Summary:

Barba and Lewis have some guy talk

Notes:- Hello... hope I didn't scare you off from the last chapter. Hope you enjoy.
Trigger Warning for Torture, lots of Lewis talk

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

ne·go·ti·a·tion

noun

: discussion aimed at reaching an agreement

synonyms: compromise · agreement · concession· bargain· arrangement· accommodation · settlement

Lewis emerged from the doorway. Even though Rafael couldn't see he knew it was him. Those footsteps were all too familiar. It was surprising the number of details he could pinpoint about someone. Being someone's personal punching bag for over twenty-four hours created a hypersensitivity that was he otherwise would have been unaware of.

"You still there Counselor?" The footfalls of the monster getting closer.

"What did you do to her?" To say that he hadn't heard something would be a lie. They were in there for about twenty minutes. That meant twenty minutes of Lewis reign of terror.

Lewis laughed. "Don't worry. I'm saving the best part for later. She's in there resting up."

Barba cringed. Damage had already been done and he couldn't stop it. He was completely useless to do anything. For Olivia to be traumatized once again by her abuser left him feeling so much guilt. His job was to lock Lewis away for good. He had promised her that Lewis would never be free or hurt her. It was his obligation to protect her. Never in a million years did he think Lewis would escape. That jail cell should have been his tomb that he would rot in.

Why did she come?

She should have left him.

Why Liv? Why?

Lewis drew closer. Rafael could feel the warm breath breathing on him, the sugary sour taste of the many five crazies he had drank. The smell became all too often. It was rancid.

"Well, I must say that is one sweet peach in there. I'm going to savor every bite. Here" Lewis uttered. Taking his hand, wiping it across Rafael's face. Immediately Rafael tried to pull away. The attempt practically useless as he was strung up from one of the support beams. His feet a mere inch from the ground. A wet residue remained on him. The number of things it could be played in his mind. God, he knew though. Lewis was literally rubbing his face into what he had done. Oh God Liv.

Lewis laughed, grabbing the bandana off in one swift movement which jerked Rafael's head forward. His eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness not expecting it to be daytime. He looked forward as Lewis licked his fingers, making an over exaggerated moan. He then strode to the small kitchenette counter grabbing the plastic shopping bag. Rafael's pulse started to increase. A normal shopping bag shouldn't bring so much fear to a person but when William Lewis dug through one, it was truly terrifying. The objects in that bag could mean life or death. Most of the items were not used for its original purpose but a more evil and sadistic way. The mere seconds of waiting were torment itself. But as his captor pulled out just an apple a silent sigh of relief went over him. Crisis adverted for the time being. The constant peeks and downfalls of adrenaline were causing mayhem, leaving him energy depleted. It was a terror marathon.

"You know Counselor. You ain't half bad." Lewis laughed. Remarking as he removed the pocketknife out of his pocket, hitching a sharp inhale from his captive. This sparked a smirk in Lewis, opening the knife as slow as possible for dramatic effect. He milked every moment of fear, like a haunted house terrifying each guest throughout the entire maze. With his back against the counter Lewis began to cut into the green apple creating bite size chunks. Rafael was repulsed at this being the knife was the same one that was used to cut him not even an hour ago. The knife still displaying remnants of his own dried blood along the blade.

"Why so silent? Hungry?" He was trying to bait him, holding out a slice of apple to him. Lewis would try to force conversations out. By any means necessary. It was irritating. It was the chance to rub salt into the wound. To berate him further, spinning facts around and forcing unwanted opinions.

Rafael shook his head. Lewis's hand retreated throwing the slice that he refused in his own mouth.

"We've been at it for almost two days, and you haven't had anything to eat or drink in quite some time. Unless. You count the scotch. Who knew you had such a tolerance for the stuff? I prefer vodka myself but damn you took almost the whole bottle. Maybe you should talk to someone about that. Don't want you to become an alcoholic or something."

Barba was revolted as Lewis picked up the single malt Glen Moray bottle, shaking in front of his face proving the emptiness as a small amount sloshed inside. He was fully aware of how much he had consumed. The pounding in his head was the reminder. Being forced to take waterfall shots of it was horrendous. He kept that bottle on his shelf as more of a celebratory drink. He never wanted to look at that stuff ever again. Surprisingly he was able to keep the stuff down along with the seasick feeling of the small vessel.

"Should keep your strength up if you plan on overpowering me and rescuing the girl." He mockingly taunted comparing him to a knight saving the princess in a castle.

Between the intoxication and the constant swaying, it was making it difficult to think clearly. In all honesty he needed to stay sober and coherent for any chance of survival. The only positive about being almost blackout drunk was that the pain became an afterthought. Now that the alcohol was withdrawing from his system the agony returned. His arms and shoulders were on fire after being strained over his head. His wrists were raw from the handcuffs which held up his weight. He looked down seeing the number of burns and cuts. None of the injuries to kill him but deep enough to scar. Thinking of scars are any nerve damage was a silly thing to worry about currently. Those were problems for the future. Right now, they didn't have a future to look at.

Trying to shake the bleak thoughts away he spoke. "Lewis. Let her go." His mouth was dry. As he spoke the voice that came out was foreign to him. Between the yelling for help or through the hours of suffering it was surprising that he even had a voice.

Barba continued to observe Lewis. The way he methodically cut into the apple practically skinning it was unpleasant. Rafael had hoped that Lewis wouldn't become inspired to repeat the same technique on his own skin.

"Interesting that I have both of my hostages trying to make deals with me to spare the other. It's almost romantic." Taking a wedge of apple and popping it into his mouth. His chewed a few times, swallowed then grinned. He had no interest of letting either of them go.

"Here." Offering another slice. He didn't want it, but it would be stupid to not take it. The natural sugars would boost his energy for a bit, not knowing on when he would need it. He already had been in and out of consciousness. At one point he blacked out during daytime awakening to night, not knowing how much time had gone by. Hours, minutes, all lost. It was hard to estimate how long he had been suspended for. Time meant nothing at this point.

Lewis held the piece an inch from him, just far enough that he would have to struggle to reach. Lewis was toying with him. After Rafael attempted a few times without success Lewis finally placed it closer giving it freely to him. Rafael felt humiliated like a dog getting rewarded with treat. This proving just how much control Lewis had. The apple was tart on his tongue, he chewed it slowly trying to get it spread throughout his entire mouth, having it act as a sort of palette cleanser, to rid the liquor aftertaste that lasted for hours. As he swallowed the pieces scrapped down the side of his throat.

"Where did you grow up Counselor?"

Why did he want to strike up conversation now? He was fed up playing this twenty questions game. Endless questions. At one point Lewis had him retelling the loss of his virginity, being forced to go into detail.

"Bronx."

"I was born in Kentucky but moved and spent time up in Sabastian County, Arkansas. Ever been there? The place is pretty much a meth-edmic now. It had always been a shithole but now it's even worse." Lewis confided. Lewis normally kept topics to disgusting thoughts and pastimes, so this was new. Both areas had become areas of struggle. The violence, the poverty and the massive drug problems.

Rafael wanted to roll his eyes, give some sarcastic remark. There was no comparison. Lewis became sickening human. Growing up in an underprivileged area doesn't determine one's character. The choices he made to rain havoc, destroying lives and being a cockroach to society.

Lewis watched him, like always before dropping the question. "What if I made you a deal?"

"What terms?" Rafael immediately didn't trust any transaction with him. The last time he had stuck a deal, it had put him in a worse situation.

"Always straight to the point with you. I like that about you" Lewis chuckled, finding more amusement.

Lewis paused purposely, making sure he was making eye contact.

"I'll let you have her first."

Rafael was taken back for a second. Did he just say what he thought he did? He knew that he could still be inebriated but he was sure he was coherent.

"No." To even ask that of him, it made him almost sick.

"Counselor, I'm giving you a prime offer right now."

"I won't." Rafael cut him off right at the tip of the last word. He tried to make himself sound as direct as possible. Now way he would do it.

"Even if it will save you both." Lewis taunted.

As if that would happen. That man's word meant nothing. Salvation was just a fairytale at this point. He couldn't. He wouldn't subject Olivia to that. Olivia. His friend. He respected her too much to ever take her consent away. He could never align himself with Lewis, especially on what he had suggested. It was foul and depraved. Lewis words creating horrendous images in his mind. The thought of him committing those acts was vile. The terrified look in her eyes, her screams. He tried to cast the mental imagery out.

The fact of being in this situation and not being able to stop it was a feeling that could not be put in words. The devastation, anxiety and sadness of knowing what was instore. It made him angry. Angry that he was powerless. The man in front of him was going to torture and rape a person that he loved.

"I'm not a rapist. I'm nothing like you."

"Counselor, you better watch your accusations. I still think we have bare skin we can mark up." Lewis grabbed at his already aching jaw.

"Hmmm how should we do this. You take her pussy, while I take her ass. No scratch that. You seem like an ass man."

"Don't do this." Rafael pleaded.

Lewis kept rambling on completely ignoring Rafael. The wheels were turning in his mind, which was never a good thing.

"Have her lips on my cock, choking on it. Then you can rail her from behind."

"NO!" Shouting it out.

Immediately he felt sharp punch into his abdomen. It knocked the wind out of him. His restraints had him unable to double over, leaving the area to be exposed for a second hit. Agony filled him as his breath hitched.

"I'm getting tired of this holier than attitude Counselor. You should be thankful I dragged you along."

It was true. Rafael was convinced Lewis was going to kill him in his apartment. Lewis didn't kidnap men. It wasn't his pattern. Not anywhere had the male individual been spared. When Lewis was finished playing dentist, he assumed that his captor was done with him.

Rafael even hallucinated his own death when he was at his apartment.

He imagined Lewis putting the gun to his chest, after beating him to the ground. Lewis standing over him, pulling the trigger. The delusion had felt so real that he felt the first bullet enter his torso. The acute dragging of tissue inside him. The burning of each breath, every breath becoming shallower. Hearing the gun fire off once again, though this time when the bullet impacted it hit bone, shattering past his sternum. His pulse was rapid at first, slowing at each agonizingly lengthy minute. His eye vison becoming blurry as the figure above him just stood, watching the life slip away. Then it all stopped. Rafael was broken out of it when Lewis slapped him back into consciousness. He couldn't believe it. How could something feel so real? He'd never experience something like that before. It made him feel raw, traumatized.

Without warning, Lewis uncuffed his left-hand causing Rafael to collapse on the ground, breaking him out of thoughts. His feet had been dangling for so long that he was unable to hold up his own weight. He stayed crumpled on the floor. The tingling pain crawled up his arms from the rush of blood flow back to the limbs.

Lewis barked out. "I make the rules. You don't get to say no!"

Rafael mind started to play games again. It was as if he were back at his place. Back to Lewis killing him on a continuous loop. It made his heart pound intensely.

"I tell you what to do and you do it or I take you in that bedroom and have you watch me take all her holes. Then I'll make more holes with my knife and fuck those too. You see Counselor, I can do much worse." The tone in his voice made it clear that he was serious. This wasn't a rational human being. He was a psychopath. Reasoning with him does not work. It was a lesson that people hadn't learned it seemed.

Lewis crouched down grabbing Rafael's weak arms and dragging him a few feet to the table. He wrapped the handcuff around the neck of the table, reattaching the cuff to his left arm again, securing him to the table. Rafael laid on his stomach, still out of breath, panting. The nerves felt like electrical shocks tingling through him.

"I have waited months for my prize. I am not going to have some snooty lawyer try to tell me what to do! You got that?" Lewis said while circling around him, then kicking him in the side. In instinct he attempted to roll his body, the cramped floor giving him nowhere to get away. His breath hitched when he saw the man reach into the back once again, this time producing a lighter. He flicked it a few times in from of Rafael's face, the fire sparks dancing so close to his eyes. Where was the question? Where would he inflict this undeserved torture? Lewis grabbed him and rolled him back onto his stomach, the sat-on top, facing Rafael's feet. Rafael tried to kick out of his grasp. "Counselor, you kick me, and I will cut them off." Rafael laid his bare feet back to the ground, knowing that the warning would be his only. Rafael couldn't see what he was doing but, he knew.

The lighter flicked once again, the heat growing closer to the arch. Rafael shouted but on this boat, there was no one, the echo would fill the empty water around them.

Lewis sung the entire time.

"Gonna take a sentimental journey
Gonna set my heart at ease
Gonna make a sentimental journey
To renew old memories

Got my bag, got my reservation
Spent each dime I could afford
Like a child in wild anticipation
I long to hear that all aboard"

Notes:

Lyrics are from
Doris Day- Sentimental Journey

Did a lot of research for this story, especial 1940's songs. So, suggest you give a listen. I think it gives an extreme eeriness to Lewis and his fascinations.

Weird side note I actually started writing this story on paper in 2018ish. I had lists of songs and stuff and saved boat pictures to my computer. So, in actual reality, this story has been sort of my obsession for years. It is always on my mind. So, getting it out and posted is super therapeutic. Hope you are liking it so far. If not, well then... that is a odd thing to find out 12 chapters in. .