CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHT - AN OBJECT OF MOCKERY

Pain throbbed like a relentless drumbeat in Karina's arm, radiating outwards to engulf her entire body. She cracked open an eye, greeted by a suffocating darkness and the stale stench of mildew. The cold seeped into her bones, chilling her to the core. She remembered. The fight, Gwen's roar, the searing pain, and then… nothing. A wave of despair washed over her. How long had she been unconscious? Were Gwen, John, and Zaya all right? Had Nancy succeeded in her twisted plan? Groaning, she attempted to sit up, wincing as her throbbing arm protested. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, a constant reminder of her ordeal. The clanging of metal on stone sent a jolt of fear through her. A sliver of light flickered in the darkness, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps. Two burly men, their faces obscured by the shadows, loomed into her cell. Without a word, they grabbed her roughly by the arms, hoisting her up like a ragdoll. The world spun as they dragged her out of the dank dungeon,