Go Directly to Jail {Claudio}

[Rainea Cross]

"In a dress this fine, if I tried something it might get ruined." She tried to smile, but smiling made her jaw hurt and it left her face quickly. She settled into her seat, she wasn't happy to be sitting again, but she didn't have much choice either. She watched the wine being poured, her body ached for a drink but she also knew she should trust her fellow solider. "Cheers." She raised the glass to him then brought the glass to her lips and took a small sip when he did, but brought the crimson cloth to her mouth and carefully spit out the liquid into it. She could only pull that trick once and make it look natural, the other sips were going to have to be better played.

Faking drinks was something she was skilled at, she had been doing it for years to win drinking contests, it was just time to play this game with someone else. Rainea was suddenly happy with all her practice.

He asked her to say, what was there for her to say to him? There was only one answer that she could give him, and she knew in her heart that it was right. 'No,' she thought to herself as he kept talking.

She listened to every word, she didn't speak or move, her hands were folded on her lap on to of the napkin and she just listened to him speak. When he finished she looked up at him, looking directly into his eyes, she gave him the only answer she had. "Yes, I will stay with you."

After the words left her mouth she looked down at what was before her, she picked up her fork and her knife and carefully cut off a piece of meat. This wasn't someplace she could belong, she knew that. She cut a small piece off the rest of the meat and put it in her mouth, she looked back up to him studying him.

[Claudio Vinccino]

Claudio's eyes narrowed, as she gave in so quickly, he knew she would accept his offer eventually, it was the strategic thing to do. He hadn't expected her to give in so soon, but he didn't show it. He knew that pretending to be content this early on was, suspicious. "No demands?" He asked casually, "No conditions? Just giving in to me? That isn't your style." He continued to eat, attempting to conceal his smile as his plan fell into place, every stone in the path gracefully illuminated.

"I wonder, what I can do to help make the transition easier for you?" He sat, looking at her as she ate, his own apetite sated for the time being. He moved his hand under the table, gently taking hold of his cane which was resting against his knee, and flipping open the top, just for safety. "What might you need to be happy?" He motioned to the dining staff, and they cleared away his plates, leaving the table space empty. He leaned forward, his elbow on the table. "Is anything the matter?" he asked, indicating her wine, "You haven't had very much, is it bad?" He tasted his own again, and looked at her, "Come now, you must be thirsty."

[Rainea Cross]

"I promised you, you could make one decision and I would accept it. If you want me, I will stay." She took a couple more bites, but her stomach turned, maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the shot, or perhaps it was the blood she was forced to swallow when her nose was broken. She put her knife and fork down and pushed her plate away. She wiped her lips with her fingers and watched him.

She watched as things were cleared away from the table. He was comfortable with his power over people, but she wasn't comfortable with the power he had over her. "Just not feeling up to par Leo." She wasn't lying, she still felt light headed from whatever they had given her, and she still felt a slight headache. "I don't think there is anything I need Leo, other than a bath." She had always been a sucker for a bath. The hot water, be able to lean back and let the hot water relax the pain away from her body. "And my tags." She said the last part knowing that it was a lost cause, he destroyed her tags. She leaned back in her chair and watched him, her eyes moving over his face.

[Claudio Vinccino]

Claudio merely nodded, and smiled when she spoke. He could see that she didn't feel good, and he decided not to press it. Waving a hand, he called the servants over, and they cleared the table. Then he rose. "Wait here," He said, "Ill send someone to get a bath ready, and then have Chris come and get you." He nodded, and headed to the door, stopping as he reached it. "Thank you," he said, looking at her, "For the dinner." He turned away, and headed out the door, his smile breaking over his face as soon as it was hidden from her. Things were going according to plan.

A few minutes later, Chris walked in to the dining room. "Miss?" He said, seeing her, and motioning for her to come to the door. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, with caring eyes, "Come with me, we have to hurry." He motioned quickly to show his haste. "Be careful, the shoes are a little unstable."

[Rainea Cross]

"Leo," when he paused at the door she spoke again. "I missed you."

Rainea never drank any off the wine but she still felt a little unstable on her own. When she saw Chris she smiled a little and started to walk towards him, she was careful, she was never good in heels, she hated wearing them. When she got closer to him he gave a slight nod, something most people might not notice, but she caught on, he meant now. She gave him the same nod before she allowed herself to collapse. He had to take two steps forward and barely caught her before she hit the ground.

Another servant approached him but he waved them off and picked her up into his arms. She didn't assist, she trusted him to do everything for her, she just laid there limp in his arms. He took her back to her holding room and laid her on the bed, sneaking a knife just under her back.

When he left she opened her eyes and saw her clothing sitting out, she sat up and changed, taking off the dress and her high heeled shoes she put on her pants, bra, and shirt followed by her socks and boots.

When Chris came back she had the knife tucked away in her wrist band, she smiled as he entered, and he returned it with a friendly nod. "Why are you doing this?" He looked her in the eyes and he reached out touching her face. She leaned into his hand and finally put his face with the man. "When you can't walk....".

They kissed, not because of the moment, but because she had known him, from the war, and more than that. She had thought he died so many years before. His name, was still tattooed on the inside of her wrist. Taking her hand he whispered. "We have to be quiet, keep down and follow me."

The hall ways, there were dozens, and she was sure they were doubling back more than once. Then suddenly, they were at a cave, an opening that she only assumed lead outside.

She knelt as she heard footsteps, "I'll be back" She nodded and grabbed his arm as he turned away. "Let me know when you come back..." She stood there at the opening, knowing that Chris would return shortly.

She heard muffled words, she wasn't sure what was being said. However, the tones, that's what caught her attention. 'Leo,' she pulled her knife out and just stood there, silently. It wasn't until she heard two sets of foot prints, one slightly behind another that she started to become seriously scared. She held the knife firmly and when someone grabbed her from behind she plunged her knife into the person's stomach. She figured he had to of known, she was a marine, she was on the ground, you say something, you don't grab them. She looked into Chris' eyes as they sunk to the ground. "It's okay.. It's alright..." She tore her shirt until it was just under her breasts and started to dress his wound.

[Claudio Vinccino]

Chris gave an involuntary gasp as the blade took him in the stomach, his eyes widening, and he stood for a moment, his mouth moving, but no sound escaping. He slowly slumped against the wall, and slid down it, a long soft groan escaping his lips as he fell, his hand gripping his stomach, feeling the warm blood start to flow over his fingers. He looked down at himself, and then at her, "Ouch." he said, in a joking manner, though his voice was strained in pain. His breath was coming in gasps as she tried to bandage him up. "N-No," he said, his voice ragged and higher in pitch than usual. "You have to go." He grabbed at her wrist, and pressed a device that was in his hand against the bracelet, there was a soft beep, and it came off her wrist.

"Run, run now." He said with a cough, blood escaping from his mouth, and peppering her shirt. "There is a ship....the end of the tunnel..." He pointed, and then clutched at his stomach, coughing again. "Please, hurry." He tried to put on a brave smile, and jerked his head. "When you can't walk..." a tear formed in his eye, "You crawl..." He pulled one leg up, frantically trying to push himself up the wall, and finding no grip in the gravel.

[Rainea Cross]

Rainea put her head under his arm and helped him stand. The putting her hand over his stomach she started to walk with him. "Come on big boy.." She kept pulling him leading him down the tunnel, as he limped she looked at this stomach. "Why, why didn't you just say something huh?"

She hurried along, though her pace was slowed by his extra weight, she couldn't leave him, she refused to leave him.

[Claudio Vinccino]

"No!" Cried Chris, as she lifted him to his feet, "I'm not worth it, you have to run." He was doubled up by the pain of the wound. When she failed to stop moving, he couldn't help but say a silent prayer of thanks. "Why?" He asked, a gasp, as he stumbled, catching himself on her shoulder. "Why are you doing this?" There was a small patch of light, that illuminated his surroundings, and he managed to get a glance at his wound. "Oh God," He murmured, the world spinning slightly, "Oh god Oh God." He leaned harder on her, for just a moment, before taking as much weight as he could back on his own legs. His foot slipped out from under him, and again he caught himself. "Thank you." He said, smiling as best he could, ending up with a pained grimace.

Claudio watched as Rain helped Chris to his feet, and smiled, "Thats right," He said, with a soft chuckle, "Honor, and all that." He moved silently to follow them, keeping far enough back that he was invisible in the gloom.

[Rainea Cross]

"You know that we are to bull headed to leave one of our own behind." The made it outside, the sun beat down on her face and she looked over to Chris. As she took one more step the both fell, there was a step between the cave opening and the ground itself. he feel with a loud thud and she crawled over to him rolling him back onto his back and she looked down into his eyes. "Don't you dare think about dieing on me.." She smiled a little through her own pain and put more pressure on his wounds, tearing into his shirt she tried to finish her bandage.

[Claudio Vinccino]

Chris cried out, as he hit the ground, fiery pain shooting through his body. She came over, and rolled him on his back, and he had to shove his bloody hand against his mouth to keep from screaming as she pushed against his wound. He felt a small pain in his mouth, and realized he had bitten his tongue. But he was in so much pain that it didn't really phase him. The sun beat down, and he felt the heat, and his eyes watered. His face was covered in blood and dirt, and he felt the tears and sweat mixing with blood, stinging as they ran into his eyes. He managed to blink away a good deal of the stuff in his eyes, and as his vision cleared, his eyes widened. "Sergeant look out!!" He threw all the strength he had left into a blow that threw her off him, as a gunshot rang out.


Claudio stood above the man, and swore. The idiot of a boy had seen him, and his heroics had saved her, leaving him with a bullet wound in the chest. "Stupid boy," He said, leaving him screaming on the ground, and lightly leaping down, turning to Rain. "You see?" He asked, rather like a father would ask a misbehaving child, "You can't keep the people you care about safe." He shook his head, and shrugged. "I should have known he would help you, I had forgotten about your Bond." He held a hand out to her, "Now, come on."

[Rainea Cross]

When she was shoved back she laid against the ground for a moment, stunned, she just stared at Leo for a moment before she sat up and went back to Chris. She knelt next to him putting pressure on his new wound. "No no no no.. you should have let him hit me.." Tears were in her eyes and fell down her cheeks onto his chest as she looked down at him. She turned to Leo again. "Save him.... Please...."

She looked back at Chris, she wasn't going to lose another one, she couldn't face that. She couldn't lose him for a second time. "Just hold on alright.... Just hold on...."

[Claudio Vinccino]

Chris' eyes widened as she spoke, "No." He said, bloody foam coming out of his mouth as he coughed. "No you can't give up." He tried to push her off of him but failed. He felt disconnected from his limbs, and the sun, although bright, was getting dimmer every second. "Sarge....Rain please." He didn't want her to save him, just so they could be prisoners. His eyes clouded, and his breathing began to slow.

Claudio stood, amused. "What will you do if I save him?" He asked, with a show of deep thought. "What will you promise?"

[Rainea Cross]

"He lives, you let him go, I'll stay..... Everything that I am will be yours..." She looked over to him pleading with him. "I meant what I said before, Leo... I don't have anything else to offer." She turned back to Chris, he was fading quickly. If this had always been his plan, than he won. If he was just taking this moment and capturing it, well, it didn't matter, he won. "I will swear a formal oath if it will please you." She growled at the last part, she had yet to break an oath, but this, this was important to her.

[Claudio Vinccino]

Claudio's eyes flashed in triumph and he waved a hand. "You can both rot together in a cell." He said, as three men ran up, two of them holding a stretcher. "Take him to the doctor," He said to the two, and then he looked at the third man. "You, Carry her." And turning in one fluid motion, he brought his cane across her head, knocking her out cold. "You could have avoided all of this." He muttered, as the men went about their task.

The sound of an incoming ship grew in his ears and he looked up, seeing a small shuttle about to set down. "Hurry up!" He spat at the men, and then moved into the cave with them. Pulling out a small radio device, he spoke softly. "There is a shuttle attempting to land near the "back door". shoot it down, but make it look like an accident." He laughed a wicked laugh, and pressed a hidden switch in the floor, the cave entrance closed, leaving the rock face blank, and unappealing.

[Rainea Cross]

24-48 hours later

Rainea startled herself awake, her eyes opened and she looked around. The cell was barely big enough for the bed, and the toilet that was in the room. It smelled of mold, she had never seen this part of his home, but then again, she assumed there was much about him she didn't know. Fiddling with her pickets she looked around the room. She couldn't see anyone, pulling out a few small items and a pin from her shirt, she reached around the bars and began trying to pick the locks.

"Should have just gone with my own plan, but now, you always have to listen to the cute guys, and this is where it gets you." She kept fiddling until she heard a door open, she quickly stuck the items in her pockets and the guards brought in a patched up Chris.

She stood back and allowed them inside, then again, with them having the only gun she didn't have much of a choice, she waited and watched, when the time was somewhat right, just after they put Chris on the bed, she attacked one of the guards, breaking his nose, when she grabbed the gun of the second guard, he pulled her out of the cell, she kicked the door shut, and before she knew it a third guard she didn't see knocked her out cold.

4 hours later

Rainea awoke for the second time, within a cell.