Chapter Ten: Latrodectus Hesperus

Sweating profusely, Ray collapsed onto his bed.

"Sir, can I get you anything?"

He glanced up, eyes straining to focus. Upon recognizing the young guard, he let out a sigh of relief. Shaggy blond hair hung over the young man's worried face. It was good to have such loyal men. Ray smiled.

"I think I'll be fine."

It was a lie. She was killing him, and he knew it; he just didn't know how.

The young man turned to leave but then paused. "Sir, should I call a doctor?"

Ray was considering the offer when another surge of stabbing pain shot through his abdomen. Gritting his teeth, he concentrated on remaining as still as possible. If he could just endure a little longer…then it would pass, but the warm, throbbing persisted.

He clawed at his midsection, catching folds of his expensive dress shirt in his grasp. A deep guttural groan escaped from his throat and he could feel a horrible convulsion taking over his body. Then the pain gradually eased.

Panting for breath, he lay staring up at the ceiling. Did he want a doctor? No, it was too late. He was so tired. He doubted that he would live long enough for help to arrive. With great effort, Ray turned his head and studied the terrified face of the young man watching him.

"If you would like, you many call a doctor." Ray paused, his mouth was so dry. "And, one more thing."

"Yes, anything, sir."

"When Smith and Peck wake up…" He closed his eyes. "…let them go."

"Sir?"

"T-they'll know what to do. I-it's important…so, you'll do that…f-for me?" It was getting so difficult to speak.

"Of course, sir."

Ray sighed. Fighting to stay awake, he listened anxiously to the silence. Finally, he could hear the young man quietly make his way out of the room.

Sarah… His thoughts turned to the woman who was his undoing. Still, even on his deathbed, he longed for her.

Another wave of pain filled him. It was too hard to fight…he had to give in. Pulse weakening, he let the darkness start to drift over him. He knew that Sarah hadn't won, not entirely; Smith and Peck would see to that.

He let out one last breath and his struggle was over.

BA entered the room without knocking; it was the slightest form of disrespect he could get away with, for now. His muscles ached with tension. He couldn't relax, not after what he'd done. When the time came, when he was free again, she would pay.

Sarah sat near a large window. A wash of pale daylight illuminated her smooth face as she stared outside. The makeshift office was several stories up inside the warehouse, so she craned her neck slightly to get a better view of the ground below. BA stood back, not trusting himself to get too close to the woman. He clenched his jaw, and tightened his fists. His mama had taught him never to hit women, but even she might give him the ok just this once.

He glanced over at the TV set in the corner. On the screen, Murdock sat shivering in his cell. BA closed his eyes and turned away. That was too much. He knew she had been watching, but…but… Rage and shame boiled up inside him, he had to let it out, he had to strike out, to hit something he wanted to, but he couldn't.

BA glared at Sarah. She hadn't yet acknowledged him, but she certainly had to have known he was in the room. He hadn't exactly been quiet entering.

Her dark eyes scanned the ground below, darting rapidly from one location to the next. It was if she was watching small birds scattering about, but BA knew better. He could hear the rhythmic slap of a basketball striking pavement, the steady creak of swings and the random squeals of delighted laughter.

Sarah sighed as she reached over and picked up a walkie-talkie from a nearby table. "Mark one, two and three, stand down. He has returned."

She set the walkie-talkie back down and turned to face BA. He bit his tongue, fighting back the torrent of emotions pressing him to scream his fury at her.

"That really wasn't so hard, was it?" She smiled. "I had been hoping to see if my men really could hit their targets from so far away though. I'm not sure, they might be all talk. Those tiny little bodies are so small and quick. I guess it really is for the best that you've decided to comply."

She rose and strolled over to the TV. BA stiffened as she reached up with her left hand and gently ran her index finger over the image of the Captain; the dark shape, with missing fingers, hovered unnervingly over the blue glow of the screen.

Outside, a bell rang and the sounds of laughter and games ended. BA glanced at the window and shrugged. Earlier, Sarah had demonstrated how she had hacked into the school's alarm system. She could have the children outside again within minutes. Plus, she had described the explosives her men had painstaking hidden throughout the school. There was nothing BA could do so long as school was still in session.

"Go back to your cell." Sarah's words were sharp. "Lay down, sleep, whatever, I don't really care, but do not speak with Murdock. Let him ask a million questions, but…" Her cold eyes shifted to BA. "I don't want to hear you say a word to him. I want you to ignore him."

BA said nothing as he turned to leave. At least ignoring Murdock would be better than…

"And…" Sarah said, bringing BA to a halt. "…after about an hour, I'll send someone in. He'll let you back into the Captain's cell. This time, I want to hear something break. An arm, maybe a few ribs, but no more strikes to the head; I don't want him to lose consciousness."

BA drew in a strained breath. Could he do that again? It had been so hard to force himself the first time.

"Also," Sarah continued, "Remember what we talked about earlier, about what to say?"

BA cringed.

She turned her attention back to the TV. "Good. Do that this time as well and…when he crumples into a piddling pile again, I want you to take his jacket and that stupid hat. I'd like to see his face better and that jacket will be a rather nice souvenir to hang on my wall. Now, go."

BA turned away and quickly fled. He wasn't used to retreat, but he had to get away before she thought of more terrible things to torture Murdock with.

"Hannibal, Faceman," he whispered under his breath. "Where are you? We need you."