FicWad

"Captain, are you going to hurt Kat as well?" Bepo asked, walking with him towards one of the storage closets Law had converted into an interrogation room since their return. It was midday the following day and most of the crew had returned to their daily tasks aboard the submarine. Now that they had departed from the island, running the sub occupied everyone's time. It gave them a chance to forget about the horrible events from earlier and relish the small amount of peace their monotonous jobs offered.

As for Law, it was no surprise when he couldn't get to sleep the previous night. It seemed no one had slept a wink, if the visible bags and less-than-happy attitudes from the crew at breakfast were anything to go by. The effects still hadn't gone away. Law rubbed at the heavy feeling in his eyes as they continued down the hall.

"Probably." He replied. "Why?"

The bear looked to the side, suddenly bashful about bringing the topic up. Just from listening to the others talk in the cafeteria and the dark looks everyone had been shooting towards the kitchen, he knew how the rest of the crew felt about their red-headed prisoner. Especially Summer. He felt Law's curious stare and finally looked back to him.

"Kat hasn't really done anything to us." Law furrowed his brow, but stayed silent to let Bepo finish his thought. "Her mother is the one who tortured Reid and Liam, not Kat. She was locked up on the submarine the whole time. It's probably unlikely that she was involved either since she's spent the last month with us, too.

"She's been pretty harmless to us the entire time she's been on board, apart from the times she accidently injured Summer, Penguin, and Shachi. So why are we punishing her so severely?" The bear asked, watching the captain expectantly.

Law stared straight ahead as they progressed through the metal halls. The air was tense, but whether it was from the recent events or Bepo's question, the bear couldn't tell. All he knew was that the captain was not happy, nor was the crew. Several moments of silence passed and Bepo was starting to worry Law was angry with him.

"Something about her is...off." The captain finally said, in a tone that relieved some of Bepo's worry. He was calm and collected as usual, but not in the menacing way he would often use for confrontations with their enemies. Someone observing wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but Law was Bepo's best friend and captain. He knew him better than anyone.

"Maybe, but she hasn't hurt us yet."

"Yet is the key word." Bepo shook his head.

"Why are we punishing her for the actions of her mother, though?" The captain glanced at his first mate in somewhat confusion.

"Do you feel sympathy for her?" It sounded a bit accusatory, but Bepo was the type to tell the truth and stick with it so he held his ground.

"Well...yeah. I do. Sure, she might irritate everybody, but she hasn't done anything, Captain."

Law continued to frown at him, eventually turning back to the hallway in front of them. A few glances confirmed that the Dark Doctor was lost in his thoughts and Bepo knew better than to intrude. The rest of the way there was silent.

"I demand you release me this instant!" Scarlet yelled as soon as Law and Bepo entered the room. Even from her position strapped to a chair by both arms and legs, she apparently hadn't lost her pompous nature and anger. Law took up a position in front of her and Bepo stayed by the wall, holding Law's nodachi.

"Hello, Mrs. Winslow-ya. I hope you are comfortable?" Law smirked at her messed up bun and slightly smeared makeup. There were a few rips and tears in her fancy dress, giving her a slightly crazed look as she breathed heavily through her nose.

"You may know my name but I don't think you quite know who you're dealing with." She threatened. "Where is Katrina? What have you done to her?"

"We haven't killed her," Law stated, pulling up a chair from the side and facing the glaring woman before him. "But that can change if I don't hear the answers I want."

His answer shut her up immediately but she didn't look afraid, only angry.

"All I want to do is talk." Law reasoned, slouching a little in his chair to make him less threatening. Scarlet saw it for what it was, mockery, and her mouth became a thin line.

"What is it you really want from me, pirate?" Law immediately dropped the nice act and his smirk fell.

"You almost killed two of my crew. I want revenge."

"Then kill me! Go ahead and do it!" She spat, baring her teeth at him.

"But you see, I want information before you take your last breath. Information that you may know." Scarlet's eyes narrowed and she leaned back in the chair.

"What makes you think I would tell you anything? Either way you'll kill me, right?" Law was an honest man, so he told her the truth.

"Of course, but the fate of your daughter rests on how much you are willing to tell me." A small gasp escaped her lips, just barely audible, before she quickly shut her mouth.

"How do I know you won't kill her anyway?" His smirk widened.

"You don't, but are you willing to risk it?" She looked away, knowing he was right. She also knew that he knew she knew that.

"Do I have your attention now?" He asked in mock politeness.

"What do you want to know?" She said quietly, in defeat and desperation. He folded his hands together in front of him.

"What do you know about the Joker?" She raised an eyebrow.

"He's an underground resource. No, he's the underground resource. Anybody who is big in business knows about him. What about it?" His eyes narrowed.

"I want information about his recent movements. What he's planning, where he's going, who he's talking with." Scarlet began to shake her head slowly.

"I don't know what you want with that information, but I know one thing. You don't know what you're asking for, pirate. The Joker is not one to be messed with."

"I know exactly who I'm dealing with." His snarled loud enough to make Scarlet physically recoil in her chair as much as she actually could in her position. His hands were in tight fists, which he slowly unclenched as the momentary anger subsided. "Tell me." He demanded quietly.

"Kaido." She whispered, to which he frowned. "There's talk that Joker has met with Kaido recently.

"Where? Why?"

"I don't know either of those. What the Joker does and why is his own business. I don't care to know more than I should."

"When did you hear this?" He asked.

"Maybe two months ago? I'm not sure."

"Who told you?" She hesitated, glancing off to the side before biting her lip in nervousness. "Who told you?" Law asked again, this time louder and more forcefully.

"If I tell you-" She started.

"If you don't tell me, I will not hesitate to take off one of your limbs." He interrupted with pure malice. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, probably debating if she could take the pain.

"James ." She whispered forcefully, as if spitting it out quickly would lessen the act of saying it.

"Where is he?"

"He's...on Caelum. It's far into the New World." She squeaked.

Law sat back in his chair and processed this information. Doflamingo working with Kaido was a terrifying thought. But the fact alone wouldn't deter him from getting his revenge on the man who ruined his life so many years ago.

"Are you satisfied?" She hissed, on the verge of tears. He opened his mouth, but closed it as a thought hit him.

"Do you know anything about a man named Viper?"

Law had been watching her face, specifically her eyes, very closely when he asked. He hoped that he would catch her in a lie, that he would watch her eyes widen or look away. However, she merely looked confused.

"No, I haven't."

Somehow, Law knew she was telling the truth and stood up from his chair. The action took Scarlet by surprise and she looked hopefully up at the departing captain desperately.

"You promised you would let my daughter go since I answered your questions! You'll let her go, right?"

As his hand grasped the door handle, he paused and looked to the side. Bepo was waiting right behind him, inquisitively watching his captain as well. Law knew he was just as curious as the woman as to what his answer would be. However, he simply opened the door and left without another word.