These next several chapters contain graphic images of Vaughn's torture. If you don't wish to read about those topics, I would suggest not reading these next chapters.


Chapter 163: The Telling

"A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness." – Elbert Hubbard

"In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these." – Paul Harvey

"We cannot change anything unless we accept it." – Carl Jung

"You learn more from ten days of agony than from ten years of content." – Sally Jessie Raphael

"The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting." – Milan Kundera


Sydney opened the door, "Hi Dr. Barnett."

"Hello Sydney, how are you today?"

"I'm good…you?" She asked as she moved out of the doorway and closed the door again.

"Good…"

"Bedroom…" Sydney said as she started to walk there.

Barnett followed with a nod and Sydney kissed Vaughn quickly before she smiled at Barnett and walked out, closing the door.

Barnett took a seat in the chair next to the bed, "Hello Michael. How're you feeling today?"

"I'm good…how are you?"

Barnett smiled, that was the first time he asked her, "I'm doing well…"

Vaughn returned the smile and nodded. His left hand was still wrapped around the stress ball, trying to get the fingers to cooperate with him.

Barnett smiled, "Are you trying to alleviate stress?" she asked with a wink.

Vaughn chuckled, "Well, it probably would have come in handy, but no…I got the splints off…so I'm supposed to exercise them."

"That's wonderful…making progress…"

Vaughn nodded, "It would seem so…"

"Did you do your homework?"

"Yes, I did," Vaughn said smirking.

"Excellent. What'd you name your special place?"

Vaughn looked up at her, "The Pier."

"The Pier? Interesting…any specific reason?"

"Well…it's one of the first places Sydney and I met…when she needed me…and well, it's kind of our place – a special place in real life…" he paused, "and it was either that or something to do with grasshopper – and I couldn't say that without laughing.

Barnett laughed, "The Pier…I like it. At the end of today's session, I'll let you visit The Pier again. Then you should be able to get there on your own, or with Sydney's help…"

"Sydney can help?"

"Of course…We'll talk about that more at the end, alright?"

"Ok."

"Will you tell me your story today?" Barnett asked.

"What do you mean my story?"

"I mean, everything that happened to you."

"You mean when I was taken," Vaughn said looking down at the stress ball in his hand.

Barnett noticed too, "Yes."

"Well…where do I start?" he asked.

"Just start in any way that feels natural. Most people say to start at the beginning, because it's easier to remember, but you can start anywhere you'd like…middle…end…wherever you feel most comfortable."

Vaughn sat a moment, trying to decide where he wanted to start. He finally sighed and just started at the beginning, "Well…that morning started out normal. I got up, got ready for work. Sydney and I left in separate cars; I went to get coffee. Sydney didn't want any…but I stopped for myself and got coffee…" he paused, then continued, "Why did I get coffee that day? Why didn't I just go in to work with Sydney? Why didn't she come with me? Actually, it's good she didn't because then she would have been taken too…" he had a momentary flash of what they could have done to her but continued, "I headed back to the car and was ambushed on my way back. They knocked me out and I woke up in a cargo truck."

He stopped and looked at Barnett. She was jotting something on her notepad and nodded at him to continue.

"I tried to escape when I woke up…tried to overpower a guard, but it didn't go as I planned it. After that they kept a really close eye on me. They took me to a compound and then my cell…it was gray…all gray cement…and cold. I remember Sloane coming to see me that first day…and his men…and I think Sark and Derevko were there, but I had a really bad headache, I think I passed out…"

He took a minute and looked over at Barnett again, so smiled her encouragement to keep going. He realized that he was going to be doing all the talking here.

"I guess the first week…it wasn't so bad…or not as bad as it got later…

Flashback
"Mr. Vaughn…"

Vaughn heard a soft voice calling his name…sounded…British…

"Mr. Vaughn…" it said again.

He groaned as his head reeled as he tried to open his eyes. The throbbing in his head took precedence over anything anyone might be saying. But he knew that voice…

"Mr. Sloane would like to see you now…" Sark said as he grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to his feet. Vaughn stood unsteadily but shook Sark's arm off of him.

"Get off me," he growled.

Sark surveyed the man in front of him. So…this is the man that Sydney would kill Sloane for…he smiled cockily, "We're going to be seeing a lot of each other Mr. Vaughn. I'm going to enjoy the time immensely…this way please," he motioned for Vaughn to step out of the cell.

Vaughn complied, the light in the room burning his eyes. He squinted as he walked the path that Sark had motioned for him to follow. He looked around, looking for any possible escape routes, but there weren't any he could see yet.

Sark told him to turn a corner, and he tried to take mental notes of the path they were following.

He led Vaughn to a large, open room. It looked like an empty warehouse. There was a solitary table, metal, sitting in the middle of the room. There was one vacant chair across from the man he knew had taken him. Arvin Sloane sat on the other end, smiling at him as he walked towards the table.

Sark pushed him to sit in the chair and Sloane offered him a smarmy smile, "Please, sit down Mr. Vaughn."

Vaughn sat, but it wasn't like he had much choice. Not only was Sark mere feet away, but he counted a total of 13 other men in the room, all standing in a circle around the table. He had no way to escape, he could see that already.

Sloane smiled maliciously at him, "Let's cut right to the chase Mr. Vaughn…I didn't bring you here to chat…it's not like you have vital information that I need…my wife is dead, and I simply don't care anymore…while Sydney didn't pull the trigger, I hold her responsible for putting Emily in the line of fire. By extension, you have the unfortunate circumstance of being in my line of fire…because Sydney cares about you."

Vaughn stared at him wordlessly.

"You have nothing to say?" Sloane asked him.

"What would you like me to say?" Vaughn asked, "Am I supposed to beg you to let me go? Cause that's not gonna happen."

"Oh so strong a resolve…we'll see how long that holds up…we'll see how long it takes you to crack…I'm sure once Sydney is here, with you, then you'll have much to say."

That got Vaughn's attention, "You already have me…what's the point of getting Sydney…"

"Well, I think it would be altogether too much fun to have both of you here together…it's a pity she didn't get coffee with you this morning…" Sloane said shaking his head.

"Leave her alone Sloane…"

"You have no chips to bargain with Mr. Vaughn…I have you…and Sydney isn't far behind you…my men are out there right now…it's only a matter of time until she joins you…"

Vaughn launched himself off the chair at Sloane but his circle of goons moved in immediately, and he never got within any range of actually attacking Sloane.

"You son of a bitch! You leave her alone!"

Vaughn's shouts were cut off as one of the thugs caught him with a punch to the stomach. He doubled over in pain, but was brought up again by a few more thugs. Two held his arms and Thug #1 started an onslaught of punches to his ribs and abdomen. They let him drop after a few minutes; his body hit the floor heavily.

Sloane stood over him and pulled out his cell phone. He smiled as he dialed, and almost giddy expression on his face. He waited until the person answered.

"Hello?

"Hello Sydney." He said in a jovial tone. He took the phone away from his ear as he heard Sydney yell, "SLOANE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH VAUGHN!?!?!?!?!"

He chuckled, "Now, now, Sydney. Is that anyway to greet me? I mean, what makes you think that I have Mr. Vaughn?"

"You have him you bastard. Why? Why Vaughn? Why not just come after me?"

"Well, that's not nearly as much fun, Sydney," he said looking down at Vaughn.

Sydney's tone changed, "Look, I'm sorry about Emily. I loved her too, but it was an accident and it wasn't my fault and it wasn't Vaughn's fault either!"

"Sydney, that's so nice of you to say. I'm sure Emily would be pleased, but you see, I have nothing else to lose now. Emily is gone. I would have given it all up for her…but now, it just doesn't matter anymore…I know what loss feels like Sydney, as do you. I just want you to feel it one more time, because Danny's death was quick, Mr. Vaughn's will not be." Sloane waited for a response, but was pleased that he didn't get one, "Sydney, are you still there?" He said in a mocking tone.

"Yes, I'm here."

"Good."

"What do you want Sloane?" Sydney asked.

"Hmm…that's such a complicated question. What I really want is Emily back, but since I know that's not possible, I seek to make you suffer."

"Emily wouldn't want that…"

"Well, probably not, she loved you like a daughter. But that is of no consequence anymore, you see, Emily is gone, and she no longer has any wants."

"Sloane, name your price. What can I do to get Vaughn back?"

Sloane debated for a moment, and smiled; he knew making her wait would only worry her more.

"Sloane?" she asked desperately.

"Yes, I'm still here. I'm just thinking what I could possibly want that would warrant this man's life. Trouble is, I can't think of anything at the moment," Sloane replied coldly. He motioned for the guards to get Vaughn up. He groaned but managed to get to his feet.

"Sloane! Is that Vaughn?!?! Don't hurt him, please; I'll do whatever you want. Whatever the cost!!!" Sydney pleaded.

Sloane laughed, "Sydney, I've already told you, there is nothing you have that I want. Do you want to speak to him one last time? I'll grant you that. I suppose I owe you that."

Sydney fought the tears and said shakily, "Yes…"

Sloane brought the phone to Vaughn's ear as the guards held onto him. He stared at Sloane with hate for this, but he desperately wanted to hear Sydney's voice. "Sydney?"

"VAUGHN!!! Are you all right? What did he do to you? Can you tell me where you are?"

"I'm ok, don't worry. I'm sorry Syd."

"Oh God, Vaughn, no, don't be sorry."

"Sydney…….." he paused as Sloane grinned at him sinfully.

"Vaughn? Are you still there?"

"Sydney…I love you."

"Vaughn, I love you too. I'm coming to get you, do you hear me? I'm going to find you, ok? Just hang on!"

Vaughn struggled against the guards, trying to get to Sloane. He was rewarded with a new set of punches.

"VAUGHN! VAUGHN!" Sydney screamed as she heard the punches being thrown and the man she loved groan in agony.

"That was really quite moving Sydney, I must say, even I was touched." Sloane said ridiculing her.

"You bastard, if you hurt him, I swear I–"

"Please, Sydney, your threats are completely useless, and as far as the injuries go, he all ready has quite a few."

He let the last part of his sentence sink in before he continued. "It's been nice chatting with you again, I must say, I've missed hearing your voice…until we meet again." He hung up with a smile.

"Put him back in his cell," Sloane said dryly with a motion of his hand.

Two goons picked him up off the floor and dragged him back to the cell, dropping him on the hard cement floor. The door shut, and he was bathed in darkness. He took a minute to catch his breath, his ribs and abdomen a sea of pain. He sat up slowly, coughing and moved over to sit against the wall.

He closed his eyes, praying that Sloane wouldn't get Sydney; that he wouldn't find her…
End Flashback

"That phone call…I hated Sloane for it…but it was the last time I talked to Sydney in weeks…and I was glad I got to tell her that I loved her…just in case…" Vaughn took a deep breath, "That was the first day…but with an introduction like that…I knew what I was in for…well not really…but…it only got worse from there…"