Doing as he was told, Hawkeye hadn't slept. His eyes were bloodshot when his captor returned, and he looked weak and sickly as ever, but he had a full stomach. It hadn't taken much, but he wasn't starving for now.

He took it as a good sign. This man was willing to shatter him mentally and physically, but he didn't want him to die. That meant something.

At this point, it was a curse rather than a blessing, but he'd take it as a sign of whatever it meant.

His thoughts weren't too complex as of late, so he left that train of thought at that vague conclusion.

The man was angry again. Pierce was numb.

"Your little friend is smarter than I thought. He traced my signal and found a way to contact me. He's on the line and demanding to speak to you. I think we should oblige."

Pierce hardly reacted. He knew that whatever the man had in store for him meant pain, and this would be no different.

He lifted the walkie-talkie he was holding and held the PTT button.

"Yeah, MASH 4077th?"

"Yes, we're here. Now where is our man?"

"Ah, Colonel Potter. See, I'm not very happy that your man tracked down my line. I think you need a very clear message regarding your approach in this matter."

"Listen, son, I hope for your sake that my man is in pristine condition."

"Oh," The man laughed, "he's in great condition. He can even stand! Well, with help. At least he can still use his legs; call it my little gift."

Potter was livid. "For every mark on that boy's body, I'll break one of your bones!"

"Well, Colonel, I'm afraid you'll run out of bones. He's a work of art. I'm sorry you can't see it, but perhaps you'd like to hear?"

"Don't do anything rash now…"

The man just smirked and then held the PTT button with one hand, lifting the whip he'd been holding with the other.

"Get into position."

Hawkeye obeyed mechanically. The whip came down and he grunted. Another lash earned another grunt. For each hit he only made similarly low-key sounds of pain. By the tenth, though, he could hold out for his friend no longer and screamed as the leather cut into his torn flesh. His cries were so hoarse and full of agony that Potter was shaking with rage and horror. It continued for too long. The doctor was begging. Potter had never heard a man sound so utterly broken, especially not the stubborn surgeon. When it sounded like Pierce had collapsed and the lashes ceased, his captor released the button and Potter blanched sitting at his desk, the screams still echoing in his mind.

He would never be able to forget that fearful sound.

"What have you done?"

"I simply punished the good doctor for what you have done. I don't take kindly to defiance, and I don't like your having tracked down my line. He paid for that. But don't relax yet, sir. He gets fifty lashes for disobedience. By my count, he has a few dozen to go. Get back into position."

"No!" Potter yelled. "What can I do to end this? You can have anything!"

"I have what I want. If you want to speak to him before he passes out, you'll just have to wait until he takes the hits." With that, a kick could be heard over the transceiver, followed by a pained moan.

After a moment, the cracking of the whip continued. After just one hit, Hawkeye was yelling again. Potter wasn't sure, but he thought he might hear crying too. He shook his head. Poor kid.

When the sounds of pain stopped, so did the hits. It sounded like the man was doing something to the doctor. Another moment's silence was cut through by the sounds of scuffled scrambling and choked wheezes. It continued until Pierce gasped, "S-s-sorry, w-won't…" The struggling man gagged. "...pass out… ag-gain…" It sounded like the man was strangling him, which Potter gathered was his manner of dragging him into consciousness. Pierce's breathing became audible and he choked as the man stopped strangling him. Hawkeye shifted audibly back into position, on his hands and knees despite his broken bones, baring his shredded back despite the pain it would bring.

The lashing continued and Potter wasn't sure how he or his man would come out of this in one piece.

Hawkeye ran out of breath and fell numerous times, but he could never stop screaming.

Finally, the punishment was complete. Pierce's captor lowered the device to him.

"Anything you want to tell your CO, Captain?"

Pierce didn't respond.

"Oh, come now, you don't want to talk to the Colonel? You really want to disobey again?"

"It's alright, son, go ahead," Potter urged.

Hawkeye's shuddering breath was painful to hear as he tried to form words. He could only stutter, "I-I'm sorry P-Potter… y-you didn't… didn't need t-to hear that-t."

"I think it did the old man good, to remember the severity of war. Surely now he knows that it is unwise to cross me."

"Pierce, do what you must to survive. I don't give a damn hoot if you come back with your pride or not, just make it back alive."

"You assume, sir, that he will make it out of here. I have no intention of letting him go. He is mine now."

"He is neither yours nor mine. Pierce is his own, and the strongest man I've ever had the privilege to know."

"Well, damn, I'm sorry for the men you've known, because this guy? He's in pieces. Here, I'll show you." There was shuffling and Pierce gasped softly. "Who do you belong to?"

The doctor closed his eyes. He couldn't say it with his friend, his commanding officer, listening. It would make it far too real. This wasn't supposed to be real.

He was jolted and he cried out when his broken ribs shifted beneath his captor.

The man growled threateningly, "Who. Owns. You?"

"Y-you," Pierce muttered.

"LOUDER!" The man bellowed, scaring the fragile man beneath him.

"Y-you own me, I belong to you!" He was jolted again. "YOU OWN ME!"

The man chuckled. "See? Pathetic."

"I've heard enough. Let's talk shop. What do you want in exchange for Pierce? I can get you medical supplies, a chopper, food, documents-"

"I don't need any of that, Colonel. I have what I want. I have no further need for this line, so do you have any last words for my boy?"

Potter sighed. "I'm so sorry, Hawk."

The man shrugged and switched off the radio. He pulled out the battery and tossed both from the room.

"Well, you ought to get to work. You'll feel better, getting your hands back in the injured. You do miss playing god, don't you, doc?"

Hawkeye didn't respond. The man just laughed as he dragged the pale man up to once again drag him to another room.

Hawkeye was thrown to the ground, but he didn't try to get up.

His captor sighed.

"If you ever want to take the old man's advice, you're welcome to stop being a weakling and try to survive. All of this whimpering and collapsing is just tiresome by now."