Cassidy blindly reaches her hand out to touch her leg.

Her fingers brush against cold, numb skin, and even though she can't feel her own touch, she knows that it's her calf. Forcibly, she digs her nails into it, making circular motions with her fingers in order to get some feeling back into her leg. She's not sure how long she's been held captive here, but she trusts that it's only a matter of time before people come to break her out.

Time.

Cassidy huffs.

.

She stares up blankly into the void ahead of her, trying to imagine abstract shapes out of the seemingly infinite darkness. She blinks and thinks she's seeing bluish grey swirls curling around in the space beyond. When she reaches out to brush her fingers across the tendrils, her hands are met with frozen static. Then, she remembers she's not supposed to be seeing anything when she's in the dark.

'This is the price I have to pay...' Cassidy begrudgingly supposed.

'For the sake of giving Adrian, Aira and Sir Ray some time.'

Dylan had been a relentless pursuer. Cassidy was desperately running away from the clutch of death.

If she had not begged to her uncle – if she had not tried to make a deal with the devil, then she would be looking at an entirely different state of darkness. She wonders how Adrian and the others are doing right now. She wonders if Asher has done something stupid again. She wonders if Charles and Edward have found Damien yet.

'Everyone. Please, be safe.'

Cassidy had been disheartened at first to note that there are still a lot of things she doesn't truly understand about this whole syndicate and even the system within Millicent Inc. but Adrian had assured her that it would be better if she remained ignorant about some things. She had not agreed with him on that point, so she had settled for the hope that maybe Charles could tell her a few things.

'Of course, I never even got to talk with him after that.'

It's just as well, she guesses. She will definitely ask him someday.

Cassidy hopes that Adrian is moving forward with their plan to let Edward and Charles know about Damien's current location, and to get them to rescue him along with the rest of the captives. By now, Bryan should have also approached either Asher or Aira. They should be safe from any death threats from Dylan.

'Everything should be going according to plan. Except...' Cassidy contemplated.

'Uncle Dylan's attack that night hadn't been accounted for in the plan at all.'

They'd been counting on Dylan to strike mainly after two weeks since Damien's abduction. They'd anticipated him trying to take someone again - anyone but her, and they'd taken all the countermeasures possible to make sure that he and the others fail this time.

Cassidy laughs to herself.

'All the counter-measures possible,' she thought quite accurately in fact.

Her hand brushes over a metallic bracelet clasped over her right wrist. She loosely tugs on it then closes her eyes and leans back against the wall.

'Everything is a mess. I'm a mess.'

With a hurting, heavy heart, Cassidy recalls the last thing she can recall from the night she got taken away by Dylan.

---

Staring into the eyes of death, Cassidy straightens.

"Uncle, let's make a deal."

"Oh...?" Dylan intones, pointing the sharp, pointed edge of his knife against her threateningly.

"What kind of a deal? For all I know, you're simply going to ask for more time. You want to make sure he lives, after all."

She grimaces.

He can see right through her, and he is fully aware that her top priority right now is to make sure that Adrian, Aira and Ray have a chance of making it out alive. But that's not in her uncle's best interests. The fact is that her husband is in the way of his goals. Killing him right then and there would remove one of the biggest obstacles on his path to victory.

If Cassidy wants to make a deal work, she'll have to play according to Dylan's rules.

"You're right..." she admitted.

"I want him to live. So, let's make a compromise. You like the hunt, right? Instead of fifteen minutes, give me fifteen days. We'll fight then."

Dylan hums, pretending to consider the idea. He then sneers, "Denied. That's not playing fair and you know it. Giving you all that time to prepare and gather all your comrades? I'm better off killing both of you right where you stand!"

At his refusal, Cassidy's desperation becomes imminent.

She can only stall for so long. Even though she doesn't have any past memory of him, she has a strong impression that he's not the type of villain to walk away without making sure his enemies are thoroughly vanquished. He will not leave here without both of their heads on a platter for all to see.

'I have to think! Come on! What would Adrian do?! If my only options are death and death, then...!' Cassidy thought hard.

'Then, perhaps I should create a third option.'

She had to make one that Dylan absolutely could not refuse as quickly and as surely as he had on her first proposal. She had to give everything she's got on this.

"So what is it, my dear niece...?" he inquired snidely, lifting her chin up with the tip of his blade.

"Are you going to keep on trying to prolong your deaths? There is nothing you can offer me that I will consider over your spilt blood."

"Yes, there is..." she muttered, finally coming up with a decision.

"There's still something I can offer."

Her gaze is fiery and blazing. Powerful. It flares up more and more with the promise that she's all too willing to make.

"You can take me instead."

"Take you?"

His blade cuts slightly into her throat. She ignores the urge to quiver then.

"Yes. You said that my father was supposed to lead the mafia, right? Now, you have no one to continue the Eleanor's legacy. You're not going to live forever, and you know it."

Her breath falters here. But her resolve shines through all the same.historical

"So, put me in his place instead. Make me your successor, Uncle."