Jason led her to the back of the room and pushed a shelf out the way to reveal a door. He shoved her inside and threatened her with the pican. "Go sit on the chair over there."
Liz looked at the chair in question and then back at Jason, she could see the straps attached to the legs and arm rests and knew there would be no hope of escape if she were to sit down.
He growled out, "Now," before jabbing her in the arm with the electric prod.
Her arm froze momentarily and the pain seared up into her shoulder. She swung at him with her right hand and connected with his jaw, but with the pain still radiating through her left arm, it wasn't enough to stagger him. It earned her another prod in almost the same spot as the last one.
Liz staggered back, her legs colliding with the chair causing her to fall back. Jason followed her, leaning in close. He punctuated each word, menace lacing each one. "Do. Not. Move."
He was going to have to kill her if he wanted her on that bed. She tried to push him away and get up only to receive a longer pulse from the prod then she had before in her side. Pain lanced through her entire body. She felt him strapping her hands to the chair.
He then tied her ankles into the straps. She felt like crying as her hope faded to panic. He had her now and there was nothing she could do about it: fighting would only earn her more jabs from his little prod.
His reached up and brushed the hair back from her face. She loved it when Red had done that to her, but Jason's hands on her felt like pin pricks. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut, until he brought the prod to her neck and leaned in and spoke to her. "Open your eyes honey, I just want to talk."
Instead of complying- knowing full well it would earn her another zap- she gathered all her courage and outrage, and spat in his face. But the shock never came. Instead he lifted his hand and slapped her hard across the face; if she wasn't bruised from the last strike her gave her she certainly was now. It would match the one on the other side the muscle man gave her.
He withdrew and she heard a noise from the other side of the room. She cautiously opened one eye to see him cross the room, rolling a cart towards her. On the bottom was a battery that was hooked to a generator and on top were two small paddles attached to the battery with thin cables.
He reached down to caress her hair in a sick gesture of comfort. "I was going to stick with the picana, but I think these will be a better motivator for you."
He turned to the cart and picked up the paddles. "I just need to ask a few questions about Reddington's business; you may know more than you realize. Think carefully before answering."
He flipped a switch and the paddles came to life. "Why is he trying to buy off politicians in Ukraine?"
"I have no idea, he doesn't share anything about his business with me."
He made a tsking sound in disappointment. "Remember what I said about your answers." He briefly set a paddle down on her right thigh.
It felt like an explosion went off inside her leg. She was taking in great heaving breaths now trying to hold back tears, her panic rising exponentially.
He decided to start with an easier question. "What does he want with the orphanage?"
"To put you sick bastards out of business." She knew her answer would earn her another jolt from the paddle; but she couldn't resist.
He set the other paddle down on her left thigh; resting there slightly longer than he had the first time. "So mouthy. I thought your boyfriend liked his women more malleable."
Tears she could no longer hold back were streaming down her cheeks, but she refused to give in. "He is a gentlemen who knows how to treat a lady; though I'm sure the only women you can get are ladies of the night."
In a pique of rage he took both paddles and set one on each side of her waist; smirking as her whole body convulsed with the pain. She was only vaguely aware of the door being flung open and a gunshot ringing out.
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The Ukrainian government was wrought with corruption; so Red used some information he had on FBI Assistant Director Harold Cooper to procure assistance in the raid. This would gain Harold notoriety for taking down a child slavery ring that has eluded every lettered agency in several countries for a decade. Red's only caveat… for his team to leave unhindered with the woman being held there.
They were still an hour from Ukraine. Red was pacing from one end of the plane to the other waiting for the raid to start. The FBI were taking their sweet time. If it was just his team, they would have swept the building, killing everyone, their only goal to save Lizzie.
Dembe answered the satellite phone when it rang. "Yes." He listened for a moment before he hung up. "The raid is about to start."
Red hurried over to the small screen on the laptop. "Is there anyway we can get this onto the larger television screen?"
Dembe got up and reached into an overhead compartment. "Of course, give me a second to attach the cable." In a matter of moments the action was playing out on the larger surface.
Red's eyes were glued to the screen, watching through the eyes of the lead member of his team via a small camera attached to his vest.
They were met with resistance at a set of double doors where two guards were standing sentry outside, but were taken out fairly quickly. When they broke into the room, the FBI took over placing the men and women under arrest and making arrangements to have the children taken to a safe location. Red's team and two FBI agents however continued on, their only objective was Ms. Scott.
They searched the back room filled with the empty cages, inspecting each to make sure she was not in one of them. Red was becoming worried that she had already been taken out of the facility. The team was about to call off the search when they saw a door at the end of the room partially concealed by a large shelf.
They burst in just as the man was giving Lizzie a shock with electric paddles. She was strapped into a chair; her body convulsing. Red felt rage fly up to meet him when the man turned around: it was Jason Halstead. He had told Red he would be traveling in England for several weeks.
Upon seeing Liz, one of Red's team shot the man holding her in the leg. The FBI agents with them rushed forward to place Jason Halstead under arrest. The team leader instructed one of his crew to get Ms. Scott and take her to Mr. Kaplan. Turning to the senior agent; he asked for a favor.
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They finally touched down in Ukraine, and Red practically raced off the plane with his friend close behind. Dembe answered his ringing phone as they raced to the car. "Yes?"
"It's Kate." Dembe handed the phone off to his boss and hopped into the driver's seat and Red dove into the back.
Red was hoping this was a confirmation call and not any bad news, he wasn't sure he could handle that right now. "Do you have her?"
"I'm sending you an address. Go there."
"Did you switch houses for Liz?" That was quick, even for Kate.
"We are in the process now, but this isn't where she is."
Red looked out the window, he wasn't happy about a delay. "I want to see her as soon as possible."
"We were able to successfully negotiate for Mr. Halstead."
"We are on our way." He hung up the phone. "Change of plans. The team were able to get Jason and they have him waiting for us. Kate will be sending the address in a moment along with the details of what was done to Elizabeth." Just then the phone beeped, Red gave Dembe the address while he looked over the list of Lizzie's injuries.
"He knew Liz was mine, why would he take her?" What benefit could Jason gain from hurting Liz? As far as that man knew she was the wife of Richard Nolan, a rich business man trying to buy off some politicians to get a foothold in the area.
Dembe caught Red's eye in the mirror. "Could he have found out who you are?"
Red ran the back of his thumb over his forehead trying to fathom how that had happened. There was definitely a leak in his organization. "I don't know, it's possible."
They pulled up outside of a warehouse, the team leader was waiting for them at the door. Red grasped his shoulder, "Thank you Matthew, what's the condition of our guest?"
"Other than the shot in the leg, which we have a tourniquet on, we haven't touched him." He led them into the warehouse and down a corridor to a small room with damp floors.
"We removed his shoes and brought the paddles he used on Ms. Scott in case you wanted to give him a taste." Matthew excused himself and left the room.
"Hello Jason, long time no see." Red opened his arms as if to receive a hug.
Red tilted his head and leaned slightly to the side a look of concern on his face when Jason remained seated and failed to reciprocate. "Oh, you seem to be a little tied up." He waved his hand dismissively. "No worries, it's probably better if you're sitting for this anyway."
Jason was starting to sweat, aware that he needed to find a way to placate Red. "Look, you've got women from one coast to the other, I really didn't think you'd miss this one."
Red's lips curled in disgust. "This one's special." He took off his suit jacket and handed it to Dembe, he loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves.
Dembe walked over to the little cart and flipped the switch to turn them on. He picked up the paddles and handed them to Red then placed a chair in front of the one Jason was tied to.
Red inspected the paddles as he moved to sit across from Jason. He smiled pleasantly before asking, "Who in my organization tipped you off about me?"
"The little man you have driving your whor… err, wife around."
Red lightly touched Jason's thigh with one of the paddles. He watched the other man writhe in pain a moment before asking, "Newton Phillips just walked up to you and gave you this information?"
He answered with gritted teeth, "Not directly, no. I didn't even know who the guy was until I saw him outside the orphanage earlier today and walked in to find your girl there; then I put two and two together."
Red reached out and touched a paddle to the other thigh. This time Jason yelled in pain, he tried to flip the chair over to put some space between himself and Red, but Dembe went to stand behind him, steadying the chair. He patted Jason on the shoulder once before standing back.
"I need to know who Newton talked to, and before you even think about lying to me, the next time the paddle will land on the little soldier."
Jason started crying so hard he almost couldn't speak. "Some guy named Tom Keen. He heard about my deal with you and met me at the airport just before I was going to board the plane to England."
Red leaned back and crossed his legs. "I'm listening."
Jason tried to turn his head enough to wipe the snot dripping into his mouth but couldn't quite get it. He gave up and told Red about the rest of his meeting with Tom. "He said Newton had been contacted by his employers and told them that you were really Raymond Reddington. They needed a way to bring you down; I thought taking your girl would, if not bring you in, at least give me some information to take to them."
Red regarded Jason for a moment trying to gauge if the man was indeed telling the truth. If he was, that could only mean Tom was back working with the cabal and that Newton was the leak.
Red leaned forward and patted Jason on the thigh with his hand causing the other man to twitch in pain. He frowned before whispering, "You know, if you hadn't taken her I would have let you live."
Jason's eyes widened in fear as Reddington rose and adjusted the dial to the highest setting before turning back to the man in the chair.