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\n     Ok here's the next chapter of Shadow of a Freelancer, Ch 13 Mors Mortis Prison. I was at a little loss of what to write here, and I had a little bit of self loathing going on...you'll see that a little later on in this chapter...anyway. Next chapter will be up soon, fighting will be going on in that one. Read, vote please, comment if you feel like it.


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\n December 13, 2337 - Mors Mortis, Solitary Confinement: Room 26 (7:31 PM)

\n     "Eat up!" A guard yelled after sliding a tray of slop through an opening in the cell door.

\n     Shadow eyed it and his stomach growled for food but he did not want it. He stopped eating the slop on the third day, he found that eating rats that found their way into the dark room were more tasteful and provided more energy then whatever it was they fed the prisoners. He had searched for the hole that the rats had found their way in at but when he found what may have been where they came from he was surprised they fit through it.

\n     He had been sitting facing the door to the room ever since he was thrown in there, but today he looked around as he heard a sound from the room next to his, as the guard opened a small door slightly followed by the same thing the guard had told him. Only when he looked in that direction he could see light coming from the other room; by means of a small opening between the rooms for ventilation, before the light went out.

\n     That's when he heard for the first time another stomach growling for food, but heard no movement towards the bowl of slop that had been slid into the room. Shadow chuckled slightly at the thought that even humans may have been eating rats down here as well...even if they couldn't taste a difference between the slop and a rat.

\n     "What's so funny?" a voice from the other room asked.

\n     Shadow thought for a minuet if he should answer or not but decided that they couldn't do anything much worse to him then force feed him that shit in a bowl. "That I can hear your belly growling yet not here you move to go and eat that slop." He answered.

\n     "I'd rather eat shit and die." The voice said, and for several moments there was nothing but silence until the voice said "You must have very good hearing otherwise I'd peg you as a fur." the voice said.

\n     "Are you a fur hater?" Shadow asked.

\n     "No, I'm not. But then again how do you know I'm not just a figment of your imagination lying to you right?" He said.

\n     "That's true, but I already heard your stomach growling, and that was after the guard slid that crap into your room." Shadow said then waited a few moments before saying "I don't know how many furs are in this place though. From what I was able to see my first day here was that, everyone here is a human."

\n     "That's the norm around here. There are two furs that I know of here though, both of 'em are wolves...brothers even." He said.

\n     "Only the two?"

\n     "Yeah...if you're a fur too then that counts up to three...for how long I don't know." He said which made a chill go up Shadow's spine; from the way this person said that...most furs must be killed when they get here.

\n     "I take it they kill off any furs that come here."

\n     "The gangs do...and the guards could care less. Although they do bring in a fur every so often for one reason, that reason being so that someone in one of those fur hating gangs kills them so they can use that entire gang as test subjects...or combatants."

\n     "Combatants?" Shadow asked in surprise.

\n     "For death row."

\n     "Combatants for death row?"

\n     "Yeah, death row isn't like a normal sentence in other prisons here on Mors Mortis...it's a sport."

\n     This both surprised and confused Shadow. Death row was usually where they sent inmates who had been sentenced to death to wait until the appointed time of death came around, but here they turned it into a sport? Shadow could only imagine how, but at least this other inmate wasn't going to leave him in the dark about it.

\n     "Death row here is like...the coliseum back in ancient times on earth, but where they fought for eventual freedom, here they fight for staying alive. The goal in death row; or the arena as the populace of Mors Mortis calls it, is to see how long you can hold off your sentence of death. The reason those two furs are still alive is because they are the arena's champions."

\n     "They're on death row? And how does one get roped into that?" Shadow asked.

\n     "By upsetting the warden. I suggest you don't do that...then again, chances are you'll die by a gang member soon enough."

\n     "I doubt that." Shadow said with certainty in his voice.

\n     "You sound sure of yourself."

\n     "I'm not your average fur and let's leave it at that." Shadow told him.

\n     "Ha, well at least I got you to say you're a fur." He said and laughed then added "My names Louie, what's yours?"

\n     "I don't normally give out my actual name...but it seems that the guards already know who I am so I guess it doesn't matter right. I'm Rrahkarr."

\n     "Not use to giving out your name huh? If you didn't tell the guard, how do they know?"

\n     "Due to who brought me here I guess...he must have told them all about me."

\n     After several moments of thought Louie said "You sound like you were in the military at one point."

\n     "Yeah I was...until I became a Freelancer." Shadow said.

\n     There was a long pause and the silence seemed to stretch out for what seemed like a lifetime. Shadow was wondering if this person may have hated Freelancers or was probably sent here by one. He didn't have long to wonder because Louie spoke up again.

\n     "So, you were a Freelancer or still are?" Louie asked.

\n     "I guess in a way I'm not one anymore...especially after how I ended up here."

\n     "Oh...did they send you here on false accusations?" He said with a little anger in his voice.

\n     "No...I was betrayed by the person who brought me into the Freelancers, chances are my fellow Freelancers who worked with me under him may be dead by now." Shadow said and looked up at where the ceiling was; thankful he had Lure go into hiding.

\n     "You make it sound like you were a member of the Cardinal Sin Freelancers. They were the only ones who worked together under another Freelancer."

\n     "I was."

\n     Shadow heard what sounded like someone moving across the floor towards him. He figured it was the guy in the next room moving closer to where the vent was. So he moved closer to it and leaned against that wall.

\n     "Which one?" He asked.

\n     "Which Freelancer was I?"

\n     "Yeah"

\n     "I was Freelancer Shadow"

\n     "Ah...the black wolf. Yes we get news even here on everything. The guards love talking about the Cardinal Sin Freelancers...and if what you say is true, soon enough they'll be talking about their deaths. So you were betrayed by those you trusted." Louie said.

\n     "Pretty much. What about you?"

\n     "Well I..." Louie started when the door to Shadows cell opened and several guards entered and dragged him out.

\n     After they had dragged Shadow out Louie said "... I was a Freelancer at one point too."

\n     A few moments later "Looks like we're stuck talking to each other again Louie." A new voice said from another room.

\n     "Yes...it seems so Zeig."

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\n December 13, 2337 - Mors Mortis, Wardens Office (7:53 PM)

\n     The door to the Wardens Office burst open as several guards tried to drag in the person they had with them. Several of them had bite marks and were bleeding while others had bruises from being kicked or head butted by who they had with them. After biting a couple guards; Shadow was muzzled. He then attempted to do anything he could to injure those carrying him which resulted in him being restrained further.

\n     "What's going on?!" A voice; with a slight German accent, yelled after the door burst open.

\n     "Sir, you wanted us to bring you inmate 321190 Rrahkarr Sutarra. He's just giving us a little trouble is all." A guard said after they sat him down and fastened him to a chair.

\n     The Warden looked at the several guards who were bruised and bleeding and chuckled "A little trouble seems to be an understatement. You may leave now."

\n     They filed out of the room leaving Shadow with the Warden. Shadow looked at this small; compared to the guards and Henrik...the tall buff man with the scar and mustache. The Warden stood at six feet tall, clean shaven, blonde hair and blue eyes, wore a suit and tie and looked like a business man rather then the Warden of Mors Mortis.

\n     The Warden smiled but there was no warmth in it, and Shadow could see an idea forming in this mans eyes. "Well then...Rrahkarr was it? I've heard that you were sent into solitary confinement on your first day here after attacking one of my men, before you even made it to you cell."

\n     Shadow didn't respond to him because of two reasons, one being he didn't have anything to say to him and the other being he couldn't talk due to being muzzled like a rabid dog.

\n     "Here let me help you with that." The Warden said and carefully removed the muzzle. "There is that better?" He asked.

\n     Shadow just growled and spat in his face. He knew that this was the Warden and remembered what Louie had said but he didn't care. He had heard rumors of what happens at Mors Mortis...and knew there was no safe way to escape it and that the easiest way to leave was in a body bag, but he might as well get some enjoyment out of it by fighting.

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\n     Mors Mortis was comprised of the facility on the planet and a space station made into one of the large asteroids that orbited the planet.

\n     The facility on the planet wasn't built on it but rather under the surface of the planet. The only way out of it was by transporter which was connected to the space station. There were over a hundred thousand prisoners on Mors Mortis and about five thousand heavily armed guards; there were also five hundred automated Mech suits as well that patrolled the cell blocks at night.

\n     The space station was controlled by about fifty people, but it was heavily defended by automatic weapon systems and had long range sensors. The room with the most protection was the trasporter room; which housed many automated weapons, for the purpose of keeping any prisoner from escaping. The space station held the only means of leaving Mors Mortis. It had several shuttles and small transports but it had one very large starship that looked like it was an old cruise line starship. It had been decommissioned and bought by an independent company. It was the primary means of leaving or evacuating Mors Mortis.

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\n     "You'll regret that" The Warden said as he wiped his face off "You damned bastard." he added as he punched Shadow in the side of the face.

\n     Shadow took the hit at full force. It caused his head to turn away from the Warden but he turned his face back, laughed and said "If that's you're best hit, then keep 'em coming you weak little piece of shit!" then spat in the wardens face again.

\n     The Warden wiped the spit from his face again as his anger boiled over. He went over to his desk and pressed a button then said "Henrik! Get in here at once and remove this...pestilence from my office."

\n     A few moments later Henrik entered the room and looked down at Shadow and gave him a devilish smile. "Get him out of my sight!" The warden yelled.

\n     "What do you want me to do to him?" Henrik asked.

\n     "Whatever pleases you...now leave." The Warden said as he turned away and entered another room that was attached to this one.

\n     Henrik again looked down and smiled again; the smile put a chill down Shadow's spine. Henrik grabbed the chair that Shadow was strapped to and dragged it and him out of the room, carelessly smacking both the chair and Shadow into walls and obstacles that were in his path as he took him to a particular room...one that hadn't been used in several years.

\n     It was strangely quite in Mors Mortis, the inmates had already heard of the newest member and what he had done before he had even gotten to his cell. Now word was spreading that he had infuriated the Warden. Shadow noticed as he was dragged past cells that all the inmates who looked at him, looked like they actually felt sorry for what was about to happen to him.

\n     Some shook there heads; thinking that this fur was insane. Some mouthed "Good luck" as he passed them. Then there were the fur haters that smiled as he was dragged by. Finally they stopped at a door. Henrik was the only one who had the key to this door, and he fumbled with a key ring trying to find the right key.

\n     After a moment of the keys jingling; the only sound that was heard with the silence that lingered, he found the right key. With a loud clank of the lock retracting, the door opened and Shadow was dragged into it. There was a single table in the room; of which Henrik strapped Shadow too effortlessly, and then smiled as he shut the door.

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\n December 13, 2337 - Mors Mortis, Henrik's Torture Room (8:00 PM)

\n     Shadow was blindfolded and strapped against the table with his arms outstretched and his paws made flat so he couldn't ball them up into fists. He heard Henrik moving about and also heard the door open again and several more footsteps were heard about the room. The sound of metal on metal was heard as someone moved something closer to him.

\n     "Careful with that!" Henrik yelled at someone.

\n     Other then more words of caution, nothing else was said until the door opened then closed again after whoever had entered left. Shadow didn't know what was going to happen but his heart was racing. He had to forcefully slow his heart rate down and remain calm...otherwise whatever Henrik did to him would be worse.

\n     Henrik removed the blindfold and Shadow was blinded by the several bright floodlights that were lit above him. He closed his eyes and looked away and avoided staring into the bright light.

\n     "Now it's time you and I had some fun." Henrik said from the left of Shadow; which caused him to turn his head and look at where Henrik was.

\n     Henrik stood in front of a small metal cart that held several metallic objects. The only ones Shadow was familiar with were the blades and everyday items but...there were multiple objects that he had never seen before, but their purpose was quite clear...torture. Henrik decided to go with something more...practical and blunt so he grabbed a hammer.

\n     "Let's see how tolerant you are of pain." Henrik said as he slammed the hammer down onto Shadow's left paw's middle finger.

\n     Shadow howled out in pain and it felt like his entire paw had been crushed by a mech. He grinded his teeth together as the pain slowly subsided. But shortly after the initial hit, Henrik grabbed then removed the finger he had smashed by ripping it off, which caused Shadow to howl out again.

\n     "Mother fucker!" Shadow yelled first and continued to yell profanity before he looked at Henrik, and if looks could kill; Henrik would be a bloody mess and would be the walls new decorations.

\n     "Haha! You're the first one to have a look like that in your eyes...I'm going to enjoy breaking you." Henrik said and laughed as he grabbed another instrument off the table.

\n     "Go ahead...if I ever get free I'll enjoy killing you!" Shadow retorted.

\n     Henrik just smiled as he grabbed a small blade from the cart then punctured the flesh on Shadow's left arm then slowly cut parallel with his arm. Shadow yelled out in pain as the blade cut through his fur and skin yet that was all it did. Henrik didn't let it cut into the meat of the arm, just the skin.

\n     After he cut half way up Shadow's arm, he then cut across the arm to the other side of it before he put that blade down. He then picked up a thinner blade from the cart, and then started to cut the skin away from the muscle underneath it. The more he skinned Shadow's arm the more he pulled on the fur to separate it further. Once he finished, he had a flap of skin and fur from the wrist to the elbow pulled over showing veins, arteries, tendons and muscles with little blood.

\n     The whole time Shadow howled, screamed and yelled out in pain. The whole time he swore he heard Severo laughing in his ears as Henrik cut into his arm. Once he was done cutting, Henrik stepped over to another cart that held an assortment of liquids in flasks and beakers. Shadow watched him as he looked for one in particular; as he looked Shadow started looking around the room for a means of getting free, that's when he noticed a camera recording everything that was transpiring.

\n     "Ah I see you noticed the camera." Henrik said as he walked back over to Shadow with a flask in hand "You are being used as an example to the other inmates here. You attacked guards, and even pissed off Johan...our Warden."

\n     "Oh well." Shadow said while trying to concentrate on anything but his arm.

\n     "Still defiant I see. You see this liquid here." He said as he swirled the flask in his hand "It's slightly acidic, but to fur and skin it's harmless if washed off within a few minuets...but to raw flesh such as the muscle in your arm..." He said, trailing off as he poured the liquid onto Shadows exposed muscle.

\n     Of all the pains Shadow had felt in his life, this was new and by far the most painful he ever experienced. His eyes went wide, he howled out in pain and he started to thrash around; trying to free himself, due to the pain that it caused. He actually forced his right arm free by ripping through the multiple restraints put on it and punched Henrik square in the face so hard; he thought he heard Henrik's skull crack and crunch from how hard he hit him.

\n     With his right arm free Shadow desperately tried to free his left arm. Every time he touched his arm however it lit up in pain even more so then the viscous liquid that burned and festered on his arm. Shadow wined and whimpered every time his paws touched the flesh of his arm, as he tried to carefully remove the restraints.   
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\n     Shadow didn't notice Henrik get back up and walk over to him; the way he walked made him look like he was drunk. He clasped his hands together and raised them above his head then brought them down as hard as he could and smashed them into Shadow's head. Shadow was knocked unconscious by the haymaker that Henrik unleashed on him.

\n     "That's it..." Henrik said as he walked over to the camera "The rest of what happens to you will not be documented." He added as he switched the camera off.

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\n December 14, 2337 - Mors Mortis, Solitary Confinement: Room 26 (2:00 AM)

\n     Six hours later Shadow was dragged back and thrown into the room he was in previously. Only in worse shape than when he left. The single guard, who dragged him here, brought him from the infirmary.

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\n     After Henrik shut off the camera, he had took Shadow's paws; bound them together by chains, and hooked him onto a hook by the chains. He then savagely beat him; resulting in several fractured and broken ribs. Afterword's he grabbed a pair of pliers and pulled several of Shadow's teeth out and did so much more.

\n     In the end Shadow was left with the broken ribs, broken left Fibula and Tibia, and a fractured right Humerus as the skeletal injuries. Besides the middle finger on the left paw, both pinkie fingers, the index finger on the right paw and the ring fingers had been removed after being smashed. Henrik even removed Shadow's left ear. The flap of skin and fur on Shadow's left arm had been ripped off, and he had gashes and major cuts around the rest of his body; most of which had been bandaged.

\n     While he was in the infirmary, the doctor there noticed that Shadow's fingers and places where the skin and fur had been removed or slashed were; slowly, regenerating. He wasn't surprised at seeing the regeneration but he was surprised at the fact that another person now in Mors Mortis could regenerate.

\n     The doctor wrote up a report and; after discharging Shadow, sent it to Johann.

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\n     The guard stood and stared at this wolf who; amazingly, survived Henrik's torture room even after he pissed Henrik off after punching him. He shook his head and shut the door, then continued on with what he was assigned to do.

\n     Shadow; who was thrown onto his side, rolled over onto his back. He slowly inhaled the cool air of the dark room he was in; if he breathed to quick it would hurt him due to his broken ribs. He grunted a few times due to inhaling to fast but otherwise stayed in the exact same position he rolled over into.

\n     "Rrahkarr, is that you?" Louie asked from the other room.

\n     After a few slow breaths Shadow replied "Y-Yeah"

\n     "Are you ok?" Louie asked quickly.

\n     "N-Not...r-really...but..." Shadow said then slowly inhaled a few times before finishing "...I-I'll...be ok."

\n     "You don't sound like it, you sound like you're in pain. I'll stop talking until you feel better." Louie said.

\n     "Yeah...t-thanks." Shadow said and closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.

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\n December 14, 2337 - Mors Mortis, Warden's Office (7:30 AM)

\n     After getting ready for the day ahead, Johan had just entered his office when he noticed he had a message waiting for him on his terminal. He looked at his messages until he came across the message from the doctor in the infirmary. After reading it he leaned back in his chair while deep in thought.

\n     A little while later the door opened as Henrik stepped in, Johan looked up at him with a smile and asked "So did you kill him?" full aware of what had transpired.

\n     "I tried to kill him...I'm amazed he survived the torture and beating to be honest." Henrik responded.

\n     "Do you know how he survived?" Johan calmly asked.

\n     "I figure he was just lucky."

\n     "I got a report from the doctor sometime last night. He gave me the details of his injuries and even attached a picture of your handy work." Johan said as he handed Henrik the picture from last night.

\n     "Yes, that's how I left him."

\n     "Would you venture to say he'd be able to be sitting up right now? Just sitting not laying there motionless." Johan asked.

\n     "I would have to say that would be impossible." Henrik responded confidently.

\n     "Well I sent a guard to take a picture of Rrahkarr a little while ago..." Johann said as he picked up another picture and handed it to Henrik.

\n     Henrik had a look of surprise cross his face and he immediately looked back at Johan. The picture showed Shadow not laying or sitting, but standing up; though strained, with a look of hate at the guard who took the picture.

\n     "How?"

\n     "The doctor says he has regeneration abilities not unlike those McBride brothers." Johan informed him.

\n     "Like those wolf brothers? Hmm, well he at least showed some defiance unlike them." Henrik said; remembering the first time he tortured the McBride brothers.

\n     "He's already shown he can and will fight, what do you say we put him on Death Row? Get some...entertainment out of him?" Johan said with a laugh.

\n     Henrik put the photo back onto Johan's desk and smiled "I think that would be a good idea. Besides he's more likely to die there then by me and in more creative ways too."

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\n December 14, 2337 - Mors Mortis, Solitary Confinement: Room 26 (7:40 AM)

\n     "What the hell was up with that guard? Taking a picture of me...and this early." Shadow thought as he sat there; still rubbing his eyes from the bright flash of light from the camera the guard had with him.

\n     "Rrahkarr, you ok over there?" Louie asked, wondering what the bright flash was.

\n     "Yeah, I'm feeling better now." Shadow said then grunted; there were still a few fractured bones that were mending, his fingers had regrown as well as his ear. The gashes and cuts had healed and closed as well as the skin and fur re-growing on his left arm. Other then the few fractures he had, Shadow just put the minor pain of his bones out of his mind.

\n     "Care to tell what happened to you?" Louie asked.

\n     "Sure...I got taken to the Wardens office."

\n     "You didn't do anything stupid did you?" Louie asked.

\n     "Yeah, I spat in his face...twice." Shadow said and chuckled slightly.

\n     "You didn't."

\n     "Yeah, he got so pissed he had Henrik come and take me to some torture room." Shadow said as if it was nothing; but raised his left arm up and gently placed his right paw on the spot Henrik had poured that acidic substance on.

\n     "Henrik tortured you! And you say you're feeling better?! That can't be, he usually kills everyone he tortures." Louie said in shock.

\n     "Like I said earlier...I'm not an average fur." Shadow said, as if Louie didn't believe him.

\n     "I'll have to take your word for it...but now you'll be on Death Row; the Arena, you know." Louie said.

\n     "I was hoping for that. I already know there's pretty much no way off this rock, so I might as well make the time pass by. Besides..." Shadow said and stopped as he thought about how long Delta has been alive "I have all the time in the world."

\n     "That we do" Severo said in Shadow's mind and laughed.

\n     Shadow quickly put his paws up to his ears to try and block out the sounds of Severo laughing but to no avail "I swear I'll find a way to get rid of you" Shadow said to Severo in his mind.

\n     "You'll never be rid of me!" Severo said to him and continued laughing.

\n     Just then the door burst open and several guards poured in as Shadow prepared himself to fight; though when he positioned himself pain shot up his leg from the fractured bone pinching a nerve, which made him an easier target.

\n     After he had been subdued and restrained Henrik walked through the door. Shadow looked up at the large man as he said then laughed as they dragged him out of the room "Time to go to your new cell. In a couple days you got a date on Death Row."

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