CHAPTER 23

Brennan lay in the pitch dark room, trying to loosen the rope that bound her hands, but having no apparent success. He had wrapped the rope tightly around her wrists, then pulled her legs up until they were bent and used the same length of rope to bind her ankles, so she couldn't raise her hands to her face. She had no idea how long he'd been gone, but the growling in her stomach told her it had been hours. In some ways, she wished he would come back. At least then he'd turn the light on and maybe she could talk to him, try to learn more about why he'd taken her. But her leg still stung from where he had hit her and she didn't want to answer any more of his questions. She resolved not to tell him anything, no matter what he did. She hoped she was strong enough to take the pain he would inflict when she refused to cooperate.

At least he hadn't gagged her, but that wasn't necessary if this was a sound proof room. She hadn't tested the truth of that yet. She had considered it, but he might have some kind of listening device in the room and it might make him angry if she started shouting.

Her left hip was starting to ache, so she rolled to her other side. As she did, she felt the rope give a little and her heartbeat sped up. Working at the rope, twisting and turning her wrists, she felt it give a bit more. Yes! She smiled grimly, doubling her efforts. Suddenly the lights came on and the door opened and he was there. She laid still, her back to the door. There was no point pretending to be asleep. She rolled back over, wincing with pain as she landed back on her sore hip.

"Well, how are you doing, Temperance? Can I call you Temperance? Such a pretty name, it really fits you, you know. And you can call me Dale. Not my real name, of course, but I've always liked the sound of it." He set a small plate with a sandwich on it and an icy glass of water on the table. "I brought you a snack, but you're going to have to earn it. Nothing in life is free, you know." He closed the door and sat down in the chair. "Now, here's the way it works. I ask a question, you answer the question, you get a bite and a sip. You don't answer, you get the strap. Simple enough?" He smiled pleasantly and leaned his elbows on his knees, palms together as though in prayer.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Brennan said, hoping for a brief reprieve or maybe an opportunity to escape.

Dale shook his head regretfully. "I'm afraid that's impossible. I've been googling you, and I'm aware that you have martial arts training. I don't want to untie you and give you a chance to do some kind of karate move on me."

"Please, if you don't let me use the bathroom, it's going to get pretty smelly in here," she promised.

He studied her for a moment, then it seemed he came up with an idea. He left without a word and came back with a bucket and some kind of dog collar. Placing the bucket in the corner, he put the collar around her neck as he explained. "This is a shock collar, used for dog training. I've increased the voltage and rigged it with a remote which I have right here. I'm going to untie you. If you make any kind of move toward me, I will press this button and an electric shock will course through your body. I assure you it is extremely painful. I suggest you take care of your business then lay back on the bed so I can tie you up again." He began to untie her.

"You expect me to relieve myself in front of you?" she asked.

"Believe me, I have no interest in you sexually, Temperance. You're far too old for my taste," he sniffed contemptuously. And then she was free and she had to resist the impulse to attack him. She went to the bucket in the corner and took care of business as quickly as possible, pushing aside her embarrassment by reminding herself it was just a bodily function. She was only partially successful.

After she had zipped and buttoned, she turned toward the bed. The room was tiny and she had to pass close to him. Moving so quickly her hand was a blur, she grabbed the hand that held the remote and tried to squeeze a pressure point that was guaranteed to numb his hand for awhile. But it was too late. In that brief split second, he pressed the button and a jolt of intense pain shot through her body, dropping her in her tracks. She lay on the floor, moaning, panting as her muscles twitched with the pain.

To her surprise, Dale wasn't angry. In fact, he was chuckling, obviously delighted that she had tried and failed. "I would have been disappointed if you hadn't tried at least once. It's one thing to be told what can happen, it's a completely different thing to experience it first hand, wouldn't you agree?" He put the remote in his pocket and put her on the bed, tying her up before she could recover. To her dismay, he left the collar around her neck.

Seated once more, he cocked his head at her. "Now, tell me where Booth sent his son," he demanded quietly.

Brennan glared at him and pursed her lips. "He sent him to the moon," she said defiantly.

'Thwack!'—she winced and sucked wind as the pain flared in her upper arm.

"Why are you making me do this? You know eventually you are going to tell me what I want to know. You could save yourself so much pain," he said sorrowfully. "Where is he?" he demanded louder.

Brennan set her lips and narrowed her eyes at him, stubbornly staying silent.

'Thwack!'—a sob caught in her throat as pain arced across her thigh and tears sprang to her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, blinking them back furiously. 'Come on Booth,' she thought desperately, 'I know you're going to find me, please hurry, hurry, hurry…'