Thanks to Purdy's Pal for her read through on this chapter. I'm much obliged.

Thanks to everyone for reading and especially you kind people that have been leaving those lovely reviews. It's all greatly appreciated.

Chapter 9

After five minutes of driving in utter silence, Stoney grudgingly admitted, "You almost had me there, Sam."

Stoney couldn`t hide the grimace as he wiped at the still-streaming cut above his eye. He turned to look over the man in the passenger seat, "I underestimated you. You're not the SEAL you once were, but you still got some moves." Stoney watched Sam from the corner of his eye, "What? No comment?"

Sam glared at the man who had cable-tied his hands and forced him into his own car at gunpoint. What could he say? Where he failed, Stoney succeeded. He turned to watch the neighbourhood go by outside his window. He still needed to find a way out of this mess and knowing where he was being taken would certainly help.

Sam had thought about using his bound hands to smash Stoney's head into the side window, but wasn`t sure his body was up to the task. His throbbing ribs may not have been broken; they were possibly cracked, but most definitely bruised and it hurt like hell to breathe. His knuckles were swollen, cracked and bleeding; and his trigger finger was out of joint. After Sam had shot out the power box on the car lot, Stoney had smashed his gun hand into the front end of a Saleen S7 Turbo. He had been trying to pull his finger back into place, but with his hands tied the way they were, he couldn't quite mange it. Sam also knew he had a concussion. Every now and again, his vision would double and it took almost more concentration than he had just to keep his dinner down. Even if he were in tip top shape, Stoney`s left hand holding the Walther PPK resting on his lap, would be faster. However he felt now, it would be so much worse with a bullet bouncing around inside of him.

When he felt the first round of vibrations on the top of his left thigh, Sam worried his concussion was worse than his initial assessment, but he soon realized it was his phone buzzing in his pocket. With his hands tied, there was no way he could reach it without Stoney catching him. He could only hope Mike and Fi would think to track it before Stoney found it and turned it off. He moved slightly to rest his arm over the pocket, to hide any possible movement the phone might be making.

He started talking to the man who had once been a trusted member of his SEAL team, but had now turned on him. "Why'd you do this? This has nothing to do with Avnet Technologies or Rita, does it?"

"You're finally getting it," Stoney laughed. "Rita's an okay broad, but way too flighty for my liking. She's off on some girls' holiday in Europe. Now your friend Fiona; her I could have some fun with."

At that last comment Sam couldn't help but give a quick laugh, "I'd like to see you try. She'd break you like a twig."

Stoney gave Sam a look of disbelief, "That little thing? I can tell she's got spunk, but I'm not afraid of little girls."

Sam sighed, a small smile played across his lips, "I'd like to be the one to tell her you said that."

"I'll be sure to tell her you were thinking of her," Stoney smirked.

Stoney was talking as if Sam were already dying. Not a good sign.

After several more minutes of silent driving, they pulled up to the back side of a decrepit warehouse. Even in the dim light, Sam could see half of the back windows had been smashed out by vandals. Nope, not a good sign at all.

"You know it's all location, location, location." Sam said, looking through his window at the beat up old warehouse before turning back to smile at Stoney. "Now if you had something with a little warmth, added some cozy furniture, your lady-friend wouldn't be off on a holiday without you." He was taking up time, in no rush to leave the relative comfort of his Caddy.

"Oh, but Sam," Stoney looked crestfallen, "All this is for you; every dank corner, every musty storage crate. It's just for you." Then the hard-nosed, Navy SEAL persona returned with a flash. He held his gun pointed at Sam's chest, "Now, get out. No funny business or I'll shoot you and be done with it."

Sam sighed and regretted it as the deep breath hurt. He fumbled with the door controls, but was unable to grasp the handle. He turned his head to grin at Stoney, "How about I just wait here? You go ahead without me."

Stoney cursed as he elbowed his door wide open and made his way out of the driver's seat. Sam felt a bit of pride as he watched Stoney keep one stabilizing hand on the hood of the Caddy as he walked with a heavy limp to the passenger side. Sam kept his smile friendly as Stoney pointed his Walther at the window, aimed directly at his head. It wasn't until Stoney lifted the door handle and started to pull it open that Sam moved.

Sam used his shoulder to smash open the car door. The window hit Stoney's outstretched hand first, deflecting his aim. The bullet that burst from the barrel smashed through the passenger window and left a spray of spider-webbing cracks around a small hole in the windshield. The bulk of the door then collided with Stoney's hip with such force that the man was thrust backwards and he flew off his feet.

Not waiting to see where his captor landed, and no time to pick a direction, Sam leaped from the car and ran. His ribs ached with every step he took, but he raced around the corner of the old warehouse. He made it another thirty feet before he was tackled to the ground; the side of his head being driven into the hard pavement.

Sam's senses were slow to come back online. Even after several blinks, his world had trouble coming back into focus. It was like the scenery was constantly moving in slow motion. His shoulders ached and there was a screaming pain from his arms and wrists. A groan escaped his lips. With a sudden lurch, his shoulders were dropped onto the ground and he had the dawning realization that he was being dragged by his bound hands across the cement floor of the old warehouse.

"If you're finally awake, you can haul your own ass inside," Stoney huffed as he reached awkwardly with his left hand and pulled his Walther from behind his back.

Sam tried to pull his arms back to his sides, but after all the trauma of being yanked and used as leverage to move his unconscious body, he could only move them to the point where his hands settled on his forehead and his elbows were left pointing up toward the ceiling. He closed his eyes and focused on breathing.

"I've been awake. Trust me when I say: This isn't it," Sam wheezed. It was difficult to draw a decent breath. He still didn't think his ribs were broken, but they sure didn't like him lying on his back with his arms pulled over his head.

"Get up, old man," Stoney waved his weapon, "Or I'll kick your sorry ass."

It took some effort but Sam was able to turn his head to look at Stoney. He managed to pry one eye open. Even with the blurry edges still holding to his vision, he could see that Stoney was barely able to keep himself standing. He was keeping most of his weight off his left side. Stoney held his right arm stiffly across his chest and his wrist was swollen and turning an ugly shade of blue. Sam couldn't tell if the new damage had been caused by the smashing car door or the effort of the football tackle to the pavement, but he managed a small smile. He wished he could add a chuckle. He would have to work up to that level.

"Just give me a minute, will ya? I'm enjoying the view from right here," Sam sighed.

Stoney's patience was at an end, "I said get up!"

"Since you asked so nicely," Sam groaned as he slowly began to roll over onto his front. He needed a few seconds to muster his strength to pull himself onto his elbows and knees. He managed to get his arms pulled back enough that his head was able to rest on top of his bound hands. Stoney grumbled and Sam could sense the man's impatience. "All right already. I'm moving. Don't get your panties in a bunch, geesh."

With as much care as he could co-ordinate, Sam managed to find his feet. With only a slight sway, he stood before Stoney. He glanced down at his hands and noticed a fresh coating of his own blood over the zip tie on his wrists. He made to lift his hands to the side of his head to check the damage, but Stoney stopped him.

"Just hold still. No funny moves," Stoney had careful aim and was watching him closely.

Sam knew he should leave any wounds alone, but being told he wasn't allowed to touch them made him want to all the more. It also made the throbbing in his head increase its beat.

"Time to move, Commander Axe," Stoney sneered.

Sam remained calm, "You can be the Lewis to my Clark, and tell me which way to go."

Stoney eyed Sam warily, "You planning on pushing me down a rabbit hole?"

"What?" Sam was momentarily confused. He managed a quick shake of his head before dizziness set in, "No, that's Lewis Carroll you're thinking about."

Stoney chose to ignore his captive and indicated with the tip of his gun the direction he wanted Sam to move. Sam kept talking as he slowly followed Stoney's order. He wasn't sure what he could do, but it was ingrained in him to keep up the distraction until he thought of a way out of his predicament.

"Lewis Carroll wrote Alice in Wonderland. So at least I know you read a book or two," Sam looked casually over his shoulder to see if he was getting any reaction at all. Stoney was limping behind at a safe distance, his face no longer showing the impatience of before.

"Turn around. Keep walking," Stoney instructed.

He wasn't told to shut up, so Sam kept talking. "Lewis and Clark led an expedition over the Rocky Mountains, into Oregon. They were looking for the Northwest Passage. They had a fifteen year old Indian guide named Sacagawea. This ringing any bells?"

"Stop there," Stoney indicated a rust covered pillar on the far side of an open space.

Sam stopped beside the indicated pillar, and looked around, taking in his surroundings. They were deep inside the warehouse. There was a strong smell of mould and decay. He could see old packing crates and an abandoned fork lift, but they weren't close enough for him to reach and put to any good use. They were surrounded by makeshift aisles of long ago forgotten stored items.

Stoney stepped up from behind and ordered him to turn around. Once Sam was facing him, he could see a long, sharp blade in Stoney's hand.

"Hey, wait a minute," Sam stuttered as the well-muscled man moved in with a slash and then shoved Sam's shoulder into the pillar.

"Arms around the pillar," Stoney barked.

Sam realized the zip tie had been cut from his wrists, but he had been so surprised by the manoeuvre that he had failed to act and was now face-to-rust with the support beam. Using the elbow of his bad hand, Stoney smacked Sam upside the head. It wasn't enough to knock him out, but there was enough force that Sam could see blood stuck to the pillar where his head had hit. It left him dazed enough that Stoney was able to grab a wrist and pull it to the far side of the pillar.

With a rough kick to Sam's shin, Stoney ordered, "Now the other one."

Not able to think of an immediate way out of this, Sam had no choice but to do as ordered. He was now hugging the filthy beam, his hands meeting at the far side where they were promptly duct taped together.

"Sorry," Stoney apologized with what Sam recognized as complete insincerity, "But I'm all out of cable ties. Just think of it as really sticky bandages for those cuts you earned when I pulled your butt in here."

"Why don't you just tell me what this is all about," Sam asked.

"You remember that mission into El Salvador?" Stoney reminded him of the very event that Sam used to involve his best friends in this job.

"Yeah?" Sam answered with a curious lift of one eyebrow.

"You remember how you almost go Pete killed? Yelling out that you had found cover, but then you pushed him into that bullet?"

"What?" Sam felt his ire rising. "I was trying to save our lives. Yours included."

"Save my life? That's rich. You put my life in danger!" Stoney thundered. "I had a meeting with a man on that squad. He was scheduled to take me to Captain Regalado."

Sam was dumbstruck, "The man who became The Butcher in the Salvadoran revolutionary war? You had a meeting with him?"

"He was just a business man, looking for a business partner. But you ruined that," Stoney's anger had brought him back to Sam's side. He held the blade up to Sam's cheek. Sam could see the anger battling within the man's eyes. Stoney took a deep breath and as he brought his emotions under control, he slowly withdrew the knife.

Sam let go the breath he had been holding. "How were you hoping to make it to that meeting?" Sam asked, his anger returning. "You were a U.S. Navy SEAL on a mission. That's not something you can just walk out on."

Stoney chuckled, "It is if you're the sole survivor of an ambush."

Sam felt his blood boiling in a barely contained rage. "You were planning on murdering those men? They were your teammates, your buddies. You trained with them, ate with them, fought beside them. We watched out for each other."

"It was mission critical that they died," Stoney threw out the words of command as if they meant something more than human life. He actually chuckled when he added, "Actually, I was most looking forward to seeing you to die."

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing. He suddenly felt so tired. How could he have missed this going on? His forehead rested on the rough metal of the pillar. The coolness of the metal seeped into his skin. It brought a small amount of relief to the pain emanating from his cuts and bruises, but did nothing for the pain now growing in his chest.

"But you left with Virgil and Mack after Pete was shot." Sam tried to understand; knowing that he never would.

"Of course I did," Stoney explained, "Once you had taken out two of Regalado's men, I didn't believe him to be in a 'business partnership' kind of mood any more. I was in just as much danger as you were by then."

"You left Pete and me in that church, knowing YOU were the cause of everything?"

Stoney laughed, "Actually, that bullet was meant for you, but you pushed Pete around that corner first. You always did have a self sacrificing way about you. Too bad it didn't work, hmm?"

"You shot Pete?" His rage quickly returning, Sam pulled hard at his binds; desperate to free himself, needing to get his hands on the monster before him. He didn't feel the pain of the tape peeling his skin and barely-healed cuts.

With a gleeful smirk, Stoney pulled out his gun from his back where he had it tucked away, "You just relax. We'll end this soon enough."

Sam simmered, "You came all the way to Miami to end this? How many years later?"

Stoney laughed again, "Oh no, no, no. Don`t let that ego of yours get the better of you. Once I realized you lived in this town, you became a convenient prop to be used."

"What?" Sam was confused again.

"Captain Regalado is now General Regalado, and he needs a new American distribution man. We were meeting in Miami to finalize our new partnership. I just happened to see you a couple of days before I 'ran' into you." Stoney made air quotes with his fingers and winced when he moved his bad wrist. Sam felt no satisfaction over the injury he had caused, he was too angry.

"The General," Stoney continued, "was quite happy to add your death as the deal breaker for our partnership. Apparently you cost him other deals and interrupted other arrangements during your long, illustrious career. Not very nice, Sam." Stoney tsk, tsked as he waved a finger from his good hand in Sam's face.

"I wish I had known," Sam said, "I would have enjoyed those missions all that much more. But what about Avnet Technologies. How does that fit in?"

"I told you," Stoney answered, "Rita really is a lovely girl. Her father paid me a lot of money to stay away from her. For some reason, he just doesn't like me around his daughter."

"Can't imagine why that would be," Sam remarked sarcastically.

Stoney patted Sam's shoulder, "I'll let that slide, seeing as how I`ll be killing you shortly, and all."

Stoney walked around Sam and the pillar, ensuring that Sam hadn't pulled loose. "I just thought it somewhat poetic that you would mess up his contract with the Russians while I was getting things in place with the General." Stoney seemed pleased with the bonds. "I do have to say, I was surprised that you had found out so much about Kolpec in such a short time. I had planned to have the Russians take your friends out at one of those warehouses from that list I had given you. But you screwed that up. Then I thought I'd get Kolpec to take Michael and Fiona out at the car lot. And AGAIN you sabotage my plans."

Stoney gave Sam a grudging look of respect, "Nice shooting by the way. Taking out that power box is the only thing that stopped the silent alarm call to the Russians. If that alarm went through to Kolpec, he would have taken care of things very differently than the police."

"Had I realized then the depth of your treachery, I would have changed my target," Sam snarled.

Stoney laughed. "Then you would have watched your friends die at the hands of the Russians. As it is, the best they can hope for is a little time in jail."

"You underestimate my friends," Sam said.

"Your team of misfits?" Stoney laughed again. "Mike's what? Ex-military something or other? And that girl, Fiona? She agreed to do the job for a pair of shoes, for Christ's sake. You've come down pretty far, Sam my boy."

"I swear, I'm gonna tell Fi everything you've said about her," Sam felt better with the thought of Fiona's reaction running through his mind

"In another thirty minutes, you'll be telling her through a Ouija board," Stoney growled; his patience now at an end. "I've waited for this moment for a long time." Stoney stepped closer and leaned in to whisper directly into Sam's ear. "And I have hated you that whole time."

"You know," Sam muttered as Stoney moved away, "That's the kind of thing you should tell a guy before he agrees to help you."