I awoke to what I assumed was the next day. I was very groggy and unbelievably thirsty. It was an effort for me to open my eyes and when I did, the room was literally spinning around me. I found myself on a rickety metal cot cushioned only by a threadbare straw mattress. I was lying prone on it, despite the excruciating pain that radiated from my back.

I slowly rolled onto my side to relieve the pressure. I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from crying out. My festering wounds had stuck to the mattress during the night and I had reopened them when I had moved. Nearby, I could hear Troy already screaming.

As first I thought my drug experience a dream, a fever induced hallucination. Then, I looked closely at my arm and saw the faint needle mark. I immediately remembered the feelings of pleasure I had enjoyed from the heroin. A feeling of shame and disgust arose at my weakness. Having heroin forcibly injected was one thing. Having enjoyed it was something entirely different.

It was, I thought, almost akin to being forced to admit that one had enjoyed a rape. If there was anything more debasing than that, I could not think of what it would be.

I closed my eyes for a moment and let the shame and regret wash over me. I obviously was not the man that I had thought that I was. If I had been, I wouldn't have enjoyed the experience so. Or, I would have prevented it entirely. My father would have pronounced the entire situation my fault. I couldn't argue that he would have been correct in assessment. I, who had been so quick to judge others, couldn't escape the judgement that I deserved. I continued to berate myself until I realized that dwelling on my current situation alone was not doing anything to change it.

I opened my eyes again and I forced my vision to focus and my brain to clear. I needed to escape and I needed to do it quickly. Neither Troy nor I would be able to withstand many more days of torture. Nor, was I going to let Guest have any additional opportunity to take advantage of me.

Gradually regained my senses, I inspected my cell for an avenue of escape. The room was small, not much larger than the cot on which I rested and it appeared to be in a basement. The only entrance was the door, with a small covered window to spy upon the cell's occupant. There was a narrow window near the ceiling, too small for me to fit through even if I could have reached it. Occasionally, I could hear muffled street sounds from the outside.

I speculated Guest's operation was located in a side alley, away from the main area of the town. Guest would probably not want to call any attention to his business, the daytime or nighttime activities, to minimize paying bribes to the local officials.

I staggered to the door, nearly falling down. I tentatively tried the door, but unsurprisingly, it was bolted from the outside. I spotted a pitcher of water on the ground. I was nauseous and had no desire for food, but I desperately needed the water. I considered if Guest had drugged the water, but I doubted it. He would want me alert to provide lucid information. Despite my thirst, I forced myself to slowly sip the water, knowing that it would cause me more harm if I quickly consumed it.

Having drank my fill, I returned to the cot to think. As I sat there, I couldn't stop scratching my skin. The room must have been infested with fleas, I thought, as my fingernails dug at my flesh. It was odd, I thought, that I was unable to see any of bite marks from the insects.

I sat there like that for some time. Gradually, I heard Troy's screams lessen and finally cease. I knew it would not be long before Guest focused his attention to me.

As I had anticipated, a few minutes later, I heard the bolt to my cell slide back. Tristan and Nasir appeared and forcibly removed me from my cell, returning me to the same room from yesterday. I was again tied to a chair. Soon, Guest appeared. His appearance was dapper and his mood was cheerful.

He greeted as if I was special guest at a social event he was hosting.

"Good morning, my dear Captain! Are you refreshed and relaxed? Did you enjoy your special treat?" He gave me a knowing wink.

I could feel my eyes narrow at him.

He noticed my glare and gave a short laugh. "You would rather die than admit it, but I know that you enjoyed it. I could tell. That look of intense pleasure. I've seen it too frequently in other men to mistake it. I told you that you would like it, didn't I?"

I spat at him, only narrowly missing his shoes. "You may go to the Devil, Guest."

"Very strong words coming from a man in your position, Captain. And you aren't being very grateful." Guest looked hurt. "I give you the experience of a lifetime, something you wanted . . . and needed."

"Grateful?" I asked incredulously. The man had tortured me and then drugged me against my will. For what did I have to be grateful? "Something that I wanted? I wanted none of it."

"Oh, come now! I have initiated you into a whole new world."

It was not a world of which I wanted any part. I shook my head.

"I'm warning you, Guest. Release us. It is only a matter of time before I escape."

"You keep talking about escaping! Your response is little different than Sergeant Troy's. Wouldn't you know, even after we administered the drug to him, the fool actually tried to escape from here? Didn't get far, mind you."

I couldn't help but to laugh out loud, taking pleasure in the fact that someone else was having as much trouble with Troy as I had had. Even if it was Guest. "Finally! Someone who understands my difficulties with the man!"

"Captain, trust me, I completely understand," Guest said agreeably. "There is something very annoying about Sergeant Troy's 'persistence.' It must have been very hard, not to mention embarrassing, for you to continue explaining his escapes."

I smiled. "Your words, Guest, are an understatement."

"After a long day of locking horns with Troy, you probably wished for something more to take away the stress. I am sure that you needed something more than cigarettes, liquor or women. And now, you've found what you've been needing all along. And I gave it to you."

Troy may have made me want to do many things out of sheer frustration, but using drugs had never been one of them. "I want nothing you have to give. The only want and need that I have had since I first encountered Sergeant Troy is to end his Rat Patrol's continued destruction against Germany."

"Well, Sergeant Troy's wave of destruction certainly has ceased, at least for the moment." Guest looked thoughtful. "Did I misread this whole thing? Are you and Troy not really partners?" he mused.

"We have been known to work together when it was mutually beneficial. But we have not been, nor ever will be partners, Guest."

"Not even for all of the Nazi gold?" Guest studied my face. "You appear to have quite a bit of frustration built up towards Troy, eh, Captain? What with all your men that he has killed? Not to mention the embarrassment that he has caused you? Perhaps you would like to participate in his interrogation?"

I looked at Guest with surprised distaste. His ridiculous suggestion appalled me. I respected Troy as a fellow warrior.

"Never would I participate in such an act."

"Never is a very long time. And in my experience, it usually ends up being a very short time." Guest shrugged. "Well, let me know if you change your mind."

I didn't bother to answer. I was finished talking. I had already said more to Guest than I had intended.

"Cat's got your tongue again, I see. Ah well. Obviously, we will need to begin working on you again shortly to reverse your silence." Guest came closer and leaned in. "You could save me a tremendous effort and yourself severe pain if you would provide me the gold's location now."

I merely shook my head. Guest was nothing more than a greedy fool. There was nothing else that I could say or do to convince him that anything that he was doing was for naught.

"Then it is as you wish. Your choice, Captain, not mine. You are too loyal. Do you honestly believe that the Nazi brass cares about what is happening to you at this moment? The pain you are enduring by protecting the gold?" Guest motioned to Tristan and Nasir and my torture began again.

Even though it was only the second day, I knew I could not last much longer.

At times, Guest would have the flogging ceased and become almost friendly. He would pull a chair close to where I was shackled and begin talking as if we had known each other for years. Inevitably, he would steer the conversation over to Troy.

"Tell me, Captain, how long have you known Sergeant Troy?"

"I do not know Sergeant Troy."

"Come, come now! You wouldn't say you know him or were on friendly terms as many times as you've held him prisoner?"

"Not in the least. I would hardly count him among my circle of friends."

"When did you first encounter Sergeant Troy?"

I shrugged.

"Was it before or after Jufra?"

"Not too long after Jufra. I received my orders regarding the Rat Patrol shortly before I went home on leave to convalescence."

"So you've known him for over a year?"

"More or less. What difference does it make?" I was becoming annoyed and frustrated over his incessant questions regarding Troy.

"It makes a huge difference. The longer you two knew each other the longer you two had to scheme. You certainly had enough interactions with him to do so. When exactly did the two of you begin conspiring to hide the gold?"

I looked at him incredulously. "How many times do I need to tell you? There is no gold."

Guest shook his head in response. "Tristan we need to apply more pressure to the Captain to loosen him up. Please continue."

The days became a vicious cycle, agonizing pain giving way to delicious drugged pleasure afterwards. It wasn't long before the torture became almost worth enduring for the gratification that I knew that I would receive afterwards.

Soon, I lost track of time. I could only estimate that three to five days had elapsed since I had been captured. On one of the days, I was kept constantly sedated throughout the day and evening. I suspected something was occurring and that it was necessary to ensure my silence. I heard nothing from Troy so I believed he was also heavily sedated. Or, that he was dead.

It was actually a very pleasant day. There was no pain, only continuous pleasure. It was the first day that I could remember since before the war where I had no responsibilities or cares. I had not experienced such relaxation even when I was on leave.

When the effects of the heroin began to wear off, Guest would re-inject me, bringing me back up to the height of pleasure before it ebbed and he repeated the entire process.

I was forced to admit that the man was truly an expert in narcotics. He knew exactly when to administer the drug for maximum benefit, but also when to withhold it to achieve what he desired.

I vaguely imagined hearing the sounds of German Kubelwagons and American Jeeps outside the window. Possibly, my men were searching for me, or, the Rat Patrol was seeking Troy. Probably the latter, I decided. The Afrika Korps would not waste resources to search for an inconsequential missing Hauptmann when surrender was imminent.

I had already become a statistic in the journal of war.