Chapter Twenty-one

Sitting in the corner with his knees pulled up to his chest Peter shivered violently enough to chatter his teeth. Closing his eyes and swearing at himself in frustration Peter took a deep breath and forced the tremors back under control. Far from simply being caused by missing Neal's body heat the waves of tremors were more multi-factorial with a large component being anxiety over having Neal alone out in the dangerous tunnels. Peter had faith in Neal's ability to physically out run Sawyer or really anyone else he encountered, but it wouldn't take more than a single mistake in direction for him to end up cornered in a dead end.

As the hours slowly ticked by Peter took what little comfort he could in the fact that at least he knew that Sawyer hadn't caught Neal yet. If he had the first thing Sawyer would have done would have been to drag him back here to force Peter into opening the door. Peter had no illusions about Sawyer letting Neal live if he turned himself over, he'd just kill them both, but that was better than allowing Neal to suffer alone at the hands of an enemy that wasn't even his own. Peter didn't even considered the idea of hiding behind the locked door. If Sawyer caught Neal it would mean the end of them both.

"Unless Jake 'saves' us." Peter sighed to himself.

Becoming increasingly agitated as he waited for Neal to return Peter focused on the bite mark that was throbbing painfully on his arm. Unwrapping the gauze he found the area had become painfully swollen and warm to the touch. Picking at one of the scabs that had developed caused the wound to ooze out an off white sickly pus. Finding some relief from the pressure release he lanced a few of the other obviously infect tooth marks. The scent of rot and infection started to turn Peter's stomach forcing him to his feet so that he could go to the sink to wash the wound. Once up Peter had to brace his hand against the wall for a moment as his once dull headache suddenly stabbed sharply enough to mess with both his vision and his balance.

Struggling against the concussion Peter managed to make it into the bathroom where he ran some cold water over the injury for a moment. With the water still running Peter stared at his reflection in the small medicine cabinet mirror. He still didn't remember anything of the fight but the dark purple mark that started at his temple and ran down over his cheek was a powerful reminder that he had to do better next time. Not convinced he could do better Peter started to put some real hope into the idea that Neal hadn't returned yet wasn't because he'd gotten lost but because he had found a way out and actually taken it.

"Come back for me when you could have gotten away and I'll kill you myself." Peter warned his missing friend even though it was an empty threat.

Knowing that Neal wouldn't leave him down here at this point any more than he would leave him Peter was becoming increasingly concerned with the length of time he'd been away. Peter wasn't in the best condition to head out into the tunnels to go looking for Neal, but it was getting harder and harder to just wait even if it was the smart thing to do. Tired of waiting Peter turned the water off and went over to the box of medical supplies and fished out the bottle labeled 'aspirin' that he hoped actually contained aspirin. He and Neal had both expressed their doubts about it when they'd first found the bottle but Peter decided to risk it feeling that if he could just clear up his headache he'd be better equipt to head out into the labyrinth.

Shaking out two of the white pills Peter crunched down on the first one to make sure that it at least had the characteristic bitter taste of aspirin. Smacking his lips against the powerful bitter taste he reasoned that it was safe to take the second one with a swig of water. With the quick acting medication taking some of the edge off his pain Peter stepped into the small hallway that connected the bathroom with the front room. He froze in place when he heard a key grating in the lock. He had locked the door behind Neal having agreed on the classic 'Shave and a Haircut' knock as a signal for it being all clear to unlock it.

Trying to think fast spun Peter's mind a bit reminding him his concussion was still an issue, but he came up with a semblance of a plan and rushed back into the bathroom to turn the water on full before stepping out once again and closing the door behind him. He had just enough time to get into the front room before Jake opened it. The old lock and worn key didn't work all that well and it always seemed to take Jake a few tries to get the lock to turn which worked to Peter's advantage as it gave plenty of warning that their captor was about to pay them a visit.

"I know it hasn't been twenty-four hours, but I jus…" Jake stopped mid-sentence as he noticed that Peter was alone. "Where's Caffrey?"

"In the bathroom."

Jake thought about Peter's response before stepping into the room. Peter noticed how second nature it was for Jake to close and lock the door behind himself as though he was just as on his guard from an attack from behind as he and Neal were. Jake gave Peter a suspicious look before making a move to head towards the bathroom.

"I wouldn't go in there." Peter warned as he stepped in front of the archway that lead to the short hall. "Neal's stomach isn't doing very well."

"He's probably not used to eating cat food."

"He likes pâté, which I don't think is all that much different, but he assures me it is." Peter looked over his shoulder before flashing Jake a sympathetic grimace. "I suppose this proves him right."

Jake chuckled and relaxed the previous tension that had been across his shoulders when he'd first arrived. Peter forced as smile and tried to at least appear relaxed as well. He didn't think he had as much of a chance of fooling Jake into thinking they had a connection but if he was going to ask Neal to try he had to as well. Jake didn't seem to quite know what to do without Neal there to converse with. For a moment Peter thought he might just leave but instead he stepped closer and made a point of looking Peter up and down.

"I have to admit, Burke, I'm a little surprised to see you back on your feet so soon. How's your head?"

"Not great."

"Next time be faster." Jake advised.

"I'll try."

"It was a good fight, I honesty thought you were going to win." Jake praised.

"Thank you for not making Neal fight." Peter said genuinely.

"I keep my bargains…for the most part."

"Is this a bargain we can do again?"

"Caffrey didn't tell you?" Jake raised a surprised eyebrow. "Next fight it's his chance to be your hero, if he wins you don't fight. You're welcome."

"Jake…"

"Don't worry, he's going up against Marco who recently went blind in his right eye from a detached retina." Jake said casually.

The way Jake freely offered the critical information about Marco's weakness solidified Peter's thoughts that Jake didn't really want to see Neal dead. Knowing ahead of time that Neal's opponent had a new handicap on his right side was going to allow Peter to teach him to specifically take advantage of that weakness. There was a good chance that Jake just won the fight for Neal with his comment. Seeing that Jake appeared to be in a helpful mood Peter decided to press his luck with him a bit more.

"Jake," Peter said carefully "we both know Neal isn't last long down here."

"He's not the only one." Jake mocked. "Tanner really cleaned your clock, a few more knocks like that and you're not even going to be able to remember your own name."

"You're right, I can't keep this up, and the moment I can't you're going to have the death of a Federal Agent on your hands and the FB…"

"Not this again." Jake rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"I know I've offered this before, but I don't think you've believed me. If you hel…"

"I believe you," Jake interrupted as he walked up to Peter and stared him down "I know the FBI would be endlessly grateful to get their Agent back. I turn state's evidence against York and his expansive list of crimes and I'm sure they would set me up with a whole new life. There's just one problem: I don't want a new life."

"You can't mean that, this is no way for a man to live."

"I'm not normal, Agent, so stop treating me like someone you can reason with. I'm a demon with sadistic tastes."

"Ja…"

"I'm guessing that you think I have some sort of empathy for Caffrey, but I don't. I simply enjoy him for what he is: a beautiful distraction." Jake purred darkly as he fearlessly pressed further into Peter's personal space. "He's more fun than I've had in years. I enjoy the way he looks at me with that perfect mix of terror and defiance, I love the way he bucks under me like a stallion that refuses to be broken but at the same time still ends up going in whatever direction I yank the reins."

"Jake, please…"

"Also I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a deep satisfaction from having a clearly proud Federal Agent cowed and on a short leash." Jake added with a cruel smile. "I don't get intelligent men to play with that often and what looks like mercy is just me wanting this game to last. But everything with a brand dies down here and you two are no exception, there is no escape, no forgiveness, no hope. For you at least, I'm fine…I chose this life."

Peter's skin had crawled at the passion in Jake's voice as he described his macabre love of torment, but there was something about his last statement that didn't ring true. Jake had started his speech with confidence but by the time he'd gotten to the end of it he was breathing heavily with his eyes looking bright with tears that he refused to shed.

"I'm not ashamed to admit that I live for the thrill of this kind of power, it's intoxicating." Jake continued sounding more like he was trying to convince himself rather than Peter. "The Labyrinth is where I belong, I enjoy hurting others."

"The way others have hurt you?"

Peter was careful to take a breath and hold it just in case Jake suddenly became violent and lashed out at him for the comment. Peter knew it was a risk to bring up an abusive past that he was certain Jake had suffered at some point but he hoped it might also open him up to a more human conversation. Jake's emotional state was so volatile that Peter felt that if he could just catch him in a moment of weakness that he would confide in him and he just might have a chance to sway him to their side. For a long moment Jake didn't react at all, he just stared at Peter frozen in a battle with his own emotions. Just as Peter had seen before Jake briefly appeared like he wanted to drop his tough guy persona, however before Peter could make a connection with him Jake took a step back and laughed off his near brush with compassion.

"Nice try, Burke." Jake chuckled. "Looking to get inside my head are you? Trust me, you won't like what you see."

"I'm just trying to understand where you're coming from."

"You're good, Agent, I'll give you that, very well played. I can't tell if you're just following FBI training to try and trick me into helping you or if you honestly believe there is hope for me to decide to become a decent person."

"There's hope for everyone." Peter replied honestly.

"I disagree." Jake said simply. "However, perhaps we can help each other anyway. Come with me."

Peter automatically glanced over his shoulder at the closed bathroom door nervously even though Neal wasn't actually behind it. Beyond worrying what Jake had in store for him he didn't want to leave with Jake knowing that he would lock the front door behind them and leave Neal trapped in the hall.

"Don't worry, I'll leave the door unlocked." Jake said reading Peter's thoughts perfectly.

"What?"

"I know Caffrey's not in the bathroom, cute little con and I actually fell for it at first, but he'd have to be at death's door to leave you out here alone with me this long."

"Jake…"

"Don't worry, I don't mind him exploring the Labyrinth. I wouldn't have left the door open to you two if I did." Jake shrugged as motioned towards the door. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Peter considered protesting but he didn't want Jake's mood to swing past his current calm and into violence. Either way if Jake wanted him out of the room he was going to get his way. As much as Peter hated to admit it Jake had a point about having him on a short leash, he was also right about him following his FBI training. The first rule was to attempt to humanize yourself to your captor to reduce the chance that they would kill you, but he kept falling short with Jake. Nodding in agreement Peter followed Jake out into the hallway hoping that whatever Jake wanted it would be quick enough to get him back here before Neal.

Jake opened the door and looked out in both directions, showing that same cautiousness that Peter had noted earlier. Peter wasn't exactly sure what Jake feared since so far he'd shown he had a good level of control over even Sawyer and his gang. Peter was still trying to figure out what Jake and Sawyer's relationship was but whatever agreement kept Sawyer in check around Jake appeared to be flimsy at best. With the way clear Jake stepped out into the hall with his usual confidence returned. Peter followed close behind suddenly realizing that this was the first time he'd been out in the hall with Jake without having his wrists zip tied behind his back, showing that if nothing else Jake was starting to trust him on some level even if was a subconscious one.

Peter memorized the turns they took as best he could in case Jake ended up just stranding him out in the maze. Eventually Jake came to a closed door. He brought out his keys but hesitated to use them. Peter had the distinct impression that Jake didn't realize how often he let his inner thoughts show as Jake unlocked the door and looked to Peter with a smug expression as if he hadn't just fallen out of character.

"After you." Jake said politely.

Jake probably thought he was about to take Peter by surprise but the scent in the air that had washed over Peter told him exactly what to expect in the next room. Stepping through the door Peter walked directly over to the dead man sprawled out on the blood stained floor without betraying the horror he felt at the sight. The beginning stages of rigor mortis had set in pulling the man's lips away from his teeth ghoulishly and prying his eyes open as he stared sightless up out of the gory mess that had once been his face. His shirt had been torn open revealing the maze shaped brand in his chest that had been there long enough to heal but not long enough to fade.

"Sawyer did this." Jake announced. "Since you fought hard enough to keep Caffrey out of the ring I placed Miller in with Sawyer instead. Miller didn't have a chance, Sawyer let him live through the fight only because he knew he wouldn't make it through the night and that he'd suffer more this way. Sawyer didn't even know this guy, but he still made sure he died choking on his own blood."

Peter listened to Jake's explanation of the scene without comment, however the blood spatter surrounding Miller suggested that he had been beaten to death right where he lay and not that he had been assaulted elsewhere and left here to die. Staring at the corpse Jake was rubbing the thumb of his left hand into the palm of his right compulsively drawing Peter's attention not only to Jake's anxiety but the fact that the knuckles across his right hand held fresh marks. Jake may want to blame the death on Sawyer but Peter knew he was standing beside the killer. His nervous body language and the violence of the death told Peter that it had probably occurred in a fit of blind rage that Jake hadn't meant to end in death. Peter's instinct was telling him that at least part of Jake regretted the brutal act. However, it complicated matters to learn that Jake was capable of taking a beating too far even if he was repentant after the fact and made Peter think twice about encouraging Neal to try and get closer to the dangerously unstable man.

"I can't imagine what Sawyer would do to Caffrey if he got a hold of him," Jake added grimly "but I can guarantee you it will be gorier than this."

"I thought you had control over him."

"I do, but I can't watch him constantly, and he's always testing his boundaries."

"And he's not branded so you can't just kill him." Peter guessed as he tried to understand the rules of his new world.

"Sawyer is a thorn in my side, but sooner or later he's going to be a sword in yours."

"You want me to kill him for you."

"It would be beneficial to us both, and I would be open to helping you make it happen."

"No."

For the first time Jake accepted hearing 'no' for an answer gracefully. Peter knew that Sawyer was more of a direct mortal threat at the moment than Jake but that didn't mean he was ready to actively plan Sawyer's murder. Jake looked around the room with seeming disinterest before turning his attention back to the man he had beaten to death in a fit of frustrated rage. Peter could see Jake planing out his next move in his head, Jake didn't always do a good job at hiding his intentions but he did have a calculating intelligence about him.

"Pick him up." Jake ordered.

"What?"

"Pick him up, I can't let him rot here the rats will find him eventually and then I'll have a real mess on my hands." Jake explained. "I keep asking York to get me more Quick Lime but he hasn't."

"I'm not..."

"Pick him up now or I'm going to lock you in here with him and Caffrey will be on his own."

Jake's tone had dropped into a icy emotionless that suggested he was getting close to fully losing his temper again. Peter doubted that Jake's threat was an idle one, but it still took him a full minute to resolve himself to perform the sickening task. Swallowing hard against a dry throat Peter knelt down next to Jake's victim and carefully slipped his hands under his knees and shoulders. The man's joints had started to stiffen but he hadn't been dead long enough to be fully ridged. The dead man didn't weigh very much as he lifted him up but the action of holding the lifeless shell added a devastating weight to Peter's heart. Holding the dead man close to his chest as though he was just sleeping heavily Peter looked solemnly to Jake for further direction.

Jake wordlessly left the room expecting Peter to follow, which he did. Peter knew that it really didn't mattered where the corpse was left in the vast mostly empty maze, it was the mental effect on his captive of having to move the cold body that Jake was going for. Which Peter knew was the same reason that he lied to him about Sawyer killing him. Peter assumed York was keeping Jake from killing Sawyer himself but he was determined to find a loop hole to get rid of Sawyer. Jake was working hard to spark his imagination and fear against Sawyer to push him closer towards feeling that a preemptive strike against Sawyer would be self-defense and not murder.

Despite knowing what Jake was doing with the psychological warfare it was working. As Peter carried the lifeless body down the echoing dark corridors he found himself having to keep looking down at it to assure himself that he was holding a stranger and not a friend. With the way things were going it wasn't difficult to imagine them dying down here, in fact it was getting harder and harder to imagine any other ending to their story.

When the already stale air started to truly close in around Peter with the heavy scent of death he knew where they were going. Jake pulled his shirt up over his nose and mouth as he gingerly pulled open the door at the end of the long empty hall that he had lead Peter to. Peter's eyes water and he had to grind his teeth against the stench to keep from being sick as the scent intensified to the point where felt like a physical force. Jake stood to the side, unwilling to follow Peter into the room where he had been dumping the men who had succumb to the slow death sentence of the maze brand. Walking into the room Peter looked at the same three corpses that he and Neal had discovered earlier that had fallen further into decay. Peter couldn't bring himself to just piled the latest victim on top of the others and instead gently put him down next to them.

A quick survey of the room revealed a door in the back wall that he hadn't noticed the first time they had visited. With Jake outside Peter risked checking the door finding it locked. Peter made a mental note of the door thinking that if there was an exit anywhere placing it past a room of rotting flesh would be a good way to keep people from finding it. Retreating to the relatively clean air the hallway Peter finally gagged as Jake closed the door behind him.

"I strongly suggest you consider my offer about Sawyer or the next body I have you carry down here might just be Caffrey's."