Here's chapter fourteen. No intro. Just read.
Unlucky Hand chapter fourteen: Hold On
Wolfsong
When Trent came to for the second time since being in the boss's office, the first when he had seen them beating Carlos, he remembered he had been stripped of all but his jeans and the cross around his neck. There was an intense pain running through his back all along his spine. He opened his eyes to see that he was hanging about three feet in the air. The pain in his arms was caused by ropes tied to his wrist. The rope went through a pulley system attached to a crank in the corner. His ankles were tied to a large steel beam on the floor. Before he could cheek all of his surroundings, the big black man came in.
"Hello again, Mr. Malloy. You've been out for a couple days. We didn't think you'd make it." The man growled in his husky voice.
"Surprise, surprise." Trent licked his lips and tasted blood. He remembered that they had been interrogating him, and would hit him every time he didn't answer. "What day is it?"
"Why does that matter?" The man questioned. "Are you suppose to be back home for something important? If ya just tell me what I want to know, you and your friend can go home."
"What day is it?" Trent repeated himself.
"Alright. I'll bargain with you. You tell me yours and your partners names and I'll tell you the date. Is that a deal?"
Trent didn't want to, but he shook his head. "I am Trent Malloy. My partner is Carlos Sandoval."
"Good. At least now I know I've been calling you by the right name. The date is Tuesday January 17th." the man just looked at Trent. "I like that necklace you're wearing." Trent went to grasp the necklace, but couldn't. "Is it special to you? When I first met you face to face you didn't seem like a man of God." He began pacing below him. "I didn't take it off because, well...it just looks good on you. Who gave it to you?"
"That's not of any importance to you." Trent snapped. He was hit from behind with a large whip.
"I'm not going to go after your girlfriend, Mr. Malloy. Not unless you make me." he smiled wickedly. "Do you know what this is, Trent? Can I call you Trent?" he asked holding a large whip up.
"It's a cat-o-nine tails." "Very good, Trent." the man said. "Do you know what significancy it had in the Bible?"
"It was used to whip Jesus during the crucifixion." Trent answered. His head was spinning and he couldn't concentrate.
"Very, very good. You know your Bible."
"My father was a preacher."
"Was he now? So he told you about lying and going to Hell, didn't he?"
"He also taught me that stealing is a sin. One of the Ten Commandments. Do you know which it is?" Trent questioned back.
"Thou shalt not steal. Commandment number eight." the man just stared at him. "You're going to be a tough nut to crack. Well, maybe time will brake you." The man turned to one of his thugs. "A few more times then put him in number two."
The thug did as ordered. Trent was beaten and whipped for fifteen minutes, then was drug down a hallway into a room with a bared door.
Two days earlier
Back home, Kim had stayed the night at Sydney's helping her pack some of her things. It had been 72 hours since she had talked to Trent. They somewhat knew the area they would be traveling on. She knew that he could have reached a phone by now.
Sydney was starting to worry about her friend. Kim hadn't gotten any sleep for the past two nights. She looked pale and sickly. Her eyes were dark and had bags under them. They were to meet with Gage, Trivette and Walker for lunch to talk about the on going case.
"Hey, guys. Hi, honey." Sydney now felt open and free to express how she felt about Gage. For now she knew that no one at work, no matter the rules, could tear them apart. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.
"Hey, beautiful." It felt good to hear her openly express her feelings. This was the way he had wanted it for so long. The two of them, close, in love, and uncaring of what others thought. "Hey, Kim. Any news?" He knew how much Kim loved Trent. He had been the first person she ever told out loud. He had mistakenly thought Trent was trying to steal Sydney and had beaten the crape out of him before learning of his feelings for Kim.
"It's been almost 72 hours. I'm really starting to worry. One of them should have called by now."
"It'll be alright, Kim." Trivette said hugging the woman next to him. "I know." she sniffled. "They always come through. I'm just waiting and praying that that one time they don't doesn't come."
"Kim," Walker said. "how do you think Alex has felt for years? Every night when I come in, even if I'm a minute late, she makes sure I haven't been hurt."
"She has gone through so much worrying about him. The stories she could tell you." Sydney said.
"Thanks, Syd." Walker looked over a the rangers; their arms were wrapped around each other, her head on his arm, his head resting on hers, both smiling brighter than the sun on the first day of summer.
"Trent and Carlos are both good men. They're smart." He smiled trying to reassure his friends. There was nothing any of them could do to make her feel batter. Of the four of them sitting at the table, she was the closest one to them. "Why don't you tell us about this case. Maybe we can figure out where they are."
"Alright." Kim took a sip of her tea them began. "We don't yet know the lead guys name. The last time Trent called me, he said that things were getting rough. One of their contacts, a main guy in the organization, had been discovered as a spy who was working to ruin the operation. He was dismembered." Sydney moaned. "I know. They found bits and pieces of him along the roadside near a gas station. Trent was starting to worry that they may e found out."
"Could they have been?" Jimmy asked.
"Maybe. We thought we covered out tails pretty well." Kim said blankly.
"Maybe. Let's go over it again. Everything that's happened." The four spent the rest of that afternoon trying to figure everything out and comforting Kim.
Two days later
He could fell the cold earth beneath him. He couldn't remember moving from the ropes into the cell, but he remembered that the boss had mentioned the date. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, the little light shining hurt his head. His body ached and cried out in pain. The blood had stopped flowing from his wounds. He thought he heard a voice and began to open his eyes. There it was again. Coming from in front of him. He finally opened his eyes and looked across.
"Oh, thank God, Trent, you're still alive" cried the voice.
"Carlos?"
"Yeah, buddy. It's me. Are you okay? You look awful."
"Thanks." he moaned as he sat up straight. "I feel awful. What day is it?"
"It's the 18th."
"Good. We haven't missed it." Trent had his head laying backwards against the cold wall.
"Trent, they know who we are."
"I know. I'm sorry. I had to tell them. That's all I've said. I swear..."
"That's fine, Trent...pay attention. We need to get some kind of message out side. Trent, are you listening?"
"Yeah. Yeah. My head just really hurts. The sun's shining in."
"Turn over and face the wall. That way the sun's not in your eyes."
"That's...a good idea." Trent moaned as he turned around and laid down away from the hall. As he did, Carlos could see the cuts covering his back. He knew his friend was hurt by the sound of weakness in his voice and the look of pain on his face, but not that badly.
"Trent, your back. Jeez...what did they do to you?"
"I wouldn't answer them. They used a...cat-o-nine tails. And a club. Then they poured...water...taszer." He was starting to black out again from the lack of energy in his tortured body and Carlos knew it.
"Come on, Trent, stay with me. Think about the wedding, you speech. Think about Kim! How she's praying for you and wishing you'd just come home."
"I know. I am. I just...can't focus."
"Try. Try as hard as you can. Here." Carlos slid a piece of paper and a pencil over. "Try and write down your thoughts."
Trent reached and grabbed it with the little strength he had. Looking down at it, he tried to put out the words he wanted to say. But they were too jumbled up. He unfolded the page that Carlos had started doodling on. He took the pencil in his hand, and closed his eyes. He pictured Kim standing in the doorway of a house. Her arms open, begging him to enter. Her sweet smile and bright eyes warmed his soul. He could feel the life coming out of her and entering into him. He felt stronger and more alive. The words now were forming their sentences faster than he could write them down.
Dear Kim, as I sit here all the pain in my body leaves the moment you enter my thoughts. All the evilness and hate and pain is gone when I see you. You are my light, me beacon of hope. I don't know if I'll ever see you again, but if I don't I know that at least I was lucky to have been loved by you. I don't know why I held back my feelings for so long. I love you. I have for a long time. Your passion for life and for helping others proves to me that there is still goodness in this world. God must be sad, for you are an angel, one that left heaven and came to Earth. One who is willing to love a mere man like me. From now on, I'll never hide my feelings for you. And when I make it through, only God will be the one who could stop me loving you. Kim, you are my everything, and I want you with me until the end and longer than eternity. Kim, I have just one question to ask...will you marry me?
Trent was able to get the last line down before two thugs opened the cell door and drug him out. He managed to stuff it quickly into his pocket before they noticed it. Carlos could only watch as they drug his body down the hallway.
The men tied the ropes back around Trent's wrist and ankles. They turned the crank enough to where the rope around his legs were tight. His arms being pulled apart again opened the wounds on his back. The man with the whip came out leading the boss.
"Well, well, you're still alive." the man snickered. "I thought you would've been half dead by now."
"Bring it."
"You've gotten a second wind. Ready for more questions? Remember...if you don't answer me...we don't want that to happen." Trent just looked at the man with a smile on his face. He was ready for the beating ahead of him. "Who else knows about my...little operation?"
"I don't know." Trent put squarely.
"Now, Trent, you know what happens when you lie. Why do you keep doing it?"
"If I die and they catch you, then more people are saved."
"Sacrifice one to save many." He looked at the man with whip and nodded. "You're a fool, Trent."
"'Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.'" Trent cried out in pain as the wheel turned, stretching his body beyond its limits and the crack of the pieces of glass and metal at the end of the whip fell upon his flesh. At a moments thought he bit his lip. He would not cry out for that was what the man wanted. With every blow, a picture or thought of Kim came, and the pain of that moment was erased. Before the next blow, there was a loud crash outside of the warehouse.
"What's that?!"
End chapter 14 15 coming. This was a longer one. The whole part about the cat-o-nine tail, I know they whipped Jesus during the crucifixion, but I couldn't found where or if it said they used that kind of whip. A friend's mother told me they never had proof or something. I know that whip is used somewhere in the Bible (Egyptians, pharos). For that sorry if it isn't actually correct. If any one knows, plz send the word along. Thanks for readin' again!
Unlucky Hand chapter fourteen: Hold On
Wolfsong
When Trent came to for the second time since being in the boss's office, the first when he had seen them beating Carlos, he remembered he had been stripped of all but his jeans and the cross around his neck. There was an intense pain running through his back all along his spine. He opened his eyes to see that he was hanging about three feet in the air. The pain in his arms was caused by ropes tied to his wrist. The rope went through a pulley system attached to a crank in the corner. His ankles were tied to a large steel beam on the floor. Before he could cheek all of his surroundings, the big black man came in.
"Hello again, Mr. Malloy. You've been out for a couple days. We didn't think you'd make it." The man growled in his husky voice.
"Surprise, surprise." Trent licked his lips and tasted blood. He remembered that they had been interrogating him, and would hit him every time he didn't answer. "What day is it?"
"Why does that matter?" The man questioned. "Are you suppose to be back home for something important? If ya just tell me what I want to know, you and your friend can go home."
"What day is it?" Trent repeated himself.
"Alright. I'll bargain with you. You tell me yours and your partners names and I'll tell you the date. Is that a deal?"
Trent didn't want to, but he shook his head. "I am Trent Malloy. My partner is Carlos Sandoval."
"Good. At least now I know I've been calling you by the right name. The date is Tuesday January 17th." the man just looked at Trent. "I like that necklace you're wearing." Trent went to grasp the necklace, but couldn't. "Is it special to you? When I first met you face to face you didn't seem like a man of God." He began pacing below him. "I didn't take it off because, well...it just looks good on you. Who gave it to you?"
"That's not of any importance to you." Trent snapped. He was hit from behind with a large whip.
"I'm not going to go after your girlfriend, Mr. Malloy. Not unless you make me." he smiled wickedly. "Do you know what this is, Trent? Can I call you Trent?" he asked holding a large whip up.
"It's a cat-o-nine tails." "Very good, Trent." the man said. "Do you know what significancy it had in the Bible?"
"It was used to whip Jesus during the crucifixion." Trent answered. His head was spinning and he couldn't concentrate.
"Very, very good. You know your Bible."
"My father was a preacher."
"Was he now? So he told you about lying and going to Hell, didn't he?"
"He also taught me that stealing is a sin. One of the Ten Commandments. Do you know which it is?" Trent questioned back.
"Thou shalt not steal. Commandment number eight." the man just stared at him. "You're going to be a tough nut to crack. Well, maybe time will brake you." The man turned to one of his thugs. "A few more times then put him in number two."
The thug did as ordered. Trent was beaten and whipped for fifteen minutes, then was drug down a hallway into a room with a bared door.
Two days earlier
Back home, Kim had stayed the night at Sydney's helping her pack some of her things. It had been 72 hours since she had talked to Trent. They somewhat knew the area they would be traveling on. She knew that he could have reached a phone by now.
Sydney was starting to worry about her friend. Kim hadn't gotten any sleep for the past two nights. She looked pale and sickly. Her eyes were dark and had bags under them. They were to meet with Gage, Trivette and Walker for lunch to talk about the on going case.
"Hey, guys. Hi, honey." Sydney now felt open and free to express how she felt about Gage. For now she knew that no one at work, no matter the rules, could tear them apart. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.
"Hey, beautiful." It felt good to hear her openly express her feelings. This was the way he had wanted it for so long. The two of them, close, in love, and uncaring of what others thought. "Hey, Kim. Any news?" He knew how much Kim loved Trent. He had been the first person she ever told out loud. He had mistakenly thought Trent was trying to steal Sydney and had beaten the crape out of him before learning of his feelings for Kim.
"It's been almost 72 hours. I'm really starting to worry. One of them should have called by now."
"It'll be alright, Kim." Trivette said hugging the woman next to him. "I know." she sniffled. "They always come through. I'm just waiting and praying that that one time they don't doesn't come."
"Kim," Walker said. "how do you think Alex has felt for years? Every night when I come in, even if I'm a minute late, she makes sure I haven't been hurt."
"She has gone through so much worrying about him. The stories she could tell you." Sydney said.
"Thanks, Syd." Walker looked over a the rangers; their arms were wrapped around each other, her head on his arm, his head resting on hers, both smiling brighter than the sun on the first day of summer.
"Trent and Carlos are both good men. They're smart." He smiled trying to reassure his friends. There was nothing any of them could do to make her feel batter. Of the four of them sitting at the table, she was the closest one to them. "Why don't you tell us about this case. Maybe we can figure out where they are."
"Alright." Kim took a sip of her tea them began. "We don't yet know the lead guys name. The last time Trent called me, he said that things were getting rough. One of their contacts, a main guy in the organization, had been discovered as a spy who was working to ruin the operation. He was dismembered." Sydney moaned. "I know. They found bits and pieces of him along the roadside near a gas station. Trent was starting to worry that they may e found out."
"Could they have been?" Jimmy asked.
"Maybe. We thought we covered out tails pretty well." Kim said blankly.
"Maybe. Let's go over it again. Everything that's happened." The four spent the rest of that afternoon trying to figure everything out and comforting Kim.
Two days later
He could fell the cold earth beneath him. He couldn't remember moving from the ropes into the cell, but he remembered that the boss had mentioned the date. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, the little light shining hurt his head. His body ached and cried out in pain. The blood had stopped flowing from his wounds. He thought he heard a voice and began to open his eyes. There it was again. Coming from in front of him. He finally opened his eyes and looked across.
"Oh, thank God, Trent, you're still alive" cried the voice.
"Carlos?"
"Yeah, buddy. It's me. Are you okay? You look awful."
"Thanks." he moaned as he sat up straight. "I feel awful. What day is it?"
"It's the 18th."
"Good. We haven't missed it." Trent had his head laying backwards against the cold wall.
"Trent, they know who we are."
"I know. I'm sorry. I had to tell them. That's all I've said. I swear..."
"That's fine, Trent...pay attention. We need to get some kind of message out side. Trent, are you listening?"
"Yeah. Yeah. My head just really hurts. The sun's shining in."
"Turn over and face the wall. That way the sun's not in your eyes."
"That's...a good idea." Trent moaned as he turned around and laid down away from the hall. As he did, Carlos could see the cuts covering his back. He knew his friend was hurt by the sound of weakness in his voice and the look of pain on his face, but not that badly.
"Trent, your back. Jeez...what did they do to you?"
"I wouldn't answer them. They used a...cat-o-nine tails. And a club. Then they poured...water...taszer." He was starting to black out again from the lack of energy in his tortured body and Carlos knew it.
"Come on, Trent, stay with me. Think about the wedding, you speech. Think about Kim! How she's praying for you and wishing you'd just come home."
"I know. I am. I just...can't focus."
"Try. Try as hard as you can. Here." Carlos slid a piece of paper and a pencil over. "Try and write down your thoughts."
Trent reached and grabbed it with the little strength he had. Looking down at it, he tried to put out the words he wanted to say. But they were too jumbled up. He unfolded the page that Carlos had started doodling on. He took the pencil in his hand, and closed his eyes. He pictured Kim standing in the doorway of a house. Her arms open, begging him to enter. Her sweet smile and bright eyes warmed his soul. He could feel the life coming out of her and entering into him. He felt stronger and more alive. The words now were forming their sentences faster than he could write them down.
Dear Kim, as I sit here all the pain in my body leaves the moment you enter my thoughts. All the evilness and hate and pain is gone when I see you. You are my light, me beacon of hope. I don't know if I'll ever see you again, but if I don't I know that at least I was lucky to have been loved by you. I don't know why I held back my feelings for so long. I love you. I have for a long time. Your passion for life and for helping others proves to me that there is still goodness in this world. God must be sad, for you are an angel, one that left heaven and came to Earth. One who is willing to love a mere man like me. From now on, I'll never hide my feelings for you. And when I make it through, only God will be the one who could stop me loving you. Kim, you are my everything, and I want you with me until the end and longer than eternity. Kim, I have just one question to ask...will you marry me?
Trent was able to get the last line down before two thugs opened the cell door and drug him out. He managed to stuff it quickly into his pocket before they noticed it. Carlos could only watch as they drug his body down the hallway.
The men tied the ropes back around Trent's wrist and ankles. They turned the crank enough to where the rope around his legs were tight. His arms being pulled apart again opened the wounds on his back. The man with the whip came out leading the boss.
"Well, well, you're still alive." the man snickered. "I thought you would've been half dead by now."
"Bring it."
"You've gotten a second wind. Ready for more questions? Remember...if you don't answer me...we don't want that to happen." Trent just looked at the man with a smile on his face. He was ready for the beating ahead of him. "Who else knows about my...little operation?"
"I don't know." Trent put squarely.
"Now, Trent, you know what happens when you lie. Why do you keep doing it?"
"If I die and they catch you, then more people are saved."
"Sacrifice one to save many." He looked at the man with whip and nodded. "You're a fool, Trent."
"'Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.'" Trent cried out in pain as the wheel turned, stretching his body beyond its limits and the crack of the pieces of glass and metal at the end of the whip fell upon his flesh. At a moments thought he bit his lip. He would not cry out for that was what the man wanted. With every blow, a picture or thought of Kim came, and the pain of that moment was erased. Before the next blow, there was a loud crash outside of the warehouse.
"What's that?!"
End chapter 14 15 coming. This was a longer one. The whole part about the cat-o-nine tail, I know they whipped Jesus during the crucifixion, but I couldn't found where or if it said they used that kind of whip. A friend's mother told me they never had proof or something. I know that whip is used somewhere in the Bible (Egyptians, pharos). For that sorry if it isn't actually correct. If any one knows, plz send the word along. Thanks for readin' again!