Juliet waited for her partner on the steps to the clinic, anxiously checking her watch for the forth time. When her phone rang, she fumbled for it with slightly trembling hands.
"O'Ha… Gus…" Her heartbeat leveled, and inwardly she chastised herself for her jumpiness. But then, she'd been feeling jumpy for the last forty-nine hours. The lack of sleep didn't help either.
"Any word?"
She sighed at the strained helplessness she heard in his voice. "I'm… not yet. But we've got a few new leads… I promise, I will call you the second I know anything." She ran her nails over her forehead anxiously. "He's my friend too Gus…"
"Henry wasn't like your second father Juliet… and Shawn was… isn't your best friend…" Was the fierce response.
Not knowing what else to say, she offered another word or two of encouragement before hanging up, knowing she'd get the same call, with the same repeated question, in another two hours. She refused to placate herself by thinking that next time she'd have better news.
"Come on Carlton…" She murmured, pacing a little across the concrete sidewalk. She'd actually been halfway through the door, one foot sinking onto the carpet, when her partner had called with terse instructions to wait for him outside. As was typical, he refused to give her a reason, save to say he might be consolidating a few cases soon. Irritated that he'd gone cryptic on her, she'd snapped her cell shut with enough force to ping the device with a small vibration.
So now, here she stood, drawing strange glances from both patients and random staff emerging from the dark glass doors. And honestly, one more 'may I help you ma'am' from anyone in scrubs and she might start taking hostages.
Thankfully, she was saved from any rash acts of self preservation when a familiar red sedan with the bullet gouge in the driver's side door pulled into the lot. Moments after parking, the door bounced open and long grey legs heaved their owner from the vehicle. Even behind shades, Lassiter appeared to be glaring. Of course, that could also be due to the fact that he rarely wore any other expressions.
Nodding to his shorter companion, he didn't pause as he headed for the brick building.
0o0o0o0o0
Shawn felt himself drifting in and out, the regular tap of water on his face a constant reminder of his thirst. For a while, he'd tried catching the drops on his tongue- but they were so small, and so spaced apart, that they only made the need worse. And twice more since that first teasing visit with the water glass, Mae had padded up to his table for questioning. The third visit, she'd allowed a single swallow, dumping the rest on the floor when he continued to insist his father hadn't molested him. Halfway through this same interrogation, his father had finally woken up, stiffening instantly when he saw the woman standing at his side. As far as she was concerned, however, the older man didn't exist. And after failing, once more, to get what she wanted from him, she left.
"How's your side?"
Throbbing, aching, feeling like a drill puncturing through my stomach… "It's fine." He scraped out. Automatically raising his thumb to brush at the gauzy patch covering his wound, noticing the combination of heat and moisture radiating from the pores in the fabric.
"And your leg?"
Much worse actually, maybe you noticed how I can't straighten it anymore because doing so would definitely induce high-pitched and undignified screaming. "It's fine." He said in that same weighty tone, hoping his dad would just drop it… as though discussion would really make a difference.
"Shawn, listen son…"
"What!" He said suddenly, pivoting his head to glare angrily. "I should just take it easy, not strain myself or I'll just make it worse? Or is this the other chat- the one about keeping my cool, not getting worked up because sooner or later we're going to get out of here?" He pulled at the straps on his arms. "Nothing you say means anything now…"
"You don't think so…"
"Yes, I do think so! How can you possibly promise me anything dad!? You can't help me! You can't stop anything!" Only when he saw the grey eyes go wide with pain did he realize he'd just thrown his father's earlier words back in his face. They stared at each other for a few seconds, but Henry was the first to turn away.
"Yeah… you're right kid." He said stiffly.
Flooded with sudden remorse, Shawn rolled his head back to the side, and immediately tightened his jaw when he saw Mae hovering in the doorway. On reflex, his breath started to pump at a faster rate, and he urgently willed it to slow. If he could make it through her version of water torture, he'd do alright. As long as his anxiety didn't push him into another claustrophobic paroxysm, he thought he could deal with this. He'd be okay.
But when she walked into the room this time, she wasn't holding a glass.
0o0o0o0o0
"I should've called ahead."
Lassiter glanced at his partner, fully intending to agree with her, but stopped himself when he saw the way she bit at the fingernails she'd invested so much time into keeping neatly manicured.
"I… it isn't your fault…" he almost choked, wondering if maybe he'd knotted his tie a little too tightly that morning. Looking ahead, he saw the intersection growing closer.
"That's crap."
His hands tightened suddenly on the wheel as he braked before turning down the last street. "Excuse me?" he queried, snapping his shades from his eyes to stare down his partner. And, despite her size, she managed to meet his glare dead on.
"You heard me- I said that's crap Carlton! If I wanted platitudes I'd call my mother! As Head detective, you owe it to me to talk to me straight- you are not allowed to get wishy-washy now!!"
Feeling quite thoroughly put in his place, he fixed a clench-toothed grin on his face. "Very well," he forced, turning his shoulders sideway and raising his finger to point. "That was sloppy work detective, I expected better out of you! Any fresh-faced green cadet would have thought to see if the woman was even working today before dropping in for a cozy little chat…"
"Okay, that's enough." She said steadily, turning to face forward again.
It was a bit of a bumpy stop to rein himself in just as he'd worked up a good steam. Still, Carlton managed to chew off the rest of the sentence before it could tumble into his lap. Instead, archly flipping on his blinker, he turned the corner. "Glad we understand each other." He finally muttered.
From his peripheral vision, he saw her face smooth a little, the tiniest of smiles lifting the creases of her lips.
"Thank you." She said contentedly.
0o0o0o0o0
Her hands hovered by her sides as she walked through the room, gliding up to trace against the wall, curl over a dust shrouded and ancient sewing machine, and finally, drop to the top of Henry's head for a brief stroke before she inevitably moved to Shawn's side.
Her eyes moved across his body to light on the dried splatter on the other side of him.
"We'll definitely have to do something about that." she said, then lifted her head suddenly, staring towards the door where she'd entered. Shawn turned his head as well, quickly spotting the small red light brightening above the trim.
"Sorry, love, looks like you've earned a break." She said, immediately leaving his side to head for the door, pulling it shut quickly behind her.
"What's going…"
"I think… someone's at the door," interrupted Shawn, straining fruitlessly to hear.
0o0o0o0o0
Lassiter dropped his hand away from the buzzer in exasperation. "Is this woman deaf? Maybe her chime is broken…"
Juliet grabbed his wrist before he could start pounding on the door, and in the silence, he heard feet shuffling towards the entrance.
0o0o0o0o0
"HEEELP… SOMEONE HELP US!!!!" Screamed Shawn achingly, his voice chafing against his graveled throat. He knew the room was insulated, knew he couldn't hear a response even if there was one. But just maybe… just maybe…
"WE'RE IN THE BASEMENT!! PLEASE!!!!!"
0o0o0o0o0
"Do you hear yelling?"
Juliet wrinkled her nose in concentration as the door started to open. "Yeah, but barely… maybe just some kids or something…"
0o0o0o0o0
"Shawn…"
"Dad come on, help me here…"
"SHAWN!"
He paused mid-inhalation at the urgency in his father's voice. Instantly he turned his head the other way, breathing quickly.
Mae was back, and she wasn't alone.
0o0o0o0o0
"Can I help you?"
Lassiter held out his badge for the petite Asian woman clutching her bathrobe tightly.
"Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara ma'am. Is it alright if we come inside?"
0o0o0o0o0
The man that entered behind Mae was broad-shouldered, stiff, and silent. As the woman stepped lightly through the room, he followed behind like dog, tightly guarded while his eyes roamed over the faces of the two captives.
"This is my companion." She said brightly, clasping her hands at her back. "We've known each other for quite a long time now. And he's extremely handy." She chuckled, bringing her arms around to fold them before herself. "What, you think I dragged you down here all by myself?" She walked past Henry, leaving her 'friend' to hover at his side, while she advanced to Shawn's table.
"Now…" She said soothingly, immediately hopping up to sit on the edge of the table. Shawn pulled back in reaction to her closeness, something frozen thudding beneath his sternum.
"We had a lot of fun yesterday. And we were supposed to have more fun this morning… but daddy sorta spoiled that, didn't he." She said, tapping her fingertips against his side above the bandage.
The bands slowly began winding around him again, and he forced deep breaths to counter the sensation.
"Oh, you make my heart race too lover…" Oozed Mae, sliding her palm across his navel.
A startled and breathless cry escaped him when she draped her upper body across him, pressing agonizingly against his injured side. Softly, she started speaking again.
"I came up with a new game when your poppa destroyed the old one… and I know you're going to like it so much more. And the best part of all… you get to decide how it's played." She sat up, her hand methodically sliding down until the tips of her fingers brushed against the waistband of his still exposed blue cotton.
"…please… not any more… please…"
She patted his cheek with her free hand, and he pulled back in disgust. "Well it's totally up to you darling." She let her other hand circle around his belly button. "See, I don't like to force people to do what they don't want to do. It isn't as fun for me, and it takes longer to be fun for them. So… I've come up with a solution. You see my friend over there?" Shawn moved his head the tiniest bit, seeing the hulking figure still standing by his father's chair.
"This is how we'll do this. You choose… let me have some more fun like we had yesterday… or I let him have fun. And keep in mind…" She slid up his chest to whisper in his ear, "he won't be playing with his hands."
Shawn panted achingly, feeling a buzzing behind his forehead. "I can't… please…"
"There's a time limit. Answer me now… or I get to choose. Keep in mind, I don't like to deny my friends their pleasures." Her hand moved towards his waist again, stopping just short of her destination. "Who will it be? Speak now. Do you want him?"
Shawn shook his head quickly, the first of his tears hovering against his lower lashes.
"Do you want me?"
"STOP IT!! PLEASE- STOP…I'LL TAKE HIS PLACE- I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT…" His father's yells were cut off with the sound of a fist striking the ridge of his jaw. Mae acted as though she hadn't heard it at all- her eyes locked on Shawn's.
"Do you want me to touch you?"
Turning his face away, huffing miserably through his nose, Shawn gave a single abrupt nod.
"Not good enough sweetie… I want to hear it. Say, I want you to touch me. Say it... moan it! And convince me." Her hand grasped his chin. "Or maybe I let my friend take daddy instead…"
She forced Shawn's head around, her other hand still circling, circling, circling. "Say it."
"…I… I w-wan… want you…" he gusted out a wretched breath, ending in a tiny sob. "… to t-t-t-touch-mm-me…" Jerking his chin away from her fingers, tears rolling freely, he bit into his cheek as both hands skated beneath his waistband.
"You just know I can't deny you when you beg…"
0o0o0o0o0
Henry spit blood to the floor, rasping through his teeth, chin shaking at the decision being forced on Shawn. He couldn't see his son beyond the man standing before him, but he could hear the broken words. And then he heard soft murmurs… shaking moans… tear-filled gasps…
Mae chuckled, and there was the sound of pleading… melting into a tormented cry…
He turned away, desperately seeking any sort of memory to banish the persistent nightmare that encapsulated them both.
He also prayed that Shawn could somehow do the same… and succeed where he couldn't.
0o0o0o0
When the last of the jerking shudders died away, Mae released him. Pushing back, she wiped her fingers on the edges of her shirt and leaned in for another kiss, digging her nails into Shawn's cheeks as she forced his lips apart and stroked her tongue against the roof of his mouth. Then stepping away, she looked up at the man still hovering over Henry. "Clean up for me would you?"
With a toss of her head, she bounced away.
Shaking in frozen despair, Shawn's body tried to revolt again- but his earlier purging had emptied him completely. All he could manage was a horrible explosive bark as he retched in agony.
Seconds later, he felt hands grasp his shoulders. Blackness took over his mind.
"NO, NO, NO, NO- STOP, DON'T!! STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!!!" He shrieked, thrashing against the fingers. He hardly noticed when they released him. And then, all at once, his left hand pulled free.
But so completely was he undone that he merely wrapped it around his waist, curling away from this new tormentor. "Please… I can't take… please don't, please don't, please don't…" he begged, curling into himself.
0o0o0o0o0
Henry felt his own stomach twist sickly when the man before him turned away to approach Shawn's table. When he dropped his hands to the boy's shoulders, when Shawn's voice screamed piercingly, he dragged himself half out of the chair, his wrists bent nearly to the point of breaking.
But then, suddenly, the man's fingers dropped to the strap on Shawn's wrist, and seconds later- the leather slipped free.
Turning away from the quaking form, he returned to Henry's side. Instantly his hands lit on the restraints encircling his wrists, tugging at the buckles.
"I…mmmm… soorr… sorry…" He said, almost drunkenly. Henry sensed it had been a while since the other man had spoken anything.
"I don't understand…" he started, worrying at the other restraint the moment his first wrist was free.
"Sh-she kep… mee here… a long t-time…" Said the man, bending to work at the ankle bindings. "Shhhheee… had me for… years… I have to do whaat… she says…"
The last buckle pulled free, and Henry immediately tried to stand, crumpling at the surge of weakness in his legs. The man before him grabbed him quickly, his movements fluid in spite of the slurred speech that would indicate otherwise.
Getting his legs under himself again, Henry allowed the man to help him to Shawn's sagged form. "Get his legs free!" With his hands on the metal edge, Henry dragged himself around to the other side. Shawn's eyes seemed fixed on something beyond him, staring unblinkingly, tears still skittering down his white cheeks. He didn't seem to see Henry at all.
"Shawn…" He said softly, carefully freeing the buckle and peeling it away from the torn flesh beneath. "Son… look at me kid…" Shawn didn't respond, his body limp and unresponsive, even when Henry placed a tentative hand on his bunched shoulder.
"Y-youuuu… need to g-go…" Said the man as he pulled Shawn's ankles free of the final straps. "Therzz… a door… before you get to th-the top of the s-stairs…"
"Please, you have to come back…" Said Henry urgently, pressing his hands against Shawn's cheeks. "Dammit kid!"
A single blink, and the pulse at the edge of his finger tips suddenly began to surge. "…d-dad…"
His breath shook with relief. "Yeah son…"
"Help me dad… please…please… it hurts…" he whispered, closing his eyes as fresh tears ran down his face.
"Hurry!" Said the man, taking a few steps to the door.
Wrapping and arm around Shawn's shoulders, preparing to help him from the table, Henry looked at the larger man with confusion. "Why…"
"S-she stopped playing the g-gaaame right… sh-she's supposed to just turn his mind a… against you…" He breathed deeply, seeming to fight the words coming from him.
"But now… sh-she's changed it… changed the r-rules." He stepped forward quickly, his hand coming to rest on the table surface. "When she c-comes back… it's for the l-last timmme… And sh-she is planning to tor-torture him to d-death."
Pulse throbbing against his throat, supporting the slumped body of his son, Henry narrowed his eyes. "Who are you…"
The other man clenched his teeth, his jaw trembling. "J-Justin D-Dodge… Judge M-Markus Dodge is my father…"
