A/N: Jeez this one took me awhile, huh? Hehe...^^;; Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! Honestly though, I had writers block for about ever and then when I finally got started writing again my stupid modem stopped working and I was stuck offline for a few weeks. I have *SO* much stuff to catch up on! But anyway, this parts nice and long for ya, and there's lotsa Jim angst! Always fun! Actually it's kinda confusing though format wise, cause I jump around a lot and Jim's having some dream/memory sorta things, so every time you get to one of those it'll have these thingys *** (Asters, I know) like so, so that you kinda know what's going on.
Other than that I'm just gonna go on and thank all of you reviewers again, even if some of you do seem kinda angry with me for taking so long. *Grins* But that's OK, can't say I blame ya there! So anyway, just thanx to all of ya! Your all so great! This part might not even be out yet if you all hadn't been on me about it, so thanx! Alrighty, that's enough of my rambling, if I don't shut up now then I'll go on forever. So I'm done! Go on, read! Enjoy! And have fun! ^^;;
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Bounty Hunted
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Part VI
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Gene felt himself grow a bit queasy as he gazed into the darkness. So this was really it? This was the only way to save Jim? The outlaw frowned at the thought, he didn't like this. Not one bit. Not at all. But if it was really the only way... 'I have to do it.' He nodded to himself. 'This is the only way. Jim needs me now, I can't let him down.' And yet as he stared out into the open space before him it was like he was a kid again. Alone again and lost again and afraid again and surrounded by nothing more than the dark recesses of this cold bleak hell. But if this was the only way...
"Gene, you ready?" He didn't respond. Just stared, his eye's unblinking at the darkness before him. 'But how can I...?'
"Gene? Gene, are you all right?" Still no response. "Gene... Please?"
"Just give him a minute, Melfina." Hilda instructed the teen, both their eye's locked tightly on the red-haired outlaw. "Just let him think this through, he'll be okay."
"Oh..." Melfina sighed, letting her head fall as if in defeat. She really couldn't see how either of them could go through with this, not with the things they'd gone through in life, the memories they had. And yet it did make sense, and it was the only way.
Visions of Hilda's 'death' flashed through her mind. Hadn't this been how it happened? By passing from one ship to another with nothing more than a single metal cord between life and death. Even though by some strange twist of fate Hilda had survived, what was there to stop her this time? What was there to stop Hilda or Gene or even herself from slipping from that cord and toppling helplessly into space? Luck? Strength? Fate? All of these things had saved Hilda once before, but what if they weren't so lucky this time, what if this time they weren't strong enough, and what if this time their fate was destined to be a different one? One where they couldn't make it and Jim was left to live the rest of his life with those he hated, or even worse, to not live at all. And Gene? What if he couldn't make it? What if she did and he didn't? How could she live without him?
She heard Hilda's sigh as she turned away, biting down on her lower lip in evident worry. Why was she doing this to herself? Why was she giving in so soon, thinking only of what ifs and despair and of Gene all at once? Why couldn't she think positively? Why was she suddenly so scared? Of losing Jim? Of losing Gene? What if she lost Gene? "Are you going to be okay?" Hilda asked. "If you don't think that your up to it, you can stay here. Gene and I can handle things."
"Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you?" The question caught both of them off guard, even Melfina was left in surprise as she spun around to see the other. Was that how she really felt? Was she jealous? Of Hilda?
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Hilda said the words calmly, but not without a hint of annoyance.
'It means that you'd really rather be alone with Gene and not have me to tag along...' Melfina couldn't believe the bitterness of her thoughts. Of her own voice. It just wasn't like her. She didn't think that way. Didn't think that deeply. Not even about Gene. But Hilda and Gene? Anyone and Gene? She shook her head at the thought, not wanting to believe that she'd come up with such horrible images. Especially not when she had other things to worry about. Especially not when Jim was in trouble. "Nothing." She stated still shaking her head, dark hair falling conveniently in her horrified eyes. "I'll be fine, lets just go."
Hilda nodded, albeit uncertainly. Since when did Melfina sound so defensive, did she really think that she had ulterior motives for leaving the teen behind. She really didn't want her getting hurt, or being in the way, and even if the thought of being alone with Gene had briefly crossed her mind didn't Melfina know that it was more important to get Jim out of there than it was for her to spend any time with Gene right now. Such things would have to wait till later, and not just for Hilda but for both of them, and for Gene. After this was all over with they'd have time to figure things out. But until then they had to get moving, and they had to do it now.
"Gene?" Now it was Hilda who interrupted his stares. "Gene, are you ready?"
"Yeah." Gene spoke slowly as he nodded. "Let's go."
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***
It was a soft laughter that filled the air. That of a child. That of his own. But the sound was barely audible to Jim, it seemed so distant, so far away. To far away. But the child was right there, laughing cheerily as he sat, still nearly untouched by the dark reality he would soon come to know as his own life. And Jim could see him there, the baby blue eye's wandering curiously about the room, the thick tufts of golden hair falling wildly atop the boys head.
Jim guessed that he was about five then, if he was laughing he'd still have to be so young. To young to fully comprehend just what was happening to him and where he was and who he would become. What he would become. And as Jim looked on at the youthful image of himself he knew halfheartedly that it was probably the last time he'd laugh in years. The last time he'd be happy. The last time that those angelic eye's would shine with the rightful hope that every child deserved. Hope and innocence, he knew that this day would end it all. This was a day that he remembered all to well. A day he could never forget.
"Hey, Jimmy." Came a painfully familiar voice from behind the boy. And as Jim's head snapped in it's heart wrenching direction he could feel himself becoming that child once again, no longer just an onlooker as the past he knew to well again unfolded before his barely innocent eye's.
He'd knew well enough that the voice was his fathers. He knew it instantly, and yet the mans appearance escaped him now as he peered up at the pirates strangely blurred form. The child smiled instinctively, but in the back of his mind Jim was near tears. He wanted so desperately to see this man, to make out his features, to make out his face. But he couldn't, everything seemed faded and foggy. But just to hear that voice, it was like music to the young boys ears, it had been so long since he'd last heard it and he'd never realized just how much he missed it. "You about ready to go?" Just to hear that voice...
Jim nodded hastily in evident excitement. "Yup!" He beamed, anxious at the thought of for once not being forced to stay behind. Today was a very special day, a life changing day, one that he'd been waiting for as long as he could remember. A day that Jim wished would never have taken place. And yet the child was happy. Exceptionally happy. So sure that he was ready for what the day would bring, anything was better than being forced to stay by himself. Anything.
"Good." The blurred figure sounded almost relieved as he motioned the boy to his feet. "I actually thought it was a bit soon." He paused, taking a breath as he gazed down at the grinning boy. "But Dom said that it was about time, and after careful thought I really had to agree." He paused again in thought, but his son only continued to smile. "And besides, you don't want to be left behind all the time do you?"
"No way!" The boy shook his head firmly, an action Jim wished that he could stop. "Nop! Daddy, I wanna go with you." He said crossing his arms over his chest, getting to his feet, and putting on the most serious face that he could muster. He knew he had to impress this man, his father, if he really wanted for him not change his mind. And he would, wouldn't he? 'Tell me no, Dad. Please tell me no!' Jim was screaming beneath the child's serious facade. Pleading. Begging. But he couldn't stop the words that next escaped his lips as he stood there in his obvious wish to impress this faded man. "I'm ready."
He said those words with conviction, nodding as he did. And his father nodded back in an almost relieved approval, an obvious pride shinning in those eye's that Jim still couldn't see. "Then let's go, the..."
"Hey, James, get the your ass out here. C'mon! Are you coming or what?" The dreaded voice of Jim's uncle rang through the room.
"Yeah, we're coming, one-second." He called to his brother, and then turned back to Jim. "We'll probably get separated." He stated simply. "You're sure you really want to go?"
"I'm ready." Jim repeated the words boldly as he headed for the door. "Aren't you coming Dad? Uncle Dom said we had to go now!"
James smiled proudly at his son as he left the room. Shoulders back and standing tall, doing his best to look tough and capable. " Good." The man nodded yet again. "Then lets go, kid. I'm sure you'll do great." And the boy, obviously happy by his fathers words continued to stand tall as he walked. 'Yup!' The child thought proudly. 'I'll do great!' So why did he still have his doubts about even going? And what was this vision on impending doom flashing before his still hopeful eye's? And why was he suddenly so sure that he wouldn't be quite so happy by the days end? And how did he know already that his hope was about to be lost forever?
***
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Gene about held his breath as he inched his way down the cord. But he wasn't quite so scared anymore. He didn't feel quite as sick. He knew he'd found his motivation in wanting to help his young partner. In needing to save his young friend. It was strange that he'd pick now to remember all the fights they'd had. All the pointless arguments that had pushed his friend away. And of the most recent, the one that could quite possibly have sealed the boys fate. The one that may very well take away his best friend. 'No.' If he could have shook his head and kept his concentration he would have, but now was not the time for doubts. Now was not the time for fear or remorse. Now was the time for action. Now was the time for Gene to bring Jim back. Now was the time to save the best friendship he'd ever have.
"Gene, do you read me? Are you okay?" Hilda's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Huh?" He hadn't even noticed that he'd stopped moving.
"Are you okay? She asked again.
"Fine," He replied simply. "I'm just great."
"Yeah, well this isn't exactly a walk in the park for me either." She responded to the obviously sarcastic remark. "So if you could please hurry your ass up I'm sure we'd both appreciate it."
"Yeah, Gene. You can do it." Melfina chimed in, her voice slightly lacking of it's usual enthusiasm.
Gene sighed as he again began his ascent. "Jeez, whose stupid idea was this again anyway?"
"Well, gee, Gene, I guess we would have been better off just busting in there without thinking at all and most likely getting ourselves caught right away by the mass numbers of pirates anxiously awaiting are arrival, huh?" Hilda replied in evident sarcasm, to which Gene could only sigh more.
Melfina frowned, this was not the time to be arguing. And yet, it was like part of her was strangely relieved. If Gene and Hilda were fighting than... 'Maybe they're not...' Why did she feel she had to worry about this? Could he really have feelings for someone else? For Hilda...? Why did she suddenly have such worries? Why did she suddenly have so many doubts? And why at a time like this? "What is wrong with me?" She said the words under her breath, but muffled as they were Gene couldn't help but hear the evident sorrow in her wavering voice.
"Melfina? He ventured. "Are you okay back there?"
"Yeah." Her voice was low and unconvincing. "I'm fine, Gene. Keep going."
Gene frowned now too, what was bothering her? Was it Jim? Was she just worried about Jim? Was she worried about herself? Somehow he really doubted it. He was sure that it was something more, and he was almost certain that it had something to do with him. "We're almost there." He stated in his search for something positive.
"Okay Gene, you know what to do when we get there, right?" Hilda asked him from behind.
"Gee, Hilda, am I supposed to open the door maybe?" More sarcasm, just what they needed.
"Yeah, slowly and carefully and as quietly as possible." She replied sounding somewhat annoyed. "This part of the ship is pretty secluded but they might be expecting us, in fact it's more likely then not, so be on your best guard."
"Yeah, I know." He said in agreement with her words. He knew he shouldn't be making jokes, not now. That he should act as concerned as he really was, but all of this, it was just to much. Hilda'd been acting so strangely before, and now Mel too? Then with Jim still missing and in trouble, it was all just too much. He was just so mixed up right now, what was wrong with everyone, what was wrong with him, and why wasn't he able to think solely of Jim right now? Only of his missing best friend? Now wasn't the time to make jokes, and now wasn't the time to worry about the others strange behavior, now was the time for action. Now was the time to get serious. Now was the time to find Jim.
~~~~
Silence. Darkness. Something wasn't right here. Gene held his castor firmly before him, ready for whatever obstacles may be waiting ahead. But there weren't any, they were completely alone. No creaking, no whispers, no evidence of any type of life ever inhabiting this area of the ship. Something was defiantly wrong. Hadn't Hilda said they'd be expecting them? That they'd be waiting? Waiting for a fight? It was what Gene had thought himself, so where was everyone? Why hadn't they been attacked yet?
"This is way to easy." Gene offered his opinion on their current situation. "This has to be a trap of some kind."
Hilda nodded as the other spoke. "But what?" Her voice was low and serious. "What do they have planned for us?"
Melfina lowered her head in thought, she had no idea what to say now, surprise attacks and traps weren't really her area of expertise. "Maybe they really weren't expecting us. Maybe we're just lucky."
"Of course they're expecting us, Melfina. This has to be a trap." Melfina could feel herself tense up at Gene's words. Suddenly she felt like such an idiot.
"I'm sorry, Gene. I guess it was a pretty stupid thought."
Gene sighed at the tone of her voice, he was so good at hurting her. He'd have to work on that. "There's nothing stupid about being hopeful, Mel, but now is really not the time to take things for granted. We can't be that optimistic just yet, it's not safe."
"Yeah, besides, Melfina, there's a chance that you might be right here. Pirates never have been known for their intelligence."
They were just humoring her and she knew it, why couldn't they just be honest with her? Did she really come off as being that helpless? As that weak and fragile? And if so, could they really doubt it? They're the ones that made her that way, always taking care of her and doing everything for her. Not that she didn't appreciate it but it really got quite frustrating. She knew what she could and couldn't take, why could they see that? "No, your right." She said firmly. "Something's wrong here. You DON'T have to pretend with me!"
Gene was taken aback by both her words and her tone. She sounded so serious and almost angry and not much like herself. "Mel, are you all..." His words were cut off by a sudden sound behind them. "What the..."
"The wall, Gene, it's closing in." Melfina observed in shock as she watched the steel wall behind them move slowly cutting them off from the rest of the hall.
"Dammit!" Hilda exclaimed at the sight. " They're locking us in, we've got to get out of here!" She shouted to the others as she ran in the direction of the still moving wall, obvious as it was that she wouldn't make it there in time. " Dammit!" She cursed again, pounding her fist into the wall as it came to a stop. "Well, this is just terrific."
"What do we do now?" Melfina asked gazing at the wall where Hilda stood, her voice still held a touch of frustration at it's depth.
"We run like hell to get past that wall up there!" Gene stated grabbing Melfina's hand and running rapidly down the corridor. Hilda wasn't far behind.
"Hurry!" She called catching up to them. "If we don't get down there we'll be stuck in here!"
But their attempts were in vain they realized as the wall stopped moving just short of their arrival. They were trapped now, how could they possibly escape? No doors, no windows, no nothing. Just walls. Just trapped. And they were all silent as they stood there, all in disbelief. Had they really just been caught that easily? It seemed so unfair. They'd been so sure that they were ready for anything, and now... Now there was nothing. Nothing at all.
Gene sighed as he leaned up against the wall, how could he have been caught this easily? So easily? How could he have let Jim down like this? Let them all down? "Jim, I'm so..." But he never got the chance to finish that sentence as his mind went blank and his thoughts disappeared. Gene hit the hard metal floor with a painful thud, looking over at the others on the ground beside him just before his own vision came to an end. Darkness was all that was left of him now. Darkness... and the faint odor of gas as it filled his sleeping nostrils.
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***
The scent of burning flesh was a bitter one. One which caused the child's stomach to twist and contort at its' very command as the putrid odor filled his nostrils. "Dammit, Jim, don't just stand there!" The boy frowned, he could barely hear his uncles' words over their screams. This wasn't what he'd thought it would be at all.
They'd said this was his initiation into their world, that the job would be an easy one, that he'd enjoy himself. That's what they'd said, but he never could have imagined this. They'd raided a small out of the way farming community on a planet whose name he couldn't remember. And what right or reason did they have to do this? These people were farmers, they were poor, the didn't have anything worth taking, and yet it was their screams that filled the night air. But what was their reason?
Was this their idea of fun? That had been what they'd told him, that he'd have fun, so did they really find this fun? This blood and this horror and this death, were they actually enjoying it? Was that really why they were here? He already knew that it was, and that one thought sickened him more than any other. Because he wasn't having fun. How could he be? Pain, death, distraction, fear, it felt as though he was drowning in it. As though it was burying him, suffocating him, overtaking him, and he couldn't stop it. He was drowning in their so called fun, and he hated it. Hated everything about it. And he already hated where his life was going.
The boy gasped in surprise as he suddenly hit the ground. "God dammit, what the hell were you thinking?" Came his uncles' angry voice as he rolled away from the boy he'd just knocked down and climbed quickly to his feet. "You can't just stand there, you'll get yourself killed.
Killed? Dead? He hadn't even noticed the man who'd fired the shot at him. Hadn't even thought that he might be killed, but in all actuality would that really be so bad? If these people had to suffer then why shouldn't he? Why should he be spared only to watch others die? To hurt and main and destroy, like those he was with? To become the murder that they were? The murder his own father was? Maybe he should let himself get killed, maybe in the long run that would be for the best. Maybe that would stop him from becoming the murder he was destined to become. Maybe it would save him.
"Sorry." The boy said nonchalantly as he too got to his feet and dusted himself off.
"SORRY isn't going keep you alive!" The man growled, glaring down at his little nephew, anger and resentment evident in his icy eye's. "Your really pissing me off here, Jim. Maybe this coming and standing around shit is good enough for that idiot brother of mine but if you want to prove yourself to the rest of us then you'd sure as hell better stay out of the way and do something useful. Because I swear to you, Jim, I'll gladly let die next time. Your a worthless little brat as far as I'm concerned and I really don't give a damn whether you live or die."
Jim sighed as he looked down, suddenly his feet had become very interesting. What was he supposed to do? He wanted to yell back at this man. To tell his uncle that he didn't care, that he couldn't do it, but he knew well enough that it would do him no good. He didn't want to be this way though, didn't want to be a killer, how could he ever live with himself?
Suddenly it was his father he was angry with, why hadn't he prepared him for this? Why hadn't he explained things to him? Why had he kept him so sheltered from the world around him? His world? Did he want better things for his son? Did he want him not to be a part of this? Did he want to get away from it all himself? The questions were to much for the little boy to answer now, and in fact he feared that they always would be. They'd always be just out of his reach, and as he grew so would they. He knew he'd never find those answers. Somehow he knew...
"Unbelievable." The menacing voice of his uncle again cut into the boys thoughts. "You're a damned fool, kid!"
Jim sighed gazing away from the other, barely able to mutter another muted, "Sorry" as he kicked up some of the rich soil beneath his feet. He heard Dom curse to himself as he looked on at the 'ungrateful little boy' digging his toes into the ground. Jim knew that he was watching him, knew that he was waiting for him to do something. That he was testing him. And yet he remained silent. Remained motionless. And his uncle'd remain angry and annoyed and way past the point of being patient with him. He'd crossed that bridge a while ago, and Jim felt almost bad for making him wait any longer than he already had.
It wasn't as though he didn't want to obey his uncle, but what else was he to do? Was he to destroy like this man? Was he to kill? Jim bit down hard on his lower lip as the thoughts drifted over him. Was that really what he was meant to do? Was that what was expected of him? He wished his father was there, he could easily ask his father, but Dom? He didn't want to ask his uncle such things. He couldn't. Wouldn't that make him angrier still? Wouldn't he be annoyed by the boy's ignorance? Wouldn't he rant and rave and curse his very father for the child's mistakes? For the stupidity of his questions? Wouldn't he? 'I'll just keep quite.' Jim decided. 'But wont that make him angry too? What am I supposed to do...?'
"Help..." The cries were faint and distant but Jim could hear them well, cutting through his thoughts at their pained sound. "Help me... please... help...."
"Whose there?" The boy was suddenly on his best guard again, his head popping up at the sound of her voice.
"Please...." Jim watched in horror as the little girl approached him, watched in horror as she pleaded for his help. For the help he longed to give her. The help he wished he could. She was quite a sight, that girl. Her long black hair was just one big blood matted mess that sat upon her blooded head falling over her pale bruised face and into her striking blue eye's. Such pale eye's. They burned into the boy, the eye's of this girl. Of this child who couldn't have been any older than he was himself.
She held her arm as she limped before him, and blood spilled between her tiny fingers as it poured from her open wound. One of her legs was bleeding too. Blood was everywhere, and the girl was totally covered in the dark crimson liquid. But she wasn't crying, not in a way that anyone could see. Not with tears, not from the pain. Jim could swear that he felt her pain right then, felt her heart beating steadily with his. Rapidly with his. And he stared back into those innocent eye's, so clear that he could see the refection of his own in their gleam. His mouth agape as he looked on. "Please...."
"Catch." Jim gasped as he caught the gun, and watched horrified as hid uncles' lips curled into a sickeningly deceitful smile.
"But..."
"Now is the time, Jim." Dom cut the devastated boy off. "Now is your chance to show me what your really made of."
"But... No... I..." Jim's breathing increased as he turned his attentions back to the girl and trailed off in his thoughts.
"No... Plea-please don't..." He could tell it hurt her just to speak, just begging for her own survival. It hurt him too, hurt him more than anyone could have imagined. She, this girl, she was only a child. How could they do this to a child? How could anyone be so heartless? This girl had dreams, she had ambitions, she had such a long life ahead of her. Her life had barely just begun. How could someone be so ruthless as to take all of that away from her? To take her family from her too. He knew that her family was already gone, even if they'd managed to survive this long they'd be dead soon. Would she be there to join them? Is that really what was to become of her? And was that really up to him?
"Do it, Jim."
"But I..."
"Do it!" His uncles words were stern and his eye's warning. "Do it now!"
Jim could feel his hands tightening around the trigger, could feel his arms move so that he held the gun before him, and he could hear his mind screaming for him to do the exact opposite. His mind screaming to put the gun down, to help this little girl, to stop this madness. To stop this killing. To stop himself.
"Do it now, Jim!" The boy trembled at the words as his uncle placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, kid, just do it. This girl it nothing to you. Nothing! I'm your family, not her. I'm the one you need to please here, so just put her out of her misery and get this over with."
'He's the one I have to please? He's my family. My uncle. He's the on I have to please.'
"You're father'll never forgive you, Jim."
"What?" That statement really snuck up on him. 'Daddy wont ever forgive me? He's my family, they're my family. They're the ones I need to please. They're all I have. I can't lose that...'
"He'll hate you, he'll think your a weakling."
"No... I can't... He can't..."
"Then do it right now Jim. Do it for your father!"
No... Please... Help.... He couldn't hear her say it, she was to weak for that now, she could barely stand. But her eye's said it quite clearly. Her eye's said it all. And they held him still. Held him tight. He knew that those eye's would haunt him forever if he did this. Those eye's would never let him go. Never...
"He'll hate you, Jim! Don't let that happen. Make him proud, Jim. Make him proud."
'Don't let him hate you. Make him proud. Make him proud.' That's all he'd ever wanted, all he'd ever known. He had to do it too. Where would he be without his father? What would he do?
"Do it Jim. Make him proud. Make us proud!"
"I'm so sorry..." He squeezed his eye's shut as he pulled back on the trigger, squeezed them shut as she crumpled at his feet. As she fell into a pool of her own blood, as that very blood splattered upon his clothes. And he opened them again in time to see her lay there. Still, empty, gone. Dead. "I... I..." He trailed off again as he fell to his knees, tears sliding down his cheeks. Falling on her still form. And all was silent. Silent apart from his sobs. Silent of words.
He could feel himself trembling in fear, choking on his tears. What had he done? How could he have done this? Why did she deserve this? What did she do to deserve this? Nothing. 'How could I....' Jim closed his eye's in ager at the next sound he heard. Laughter. His uncles laughter. Had he really done this for that man? That man, his uncle, who was laughing now? Had he really become a murder for him? Would he become just like him? How could he have listened? He didn't want to, he tried not to... How could he have become a murder for this man? How could he become like him? Or worse yet, how could he stop himself?
***
"Oh good, your awake." The unpleasant sound of his uncles' voice filled Jim's ears as his eye's fluttered open. "Well, it's about time, now we can talk." 'It's about time?' How long had he been out this time? "Say something, why don't you? Don't you know it's rude not to respect your elders? You'd think your father would have taught you that."
'I'm sure he would have...' Jim let his mind wander, his father really wasn't so bad and it was a strange feeling to miss him like this. He'd never really missed him before, not since he left. He knew it was this place that was doing it to him, it was his fathers ship and in a sense his home. No, wait, this wasn't his home, not anymore, not since he left. 'You don't want this place now.' He reminded himself. 'This isn't where you belong.' He would have nodded if he'd felt up to it, but he didn't, not really.
He didn't feel up to listening to his uncle either, or to replying. And so he just lay there, or was he sitting? He wasn't really sure right now, he wasn't sure of anything now. He didn't even remember passing out this time, all he could remember was the vision of his uncle and that inevitable premonition of doom that came with it. And then, darkness. That's all he remembered after that. That, and this. Where was he now anyway? It wasn't quite so bright here as it had been in his cell, but it still hurt his eye's as he gazed about his surroundings.
He wasn't quite sure though, the room was a large one, an open one, but that was about all he could tell. And he was alone in here, alone with Dom, who he was quite sure hadn't finished talking yet. Jim knew that he was waiting for a response from him, but he wasn't about to give that man the pleasure just yet. He was sure that he just wanted the password, that's what they needed to talk about. But it wasn't happening, not this time. Not now. He wouldn't let that man brainwash him again. He'd done it for years in the past, but he wouldn't do it now. Not anymore.
Jim could hear Dom sigh at his own lack of response, getting up easily from the place where he sat and walking over to the boy. "You know what I want now, don't you?" He said the words calmly. "But I know you Jim. You wont give up that easy this time will you?" Jim watched him as he walked, what was he up to now?
"You know I want that password, don't ya, Jimmy? You know that's why your here, But I'm not stupid, Jim. I know you wont just give it to me. That's why I decided to do some thinking." He spoke so easily, so softly as he circled the boy, and it made Jim nervous just to think of what he was up to.
"And so I said to myself," He began again. "I'll have to give him something in return. What do ya think so far? You following me yet?" Dom smiled at the grim look growing upon his nephews' face, he was enjoying this thoroughly. "Yes, a trade. Let's make a trade, Jimmy. What do you want? Do you want to survive? Do you want your freedom?" He asked with a little laugh. "No of course not. Not you, kid. Cause you'd give it all up, wouldn't you?"
"Yeah you would. Cause I've been watching you for a while now, Jim." This statement caught Jim's attention quickly, but wide as his eye's were he continued to remain silent. Dom laughed again. "I knew that'd get you. I've been watching you, and I've been waiting. You've made some good friends now, haven't you? No need to answer, I know you wont anyway."
Jim didn't like where this was going, Dom never sounded so crazy, and that worried him. "Wouldn't it be unfortunate though, Jim, if something were to happen to those friends?"
"What?" Jim gasped as he sat up. So he had been laying down.
"He speaks!" The man sounded so amazed.
"What are you talking about?" Jims' words came out muffled and low, he didn't think it would hurt this much to talk.
"I think you know what I mean." Dom's tone was a strange one, it had changed so quickly. The voice that had just been so calm and controlled now instead seemed angry and controlling. "I want that password, Jim. And your going to give it to me one way or another, and if your friends have to suffer in the mean time..."
Jim listened horrified as his uncles' voice trailed off. 'If they have to suffer in the mean time?' Had Dom captured the others? 'Dammit.' He cursed himself mentally. 'What do I do if he has?'
Dom smiled again, but this time it was a sinister one. He had his mind set on getting what he wanted from this boy, there was no way he could screw it up now. He wouldn't let this little boy win. Not now. "So what do you think, Jim? Ready to give it up?"
"Hardly." He spoke quickly in the strongest voice he could muster.
"I don't think you understand what I'm saying here, do you? I have your...."
"I know what your saying." He cut the other off. "But why should I believe you? You've told me nothing but lies since the day I was born!"
"Because I have proof this time." He said with yet another smile, snapping his fingers as he did.
Jim's mouth was a gape as a door opened up just behind him, forcing him to turn himself around to face the images coming his way. "No..." Now it was his turn to let his voice trail as he watched a group of his uncles men enter the room, the first two carrying the limp form of his partner. The others followed behind with both Hilda and Melfina. "No... Gene..."
"And there you have it, Jim. The way I see it, you've got a choice to make. I'll leave that up to you."
Jim looked away as his friends were thrown to the floor. 'You've got a choice to make...' The taunting voice of his uncle rang in his mind. 'A choice to make...' But what could he do now? He couldn't let Dom hurt his friends, but giving him the password was totally out of the question. 'Choose... Choose...' This was all happening so suddenly. Too suddenly. And he just couldn't stop it.
He closed his eye's in thought, sleep again threatening to take the boy over. But this time he wouldn't let it. He couldn't. He just had to think. But it was the fate of his friends, his best friend, his 'brother' up against that of all of space. Jim knew what they were capable of, knew what they would do if they had that weapon, knew of the people they'd kill. Could he really let that happen? Could he really give up that password and let that happen? 'Oh, aniki.' The thought was a bittersweet one, one that hurt more than any other.
"Aniki..." Jim sighed as he said it aloud, opening his eye's and turning back to his friends. He knew exactly what he had to do.
To be continued...
A/N: Wow, that one took me forever to write, I hope it was OK! What did ya think? Is this still any good? ^^;; Hope so!! Alrighty, not a lot to say here, I'm just glad I got this written! So that's 'bout it for now. Later people ^^