Sophie

Sophie's eyes fluttered open. A pain throbbed in her right arm. That's right. The Neverseen had found out she was communicating with someone. Luckily, they didn't know who. But they'd ended up injecting her with another sedative. 

Her stomach growled. Not out of hunger- though that was part of it. But mainly, her stomach was rebelling against the drugs they'd forced down her throat. 

She coughed. Her throat was dry and scratchy. How long had she been down there? And had she really talked to Keefe? Hadn't he run away? How had they found him? Sophie concentrated, trying to focus her thoughts on those around her. But her mind was too weak. 

She doubted she'd be able to transmit to Keefe again. Tears welled in her eyes. Keefe. He'd come back. She'd talked to him. 

"Good morning," smirked a familiar voice from the doorway. All Sophie knew was she had been kidnapped by the Neverseen and locked in some sort of cellar for the past- well, longer than a week. 

"Let me go," she spat, though she knew it was pointless. They wouldn't free her. 

"You know we can't do that," the voice said. The figure stepped closer, the heels of their boots click-clacking against the concrete floor.  

"Then tell me what you're planning to do with me! I deserve to know at least that!" She couldn't see the figure's face, but she knew they were smiling.

"We've found a new type of drug that'll help secure our victory." was all she said. Sophie gulped. A drug. She'd been drugged. On a daily basis. Since the day she'd arrived. 

What would they going to do to her? What would they do to her friends? What were they planning?

"You've noticed, haven't you?" smiled the voice, "Surely you've noticed the changes? The mood swings?" 

"What does that have to do with anything?" she croaked. The figure's head fell back into a loud, long laugh. 

"You're going to help us finally defeat the Black Swan. Once. And. For. All." Bile rose in the back of Sophie's throat as realization hit.

"You're... going to use me against my friends?" she asked, her voice cracking. Another wicked cackle erupted from the figure's throat. 

"You can't!" Sophie said, wishing her voice wasn't as weak as it was, "I won't. I'll fight it." she said, remembering the drugs they'd given her, "I'm not going to hurt anyone. Not my friends. Not any of the Lost Cities." 

"Darling, you won't even remember them. You'll become our puppet. And you'll score us seats as the new councillors of the Lost Cities."

Goosebumps crawled up and down Sophie's skin. Not because of the cold, but because the  concrete dungeon seemed to be in some arctic area. 

But she kept her focus on the main issue. She had been forgetting things lately. Like what she had for dinner. What she'd been doing the past few days. Even her own name at times. 

Her own name.

Tears spilled out Sophie's eyes at the realization. She was changing. Turning. She was their puppet. And the second she'd done the deed, they'd dispose of her. 

The figure laughed, for what felt like the millionth time. This person really liked to laugh. Sophie couldn't help herself from thinking. 

"Don't worry. We won't be getting rid of you." the figure assured her, "Instead, after we've taken over the Lost Cities, we'll keep you around. You'll remain our puppet so no one steps out of line." 

With that, the figure squeezed Sophie's face, tipping her head back as she shoved another round of drugs down Sophie's throat.