7th - In the Hands of the Enemy
"Incoming wounded! All personnel report to your stations!" Klinger called over the PA system, waking Toni up from a fitful sleep she'd managed after the impromptu card games.
"Time for work, girl. This is what they pay you for." Hawkeye said from his watchful position on the other bed.
Once again Toni jumped. "Will you stop doing that? I'll sleep fine on my own."
"Whatever you say, Tonse."
She turned to face him. "What did you say?" She asked, voice cold.
"Tonse. Is that a problem?"
"Rebekka used to call me that." She paused and looked at him thoughtfully. "You can call me that."
Hawkeye smiled and stood. "I have to go. You get dressed and head down to the chopper landing bay."
"Yessir." She replied, returning the smile.
---
"Ah, this is the real reason we're sent here."
Toni watched, amused. "Why, so you can get drunk?"
"So they. so they can. well it's so they'll do something." Hawkeye finished.
"I'm sure."
"It's true." BJ came to his friend's defence.
Toni tried not to laugh out loud, but failed. "You guys are funny when you're pissed."
"Are you implying that we're not normally funny?"
"Yes, she is. Will you two clowns at least go to the Officer's Club to get intoxicated?" Charles said the word intoxicated as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Oh, leave them alone. They're allowed to let loose every now and then." Toni answered for the two men.
"What are you doing here anyway, Corporal?" Charles asked.
"I was sent here by the Army. Personally I don't see why-"
"That's not what I meant! What are you doing in this tent right now? Don't you have more important things to do?" He asked.
Toni pretended to think. "No."
"We are under attack! Repeat, we are under attack! All personnel to defence stations!" Klinger's frightened voice came over the PA.
Toni and Charles exchanged a look. "Where do I go?" Toni asked, standing to help Hawkeye and BJ.
"You'll go to Klinger in the office." He replied. "I'll get these two safe, don't worry."
Toni glanced at the inebriated men. "Thanks, Charles. I won't forget this."
"We will though." Hawkeye said.
"Literally." Added BJ.
Ton made a break for the office when there was a slight cease in gunfire.
She slammed the door behind her before looking around, and as she turned she was grabbed from behind.
Oh no. Not again!
"We have to go!" One of the men behind her snapped in Korean.
The one that held her tightened his grip as she struggled. "We'll take her with us. We might need her later. If not we can have some fun at any rate." The other replied.
Toni pulled free from his grasp and tried to take his rifle. He swung it up and it hit her on the back of her head.
She was vaguely aware of being carried away before the darkness once again overcame her.
---
"Klinger, where's Toni? Klinger?"
Klinger looked up at Hawkeye, scared. "I don't know, sir." He replied, worried in spite of himself.
"Shit." He almost ran to the PA microphone. "All personnel this is Captain Pierce. Corporal Toni White is missing, I repeat, she's missing. If anyone knows where she is get your ass down here now." He cut the power off and went to BJ.
"Where could she be?"
BJ looked troubled. "You don't think they would have taken her, do you?"
Charles burst into the office.
"Do you know where she is?" Hawkeye demanded.
"No, all I know is that I told her to report here with Klinger. We have him, don't we?"
"I'm right here, sir." Klinger said quietly from behind Charles.
"Well then surely you can tell us what happened."
Klinger looked down. "As soon as they came I put the announcement over the PA, then went into Potter's office. About two minutes after five men burst into here. Since Toni was told to report here, I assume they met up."
"This is all my fault." Charles fumed.
"Hey, we weren't drunk when they came she probably would have stayed with us. Speaking of which, must you all yell so loudly?"
Winchester rolled his eyes.
"Well what are we going to do about it then?" BJ asked. "We can't just leave her wherever they've taken her."
Margaret ran into the room. "They took White!" She said quickly. "I saw them before they left."
"Where to?" Hawkeye demanded, grabbing her shoulders.
"They didn't say. They took her in the jeep they stole. What are we going to do about it?"
"We're following them."
The six of them looked at each other.
"Let's do this." Hawkeye said.
---
"What is your name?"
Toni stayed silent, defiantly glaring at him. They were still on the jeep they'd stolen, and her hands were tied behind her back. Consequently every time the jeep went over a pothole she hit her head on the roof.
He raised his hand and slapped her. She spat out some blood onto the floor, feeling more of the warm liquid trickle from her mouth.
"What is your name?"
No harm, I suppose. We're supposed to allowed to say name rank and serial number. "Toni White." She whispered, looking down.
He smiled. "Well, Toni. You seem to be in a bit of trouble."
"Who taught you English?" She asked him, looking straight into his eyes.
He hit her again, harder, and she bit back a cry. "Rule one; we ask the questions here."
"Can you write them all down for me? I might forget one." She replied.
He smiled. "Don't worry. You won't." He turned to the driver. "How much longer?" He demanded in Korean.
"Half an hour." He replied without taking his eyes off the road. "What are we keeping her for?" He asked, jerking his head to Toni.
"Hostage. Failing that, fun. We haven't have one of them in a while. Not a female, anyway."
Toni spat at him in disgust.
He wiped his uniform carefully with a handkerchief. He looked at her for a long moment. "I think I'll enjoy you." He said decisively.
Toni refrained from shivering. Oh Yvette, I wish you were here!
---
"Why are you doing this? What the fuck did I ever do to you?" Toni demanded, pulling against the restraints that held her against the wall.
"You are American, right? At least you fight in their Army. That's what you did to me."
"All I am is a paper shuffler. It's not like I know any important secrets that the Army is hiding."
"Oh I know. I'm just bored, that's all."
"Ah, now it makes sense." She spat, keeping her head down. She'd already learnt rule two; never look them in the eye.
"You know, I like you." He commented, watching her thrash uselessly against the wall.
"Yeh, I like you too. Now will you let me go already?"
"No." He stepped toward her, and instinctively she tried to draw away from him, and she felt her insides clench and turn to ice.
"Tell me, what hand to you use to write with, Toni?" He asked.
"Like I'd tell you." She spat.
"You will tell me. You know why? Because if you don't, you will find it very, very hard to use either of them."
She shivered, but looked him in the eye, just to spite him. When he raised his hand she spat on his uniform.
---
"How do you plan on finding her? Even if we knew where she was if would be impossible to save her."
"You know Sherman, when you say impossible like that it makes me desperate to prove you wrong." Hawkeye commented. "Look, I made a promise to the kid, and I intend on keeping it."
"Which was.?" BJ asked, interested.
"Private, unfortunately."
Trapped tilted his head. "Figures. Sherman, we're going, with or without you permission and support."
"I know. Which means that I'll be going with you."
"No. We still have five wounded. You'll have to stay with the nurses and help them. We need two jeeps and supplies." BJ said.
Sherman opened his mouth to protest, then sighed. "I assume you've thought of everything?"
"Of course. And with your blessing we'll take out leave." Hawkeye replied.
"Everyone out. I want to talk to Hawk from a moment. And stay away from the door."
There was a chorus of 'yes sir's, and they left.
He waited for the doors to close, then turned to Hawkeye.
"You know what you're doing?" He asked abruptly.
"Yes, sir." He replied, serious for once.
Sherman looked him in the eye. "You've grown up a lot here, Hawk. I trust you to make the right decisions over there. You said you made Toni a promise? I don't expect you to tell me, or anyone else, what it is. What I expect, and know will happen, is that you fulfil that promise. But Hawk. Don't die for it."
Hawkeye bit his lip. "Sir, if I don't fulfil it, I won't be able to live."
Potter extended his hand, and Hawkeye took it. "Just do the right thing."
Hawkeye turned to go.
"And Hawk?"
He turned again.
"Bring her back safely. That's an order."
"One I actually intend to carry out, sir. I'll see you soon."
They saluted each other.
The team of six left four minutes later, and Sherman poured himself a drink.
---
"Don't. you guys. ever. get sick. of this?"
"Never."
Toni gasped as the soldier's foot connected with her lower abdomen again.
She curled into a ball around the newest injury and fought tears. That just makes you seem weaker to them! She yelled at herself as a tear slipped.
"Stand up."
Toni pulled herself to her knees, but that was as far as she got. "I can't." She whispered.
He kicked her again. "You will."
She tried again, using the wall behind her for support, and got shakily to her feet.
He grabbed her arm. "I'm so sick of this war." He whispered in her ear. "So sick of it I can hardly see straight." He twisted her arm, and she let out a shriek of agony. She felt the pressure build and looked into his eyes.
"So sick of it I'll use any form of enjoyment to make it more enduring."
The bone snapped and she screamed.
He dropped her to the floor and stalked out with a slight chuckle.
She lay on the floor holding her arm, sobbing silently to herself.
---
"It can't be too far from here."
Klinger pointed ahead. "There!" He whispered.
"Got it." BJ manoeuvred the jeep and they parked quietly.
Hawkeye passed a small bag to everyone, then a rifle.
They armed themselves, strapping the bags and tightening them quickly.
"We need to be in and out. According to the layout map Hawkeye 'acquired', Toni will be held here." He pointed to a building on the map that was separate from the main building.
"Why there?" Charles asked Hawkeye.
"The person that gave me the map said that they couldn't sleep with all the noise that came from the prisoner's rooms."
Margaret shivered.
A scream pierced the semidarkness.
"That's her!" BJ snarled.
"Let's go." Hawkeye started running to the building, followed by the other five.
"Incoming wounded! All personnel report to your stations!" Klinger called over the PA system, waking Toni up from a fitful sleep she'd managed after the impromptu card games.
"Time for work, girl. This is what they pay you for." Hawkeye said from his watchful position on the other bed.
Once again Toni jumped. "Will you stop doing that? I'll sleep fine on my own."
"Whatever you say, Tonse."
She turned to face him. "What did you say?" She asked, voice cold.
"Tonse. Is that a problem?"
"Rebekka used to call me that." She paused and looked at him thoughtfully. "You can call me that."
Hawkeye smiled and stood. "I have to go. You get dressed and head down to the chopper landing bay."
"Yessir." She replied, returning the smile.
---
"Ah, this is the real reason we're sent here."
Toni watched, amused. "Why, so you can get drunk?"
"So they. so they can. well it's so they'll do something." Hawkeye finished.
"I'm sure."
"It's true." BJ came to his friend's defence.
Toni tried not to laugh out loud, but failed. "You guys are funny when you're pissed."
"Are you implying that we're not normally funny?"
"Yes, she is. Will you two clowns at least go to the Officer's Club to get intoxicated?" Charles said the word intoxicated as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Oh, leave them alone. They're allowed to let loose every now and then." Toni answered for the two men.
"What are you doing here anyway, Corporal?" Charles asked.
"I was sent here by the Army. Personally I don't see why-"
"That's not what I meant! What are you doing in this tent right now? Don't you have more important things to do?" He asked.
Toni pretended to think. "No."
"We are under attack! Repeat, we are under attack! All personnel to defence stations!" Klinger's frightened voice came over the PA.
Toni and Charles exchanged a look. "Where do I go?" Toni asked, standing to help Hawkeye and BJ.
"You'll go to Klinger in the office." He replied. "I'll get these two safe, don't worry."
Toni glanced at the inebriated men. "Thanks, Charles. I won't forget this."
"We will though." Hawkeye said.
"Literally." Added BJ.
Ton made a break for the office when there was a slight cease in gunfire.
She slammed the door behind her before looking around, and as she turned she was grabbed from behind.
Oh no. Not again!
"We have to go!" One of the men behind her snapped in Korean.
The one that held her tightened his grip as she struggled. "We'll take her with us. We might need her later. If not we can have some fun at any rate." The other replied.
Toni pulled free from his grasp and tried to take his rifle. He swung it up and it hit her on the back of her head.
She was vaguely aware of being carried away before the darkness once again overcame her.
---
"Klinger, where's Toni? Klinger?"
Klinger looked up at Hawkeye, scared. "I don't know, sir." He replied, worried in spite of himself.
"Shit." He almost ran to the PA microphone. "All personnel this is Captain Pierce. Corporal Toni White is missing, I repeat, she's missing. If anyone knows where she is get your ass down here now." He cut the power off and went to BJ.
"Where could she be?"
BJ looked troubled. "You don't think they would have taken her, do you?"
Charles burst into the office.
"Do you know where she is?" Hawkeye demanded.
"No, all I know is that I told her to report here with Klinger. We have him, don't we?"
"I'm right here, sir." Klinger said quietly from behind Charles.
"Well then surely you can tell us what happened."
Klinger looked down. "As soon as they came I put the announcement over the PA, then went into Potter's office. About two minutes after five men burst into here. Since Toni was told to report here, I assume they met up."
"This is all my fault." Charles fumed.
"Hey, we weren't drunk when they came she probably would have stayed with us. Speaking of which, must you all yell so loudly?"
Winchester rolled his eyes.
"Well what are we going to do about it then?" BJ asked. "We can't just leave her wherever they've taken her."
Margaret ran into the room. "They took White!" She said quickly. "I saw them before they left."
"Where to?" Hawkeye demanded, grabbing her shoulders.
"They didn't say. They took her in the jeep they stole. What are we going to do about it?"
"We're following them."
The six of them looked at each other.
"Let's do this." Hawkeye said.
---
"What is your name?"
Toni stayed silent, defiantly glaring at him. They were still on the jeep they'd stolen, and her hands were tied behind her back. Consequently every time the jeep went over a pothole she hit her head on the roof.
He raised his hand and slapped her. She spat out some blood onto the floor, feeling more of the warm liquid trickle from her mouth.
"What is your name?"
No harm, I suppose. We're supposed to allowed to say name rank and serial number. "Toni White." She whispered, looking down.
He smiled. "Well, Toni. You seem to be in a bit of trouble."
"Who taught you English?" She asked him, looking straight into his eyes.
He hit her again, harder, and she bit back a cry. "Rule one; we ask the questions here."
"Can you write them all down for me? I might forget one." She replied.
He smiled. "Don't worry. You won't." He turned to the driver. "How much longer?" He demanded in Korean.
"Half an hour." He replied without taking his eyes off the road. "What are we keeping her for?" He asked, jerking his head to Toni.
"Hostage. Failing that, fun. We haven't have one of them in a while. Not a female, anyway."
Toni spat at him in disgust.
He wiped his uniform carefully with a handkerchief. He looked at her for a long moment. "I think I'll enjoy you." He said decisively.
Toni refrained from shivering. Oh Yvette, I wish you were here!
---
"Why are you doing this? What the fuck did I ever do to you?" Toni demanded, pulling against the restraints that held her against the wall.
"You are American, right? At least you fight in their Army. That's what you did to me."
"All I am is a paper shuffler. It's not like I know any important secrets that the Army is hiding."
"Oh I know. I'm just bored, that's all."
"Ah, now it makes sense." She spat, keeping her head down. She'd already learnt rule two; never look them in the eye.
"You know, I like you." He commented, watching her thrash uselessly against the wall.
"Yeh, I like you too. Now will you let me go already?"
"No." He stepped toward her, and instinctively she tried to draw away from him, and she felt her insides clench and turn to ice.
"Tell me, what hand to you use to write with, Toni?" He asked.
"Like I'd tell you." She spat.
"You will tell me. You know why? Because if you don't, you will find it very, very hard to use either of them."
She shivered, but looked him in the eye, just to spite him. When he raised his hand she spat on his uniform.
---
"How do you plan on finding her? Even if we knew where she was if would be impossible to save her."
"You know Sherman, when you say impossible like that it makes me desperate to prove you wrong." Hawkeye commented. "Look, I made a promise to the kid, and I intend on keeping it."
"Which was.?" BJ asked, interested.
"Private, unfortunately."
Trapped tilted his head. "Figures. Sherman, we're going, with or without you permission and support."
"I know. Which means that I'll be going with you."
"No. We still have five wounded. You'll have to stay with the nurses and help them. We need two jeeps and supplies." BJ said.
Sherman opened his mouth to protest, then sighed. "I assume you've thought of everything?"
"Of course. And with your blessing we'll take out leave." Hawkeye replied.
"Everyone out. I want to talk to Hawk from a moment. And stay away from the door."
There was a chorus of 'yes sir's, and they left.
He waited for the doors to close, then turned to Hawkeye.
"You know what you're doing?" He asked abruptly.
"Yes, sir." He replied, serious for once.
Sherman looked him in the eye. "You've grown up a lot here, Hawk. I trust you to make the right decisions over there. You said you made Toni a promise? I don't expect you to tell me, or anyone else, what it is. What I expect, and know will happen, is that you fulfil that promise. But Hawk. Don't die for it."
Hawkeye bit his lip. "Sir, if I don't fulfil it, I won't be able to live."
Potter extended his hand, and Hawkeye took it. "Just do the right thing."
Hawkeye turned to go.
"And Hawk?"
He turned again.
"Bring her back safely. That's an order."
"One I actually intend to carry out, sir. I'll see you soon."
They saluted each other.
The team of six left four minutes later, and Sherman poured himself a drink.
---
"Don't. you guys. ever. get sick. of this?"
"Never."
Toni gasped as the soldier's foot connected with her lower abdomen again.
She curled into a ball around the newest injury and fought tears. That just makes you seem weaker to them! She yelled at herself as a tear slipped.
"Stand up."
Toni pulled herself to her knees, but that was as far as she got. "I can't." She whispered.
He kicked her again. "You will."
She tried again, using the wall behind her for support, and got shakily to her feet.
He grabbed her arm. "I'm so sick of this war." He whispered in her ear. "So sick of it I can hardly see straight." He twisted her arm, and she let out a shriek of agony. She felt the pressure build and looked into his eyes.
"So sick of it I'll use any form of enjoyment to make it more enduring."
The bone snapped and she screamed.
He dropped her to the floor and stalked out with a slight chuckle.
She lay on the floor holding her arm, sobbing silently to herself.
---
"It can't be too far from here."
Klinger pointed ahead. "There!" He whispered.
"Got it." BJ manoeuvred the jeep and they parked quietly.
Hawkeye passed a small bag to everyone, then a rifle.
They armed themselves, strapping the bags and tightening them quickly.
"We need to be in and out. According to the layout map Hawkeye 'acquired', Toni will be held here." He pointed to a building on the map that was separate from the main building.
"Why there?" Charles asked Hawkeye.
"The person that gave me the map said that they couldn't sleep with all the noise that came from the prisoner's rooms."
Margaret shivered.
A scream pierced the semidarkness.
"That's her!" BJ snarled.
"Let's go." Hawkeye started running to the building, followed by the other five.