Jack held his breath as Chow ran his stubby fingers around the heavy weight of the hammer, a menacing smile spread over his face. Jack was alert again, but he still stood with difficulty. He wanted to be able to slide down the wall and curl up into himself and be left alone. But that was the thing dreams were made of; they would never leave him alone here. They would hurt him over and over, and for what? What did they want from him, what could he do to stop this? They didn't even want anything from him, which was most depressing than anything else, expect perhaps, to see him suffer. They seemed to enjoy that very much.

"Are you scared yet?" Chow whispered, everybody herd it still but it gave Jack shivers.

Jack got the impression it was a rhetorical question, but it seemed Chow wanted an answer as he grabbed the front of his jumpsuit and threw him to the ground. Jack breathed a sigh of relief as he landed on his good knee, his bad leg couldn't take more abuse. He looked at Chow, squinting into the dark light, and saw he wasn't angry; he didn't want an answer after all. He was playing mind games with him.

Chow tossed the weapon through the air as though it was weightless and the youngest soldier caught it with a scared expression on his face. He hadn't been expecting this; none of this was scripted - Chow was making it up as he went along. It seemed he was enjoying the freedom he had as he began to speak to the man with the weapon, Jack and Kim the only people not understanding the conversation.

The two men focussed on Kim grabbed her and manoeuvred her through the struggle and onto the floor where they pinned her down, the third man looking uncertain as he held the weapon. Chow crouched down again near Jack and spoke quietly in his ear, his meaty hand sat on Jacks knee threateningly as he did so.

"I don't think you look so good Jack… After reading your file I thought you would be able to take your punishment like a man. But you disappoint me, your nothing more than an over rated coward, just like the rest of your people."

Jack stared at him coldly but ignored his urge to lash out, it was what they wanted him to do; give them an excuse to hurt him more. But part of him wondered, was he really a coward? He had tried to run, he was too scared to fight back; what had he become?

Chows narrative continued, interrupting Jacks thoughts.

"Somebody has to pay for the death you caused. I don't think you have been punished enough for your actions, Bauer, you still haven't suffered."

Jacks breathing increased with these words, what was he saying? What more would he have to endure in the name of his country?

"But you see Jack, we can't kill you, somebody has to answer for the raid. But if we cant kill you, well we can't hurt you anymore, can we? So I have a problem, don't I?"

Jack swallowed as his mind began to look for a way out, he knew exactly where this was going but he didn't know how to stop it. He was helpless, and now he and his daughter were at there mercy. How could he have put here in this position, in such danger?

"So maybe your daughter should take your place instead, that seems fair to me."

Jack swallowed again before he tried to speak, his throat was dry and he could barely form words.

"Please, this is my crime, she has nothing to do with this, let her go."

Kim was whimpering from the ground as she herd the conversation, she couldn't take her eyes from the hammer, only a small space away from her.

"Your crime?" Chow asked, mockingly.

"Yes…" Jack answered, slightly curious at the mans question. "I should be punished, I don't dispute that. But she is innocent."

"Nobody is innocent," Chow roared suddenly incensed as he slapped Jack across the cheek with the back of his hand, before quickly moving over and grabbing the hammer from the soldier.

He waved the weapon in his hand as thought testing its weight before turning back to Jack.

"Stand up," he ordered.

Jack scrambled to his feet, he climbed on one knee as he leant against the wall, trying to pull himself up with his palms, but he couldn't. His foot wouldn't co-operate; but he still tried, scared of what would happen to Kim if he didn't.

Chow was done with waiting, his impatience added to his anger as he roared at Jack.

"Stand up and be a man!"

The guard who had held the hammer ran over and dragged Jack to his feet, he could feel the man wavering beneath him and gasping in pain. He didn't let go, knowing he would fall if he did so.

"You get to see your daughter take the punishment you are not strong enough to receive," Chow hissed as he stared at Jack, waiting for anything.

"Please," he called out desperately, "please don't do this."

Chow was seemingly ignoring him, Jack was frantically trying to get past the guard, sweat was running down his face as his suit clung to him - all fear for himself was gone. He had to stop this, she couldn't do this.

"I'm the one you wanted you bastard!" He screamed, his voice breaking and showing his panic.

Chow spun round and raced up to Jack, grabbing him by the hair and chin and slamming his head against the back wall as he held him still.

He stared at him as anger seethed through him, but also relief. Relief that he may have saved his daughter, but he knew nothing was set into stone yet; he had to make sure they didn't harm her. He glanced over Chows shoulder at Kim, she was still crying, she looked a wreck. Jack couldn't blame her, nobody should go through this.

"Please," Jack began, sensing he didn't have much time to convince Chow to hurt him. "I'll do what you want," he said rapidly as he tried to think of anything, "Just tell me what to do!" He shouted.

That was the source of his frustration, they didn't want anything from him. Or if they did, they hadn't asked. That all changed when Chow spat out more words at him, his voice equally frustrated, his deadline was approaching and he had to get the man to confess. He had to get results to show his superiors he had taken the right approach with the prisoner.

"Then stop lying to me," he grumbled, his anger taking over him as he gripped Jacks hair tighter, as though he could relive the anger and frustration he felt coursing through his blood.

Jacks face changed, from anger to confusion, then to realisation. In that same second he seemed to clam up again, tried to fix his defences. His eyes darted around the room quickly, he knew what they wanted, but he couldn't give it them. But then they had Kim, the perfect weapon to get him. Was he going to give in?

Chow could see him thinking his options over and decided to give him something to help him make up his mind. Jack didn't see the sledgehammer raise in the air but he felt it as it fell down on his hand, crushing the bones and tearing the skin as it hit home. The scream was high pitched he had been completely unprepared. He tried to fall down but Chow held onto his hair preventing him from doing so; tears filled his eyes as he tried to gather control of himself.

Chows next words would be the ones to break him down completely. The man leaned over and spoke in his ear, softly; almost in comfort.

"You don't want your daughter to feel that kind of pain, do you?"

Jack shook his head frantically as far as he could with the grip on his hair, before letting out a chocking sob as he tried to speak. He took another deep breath before whispering 'no' in response to the question as he continued to gasp, pain ran through his hand and seemed to flare up the agony in his leg, it was all making itself felt as it protested against Jacks resistance.

Chow spoke again, snapping him back to reality.

"Then tell me what I want to know."

Jack closed his eyes as he continued to gasp with his mouth open. Chow was weary of letting him change his mind so he threw a punch at Jack, hitting him in the mouth as his head flew to the side. He bit his tongue and yelped in surprise, but this time he quickly got over the pain, he was trying to get a hold of himself.

"I…" He gasped again as he squeezed his eyes shut, furious with himself for allowing it to come to this.

"It was…" he began to cry as he spoke, loud heaving sobs shook his whole body as he realised what he was about to do. Chows eyes still stared at him coldly, they held no compassion for the mans inner torment.

"It was David Palmer, who ordered the assault."

Kim cried in relief as the guards let her go, Chow backed away from his prisoner as he began to speak into his radio. Jacks words echoed around his mind as he wondered what he had just done, before he collapsed to the floor from the pain and exhaustion. He would finally be allowed to rest.

The guards cleared out of the room in a hushed fashion, there were now more important matter to deal with than her father. They were left alone, even the sledgehammer was taken away. As the door closed behind them Kim rushed over to her father as relief engulfed her; she didn't know all of the details but her gut and the reaction of the guards told her one thing. Finally, this was over.

-

THE END!

SEQUEL PENDING J

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