay little bird," Quackity cooed, mockingly. He moved behind Tommy, knife in hand. Carefully, he lightly carded his free hand through some of the feathers. Tommy relaxed slightly. The chirps that left him were now calmer, begging almost.
Quackity looked over at Schlatt, giving a small nod.
Tommy suddenly felt pain. White, blinding pain. He let out a scream. Felt himself already losing himself to the darkness as his vision was spotted with black. He felt dizzy. He could feel something wet on his back. Though his mind didn't recognize what it was.
He just wanted to sleep. His eyes fluttered shut. He wanted this pain to go away.
"I guess if we can't have an avian on our side," He heard Quackity through the fuzz of his brain, "Then no one will get an avian,"
He let the darkness wrap around him, saving him from the pain.
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Sam had been working in the underground part of the building. He was tasked with upgrading Sapnaps suit in order to make it just a little bit more fire resistant.
He froze when his phone buzzed. It was usually on silent. The only people who he had set to get through was Ponk and Tubbo.
The problem was, he knew Ponk was right there, testing out the metal arm Sam had been upgrading for weeks now.
Sam rushed to grab his phone from off the table, checking the message.
Tommy's gone
The moment Sam read the message, his air left his lungs. His hands trembled as he typed a response.
Explain. Everything.
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Sam rushed through the halls of the Syndicate. He needed someone who would care. Hell, no one would care about a single missing child who happened to be from Sector 99.
He burst into the SBI's level. He was well-aware that this could end terribly. He grimaced at the looks he got from the three heroes.
"I think Daedalus sent me a message," He breathed out.
"Saying what?" Wilbur spoke up, eyes wide. He knew that Daedalus wouldn't risk the chance of his identity being found unless it was something serious.
"T- The vigilante, the avian," Sam began, trying to keep the panicked expression from his face, "He disappeared,"
Techno kept his usual, monotone expression. Though his clenched fists gave everything away. Phil kept his face calm, though he had a wild look in his eyes. Wilbur, however, was unable to keep himself composed.
"What?!" He shouted, "We need to go help him!"
"Daedalus just sent it as a warning," Sam explained as calm as possible. He too was itching to help, "Says they're trying to see if the tracker will give him their location. Charon could get him out if so,"
"And if not?" Wilbur glared at Sam.
"If not, then I think we need to be ready to jump in and help."