Well, this is it. The final chapter of Break Down. Thank you all so very much for coming along on the ride with me. I know it's been a bit of a bumpy ride, and some of you have found it a hard read to stomach but.....thank you for sticking around away :)

There is an amazing picture to go with this chapter, drawn for me by the wonderfully talented 191026, aka Lesley. You'll find it displayed proudly on my homepage. Kisses and hugs for you Lesley. THANK YOUUUUUU.

Okay, I tell a 'little' lie! While this is truly the ending I had planned out all along, just a few days my wicked muses decided to gift my fingers with what I will only describe as a 'bonus chapter'. The words literally wrote themselves and flew onto the page, so now it's just a matter of me polishing it up, and hopefully getting it posted by next Friday for you. And that I promise, will be the end of this story.

Anyway, read on, and I look forward to hearing what you think..........

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Chapter 29

The slave dropped his forehead low to the plush carpeting, raising his ass submissively into the air.

Sephiroth smirked as he walked behind the prone figure of the nude boy, giving a nod of approval as he unfastened his zipper, feeling his breath quicken as he got down on his knees, taking up his position behind the bowed blond.

With a sudden jerk, he snapped his hips forward.

Cloud grunted as he felt himself being moved by the force of the general's penetration. He turned his head to one side and laid his cheek to the floor, trying to stop the thrusting motions behind him from hurting his newly forming black eye. He suspected that the blow he had received to his face just moments before might have broken his cheekbone.

Even in the throes of his own passion, Sephiroth noted the subtle move Cloud made with his head, and as he pounded harder into the compliant body of the boy beneath him he spoke to him, his words accentuated with each forward thrust.

"Do not....ever...disobey a direct order....again."

Cloud squeezed his eyes shut tight. This was the first time since the general's initial rape that the man had meant for the sex to hurt him, demean him. There was no pleasure to be gained out of this coupling for him, only more shame and humiliation.

The general gave a final push and stilled, taking his time to fill Cloud's body with his pumping seed. Then he casually stood up and refastened his black leather pants, leaving Cloud to remain in his prostrate position on all fours.

A few minutes later, the door to Sephiroth's office opened, and the enquiring face of Zack appeared. He had only left the room to take some papers to Rufus, and had been prevented from re-entering by the workers in the outer office, who were all crowded in a huddle outside the door, obviously listening intently to whatever was happening inside.

"What's going on," Zack had asked, a little alarmed. The men had sheepishly returned back to their computers, but by then, Zack hadn't needed an answer. The sounds of the beating going on within the closed off room were evident to hear. He knew, without being told, what was going on in there. He could also guess as to what was going to happen next.

He had waited, listening, until he'd heard Sephiroth's groan of satisfaction, giving his friend a few moments to collect himself before daring to turn the handle and open the door. His eyes had immediately sought out the boy, and he had been relieved to see no real harm done to him. At least there was no blood to be seen.

As the dark haired man advanced into the room and walked past him, Cloud felt his face flush with colour. He was mortified to be seen this way, his cheek swollen and bruised, his ass raised, and his hole leaking with the general's cum that was oozing down his inner thighs. He was grateful when Sephiroth gave the order for him to get up, granting him permission to go to the washroom and clean himself.

"Bring back a fresh jug of water on your return," the general barked as Cloud made his way out through the door.

Cloud had to suffer the quietly made sneers and jeers of the men in the outer room before he reached the relative freedom of the corridors outside, but even there he knew that his naked, used state was the topic of much conversation. He covered his genitals with his hands as he hurried along, only too painfully aware that there was no hiding his ass, or concealing what was dripping slowly from it.

"Sephiroth's whore," he heard muttered behind him. Inwardly, he cried, knowing he had no choice but to be whatever the general wanted him to be. Outwardly, he lifted his chin higher, not willing to let these ignorant people see that their words hurt.

His vision was blurred. Much of that was to do with the unshed tears he refused to let fall. But he also knew it was to do with the swelling of his battered face. A lesson not to disobey, the general had called it.

Today had been the first time he had allowed Cloud to leave their quarters in over a fortnight. Cloud had been ecstatic, only too eager to escape the suffocating confines of his rooms.

He hadn't cared that he wasn't allowed a loincloth, hadn't worried about the stares and whispers that followed them. His eyes seemed to drink in the very textures of the walls as they passed them by, marvelling at the different colours and patterns. It was as if he were seeing them for the very first time. And he actually found himself staring back at the inquisitive people, studying their faces like he had never seen another human being before. Several times the general had had to pull on his leash, dragging him roughly away from something that had caught his eye and had held him mesmerized for a moment, his feet stumbling as he was jerked forward on their walk.

Getting to Sephiroth's office, Cloud's attention had been focused on the large window in the room, and the beautiful view it gave access to. Kneeling by the side of the silver haired man's chair, Cloud had lost himself in thoughts of being outside, of running free and breathing in the clean fresh air.

He had knelt like that, unmoving, until Zack had left the room, saying he would be right back. The door had barely closed behind him before Sephiroth had commanded Cloud to begin fondling himself.

Cloud had turned to stare then at the general, his look questioning. He knew that Sephiroth liked to see him touch himself, but he also knew that it was a prelude that led to them having sex. Zack had said he wouldn't be gone long. There was no time for them to engage in fornication.

And he had dared to say as much.

He lifted a hand now to touch gingerly at his sore cheek, and a spark of rebellion flared within him. He would spit in the water jug that he took back to the general. And he would stand there, and watch, as the man drank his show of contempt down with the liquid.

Feeling just a little better with that thought in mind, Cloud continued onwards, reaching the quieter parts of the building that led into the seclusion of the kitchen area, making his way back further towards the washroom that was reserved for the sole use of those of lower rankings and stations, and subordinates like himself.

He filled a basin with hot water and found a cleaning rag, proceeding to quickly wash himself free of the mess that was clinging to him.

Emptying the dirty water from the basin, he re-filled it again and this time he cleaned his face, touching his sore cheek with hesitant fingers, pushing and prodding just a little to see how much pain it gave him. It was with some small measure of relief that he thought he would be lucky enough to get away with just bruising. Nothing seemed to be broken, as he had first feared. It still hurt even so, and he kept the warm wet cloth pressed against his skin for comfort as he walked and made his way back to the room that held all the jugs and glasses.

Cloud knew immediately upon entering the room that there was something wrong.

At first, looking around, he couldn't place what it was that was troubling him. But then he realised that one of the big freezers that were placed against a wall had been dragged a little out of place, leaving a small gap behind.

Peering behind the machine, Cloud was surprised to see a gaping hole behind it, leading to the outside world. With a surging pounding growing inside of him, he pushed and shoved at the freezer, moving it far enough away from the wall that he could access the opening.

He blinked against the natural light that poured in through the hole, hitting his eyes. After being kept indoors for so long, he was unused to glaring brightness of it. He felt the warmth of the sun against his skin, and relished for a moment the soft breeze that ruffled his hair, and he began to feel alive.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" came a panicked voice behind him.

Startled, Cloud looked back over his shoulder at the other boy that had come into the room. It was Peters, and Cloud noticed the frightened look on his face.

"This is the only place I've ever been shown to fetch water from," he said, moving slowly back into the room. "Did you know about this?" he asked, nodding his head towards the broken wall.

Before Peters could answer, a man unknown to Cloud also entered the room. Big and burly, he stood towering over the two boys, his dark beard covered face and piercing black eyes taking in the scene in seconds.

"This isn't... I didn't..." Cloud began stuttering, feeling sure that somehow he would be blamed.

"Who's this? And why the hell is he naked?" the man's gruff voice barked out. Cloud's body tensed, readying for an attack to be made upon him, either verbal or physical.

"It's just Sephiorth's pet slave," Peters replied. "And he's wearing no clothes because that's the way the general likes to keep him."

Cloud didn't appreciate the way the newcomer racked his eyes over him. "You got a problem?" he challenged bravely.

"Heck no," the man answered, smirking. He continued to blatantly stare, while Peters seemed to become even more agitated, fidgeting and hopping foot to foot.

"We don't have time for this," he insisted in a whiney voice. "We have to get out of here. Now!"

"Out?" Cloud queried. "You're getting out?"

The two men exchanged looks between them before looking back at the questioning blond.

"Yes, I'm getting out while I can still do so alive," Peters explained, his eyes continuously shifting between Cloud and the closed door of the kitchen. "I gambled heavily on Sephiroth losing, and now my creditors want their money. And I simply don't have it. When they find out, I'm dead meat. I've used up the last of any money I had on paying Franko here for a ride on his motor cruiser, that will take me to the border."

"Take me with you," Cloud pleaded, his blue eyes begging the tall man.

"Oh yeah pretty boy, and just what are you going to pay me with" the man leered back.

"I'll let you keep your life," Cloud answered. "I have only to raise my voice, and this place will be stormed with guards in seconds."

"You'll be dead before you get one word out," the man answered smugly. "I'll cut your throat before you can even scream one syllable."

"You think so?" Cloud retaliated. "You really think there isn't a device in this collar that I'm wearing that picks up any loud calls I make?" He hoped the man would fall for his bluff. His kept his expression as serious as he could.

The man's eyes were held now upon the collar fastened around Cloud's neck, and the debate going on inside his head as to whether or not the slave was telling the truth was plain to see crossing over his face. In the end, he relented with a shrug of his broad shoulders.

"Lets get moving," he snapped. "The sentries will be back at their posts soon, and our slip out time will be cut off." He made his way to the hole in the wall behind the freezer, leaving Peters and Cloud to follow behind him.

With a small nod, Peters took off his jacket and handed it to Cloud, before hurrying after the man named Franko.

Cloud was left alone for a moment. Slipping his arms into the sleeves of the long tunic, he found himself looking back at the door, his mind travelling down the corridors that led to the general's office. In a flash, his mind played out all the reasons for why he should flee. He would escape the beatings. He would be free to return to his home.

But at the same time, he also felt in his body all the reasons why he should stay. He knew he craved the touch of the general's hand upon him, and he wondered if he would ever get over what had happened to him here. He told himself that perhaps one day, he and the general would meet later in life, and take up their relationship as equals.

But even as he thought it, he knew it was a doomed hope.

Cloud's ears were suddenly alerted to the sound of military boots thudding along the floor outside the room he was in and, without another thought, he dashed across to the small gap that meant freedom for him, squeezing in past the heavy metal appliance.

"Hey Spike...Seph sent me to see what's taking you so......"

Eyes met, breaths were held, and time stopped while captive and enemy looked at one another.

The dark haired man understood in an instant what was going on, but before he could move towards the blond boy and grab him, he was already off and running, racing out through the small gap in the wall and galloping away like his life depended on it, his knees drawn high, his head thrown forward a little, his arms pistoning forward and back as if to help propel him faster.

Zack ran towards the vacant hole, his hands placed either side of the jagged edge as he gazed at the fleeing figure of Cloud. He inhaled a deep breath with which to call the boy back, to order him to stop, but all that came out was his name, yelled with urgency.

For a second time, Cloud hesitated. His heart hammering in his chest, his head swimming with only thoughts of escape, he gulped in shallow gasps of air as he slowly turned, feeling sweat tickle down his bare spine, not knowing if it was because of the heat of the day, or because of the fear that he was about to be shot dead where he stood.

Gathering up the last of his strength and courage, Cloud stood tall, facing the general's second in command unblinkingly. If he were to die like this, during an escape attempt, then so be it. At least he would have died, trying.

This knowledge gave Cloud some small measure of self respect back, and he felt proud of himself. He threw his shoulders back and lifted his head up, standing to attention, ready to die.

Zack saw the small cadet's chest heaving underneath the borrowed jacket, noticed the way the boy chewed nervously on his lower lip. He knew he could take Cloud down with a single shot to a kneecap, disable him and prevent him from fleeing. He knew that would be acceptable to Sephiroth. It wasn't his place to kill the boy. If the blond were going to die, it would be for the general to determine when, and how.

His hand hovered over the gun still in his holster, his thumb caressing the cold metal. A faint smile touched his lips when he saw Cloud straighten his spine even further, as if trying to make himself the perfect solder before Zack fired. But Zack had no intention of firing. Instead, he raised an empty hand into the air, and saluted.

Cloud stared at him, disbelieving for a minute, his eyes constantly searching those of the other man that could easily destroy him. Only the roar of an engine behind him caused Cloud to take his eyes momentary off of the gunman, darting around to see the small desert cruiser staring up, preparing to leave without him. He looked back quickly at Zack, to see him still standing there, his arm still raised in farewell.

A quick nod of gratitude, and Cloud turned away from all that had been his life for the last year and took off running again towards the mechanical means of his freedom.

Hopping onto the back, holding on for dear life, his veins pumped with exhilaration. He wanted to laugh and giggle and cry at one and the same time. Each and every moment he expected the break for freedom to fail, but as the vehicle pulled safely away, the blue eyed boy kept his eyes locked onto the diminishing figure of the only man whom he had considered to be his friend in that forsaken place.

And as a final gesture of parting, he raised a hand of his own and held it high, even long after the man was out of sight.

***********************

Sephiroth stared out over the landscape, his eyes focused ahead, unmoving. He whole body was as tense as a taut bow, and his nostrils were pinched, his breathing painful and shallow.

For the first time in his life, the general felt a wetness slip down over one cheek, and he lifted a gloved hand, wiping away the single tear that had fallen.

"I will hunt you down boy. And I will find you," he promised out loud, his words being taken by the wind. "And when I do......"

He had to stop to compose himself.

"And when I do.....I'll take you again and again. I'll make you remember how you thrilled to my touch. And then......"

His voice dropped to a hushed whisper.

"I'm going to kill you."