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Eric hated thug guy.
It was the first time that he'd truly been able to say that about anyone in his life but yeah – Eric really hated thug guy.
There were stripes down Eric's back from the leather belt that the bastard was using on him. Each of them stung and he knew that some of them were bleeding. For a while Eric had thought that he would cave in under the pain. He'd do whatever they wanted as long as they stopped hurting him. But each time he opened his mouth to tell them to stop, thug guy would hit him again and slowly Eric got mad. Really mad. He glared at thug guy and the bastard Burrows who was leaning against the door reading from an iphone while Eric was getting beaten half to death.
Burrows checked his watch and glanced up at Eric. "So, Eric. Have you decided to be sensible or should I let my friend here keep going with his persuasion techniques?"
Eric drew in a breath and kicked out at thug guy catching the bastard on the shoulder and making him slam against the wall. Yeah, that had felt good.
Thug guy glared at him and straightened his suit slowly. "That was so stupid," he said and the leather cut Eric's back over and over again with a lot more force than there had been until Eric couldn't help screaming from the blistering fire in his back.
The fire took over for a while and things faded in and out of focus. He wasn't sure if he passed out even but somewhere along the line the beating had stopped. Eric blinked and struggled to focus. Thug guy was taking a drink from a bottle of water. Eric's own throat constricted involuntarily. What he wouldn't give for a drink of water right now. All they had to do was bribe him with water and he'd do anything that they wanted. Well … . Maybe.
Eric coughed weakly feeling more fire in his raw throat. Actually, his throat was so sore from screaming and the virus that he didn't think he'd be able to swallow anything anyway. Eric closed his eyes so that he wouldn't have to see the water bottle. He swallowed painfully again. But the pain in his throat was nothing to the beating or the fire in his back and in his hot forehead. It was nothing to his fear that no one was gonna find him, nothing to his fear that no one cared enough to even come looking for him. Oh yeah, now that was an old one – his feeling of inadequacy – especially in the field and therefore that no one really needed him which naturally led to the fear that no one would care enough to come looking for him. He'd taken psych 101 courses in college. He knew the fears were unfounded but he still couldn't help feeling them .
Eric's head hung limply. He had no strength left in him anymore, he was amazed that he'd been able to kick thug guy at all. He wanted to pass out. He really did. He couldn't understand why his body was putting up with this sort of abuse. Actually, he did sort of know why he was still awake. Eric had always had an overactive mind. His own thoughts kept him awake for hours sometimes … even when he was totally … exhausted … . Eric's eyes drifted closed.
Hetty was talking somewhere in the background. She sounded very put out. "Mr Beale isn't an agent; he's not supposed to get into situations like this."
Callun's voice sounded bored. "He's probably just decided to take a few days off."
Sam spoke: "He's not tough enough for this job. I'm betting he's quit and gone home to his momma."
Kensi's bored voice drifted: "Change the subject guys."
Nell whistled, "Hey guys I think we have a more interesting case. Some weapons are missing …"
Eric frowned. His arms twitched and pain rippled over him. Eric blinked, trying to focus his eyes. Burrows was standing there – or was that Callen?
"Eric, you really are turning out to be rather stubborn for a 90 pound geek," said Burrows. He glanced at his watch again.
A fist caught Eric in the ribs again sending him swinging on the end of the chain and Eric grunted. His stomach had long ago gone numb from all the beating but his ribs were damned sore.
"Pay attention kid, we're into round number three," said Sam … . No, no … it wasn't Sam. Thug guy lifted his fist once again.
"Hold it," said Burrows, pocketing his iphone. "Let's try a different approach. Get him down."
Eric pulled his drifting thoughts together in sudden panic. Oh hell, now what?
Thug guy wrapped his arms around Eric and lifted him a little so that the cuffs could be slipped over the hook. From somewhere Eric found the energy to squirm.
Burrows watched him thoughtfully. "Bring him."
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Humbly sorry for the long delay. My mother spent six months in hospital but is home now and needs a lot of care. I'm getting into a routine and FINALLY I'm able to set aside some writing time. Let me know what you think, guys.