The Dark Blade: Return Of The General.

Chapter 34: Anna's Education

Anna woke to the sound of metal scraping against concrete. Her head throbbed with a dull ache, and when she tried to move, she discovered her wrists were bound to the arms of a heavy chair.

The room was small and windowless, lit by harsh fluorescent lights that hurt her eyes. Concrete walls, a steel door with no handle on the inside, and a large monitor mounted on the wall directly in front of her. The air smelled of dampness and old machinery.

"You are awake. Good."

Anna's head snapped toward the voice. A woman stood in the corner—the same operative who had replaced her during the escape. Up close, Anna could see the professional coldness in her eyes, the kind that came from years of doing terrible things without remorse.

"Where am I?" Anna demanded, testing the restraints. They were professional-grade, designed to hold even someone with combat training. "What do you want?"

"You are exactly where you need to be," the woman replied. "As for what we want, you will understand soon enoug