Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Chapter 6

"Dammit!" Burke said in frustration as he glared at the monitors in his control room, his attention riveted to the woman he was using all his efforts to break.

"Things not going well for you?"

He turned around and scowled at the man standing in the far corner of the room. "What the hell do you want, Miles?"

The figure stepped into the light, revealing the smirking profile of Miles Papazian. He glanced briefly over at the monitor. "I had come by to see if you had gotten the information out of O'Brian yet, but from the looks of things, you haven't."

"Of course I haven't" Burke said impatiently. "If I had, do you think she'd still be breathing?" He turned his attention back to the monitor, where one of his men was applying electro-shocks to his captive, the pain she felt showing on her face with each dose.

"Of course not" Miles stated. "I just know your reputation. You were able to break agents that no one else was able to in half the time. You've been working on O'Brian for 16 months, and she still hasn't broken."

"When you came to me and told me about the hard drive and O'Brian, you told me she would be easy to break."

"I never said that. I told you that O'Brian wasn't a field agent, so she wouldn't be as difficult to break. Obviously, we've severely underestimated her."

"Obviously" he snapped. "This is costing me a fortune. Is the information on that hard drive really worth all this effort?"

Miles merely held up a hand. "Trust me. That information will give your employers an advantage for years to come. The cost you're paying now will seem like nothing once that happens."

"You had better be right, or you're the one that's going to pay, Miles."

Miles glanced back at the monitor. He smirked as he got an idea. "What if we were to try a different tactic?"

"Such as?"

Miles leaned over and whispered something in Burke's ear, the suggestion causing him to smirk. "Perfect. I might just keep you around after all." He turned and left.

Miles remained behind, stonily watching as Chloe was removed from her restraints to be given her daily ration of watery gruel and lukewarm water, her captor's one concession to keeping her alive. You deserve every ounce of pain you're feeling, O'Brian. You took everything from me. Now it's my turn.

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Chloe wearily finished off the meager rations she had been given and glanced up at the chains that been holding her, steeling herself for whatever torture her captors had in mind for her next. How long has it been? How much more of this can I take? Even when I sleep, the pain is still there. I could just give them what they want. They'd kill me, but at least the pain would be over. No! I won't give in! I'm not a traitor. Even if they did let me go, who would want a traitor around?

Her guard moved to restrain her once again and resume the torture, but the door to her cell suddenly opened and a figure walked in. Chloe recognized it as the man who had impersonated Jack, the one who was holding her here. "Enjoying yourself, Chloe?" he asked her smugly. Chloe said nothing and looked away. She was rewarded with a stinging slap across the face. "What did I tell you? Answer me when I ask you a question."

"Screw you." Chloe spat viciously, glaring at Burke, and was given another slap for her answer. "Such vile language." He gazed down at her defiant posture. "You know, Chloe, you could have been spared all this pain and anguish if you have just given me what I want. Have you changed your mind?"

"No, I haven't. I told you won't do it."

"Get up" he barked at her. She just glared at him. "I said, get up, Chloe!" He motioned to the guard, who hauled Chloe roughly to her feet.

"Let's go." Chloe found herself being dragged out of the cell and marched down the corridor. The pace was strenuous and she found herself exerting all her energy just to keep up. They reached another room a few minutes later and she was marched in. "Chain her to the wall." The guard dragged Chloe to the far wall and firmly secured her in place. "Perhaps some time with no food or water will change your mind. See you in a few days." Burke laughed viciously and slammed the door, enveloping the room in total darkness.

Chloe was left alone in the darkness. All the courage she had shown earlier melted away and she broke down, the tears that had been held back for months in an effort to not show weakness finally coming out. Jack, where are you?