Hope is a Good Thing

by Caribou Kid

Rear Admiral Harriman Nelson finds himself in a seemingly hopeless situation at the hands of the People's Republic.

Hope is a Good Thing – By Chris B.

Note: This is a companion piece to The Turn of a Friendly Card. Each story can stand on its' own, but I recommend reading Hope is a Good Thing first.

Rear Admiral Harriman Nelson snapped his brief case closed and slowly rose from his seat and stretched out his stiff back. He had been involved in five days of meetings with other NATO1 representatives at SHAPE2 in Casteau, Belgium planning the deployment of a new missile defense system. The days were long, the meetings contentious and he was glad they were over and he could head back to Washington.

"Harri, you want to go out for some dinner tonight," asked Colonel Jean LeBeouf of the French Air Force.

"I'm going to pass, Jean. I'm beat and have a very early flight tomorrow morning. I'm going to grab something from the deli near the hotel and call it good." Nelson responded.

"I understand completely. These meetings have been a bear but thankfully we got everything settled and won't have to drag it out another couple of days."

"Amen to that Jean. I don't think I could take a few more days of this. I'm not as young as I used to be and my butt gets sore sitting still too long," Harri said laughingly.

LeBeouf laughed as well and offered his hand to Nelson. "Mine too. Well it's been good seeing you and I wish you bon chance on your flight home. Take care Harri."

"You too Jean. Have a good trip home as well." Nelson replied shaking hands with LeBeouf.

Harri made his way back to the hotel and changed out of his uniform and into a pair slacks and an oxford shirt. He quickly checked his email to see if there was anything that demanded an immediate response and finding none, pulled on a light jacket and headed out the door to get a few things from the deli down the street.

As he exited the hotel he found the evening warm and decided he would walk the 6 blocks down to the shop instead of catching a taxi to stretch out the kinks after having sat for most of the last 5 days. He strolled leisurely along almost absentmindedly as he went over the various items discussed during the meetings. The sidewalk was busy and as he walked an on-coming pedestrian bumped into his shoulder and he suddenly felt a sharp sting in his thigh as though pricked by a needle.

"Pardon, monsieur, "the man said as he hurried past the Admiral.

"Pas de probleme," replied Harri as he rubbed his thigh and continued on his way towards the deli.

Harri picked up some sliced sausage and cheese at the deli then went to a small market next door and purchased some hard rolls, fruit and a bottle of wine and headed back to the hotel. As he walked back he found himself feeling lightheaded and nauseous. He stopped and leaned heavily against the side of a building to regain his composure. He had missed breakfast and lunch today so he reasoned he was just feeling the effects of low blood sugar. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small apple and ate it. After a few moments he felt better and resumed his walk back to the hotel.

As he entered the lobby of the hotel, the room started to spin wildly and Harri went crashing to the floor as he passed out. The concierge rushed to his side. "Monsieur, can you hear me?" he said lightly patting Harri's face. Harri moaned quietly but did not regain consciousness.

In the meantime the hotel clerk had called an ambulance. Shortly two EMT's entered the lobby with a gurney and their medical kits. They conducted a brief examination of Harri, checking his pulse, respiration, and pupil reactivity. They inserted an IV and began administering a clear liquid into his system. The EMT's placed Harri on the gurney and wheeled him out to the waiting ambulance and departed with the siren wailing. Five minutes later another EMT team arrived looking for the man reported as needing assistance.

As he slowly returned to consciousness the only thing Harri was aware of was the painful sound of someone pounding inside his head as if playing the anvil chorus. The throbbing ache felt as though his skull were about to explode. He tried opening his eyes but the brief glimpse of light that leaked in between his eyelids spiked the pain even higher and sent his world twirling on a frenetic merry-go-round. He swallowed convulsively trying to keep what little he had in his stomach down.

"Ah, you have decided to join us have you Admiral Nelson," an accented voice said from somewhere in the room.

Harri turned his head in the direction of the sound and was greeted with another punishing spike of pain pinging through his skull. He moaned unable to bite back the pain as the movement and the noise increased his overall discomfort. He was further greeted with a rumble of sadistic laughter as the speaker seemed to delight in his agony.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Vladimir Chekov of the People's Republic. You are now a guest of my country. We've invited you here to answer a few questions regarding the new missile defense system you and your NATO friends are installing. If you answer me willingly we can dispense with any additional means of persuasion I have at hand."

"Nelson, Harriman, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, 555-14-3462." His voice reverberated within his head making him feel as if someone was pounding frantically to escape.

Chekov burst out into laughter. "I love it! Well Admiral you have provided the mandatory response to my questions now I must get down to work. I'll have you know I'm very good at what I do and I do love my work. By the time I'm done with you Admiral you'll be giving me your President's hat size. I will see you shortly Nelson, I have to get busy with preparations for out next meeting." With that Chekov turned and left the cell.

Harri laid there trying to gain control over himself. He once again slowly opened his eyes and was greeted with the sensation of glass shards being sprayed into his eyes. He managed to keep them open this time and then began taking stock of his surroundings. He was in a small room about 8 feet by 10 feet made out of concrete. There was one door made of solid steel at one end of the room and a single light fixture suspended from the ceiling. He was lying on a military-style cot which was none too comfortable and that was the extent of the furniture in the room.

After adjusting to the light, Harri gently pushed himself into a seated position on the cot. As he sat upright he had to quickly screw his eyes shut to stop the kaleidoscopic swirl of the room in front of him. He gulped air hungrily as he fought down the urge to vomit. Once he was sure of himself again he opened his eyes and slowly pushed himself to his feet. The room started spinning once more but he was better able to fight off the vertigo. He took a couple of tentative steps towards the door swaying with each step as he fought to stay upright.

Suddenly the door was flung open and two guards stepped in, seized him by the arms and dragged out of his cell. They entered a short corridor with three doors on either side. They pulled him into the first one and then slammed him down on the metal table in the center of the room. The guards quickly stretched his arms above his head and locked each wrist in a metal shackle at the head of the table and then locked each ankle in shackles at the foot. They next doused him with a bucket of freezing water and left the room.

Harri lay there helplessly shivering in the cold room. It was larger than his cell but the amenities were much the same. The only difference seemed to be a drain in the floor. He began working through the resistance techniques he had learned as an ONI operative to help him deal with the pain and hopefully prevent him from giving anything away.

He had no idea how long he had been at the facility or how long he had been in the room. Just as he was starting to drift off the door opened and in walked Chekov pushing a cart with a number of devices lying on the top. Chekov smiled maliciously at Nelson, delighted at the prospect of torturing him for the information he wanted.

"Well I hope you've had a nice rest so we can get down to business. I will only ask this once nicely Admiral, what are the capabilities of the missiles in your missile defense system and where are they located?"

Harri glared at Chekov and in a steady voice responded, "Nelson, Harriman, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, 555-14-3462." Chekov's smile grew even wider at Nelson's response.

"I was so hoping you would say that." Chekov turned and picked a rod shaped device from the cart and held it up in front of Harri. "Do you recognize this Admiral?"

Harri just stared back giving no indication that he either knew or cared what the device was.

"As a good American, I'm sure you're a devotee of the western. This is something one of your cowboys would use to 'prod' reticent cattle along in the direction they desire. I've found it to be equally effective in convincing reticent individuals to give direct answers to questions directed at them."

Chekov rested the rod on Harri's chest and depressed the switch. A jolt of electricity surged out of the rod and into Harri, his damp clothing making the effect even worse. Harri arched up off the table trying desperately to draw his hands and ankles towards his chest as he tried to curl up into a ball. He twitched and jerked frantically against his bonds in his effort to break free. As Chekov shut the prod off Harri collapsed back onto the cart, his heart racing and nearly hyperventilating from the pain. He screwed his eyes closed as he tried to bring his breathing back under control.

"Now that you've had a little taste of what I intend to put you through, I will ask you again, what are the missile defense capabilities and where are they located?"

Harri lay there breathing raggedly as the effects of the shock started to wear off. He opened his eyes and fixed them firmly on Chekov and moved his lips. As Chekov leaned down to hear what Nelson had to say Harri summoned what little saliva he had left in his mouth and spat in his face.

Chekov glared at him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the spittle from his face. Next he grabbed the probe and firmly jabbed it in Harri's crotch and depressed the switch. Electricity once again surged through the rod into Harri's body. He jerked and writhed to the limited extent that he could further damaging his wrists and ankles as he pulled desperately at his bonds.

"Wrong answer Nelson," Chekov sneered as he released the switch.

Harri felt as though his heart was going to tear through his chest, it was beating so hard. His lungs felt as though he had just run 10 miles and had great difficulty pulling in enough air. He could feel the blood running down his wrist and he was completely drenched in sweat. He had virtually no control of his body and felt the tremors race up and down his limbs. He tried desperately to invoke the mental controls he had been taught to tamp down the pain and fear but was having limited success.

"I'll ask you again Admiral what are the missile defense system capabilities and where are they located?"

Harri once more fixed Chekov in his steely blue gaze and choked out, "Nelson, Harriman, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, 555-14-3462."

Chekov rammed the prod into Harri's side again and depressed the trigger. Harri arched up off the table, jaws clamped shut, eyes rolled back in his head as he writhed in the unending agony of the electric pulse. Only when Harri had passed out did Chekov shut off the switch.

Pain. That was all Harri knew as he slowly made his way back towards consciousness. There was no fiber, no shred of his body that was not consumed with a horrendous throbbing ache of pain. He was convinced even his hair hurt.

As more awareness returned Harri realized that he was now suspended by his wrists from a bar above his head. He was just able to push up onto his toes to relieve the stress on his arms and wrists. He cautiously opened his eyes finding himself in yet another room. He also discovered that he was now minus his shirt and he could clearly see the burns from where Chekov had attacked him with the prod. As he moved to try and take in his surroundings he was unable to bite back the moan that escaped his lips.

He immediately went about invoking the pain control techniques he had been taught hoping to gain control over it so that he would be able to better withstand the next session. He slowed his breathing and began repeating his mantra. As he tried to mentally remove himself from the pain the cell door opened up and in walked Chekov and a large guard carrying a club and a pair of brass knuckles.

"I'm impressed Admiral, most of my subjects gave me what I wanted after their exposure to the prod, you however are proving to be a bit more of a challenge. I'm inclined to try something a little more rudimentary to see if it will achieve my desired goal. Are you ready to begin?"

Nelson glared at him but said nothing.

"Ah defiant to the end I see. Very well if you want to play it that way I am more than happy to oblige. To keep things proper I will ask you once again my questions in case you have by some chance forgotten what I want to know. What are the missile defense system capabilities and where are the missiles located?"

In as steady and controlled a voice as possible Harri responded, "Nelson, Harriman, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, 555-14-3462."

Chekov smiled and then nodded at the guard next to him. The onslaught was brutal as the guard slammed his brass covered knuckles into Harri's gut and sides. Harri gasped in pain with each blow finding it more difficult to catch his breath with each assault. He could barely stand fighting off the waves of pain and nausea once the guard quit. He could feel the blood running down his arms as his wrists were torn by the bite of the metal clamps as he twisted from the blows.

"Have you anything to tell me Admiral Nelson?" Chekov asked.

"Go to hell you son of a bitch." Harri snarled back at him and once again spit in his face.

Chekov sneered in disgust and backhanded him with a vicious blow to the face. The blow snapped Harri's head back and split his lip. He tasted the blood and spat it back at Chekov.

"For a purported genius Admiral you're incredibly slow to learn." Chekov said and nodded once again to the guard. This time he took the baton to Harri landing powerful blows to his lower back and legs. Harri lost the ability to remain standing as his legs collapsed leaving him suspended by his wrists again. A fresh flow of blood oozed down his arms. He couldn't fight it any longer and passed out.

Awareness crept up on Harri like a cat stalking a mouse. Little by little he realized that he was awake and that every inch of his body hurt. He did realize that he was back on the cot in his cell. He ever so carefully pried his eyes open to take in the room. The one difference he noticed was a jug of water and a bowl of what looked like gruel placed on the floor next to his cot.

Taking great care he rolled slowly over on his side and reached for the jug of water. His arms, ribs and back screamed in agony as he moved to take the jug. Summoning all his strength and resolve he picked up the jug and levered himself up into a sitting position. Raising the jug to his lips was another exercise in agony but the feel of the cool water flowing down his parched throat more than made up for it. He sipped slowly on the water to keep himself from getting sick and opening the door to another wonderland of pain. As he sipped on the water he felt certain it hadn't been tainted with poison or drugs since Chekov seemed to relish the look of apprehension in his victim's eyes that the promise of torture brought. It just wouldn't be as satisfying to subtly slip something in his food or water

Harri stared for a moment at the gruel. His hunger had long since died and he had no desire to eat that runny ooze in the bottom of the bowl. Once he had slaked his thirst Harri set down the jug and gently lowered himself back onto the cot. He thought it a good sign that he was still here meaning he hadn't given anything up. There was no doubt in his mind he would be terminated once they had what they wanted.

Harri hoped by now - however long 'now' was - that the Navy knew he had been kidnapped and they were hot on his trail. He hoped that he had the resolve to keep from betraying his country and his sacred duty to protect and defend. He hoped he could hold out long enough for them to rescue him before Chekov moved to drugs that would strip away any chance of keeping his secrets. As long as he had hope he had a defense against Chekov. He still had hope and hope is a good thing.

Harri had just started to drift off to sleep when the cell door was flung open and two guards stomped in. They quickly flipped him over on his stomach and roughly pulled his arms behind his back and bound them in coarse rope followed quickly by his ankles. Harri cried out in pain unable to bite back his response as his battered body was assaulted yet again. Once secured, each guard grabbed him under an arm and dragged him from his cell and down the hallway where they entered a large garage. In the center of the garage was a black van with the back doors wide open. They moved quickly to the van and threw him into the back.

As Harri looked up from the floor of the van he saw Chekov enter the garage and approach the van. "Good to see you're awake, Admiral. You have proved to be a much harder nut to crack than I imagined so I am going to take you to my lab where I can introduce you to the many compounds I have at my disposal. By the time I'm done with you your mind will be stripped down to the brain stem." He said with a sneer and laugh. He slammed the doors shut and the van exited the garage.

They seemed to be on the road forever. Initially the ride was relatively smooth but after about an hour as best as Harri could guess the road had deteriorated into something resembling a washboard. The van skewed back and forth across the road as the driver apparently tried to dodge the myriad of potholes and bumps. Each jolt felt like a spike driven through Harri's body as he bounced and pinged across the van floor.

The back of the van was completely dark so Harri had no concept of night or day. He had no idea how long he had been in there custody period. Every time he got near a point when he was dropping off to sleep the van would hit something bigger or deeper than before slamming his ribs and head against the floor or walls resulting in waves of sheer agony. They continued in motion for another 4 or 5 hours Harri guessed when he felt the van slowing, and then finally coming to a stop. He felt the van begin to back up and it stopped again.

The doors to the van were opened and a wave of cold fresh air surged into the box. Harri breathed deeply relishing the crisp air and finding some degree of rejuvenation. As he opened his eyes he could see that it was night and they had backed up to the doors of some facility. A guard entered the van and flipped Harri onto his belly and slit his bonds freeing his arms and legs. The rush of returning circulation to his extremities was horrific as the spikes of pain lanced through his limbs like millions of pins and needles were suddenly driven into them.

The guard roughly pulled him towards the back of the van where he and another guard grabbed Harri under the arms and dragged him unceremoniously into the facility. They entered a long corridor with numerous doors on either side down the entire length. There were several people staring expectantly at him as he was dragged by. They all seemed to have the same sadistic and malicious look that Chekov sported, with the exception of one young man standing off to the side in one of the doorways.

He gaped at Harri as he passed by; there almost seemed to be some sort of recognition is his stare. He was not dressed like the others in the hallway; he had on old jeans and a faded work shirt, his dark hair was fairly long and curly and his face covered by a dense black beard, whereas the others either wore lab coats or uniforms and were clean shaven. The young man didn't look familiar so Harri's gaze shifted forward down the hall.

He was dumped onto a small cot in another cell. Once they had deposited him in the cell a man in a military uniform entered the room. He grabbed Harri by the chin and moved his head from side to side as he looked him over. Harri cracked open his eyes and returned his stare.

"Ah you're awake. Welcome to Hell, Admiral Nelson. I am your personal devil Colonel Kasperov. I'm told you've proven to be very unyielding in previous interrogation sessions, well that is going to change here." He laughed and then said in a mock German accent, "Vee have vays of making you talk. Until tomorrow Admiral, sleep well."

Kasperov turned and exited the cell then the door was slammed shut and the lights went out. Harri tried to sort out what he had seen of the facility and the cell. They were very much the same as his previous accommodations and offered no real chance for escape. His mind flashed back to the young man in the doorway for some reason; he didn't know why but something told him he was a friend. There was a compassion and concern in his gaze that was not reflected in anyone else's face he had seen. If he got the chance maybe he could convince him to help him escape or at the very least end his suffering. He hoped he got that opportunity and then dropped off to sleep, exhausted by his ill treatment and arduous journey to the facility.

Morning arrived with great herald as the lights in his cell flared to life and a cacophony of noise assaulted his ears making them ring and making his head feel as though it would explode. Two guards entered once the noise died and grabbed him roughly by the arms and dragged him down the corridor to another wing of the facility.

They entered the first room they came to and Harri was thrown to the floor. The first guard went over to a small table to retrieve a four foot metal bar with a shackle welded on either end and an eyelet welded in the middle. He knelt down next to Harri and grabbed one wrist and encased it in a shackle and then did the same thing with the other wrist.

Meanwhile the other guard lowered a chain with a hook on the end from the ceiling. The first guard grasped the hook and put it through the eyelet then the second guard activated the winch and hauled Harri upright until he could just stand. Once he was in position the first guard stepped out of the room and then returned with another man in a black uniform carrying a black case.

"Good morning Admiral Nelson, I do hope you slept well; I have a feeling it's going to be a very long day for you. Chekov informs me that you have resisted his efforts to retrieve the information we are after. I am impressed; few are able to resist Chekov's ministrations. I'm going to have a go at getting you to talk before he arrives and we have to take more drastic measures," the man said with a sadistic smile.

The man turned and opened his case and began pulling out his tools of the trade. Harri watched surreptitiously as he withdrew whips with bits of metal and stone woven into the end strands, knives of varying length and width, and metal chains. Harri tried to mentally steel himself for the coming assault.

The man in black was very good at what he did as he'd take Harri to the point of passing out from the pain of each tool he used and then backed off enough to keep him conscious and fully aware. Harri clung desperately to his secrets like a security blanket; keeping them locked away was the only thing he could concentrate on to give him strength against the onslaught.

It finally seemed as though the interrogator had given up on getting Harri to cede his information through physical abuse. There had been no new assaults for quite a while however one of the guards had been dispatched from the room to retrieve something for the interrogator. During that respite Harri summoned what little strength he had left and raised his head to look around the room. As his eyes moved across the ventilation shaft near the ceiling his gaze froze briefly as he noticed someone behind the grate. He momentarily locked eyes with the young man he had seen in the doorway when he was brought into the facility. The young man was totally caught off guard by Harri's stare and immediately scuttled back out of view.

Hoping not to give the young man away Harri quickly dropped his head and stared at the floor. As best he could tell no one had noticed his momentary fixation on the vent grate. The guard who had been sent on the errand returned with a bucket and Harri stared at it dubiously. The next thing he knew the contents of the bucket were dumped over his head. It was apparently salt water and the water invaded all the cuts and lash marks that covered Nelson's torso. Harri could no longer choke back the pain and screamed out in agony as he felt as though his entire body was on fire. He twisted and writhed at the end of his chain trying to shake the water off. Unable to stand any more Harri's mind and body screamed 'Enough!' and finally shut down.

"Call for the janitor and get this room cleaned up," said the man in black to one of the guards.

Minutes later the young man Harri had seen in the ventilation shaft hurried in with his cleaning supplies. He was totally shocked by the condition of the Admiral and reached out slowly lifting his chin to get a better view of his face. He grabbed his cleanest rag and dipped it in the pitcher of clean water on the small table and gently wiped away the blood and spittle from Nelson's face and torso and dampened his lips. Nelson had a brief moment of consciousness and opened his eyes to focus on the young man, his face wet with tears for some reason. Harri tried to speak but simply didn't have the power to make anything come out.

Nelson became aware of the young man talking quietly to him in the local language as he went about cleaning up the cell as if to assure him that he wasn't alone and that not all hope was lost. Harri took what comfort he could from the young man's presence, his voice was very soft and soothing and allowed him to slip into oblivion knowing for the moment someone actually meant him no harm.

The agony of his wounds slowly pulled Harri back to the edge of consciousness. The man in black was certainly an expert at what he did and Harri shuddered at the thought of having him go at him again this time aided by the various drugs Chekov promised. The next thing he recalled was being pulled up from his cot and being slung over someone's shoulder. His damaged ribs protested loudly but there was nothing he could do stave off the pain or bite back his groan.

Suddenly his entire world swung wildly around as the man carrying him turned quickly to confront someone behind him. He caught a quick glimpse of the man in black with a knife buried to the hilt in his throat. He felt a moment of deep pleasure as he took in the surprised expression on the man's face as he sank slowly to the floor. After that everything went dark.

When next Harri verged on consciousness he knew he was back on that god awful road being bounced all over the face of creation. He had no idea how much time had passed since he remembered seeing the man in black go down. He cracked open an eye and found himself in the back of a van buried under a number of blankets. He could see the moon out of the rear window so he knew it was night, but he had no idea who had him or where they were going.

He felt the van slow and then pull over and stop. After a few moments someone came to the back doors and opened them up. The rush of fresh air felt good and Harri tried to draw in a deep breath. The next thing he felt was someone running their hands over his body trying to determine how much damage had been done. Harri moaned softly when the hands encountered a particularly tender spot. The sting of astringent followed by the cool of an antiseptic balm and the placement of bandages let him know that someone was tending to his wounds. Harri felt himself being moved about as clothing was pulled onto his damaged body; the added warmth made Harri sigh in relief. Much as he tried he didn't have the strength to open his eyes or let his benefactor know he was grateful for his rescue. All he could do was accept the gift and drift off to sleep.

Harri was again pulled gently back to semi-consciousness by the sound of a voice speaking English and not just any English but the American variety. A wave of joy and relief flooded his body as he realized he was free of the PR interrogators. He listened quietly as the man spoke and he caught various words like 'habu', 'Cordessa' and 'Rattler'. He became aware of someone calling his name; they knew who he was and were working to get him to safety.

"Admiral Nelson, can you hear me? Skipper, can you wake up for me?" the voice said.

'He called me Skipper' Harri thought to himself. His rescuer must have been under his command at some point but who could it be. He thought back to the young man at the facility but his face still didn't seem to register. Trying as best he could to communicate all he could muster up was a quiet moan. He felt someone place something soft under his head and then heard the vehicle doors close.

Harri faded in and out of consciousness as the vehicle jerked and swerved across the road. He briefly opened his eyes and was aware of a lightening of the night sky; it was coming up on morning. The vehicle slowed noticeably and then pulled to a halt. He heard the driver get out and after a few moments he got back in and the van moved forward.

He was vaguely aware of the back doors opening up and his rescuer maneuvering him out of the van and into another vehicle. The pain of being picked up was too much for Harri to take and he moaned loudly. The man lowered him gently into the new vehicle and carefully stretched him out across the back. He was quickly covered in blankets and made as comfortable as possible. The extreme care and gentleness in handling him made him feel safe and allowed him to rest when normally he would be fighting to stay alert. By now Harri was fairly certain the young man he had spotted in the hallway and in the ventilation shaft at the facility was his benefactor.

The new van pulled out and they resumed their trip to wherever. Thinking back on the conversation Harri had heard, he assumed they were heading for the coastal town of Cordessa and hopefully a ride home. The road was much smoother now and Harri drifted off to sleep as they motored down the road.

Once more Harri felt the van pull over and the driver got out and came back to check on him. The driver was speaking to him now asking him to wake up and to give him a sign that he could hear and understand him. He felt the man gently place his hand across his forehead feeling the fever that was starting to wrack Harri's body. Using a cool damp towel the man gently wiped the sweat from Harri's brow and neck filling him with a deep feeling of relief.

Harri felt as though he were in a state of suspended animation; aware but not capable of breaking out and interacting with the world around him. Giving it his best shot Harri moaned softly letting his rescuer know he was still with him. The young man thanked him for letting him know he was aware. He felt himself being lifted up at the shoulders and pain lanced through his body, he moaned again.

The man carefully raised a cup against his lips and encouraged Harri to sip the liquid inside. He sipped gratefully at the cool water and relished the feeling of it refreshing his dry throat. He could taste the aspirin the man said he had dissolved in the water. Harri drank as best he could and then passed out as the pain became too much for him to endure.

Hours later Harri once again climbed toward consciousness as he felt the van slow and stop. He heard his rescuer talking with a police officer outside the vehicle. He understood the local language enough that he could follow the conversation pretty well. The driver was explaining that his name was Peter Broje and that he had lost his identification papers when he jumped into a river to rescue his father. He also went on to say his father Yuri had been badly injured and he was taking him home to be cared for by his mother. To help his rescuer out Harri moaned as loud as he could to add veracity to the young man's tale.

He laid motionlessly in the back listening intently to the conversation going on up front. 'Peter' was very convincing in relating his story to the officer and was soon sent on his way with only an admonishment to replace his papers immediately. He heard the young man sigh in great relief after the officer had returned to his car and they were free to resume their trip to Cordessa. Harri relaxed and this time slipped off to sleep.

Harri was awakened when he felt the change in speed of the van. They had to be in Cordessa now as it felt as though they were working their way through the town. 'Peter' had rolled down his window and the fresh air felt good across Harri's face. He even caught the scent of the ocean as it wafted towards the back of the van. The van rolled slowly forward when suddenly the driver pulled over and put it in park. He exited the vehicle and disappeared for a short while. He heard the man get back in and then felt the van moving forward and the light of day was soon blotted out as he drove into some large structure. Once the van was stopped the driver killed the engine and then bolted from the van closing a large door making the world dark again.

He heard 'Peter' climb back in the van and heard him rustling around in something. Apparently finding what he was after he sat back quietly in the driver's seat and waited. Within a few minutes he heard the driver speaking into a radio or telephone. "Habu to Rattler." Once acknowledged by the party at the other end Habu/'Peter' conveyed that they had arrived at their destination and were now waiting for extraction instructions.

Rattler must have asked Habu if they were capable of performing some task and Habu indicated that Harri was too badly injured and required a surface retrieval. There was another brief exchange and Habu thanked Rattler and ended the conversation.

Once he hung up Harri heard Habu move to the rear of the van. He felt Habu's hand on his forehead as he checked for fever. The next sensation he felt was the damp cool towel bathing his face and neck as he tried to quell Harri's fever. He sighed in relief as the coolness washed over him. Habu spoke to him again asking if Harri could hear him. He told Harri that they were one step closer to getting home and that he needed to leave him for a while to go out and look for a boat to take them to the extraction point.

Habu poured some more water into a cup and added some aspirin then asked Harri if he could take a drink. Harri put everything he had into opening his eyes and letting the man know he was with him. Even though it was dark in the van and warehouse Habu was able to tell Harri had opened his eyes and he flashed him an almost incandescent smile at the positive turn in Harri's condition. All Harri could make out was the broad grin. He finished off the cup of water and then fell quickly asleep.

Harri had no idea how long he had been asleep but he felt much better. He heard what he thought was Habu softly singing to himself, no doubt trying to pass the time until they needed to depart. He nodded off again to the sound of the soothing voice, like a baby lulled to sleep by a lullaby.

Harri once again awoke as he heard the van start up and felt it begin to move. They exited the warehouse and Harri noticed that it was night once again. Habu drove a short distance then stopped and backed the van up, put it in park and killed the engine. He heard Habu get out and after a few moments the rear doors of the van were opened. A strong whiff of ocean assailed Harri's nose as he felt a cool breeze wash over him.

He felt himself being wrapped in blankets and the next thing he knew he was being pulled from the van and placed in the bottom of a cart. More blankets, towels and Habu's pack were tossed on top of him and he felt himself being wheeled down a ramp. There was a sharp bump every couple of seconds which to Nelson meant they were probably going down a ramp from a wharf to a boat dock below. Each jolt sent torrents of pain racing through his body and try as he might he couldn't keep from moaning in pain from each shock.

Once at the bottom of the ramp, Habu pushed the cart rapidly down the dock until he reached the vessel he planned to use. Harri heard Habu thank Peter Broje softly under his breath as he felt the cart come to a stop. He heard Habu climb aboard the vessel and then after a brief absence he returned to the cart and maneuvered it even closer to the boat. Harri felt Habu remove his pack and blankets, and then he was wrestled out of the cart and lifted on board. Habu quickly covered him in the blankets and towels and moved off towards the wheelhouse.

As Harri heard the vessel's engines stir to life he also heard the call of excited voices and the sound of running feet moving down the dock. As the sounds came closer he felt the sudden surge as Habu engaged the engines and pulled quickly away from the dock. The next thing Harri heard was the sound of gunshots and the shattering of glass. The boat continued on unaffected by the bullets and quickly exited the harbor. Habu really opened up the engines and they skipped and bounced across the water at flank speed in their effort to make a hasty escape and prevent the authorities from catching up with them.

After a few minutes, Harri felt the course of the vessel change; no doubt to throw off any pursuers who might be coming after them. He heard Habu come aft and pick up his pack. Harri turned his head and slowly opened his eyes. He watched as the young man lowered himself slowly to the deck and began treating the injuries he had sustained in their escape. Once he had finished patching himself up as best he could he moved over to Harri. As he touched Harri, Harri moaned and slowly opened his eyes again. "Admiral Nelson, can you hear me sir," he asked.

For the first time since this adventure had started Harri was capable of responding. "Yes, I can hear you." He responded quietly. His voice sounded rough and scratchy. The first thing Harri noticed was the bandages covering Habu's left eye and part of his face and the pressure bandage on his left shoulder. Harri watched as Habu dug through his pack and pulled out a bottle of water and helped him take a few sips.

Looking up into the night sky Harri let loose a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks. Where are we?"

"We're on our way to our rendezvous point and our ride home sir," Habu responded.

"How long have I been out?" Harri asked.

"About two days since the interrogators had their go at you at the facility. I'm sorry sir I couldn't get you out before they got their hands on you."

Harri coughed and grimaced at the pain that caused. Habu fished around in his backpack again and pulled out his aspirin bottle. He poured out a bunch of pills and handed three to Harri along with the water. Harri gratefully accepted the pills and washed them down with a swig of water. Habu took the remaining pills and swallowed them as well.

"Are you okay?" Harri asked as he noticed that Habu's bandages were starting to turn red from the wounds he had received.

"Yes sir, I'm fine," was Habu's response. "Sir please stay here and rest. I need to go back to the wheelhouse and check on our course and position." That said Habu pushed himself to his feet and staggered back to the helm.

Harri watched the young man will himself forward. 'Damn,' he thought to himself 'I didn't even ask his name or thank him for getting me out of there.' Try as he might to stay awake Harri felt the exhaustion and pain claim him once more as he lost the battle to keep his eyes open. With one last glance forward he surrendered to the oblivion.

As Harri struggled back from the darkness he noticed that something was dramatically different this time. The bed beneath him was soft and warm, there was a slight hint of antiseptic and rubbing alcohol wafting about in the air and there was the subtle rhythmic thrum of the engines of a nuclear submarine resonating through his body. They were safe and they were going home. Harri sighed deeply in relief.

The other thing that struck him was the almost complete absence of pain that had greeted him every time he had come to over the last few days. He slowly cracked open his eyes and was thrilled to find himself safely ensconced within the sick bay of a US submarine. He shifted slightly in his bunk to take in the rest of the bay. He noticed lying opposite him was a man with nearly his entire face obscured by bandages and his left shoulder was likewise swathed in gauze and secured to his chest.

"Habu," he said quietly.

With that word he drew the attention of the doctor and quickly found himself under intense scrutiny as all his vital information was measured and recorded. "Welcome aboard the Stingray, Admiral. I'm Doctor Radison. How are you feeling?"

Harri looked up at the physician and smiled. "The best I've felt in days, thanks to you and that young man over there." He said indicating Habu.

"Yes, he pulled off quite a feat getting you both out of the PR."

"What's wrong with him," Harri inquired.

"Apparently during your exit from the port someone shot at him in the wheelhouse. The bullet shattered the glass embedding fragments in his left eye and face, and then buried itself in his left shoulder. I'm quite amazed that he was even able to operate the boat let alone navigate a course to his assigned pickup coordinates, "the doctor replied.

"Will he be all right? Can I speak with him?" Harri asked.

"Yes, he should be just fine in time. Luckily he bandaged his eye right away preventing any additional damage to the cornea so his vision should be unimpaired. As far as speaking with him, probably not until we get you both to the hospital. Whatever he's been through has severely traumatized him. Whenever he slips off into REM sleep he has horrific nightmares which leave him calling out in distress and flailing around violently. I've had to heavily sedate him to stop the dreams and allow him to get the rest he needs to recover."

"Can you at least tell me his name? I want to be able to thank him personally for saving my life and getting me out of that hell hole."

"The only name we have is his code name Habu. He hasn't been coherent enough to speak with us and give us his real name. ONI hasn't been forthcoming with his identity either so we're just calling him Habu for now," Radison replied.

Harri stared at the young man in the next bunk for a moment and then was consumed by a huge yawn. His eyes felt heavy as a wave of drowsiness swept over his body. He stared up at the doctor and saw him removing a hypodermic from the port in his IV. He glowered at the physician for a moment and then surrendered to the welcoming sleep.

Harri spent much of the transit to Keyport, Washington sedated and asleep as his body was also in desperate need of down time to recover. The hours he was allowed to sit up, chat with the Captain and eat were few and Habu was never awake at the same time. Upon arriving at the dock two ambulances awaited the passengers. Harri was placed in one and was transported directly to the base hospital. Habu was loaded into the other and spirited back to the east coast so he could be debriefed about his mission and the surprising amount of intelligence he had gathered while working at the facility.

Two weeks later after Harri was released from the hospital he flew to Washington and paid a visit to ONI headquarters to meet with the director. "Good morning Robert," Harri said as Admiral Robert Masterson entered the room.

"Good morning Harri. How are you feeling? Have you fully recovered from your ordeal with the PR?"

"I'm getting there," Harri said with a smile. "Still got a few twinges here and there but all in all I'm doing fine."

"That's great to hear. What is it I can do for you Harri?" Masterson inquired.

"Robert I'd like to know the identity of agent that got me out of that hell hole. I want to thank him personally for all he went through to get us home," Harri replied.

"I wish I could do that Harri, but if his identity were to get out he would be a marked man and be of no additional use to us. We have no doubt that PR agents are watching you closely to hopefully garner that same bit of information. I'm sure they would love nothing more than to get their hands on him and get a little revenge for the damage he did to their facility and intelligence network. Rest assured he will receive the highest commendation possible and his name has been forwarded to the promotions board for immediate advancement to the next rank well, well below the zone. What he was able to provide us in terms of PR and other nation's intelligence is proving invaluable. We've already identified a number of moles within various agencies of the government both here and in our allies' organizations and it has given us unparalleled insight into the PR intelligence community."

Harri frowned at having his request denied yet as a former ONI operative he knew Masterson was right in keeping Habu's identity a closely held secret. "Robert, could you at least pass on my sincere thanks for getting me out. I didn't have the opportunity to do so on the trip home because we were both pretty well out of it and never got the chance to chat."

"Sure Harri I'd be glad to pass on your message." Masterson said rising from his chair.

"Thanks, Robert I appreciate it." Harri responded as he rose as well. The two men shook hands and Harri exited Masterson's office and the ONI building.

As Harri walked down the street toward the Mall he reflected on his experience. He was thankful for the young man that came to his rescue and sincerely glad he never despaired or gave up hope. With hope there always seems to be a way out, hope is a good thing.

The End.

1North Atlantic Treaty Organization

2Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe