Once again, the seaQuest team was surprised and suspicious when they found no-one offering resistance.

They docked and waited while the attack team reconnoitered the outside of the prison and gave them the all clear.

They moved warily through the facility, but it seemed that they used the same M.O. as before - almost all of the portable items had been removed.

A few computers had been left behind, and Lonnie moved forward to see what she could find from them. One guard remained with her while the others moved farther into the building. They moved slowly, checking in each of the rooms as they progressed.

Tony stared into a room that was empty except for a table, two chairs and a chain that hung from the ceiling. A long piece of wood leaned against the wall. It didn't require a huge amount of imagination to figure out what went on in this room.

Dagwood walked past him to a room at the end of the hallway. It had the same tall, solid door as the rest of the rooms, but his dagger hearing could hear a murmur of sound.

He tried the door and found it locked. A panel next to the door had two buttons, one green and one red. Dagwood knew that green was usually the button that opened things, and he pressed it.

The door opened, revealing a cacophony of sound. Television screens flashed images over the whole surface of every wall. He winced for a moment at the noise, and saw a figure sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. The figure held his head in his hands and seemed to be twitching and shaking.

He moved forward. "Hello?"

The figure didn't respond. He tried again, but louder, to be heard over the noise.

"Hello?"

The figure took his hands from his head and looked up. As their eyes met, the boy's eyes widened and he smiled.

Dagwood saw a face colored shades of black, blue and yellow and swollen into unnatural lumps. He saw the lips move, and even with his hearing only just heard what he said.

"Dagwood?"

The dagger looked shocked for a moment. He knelt down and examined the face before him, imagining it without the odd colors and swelling.

"Lucas?"

The figure nodded, and said something that made no sense to him at all.

"I haven't seen you here before. It's a nice change from the monsters." His voice was dreamy and disjointed.

Looking back at the door, Dagwood saw Tony approaching the room.

"Tony, it's Lucas!"

Tony wondered what he was talking about. Lucas? Lucas who? The only Lucas they knew was dead, he died months ago...

He moved into the room and looked at the figure on the floor. His heart skipped for a moment.

He fell down on his knees and grabbed his friend's face in his hands. He ran his fingers over the abused features.

"Oh my God, Lucas?"

It was him, it was Lucas.

Lucas was smiling, but tears were running down his cheeks. He said something, but Tony couldn't make out what it was. He looked at Dagwood, but he only shook his head as if it made no sense.

Tony shook his head and pointed to his ear.

Suddenly, Lucas pushed them both away and buried his face in his arm as he started to cough.

"Luke? You okay?"

Tony tried to lift his head, but Lucas only pushed him away.

After a moment, Lucas looked up. Tony recoiled as he saw blood on his lips.

"Lucas?"

Lucas grimaced. "Infectious," he enunciated. Again, he said something else that Tony couldn't make out.

Tony realized that they needed to move. He was reluctant to leave his friend's side, but moved back to the door. He saw Ford and shouted.

"Commander!"

Ford was coming towards him, but started to run at Tony's shout.

"What is it?"

Tony looked very odd, he thought. He couldn't place the expression on his face.

"Commander...it's Lucas!"

"What?"

He moved back into the room, Ford following him.

Ford looked over towards Dagwood, and then turned his gaze towards the figure beside him. Unmistakable blue eyes turned towards him.

He froze. "How?"

Suddenly, Tony gasped and touched his shoulder. He motioned to the screens. Jonathon looked up, and saw something that made him want to vomit.

When they'd walked in they'd all been so distracted by the figure on the floor that they hadn't noticed what was playing on the screens. A part of Tony's brain had made him think that it was some kind of action movie, with lots of yelling and screaming. Now they looked, they could see that every screen showed different images of Lucas being tortured and beaten. His screams made their blood run cold.

Ford quickly recovered himself. He crouched beside the boy.

"Lucas, we've got to get you out of here!" He had to shout to make himself heard. "Can you walk?"

Lucas shook his head.

"Are you injured?"

He nodded and pointed to his right leg, and then started speaking again. Suddenly, a jolt of electricity ran through the floor, knocking down Ford and Piccolo, who were crouching, and making Dagwood jump back.

"What was that?"

Lucas tried to say something once again, but Ford couldn't hear. He held up his hand to signal 'wait' and walked outside the room. He pushed the door until he could hear and pulled out his PAL.

"Lonnie, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Sir."

"Lonnie, I need you to cut off the power to the room we're in, can you do it? It's the room at the end of the hall."

"I think so, hold on."

There was silence for a couple of minutes and then she said, "Okay, there aren't separate controls for that room, but I can cut off power to that section. Looks like they have emergency lighting, so you should still be able to find your way around."

"Okay, do it. Are you nearly finished?"

"Coupla' minutes more and I'll be done."

"Okay, be ready to leave as soon as possible."