"Control. Power. Because I can." He shrugged. "Because I prefer to do this rather than, say, genetic tinkering or creating crazy half-bishonen."

"And what happens to bishies like Temeraire and Lien?" Andy asked. "They're both too big to fit in the six-yard limit you're trying to make, and they need to be able to move around. A thirty-ton dragon takes up more than just six yards. What happens then?"

"They stay close to you, they stay in their balls, or you only let them out when you need them." He shrugged, escorting her back to her cell. "Besides, you still have just over two miles of freedom."

Andy was quiet as he took her back to her cell.

"Can I at least see Sess?" she asked. "Please? I need to make sure he's okay. Obviously, you have no idea what testing the bond between a trainer and her bishounen feels like."

"Actually, I do. You grow immune to it over time and exposure." He shrugged. "But if it is so precious to you, I will let you see him." He led her down a different hallway, stopping in front of a door.

Two other bishonen, a red-haired demon named Minias and a Lara Raith, led Sesshomaru over to his room. They both stopped a short distance away, making Sesshomaru stop as well.

"Sess!" Andy called in relief. She wanted to go to him, but the scientist was holding on to the zip tie around her wrists.

"Andrea!" Sess replied. She could see the relief on his face as well. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, Sess," Andy replied. "I'm more worried about you."

"I am fine," he replied. Meaning he was probably still a bit uncomfortable, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

"I'm glad," Andy replied. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't think about it," Sess replied. "It's over."

The scientist moved her out of the way, farther away from Sess, and opened the door to his room. "There, see? Everyone's fine. Now come along; dinner will be ready shortly." He started to escort her away as the two bishis held on to Sesshomaru.

Andy reluctantly let him lead her away from Sess. She felt better knowing that her bishi was alright, but she still didn't feel easy about being apart from them. And she had a sinking feeling that their bond was going to be tested again soon.

She rubbed her wrists gently once the zip-tie came off of them. She could see the red marks going around her wrists, but they didn't feel like they would bruise, which was good.

The scientist left her in her room after taking off the zip-tie and shut and locked the door behind him. Not half an hour later a bishi came in with a platter for her holding her dinner, this time just normal food with no drug lacing it.

Andy watched the bishi set the tray down and she looked at the food warily. She had no idea if it was drugged or not, and she didn't particularly like her reaction to the drug last time. Finally, she resigned herself to the fact that she was probably going to be dosed one way or another anyways and nibbled on the food. It was better than a needle. When she didn't taste anything unusual, she sighed. Great. So she was going to be drugged later anyways.

The scientist left them alone for the rest of the night. The next morning, however, bishis were sent to collect all of them. Seth went first, deposited into a large living room with a TV and comfortable chairs. Belle arrived next, kicking and cursing, with Andy close behind her.

"Well, this is unusual," Seth said as soon as the two of them were inside.

"Did he test you too, Belle?" Andy asked. "I couldn't do that to my boys... He made me choose one of them." She shuddered. "I hate having my bond tested like that... And the freak actually told me he's immune to the feeling of a breached distance limit. That's just wrong." She knew she was rambling, but it was better than silence, and she was still on edge.

"I lasted just under two miles," Belle said softly, looking away. "Lucifer volunteered to be taken out."

"What are you two talking about?" Seth asked, looking between them.

"We've been here once before. He gave us some kind of drug that shortened the limit our bishis can get from us before we feel pain." Belle shrugged.

"I lasted just over two miles," Andy said. She hesitated and bit her lip. "Sess volunteered," she murmured, looking down as well. "It was horrible... I'm pretty sure I cried. It just hurt too much. I insisted he let me make sure Sess was alright afterwards." She looked at Seth. "Having one of your bishies cross the distance limit is never pleasant. You feel like you would do anything to get back to them, and when you can't... It feels like your heart is being torn up."

"Not just metaphorically torn up, either," Belle supplied. "Literally."

Seth shivered. "And that's what this guy is doing?"

"Exactly what he's doing."

"That is.... beyond sick."

"I'm kind of afraid of why he has us all in here at the same time," Andy said. "He said something about it affecting us all differently... Maybe he's going to compare our limits, and see which of us has the farthest reach?"

"Maybe," Belle agreed. "That could be what he's doing. Do you know if he's given anything to you, Seth? Did you feel sick after dinner last night?"

"No, everything was fine." Seth frowned slightly.

"I didn't notice anything either," Andy piped up, "so I don't think it was laced with anything. Did he tell you anything about what our final limit will be? I was asking all these questions, because I want to know exactly what he plans on doing to us."

Belle shook her head. "No, he didn't say anything to me. I bet he has a camera on this room, though." She looked around, trying to find one. "Maybe if we can get his attention he'll answer us."

"He said he planned to shrink the distance limit down to like eighteen feet or something like that," Andy said. "Six yards. I can't imagine what that would to to Temmy and Li Li... One thirty-ton dragon is bigger than that, let alone two..."

Seth shook his head a little. "Well, I wouldn't worry about that yet," he said. "I mean, he hasn't done anything else yet, so we've got some time. I hope."

Belle nodded after a moment. "We'll figure something out. We just need some time and some luck."

"He actually tracked us when we broke out last time," Andy pointed out. "Said he saw us trip over Seth, and then figured out how far we would be able to get and staked out the territory." She sighed. "So unless we can make it to the other end of the WORLD, how are we going to keep this from happening again?"

"We report him," Seth said. "I mean, if we break out again we'll know where it is, and then we just have to find some police or something, right? Then they'll come investigate."

Belle paused. "That... might actually work."

"I think you're right," Andy said. "I mean, once we get our dexes back, we can mark this place in the GPS, and it wouldn't take long to get to a town... There's a town close-by, right?"

"The same one we took him to," Belle said, nodding to Seth. "Where we stayed. If we stayed on the path and kept going, it's only another three or four days' walk to the next town, which is bigger."