It was late in the day and they'd been at this for hours.

I'm glad you moved back in, Daddy.

Pain seared through his bleeding wrists and his shoulders ached desperately for relief from the strain of holding his weight.

Daddy.

Focusing his eyes on the unfeeling face in front of him, Jack remembered his name.

I love you and I'm proud of you.

The electricity ripped through his frame again. His whole body screamed 'Tell them! Say anything!', but he would not. He would make her proud.

"Enough." Finally it stopped.

To prolong the pain a little longer, they let him hang there for another 10 minutes. Jack closed his eyes and breathed. The "technician" packed up his tools as he spoke with Cheng and another man. Jack knew very little chinese, but it didn't matter. He knew what they were discussing.

Nothing could be done to lessen the pain on his wrists as he swung limply from the ceiling. After that final surge through his body he was unable to gather up any more strength, if any more remained.

"Take him."

Two of them released his wrists from the shackles above. He landed hard on the concrete floor and did not move. Even if he had tried, he could not.

"We begin again tomorrow." Cheng said with a cruel smile. Jack closed his eyes and let the other two men haul him off the ground. Each man took hold of one of Jack's arms to drag him back to his cell, to safety, respite. Feeling nothing but weakness, he didn't bother even to hold up his head. This was the easy part of every day, when they said he was done, when he didn't have to try.

I'm gonna take care of you. he could hear her say as he watched his feet trailing behind him. He was going to the hospital, she would be sitting by his bed.

In his cell Jack lay practically lifeless. His daughter was not there. Nothing was there. Nobody would take care of him, but her words kept him alive. He would conjure them in his mind and just listen, like relying on a match for heat.

"You remember Hong, don't you Mr. Bauer? He's been working with us for years now; he's our contact here. Do you recognize him, Jack?"

With barely a nod Jack gave Hong away.

"Thank you, Mr. Bauer, for confirming our suspicions about Hong Wai. You've told us all we've needed to know."

As the guards led Jack back into his cell, low agonized sounds were beginning to come choking out of him without shame. When their burden was unloaded, they left him bawling into the floor of his cell.

...Something horrible happens. People die. And I know that's not your fault, but I can't be a apart of it.

It didn't matter to him that the guards outside could clearly hear the desperate sobs erupting from deep in his chest. Tears had already begun spilling after Cheng shot Hong in the head. He couldn't hide that from them. Why start now? They knew, for once, they had beaten him and Jack could not bring himself to pretend he was unaffected. Horror, rage, disgust, confusion, agony, and shame all melted as one into an iron fist which had been smashed into his heart. He'd given up Hong and now he was dead. He'd betrayed and killed him, but had not been at fault. Played in the worst kind of way, the pain was almost intolerable.

I don't want to be around you.

Jack pressed his forehead into the floor as hard as he could, but it couldn't stop his tears.