NOTE (from -yannik-): I sincerely apologize for not updating sooner. My bad, my bad! Don't anyone blame Lynn for it. I hope this chapter whets your appetite for some angsty angst.

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SHATTERED SOUL - by LYNNP and YANNIK

Chapter Two – THOUGHTS.

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Brody's perception changed, and he noticed things he hadn't seen before. Like the cane the bald guy was holding, topped with tiny elephant's head. Delicately crafted, fully detailed. Made of ivory. Who had ivory these days? The head had it all, that elephants used to have half a century ago. Big ears, a trunk. And long sharp tusks with metallic caps. Or maybe the guy hadn't had this cane earlier? Maybe he just brought it in? Jim tried not to wonder what that cane, those tusks could be used for. He feared the bald guy would answer to his curiosity in the most vicious way.

And he was not mistaken.

Metallic tusks bit into his chin, and forced him to lift his head so high, he was staring at the ceiling. When he started getting up involuntary, the tusks suddenly hit his thigh, forcing a sharp cry of pain from his mouth, and returned to his chin, biting even harder.

"Ready to answer my question?" bald guy asked, and Jim didn't move, tried not to even blink, not to even breathe.

Tusks let go and Jim's – involuntary again – question what now? was answered with immediate hit somewhere around his kidneys.

"Aaargh…"

"Ready?"

Silence.

Hit!

No! OhmyGod…

"Ready?" Silence. Hit! "Ready?" Silence. Hit!

Jim stopped counting. Hits sometimes fell on his legs, or his head, but mostly on his abdomen. He wasn't a medic, but he could tell the bald guy was aiming at the most crucial areas of his body. Those that caused pain right away, or those that would start hurting in hours, when the damaged tissues would make his organs start shutting down. Sharp tusks were biting like a snake.

And he could only scream in pain, and remember – don't tell. Don't talk. Don't think. Don't even think, because if you think about those codes – and you know, you remember them, Brody – then once they force you to say anything, you'll just spill it out. So don't think. Try to forget if you can.

Maybe I forgot already? Do I remember? It was nine…

NO! That's what they want! What am I doing? There may be a telepath there, just waiting for me to… This bald guy could be a telepath… Why did he stop hitting? Why is he staring at me like this? I must think of something else, beside those codes. Anything else. There could be telepaths! I can't do this… I'm too weak. But I have to do this, SeaQuest depends on me now. Me alone. They all… Captain, Tim, chick, kid, doc…

Doc.

Wendy.

Wendy, help me, please…

"Will you answer, Brody?"

Wendy, is there any way, that you might read my thoughts now?

"Because I'm quite bored with this game."

Wendy, give me some sign that you can hear me!

"No?"

Wendy?

"Hmm. We'll have it your way then. Sesker!"

Wendy!

>>

Ford was pacing the cell back and forth. Like a predator in a cage. Except that he didn't have sharp claws and fangs to assault those foul guards with. He had nothing! His bare fists, and nothing else. And they would subdue him, before he would even touch them.

The Commander felt helpless. He was the leader, responsible for the safety of his people, of this team, and he was helpless. He didn't like being helpless.

Each scream of Brody's made him more and more furious, and this fury couldn't escape his system. There was no way, there was only Ortiz in this wretched cell with him, but he couldn't lash out on his man, could he? No, he couldn't.

Luckily Ortiz had senses enough not to say anything.

Bordy's more or less regular screams stopped after over an hour. Ford jumped to the door at the sound of heavy footsteps. The guards were dragging unconscious officer down the corridor. They hauled him into the cell, and their leader stepped in, his stern, merciless eyes gazing at the Commander.

"Bring him back as soon as he comes round" he hissed and started turning away.

"You bastard!" Ford's wrath longed to be released. "Give him at least some…"

"Shut up!" bald guy faced the Commander, who was a head higher from him. But he somehow seemed smaller at this moment. Then the shorter man said slowly, calmly, and very sternly. "If you want to spare him – you know what I need. I'm sure he already told you, didn't he?"

Ford was silent. No, Jim didn't tell them.

Knowing eyes of their oppressor stayed on Commander long enough to realize that.

"Security access codes to the SeaQuest" he said mockingly, and left.

The door shut, but Ford stayed unmoving for a while longer. Of course. What else could they want. They wanted the SeaQuest. Ford turned to see how much Brody gave this time, to protect their ship.

The sight was horrible. Bruises, swelling, blood dripping from wounds that looked like snake's bites. Ortiz tried to clean some of the wounds with a filthy rag and water, but in his dark eyes Ford saw despair.

They didn't talk. There wasn't anything left to say.

When Jim woke up, they told him to stay silent as well, but he was confused and didn't play along. The guards realized he was conscious, and took him away once more. Ford's struggle to stop them was futile. After receiving a forceful blow in his head he landed in the corner of the cell, and required help from Ortiz himself.

Again he paced the cell, listening to Brody's screams, imagining what they were doing. Again he felt this helplessness overwhelming him. Why wouldn't they take him instead? Why!

This time the interrogation was obviously shorter. There was only that much Brody could endure.

The bald guy entered again, after his victim was threw in, and gazed at Ortiz. But he spoke to Ford.

"Remember, Commander, it doesn't matter for me if he survives or not."

And Ford knew what that meant. When Jim dies, they would take Ortiz in.

>>

Ortiz understood that as well. He didn't know the codes, but this wasn't about him. Or even about Brody. He saw the Commander going nearly out of his mind during Jim's interrogations, and Chief knew, that when Commander's first subordinate dies, and his second one would suffer, the Commander might break. He wouldn't break for himself, but seeing others suffer, knowing that this might be the only way to save at least one life…

Ortiz was scared. But not that scared.

"Commander" he started after they took Brody away for the fourth time.

Ford swirled around, rage flaring in his eyes. He was loosing control! But he regained it quickly, apparently seeing surprise in Chief's eyes.

"What is it Miguel?" he asked with forced calmness.

"I just wanted to tell you that I will handle. No matter what…"

"You don't know the codes, they won't…" Ford tried to lie, but Ortiz knew better than that.

"They will. To make you watch this. To make you break. And I'm telling you now – don't break. Whatever happens. I'll handle. If he can, than so can I."

Ford eyed him for a long moment, and Miguel felt the silence getting almost to heavy for his shoulders to lift it. But finally the Commander spoke. Simple words.

"I know that Miquel."

And that was all. But that was all Miguel needed. Simple trust, simple faith.

So they waited.

>>

It was a good day for Wendy. Lucas helped her to finally catalogue those samples they took at Guinea three weeks ago. He seemed to open up to her a little, forgiving her for taking Kirsten Westphallen's place. Maybe there could be friendship between them after all?

The sea was calm, weather beautiful near Hawaii Islands. Captain Bridger decided to give his crew some rest and surface for a couple of hours. That would allow the crew to go on deck, breathe some fresh air, look at the horizon. Wendy wasn't pleased with the idea, but she didn't object – the crew needed a break from time to time.

She was going to spend those hours with Darwin, at his moon pool. It was water after all. "It's a date!" the dolphin had said, and sprung into a lovely arch above the water. It was as if he laughed.

Wendy smiled at the memory, opening the hatch to the pool section. The joy of all the crewmembers, the wind on their faces, the sun in their eyes – it was all coming to her in waves of the ocean, and it was pleasant.

"Wendy came!" Darwin exclaimed and danced a welcoming dance in her honor, rising above the water on his tail, and splashing all over. She laughed heartily.

And then she suddenly bent over in overwhelming pain.

Her head throbbed, her back felt as if bitten by bees, her stomach hurt to the point of nausea. She couldn't stand, couldn't breathe, couldn't think…

"Wendy sick?" Darwin swam to her, but she didn't even notice his concern. The feeling was crushing, and she thought she would get lost in this unreal hurting forever. On the edge of her consciousness she heard Darwin calling Bridger for help, and then – clearly, as if someone was standing right next to her, she heard another voice screaming "Wendy! HELP!"

And then she fainted.

>>

t.b.c.

Keep reviewing. And reminding me to add another chapter – hopefully sooner.

-Y-