A/N: This story is sort of a crossover but not really. I don't know how many of you have ever seen the trailer to Norman Reedus' "Dead*Line", but if you haven't I highly suggest that you do. If you don't want to, the basic storyline is about Seth's (Reedus) stay in prison when he was wrongfully arrested and the aftermath of his experience.
Warnings: This story is violent and will hurt your feels. Mentions character death. Continue at your own peril.
Dead*Line
Justice is Broken
Candra Hastings
Their stay at the Hoag Maximum Security Prison hadn't been all that bad until the day the day everything changed.
Murphy and Connor were lounging in their cell together, the twins enjoying the silence of each other's company. Their bodies were still tender from their healing bullet wounds they'd gotten a month ago from that last firefight that had claimed their father's and Romeo's life. However, knowing that they still had each other was a comfort that they knew they were blessed to have.
As they healed and lived at the prison, they'd learned that if you participated with the counseling program that they removed years from your sentence for it. Good behavior and volunteer work also went towards your credit. And though they had too many years on their sentences for the credits to even make a dent, it kept them busy and allowed them to make friends with most of the guards, who had for the most part been sympathetic to the Saint name.
The only thing that they disliked about the therapy sessions was that it was the only time they were forced to separate. Though the twins liked most of the guards, they always felt uneasy when they weren't together. The Hoag may have people who supported their mission, but it was also full of people who would gladly kill either brother if the opportunity arose.
Murphy chewed on his thumb nail as he waited for the friendly guard, Lark. Both he and Connor found him to be a good man who happened to be sympathetic to the Saint cause, one of many at the prison. It was guards like Lark that allowed the twins to be together. Guards like Lark looked after them, keeping them safe from the other prisoners who were out for the blood of Saints.
"How long are yah gonna be talkin' to the doc today, Murph?" Connor in his Irish accent asked as he flipped through the Bible.
Murphy shrugged, replying in his own accent. "Not too long. Should be an hour or so."
Connor nodded as he heard footsteps coming from down the hall, signaling that Lark was coming. "I think that's your cue, Murph."
Murphy sat up and stood by the barred door as he waited for Lark's friendly, smiling face. That wasn't what he was greeted with.
Instead, it was another guard. One they'd seen before but had never talked to. For some reason, this man didn't sit well with Connor. He had an open expression on his face, a small smile upturning his lips. But the smile didn't reach his dark eyes.
"Excuse me, sir," Connor started, "But where's officer Lark?"
The unfamiliar guard turned his gaze towards the fairer twin. "Officer Lark has taken vacation for the next few weeks. I've been assigned to take his place," he replied politely. "My name is Officer Blake, and I'll be the one escorting you to your sessions from now on."
Murphy tried not to frown. He'd grown to like Lark, but this new man, he didn't know where he and Connor stood with him. Still, it wasn't like he could refuse. Instead, he cast a glance towards Connor, who he could see was feeling the same way, before offering his wrists to the new officer.
"Turn around, please," Blake commanded. Now Murphy couldn't keep the frown from his face. He didn't like this. Lark had always cuffed his hands in front of him, and only doing so because that was regulation. Still, Murphy knew he had to do as told by those in charge here.
He did as asked and moved to the bars before turning around to face Connor. He saw the clouded look in his twin's matching eyes, a look of unease as the cool metal of cuffs clicked tighter around his wrists than Lark had ever done. Still, he managed to conger a smile, if only for Connor.
Connor managed to smile back, but Murphy could see his heart wasn't into it. "It's fine," Murphy mouthed to his twin before he heard the metal door open. A hand gripped his arm a little too tightly for his taste but that smiled stayed in place for Connor as he turned his back to his brother and was lead by a stranger into the halls of the Hoag.
Murphy didn't say anything as Blake lead him down the long corridor. It was yet again a striking difference from Lark, who would've been making friendly conversation by now. Instead, the silence trailed after the two people as Murphy was lead to his session.
However, after a few minutes, Murphy realized that they were going in wrong direction. They'd taken a right too early in the journey, sending them towards a different part of the prison.
"Officer Blake," Murphy started, unsure of whether he should be speaking or not, "we're goin' the wrong way."
Behind him, Blake let out a dark laugh that made Murphy's skin crawl. "We're taking a detour today."
Murphy didn't like the sound of that. He had to admit, he was very creeped out. Still, he remained quiet as he was pushed forward into an unfamiliar hall, once again hating the feeling of having his hands restrained behind his back.
Murphy slowed his pace, trying to take in the surroundings. He noticed here that the doors were not barred, but made of solid metal. It was then that Murphy realized that this was the old solitary confinement that had been shut down two weeks ago when solitary had been moved somewhere else in the prison.
"What's goin' on?" Murphy asked, growing very uneasy with the situation. He was getting a very bad feeling.
A sharp smack to the back of the head let Murphy know that something was very wrong. "Hey!" Murphy tried to defend himself verbally, as physically wasn't an option.
"Shut up!" Blake snarled at the Saint, jerking harshly on Murphy's arm. Murphy tried to resist as Blake pulled him further down the dark hall to one of the cells. He dug his heels into the ground, trying desperately to get away from this man, consequences from prison officials the last thing on his mind. All he knew was that something bad would happen if Blake managed to get him into one of those cells and Murphy didn't want to find out what.
A quick shot to the ribs screwed that plan over for Murphy. He hadn't prepared for the blow and it sent him doubled over in pain, allowing Blake to shove him into the dark little cell that would change him forever...
Blake pulled Murphy further into the cell, shoving the younger man to the ground. Murphy struggled to get free of him, but without the use of his hands, he was defenseless as Blake laid on top him, trapping him face down on the floor.
Murphy tried to buck Blake off, but the man would only wedge his boney elbow into the curve of Murphy's spine, holding him in place while he trapped Murphy's right arm under his body. He released Murphy's left hand long enough to cuff it to a grate in the floor of the cell.
Secured to the ground, Murphy was completely helpless. He glared up at the man who'd dragged him down here, a defiant gleam in his eye. He would never in a million years admit to how terrified he was. Murphy had no idea what was going to happen, but he had a bad feeling is wasn't going to be pleasant on his end of things.
Murphy's blue eyes watched Blake catch his breath as he stared down his captive. A small smile formed on the man's face, raising the hair on the back of Murphy's neck. "I suppose you know why you're here," Blake said pointedly.
"Because you brought me here, now let me go!" Murphy snapped, his fiery nature forcing him to fight back in any way he could.
A chill trailed down his spine at the sound of Blake's dark chuckle. "Yes, that's true I suppose. But really, Murphy... You're here to be saved."
Murphy blanked at that. How the hell was getting locked in a near pitch black cell in an abandoned part of a prison by some creepy stranger gonna help him?
"I should explain," Blake said in a tone of patience, like he was speaking to a small child who wasn't grasping a basic concept. "I've been watching you for some time now, Murphy. You and your brother... Connor."
At the mention of his twin's name, Murphy tried to lunge at Blake, held in place by the restraints connected to the floor. The best he could do was manage to settle on his knees as he glared at the man. "If you even think about touchin' my brother," Murphy warned him.
"I'm not interested in your brother. Frankly, he's a lost cause. You, on the other hand, you're salvageable. "
What the hell was this guy on about? "Salvageable?"
Blake nodded solemnly. "Yes. Connor, he's set in his lost ways. You, though, you're able to recognize the darkness... the evil that's inside you. The demon on your arm, that just proves that you understand that you're bad, Murphy. But recognizing it like you have means you can be saved. And I will help you."
This was getting worse and worse. Now this guy thought it was his job to... what? Make him see the light? "Already found Jesus," Murphy told him, "I think I'm covered."
Blake frowned and shook his head. "But you have to do more than that," he insisted, "I know about your mission. The Saints of South Boston. You think you're doing His work, and that is admirable, Murphy. But you were wrong. And now you must ask for forgiveness."
"I am doin' His work," Murphy disagreed, strong in his faith. Nothing this man said would shake that belief. "I'm doin' as He asked me and my brother to do, an' I don't have to explain myself or ask for forgiveness when I've done nothin' wrong."
Blake looked almost sad. "Murphy, I have faith that you'll see the error of your ways. I'm going to help you. I'm going to shepherd you through this. God has a plan for you, Murphy. And I'm going to fulfill it. But that can only happen if you ask to be forgiven."
He wouldn't. He was already fulfilling God's plan for him. But this guy didn't believe that. He just believed that whatever he was going to do, he was going to do it to help Murphy
"And what if I say I don't want your help?" Murphy asked.
A dark look came into Blake's eyes. "You don't get that option. You'll stay here forever. No one leaves here without asking for forgiveness."
"I'm not sorry for anythin' I've done as a Saint," Murphy declared. He couldn't keep him here... Connor would figure something out... "I won't say I am. "
Again, that creepy smile came onto Blake's gaunt face. "Then you'll be punished."
It was then that Murphy saw something in the corner of the room that made his blood chill. Something that scared him. Blake noticed Murphy eying the object in the corner.
"We'll get to that," Blake informed him, "but for now," he said while pulling out his guard baton, "well start out simple."
He brought the baton down hard onto Murphy's side, causing him to gasp in pain as he curled into a protective ball, trying to shield himself from the heavy blows. "After all," Blake continued, striking Murphy again, "this is just the first day to your long road of recovery."
Later, Murphy lay bloody and beaten on the dirty ground. He panted for breath, causing agony for his battered ribs. The item in the corner of the room had only been used in those last few minutes before Blake had left for his cigarette break moments before. The marks it had left burned, pain enveloping Murphy's very core, making him shake in agony.
He lay there, the darkness playing with his vision. He couldn't tell if he was blacking out of if his prison was so dark that he couldn't see at all. All he knew was that it was dark, that he hurt, and that the smell of burnt flesh was nauseating. He heard the door open and instinctively shied away from the heavy footsteps of the rogue guard.
A hand grasped roughly at his chin, forcing Murphy to look up at the man who'd spent the evening torturing him. Through hazy eyes, he saw the disappointed expression on Blake's face. He'd spat at him earlier when the man had yanked him by his dark hair, but Murphy had learned his lesson to never do that again.
"I don't want to punish you, Murphy. Soon you'll see the error of your ways and will ask for forgiveness. I have faith in you."
Murphy didn't reply. Everything hurt. He just wanted to sleep and... not wake up...
"Now I know that you think you can tell someone about this. Your brother. Another guard. But I advise against that," Blake explained quietly.
A sick sound that was a strangled chuckle escaped Murphy. "What will yah do if I tell, hmm? Gonna torture me some more? Pull out the car battery again?"
Blake looked towards the object mentioned, put back in place in the corner of the room before returning his attention to the man he was crouched over. "While that is a possibility," he admitted, "I'm afraid I'll have to take more drastic motions than that. Because it could get much worse. It could be your brother down here next time."
Murphy stopped breathing. His eyes were forced to look into Blake's, seeing the sick resolution there. He watched the man's mouth form words that he couldn't process.
"And if Connor comes down here, he won't leave alive. Like I said, he's a lost cause."
And just like that, Murphy decided to not tell a soul about this. Letting Connor suffer this fate, suffer death, wasn't an option. He would take this dark secret to the grave before he allowed that to happen. He would protect Connor from this until his last breath.
He couldn't tell Connor what had happened down here in this black hell he was in, but he couldn't ask for forgiveness of something that he felt was right. All he could do was suffer... break.
"Now it's about time that we got back," Blake said while uncuffing Murphy from the floor and recuffing him behind his back. Its not like the restraints mattered anymore. Murphy was much too weak from his injuries to fight back.
Murphy was taken back to his cell he shared with Connor. He was thankful that his twin was gone to eat at the moment, allowing him a second of peace after Blake had released him and left. Staggering to his bed, Murphy looked into the small mirror in the room. He took in the fresh bruises starting to form on his face and the split lip along with the bloody nose.
He had to clean it up. Connor was gonna notice. Though the motion was pure torture on his aching body, Murphy pulled off his shirt, exposing the bruises and cracked ribs. Angry red welts from the baton marred his chest, matching nicely with the angry red burn marks that stood out on his hips where the electrodes had seared his flesh.
He shivered at the memory of electricity running through his body.
He pulled on a clean white shirt, hiding the brutality underneath. Then he used his bloody shirt to wipe what blood he could from his face. When that was done, he hid the stained fabric under his mattress before laying down on his side, his back to Connor when he came in.
"Murph, what the hell? Yah said yah'd only be an hour or so. Yah missed dinner an' everythin'," Connor said as the cell door locked behind him.
Murphy sighed. "Sorry, Con. I... I wasn't hungry. Had some stuff I had to take care of today."
Connor didn't miss the dark tone Murphy was using. Concern instantly took over. "Murph, are yah alright?"
Murphy didn't answer immediately. He wasn't alright. He was hurt, and it was bad. But he couldn't tell that to Connor, and he couldn't lie to his brother. "I'm not feelin' too well. M'just gonna go to bed early."
Connor walked over to his brother's bedside. He looked down at his brother, fear creeping into his heart. It was dark and he couldn't see his face well. Gently, he reached out, cool fingers touching Murphy's face. He was shocked when his twin flinched away from his touch.
"Murphy, look at me," he commanded. Because Murphy hadn't flinched in pain. He'd done it in fear.
And then Murphy did something that he very rarely ever did. He yelled at Connor.
"I said I didn't feel well, Connor! Can't yah just leave me alone?" Murphy snarled at his brother. He didn't want to hurt Connor's feelings, but he couldn't talk about what had happened. He didn't want to.
Connor grabbed at Murphy and flipped him over, and then saw the damage that had been done to his brother. Bruises littered Murphy's face. One of his eyes was swelling shut and his lip was busted clean open, blood still drying. Connor's hands trembled in rage, eyes wide with horror.
"Murphy, what the hell happened to yah?" Connor asked, ready to kill someone for what had happened to his brother. His face looked terrible and Connor knew it had to hurt.
Their eyes connected and Connor could see something there, something that he was keeping hidden. And he knew that the secret Murphy was keeping was bad enough to inspire the sheer terror that looked back at him.
"Can't yah just leave me alone, Connor? Please?" Murphy begged quietly while he turned his back to Connor, facing the wall.
Connor backed away, hurt in his eyes. Murph had never kept something from him like this. Never. But he understood that something bad had happened. Something bad had hurt his brother. Something bad enough that had severed the twins' relationship...
So Connor decided to leave it alone for the night. Murphy would tell him in the morning when he'd gotten some sleep. He just would. He always would. Because Murphy always told Connor. He never kept things from his twin.
Connor just didn't know that Justice had been broken in a cold and dark prison cell.