First Tally

Posted on Saturday, 6 February 2021 - 6:08pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

Hot. Dry. Pitch black.

"Her first job as capo and she's here," came a distant voice though clearly getting closer as it was punctuated with dusty footsteps.

"I know," came a reply, "at least this will be one less Baciami. It'll be the most satisfying too. His little girl. Do you not think he'll be so angry he'll hunt us down though?"

"He'll be angry, but anger will cloud his judgement, making him an easy target," the first man said.

Suddenly lights and a black hood fluttered to the floor. Adrianna's eyes stung and she winced trying to get her pupils to contract so that she could focus.

A hand went to her face, forcing her to look at the Romulan looking man," hi darlin'."

Adrianna tried to pull her head away, but remained silent. She was smart enough to know not to engage. Her brown eyes met his dark eyes as she searched for an opportunity for him to actually be nervous. If she could find it, she could exploit it and try to escape. His grip on her face tightened and a lopsided smirk on his face started to emerge, "we should make it look like we took our time though. Really make him mad."

***

The nightmares had returned. Some were of the past, some were of her future as foreseen with the orb, the rest-- the rest were of the what-ifs. Guilt potential seemed to fuel them. The most prominent was her recent one about Alex having died in Italy.

The reoccurring dreams seemed to have a focus on each of the tally Mark tattoos she sported on her hip. Baciami's had one for every near death experience.

The Italian flinched and muttered non verbal pleas for escape in her sleep as the violence unravelled in her dream. The memories felt fresh but unsolicited.

***

The woman, still tied to the chair, hung her bloodied face in exhaustion and defeat. She was breathless but silent. She'd remained so throughout the ordeal aside from grunts and screams of pain at the worst of it.

"Look at me Adrianna," a stern voice demanded.

Adrianna went to lift her head, but her neck felt like it was crumbling. She felt too weak. The man was impatient and grabbed her hair, forcefully pulling it so that she would look at him. He smiled, "your father is on his way. So we have to cut this short." Adrianna’s Baciami dagger toyed between his fingers, "it was a pleasure, Ms Baciami."

***

Nights had become sleepless once more, making the days feel extended and slow. Baciami's brain was stuttering and wandering. The woman only focused on repeating the horrors.

With their shifts still not lining up, at least she wasn't keeping Leopold awake by waking up with a start, sometimes even with a scream.

Adrianna was on the floor where she had fallen out of bed with a start. Scrambling to sense she rested her back on the side of the bed. Her hands searched her body to ensure the injuries were only in dream form. The Italian was cold and sweaty. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were erratically looking round the room.

If she was going to relive every tallymarks again, it was going to be a few long nights.

It's not real.

It's a dream.

It's a memory.