Bye Bye Baby

A/N: As promised your early morning update. Couldn't leave you hanging too long after that cliff hanger!.. ;-) Thank you for all your kind words and feedback. I am so pleased so many of you are enjoying this story but must warn you that this update does involve some upsetting scenes for poor Steve.

Chapter 11

Steve instinctively recoiled back against the back of the chair at the approach of the two Russians into his personal space, his mind racing along with his increased heart rate. Damacov was a difficult man to read but if nothing else, Steve had realized that he admired courage and bravery. It was the only fact that had kept him alive up to this and he had to continue to use it to his advantage. If he showed any of the fear that was now currently gripping his heart, he would seal his fate, so he had to try his best to appear outwardly cool and unaffected by their intimidating actions. It was the only thing he could do now to prevent and delay the inevitable. He watched nervously as Dmitriy circled around behind him and came back around to his left side while Damacov merely came forward and stood in front of him, watching his every reaction. Several minutes of intimidating silence followed and Steve lifted his chin to stare back at the Crime Boss defiantly, even thought he felt the complete opposite inside.

"I suppose you're wondering what I need from you, Keller? Well I have my men looking for the girl but perhaps you can help me find her quicker. Where was Stone going when he left you earlier?"

Without a second hesitation, Steve answered defiantly.

"I don't know. He DIDN'T say ..."

Damacov chuckled unnervingly.

"You really are a dying breed Keller, again if you'll excuse the intended pun." Damacov stated to a new ripple of suppressed laughter from his men.

"Such bravado AND loyalty beyond all concern for your own well being are in this day and age QUITE admirable Keller but surely your partner would not wish you to suffer unnecessarily for keeping such trivial information to yourself. He must have told you where he was going. All you have to do is tell me and this " session " will stop FOR NOW. And so I ask you again Keller, WHERE was he GOING? "

Damacov's irritation with his noncompliance was audible in his raised and angry words and Steve knew if he disobeyed a second time there would most certainly be pain involved but he was not going to betray Mike or the girl so he made his decision and spoke firmly, keeping his nerves and the worry successfully out of his voice.

"I TOLD you Damacov. I was just to mind the kid until he came back. I don't know where he was going. He DIDN'T say ... I can't help you."

"Can't or WON'T? Eh?"

Damacov turned and grabbed Steve's chin roughly and pulled it up to stare at him.

"Did you know that Dmitriy there was a famous bare knuckle boxer back in Moscow. He was undefeated in forty fights ... However ... he doesn't know his own strength MISTER Keller and he killed someone during a fight ... by accident of course. He broke the man's rib and drove it through his lung ... A very nasty way to die Mr. Keller. So I assisted him by bringing him here to your fair country to work for me and to use his special talent in my line of work. One can always use a good bodyguard, don't you think Keller?"

Damacov released Steve's chin and nodded suddenly to his men. One man gripped Steve's upper chest from behind and pulled up his shirt on the left side, exposing his left side while Dmitriy readied himself with his right hand, balled and fisted.

"Would you like to hazard a guess Mr. Keller as to how many times Dmitriy here could hit your rib cage before a rib breaks. If you'll allow me to say that bearing in mind you don't have very much upper body muscle to protect you from his obvious advantage in strength."

Steve remained silent, not satisfying the man in front of him with an answer as he tried instead to ready himself for the impact he knew was coming. He mustn't brace himself. He knew that much. He had to try and remain relaxed or else he feared his rib would break on the first punch. The trick was to relax the muscles as best he could. Easier said than done, he thought to himself.

"You have no answer Keller? Then you leave me no choice but to find out the answer in practice. Dmitriy!"

Steve relaxed his body, a hard task as the man behind had him gripped so firmly but then Dmitriy drew back his fist and drove it into his side mercilessly. The impact sent a sharp pain right through his torso and drove the breath clear out of his lungs leaving him fighting for air for several minutes as Dmitriy withdrew his fist and laughed at Steve's misery. He hadn't felt any bones break and knew he had been lucky but he also knew that situation was tenable and from the power in Dmitriy's fist he knew his rib cage wouldn't withstand many more hits like that. When he had regulated his breathing sufficiently again, he raised his head back up from his chest and stared at Dmitriy, total contempt now practically dripping from his voice.

"Is that all you've got?"

Dmitriy's laugh faded and he pulled his fist back in anger but Damacov stopped him.

"TOVARICH! ... Control your temper. This is a wise one. You didn't brace yourself purposefully Keller. You never cease to impress me however ... You must also know that after a couple more of those, your body will tense automatically in a protective move and you will find it harder to resist it. An address Keller ... Give me an address and this will end here ... I have all the time in the world to play with you Keller but you do not have that luxury ..."

Steadying his voice, by allowing his anger at these men to give him strength he spoke once more bravely.

"Then I guess we're in for a long night because I won't tell you ... ANYTHING! ..."

Steve almost spat the words out but before he had time to steady himself, a second blow caught him just under his rib cage. The pain peaked and vibrated through his weakened body but he felt no bones give way and thanked God in his own head. His breath went a second time and he gasped for oxygen as the large form of Dmitriy showed him no mercy as he pounded Steve's rib cage a third time before he had recovered from the second. This time he felt a distinct bone break and the pain was agonizing. He wasn't sure how many ribs had succumbed but he knew he was in deep trouble. One more blow on that side could cause irreparable damage and he didn't have a clue as to how to get out of his current predicament. Was this it? Was this how he would meet his end? In a rat infested, dilapidated warehouse at the hands of a Russian Crime syndicate. He was out of ideas and strength. He readied himself for what would come, trying to keep his mind from thinking about Mike and Jeannie and the grief they would feel at his passing. As Dmitriy drew back his fist a fourth time, Steve mumbled breathlessly.

"Three ..."

"WAIT!" Damacov shouted at Dmitriy, effectively stopping his fist from hitting Steve again.

"Keller? Are you giving me an address. Go on! Three what?"

Steve lifted his chin defiantly and spoke clearly.

"Three. You asked me ... how many times it would take for him to break my rib ... The answer is three ..."

Steve's mouth curled into a taunting smile as he watched the fury grow on Damacov's face. Dmitriy lashed out on seeing Damacov's anger and slapped Steve viciously across the face as Steve felt his bottom lip split on the left hand side and blood began to pour from it. Reeling from the force of the blow along with the pain that was now throbbing through the left side of his face, joining his left side and thigh in sympathy, he felt his consciousness start to waver. He heard Dmitriy speak coldly as he also heard a flick knife being opened.

"Let me finish this pig off for you Boss ..."

Before Damacov could reply, the door to the room opened and a man ran towards Damacov grabbing his attention.

"BOSS? "

"DMITRIY! Leave him be for the moment."

Damacov pulled the man to one side and they spoke in Russian, in a very low tone. Steve was struggling to stay conscious, as black spots appeared before his eyes and threatened to pull him into the darkness that hovered close to him. He tried to listen but couldn't make out any of the words they were using. Then the pain peaked and he lost the battle as his head dropped forward onto his chest and he let the oblivion drag him under.

Within seconds Damacov dismissed the man and walked back towards Steve. On returning, he grabbed Steve's hair and pulling his head upwards he saw that the young man was unconscious. Turning to Dmitriy angrily, he grabbed his Makarov and pistol whipped the Russian across the face. The others drew back as the large Russian fell to his knees, clutching at his cheek.

"What use is he to me unconscious? Next time you will do AS I ASK ONLY! Is that UNDERSTOOD? "

He cocked the trigger and turned off the safety on the pistol as he pointed it to the side of Dmitriy's head. The large Russian cowered respectfully.

"Sorry ... Boss ... It ... won't happen again ... "

The others watched anxiously as they saw the undeniable and almost maniacal anger on Damacov's face. Whatever news had been imparted to him seconds before mustn't have been good. Damacov seemed to slowly calm down and slowly pulled the gun away again and secured the safety back into place. In a threatening tone he muttered under his breath.

"Make sure it doesn't Tovarich, or next time I may NOT be so merciful ..."

Then turning to the henchman standing behind their prisoner he barked more orders.

"Fetch me some cold water ... NOW!"

Seconds later the man returned and handed a large steel jug of ice cold water to his Boss with a shaky hand and returned to his post behind their prisoner. Damacov stepped forward and without a moment's hesitation threw the entire contents viciously up into Steve's face. The sharp sting of the icy cold liquid brought Steve back instantly as he coughed and tried to regain his bearings after his rude reawakening. The cold water now drenching his shirt made him shiver violently and he shook his head from side to side to dispel the droplets that still dripped from his now soaked hair. He blinked several times to clear the fog as he stared at the maniacal man now smirking coldly as he stood before him.

"Apologies for the rude awakening Mr. Keller but we weren't quite finished our little chat. It would seem that your Mike Stone is more resourceful than I gave him credit for. He has obtained the girl and managed to kill two of my men in the process. Good men."

Steve processed this latest news flash. Yes! Mike had Laura and they were both safe. That was the best news he had heard so far but Steve knew that the fact that two good men of his had been killed in the operation wouldn't sit well with Damacov and he feared that revenge might be taken on him or worse still Brigitte! He was tempted to smile but decided not to "prod the bear" so to speak anymore at the minute. Instead he kept his face expressionless and waited for the older man to continue.

"Now the question remains as to where he would then take her Mr. Keller? Perhaps you can assist me with that answer?"

Steve swallowed hard. His side was throbbing and his leg hurt like hell. He could feel blood trickling from his bottom lip and some of the blood was pooling in his mouth, the metallic taste making him feel suddenly nauseous. He dropped his head to the left side and opened his mouth to allow the pooled blood to escape from his mouth and drip sideways down his chin. Knowing his noncompliance would result in more pain he tried to reason with the Russian Boss, knowing in his heart that it was a futile task.

"There are a hundred safe houses all over the city ... I don't even know half of them ... He could have taken her anywhere ..."

Damacov tutted loudly, now pacing unnervingly back and forth in front of him.

"Dear, oh dear Mr. Keller. You are a MOST stubborn and UNHELPFUL individual. Even with your side broken, your lip split, and a knife sticking out of your thigh you STILL refuse to help me! ARE YOU INSANE?"

Damacov roared the last three words violently and bent down to push his face right up in front of Steve's.

"I can kill you Mr. Keller right here ... RIGHT NOW! Do you have ANY idea of what I am CAPABLE of doing to YOU if you continue to ANNOY me?"

Damacov's face was uncomfortably close to his, his venomous words loud and unnerving. Steve was only too well aware of what this particular man was capable of. He had seen his handiwork up close and personal many times in his role as a homicide detective and it was stomach churning to say the least. Not sure what he should answer next, he settled for the painful truth.

"You're going to kill me anyway. Why SHOULD I help you?"

Damacov seemed to be trying to pull his calm exterior back together. With his face still in Steve's personal space, he spoke in a quieter tone which only served to make his words more chilling.

"Because MISTER Keller! I can kill you quick and mercifully or SLOWLY and ... agonizingly ... It is entirely up to you."

Steve could feel his bottom lip start to quiver. He wasn't sure if it was from the biting cold he was feeling as the cold sea breeze blew in through the broken window and blew against his soaked shirt, chilling him to the bone, from the blood loss that was starting to cause symptoms to appear or from the fear he was feeling that was getting harder to conceal.

"I don't know where he'd take her but wherever it is ... I CAN tell you this. You'll never get to her. Not if Mike is protecting her ... Give it up Damacov. You can't win this one!"

He closed his eyes and waited for some form of painful retribution. Another slap, a twisting of the knife. He tried to steel himself for whatever came and hoped that at the very least he would be able to stifle any screams of pain that threatened to escape but ... nothing came ... Opening his eyes nervously, he watched Damacov smile and walk away from him only to begin his pacing again back and forth.

"He will tell us NOTHING. Feast your eyes on this young brave man gentlemen. A rare breed indeed. He would gladly suffer intolerably rather than betray his partner. Such loyalty is a dying quality. Practically unheard of anymore. I ADMIRE it. Especially in a world where everybody has their price these days. But not THIS one. Isn't that right Mr. Keller? HOWEVER even the bravest man has their weaknesses. And unfortunately for you I KNOW what your weakness is. You live to serve and protect the innocent. You will NOT sacrifice them ... ELENA! Bring me the baby ..."

Steve swallowed hard, his breath now coming in labored heaves. No! No, not the baby. Damn him. He did know his weakness . He couldn't let her get hurt. Oh God! MIKE? Where are you? I NEED you .

"NO! No Damacov. Leave her alone. This isn't about her. She's just a baby."

Steve struggled against his constraints, anger now giving him extra strength from out of nowhere. Damacov just smiled in response.

"My dear fellow. You have left me no other choice ..."

"NO! ..."

Elena hesitated in moving towards her Boss yet she knew the price of disobedience. The sleeping small infant in her arms, oblivious to the danger she was in seemed to cling to her and her feet refused to move.

"ELENA?" Damacov roared again, audibly losing patience and she felt one of his men push her violently from behind, towards their Boss.

She stumbled and righted herself, edging slowly closer, her eyes pleading mercy for the young baby, knowing her pleas would go unheard by the coldhearted monster who kept her so cruelly under his thumb. She threw a panicked glance at Steve and saw him watching her anxiously. Approaching Damacov she spoke in a trembling voice.

"Please Grigori ... Do not harm her ... She is no threat to you ..."

"SILENCE! " Damacov roared again as he snatched the baby from her roughly, causing Brigitte to start to cry loudly.

Steve struggled harder, the ropes tearing at the skin on his wrists in his fruitless efforts to free himself and save the child. In painful frustration he gritted his teeth and spat out furiously ...

"DAMACOV! YOU SON OF A ..."

Before he could finish his insult, Dmitriy stepped forward and grabbed a handful of Steve's hair, painfully silencing him effectively.

"The Boss does not take kindly to insults pretty boy. Especially not ones that insult his mother."

Damacov spoke again as he held out his hand and a henchman placed a knife into it.

"Last chance to save the child Keller. If you were in Mike Stone's shoes, WHERE would you TAKE the GIRL?"

Steve groaned as the pain peaked. He heard Elena sobbing and Brigitte's heart rending cries. As Dmitriy let go of his hair and he saw the knife that Damacov was holding against Brigitte's back, he knew he had no choice but to answer. Cursing his helplessness and the fact that he was out of options he shamefully spoke, his words coming out in painful and humiliating heaves.

"Alright! Alright, don't hurt her ... I'll answer you ... Just please ... PLEASE don't hurt her ..."

"THAT will depend on you Keller ... WHERE would he take her?"

"If I was Mike ... I'd take her to ... Bryant Street ... "

As the answer left his lips he watched Damacov closely, praying that he would accept his answer as being honest and drop the knife away from the baby. Dmitriy scoffed and shouted viciously.

"He's LYING Boss. He's only saying that to make us give up any hopes of getting her. Let me CUT the right answer out of HIM! "

"NO! I'm not lying. What reason have I to lie? It's where he'd take her. It would be the safest place. Please ... let her go ..."

Damacov remained studying Steve in return and after several seconds he lowered the knife and thrust the baby back into the arms of the sobbing form of Elena. A henchman grabbed her roughly from behind and pulled her back from the unfolding scene.

"No, he is not lying. He wouldn't risk the child's life. He is right. It would be the perfect place. YES! That is where she is being kept ..."

Steve dropped his head onto his chest, his torment getting the better of him along with the relief that Brigitte had escaped unharmed. Surely even Damacov would not try an assault on Bryant Street? Besides while he had many men, he wouldn't have nearly enough to match the manpower in Bryant Street. But what would his next move be? Steve wasn't sure and that fact bothered him more than anything else. This man was crazy. What would he do next?

"But BOSS? If that's true then we don't stand a chance of getting her. We would be crazy to try anything there. We would be outnumbered and outgunned. It would be a slaughter."

Damacov paced a little and seemed to be formulating a new plan. After a couple of minutes he grinned unnervingly and spoke with a hint of humor in his voice.

"Dmitriy, that is why I am in charge and NOT YOU! Of course we can not stand up to them on their own territory but we CAN persuade the girl to come to us instead and we can persuade the cops that it is in their best interests not to intervene ..."

Steve didn't like the look of the maniacal grin that Damacov's face wore and he waited for more clarity of what he had just outlined. He didn't have to wait for long as Dmitriy asked.

"But how can we persuade them of those things?"

"By sending them a message Tovarich. A simple ... but appropriate and meaningful message."

Steve watched in terror as Damacov approached Elena and Brigitte again menacingly and he shouted hopelessly, tearing at the ropes again as he felt the blood drip from his wrists.

"NO! "

Elena pleaded quietly but Damacov laughed and shouted back to Steve.

"Relax Mr. Keller. A piece from her clothing will suffice for now ..."

He cut a piece from the baby's sleep suit amid more cries from her and then turned to march back towards Steve, his hostility returning much to Steve's dismay.

"Unfortunately for you Mr. Keller. A piece of your clothing will NOT suffice. We will need something a little more chilling instead. "

Before Steve could fully take in the horror of that statement, Damacov had demanded that his men fully restrain Steve. The henchman from behind Steve once more gripped him around the chest from behind and held his head in a headlock to his left side, leaving Steve's right ear exposed. Steve's heart almost stopped in his chest as Damacov came to his right side and placed the point of the knife behind his ear. Oh God no! Not his ear! MIKE? Now would be a good time to appear. He tried his best to struggle but he was being held too firmly and his strength was running out. He felt a sharp sting as the knife cut behind his ear and he suppressed the scream that wanted to be released.

"Remain still Keller. One slip and you might be done for."

Steve knew his struggle was hopeless and as no sounds of rescue echoed from outside, he felt that he had no choice but to accept his cruel fate. Deciding to face it with dignity he ceased his struggle and calmed, his breathing coming in audible heaves through his nose as he felt more pain on the right side of his head, behind his right ear. He sucked in a deep breath, laced with terror as with a sudden yank, Damacov produced a clump of Steve's hair in his hand, right in front of Steve's face, the ends drenched in his blood.

"This will suffice for now. It will give your " lab boys" something to analyze. Surely you didn't really think I was going to cut off your ear ... Did you?"

Another maniacal laugh erupted from Damacov as he signaled for his man to release him. Steve almost passed out from the aftermath of the stress of the ordeal. He was now shaking all over and he couldn't stop. His head hurt and he felt a trickle of blood run down his neck on the right hand side behind his ear. He felt light headed and his heart was threatening to burst from his chest, it was hammering so hard The other men in the room laughed and Steve hung his head against his chest, his dignity now gone and his humiliation complete. Brigitte's cries had stopped and yet Elena's quiet sobs were still audible over the noise of the men's laughter.

Dmitriy spat abuse from where he stood.

"Look at the big, brave cop NOW. Shaking like a leaf ... You look a little green again pretty boy ..."

"ENOUGH! " Damacov shouted and all the laughter ceased.

He reached inside his jacket pocket and produced an envelope and stashed the clump of Steve's hair and the piece of baby clothing into it. Then walking towards Elena who almost visibly froze as he approached, he spoke softly.

"Poor, sweet, innocent Elena ... So misunderstanding of the violence you have just witnessed and so affected by it. It is necessary in this cruel world my dear. But I do not expect you to understand. YOU will deliver these messages for me and return immediately if you wish to see this infant child live. Is that clear my sweet Elena?"

He drew a gentle finger down her cheek and across her neck to her shoulder and she shuddered from the touch. As fear gripped her every fibre, she spoke shakily.

"Yes Grigori ... As you wish ..."

"Good girl ..."

Then he turned to his men.

"Mikhail! Release Keller and the rest of you come with me. We have plans to make. Elena? Give him back the child and follow me downstairs. I will give you your instructions and Mikhail will stay with you for your protection. "

Damacov then left abruptly, followed by a quick exodus of the rest of the men, who followed him loyally. Mikhail cut Steve loose of his bindings and then lifting him from behind, off the chair, he planted him without mercy on the floor against the wall. The sudden drop sent a wave of pain through Steve's body and he struggled to contain the after effect it caused. As his ordeal finally took its toll and he watched as all but one of the Russians left his dismal surroundings, Steve bent over sideways to his left and threw up violently. After the violent expulsion, he heaved painfully and struggled to regulate his breathing as the frail and shaking hand of Elena's reached out and stroked his forehead before handing him a tissue with which to wipe his mouth. He turned gratefully and saw her in the moonlight streaming from the window. She had fresh tears running down her cheeks and she held Brigitte tenderly in her other arm.

"I am so sorry that they did this to you ... "

Mikhail was now over at the doorway.

"Hurry Elena! Damacov is waiting for you. Do not get too close to the American."

"He is NO threat to me." She shouted back. " I am coming. Wait outside!"

Steve watched her and clasped her hand.

"Please? You've got to help me get her out of here. He's going to kill her."

Steve was desperate. With no sign of Mike and the cavalry coming anytime soon, Elena was his last and only hope of gaining freedom for Brigitte.

"I'm sorry. I can't help you. If I try to smuggle her out , she will only cry and he will kill us both ... I am NOT brave like you ... "

As she spoke, she used another tissue to wipe the blood from his lip. Steve had to think of another plan. Feeling that he could trust her he smiled and spoke pleadingly.

"Then at least do this ... When you get to Bryant Street find Lieutenant Michael Stone. Tell him where we are and he'll keep you safe ... You'll never have to see Damacov again. He'll protect you. You can trust him. I swear to you. Please help us ... You don't belong with him ..."

Elena wiped another tear from her cheek and seemed to think about Steve's plan.

"I will see what I can do ... but I cannot promise you anything. I will be watched closely. What you ask of me ... may not be possible ..."

Steve knew he was asking her to risk her life for him, a stranger and nodded his understanding. For now, her promise to try was all he had left. She went to hand him the baby and he stopped her momentarily.

"My shirt is wet ... I don't want her getting cold. Can you get me her blanket and a bottle ... please?"

Elena nodded and then sobbed again.

"You are hurt badly ... Aren't you?"

Steve swallowed hard. He wasn't sure how bad he was exactly but if he was going on how he felt, it didn't feel good but for some strange reason he didn't want this poor lost young woman to worry and he found himself bravely answering.

"Oh ... Don't worry about me. Just a few cuts and bruises. You ... mind yourself ... I don't ... want you getting hurt because of us ... I had no right to ask you to ..."

She silenced him with a gentle finger on his lips.

"I will be back ... Do not lose hope ..."

She handed Brigitte to Steve but he held her away from his wet shirt as he watched her get up and leave the room and he heard the door close and lock behind her. A feeling of hopelessness washed over him as Brigitte squirmed and whimpered and a stray tear fell down his cheek as he felt that he had failed the baby in his arms. Making sure she was wrapped in his jacket snugly, he held her against him making sure that the jacket kept her from touching the dampness of his meager attire and he spoke softly against the top of her head as he snuggled her close.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to get you out of here Brigitte. But Uncle Mike is coming soon honey. He'll get us out of here. I know he will ... Mike won't let us down Sweetheart. Mike ... won't let us down."