Chapter 8: Torture

Alex slowly crawled his way out of unconsciousness. The first thing he became aware of was someone playing with his hair. He shrugged it off. It must be Jack. Maybe he was sick or something. She did that sometimes when he had the flu. For now he was content to just lie there. Then he became aware of a hard floor underneath him and an incredible amount of pain throughout his body. He felt his breathing hitch has a wave of it flooded his system, waking him up in earnest. He felt the fingers that were running through his hair freeze and with a jolt he realized it couldn't be Jack. He had gotten Jack killed. Without warning he lashed out but the person shifted just in time and he rolled away, opening his eyes and bolting to his feet, swearing under his breath at the pain the movement caused.

Cammie froze when she felt Alex's breathing hitch, unsure of what to do or in what condition he would fully awaken. She felt his muscles tense and all but predicted what was coming, leaning back just in time to avoid a fist to the face. Alex rolled away from her, eyes snapping open. The other three girls moved out of his way to avoid getting the same treatment. He was on his feet and in fighting position before any of them had even seen him get up. Alex looked around wildly for a second, fist clenched, muttering swear words under his breath and in obvious pain. Then, he seemed to come back to himself I with a blink. He looked around again, more slowly this time, allowing his muscles to slowly relax.

The pain hit him in earnest as the short burst adrenaline drained out and he leaned against a wall, desperately trying to keep his expression clear. Failing at that, he at least suppressed a gasp.

"Alex, you should sit down," Cammie suggested.

"I'm fine," he assured her, nevertheless walking over and sinking down next to her, using the wall to help. She noticed he had a heavy limp and shot a dark look at Bex, who looked back at her just as solemnly.

"What happened?" Macey asked. Alex chuckled, attempting to smile up at her though from the look on her face it was more of a grimace.

"Don't beat around the bush do you?" He asked, avoiding the question. She didn't let it go so easily.

"We heard screams," she informed him. He visibly winced.

"We had ice cream and candy and talked about butterflies and rainbows," he told her sarcastically. Cammie shot him a glare.

"What!" He exclaimed. "Okay, I'm sorry. Being in captivity tends to bring out my sarcastic side more than usual."

"So you have been kidnapped before," Liz said. It wasn't a question but he answered anyway.

"Yeah, on every one of my first nine missions and a few of the ones after that. I don't have a very good track record but I thought I could at least get you guys out before any of this happened and I didn't want to worry you." Alex ran his hand though his hair, hitting more than one snag.

"This is so messed up!" He exclaimed, releasing a frustrated sigh. Cammie gently pulled him to her, and he once again laid his head on her lap. She gently massaged his temples and he relaxed into her, closing his eyes.

"Jack used to do that," he murmured. She paused for half a second before continuing.

"Really? What was she like?"

"Yeah, she used to massage my temples or play with my hair when I was sick with the flu or something. You guys would've loved her. Ben always said she was the sassiest person he ever met. A regular red-head and man was she feisty," he seemed to get lost in his thoughts but Cammie brought him back.

"And what's Ben like? He's from K-unit right?"

"Yeah. When I first went to Brecon Becons, right before my first mission I was put with an SAS unit. They were called K-unit. Eagle is the explosives expert, Snake, the medic, and Wolf is the unit leader. He was an arse at first. Then there was Ben. His code name was Fox but I've since found out his real name and gone on a couple of missions with him when he transferred to MI6. He transferred back not long ago but we've kept in touch, along with the other guys. Ben's really the only one whose real name we use. I can barely remember the names of the other guys."

"What was your code name?" Liz asked. Alex smiled wryly.

"Cub. It was a joke because I was the youngest and it just stuck. Wolf called me double-o-nothing for a while though. Ben's great. He's like a really good friend and a father figure at the same time. He always watches my back and makes sure I'm taking care of myself but at the same time will play poker with me and let me get him and the other guys drunk. Let's just say Wolf doesn't exactly go for that. He's kind of a father figure now too. They're my family."

Footsteps resonated down the hall and Alex sat up painfully in anticipation. Sure enough, the door was thrown open again and the guards rushed in, yelling in Russian.

"Get up!" One of the guards screamed at Alex. When Alex didn't, he pointed his gun at the closest girl. It just happened to be Liz. "Get up or we'll shoot one of the girls!"

"Yeah, see, that might be all well and good for you to say but it's more difficult to do with what you guys did to my leg," Alex answered cheekily. Ignoring him, the two wrenched him to his feet.

"Oh, well okay. Sure. Make it look easy," he said sarcastically with a wince. They pushed him forward and he stumbled, barely managing to catch himself. He tried to ignore the pain that shot up his leg.

Alex was pushed roughly down the hall again and he sank into the chair with relief this time, anything to get off his leg. Looking around, he noticed a few new blood stains that he realized must've been from earlier.

"So, not changing your cleaning lady then?" He asked the guards. "That's unfortunate. I guess nobody wanted to clean up this mess all the time." Like last time, the guards completely ignored him, only paying attention enough to tie him up, completing the look with chains again.

"Silent treatment? Again guys? Really?" One of the guards glanced at him and Alex pretended to be surprised.

"A glance! Wow! I got a glance!" The other guards glared at the first and punched Alex's leg to make him shut up. Alex choked back a scream, clenching his jaw against the pain.

"That wasn't very nice," Alex scolded when he had recovered from the blow. Klokov entered the room and the two guards left in a hurry.

"So, Alex, what should we start with today?"

Back in the cell, the girls could already hear the screaming. Macey looked sick and Cammie was crying silently.

"What do you think they want?" Liz asked quietly, breaking the silence.

"Nothing," Bex answered hauntedly. "Scorpia has had a price on his head since he was fourteen. They just want him to suffer before they kill him and once they kill him, they'll kill us. We're just here so he behaves." They lapsed back into silence again, listening to the screams coming from down the hall. Eventually, they stopped but Alex didn't return. They cast worried glances around but they were helpless to do anything.

Alex gasped, coughing as he came too on the cold stone floor. He was dripping wet and it took him a minute to remember what had happened. Klokov had decided that drowning him would be fun. He had submerged Alex's head underwater and held it there. Alex looked around weakly. His head hurt from lack of oxygen and his lungs burned from trying to breathe. Klokov grabbed Alex by the front of his shirt, lifting him off the ground.

"Enjoy your dip?" He sneered.

"Well, I prefer doing laps and, you know, not drowning, but other than that," Alex rasped, clinging to his sarcasm.

"Go get one of the girls," Klokov ordered one of the guards as they retied Alex to the chair.

"Why?" Alex asked, suddenly alert. "Surely we don't need to drag them in this business. This is between us." Klokov smirked.

"It wasn't I who dragged them into it Alex. It was you," he said. Alex felt a coldness sweep over him. Whatever the Russian had in mind, it couldn't be good. Too soon, he heard two pairs of footsteps just down the hall, then at the door. The door was pushed open and a dirty blonde was shoved through it, stumbling and caught by the other guard. Alex didn't like the way he was looking at her.

"Alex?" Cammie asked timidly, putting on as brave a face as she could muster.

"Cammie!" Alex exclaimed. Out of the four girls the man could have chosen from, why Cammie? Cammie looked around.

"Ugg! You guys need a new cleaning lady!" She exclaimed. Alex chuckled and the guards shot each other dark looks.

"Come here my dear," Klokov cooed, holding his hand out. Cammie shook her head, obviously knowing better but the guard holding her shoved her toward him and she stumbled into him. "I have a special task for you," the man said, gripping her wrist tightly.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it won't be good so why don't I just say no right now," she tried. The Russian shook his head.

"Not an option. You're going to do this and if you refuse, you'll end up like Alex, bloody and broken." Alex glared at Klokov.

"Hey! I'm right here!" He exclaimed. "Rude!" He did it more for Cammie than anything. To tell the truth, he did feel broken, had for a long time, since way before this mission.

"See, Alex's chair is hooked up to an electric current. It isn't on currently, but that will soon change," the man continued, completely ignoring Alex.

"And you want me to watch?" Cammie asked, horrified. Klokov shook his head.

"No, no. Of course not," he said. "I want you to turn it on."

"No. Absolutely not. I won't," Cammie replied automatically. Klokov smiled.

"Oh but you will. Unless of course, you want to be tortured."

"You sick son of a bitch!" Cammie exclaimed, tears already running down her face. The man just smiled.

"You have a choice. Alex will hurt either way. Whether or not you do is your decision," Klokov reasoned. Cammie glanced to Alex. His face was set in resignation.

"Do as he says Cammie," Alex said quietly. Cammie shook her head.

"No! I can't!" She cried. "Alex, I can't."

"Do it!" Alex ordered forcefully.

"No! I don't want to hurt you!"

"And I can't see you get hurt. Do as he says!" Alex countered. Then, in a softer voice, "I'll be fine. Please. Just do it."

"Time to decide," Klokov cut in. He pressed a remote in her hands and she accepted it, albeit reluctantly, hesitating over the button. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Klokov didn't give her a choice. He pressed her thumb down with his. Alex screamed, eyes watering, muscles straining against his bonds. The Russian grinned.

Cammie struggled to wiggle her finger out from under his. After what felt like decades, he relented. Cammie rushed to Alex, who was breathing hard, obviously trying for her sake not to cry.

"Alex!" Cammie sobbed, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his neck. Alex rested his chin on her shoulder wearily. "Alex I can't! I can't do it again. Please don't ask me to do it again."

"Shh," Alex soothed. "K-unit is on their way. I called them," he whispered into her ear, too low for anyone else to hear. "Before we left that morning I called them. Just do what he says for now. They'll get you out."

"You make it sound like you aren't coming," she choked back softly. Alex shook his head.

"Just do what he says for now," he repeated. Klokov pulled her away from him, annoyed.

"Again!" He demanded. Cammie shook her head.

"I can't," she cried. "Please, I can't." Klokov smiled.

"You will," he told her. "And this time, we're going to turn it up." He turned a knob on the remote, pushing it at her again.

"Cammie, do as he says," Alex whispered, resigned to his fate.

"Listen to your boyfriend," Klokov told her, shoving the remote in her hand. He again pushed her thumb down for her, giving her no choice. Alex screamed.

All Alex could feel was a blinding pain that obliterated everything. He could feel his body tense up with it, his muscles straining at his bonds. He could think of nothing else but the white-hot electricity coursing through him. His vision was instantly blurry with tears he couldn't quite hold back and he squeezed his eyes shut against the searing pain. At some point, he blacked out.

A/N: Hey everyone! So, I didn't quite get to it yesterday but here is the next chapter! Things are really starting to heat up. I wonder what's going to happen next. Thanks to those of you who have made it this far. Please read and review. I really enjoy the feedback. I promise that I'll reply to you guys via PM. If you're a guest, you can still review. I'll just reply to you on the next chapter.