Trial of the Hearts
Chapter 10
By Team Whitecap
General Tri waited until his staff signaled that the communication connection had been cut. Drawing his hand back he slapped Kim and Ron on the backs of their heads. He nodded to a group of guards.
"Take them to holding. Process them and take them to interrogation."
He stepped in front of the two teens and looked them in the face.
"I hope that both of you have read your history. In particular, what we did to your countrymen who we captured after they bombed our country during the last war. I ask you to understand your position. They were prisoners of war. They did have some rights, not that we gave them those rights but they had them. You two are NOT prisoners of war. The Geneva Convention speaks clearly on the subject of "agents". They have no protection and can be treated as we care. However, we will give you the same rights that we would give any other of the residents of this country that attack government installations. You will be treated as terrorists and assassins."
He paused for a moment letting his words take effect.
"You will now be taken to be processed into our prison facility. After that you will be taken to an interrogation room. We will be asking you some direct questions. We expect some direct answers. If you do not give us the answers we think are the truth, then I am afraid we will have to resort to measures that have been used before. So I ask you again to remember your history. I am sure you both have read books or have studied that period of time. Now think if you can face that. I will be expecting answers from you when we talk next."
Kim snapped her head up.
"I want to speak to someone at the American Embassy. You can charge us as you want, but you can't treat us differently."
Tri smiled as he motioned to the guards.
"Oh, we will not be treating you differently."
Kim felt herself yanked from her chair and thrown to the floor. Stars danced across her vision as her head slammed into the concrete floor. A boot slashed out and caught her ribs. She tried to roll away only to catch a rifle butt in the middle of her back. Her body went rigid as the spasms of pain flashed through her body. She was dimly aware of hands gripping her by her arms and dragging her from the room. Distantly she heard thuds and groans as Ron received the same type treatment she had just received.
Ron numbly rolled on the floor where his guards dropped him. The room stank of mold and mildew. He remembered being kicked from his chair. His last memory of the room was seeing a guard bury the butt of his rifle in the middle of Kim's back. The toe of another guards boot hit his head and everything went dark. As he rolled on the floor one of the guards threw a bucket of water on him. He gasped as the cold water covered him. Hands rolled him over on his stomach and a boot came down on his head pinning it to the floor. Other hands grabbed his wrists and took off the handcuffs. The boot came off of his head as he was jerked to his feet. The same hands slammed him against the wall. A guttural voice spoke to him.
"Strip to your underwear and shower. We will give you the clothes you are to wear. After that you will be taken for questioning. They will not treat you as nicely as we have."
Ron looked at them bleary.
"Oh, so I have been getting the four star treatment."
The air rushed from his lungs as a club caught him in the stomach. The blow folded him in two and dropped him back to the floor. He rolled on the floor gasping in pain for a few moments until he was struck by another bucket of water. Slowly and painfully he got to his feet and stepped over to the rustic shower in the corner of the room. He turned the one knob and stood under the stream of water. One of the guards gave him what looked like a bar of soap. He lathered up and rinsed off. It felt good to get the jungle smell off of him.
After he finished another guard threw him a towel and he dried off. A pile of dark clothes was handed to him as well as a pair of rough sandals. The cloths were white and gray striped and consisted of a baggy shirt and a pair of three-quarter length pants that were tied off to hold them up. As soon as he was dressed the guards grabbed him and tied his elbows behind him while tying his hands to his side. Then the guards pulled him from the room and led him up the hall and into another room. This room was furnished with two chairs facing a wooden table with one chair behind it. Kim was already sitting in one of the two chairs and was bound just as he was. Her rumpled appearance told him that she most likely received the same treatment as he.
His guard forced him to sit in the chair next to Kim. They sat there for sometime, struggling to breathe as the way their arms were tied made it difficult to do so. He didn't know how long they waited, but the guards snapped to attention as the General entered the room. He was carrying a stack of papers as he sat down at the table. Setting the papers down in two stacks, he faced the two teens.
"Now, let's get on with the formalities. Kimberly Ann Possible of the United States, Ronald Eugene Stoppable of the United States. You are hereby formally charged with two counts of entering a restricted area of the county, two counts of entering this country without a visa, 2 counts of attacking a government installation, 24 counts of assault on a government official, 18 counts of murder of a government official, and 448 counts of murder."
He paused for a moment then nodded to the guards. They stepped forward and untied both Kim and Ron. Kim rubbed her arms trying to get the circulation back in them. The General continued.
"You can make this easy for all concerned. I have with me two full confessions made out in your names. You will sign them now."
Ron stared at the General.
"Then you will just let us go free."
General Ti laughed.
"Ah, Mr. Stoppable with the American style jokes. No, Mr. Stoppable, I don't think even the two of you are naive enough to believe that. No, even though your crimes warrant execution, we will place you in prison for the rest of your lives. But, only after you make a full public confession as we direct. It will be quite humiliating. Of course, if someone is willing to make a deal for your lives and willing to trade for you. Then, we may let you go home. Forcing me to use other methods including a full trial would cause me to use other means as hanging or a firing squad. This will also be made quite public. Can you imagine how it would be for your families. To watch their children being led to a wall and shot to pieces or being dropped at the end of a rope and watch their necks snap. Now what is your decision?"
Kim and Ron shook their heads. Tri stood up.
"I believe I will give you a couple of days to consider your position. During that time we shall be talking on a number of occasions. I will be asking you some interesting questions, I will want some very interesting answers. During that time you may ask for the same confession papers. The embassy will notified that we are holding you. In a few days we will be transferring you to a military prison. A that time someone from the embassy staff will be allowed to visit you. At that time all deals will be off."
Tri stood up and nodded to the guards. Kim winced as her guards yanked her to her feet and lead her to the door. As they reached the door her guards turned left while Ron's turned right. She turned to yell. He did the same.
"Ron!"
"Kim!"
Both took blows from from clubs that left them dazed as the guards drug them towards their cells.
Kim wrapped her arms around herself trying to get the feeling back in them as the guards prodded her with their clubs. The guards that hauled her from the interrogation room to her cell were female. The same ones that had taken over her once she had been tossed into the shower room. At least she didn't have to strip in front of any of the male guards. Not that her guards treated her any better. After they untied her arms she was tossed roughly to the wet floor of the shower room. A bar of soap was tossed to her as well as a rag. Stripping down to her underwear she stepped under the warm stream of water. The soap was something like the old style lye soap. It would not be good for her hair but she had to wash down completely. Hearing the guards laugh she turned to see what was going on. One guard pointed at her then thrust out her own ample bosom The rest of the guards had laughed.
Now they tossed her onto wooden pallet that would apparently be her bed. They pulled her to the bottom of her pallet and placed her feet into a set of wooden stocks. Locking the stocks, the guards turned and left the room. As the door slammed shut all light was extinguished. She lay there on her back in the dark. There was not one part of her body that did not hurt. She tried to keep the tears away but they came anyway. To say that they were in trouble was an understatement. Kim realized that the past few months had to have been nothing but a set up. Considering the news coverage that they had been getting recently she was sure it would not be pretty when the news hit the airwaves in the morning. She could only hope that GJ would find someway to help them.
Dr. Director stormed into her office with three of her aides right behind her.
"Okay, I want some answers. First, what happened to our intelligence? Why was Team Possible given information that sent them into an impossible situation? Who had access to that information and where did it come from. I don't believe in fluke accidents. Things don't get this bad without a reason. I want a full investigation into what happened, if I find out that it came from our intelligence, then there will be hell to pay. Get Du in here NOW!"
Will Du grumbled as he strode down the hall with a determined gate towards Dr. Director's office. He had been in the middle of a game of Solitaire on his computer when the call had come for him to be in Elizabeth Director's office… 'post haste'. He was just about to win his seventh game, a personal best.
Will opened the door to his boss' office, and walked in. He pulled up short when he saw both Dr. Director and Agent Price in the room. Quickly he replaced his frown with an indifferent look and addressed the two women.
"Dr. Director… Agent Price. What's the situation?"
"The situation…" Dr. Director said, "Is that there seems to have been a breakdown in communication somewhere. Now I pride myself on running a tight ship Mr. Du." Will noticed the lack of her using either his first name, or preceding his last with 'Agent'.
Dr. Director had fixed Will with a look that immediately made him nervous, and she continued. "There seems to be a discrepancy between received Intel. and that which was forwarded on to Team Possible."
"If I may explain Dr. Director…"
"I don't wish to hear excuses… Agent." Will didn't like her inflection of the word 'agent'. "What I want to know is why Team Possible… Kim and Ron… are in this situation!"
Dr. Director hit a few keys on the keyboard in front of her, and a small screen used for presentation purposes dropped from the ceiling opposite of her desk. Will turned around and a gasp escaped his lips. There on the screen was a still picture of Kim and Ron from the video conference earlier with Trong Tri. Kim's hair was a complete mess, and she had one black eye that looked like it was about to start bleeding. There was a bruise on her jaw, and what looked like a split lip that had stopped bleeding sometime earlier. Ron also had a black eye, and his hair was a mess, but he wasn't looking at the camera. His eyes were looking at Kim with obvious concern for her well-being. Both teens clothes were dirty, and ripped in a few places showing the rough treatment they had received so far.
"So it seems the amateur and her sidekick are finally in over their head." Will dead panned, but apparently it was the wrong thing to say.
Dr. Director could barely hold in her rage. "Their condition is a direct result of the lack of intelligence sent to Wade Load! And we have it on record… Agent Du… That he received that Intel. from you."
"What… what are you saying Dr. Director?" Will's voice seemed to rise a bit. "That I falsified information? I would never…"
"That is exactly what I am saying." Dr. Director picked up a piece of paper from her desk. "Do you know what I have here, Agent Du?" Again with the inflection on the word 'agent', he thought.
"No Ma'am." Will was standing ramrod straight as he addressed his Commander.
"This is the original telegram sent to us from an unknown source." Will quickly glanced over at Agent Price, and the glance was not lost on either Dr. Director, or Agent Price. "Agent Price here had the foresight to hang onto this document. Now… Do you know what this is?" Dr. Director picked up another piece of paper and Will shook his head to indicate he did not know. "This is a copy of what Wade Load received."
By now Will knew that he was in serious trouble. The jig was up, as they say, and he had just become the prime suspect in what could be considered a serious infraction. All he could do was listen to what Dr. Director was saying.
"Now Will… listen to me very carefully. I know you are aware of the punishment for falsifying documents." Will swallowed hard. "If you can give me a reason… a good reason, why these two documents don't match, I will not take further action." The tension in the room could be cut with a knife… a dull knife.
Will's mind raced as he tried to think of a reason… anything… that Dr. Director and Agent Price would believe, but he couldn't think of any. They had him dead to rights. Eventually all he had to say was two words, "I don't."
"Fine." Dr. Director said a not of finality that Will didn't like at all. "Agent Price? Please relieve Mr. Du of his sidearm, confiscate his personal computer, and all data he has pertaining to this case."
Agent Price held out her hand, and Will quickly put his hand on his weapon making both Agent Price and Dr. Director place a hand on their own weapons. He unsnapped the holding strap with a practiced flip of his thumb, pulled out the gun, and handed it to Agent Price, handle first.
Will watched Agent Price stride out of the office with his weapon, and then he turned back to his Commander. "Dr. Director? You wouldn't be doing all of this for something as simple as document falsification. What else has occurred?"
"That's on a need-to-know basis Mr. Du, and you don't need to know." Betty Director paused and took a breath. This was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. "William I. Du… you are under arrest for the willful falsification of Intelligence that has resulted in the capture of American citizens." Betty then pressed a button on her phone and spoke into the speaker. "Security, please come to my office and detain William Du."
Will did not resist as two burly Security Officers hand-cuffed his wrists behind his back and led him to a secure detention cell. It wasn't until he was sitting on a cold hard bench behind bars that the thought crossed his mind that maybe his… 'Document change' wasn't such a good idea.
Light blinded Kim's eyes at the same time as the door slammed open to her cell. Three guards came into the cell and yanked her to a sitting position. Pining her arms behind her, they tied them off as before. Then they slapped a hood over her head as they unlocked her ankles from the stocks. Grabbing her arms, they pulled her from the so called bed and dragged her from the room. She kept trying to walk but her legs were knotted up so much from being locked in the stocks. Kim felt like she hadn't slept at all she was so tired. The guards made a number of turns then entered another room. This one was almost cold. The guards pushed her to her knees and yanked off the hood.
Kim looked around. She was in a white tiled room. On the wall were hooks every few feet. Coils of roped hung from a few. Short lengths of rubber hose lay on the floor under some more. One of the guards came up behind her and kicked her legs apart. Kim tried to move away but the guard grabbed the rope holding her elbows together and passed another rope through them. Tying it off, the guard stepped back. Kim wondered what was going on when the rope snapped tight and she was yanked into the air. She screamed as it felt like her arms were going to come out of their sockets. Gasping for air she hung in the air for she didn't know how long. She couldn't get air into her lungs as the muscles in her chest were stretched so tight. Blackness started to cloud her vision when the floor smacked her in the face.
She lay there for a moment as oxygen slowly returned to her system. Her arms were still numb but nothing like the pain as before. Lying there on the cold floor she began to shiver as a pair of boots stepped into her field of vision. The toe of one boot made it's way under her cheek and forced her to look up. The General was looking down at her.
"Well, well, well. How are we?"
Kim grunted and jerked away from his boot.
"Oh just dandy. I am enjoying the first class accommodations and service."
The General nodded and the ropes snapped taut again. Kim screamed as she was lifted into the air again. She hung there for a few moments then she was dropped to the floor again. Her arms and her back were going numb as she lay on the floor. Two of the guard walked over to the wall and picked up some rubber hoses. Her mind gibbered as they turned and started to walk back to her. Someone grabbed her feet and started to drag her to another part of the room. Hands picked her up and bent her forward over a table. They spread her legs and tied them off to the table legs. Then they passed a loop of rope through a hole in the table, around the back of her neck. Tightening the rope, they pulled her down and forward onto the table. Leather straps were placed over back to hold her down. Her upper body was held tightly to the surface. General Tri stepped back into her vision.
"I'll leave you for a little while to consider your position. Have no fear. You will not the raped, rape is so common. I think are are better ways. I shall be back and we will continue our discussion."
Kim was about to say something when there was a crack. Kim leaned her head back to scream as the back of her left thigh felt like it was on fire. Another crack and her right thigh joined the first. Glancing back as best she could, she saw two guards standing on either side her. One grinned as he swung his segment of rubber hose and brought it slashing down her bottom. Pain rifled up her back as she twisted on the table in pain. The guards continued striking her bottom and her thighs.
Ron lay his bed with his feet in the stocks. His room had several very bright lights that were turned on and off at intervals. He didn't know how long he lay there as he had no watch and the room was so quiet. It was then he heard the jingling of keys. A key was inserted in the door and it swung open. Three guards came into the room, pulling a hood over his head. Tying his arms behind his back as before, the guards picked him up and dragged him through a maze of turns. They made a sharp turn through a door, then they threw him on the floor. He felt a rope pass through those tying his elbows back. With a grunt the rope tightened and he was lifted off the floor. Pain filled his shoulders and his chest, he struggled for breath as he hung in the air. Someone came into the room and he was dropped to the floor. Two boots walked into his field of vision. He looked up he see General Tri looking down him.
"Well now, the other half of the team. I was just speaking with Miss Possible."
A scream filled the air. Ron had no doubt who it was. He vaulted to his feet and his shoulder caught the General in the mid section. General Tri was lifted off the floor and sent flying against the wall. The guards grabbed Ron and landed on top of him. Fists, clubs and boots landed blow after blow. A sharp yell from the General they stopped. Ron was lifted off the floor and his head pulled back by the hair. His lip was split and bleeding. The General was standing in front of him. His uniform was soiled and in disarray, his hat lay crushed on the floor, and his hair mussed. Tri adjusted his uniform and walked over to pick up his hat. Another guard came into the room and whispered something into the General's ear. Tri scowled for a moment, then he turned and started to pace the floor for a few moments. Every so often he would look over at Ron. He stopped and a grin crossed his face. Turning to one of the guards he gave orders rapidly. The guard saluted and left. Tri turned and walked back to Ron.
"Well, it appears your government has demanded to see the two of you immediately. So it appears our little games will be cut short as we will have to transfer you to another facility. But we do have one more game to play. Since you are such a famous team then we shall put you together for the next part."
Tri gave another series of orders to the guards around Ron. One left the room while the other lifted him up and the hood came down back over his head.
Sitting strapped to the chair was the most comfortable position that she had been in for several days. The room was comfortable and no one was yelling at her, hitting or kicking her, or generally making her life miserable. She had to hand to to them. They had learned well how to really hurt someone without physically hurting them badly. Shego had taught her several ways to hurt but the General and his guards were in a league of their own. Kim thought of the men who had under gone this type of treatment for years. At least their time here was coming to an end. One of the General's aides had told her that they would be transferring them to another facility. They would be finally be able to meet with someone from the United States and possibly someone from Global Justice.
One of the doors opened and she turned her head to see. Two guards were dragging a hooded figure into the room. Her heart leapt. His didn't have to see under the hood to know who it was.
"Ron!"
The guard slung Ron into the chair facing Kim and strapped him into it. Then they yanked the hood off of his head. Kim almost gasped. He was a wreak. The guards had beaten her but they had really done a number on Ron. He had a black eye and a split lip. His cheek was swollen and dried blood came out of the corner of his mouth. The guards dropped the hood to the floor and left the room. Kim trembled as she softly called out to him.
"Ron? Can you hear me? Ron?"
He lifted his head and opened his eyes. A small smile crossed his face.
"Hey KP. Looking good!"
He sat there looking at her. Her hair was filthy and her face was bruised but she looked great to him. There was a hint of a smile on her face.
"Ron what did they do to you?"
Ron shook his head.
"Tri was in the room gloating over me when I heard you scream. He sorta laughed at that. One thing they forgot. I played football and I am used to getting up just using my legs. Remember what I did to Jackie Daniels? Well, I did the same thing to the General. I messed up his hair and that fancy uniform, but they did beat the living daylights out of me after that. That's when some dude came in and told the General something. That's when he ordered us put together. What ever he is planning I am not looking forward to it."
Tri entered the room with a number of guards. One of the guards carried an olive drab case over on shoulder. Another carried two buckets. The guards set their items on a table off to the side and then took positions behind Kim and Ron. Two behind each of them. Tri stood between the two of them.
"I must say that you two surprised me. I really thought that you would break before this. Now, it looks like things will be changing. Apparently someone here or in my government found out the little bit of fun we have been having here and they disapproved. Word was passed among several important people and it has been ordered that you are to be transferred to a special facility for your trial. The public excuse is that you would be in danger in a normal prison. Now when we first spoke I told you how displeased I would be if we had to go to that length."
Tri turned and motioned to the guards. One walked over to the table and dumped the contents out on the table. It was mostly more rope, strips of cloth, leather straps and some cloth pads. He picked up a number of the items and walked over to Kim. Before she could move a leather strap came down over her forehead and pulled her head back against the chair.
Kim yelped and as she did one of the guards gagged her with a strip of cloth. Another guard picked up the other bucket and set it down in front of her. It was full of water. Tri stepped over and opened the olive drab pack. He pulled out a phone and some wires.
"This is quite amusing. Your countrymen left this device when we chased them out. For a phone, it is quite archaic but also very functional. But I have found another quite unique use for it. You see it is a battery operated phone. To talk to someone you just turn this little crank.
Tri turned the box around so that Kim and Ron could see. Tri pulled out a small handle and rapidly turned it.
"This crank sends an electrical signal down the wire where it would ring a bell. Then you could talk. But since the phone is broken now, I have found another use for it."
Tri gave orders to one of the guards. He put on a pair of gloves, then held up the wire coming out of the phone. The last three or four feet of the wire had been pulled apart to single strands. The very ends were bare wire. The guard held the wire ends close together. Tri spun the handle again. Sparks arced across the wires. Ron began to look at the wires then back at Kim.
"No...don't do it."
The guard walked over to Kim and knelt in front of her. Pulled two pieces of cloth out of his pocket he dipped them into the water. Pulling Kim's sandals off the wrapped a piece of cloth around each of her big toes and then repeated the same with each wire. She closed her eyes and whimpered just a bit. Ron struggled against the straps holding him. Tri snapped an order and one of the guards grabbed Ron's head from behind and held it so he was facing Kim. Tears fell from his eyes.
"Please...Don't.... I'll sign anything."
Kim started to shake her head as best she could while grunting. Tri just shook his head.
"I am afraid that offer is no longer valid. You did something to me young man. You struck me. No prisoner has ever struck me. Do you know you actually cracked one of my ribs. You degraded me in front of my men. Now I know there is nothing that I can do to you that would punish you enough. You would take it. But.... how are you going to feel when I punish Miss Possible here for your indiscretion. Oh...I promise you she will not be permanently harmed. Don't try and close your eyes either, for if you do I will double her time. Now shall we begin."
Tri grabbed the handle and gave it a slight slow spin. Kim flinched and balled her hands. Ron locked eyes with her. Then Tri gave the handle four rapid turns. Kim's body convulsed and her eyes fluttered. Then she sank back into her chair when the handle stopped. Tri spun the handle four more times. Ron watched as Kim's body went rigid again. Tears poured from his eyes. Tri spun the handle four more times and then stopped. Kim's eyes were closed. The soldier released the strap holding her head and it lolled forward. The guard removed the gag. Ron forced the word out of his mouth.
"Kim?"
Tri stepped over and placed his hand on her neck.
"She is quite alive. Now, you will be taken to a cell while we make preparations to leave. Before we do, you will be given a chance to shower and a change of clothes. A doctor will treat you for any injuries that you received in your "capture" and then we will be on our way to the other facility."
Tri turned and walked out of the room. The guard unstrapped Ron first then Kim. One of the guards picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. The other guards motioned for Ron to stand with his hands on his head and walk in front of them. Walking down the hall, one of the guard directed Ron into a cell, this one had two beds, a sink and a toilet. Ron stood against the far wall as the other guard dumped Kim on the floor and backed out. The door slammed shut and locked. Ron dove for Kim and picked her head up.
"Kim, KP??...."
Her eyes opened and looked at him, a small smile crossed her face. Slowly she raised her hand to caress his cheek. Tears fell from Ron's face onto hers.
"Oh, Kim I'm sorry. I am so sorry."
Kim blinked and pressed a finger against his lips. She opened her mouth to speak, her voice was weak.
"It's okay, I'll...I'll be okay. I love you. Just hold me."
Ron's pulled her to him and cried as he rocked her back and forth.
It's Team WhiteCap. This chapter was another team effort. We hope that you enjoyed it. Please leave a review.