BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 117's

Nolan squirms on the stone floor. Hand numb. Legs too. The rough rope tied him everywhere like a snake, so tightly that it sliced through the skin. He looked to the right and to the left, still not understanding where he was. Everything was so dark and cold. But he knew he was in prison. It was in a small, iron-clad prison room, in another, larger room and seemed to be filled with other prison rooms. He can see a little because the roof of the room is hollow, making moonlight sometimes illuminate the room if there are no clouds.

He didn't even know how long it had been since his collar was gripped back and his head fell to the ground. Long or a minute? How long has it been? The last thing he remembered was that he was in the Bjork Protected Forest, trailing the Northmen. Then there's the black ghost. Nolan shuddered to remember what he saw.

Once he realized, he was already in prison. Like an ancient cell to imprison a prisoner of war. There's a rusty foot peg at the end of the room. Even the door of the cell in front of him seemed ready to collapse. What made the prison feel sturdy was only the second-tier door that was three meters away in front of them.

For Nolan, being in a cell with rusty bars like this is not the creepiest part. The creepy thing was seeing the old man sitting leaning against the cell wall behind him.

Marcos.

Nolan sometimes stopped squirming to see if Marco was still breathing. The man sat leaning there with both hands tied behind his back. Both of his legs were also tied kerat on the wrists and on the thighs. Marco lowered his head, so all Nolan could see was his white hair that looked gray in the darkness. Nolan sometimes wondered if the man was still alive. But his throat was too sore to ask.

Nolan's voice ran out to scream as he first came to his senses. Now what came out of his throat was just a raucous sound like a wild bird.

There was a clattering of keys, then the sound of metal doors opening and closing. A man came to see them again. This is the second time the man has come. Earlier, the man came to inspect the cell but did not say anything. His face was invisible as rays of fire came from behind the man, making all Nolan could see was a mere silhouette.

"He's not dead, is he?" ask the man from outside the bar. He asked about Marco. Nolan did not answer. He was wiggling to be released.

The man kicked at the door, then turned away and closed the door. But this time there was no sound of the key playing.

Nolan is still writhing. His strength was running out, but he was determined to put all that was left to try to escape rather than just stand still.

"Foolish boy, you'll die of exhaustion if you squirm so constantly."

Nolan looked surprised. Really shocked. Marco is free from the rope, and now pulls out a dagger to free Nolan.

The girl widened her eyes, not understanding where the knife came from.

Marco's weapon had been taken all but a small folding knife he had ploughed into his shoes. If only the hostage-taker had been more thorough and decided to strip Marco of his name, then this liberation would have been more difficult.

Nolan opened and closed his mouth, pointing at Marco's loose rope while still knotting. His eyes were confused.

That's not magic. He does know how to make the rope that binds him easily removed. This is not the first time he has been tied up for harm. His father taught him how to easily untie. Just by holding your breath when tied, making the body bigger than the original, so that when he exhales, the rope will become loose. Some other way is to clench both hands and attach both bones of his thumb so that no dead knot can be tied to him.

Marco was deliberately silent and waited for the enemy to let his guard down. Now is the time to go. The second door is not locked. Maybe their hostage takers are careless, off guard, or ... Marco thought of the third possibility in his heart. Or someone is going to take them out.

He leaned over to Nolan's side, then sliced off all the ties that wrapped around the 17-year-old girl. Nolan rubbed his wrists and legs numb, still confused.

Marco had no intention of talking to her. He actually prefers to stay there longer, investigating what really happened. But he can't let Nolan in here. At least he should get the kid out.

Marco crept to the prison door, examined each corner, then pushed and shook some parts of the trellis door to escape from its hinges. The man who had just come and kicked the door of the bars, that man was Xavier Hastings, the cousin of Charles Hastings. Marco still vaguely recognized his voice and body shape.

Xavier is in his 30s, his body is tall. The man was always clinging to Charles' back with a pretentious face, but also anxious. When he appeared and asked if Marco was still alive, the man's voice trembled.

Whatever was going on behind the prison door, it must have scared Xavier and decided to turn to Marco.

Marco found out as soon as he heard Xavier's question. "He's not dead, is he?" it is a question that gives a hint that what anyone who catches them wants is Marco, and he is needed in a living condition. Previously, Xavier also checked the corners of their trellis cells and on the second visit confirmed his intention by kicking the trellis.

The man was determined to free them.

As proof, Marco could feel that the trellis door that imprisoned them could be broken loose without a key. He gripped the trellis bars, which were only taped to the stone, then pushed it strong. With a little effort, the door of the bars had already escaped from the kosen. Nolan went gaping. If only his throat had not hurt, he would have cheered in admiration. He clapped his hands several times without a sound.

Marco put the ridiculous trellis aside, leaning it against the cell wall. In the room there are four prison rooms that are side by side. Marco was deliberately placed in a prison whose trellis was rusty. It was clear that the person tasked with imprisoning them had absolutely no intention of locking them up for too long.

Marco stepped out of the room first, prepared his penknife, and told Nolan to take cover. He approached the main door of the room while settling down. His hand pulled the second-layer door handle slowly. The metal door was heavier and sturdier, but now it was useless as it was unlocked. Marco's eagle eyes peered through a gap that only resembled a faint line. There's nothing to see. It was so dark outside, without any lighting.

Nolan was behind Marco, looking at the slight smile that was stretched out under that silver mustache. He used to hate and be scared every time he saw Marco. But now that smile made her very relieved. It was the smile of the security guard.

***