Run, Canary, Run

Finch gasps awake at the sensation of freezing water drenching them. They look up through their wet hair to see two figures: A Zhent agent holding a now empty bucket, and Elaphe. Their heart immediately plummets into their chest. They had foolishly hoped it was all just a bad dream. That there was no way that Gale of all people would give them back to the Zhentarim, not after all they'd been through together. They still recalled the feeling of his calloused hand against their cheek. The sensation causes a dagger to drive through their heart. They push the conflicting storm of yearning and loathing away to deal with the present. They don't recognize this hideout, but they guess this must be the one that sits beneath Wakeen's Rest. They seem to be towards the back of a stone cavern. It winds the further to the front Finch looks. The only thing of note this far back seems to be some cells stocked with goods far too precious to share the space with the monk. Instead, their hands are bound together with chains above their head, hanging them so their feet don't even touch the ground. Their feet are also manacled together so they can't go more than a foot apart. Finch thrashes around what little they can. Elaphe chuckles a bit at the useless display, and Finch meets her with a dangerous glare.

"You know, I should thank you, Birdie." Elaphe leans in real close to Finch, smirking at their helplessness. "If you hadn't run away, I wouldn't get the chance to show what happens to those who try." Finch coughs and winces when Elaphe's fist lands in their gut. Their head is then yanked up by their shaggy red hair, forced to look their captor in the eye.

"Like I said, I'm not worth your time." Finch hisses out.

"No, you're not." Elaphe says before slamming their head back into the stone wall behind them. "But you'll still make for a good example." The lackie makes their way back to the front of the cave, leaving Finch at the hands of Elaphe. Their pained groans and grunt as well as the sounds of blows being landed echo throughout the cavern. The lackie joins in with others as they pack away goods and equipment into crates and barrels. They work quickly, as they seem to be running short on time. One Zhent agent takes one more look over the explosives that line all the walls of the cave - enough dynamite to bring the entire cavern down. No one will ever know there was a Zhentarim hideout below the inn.