Disclaimer: See the prologue for details. Suffice to say, if you recognise it it's not mine.

With thanks to Gamine as ever for the beta'ing, chivvying and all round support, not to mention being a wonderful human being. Thanks also to Irina for the beta'ing and help. And thank you to Chris for also being a wonderful human being and sounding board. Muchos gracias.

Please offer feedback, it tells me how I'm doing...

~*~

Chapter 9 -- Breaking the Grip

The briefing was short. There was painfully little information to go on. All they really knew, as Kimberly learned, was that bel Abis had a base somewhere between Silverhills and Malibu. And that this appeared to be a long-standing grudge.

None of which was really news.

"What we need," said Peterson as he finished, "is..."

Cutting him off, there was a knock on the conference room door and then the Silver Guardians' receptionist appeared. "Sorry to intrude," she said, apologetically, "but I have a phone call for Colonel Peterson."

Kimberly couldn't help but shiver as Peterson reacted with the exact same surprised expression she'd seen so often on Eric's face. "Did they say who it was?" he asked.

The receptionist shook her head. "Just said it was important -- and that you'd want to speak to him."

Kimberly watched as Peterson and Cawdron exchanged looks. Cawdron shrugged and Peterson got to his feet. "I'll be right back."

When Peterson got to his feet, Kimberly realised Eric was several inches shorter and much stockier in build but for all that she had to pinch herself. Peterson might have been a completely different build but he had the same fluid grace to his movements and she was willing to bet that he was just as lethal a predator as Eric was. As Peterson left the room to take the phone call, she shook her head.

This is too weird, she decided. He has to be related to Eric...but...

"Ms Cunningham?" Kimberly realised that Cawdron was trying to speak to her. "May I have a word?"

"Um...sure."

No-one looked up from their individual conversations as Kimberly followed Cawdron from the room.

"Just how well do you know Myers?" he asked once they were out into the hallway.

Kimberly smiled wryly. "Probably about as well as anyone, given he virtually doesn't talk about himself -- why?"

Cawdron sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. "You're right."

Kimberly frowned. "Excuse me?"

"You're right -- Frank is Myers' father. To be honest, I'm a little surprised that no-one else has commented on it."

Knowing Eric, I'm not, Kimberly mused.

"I..."

But whatever Cawdron was about to say was lost as Peterson returned, looking both sickened and purposeful.

"News?" Cawdron said instead.

"Good and bad," Peterson answered, grimly. "The mystery caller proved to be one Ishmal Mushtaq." The name meant about as much to Cawdron as it did to Kimberly, to judge from his expression. "He's well known within Intel circles as an all mouth and no trousers character. Very vocal but basically harmless."

Kimberly wondered where this was going.

"So?" Cawdron queried.

Peterson smiled grimly. "He's one of my...sources." Whatever that term meant, Cawdron clearly recognised it although Kimberly felt none-the-wiser. "And he's just come up with information that can put bel Abis and his..." Peterson's face contorted into grimace, "partner in crime away for good."

~*~

Eric hung by his wrists. He was beyond caring that his arms and especially his shoulders were throbbing with pain. A strangely detached aspect of his mind noted that the chances were good that his shoulders had probably been dislocated but he couldn't even dredge up the energy to care about that.

What did it matter?

He was as good as dead.

Sooner or later they would return with their 'toys', or maybe it would be more hallucinations. Either way, there was no way out of this.

~*~

Kimberly slipped into her seat.

"What was that all about?" Rocky asked softly. But Kimberly shook her head. If Cawdron had wanted Peterson and Eric's relationship to be universally known, he wouldn't have taken the time to take her aside.

"Brass tacks," said Peterson, taking his own seat once more. "We've got new information. Some good news...some bad news." Kimberly realised with a jolt that the bad news was likely to be related to Eric's condition. "First the good news. We know where bel Abis has based himself. It's an old industrial compound two hours due south of Silverhills. Fortification and security systems are unknown, but not thought to be extensive. bel Abis has only had four weeks to set this up, at the end of the day.

"The even better news is that the guards number less than twenty. Unfortunately, we don't know what they're armed with, but you can take it as read that they are armed." Peterson's expression turned grim. "And my information is that the two men behind all this -- bel Abis and his co-conspirator -- are currently at the facility. Any questions so far?"

"Who is the co-conspirator?" Foster asked.

Kimberly watched as Peterson shifted a little in his seat. "Aaron Lemont."

If Peterson's body language had been interesting, the reactions of Cawdron, Hines and Foster were fascinating. Whoever Lemont was the trio clearly knew him and were completely shocked.

"What?" Cawdron finally managed. "As in...?"

"As in," Peterson agreed. "And yes, your suspicions are looking more and more correct. This whole sorry mess has been one huge set up."

Kimberly wondered what Peterson meant, but judging from Foster's expression -- which was somewhere verging on nauseated -- whatever it did mean, it wasn't good.

"Everything?" asked Hines.

Peterson gave a shrug. "I can't say for sure, but I'm willing to put money on everything having been a set up. Particularly what went on in Novask."

"Novask?" Rocky put in, breaking up the military confab. "I know you guys know what you're talking about but I'm totally lost here."

Peterson had the grace to look marginally sheepish. "Potted history," he said. "This is not the first time that bel Abis has crossed the radar of Intel. The last time was three years ago, in Kosovo..."

Kimberly listened as Peterson briefly outlined Eric's previous brush with bel Abis and shivered. Even though Eric had already told her the basics, it was still alarming to hear the details, and even more so because she began to realise what Peterson meant by everything.

"But why would someone go to all that trouble to get a USMC foot patrol?" Hines finally exclaimed.

"Not the patrol," said Kimberly quietly, the pieces slotting together. "This has always been about Eric, hasn't it?"

Peterson nodded. "It's looking that way."

"But why?" asked Ben. "This doesn't make sense."

"No," Peterson agreed. "It doesn't make sense." But his whole bearing screamed to Kimberly that there was sense to be found.

"So who is Aaron Lemont?" asked Rocky.

"A general in the USMC," said Cawdron. "And formerly my CO."

"And Eric's," put in Foster, who still looked sick. "You're saying," he added, "that my overall CO was willing to kill five other people to get to one man."

Kimberly watched Peterson nod reluctantly. "It's looking that way."

"And you're telling me there's no reason?!"

Peterson froze in another gesture that was eerily reminiscent of Eric. He knows the reason, Kimberly realised, with fast mounting horror. He's known all along!

"There is a reason," Peterson finally said softly. "Lemont holds a serious grudge against Mr Myers' father..."

Kimberly knew Peterson was saying more, explaining the ins and outs of the grudge, the wheres, hows and whys, but she had stopped listening. White-hot anger started to flood through her. This is all your fault?! You did this to your own son?! She was vaguely aware of Cawdron shaking his head; of Rocky asking her what was wrong.

"What you're saying," she cut in, "is that this is all Eric's father's fault?"

Cawdron blanched at her tone. Peterson just looked like Eric had done when she had confronted him after the Biocon affair.

There was a leaden pause.

"Yes, unfortunately, I am," Peterson finally agreed.

"I have a question for you," Kimberly continued. "Does Eric's father know about this?"

"Kim?" Rocky murmured.

"Does he?" Kimberly persisted.

Peterson finally managed a nod. "He does."

"And has he ever told Eric about this grudge?" Kimberly asked.

Peterson looked almost luridly pale now, but to Kimberly's general surprise, he continued to meet her angry glare. "No, he hasn't -- because until today, he was unaware that Lemont had taken things this far."

"How could he not tell Sarge about this?" Foster asked, stunned.

"Because," Peterson answered, "as I said, as far as he was aware, Lemont didn't know about the connection between him and Eric Myers. It isn't something he advertises for precisely this reason."

"But don't you think it might have been fair for him to have told Eric?" Kimberly persisted.

"Yes," Peterson retorted, "maybe with hindsight he should have done. Maybe," he added, "there are a lot of things he should have done differently. Hindsight, however, is always twenty/twenty, Ms Cunningham. You obviously care a great deal for Mr Myers. Now, unless you want to give Mr Myers' father and yourself even more cause to indulge in hindsight, might I suggest we get back to the matter at hand?"

The obvious common sense in the statement was enough to make Kimberly subside, at least verbally. "Excuse me -- I need to visit the ladies' room." She got to her feet.

"Kim?" Rocky asked softly, but Kimberly shook her head.

She would have loved to have talked to someone about this -- but until Eric knew the truth or...no. She refused to think of the 'or'. Eric would come back and he would be able to learn the truth of this matter. And then...well then it would be all right to talk this through with Rocky. But not until Eric knew.

Without a glance at either Cawdron or Peterson, Kimberly left the room.

~*~

How long had he been hanging here in this black, soundless void?

Eric didn't know.

His sense of time was confused. It could have been five minutes or it could have been five hours, or even five days.

What did it matter how long it had been?

It wasn't like he was getting out of here.

You're so full of shit, Eric.

Eric's head snapped up. The words echoing in his mind were Wes', but there was no hallucination. Where had the words come from then?

Oh, yeah. Memory.

"OK, hotshot -- how do you figure that one?"

"You're sitting there going 'poor me' -- look beyond yourself for once."

"What?"

"Eric, yes you're injured. Yes, you're confined to your desk. At least you're here."

"I don't follow."

"Boy can you be dense sometimes. What are you doing tonight again?"

"Baby sitting for Kimberly."

"Right. Think about it."

It was an odd memory to surface. He and Wes had been talking not long after his release from hospital, after the other rangers had gone back to the year 3000. He had been feeling particularly down, given the physical restrictions he'd been under and had been taking it out on Wes...at least until Wes had made him stop and think.

And realise that yes, his surviving was a good thing.

His relationship with Kimberly and with Alice.

Kimberly's face swam before his eyes. Not the contorted, hateful image that he'd seen so many times in the hallucination but the smile she'd given him when they'd been talking in the hotel room. The smile she'd given him when he'd invited her to sleep with him.

The real Kimberly, he realised. The real person. Not my paranoid fantasies. The woman I love and who loves me...

He paused, testing that thought.

And realised that it was true. He was as sure as he could be that she loved him.

She loved him.

It didn't matter what bel Abis threw at him; Kimberly loved him.

"You think we can make this work?"

"We'll make it work."

It was a promise he'd made to Kimberly. It's a promise I'm going to make good on, he decided. I am going to get out of this. He clenched his jaw. I'm tired of running from myself. When I get out of this, I am going to tell Kim I love her.

~*~

"Give him a break."

Kimberly jumped at the words. She hadn't realised anyone had followed her. Looking round, she saw Hines standing in the doorway of the ladies' room, leaning against the door, effectively preventing anyone from coming in -- or out, for that matter.

"What do you mean?" Kimberly asked, aware her voice gave away how upset she actually felt now.

"I mean, give him a break," Hines repeated.

"You know." It wasn't a question, but Hines nodded. "How?"

"I had a major crush on Eric when I first met him," Hines explained. "I spent six months sharing an office with him...and probably spent more time staring at him than I did at my own work." Hines looked embarrassed. "Anyway, the end result was I put two and two together the second I met Colonel Peterson."

"Oh."

Hines smiled faintly. "It's not easy on him."

"It's his fault!" Kimberly exclaimed.

"Exactly," Hines replied. "He knows that. How do you imagine it makes him feel? He was hoping that when this was all sorted out he might be able to try and get a relationship with Eric...that chance has just about gone thanks to Lemont."

Kimberly turned so that she was facing Hines properly. "So? And?"

"I don't know the whole story," Hines continued, "but how would you feel if you knew you had a son, knew who he was, but had never been able to be a part of his life for one reason or another and your one chance to change that was taken away from you because of you?"

Kimberly didn't want to feel any sympathy with Peterson but Hines had a point.

"He has to live with that," Hines stated gently. "No-one likes the knowledge that they've hurt their child -- even if that child is twenty-seven and commander in chief of a private security force."

"Twenty-eight," Kimberly corrected absently.

"Pardon?"

"It was Eric's birthday this week. He's twenty-eight now."

Hines winced. "Don't tell me. Tuesday."

"Yeah." Kimberly sighed. "Hell of a birthday present."

Hines slowly shook her head. "Oh, man."

"If this is Peterson's show..."

Hines reluctantly nodded. "The timing of Cawdron's visit was down to Colonel Peterson."

"Son of a bitch."

Hines shook her head again. "Not the way you think."

Kimberly folded her arms and glared at Hines, waiting.

Hines sighed. "I don't know all the ins and outs, Fos and I only got in on this when things went ca-ca on Tuesday night, but I do know Colonel Peterson put a call in to Cawdron on Monday night." She grimaced. "I'm guessing here, but I'd say someone was using Eric's birthday -- just not Peterson."

"How can you be so reasonable?"

Hines smiled wryly. "I guess it helps that I was around to see just how worried Peterson was first thing yesterday morning when we didn't have a clue where you and Eric had vanished to."

"I don't want to forgive him."

"You don't have to. Just give him a break."

Kimberly turned away from Hines to face the sink in the ladies' room. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Kim, if you don't, you won't be in the rescue party -- and Eric needs you to be there."

Kimberly ran some water into the sink and splashed a little onto her face, trying to freshen herself up. I have to try, she mused. For Eric. "I can't make any promises, but I'll try."

"That's all any of us can do," Hines replied. "Ready?"

Kimberly sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. She could see Hines standing behind her, looking not unsympathetic. "Yeah." She sighed. "About as ready as I'm going to be."

~*~

The light flared in the void.

Eric grimaced but the new determination he had for surviving this nightmare leant him the strength of will not to cry out, even though he knew the sudden influx of light would leave him temporarily blind.

"You're pathetic, really," said a voice. "You scream so easily."

The voice was familiar to Eric, but it wasn't the faintly accented English tones of bel Abis.

"But you're a means to an end," the voice continued.

Eric could hear footsteps and hear the voice moving as the words were spoken. He judged the speaker had probably come to a halt directly in front of him -- but squinting told him nothing more than there was a blur before him. Certainly not enough to identify the speaker.

"You don't even recognise me, do you?"

Eric found himself chuckling, humourlessly, as he finally placed the voice.

"My hands are tied -- officially you weren't there."

The last time he'd heard it, the owner had effectively terminated his career in the Marines. Blinking, his eyesight finally recovered enough to back up the gut feeling. "Gee, I'd salute, General, but I'm kinda hung up right now."

Lemont curled his lip in a sneer. "You always were a smart mouth, Myers."

"And you're an asshole," Eric retorted, "but who's keeping score?"

Lemont glared. Eric could see the older man's hands clenching as though he wanted to lash out. "Not smart, pissing off the man who's holding bel Abis' leash."

"Can't even do your own dirty work, huh?"

"It's lucky for you I need you whole right now."

"You don't know how special that makes me feel," Eric drawled.

"You're just like your goddamn father -- he never knew when to shut up either."

Eric froze momentarily at that. "Guess you didn't do your homework, sir," he finally said. "If you think that son of a bitch is going to give a damn one way or the other about me you're wrong."

Lemont smiled, viciously. "Ah, there it's you that's wrong, Myers. See, you might not know dear ol' dad, but I do. And trust me," Lemont added, "he cares a great deal about you."

Eric snorted. "And I should believe the word of some fuck-up who can't do his own dirty work?"

Eric knew the blow was coming possibly even before Lemont knew it. The older man's fist slammed into his jaw and Eric heard a crunch. There was pain following it, but as he worked his jaw surreptitiously, he realised that most of the crunch had been Lemont's hand.

He forced himself to smile. "A fuck-up who can't do his own dirty work and doesn't know how to throw a decent punch."

"You will be sorry you said that," Lemont promised, nursing his hand. "Just as soon as I've stopped having any use for you, I'll turn you over to bel Abis. You broke under him once -- you'll do it again."

~*~

"...our information is that his physical condition is basically good," Peterson was saying as Kimberly returned to her seat.

"OK?" Rocky asked softly.

Kimberly gave a brief nod. She felt anything but OK, but for Eric's sake, she needed to fake it.

"The plan," Peterson continued, "is simple. We have a recon. team currently surveying the site. The six of us -- that is, Mr Johnson, Mr DeSantos, Ms Cunningham, Colonel Cawdron, Corporal Hines and myself," he paused and gave Foster an apologetic look, "will hit the highway shortly, heading for the facility. Mr Johnson, I believe your organisation uses energy weapons of some description?"

"Blasters," Ben agreed. "Stun or kill as required."

Peterson nodded. "I don't like the idea of two civilians going into a mess like this unarmed, nor do I like the idea of handing over firearms."

"We have spares," said Ben. "I know Rocky knows how to use one. Kim have you got any weapons training?"

"Yes," she answered. It was not quite a complete lie but close to it. Her Ranger experience should compensate, though. She hoped. How hard could a Silver Guardian blaster be to use?

Peterson nodded. "All right. What we actually do at the compound is going to depend a lot on the recon. information. Sergeant Foster, you and Mr Johnson's second in command will be in contact with us and you will be providing backup, should it be needed." Foster nodded. "Any questions?" Silence. "Good. We leave in half an hour. Mr Johnson..." But Peterson didn't need to finish as Ben was already nodding.

"Got it covered," he said, getting to his feet. "Rocky, Kim -- if you come with me, I'll fix you up with an equipment harness and blaster."

TO BE CONTINUED...