"AHHHH," Artie groaned as Voltaire pushed the prod back into his leg and pushed the button releasing more current into his already battered body.
"I do apologize, Mr. Gordon, I had hoped that it would be Mr. West on the table but since he has taken his leave of us that leaves me no choice but to have another go at you."
"You always have a choice, Loveless," Artie panted, "you just chose to be a sick, twisted and disgusting little troll. You make me pity you."
"You pity me? I find that hard to believe, Mr. Gordon."
"Believe what you want, Loveless, But I can't help but pity you. Life handed you a raw deal and you've done pretty well for yourself in spite of it. But you fill your surroundings with material things and so much hatred in a search for where you belong, a place where you can feel at home. Any sane man would pity you."
Loveless knew Artemus was trying to prolong his fate and some small part of him, whether or not it was out of pity or regret, wanted to give Artemus a break. Voltaire patiently waited for whatever new instructions his boss might have for him. Loveless contemplated his actions, finally telling Voltaire to put Artemus back into the cage.
"Voltaire, I think he deserves a bit of a break before our next session. I want you to go and find me Mr. West. And Voltaire, if he gets away Mr. Gordon will get his wish…you will take his place on the table," Voltaire just nodded as he lifted Artemus and left the room.
Voltaire tossed Artemus into the cage like a rag doll. He landed with a thud and didn't move. Just as he closed the cage Voltaire heard a commotion out in the hall. He rushed to the door in time to see the elusive Mr. West scurry by. Voltaire, remembering Dr. Loveless' threat, joined the chase. He followed Jim down the all and into a supply room.
Jim climbed the stacked boxes and turned to face him. As Voltaire made to climb the boxes, he took his eyes off West for a split second. James jumped from the boxes and flying tackled him, knocking them to the floor. Jim quickly jumped up and kicked Voltaire in the chest, knocking him back but not down.
Jim rushed him and began hitting him. Voltaire stood his ground waiting for Jim to tire himself out. After what seemed like an hour to Jim, Voltaire grinned and raised his hand. Jim looked up just in time to see the large hand come crashing down on his neck. Jim dropped to his knees and then fell forward landing heavily on his face. He came to when Loveless splashed a bucket of water on his face.
"So good of you go join us, Mr. West. My set is now complete," Loveless said as he rubbed his hands together.
"My pleasure, doctor," Jim smirked.
"I'm glad to have you here, poor Mr. Gordon can't take much more of my fun and games I'm afraid," Loveless shook his head.
"Why not just leave him out of it? You have me now, you don't need him anymore."
"Oh no, quite the contrary, Mr. West. I need you both."
"Oh that's right your boss gave you orders. What did you say his name was again?" Jim tried.
"Very good try, Mr. West. I shall never reveal my partner's identity. I do so love to be paid for services rendered. And since I have already rendered half of my services I intend to deliver on the other half."
"Don't go to any trouble on my account, why don't we just skip it and say you did it?" Jim grinned.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. West, but that is not an option."
"I will, however, give you a choice of which device you'd like me to try first."
"Oh how sporting of you. But what's good enough for Artie is good enough for me, you pick."
"It was more than I did for poor Artemus that much is true, but he annoyed me with his incessant stalling, waiting for you to swoop down and rescue him."
"Looks like I missed the mark a bit. Any chance you'd untie me and give me another crack at it?"
"I hardly think so, Mr. West. You were most troublesome in the first place, giving you another chance would be like giving the inmates at the Territorial Prison the key to warden's office."
"No? Well, then how about letting me have another go at Voltaire, I have a bone to pick with him."
"Not possible either. Voltaire has preformed admirably today and he will be rewarded later. Perhaps, I'll let him finish you off after we are done with Mr. Gordon," Voltaire grinned and laughed.
Artemus woke up and realized he was no longer on the table undergoing Loveless' twisted version of fun and games. For a minute he was glad for the break then he realized that could only mean one thing. They have James, Artie thought, Damnit, Jim why didn't you go when you had the chance?
Artie also realized he was back in the cage and looked around. He noticed the trail of gunpowder and followed it with his eyes. Apparently Voltaire hadn't noticed it when he had brought him back. Artie eased himself into a sitting position, hissing when his filet cuts were jostled. He cringed as he reached up and lifted what remained of his shirt and pulled the skin back into place. He slowly made his way over to the edge and half jumped half dropped to the floor below. As he was pulling himself up he noticed Jim's little surprise.
Artie adjusted the timer to give them more time and replaced the gunpowder that had been displaced earlier. James, I hope you don't have any more of these around anywhere. If you do, we're gonna be in for a fun night, Artie thought.
Artie moved out the door and along the hall, grateful no guards were patrolling. Loveless probably felt there was no need now that he had Jim as well. Just as Artie reached the door where the torture chamber, as he thought of it, he felt the ground shake, Uh, oh, James you did have another little diversion planned. Oh well, maybe this will work to our advantage, Artie thought as he ducked into the room across the hall.
Jim braced himself when Voltaire neared him. Voltaire took his time choosing his tool. He finally settled on a scalpel. Jim stared him in the eye as Voltaire grasped the scalpel. Voltaire swung his arm like a pendulum and came crashing down, the scalpel slicking a line across his chest. Jim hissed and tried not to cry out. Voltaire's arm swung again, this time slicing his right arm across the bicep. Jim pulled and struggled against his ropes trying to pull free. Voltaire and Loveless just laughed and Voltaire's hand again made its arc this time coming in contact with Jim's right thigh, slicing deep.
Loveless grabbed a white powder from the tray and then threw some onto Jim, who then finally yelled. Loveless had thrown salt into his newly opened wounds. Loveless was excited by the response. He urged Voltaire on gleefully. Jim was glad Artemus was not having to endure this and he hoped he could get free before the bombs went off sealing them in this twisted torture chamber forever.
"Voltaire, go and check on that. I can't have any more interruptions. This is not fair."
"What's the matter, Loveless, your plans going up in smoke?" Jim chided him as Loveless took in his lopsided grin.
"Mr. West, why do I have the feeling that you were somehow responsible for that?" Loveless asked with a glare.
"Well, I did have some free time by myself before you found me. I might have planted one or two of Artie's toys," Jim smiled innocently.
"There was only one explosion, Mr. West, where is the other one?" he demanded.
"I never said for sure there was another one."
"I know you, Mr. West, now tell me where the other one is or when he returns I'll have Voltaire finish off our dear Mr. Gordon."
"Can't help you my memory seems to have faded."
"Too bad for you and Mr. Gordon then," Loveless snapped as he called some guards into the room.
"Guards, Mr. West here has planted more of those bombs around the complex. Search this place from top to bottom, inside and out. Make sure you look everywhere…in cupboards, behind things, everywhere. And find those bombs before they go off. Now go." The guards left at a run.
The guards ignored Artemus when he came out of the room. He had planted some dynamite in the room with a crudely and hastily made fuse. He told the guards he had already checked the room and they didn't seem too interested in arguing with him. He smiled as he watched several of them scurry toward the surface. He turned around and headed toward his friend.
Artemus paused at the door. A large part of him didn't want to go back into that room. He found he couldn't turn the handle. He looked in and saw that Loveless was approaching Jim. His instinct to protect his partner kicked in and he turned the knob and rushed in.
"Artie, get out of here," Jim growled.
"Back off, Loveless," Artemus snapped, ignoring his partner's plea.
"I don't think so, Mr. Gordon. You don't look like you could put up much of a fight against an ant," Loveless sneered.
A guard snuck up behind Artemus from the hallway and grabbed him. Artie didn't struggle. Loveless told the guard to put him back in the cage and to find more guards to return Mr. West to the cage as well. Jim tried to protest but was ignored. Loveless went to the main chamber to survey the damage.
"This is most unacceptable, most unacceptable indeed. Mr. West must be made to pay for this," Loveless stomped around the room.
"You want me to finish them both off, boss?" Voltaire asked.
"Not just yet, my payment should arrive within the hour, then I don't really care what happens to Mr. West and Mr. Gordon. Just as long as they are dead! Come, Antoinette…" Loveless grabbed her hand and marched out of the destroyed room.
Artie was leaning against the bars on the side of the cage when they brought Jim in. His shirt was torn and his lip bloodied, new wounds, Artemus was unhappy to note. Artie looked over to Jim when they brought him to the cage. Jim glared at them and yanked his arms from their grasp and jumped up into the cage on his own and pulled the door shut. One of the guards reached up and fastened a padlock and chain around the door. Jim turned his back to the guards in disgust. After the guards left Jim moved to squat next to Artemus.
"How're you doing, pal?" Jim asked.
"Just peachy, Jim. Why didn't you leave when you had the chance? Something tells me the cavalry isn't coming this time unless you go get them," Artie glared at him.
"I could no more leave you here than you could leave me."
"Damnit, Jim, you could have brought the cavalry, the army, someone to take this insane man out, but no you had to be macho and do things your way," Artie leaned his head back against the bars.
"I'm sorry, Artie, I thought your hide was worth saving. Next time I promise I'll think twice about it if that'll make you happy," Jim rose and went to the other side of the cage.
"It's not that, Jim and you know it…"
"Then what is it?" Jim wanted to know.
"I just get the feeling lately that you feel like you have to be my protector and I don't need one."
"Of course not, pal. One look at you confirms that. But that's what partner's do. You've had your share of playing my protector I just wanted to return the favor," Jim sounded genuinely hurt by Artemus' comments.
"Yeah, I know but that doesn't make it feel any better. Jim…I…"
"What is it, Artie?"
"I might have done a bad thing…"
"What have you done, Artemus?"
"Jim I thought you'd listen to me and cut and run when you had the chance so I disconnected your bomb I found over there," Artie pointed toward the dynamite.
"That's good then, Artie. I wondered why it didn't go off."
"Well…" Artie hesitated, causing Jim to stare at his partner.
"I never did like the sound of that…what did you do?"
"I reset it."
"You reset…how much time do we have?"
"I estimate about half an hour."
"Half and hour? Why didn't you say something sooner?"
"There wasn't time, Loveless was getting ready to start in on you again and I didn't want you to have to go through that. One guinea pig is more than enough for that twisted little jerk."
"Well, we better see about getting out of here before that thing goes off and spread us all the way from here to Kansas City."