Chapter Twenty-six

"It doesn't have to be like this. You can stop this at anytime. I don't want to hurt you any more than you want to be hurt."

Razor rolled his eyes at North's cliche attempt to start playing the 'good cop'. He had tried the technique on a few people in his time. It worked occationally, but usually it just pissed the captive off. Razor knew why now, it was insulting. North was enjoying every second of this and he wasn't even trying to hide it.

When Razor didn't say anything North sighed in mock pity. He tapped on the small controller in his hand. Razor arched back as pain lanced up from the exposed soles of his feet. North had assured him that he was getting off easily since the tiny barbed devices sunk into his flesh were usually placed in a much more sensitive location. Since North couldn't figure out how to open the closure of Razor's phaser uniform he had very little free skin to work with.

The tiny teeth in Razor's feet sunk their electrical fangs deeper. Trembling from the effort to not scream Razor closed his eyes as sweat rolled off his skin. Hours of this was beginning to wear on him, but by not screaming now it would give him something to do when it became more difficult to bear. North watched his captive struggle for a few minutes before turning the device off and placing the controller in his pocket. Free from the muscle tearing pain Razor bowed his head and worked on taking deep slow breaths. North reached down and put his hand under Razor's jaw and tilted his head back to force him to look up at him.

"I've never met a man like you, Samuel. I have to admit I'm impressed. I admire your strength, and I don't mean your musculature. You've got an inner strength I've never seen before."

"Are you trying to work up the courage to ask me out on a date?"

"You're funny too."

"You left out handsome."

North flashed Razor a tight lipped smile before lashing out and striking him hard across the face. Razor calmly turned his head to the side and spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor. What he had really wanted to do was spit the rust flavored blood in North's face, however he knew that North would view the aggressive act as making progress. The best move in this game was to remain impassive.

It worked. Razor could see the growing frustration in North's eyes. Razor didn't smile, he didn't gloat, he just stared forward with the one eye that still had sight. The pupil of his right eye now held a ghostly blue cast to it. Kneeling on a now blood spattered stone floor Razor sat with his hands held behind his back. Ion cuffs around each wrist and both ankles allowed North to hold Razor in any position he wanted, he'd even used them to lifted him off the floor a few times. It was not a technology that Razor had been familiar with before.

"I would be getting further with you faster if that suit of yours didn't protect you so well."

"I doubt it." Razor shrugged. "Your torture technique sucks. You should get an outside contractor, someone with a little more imagination."

"You really have no fear of me."

"None."

"Can you even feel pain?"

"I feel it. I just don't care."

"Every man has his limit." North growled.

"That's not true. I've met three men who could not be broken."

"Friend's of yours?"

"No. Victims."

"Maybe they just were innocents and truly didn't know whatever information you were trying to pry from them."

"No. I've come across those men as well. There's a difference, you can see it in their eyes."

"What happened to the men you couldn't break?"

"They died."

"You're going to join them if you don't give me what I want. Do you think they'll forgive you when you meet them in the Afterlife?"

"I'm not interested in their forgiveness. They were evil scum that deserved what happened to them."

"What about you?" North mocked. "Do you think you deserve this?"

"I do." Razor whispered.

"Really? Why's that?" North chuckled. "Atoning for your past sins?"

"No. Because I got caught."

"Liar." North laughed. "That's the first lie you've told me. You honestly do believe that you deserve every second of pain, but not because you got caught. It's because you got your Vulcan partner killed. If you'd been thinking with your head and not your crotch the Vulcan would still be alive."

Razor ground his teeth together.

"I finally hit a nerve, didn't I?" North said softly. "Maybe now we can get somewhere."

"All you've proved is that I have nothing left to lose."

"Or nothing left to fight for."

"Can we stop all this inane babble and just get back to what we were doing?"

"As you wish."

North brought out the small tablet controller from his pocket and tapped on it. Razor fought against the cuffs that were slowly starting to force his wrists up behind his back. Whatever gave the cuffs their power was stronger than Razor. Bowing his head he tried to concentrate on relaxing as the cuffs raised up high enough to start threatening him with double shoulder dislocation. The joint strain wasn't just painful, it also forced panic into his chest.

Adrenaline poured into Razor's system as his body screamed a warning to his mind that he was close to being physically torn apart. Razor growled in a combination of pain and frustration as his breathing became shallow from the strain. Trying to take a deep breath only put further stress on his contorted shoulders.

"Another inch or so higher and your shoulders are going to give way." North informed coldly. "But I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that."

Razor really didn't need the news flash. North smiled and tapped on the control again. The cuffs rose just enough to bring a renewed wash of nausea inducing pain. Razor growled and panted for breath as his shoulders finally began to separate. It would either take a little more force or a little more time to ruin the joints. Too long in this position and the ligaments themselves would being to loosen until they could no longer hold.

"When we're done with the shoulders we'll work on the hips."

Razor couldn't stop the low moan that escaped his lips. North took the opportunity to suddenly jerk Razor's left arm up past the breaking point. The sickening snap of the joint coming apart was instantly followed by a flash of agony. Finally unable to stay silent Razor screamed. With his arm still in the unnatural position Razor came close to passing out.

North suddenly released him. Whatever power allowed him to position the cuffs turned off. Not expecting the sudden freedom Razor fell forward. After taking a few moment to orient himself Razor rolled over onto his back. Holding his injured arm against his chest he growled and cursed to himself. Taking a deep breath Razor jammed his shoulder back into place.

"I take it that this isn't the first time your shoulder has been taken apart by force. Where did you learn how to put it back into place like that?"

"Prison."

"Of course."

Still close to blacking out Razor closed his eyes and tried to let the darkness to take him. Just as he felt he might find an escape he was hit with a splash of icy water. He opened his eyes to keep North from feeling that he needed more of a bath. While he was trying to regain his composure Razor went into a light convulsion. When it was over he just laid still.

"Let's do the right one now." North purred.

"Okay." Razor nodded slightly.

Somewhat revived Razor forced himself to sit up. He peacefully placed himself back on his knees with his hands behind his back so that they could be lifted up behind him once more. Despite having been put back in its socket his left shoulder still throbbed intensely. He felt the cuffs locking back into place in preparation to tear his other shoulder. North studied Razor for a moment.

"This isn't going to work, is it?" North sighed.

"No."

"It would be suicide to try and somehow ransom you."

"Yes."

"What am I going to do with you?" North muttered to himself.

"There is only one thing you can do."

"Kill you?"

"Yeah." Razor shrugged causing him to winch in pain.

"You seem very calm about that."

"I knew from the start that my death was the only way this would end."

"I'm a little surprised that fancy suit of yours doesn't have some sort of suicide function." North said.

"When the uniform was designed I was asked if I thought that was a feature it should have."

"You said no? Why?"

"Because a Dog never gives in."

"Semper fi, right?"

"That's right."

"I like you." North said seriously. "I wish I didn't have to kill you."

"Then let me go."

"If I don't kill you, you'll kill me. Do you deny that?"

"No."

Razor had been too tired to lie, too exhausted to try a fruitless negotiation for his life. North crossed his arms over his chest and looked down on Razor. They had been playing this game for over nine hours and neither one of them were any closer to getting what they wanted. Right now Razor's greatest hope was that the next dislocation would force him into unconsciousness so that he could get a break. North suddenly crouched down to come to Razor's eye level.

"I know when I'm beaten. But, what about a deal..."

"No deals." Razor said instantly.

"Hear me out. I will give you a quick death if you just give me the name of your ship."

"Not interested."

"Anything that I could interest you in? Other than your life of course."

"Can't really think of anything else that will do me much good if I'm going to die soon."

"How about revenge?" North offered.

"Revenge?"

"I'll give you Gina." North explained. "She's the reason you're here, she's the reason your partner is dead."

"Funny, I didn't know you took orders from her."

"I don't. But she didn't have to follow my orders. I sent your photo to several hundred agents. She was on a planet dozens of light years from here. She could have let you walk into her bar, have a drink, and let you walk right back out again and I would have never known. But she decided to trap you, knowing I'd kill you."

"She's a loyal one."

"Far from it. She did it for the money."

"Which is why she brought me here personally." Razor pieced together.

"That's right. She wanted to make sure that she got the full reward."

"So you'll let me kill her so you don't have to pay up?"

"I doubt you'll kill her, you don't seem the type. However, she is a top notch piece of tail."

"You want me to rape her."

"No, no, this isn't for me. It's for you. I want you to have something in exchange for giving me the name of your ship. I want to give you something before I'm forced to kill you."

"How generous of you." Razor growled.

"It's better than nothing. Besides the name can't hurt can it?"

"No, it can't. Particularly since I'm fairly certain you already know it."

"I've heard stories. But, I'd like confirmation."

"I gotta tell you, North. I'm fairly angry with Gina. I can't promise that I won't take things too far. I can't promise that I won't kill your prize whore."

"I can always get another one." North shrugged. "Do we have a deal?"

"...Black Diamond. Her name is Black Diamond."