A/N: Hey…it's faster than I picked it up last time! *sheepish grin* I really need to stop doing WIPs and just finish them first…then when RL gets in the way, no one knows but me… But – here is the next installment of my personal monster fic. Enjoy!

Chapter 13

Sam nursed a cup of coffee at the kitchen table. He was troubled, no, scratch that, he was afraid. He was really afraid that this situation had gotten far out of hand. When he had first become Richard's attendant, he had balked at the espionage going on in the house. Richard had been very smooth, and Sam had needed the job far too much to ask questions. And then, of course, he was never asked to do anything. He wagered the first year had been exactly the job description he had applied for.

It was after the first year that things started going down hill. He had been foolish – he should have known that the shrewd man, though handicapped, would have found out about his record. Sam was a technology genius – he had hacked the local PD's records and wiped all evidence of his existence long before he started to work for Richard. He had wonderful reasons, of course. He wasn't that man anymore. He didn't want to be. And so – Samuel Lopez, Jr. just simply ceased to exist, and he became Sam R. Rafael.

But Richard found out. To this day, Sam never knew how. Once Richard had confronted him, he was blackmailed into doing Richard's dirty work. This was seven years ago. Last year, Richard told him that he had destroyed all of his proof to Sam's former identity – as a thank you for his loyalty. He told Sam he could leave. He didn't believe Richard…but he was touched.

But Sam liked Richard. And even though he felt bad about what he was doing to the Eppes, it wasn't as if they were his friends…and they didn't even know. What they didn't know couldn't hurt them – right? Forced for so long to do what he did, he found himself tied to the job, even when offered a chance to leave. And he had to admit – greed had played a part too. Richard paid him well. VERY well. Much more than most "attendants" would or even should receive. With Sam's skills, no one, especially the IRS, was ever the wiser. An account in the Caymans held several million dollars. It was his emergency fund – in case anything ever went wrong. Let's face it…in case Richard ever turned on him.

Sam took another drink. That last thought was what had sent him out of the observation room…away from what was happening to the prisoner. Sam shook his head…he was thinking like Richard. The man was completely livid at the unfortunate eldest Eppes son. Yesterday, he had decided to stop calling him "Don"…he now took on the nickname the guards had been calling the agent – "the dog." Sam shuddered involuntarily. He didn't want to turn into Richard! Eppes…Don Eppes was being slowly beaten to death two stories down from where he currently sat. And it was his fault. Richard had lost it – of this Sam had no doubt. This was not a "lesson" to teach Don (he would call him "Don"…he was not Richard!!!) respect. Richard was going to kill the agent, of this Sam was sure.

Through the years, Sam had seen almost every emotion Richard had toward the eldest Eppes. Lately, there had been a lot of pride – a lot less anger than had occupied most of his tenure. Richard had loved ALL of the Eppes, Sam knew it. So what really frightened him was to see the change – the awful Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde change that had come over Richard in the past 6 days. If Richard turned on Don…who's to say he wouldn't turn on Sam?

Anyone who had eyes could see that Sam was not into what was happening. Though Richard seemed a mite disappointed, he very quickly found a new friend in Don's tormentor: Ace Salinas. When Ace wasn't teaching Don, he was entertaining Richard with his newest ideas on how to break the agent. He had a lot of ideas, and none of them were pretty. Richard was elated…Sam was sick.

And yet, the finger just kept coming back to him. Why in the world had he gotten Ace? He had been so careful…meticulous…to keep away from all of his former acquaintances. But when Don hadn't turned the job offer down flat, Richard had blown up, and ordered Sam to find someone…he'd been caught up in the emotion. Now, it was too late. Ace was downstairs, trying out one of his new ideas on Don. Sam had heard the explanation. He knew how long Ace would keep on. He had serious doubts that the agent would make it to Day 7.

Sam put his cup down. So…was that it? Was he really going to let this happen? Was he going to brood while a man was killed beneath him? A man who was honorable…a man who had done nothing but serve his country and his family? No! Suddenly…grimly, Sam decided to change. He didn't know how…but he was going to stop this. He was tired of being ashamed. He was tired of standing behind a man in a wheel chair and pretending that he was unaware of what he was being asked to do. He was tired…of Richard. Standing, he took his cup and emptied it in the sink. Leaning against the counter, he began to plan. He would have to think and act quickly. There was no time to involve anyone else…he was alone in this. Trying to get the FBI involved would take too long – the agent would be dead by then. No – he had to do this himself. And it would have to happen tonight.

I know, I know. You were all hoping for a Don scene. I was too…but this is what popped out instead. To be honest, I'm having real trouble writing a torture scene. I love Donnie…whumping is fine…torturing…a lot harder to write than I thought. However, Don-whump fans, fear not – there will now be a LOT of Don…and you will see what is happening to him downstairs. Also – the story will be very fast paced now, because the next few chapters are going to take place in a matter of hours, so be aware of that. Okay – please review! I want to know if you like it! I promise to try to have the next chapter out in a couple of days.

Ciao!

Kas