Ok, so I am on a roll today… though I really do have other things that I need to be doing today, so this is the last update for this afternoon (though there may be more later tonight… wink wink). As usual, I do not own them… any of them… but I sure do love them.
Larry and Vaughn are standing in a large grove of old and twisted trees. They are just outside the secret entrance to the Pit of Despair where Michael is being held captive. Vaughn gives Larry a cocky and overly full of himself smile. "Your Special Agent is quite a winning creature. A trifle simple, perhaps. Her appeal is undeniable."
"I know, the people are quite taken with her." Larry smiled back. "It's odd, but when I hired Brennan to have her murdered on the day of the announcement of our upcoming contract signing, I thought that was clever. But it's going to be so much more moving when I strangle her after the actual signing ceremony. Once Guilder Corp. is blamed, the company will truly be outraged - they'll demand we go to war." Larry smiled evilly.
Vaughn snickered with shared joy at the thought of a war. "Now where is that secret knot? It's impossible to find…" He finds the knot in the trunk of the tree and presses it, causing a secret door to open up. "Ah. Are you coming down into the pit? Michael's got his strength back. I'm starting him on the machine tonight."
"Vaughn, you know how much I love watching you work," Larry replied, looking truly sorry to not be able to join in. "but I've got my company's 500th anniversary to plan, my contract signing to arrange, my partner to murder and Guilder to frame for it; I'm swamped."
Vaughn nodded in concerned understanding. "Get some rest. If you haven't got your health, then you haven't got anything." He smiles at Larry halfheartedly as he enters the secret entrance and Larry leave the grove of trees.
Vaughn runs his hands over the massive machine that has now been hooked up through a series of suction cups, belts and straps to points all over Michael's now healed body. "Beautiful isn't it? It took me half a lifetime to invent it. I'm sure you've discovered my deep and dividing interest in pain." He grinned at Michael in a slightly insane manner. "Presently I'm writing the definitive work on the subject, so I want you to be totally honest with me on how the machine makes you feel. This being our first try, I'll use the lowest setting."
Vaughn flips the first of many switches on the control panel of the machine. Water begins to flow and sparks begin to zap back and forth over exposed wires. "As you know, the concept of the suction pump is centuries old.} He lectures to Michael. "Really that's all this is except that instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life." He begins making notes as Michael is clearly clenching his teeth to keep from making any noise and his back is arched off the table in pain. "I've just sucked one year of your life away. I might one day go as high as five, but I really don't know what that would do to you. So, lets just start with what we have." He flipped the switch back to the off position and turns to Michael who's back has relaxed back to the table. "What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity so be honest. How do you feel?"
Michael glared at Vaughn in helpless anger and tried in vain to stifle a moan of pain. Hearing the groan Vaughn begins writing obsessively. "Interesting."
To be continued…..