Chapter 11- Fighting back
Consciousness returned very slowly to Tony, he wondered why he felt so groggy, had the nurses given him a sedative. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep, and hearing Gibbs saying that Gibbs had his six. He was confused as to why the nurses would feel the need to drug him. It wasn't like he had gone crazy or panicked, he had felt safe…Oh! No he felt safe, that wasn't good, safe meant pain, lots of pain. He didn't want to open his eyes, maybe this was a nightmare, maybe, Gibbs coming to rescues him was a dream, but if he opened his eyes then the dream would vanish.
As he tried to open his eyes he found he couldn't, something was pitching him into darkness, something around his face blocking his vision. He didn't feel safe if he couldn't see what was happening, he took stock of his body. What he found sent fear coursing though his body, manacles strung up his hands, his shoulders pulling at any movement, his toes barely touching the ground, he was suspended in mid-air. He tried to move, tried to get away, it only caused more pain. His struggles stopped, what chance did he have now, would Gibbs be able to find him this time? Did Gibbs actually find him the last time?
A soft, harsh, familiar voice whispered into his ear, she was right next to him, she was back, he tried to move away, he couldn't, he was trapped again. No no no no, not again, I can't do it again Tony thought panicking, he tried to ignore the voice, tired to hear his friends, the voice broke through the fuzziness of his brain, speaking harshly and laughing a little manically.
"You thought you were safe; think again, it has only just begun Tony" he hated the way she said his name.
It was too personal, too much like how a friend would talk, was she a friend? No Tony you can't let her do this again, she's lying to you, it wasn't a dream, your friends do care, a small voice encouraged him, who's voice was it? Was it his? It sounded so weak, so strained, but it held a hint of hope. Tony clung on to the hope, it gave him hope enough for some defiance, and fought to speak, at least he could speak.
"What the hell do you want with me?" Tony found this came out as a horse shout, but a shout no the less.
"I want you to suffer, that's what I want!" she shouted back, slapping him across the face, splitting his lip. He licked the blood away, he needed to get to his captor, maybe get her mad, maybe at least go out in a blaze of glory, like all the heroes in the films he watched. He was sick of feeling so weak, a voice broke through, Gibbs had said the team needed him, so he would fight, fight until he couldn't anymore, he couldn't let the team down, just couldn't. His anger rose.
"I rescued you, you were going to die, remember!" he was annoyed that she seemed not to remember.
"I didn't need rescuing, he would have come back!" she was really angry now, she wanted him to see her anger, she ripped the blind from his eyes and grabbed him by his hair, speaking in a dangerous whisper. "You are the one that will need rescuing, if there is anything left of you when I'm finished" she left the blind off.
He now got a look at his surrounds, swain was standing to the side of him, goon 1 and goon 2 were standing at what looked like a door to an abandoned warehouse. We're they going to leave him in here? He hoped not. He didn't know where here was. Dim sunlight swam in through the dusty windows, at least there was light this time he thought wryly. The floor was covered in cardboard and plastic sheets, definitely a warehouse.
Swain stomped away, walked over to goon 2 and whispered something to him; Tony didn't like the glimmer of joy in the goon's eyes. The goon withdrew a long leather whip, whipping it for effect as he moved closer to Tony, Tony tried to struggle away, it was a useless fight. Swain got a cell phone out, he couldn't hear what was being said but he just watched defiantly, trying to ignore the pain that was to come.
While he had prepared for the pain, it still left him breathless, he wouldn't scream, he wouldn't allow her what remained of his dignity. The second lash ripped his skin open, the pain almost blinding, his vision greyed, the muscles pulled in his shoulders as he slumped down. He couldn't help but whimper a little, but he would not scream. He barely felt the next three lashes, his back was numb with pain, his vision greyed and he slipped back into unconsciousness.
SPLASH
Tony was shocked back to the land of the living, his hospital clothing now soaked through, the scrubs clung to him. Swain was now in front of him, a cold unfeeling look in her eyes.
"I was not finished with you" she sneered.
"What do…you want?" Tony struggled against the renewed pain that being awake caused.
"I want to watch as the life goes from your eyes" she drew a knife and moved closer, she was too close, he had to fight now, go now he thought. The goons were watching, but he had no choice. He kicked out with all the force he could, she was sent sprawling towards the ground landing in a heap, the knife hidden underneath her.
The goons watched this with interest; it was almost like they didn't care. They moved towards her, Tony struggled to remain awake but needed to see the out come of his actions. Then he noticed that she hadn't moved since falling to the ground, beneath her a growing pool of blood seeped into the crumpled cardboard boxes on the ground. The goons turned her over, the knife was embedded in her stomach, she was still breathing, barely. Tony watched as she stilled, he was close enough to see her eyes; they remained open as the life left them. He hadn't wanted to kill her, but at least now she couldn't torment him any longer.
He was just about the slip back into the painless dark, when he noticed the goons turn to him, their eyes dangerous. They walked menacingly to him, slowly almost and then spoke to him, he barely heard them over the rushing of blood in his ears, the Whipping had taken its toll on his already battered body, beneath him water swirled with his blood.
"She was going easy on you, now, with her out of the way; we can do what we have wanted to do from the start." The cold voice leered at Tony. Tony couldn't hang on to consciousness any longer he slipped away, but that wasn't before he heard the sounds of people rushing the doors and shouting something that he couldn't hear. All he did know was that his tormentor was dead; he smiled and slipped away….
TBC
Hehe what were the sounds he heard before slipping away, was it Gibbs? Was it more bad people? You will have to wait and see. Please read and review.
