Chapter 3

She came round with a start, her arm cramping from being laid on for too long. Her head was pounding and she was having trouble focusing on anything. She could hear voices but they sounded distant and muffled, almost as if she was underwater. After a few minutes her head cleared and she could make out what was being said.

"I'm going to ask you some questions and it will be better for you if you answer them straight away" It was Michael, talking in that reasonable, friendly way he had. Moving her head slightly she could see Daryl. He was chained to the pipes again, this time facing the wall. He was shirtless and for some reason dripping wet. Michael was holding a long pole, a wire trailing from it. Becca was leaning against a wall, an expectant look on her face.

Do you know what this is?" Michael asked pleasantly, as he tied a bundle of cloth to the end of the pole and dunked it into a bucket of water, soaking it thoroughly.

"It's called a Picana and is commonly used in some of the less enlightened countries to get information from prisoners. The Cylinder there is a rheostat, moving the slider raises the voltage. The higher the volts the more pain. Voltage hurts but is less likely to kill the victim than high current" He looked directly at Daryl.

"Now where is your group?"

Daryl glared at him defiantly.

"Aint telling you nothin'" He spat.

Michael sighed

"I thought you might say something like that" he said, sounding sad.

He nodded at Becca and she pulled herself away from the wall and bent, attaching the end of the wire to the car battery. Michael jabbed the end with the wet rags into Daryl's side. Cassie saw his body twitch as the electrical charge surged through him. He grit his teeth, refusing to make a sound. Michael jabbed him again, this time in the small of his back and he jerked again.

"Where is your group?" Michael asked again "How many are there?" Daryl raised his head and stared back at the man.

"Just me, aint got a group" he said quietly.

Michael stared back at him for a few seconds then jammed the pole into Daryl's back again.

"We both know that's not true" He lowered the pole, "When we bought you here, you had far too much game on you for one person . You were hunting for a group. Tell me where they are" his voice was quiet but Cassie could hear the menace in it, sense the threat. When Daryl didn't reply he jabbed him again.

"Have to say he's a strong son of a bitch" Cassie realised that several of the men from the group were watching the interrogation, leaning against the wall behind her. One of them glanced at the others, "Usually they've folded by know, told us everything" A couple of others nodded in agreement.

She couldn't watch anymore and turned her attention to the cuff attaching her to the pipes. The pipes were old and rusting and she started to pull at them discreetly, using her body to hide what she was doing.

After a few more minutes of questioning and not getting anywhere Michael was getting angry. Becca stepped forward again and disconnected the wire from the battery. She stepped in front of Michael and pushed the pole down, away from Daryl.

"Let me" she said "Maybe I can talk him into co-operating" Michael gave her a curt nod and turned away.

Becca stepped in front of Daryl and reached up, grasping his chin in her hand and lifting his face so he was looking at her.

"You can stop all this pain right now" she told him, her voice full of concern as she glanced back at Michael. "He's starting to get pissed off and that means he'll hurt you more to get what he wants. Tell me what we need to know and it will all be over. We'll get you cut down, go back upstairs, get you cleaned up, fed and watered" She leaned closer, laying her hand on his chest.

" Maybe we could get to know each other a little better" she moved closer, brushing her lips over his. Daryl jerked his head away , his eyes meeting hers.

"I wouldn't touch a skank like you if you was the last bitch alive" he jeered. Becca stepped back, unfazed by the insult.

"Then I guess I'll just leave it to my brother then" she smiled, looking at Michael.

"No one insults my sister like that" he nodded to Becca, "Increase the volts"

She reached down to the rheostat, connected to the battery and adjusted the slider on it, then re-attached the wire. She stepped back and leant on the wall again.

"Where is your group, how many are there?" He demanded. Daryl stared at him silently, too exhausted to even goad him anymore. Michael rewet the bundle of cloth and pushed the pole against Daryl's side, this time holding it in place for a few seconds. Daryl twisted against his bonds, trying to escape the volts surging through him. He still managed not to cry out. He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of hearing him in pain.

Cassie had loosened the pipe enough she could slide the cuff free but knew that she couldn't do anything to help at the moment. She was unarmed and outnumbered. She sat quietly, waiting for the right opportunity. She heard the questions being repeated time after time and wondered how the man could take the torture without making a sound. She heard Michael order the voltage increased again and had one of the men throw more water over Daryl.

"The water makes the electric flow through the body so much better" He sneered as he jabbed again. This time the pain was too much and Daryl did cry out for the first time. It was a howl of pain, anger and frustration and seemed to make Michael want to hurt him more. Cassie looked up and saw Daryl trying to flinch away from the pole as it was pushed towards him again. It struck his back and his legs buckled as the increased voltage flowed through him. He forced himself back to his feet.

"Looks like we've found his breaking point" Becca watched as he tried again and failed to avoid the pole. Finally his legs crumpled and he couldn't get back to his feet. He hung from the chains, all his weight on his shoulders, his head hanging, chin resting on his chest. As Michael aimed again he said in a small, pained voice.

"They're on a farm"