Agents Universe

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WELCOME TO THE LAND DOWN UNDER - PROJECT ZEUS PART 1
A MEETING OF THE MINDS - PROJECT ZEUS PART 2
ON THE ROAD AGAIN - PROJECT ZEUS PART 3
PENETRATION IN TORONTO - PROJECT ZEUS PART 4
STRIKE WHILE THE STEEL IS HOT - PROJECT ZEUS PART 5
LONDON IN THE SHADE - PROJECT ZEUS PART 6
AGAINST THE ODDS - PROJECT ZEUS PART 7
DAMAGE CONTROL - PROJECT ZEUS PART 8

Toronto CSIS HQ, Day 4, Early Afternoon

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: Yesterday was a nightmare, a shitstorm of a day… Traumatic, emotional, utterly draining. I’d gotten Kyle’s message, then I had heard about the attack on the MI6 London offices… It seemed like the Syndicate could just waltz anywhere and do anything with total impunity.. And here we were, blind, deaf and dumb to their movements. Today, I felt sick, physically and emotionally. The offices I’d worked in for years were in ruins… My friends, my staff, many of them that I had known for years, dead or in the hospital. We’d managed to find an undamaged conference room to hold this meeting in. All I’d wanted to do last night when I finally collapsed was sleep away the day, but duty is a stern taskmaster, and I had been up since 6am, directing the emergency repair crews and assessing the impact of the assault. It was unbelievable in both scope and firepower. Unprecedented…. And perfectly coordinated with a simultaneous assault on MI6. But the question was WHY? What did they hope to gain? What was their game? Trying to unravel their deeper motives was my job, as the director of the Counter-Syndicate Operations. I sat at the table, and ran my hand through my hair and beard, feeling the stress begin to mount, wondering how we are going to salvage enough staff and resources to begin the work of finding out their game was. Marc Chevalier was going to be invaluable for that effort… but the real clincher was the plan that Kyle was carrying out to embed some undercover men posing as Syndicate mercenaries. Everything hinged on that… and… I hoped to hell that Kyle’s plan would be the key to discovering Jack’s location. Every day that he was Derek’s prisoner ate a hole in my heart.

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: I look up from the cup of tepid coffee I’d been nursing in an attempt to find the energy to face Shona again, catching sight of her and her little lap dog Michael as she power walked into the room. I glance around, at the other faces, other directors and senior staff. The meeting started quickly, and the other department heads gave their reports. Suddenly, my phone dinged. I picked the phone up, and checked it, thinking it might be something from my staff regarding the efforts to assess the damage. Then, I saw the sender of the email. I suddenly went pale, and choked on my coffee, spewing it across the table. Everyone looked over at me, and Shona gave me one of her looks. I muttered my excuses, and choking slightly, I stood up and went out into the hall. My heart had started pounding in my chest. This was … a hoax. Someone’s idea of the ultimate April Fool’s day stunt.

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: My hands were shaking, and trembling as I opened the email. The subject line had been blank. But it couldn’t be from Jack… could it? Was it… possible? I read the first line, and suddenly my stomach began to twist into knots. Fuck.. fuck … oh fuck… Hello, me old cobber…. I’d been greeted with that line once before, back in the day when Trent and I had led the raid that shut down Derek’s operations in Canada… the day that I’d met Heath Wilson… the day we had discovered exactly what he had been doing with those agents that had gone missing… and … those … coffins… He was sending me a message with Jack’s email. How… I … My hands were shaking as fear, revulsion, and rage clenched my guts. I wanted to be sick as I read his little message… He had Jack and he was going to make Jack pay for the role I played in capturing him with Trent all those years ago. That sick, twisted, psychopathic, serial killing nut-job had his hands on my Jack… I leaned against the wall, suddenly feeling weak. He had attached video… with sound… Oh god… I shouldn’t watch it… It’s not going to change anything, I shouldn’t watch it… But… it was Jack… I had to know..

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: This was all my fault.. Everything about this fucked up situation was my fault. Oh god… I start to slowly slide down the wall, trembling as I played the videos. I suddenly went numb as I watched, unable to take my eyes off the screen, unable to stop from watching Heath and my Jack, my boy… The ice pick… the baseball bat… his… his knees… and, oh god, nooooooooooooo… Jack don’t… you can’t… but he did. I remembered the one perfect night we had shared in that shittly little hotel in Toledo, and now I had to watch Heath degrade and shatter and rape the man I loved. Helpless.. I’ve been helpless this entire time… helpless to find him… helpless to save him. And now as if that wasn’t enough… I have to watch him endure tortures that were meant for me. I don’t remember screaming…. But I must have, because suddenly the conference room emptied into the hall. I don’t remember kicking the water cooler so hard the massive plastic bottle went rolling down the hall. I finally remember holding my phone in my left hand, breathing hard, while I looked at my right knuckles, scraped and bleeding, next to a very large hole in the plasterboard. There, on the other side of the hole was the shocked face of one of the department heads. I began to breath deeper, and the fury inside me grew to a white hot flame. I will find Jack. I will fucking find him and make Heath pay for what he’s done. Heath and Derek and all those mother fucking scum-sucking piece of shit wastes of space. EVERY. SINGLE. FUCKING. ONE. OF. THEM. Suddenly, my face grew ice cold, and I turned to stare at Shona and Michael.

10:21 Director_Shona_Young: Wow, this migraine has just reached new heights with each passing second since yesterday. Absolute chaos, and now we’ve learned of a similar fate at the MI6? This is almost embarrassing.. A synchronised, orchestrated attack by the Syndicate on two major government agency headquarters. The death toll is high, and more are dying in hospital every few hours, succumbing to their injuries. This will be a long, drawn out meeting to scramble through whatever resources we have left, which ones we can use to fight back, which ones we need to give to our friends in London.. So much to sort out, so much to discuss. I sit in my leather chair and massage my temples with my fingers.. My head has been throbbing from the stress for almost 24-hours now. I will admit that Kyle Byrne performed pretty exceptionally, going after Rogers and Chevalier like that. Maybe I inspired some confidence in him after all.. It wasn’t the time to fall apart then, it was time to gith.. And fight he did. He returned the agents to us after they escaped the truck, and here I sit opposite Rogers.. He looks damn rough, but is fighting through everything to be here. He was always a fantastic agent and this is evidence of this, unlike Chevalier. Marc was the only one who saw sense in our previous meeting, but now he’s playing the ‘victim’ card and having a nice little rest in bed whilst we all sort this shit out.

12:26 Director_Shona_Young: I sigh, and with everyone present decide to begin the meeting. “Ok, gentlemen.. Thank you for--” a ping from a phone interrupts my introduction and I turn into my familiar dragon-like state. I do NOT accept interruptions like this, phones are meant to be kept on silent and everybody knows this. It’s Rogers. He knows better than this, and not only does he disrupt the meeting.. He spews coffee all over the table and excuses himself out of the room. I don’t even have any words, what does he think he is doing? We need him in here, not checking his texts in the middle of such a crucial meeting! I roll my eyes, but don’t waste my energy going after him. I continue with the meeting, going over the events that have occurred so far, who we know is dead, who is in critical condition.. But, then a blood-curdling scream echoes throughout the corridor outside the room. Banging and crashing like the Syndicate have attacked again, and suddenly a fist flies through the wall making the mole-faced little Dirk Bawldry shriek like a cat having it’s tail stepped on. Within seconds we flood out of the room to investigate, and see Rogers dripping in blood from his clenched fist and the water cooler flung down the corridor.

12:26 Director_Shona_Young: “Rogers!? What in God’s name is going on out here?” I march over to him and stand in front of him. He’s clearly lost it but he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me, no matter how angry or distraught he is. His face is full of rage, desperation and hopelessness.. Then I notice the phone in his hand and hear a quieter, different kind of scream coming from a video. “Give me..” I take the phone from his hand and glance at the screen. Oh my. That’s.. That’s Jack, getting his knees smashed in.. then, electrocuted, then.. No, that’s enough. The videos were on some sort of loop. “Michael, take this..” I hand him the phone and gesture him to move away, get them away from Jeff. “Everybody get back in that room..” I command the other directors and department heads to scuttle away, leaving just Jeff and I in the corridor. I pace around a little bit, holding my hands under my chin as I contemplate my words. There’s a thousand things I could say to him, I just have to decide. I’ve made a decision, and this isn’t going to go down well. I take a breath, turn to face him and mutter: “you’re off the case, Rogers.”

11:36 Agent_Michael_Young: The sight of Jeff Rogers so broken has shaken me to my core. I knew he had taken Jack’s abduction badly, but this.. This is unhealthy, and incredibly unprofessional. Mom takes his phone from him and after a few seconds, passes it to me. I move down the corridor and turn the volume down slightly, but I can’t stop watching the videos. With my back to Jeff, I can smile safely. This.. this is a fucking show. Little Jack, trying to play with the big boys and ending up yet again getting tortured.. But even more brutally this time, it would seem. We always told him he would never, EVER make it as an agent, and maybe now he’ll finally learn that lesson. I can’t resist, I forward the email to Philip and add a new message saying “It’s Michael, look what we just got sent! Thought he’d have been long dead by now..” I quickly delete it from Jeff’s sent box so that he doesn’t find out. What am I meant to do with this now? I suppose I better keep it in case there’s some sort of clue in there, even though this.. Wait, who even sent this? I read the message and try to decipher it a bit.. It’s full of Australian slang, and is signed “- H xx”. Means nothing to me, but it’s clearly somebody from Jeff’s past. I return to Jeff and Mom, handing the phone back to Jeff. I’ve closed the app so the video isn’t playing anymore, but I didn’t feel right deleting it just yet.

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: I feel … calm, suddenly calm. As though I was so consumed with rage that the only option was to be calm. Suddenly, I knew, I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that I would find Jack. I would save him, and rescue him from Heath’s clutches. I would do this. I didn’t know how. But I knew I would. I watched, my eyes hard as diamonds as Shona plucked my phone from my hand and gave it to Michael. I kept my gaze on Shona. My phone didn’t matter right now. Nothing mattered but the certainty that ran like a fire in my veins. I would save my boy. At least, at least I knew now that he was alive. Where there is life, there is hope. I listen as Shona directs everyone back into the room. She paces back and forth, and I watch her with an icy calm. When she speaks, I don’t even bat an eyelash. Somehow, I wasn’t surprised in the slightest. In reply, I shrugged my shoulders. “That’s your prerogative, Shona.” I deliberately omitted her title. “But if that’s your decision, then hear mine: I resign. Effective immediately.”

12:26 Director_Shona_Young: His words take me by surprise. “No.. you don’t. You’ve been a superlative agent within this organisation for many years, worked your way up. You’re not going to throw this all away for him. You’re too attached to this mission, Rogers. How can I expect you to make safe, rational decisions? Besides, look around you.. The CSIS has been hit by a hurricane, drowning in dead bodies.. And you’re just going to leave? That’s not a good colour on you. Chevalier and Michael will lead the operation to save Jack… unless of course you question their ability?” Jeff has been a loyal CSIS agent for many, many years.. We can’t lose him, he’s one of our best. But this rescue mission.. For his own good, it’s best for him to just sit it out. Before today, I would have trusted him to operate professionally, find Jack and bring him back.. Now, I’m not so sure. This reaction came from somewhere deeply personal inside of him.. He’d freak out at the sight of Jack’s broken little body and act on impulse, act out of rage.. And then we’d end up losing him too. “It’s for your own good, Rogers. Don’t be a fool..”

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: Have you ever been so angry, so full of rage, that you break through the other side into a place of vast calm, purpose, and determination? I have spent my entire career pursuing objectivity, my entire career treating my emotions as an unwanted intrusion on the pursuit of my duty. I have stood by and watched as men and women that I loved die, suffering through the brutal torture of the Syndicate. I have always done the rational thing. I have always been guided by logic, duty, and practicality. I should have been there when Trent needed me. Instead I had turned down his offer to go out for drinks that fateful night when he was captured by Derek Steel. Instead I stayed late, catching up on a backlog of paperwork, performing my duty, being a good employee.

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: And so it was that I was not there with Trent when he was kidnapped by Derek Steele. I wasn't there to watch his back, I wasn't there to fight by his side and Trent died. I wasn't going to make the same mistake with Jack. This time I am going to choose passion. I was going to fight for what I loved. If I did the logical thing, the practical thing then I would stay here in the office and someday soon I would get a message that Jack was dead. There was a time in a man's life when you have to be willing to fight for what and who you love. I love Jack and I was going to fight for him no matter the cost, no matter the consequences, because not fighting for him would be the same as dying anyways.

11:21 Agent_Jeff_Rogers: I turn to Shona and the look on my face is the look of a man absolutely at peace with himself. I speak up, telling her in a calm voice, “I've spent my entire life not being a fool. I think every man is entitled to make a fool of himself at least once in his career. This is my time. Shona, my whole career, I've had to sit back and watch the men and women I love and serve with die at the hands of the Syndicate. I had to take a back seat, focusing on my duty, helpless to save them. Not this time. In his entire life, no one has stood up for Jack, no one has believed in him, not his family nor his mother, with the exception of two men, myself and Trent. Goodbye Shona.” Without a second glance I turn and leave the ruined building behind me heading home to make my plans. I would rescue Jack no matter the cost. but I didn't think I would have to do it alone. It was time to put my new friendship with Kyle to the test.

12:26 Agent_Michael_Young: My jaw is on the floor.. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Jeff Rogers is flushing his career down the drain.. for Jack!? He spews shit about nobody believing in Jack, but that’s because there is nothing to believe in. He’s a useless, misguided child and always has been. Years of hard work and devotion to the cause wasted for the sake of Jack the brat.. Congratulations, Jeff. In the space of a few months I have learned of your strange obsession for my little brother, the affair you had with my father, and now you are leaving the CSIS in it’s most desperate time of need. I used to be one of your biggest fans, desperate to impress and appease you.. Now, you’ve taken my last shred of respect for you. I’m too fucking angry to say anything to him as he walks off. I turn to mom with a frown. “What the hell just happened?”

12:26 Director_Shona_Young: And there we have it. The rise and fall of Jeff Rogers. I actually feel a little sick.. A mixture of regret, anger, disappointment and sorrow. How dare he leave us during our time of need, leaving us to burn in his rearview mirror. He was one of our best, and now he is nothing. His words ricochet off my diamond skin, apart from one small phrase. ‘No one has stood up for Jack’.. Oh, Jeff. You have no idea.. But you will. Oh, you will. I turn to Michael. “The biggest mistake he ever made, that’s what..” I walk past Michael and re-enter the board room, standing over my seat as I address the room. “Gentlemen, let’s.. try this again. I apologise for that little outburst from.. Former CSIS agent Jeff Rogers. So, here’s what we know..” I continue with the meeting, briefly recapping the events leading up to our current circumstances. We still have active agents and are very much a fully operational organisation, with government funding being arranged to help us get back on our feet. Unfortunately, because we still have to follow our policies during a time like this.. I have to continue with the rescue operation to save Jack. “I understand this is of everybody’s least concern right now, but I have to set aside some manpower and funding for the operation to rescue Jack Young. The plan will continue as pre-attack, only now we’ve lost a man. Marc Chevalier and my son, Michael Young, will work together and do their best to find him. As for other, more pressing matters.. We have employed extra, more heavily-armed security for headquarters for the foreseeable future. Repairs for the building are beginning immediately and we will do what we can to help the MI6, who were also attacked”.

Royal London Hospital, Day 4, Late Afternoon

10:10 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I check the clock on the wall in James's room after I eye everyone who is around. It’s approximately 4 pm. Considering the jetlag I am experiencing at the moment and the fact that I couldn’t rest in the flight as well, I haven’t slept for 32 hours. I took the first flight I could find back to London, and more destruction greeted me when I arrived. A dead Ronald Craig, a badly wounded James Mason, and a slightly injured Sam Mason… That is just a small fraction of the total devastation I found here. I am sitting on a chair, staring at James who is lying next to me, waiting for him to wake up. I won’t go to sleep before he wakes up, because I can’t and I won’t. My worst fears were triggered when I heard James was unconscious, but that was not the worst news I had received. What was more devastating is that the man responsible for this attack was Ivan Usov. I always thought that human distress had no limits… I was wrong… The moment I heard Ivan’s name, everything changed… Everything went blank. I stopped crying, I stopped feeling… I stopped everything. There was just anger. The anger of not being worthy enough, the anger of not being at James’s side while he was being hurt, the anger that I couldn’t protect Ronald Craig and MI6, the anger of not helping Sam… Ivan’s voice still rings in my head: “You are a murderer, Kyle. You have to understand just how much you’ve failed. You don’t only murder your own loved ones, but the loved ones of others as well.”

10:10 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: No… I won’t let anyone hurt James. No one will hurt him anymore. Nor that they will hurt others like Sam, Marcus, and even Alex. Not when I am around them. Even I won’t let myself hurt them, and especially James, with my own words. I won’t tell him anything about Toronto… I was at the meeting, and there was an attack, and after the explosion, I fainted. That’s all… I never met Derek, I have not been defeated, I wasn’t supposed to be dead, and I didn’t find Jeff and Marc when they just escaped the Syndicate truck. I don’t feel anything after all. There is just anger… No sadness… No hope as well… Just anger… Maybe that was how Ivan and Jeff shut themselves up, but I do not care. If this is the thing that will help me and everyone, I am ready for that. And I will let James tell me the hell he has been through too. No matter what it is, I will support him, because he deserves it. And whoever did this to him, I will find that person too, and make him regret the day he was born.

10:10 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I hold James’ hand, and start rubbing it gently. I don’t even look in the mirror. I don’t even feel tired now, and I don’t care about how I look. I just want James to wake up now. And when he talks to me, after I make sure he is fine, I will return to my plan… I made some adjustments in my plan, and I don’t care if it will work out. I will just do it. They wanted a bloody fight? I will give them what they want… I look at Sam, and give him an encouraging smile. Then, I turn to James, and put a kiss on his hand, and mumble “Wake up James… Please…” My voice is tender, but that is only because he needs that. In this plan, there is no room for hesitation, no room for emotions… And I will make sure the plan is carried out perfectly.

11:15 Dr._Marcus_Vanderbilt: I look out the window and keep thinking about everything that happened. All those people…. London in terror and lockdown…. It was too surreal. And yet, this is what the Syndicate does. Even as my mind tallied over all the losses and the need for a strategy not to just come back from this from a logistics and an operations perspective, but also from a morale perspective. And all I could see was Daniel’s face laced in between all those thoughts. It was Kyle’s voice that pulled me out of all of those thoughts as I slowly turned around to look at James on the bed and Kyle at his side. My heart ached for these two men. Darrin and I had our struggles because of work, but...James and Kyle…. My heart ached for them. I wanted to do more than just be in the same room with the two of them right now, though. Just from the field report, I could tell something hadn’t gone right in Toronto. And so I was torn on letting Kyle know he didn’t need to keep up this false front while also knowing that the false front was a very good psychological tool to help Kyle focus right now. As much as it was false, it was very true and honest in that it kept him from crumbling under everything right now. But none of us had to face any of this alone.

11:15 Dr._Marcus_Vanderbilt: And so I walked over to the bed and knelt down next to it on the other side from Kyle. I smiled tenderly at him and put my hand on Kyle’s shoulder as I reached out and put my other hand on James’ shoulder. And I stayed there with my friends. Yes...my friends. They were no longer my patients, though I might still have to provide some therapy to them both after this, but…. I was tired of losing things to the Syndicate, and these men meant something to me. And I wouldn’t distance myself from them because of rigid rules of ethics that had no way to give guidance in this situation. No, I walked my own path here, and I walked it with these men. And together, we’d figure out what to do next. We would.

12:46 Corporal_Sam_Mason: I sat next to Jame’s bed, staring up at the clock, my thigh was bandaged, and my right shoulder was in a sling. The docs had told me that it was just a flesh wound, but still ... I was feeling pretty shit. That bastard… that mother fucking scum sucking piece of shit… that had tried to kill Alex then left me these presents… I hated his fucking guts. But what really wasn’t right… this was my bro. I mean, James was THE MAN. If I was really, deeply honest with myself, I’d always assumed the certainty of Jame’s strength, his presence, like a bedrock. It inspired me, made me strive for more. And… seeing him like this… in the hospital, broken looking. It did things to me. Hurt me in ways I didn’t know how to handle. That bearded over-muscled freak had deliberately toyed with me… but that was nothing compared to what he’d done to my brother. It all felt so wrong. I looked at the ceiling, glancing over at my brother as Kyle stood there holding his hand, with Dr. Vanderbilt at his side, comforting Kyle and James both. From the other side of the bed, I reached out and put my hand on Jame’s head, tousled his hair. C’mon James. Your bro needs you now. For some reason, I wished Alex was here.

10:17 AgentJamesMason: Darkness, then suddenly, the murmur of soft voices, slowly growing louder as I began to drift up through consciousness. And, along with the voices and the growing awareness, I became aware of another feeling. Pain. I hurt. My ribs ached with a constant dull agony. My shoulder… throbbed, sending a deep ache through me with every heartbeat. Memories began to flood back. Fuck. Ronald… I’d let him down. Fuck… That Syndicate merc… More pain. Pain of a different kind. The pain of failure, shame, inadequacy. I felt so powerless… violated… unmanned. Never in my whole career have I been so completely and totally owned by another man. It was my job, my duty, to protect Craig. To defend against the likes of that Syndicate mercenary, but I was nothing but his toy. How do I even begin to live with that kind of pain? I.. opened my eyes, and suddenly my heart flipped somersaults. There, standing over me, holding my hand and resting on my right shoulder. It was Kyle and it was Mark… I swallowed, how could I face them after such an epic failure. I spoke, my mouth feeling dry, my voice coming out like a croak… My first words were… “I’m sorry… so sorry… Kyle… Mark… Ronald.. I’m so sorry… it was my fault.”

10:10 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I feel Mark's hand on my shoulder, and I give him another smile. He iis a good man. I don’t know how to express my gratitude towards him. And suddenly, James started to move slightly, and his eyes opened up. Oh… Thank god… Thank god he is alive… In this whole mess, that was one of the best sparks of hope I could wish for. He looks into my face, and I instantly understand how he feels… I know it… I know those eyes, that gaze. I have been through the same. He feels so useless now which is a complete lie. Sorrow was burning my heart, but interestingly, that sorrow was also adding fuel to my anger. I give James a warm smile as I squeeze his hand gently, and kiss his forehead. He needs support now. No distraction, no bad news, no plan… Anything… I will take care of every single detail… I will give him what he wants. Nobody will hurt James any longer. Nobody.. “Sssshhhh James… Sssshhhh… Not now… You need to rest… We… All of us are so happy to see you are awake… There is nothing to be sorry about… It was so unexpected… For all of us…” I know exactly how he feels at the moment. But I won’t let the person who did this to my James get away with it. I will kill him. I don’t care if he is physically or intellectually stronger than me. Nothing will change my mind. He won’t get away with this. I heard that the person who attacked James and Sam & Alex was the same man. So I will ask them, not James No work… No job… No pressure… No responsibility… I lean towards his ear, and whisper the words that are our own special words, just between us. “I am glad you are here… With me James…”

11:15 Dr._Marcus_Vanderbilt: I watched as James’ eyes opened and he came to. And it wasn’t long until the pain - both the physical and emotional - came shining through his eyes and then his voice. I knew the pang of defeat he felt. I did. I also knew we had saved so many lives, though. Yet defeat hung heavy over the room as James’ croaked words filled the room and Kyle’s tenderness met them. I tenderly gripped James’ shoulder tighter then Kyle’s. There were no words to wipe away the pain of today. It would be with us for months...maybe years. We had lost so much today, it was true. But there had to be a way forward. There had to be.

11:15 Dr._Marcus_Vanderbilt: “James…. We are here together. All of us. And that’s something.” I could offer more words; pale, pale words to try to beat back the pain we all felt, but that would be false. But the words I had said were true, and they would be a shield, at least for myself. We had lost so much, but we hadn’t lost everything. And the Syndicate… They would regret what they had done. And I dove into being the anchor in the storm again, holding that position not only for James and Kyle, but for Sam, Alex, and who knows how many others. I would do this, whatever was needed.

10:17 AgentJamesMason: I looked around the room, catching sight of Sam as well. Kyle, Sam, Mark… the men I was closest to, the men I loved the most all here. I felt… so unworthy of them all right now. I hurt so much. I take in Kyle’s words, so kind, and loving, so supportive. Of course he would be. And Mark pointed out what mattered most. We were together. But… Ronald wasn’t … and never would be again. I grab Kyle’s hand tighter, suddenly full of gratitude, feeling more vulnerable than I can ever remember feeling before. I had failed… failed miserably, and yet no one here was going to call me on it. I didn’t deserve their support or love, but I had it just the same. I looked over at Sam, and caught his gaze on me. He looked … shocked. Uneasy. Uncertain. Again, I felt strongly, how much I had let everyone down. Everyone had depended on me, and I had let them down. I lean back and close my eyes, resting. I clutch Kyle’s hand so hard I’m afraid I might be hurting him. My body hurts… throbs with pain, and I hurt inside at the same time. Tears leak out of the corners of my eyes as I struggle to face the pain of my humiliating defeat. I don’t have any words right now. I can’t think of anything to say.

12:46 Corporal_Sam_Mason: This is fucking hard. Fucking brutally hard. This is James… but it doesn’t look anything like the older brother I know. He can’t even meet my gaze. I squirm, uneasy, feeling sick. Like someone has kicked my legs out from under me and I can’t seem to figure out how to stand again. Then, all that unease, all that disquiet suddenly turns into rage. For the first time… I feel like the roles have switched. All my life Mason has been there for me, a rock, to guide and inspire me, to protect me. But now, he needs me. I have to step up to the plate and show my big bro that it works both ways. He needs me and I’m there. I lean forward, and speak up, all the unease and disquiet gone from my expression, gone from my voice, “Look at me James… Don’t try to fucking hide from us. We aren’t going anyplace. You are gonna have to face this shit, and us, sooner or later. We all love you too fucking much to let you hide from us.”

10:10 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: James does not answer us back. I know… And especially being one of the best of MI6, he should be feeling so weak right now. Oh James… I… I don’t know how to comfort him. It will take some time. No matter what we say, what we do, he won’t feel any better. Both his physical and emotional wounds are so fresh. It may only give us an opportunity to ease his pain in the future. I nod at Marcus’s words, then James squeezes my hand tighter, but he is at the edge of crying. I’m sorry James, I’m sorry. I should have been here. My own guilt, my own sorrow, and especially anger was building up inside me more and more. But I wasn’t going to let go… Not until I find that fucking bastard… I’m going to use every single source to defeat him… Then Sam talks, forcing James to talk with us. I put another kiss on James’s cheek this time, letting my tenderness surround him to encourage more. “Do you remember what I told you? I was going to be there for you when you feel weak and strong… No matter what happened, no matter how bad you are feeling right now, we are going to be on your side… Come on…. Let go James…” Please… Just let go James… After he relaxes a little bit, I will turn all my attention to this plan. The Syndicate is going down, one way or another…

11:15 Dr._Marcus_Vanderbilt: Pale words - that is not what Sam had for James. I’m a bit shocked from the moment of being the rock in the storm, but, at the same time, these words are some of the most honest ones spoken between us right now. And there’s something about embracing this defeat that we need to do. And so I look up at Sam and then hear Kyle’s words. And then…I think back to James and Kyle’s first session with me...and the picture that James’ chose: the man protecting his comrade, his friend, from the invading Nazi soldiers. We were all wounded and shocked, but we were all gathered around James, sheltering him as he needed as the waves of the enemy still came over us even after they were gone. James had always been the man protecting another, and yet now in the last few months, he found himself being guarded by men he hadn’t seen or expected in that role. But we were here. For him and for everyone else. And so I pushed James - he had to shove at least some of the mental pain off of his shoulders to begin digging his way out of this with us, because we were all at least partially buried in the rubble of the day.

11:15 Dr._Marcus_Vanderbilt: “James, your brother and Kyle are right. You are right, too. All of these things are all simultaneously right.” I thought again about the soldiers in that picture as I started to stand but my hand never left James’ shoulder. “We hold the lines we hold because that’s who we are. And just because some bastards break our lines doesn’t mean that we’re done. So don’t you give up on who you are, James Mason - you wouldn’t abandon the men that still need you, the men that are still fighting for you right now.” I placed my other hand on Sam’s shoulder then as I looked at the younger Mason brother. Damn, these men never ceased to amaze. “We need you, James… We need you to face what’s coming. We three at minimum need you, you hear me?”

10:17 AgentJamesMason: I lay there, struggling, nailed by their words. I’ve never heard Sam speak to me like that, and I look over at him, my eyes opening, filled with a raw pain I hoped he would never see. But he is a man now…. Not a little brother to be protected. And Kyle, Kyle is more than I deserve. His voice is full of love and strength. Everything is turned upside down now… I had gotten so used to being strong for Kyle, and now he was my strength. The shame and humiliation boiled to the surface as Kyle encouraged me to let go. I’ve spent so long being there for my loved ones, protecting them with every ounce of my ability that I don’t know how to not be the fighter, the warrior, the defender… but I have to learn to let my loved ones care for me.

10:17 AgentJamesMason: Mark’s words come last and hit home. They reached inside my soul and grabbed that fire, that determination to never quit, to never give up. And what I needed right now, what they needed from me right now, was for me not to hide, not to pull back, but to be here, right now, with these men that loved me. I felt so humiliated, so ashamed, so wounded, but at the same time I felt weirdly empowered, buoyed, inspired. I felt so broken right now, and… but they all saw that and loved me just the same. I didn’t deserve these men. But I had them just the same. I started to cry softly, unable to hold in the humiliation any longer, and I realized suddenly that holding it in was not going to help me move past this. My loved ones needed me… and I was not going to wallow in my defeat while they needed me.

12:46 Corporal_Sam_Mason: I listened to Kyle and Mark, feeling out this new role… being the rock for my big bro. He looks at me, really looks at me, and I see his pain, naked and raw. Holding his gaze, not flinching back, right then, right there, reaching out to tousle his hair like he used to do to me was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. Give me a fucking fist fight any day of the week. Easier than this shit. But James needed me. And I’m here. Not going fucking anywhere. He starts to cry, and my guts are roiling. I’ve never seen him cry. It’s not right… but I don’t flinch. He needs this. I know he does. Let it out James.

10:10 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I look at Mr. Vanderbilt gratefully as he starts speaking again. We were so lucky to have someone like him on our side. And apparently, his words deeply affect James, and he starts crying. Every single tear of his feels like a knife to my heart, but I don’t show any weakness. James needed that… Men like him feel like they need to be strong all the time, but they do not. I will make sure he will be fine… He won’t need to cry like that again. I look at Sam who plays with James’ hair. I can tell it’s also hard for him too. But we will go through it. I know we can… I lean towards James again and put a quick kiss on his lips. Then, I hold his jaw with my palms, and start rubbing his cheek, wiping the tears away with my thumbs. I never break eye contact. He is the same strong Agent James Mason, and I would do anything to remind him of that once again. He is the same man I looked at amazed when we first met in the Minneapolis Police Department. “It’s alright… It’s alright… It’s alright…” I keep saying these over and over again. He is an awesome person. I can’t believe what I did to deserve his love.

11:15 Dr._Marcus_Vanderbilt: I watched us all pull closer together as the events of the day seemed most crushing, and then - as we huddled closer together emotionally, physically, and even spiritually - the crushing weight of the day seemed to lessen. It wasn’t that anything was washed away. It wasn’t that suddenly the death toll was lessened. It wasn’t that we each didn’t have wounds and aches across our bodies that reminded us of what happened today. No, all of that was still intact. But what was different was the shared strength that was collected and shared between us. This shared strength would be our bulwark now and our sword in the coming days. And we would wield that strength to strike back fiercely at those who dared be so brazen in wielding their own power to sow seeds of disorder and weakness. But those seeds would find no fertile ground here, not while I did everything in my power to protect the hearts and minds of these men.

Australian Syndicate Base, Day 5, Early Afternoon

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: I never thought I’d say this, but it was actually good to be back to this fucking burning hell hole full of scorpions and other shit that just wanted you dead. But, well, there you were. I had a ton of shit on my mind, ranging from Daniel who I needed to finally have a talk with, and my little reunion with Jack. I intentionally arranged it so Heath doesn’t know we have returned. We weren’t really expected until tomorrow. I strode down the hall towards the place where Heath was currently playing with Jack, which, interestingly enough, wasn’t his cell. I wondered what that psychopathic motherfucker had been up to in my absence. Well, it seems I was about to find out. Nolan was striding right behind me, an obedient little puppy. He was probably eager to see his “Uncle Heath”. I opened the door without announcing myself, and strode into the room.

12:26 Operative_Nolan_Dubois: Back in the stifling, dry air of Australia. By far my least favourite place I've been since meeting Uncle Heath.. but this is where the mission has brought us, and I've learned not to complain. I follow Derek through the corridors of the base.. he was impressed with me back in Toronto, but that soon turned sour. The agent I caught, Marc Chevalier, escaped during the escape. The new toy I had brought for Uncle Heath to add to his collection was gone.. and I knew I was going to suffer because of it. I desperately hope Derek gives him a good report on me, if not then I'll end up like this "Jack", who I'm still yet to meet but will more than likely be getting very well acquainted with at Uncle Heath's orders. I anxiously approach the room, knowing that the cries I'm hearing will soon be my own if Uncle Heath is angry with me..

12:26 Enforcer_Heath_Wilson: "Come on, Jackal.. it's not that bad!" I cup his chin in my hand and force him to look at me as I chuckle. He's chained up, hands to the ceiling.. blood cascades down his body and pools onto the floor. I can't help it with this kid.. his screams are fucking music to my ears, and he suffers so well. He’s a singer, you can tell by his screams.. I bet he has a gorgeous voice, raspy and powerful. Now here is making music just for me.. Oh, Jackal.. You shouldn’t have. I heard he fought surprisingly well in Toronto when he went after Princess Derek, so there's a tough guy in him somewhere.. but he's long gone now. I squashed him like a bug on our first day together, after two and a half months with Derek. All he needed was his Uncle Heath to come along and sort him out. Now all that’s left is a quivering, pitiful child.. Crying and bleeding all over the fucking floor. I have a chain in my other hand, made of thick, cold steel. Great for choking him and smashing his little body.. there aren't enough hours in the day for this! Suddenly the door opens and I turn, catching sight of somebody I really didn't want to see. "Noooooo!" I moan like a child, knowing instantly that playtime is up. "What the fuck are you doing here!? I'm just getting started!" I curse at Derek for ruining my fun. Then I see the little face of Nolan creeping in.. battered and bruised. Oh how delicious, I smile evilly at him. "Hello, boy.."

12:26 Agent_Jack_Young: Each smash of the chain into my abs and ribs wreak havoc on my body, so brutal, so fucking painful.. I don't know how I haven't passed out from blood loss yet, this fucking monster loves making be bleed. My body is quivering as it suspends from the chains holding my hands above my head.. I'm so weak.. so exhausted.. I can't do this anymore, I can't fucking do this.. I spend the days just hoping death will catch me by surprise, take me away. On top of it all, I can't stop thinking of Jeff.. like a poison in my mind his memory just fills every corner of it.. Jeff isn't a poison, but the constant torture of knowing he's gone forever is a venom no man should experience.. and even now as I dangle in these chains, submitted to the most brutal torture.. I think of Jeff. Another whip of the chain into my gut and I cry out, blood spurting from my lips as I bring it up from somewhere deep. FUCK! Just kill me, just fucking.. then the door opens and I see an angel. An angel come to rescue me from this shithole.. "D-derek!" I cry, feeling a sick sense of relief wash over me. "Oh f-fuck! Derek, please-- Euurghhh--" I moan in agony through the words. "H-help me, please! Just.. take me back.. FUCK!" Derek's tortures were a thousand times tamer than Heath's, and I'd give anything to suffer them again.. I'm so fucking humiliated by saying the words but emotion got the better of me.. I'm desperate. More desperate than I ever have been.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: Well, fuck me. I take in the sight as Nolan follows me into the room. There he is, all strung up by chains from the ceiling. My special little man. And Heath is in the middle of bashing him all to fuck with another length of chain wrapped all around his hands. There is a fucking lot of blood. Jack is in bad shape, his knees, his abs, he’s bloody, bruised, and badly beaten. I start to get really pissed off. I needed Jack… I had other plans for him, I wasn’t ready to break him yet. He was going to be my showcase, my tool. I stepped forward, Heath’s scream of protest at my early arrival making me even more pissed. Heath was a goddamned fucking maniac. Then, on a dime, his voice changes to one of evil delight as he greets his boy, Nolan. I gesture at Nolan to go join his uncle, then turn to face Heath, when suddenly Jack screams. I am stunned as he cries out to … ME? For help? My eyes narrow even further. I walk forward, and begin to unfasten Jack’s chained arms from the ceiling, inspecting the damage to my property. I bite off my next words with barely suppressed rage and anger. “You fucking psychopathic shit bag. Didn’t I make it clear to you that YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BREAK JACK. I had plans for this little fucker. I have a class of trainees that need to know how to break a man, and Jack was going to be my subject. But NOW, you’ve gone and fucking RUINED him. I’m warning you Heath… you are getting seriously close to crossing the line with me. You don’t want to cross that line. No you don’t” I hold Jack in my arms. I’m gonna have to get him checked out… Maybe he wasn’t totally broken… Maybe he’d still be usable. FUCK, I should have known better.

12:26 Agent_Jack_Young: I groan in pain as Derek releases me from the chains and my body collides with his. I'm breathing so quickly as it consumes me, blood and spit oozing from my mouth as I try and speak. "Don't.. leave.. me with him.. again.." fuck I can hardly speak, every part of me hurts. Heath is a fucking psychopath, he finds your pain threshold and pushes you a thousand miles past it. I can't spend another second with him, at least Derek gave me rest. Derek deserves no thanks but I feel so sickeningly grateful that he's here, holding me in his arms. He shouts a torrent of abuse at Heath but I'm too busy drowning in my pain to take it all in. They hate each other, I know that much.

12:26 Enforcer_Heath_Wilson: I playfully wrap the chain around Nolan's neck as he approaches me and pull him in for a kiss. "Missed me, boy?" I smile, but then Jack has the fucking nerve to act as though we haven't just had the time of our lives together. Like I've been some sort of nuisance to him.. I thought we were having fun! Derek gives me a piece of his mind and I almost burst out laughing. "Sorry princess, but you spent two-and-a-half months with this little shit and all he did was get your little dick wet. One day with me and he was a crying, blubbering mess!" I drop the chain and Nolan sinks to his knees in a coughing fit.. was I choking him? "He's still got a few more rounds left in him, don't be such a fucking asshole!"

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: Heath pulls his boy in to him, as Jack fucking breaks down, begging me not to leave him with Heath. The script is flipped on it’s fucking head. Somehow, Jack begging me to save him is some kind of weird insult from Dr. Jekyll, the Aussie madman. Like his dick is bigger than mine cause he can make Jack more afraid of him than me. My eyes narrow and my temperature goes up a few notches. Then, I smile, but it’s a cold smile. “You think this is funny, do you? You think this is some kind of dick-measuring contest? Like, let’s see who can break Jack first? Can you get it THROUGH your fucking thick skull, into that pea-sized brain of yours rattling around in your empty skull that I WAS SAVING HIM for my FUCKING CLASS YOU GODDAMN MORON.” Then, I calm down, and smile. “You know what Heath, I’ve got a better idea… I bet you’d make a perfect subject for the trainees, wouldn’t you? That would solve my problem. Only thing is, you’d probably enjoy it too much. Oh, and by the way,” I look over at Nolan with a bit of grudging respect. “Your little puppet did all right. Beat the shit out of one Marc Chevalier. Now, I need to check out my property here. And if you have ruined him, well, it’s plan B I guess.”

12:26 Enforcer_Heath_Wilson: Princess Derek hits me where it hurts: my brain size. I chuckle as I roll my eyes, but then he threatens to use me in Jack’s place and I’d like to see him fucking try. I’m the last person in this whole place he would want to end up in a fight with.. It would be long and hard, but it would be me standing over his battered body come the end of it and he fucking well knows it. I start to square up to him but he moves the attention to Nolan. Fucking coward. “Chevalier, eh?” I pat Nolan hard on the back and laugh. “Fuck me, who’s a clever little drongo? Is it you?” I scratch his head as though I’m praising him. “Brought him back for me to play with. did you?” Oh Marc would make a handsome addition to my collection. Jack and Marc side by side.. Screaming.. Fuck me.

12:26 Operative_Nolan_Dubois: I don’t know what I just walked into, this CSIS agent that looks barely out of his teens is in an absolute state, begging for help from Derek. Uncle Heath greets me with a particularly tight choke from the chain, making my eyes water and face turn red. I stand slowly to my feet as I gasp in some more air, but his palm smacking against my back almost makes it impossible. He’s so heavy-handed I don’t think he realises sometimes. Oh no.. Chevalier.. I knew this would be an issue. Derek meant well I think, but now I have to confess.. My throat goes dry. This is not going to go down well, and my broken English really pisses him off. “Not.. really.. He escaped during the drive, along with Jeff--”

12:26 Enforcer_Heath_Wilson: My boy breaks my heart as he informs me of Marc Chevalier’s escape. How I’d have loved to make him suffer for his betrayals, I’d have taken my time with-- FUCK!! Like a viper striking at its prey, I launch myself at Nolan, charging him to the wall with my right forearm and covering his mouth with my left hand. Fucking idiot! I strain through gritted teeth as I stare into his terrified eyes, listening intently to Jack’s reactions. He’s just moaning, consumed by his agony.. I think we’re safe.. But Jeff Rogers? He was captured? He was fucking captured and they didn’t break him back to me? Derek and I have a fucking agreement, he got Trent whilst I was in prison so therefore I have claimed Jeff. They both fucked us over, the one and only time I’ve worked closely with Princess fucking Derek.. And he allowed him to get away? Now I’m fucking angry. I glare at Derek. “You captured..” I glance at Jack as a hint. “An important CSIS wanker, and let him get away?” Derek knows what Jeff means to me.. And now I know I almost had a chance.. Fucking rage surges through my body. I glance at the broken little Jackal again. “I’m rather glad I broke your toy..” I snarl like a dragon and push Nolan towards the door. “Get out of here you little shit!” I march after him, I need to take this anger out now. Jack was my warm-up and now Nolan’s about to get his welcome home present.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: I hold Jack in my arms, as he drips blood all over me, well shit. I needed a shower anyways. I watch with disgust at the way he treats his puppet. And then Heath went off the rails, learning that Marc and Jeff escaped. That fucking bastard Heath. He has gone and spoiled all my fun. I was keeping Jack, preserving him, it would have been fun to break him in front of my class. And using this new found knowledge that his precious Jeff is alive would have been delicious. But now.. I look down at the sniveling, bleeding beating boy, feeling pity rather than the urge to hurt him further. Now, it’s no fun anymore. What’s the point in torturing a man who has already been broken? Fuck Heath. And he has the nerve to blame me for Jeff’s escape. My eyes flash as Heath snarls at me. My eyes narrow, C’mon Heath… just you fucking try to lay a finger on me, I’ll break your ass and rip your goddam head off… I step in front of Heath as he heads for the door, blocking his path. An idea has just come to me. “All right you psycho shit bag, here’s the deal. You don’t get to touch Jack anymore. If I find out that you have laid a single finger on him, then you are dead. Plain. Simple. To the point. Instead, your puppet Nolan here is now Jack’s caretaker. And you, you get a piece of garbage we picked, Sébastien Côté, instead. He’s a JTF-2 Commando that thought he was some kind of action hero. Just don’t kill him. I’ll need him later.” Oh yes, now that would piss this bastard off. Putting his puppet in charge of Jack, and forbidding Heath access to Jack? Oh fuck, that was SWEET!!! And giving him that idiot Canadian to play with instead. I step aside, with an evil grin, Heath’s rage would be so sweet to me. And… maybe, just maybe, I’d get lucky, and this would push Heath over the edge. Maybe that sick psycho would finally have a go at me, so I could rip his nuts off and shove them up his psycho ass.

12:26 Enforcer_Heath_Wilson: Derek blocks our path and I know instantly this is going to end badly. I'm so fucking angry and now he's in my face.. this is not good. I shove Nolan away from me and square up to Derek, making him inches from my face as he acts like a fucking teacher telling off the naughty boy in class. This is my problem with Derek.. he thinks he's my fucking superior, in life and at work. He's not. I speak slowly, trying to cling on to my sanity and not break his fucking face. "You know for a fucking fact, Princess, that I have just as much ownership over that little cocksucker as you. We both got fucked in the ass by his daddy, and I would argue me even moreso since you didn't spend 12 years locked up in a concrete hole. So out of respect, I backed off and waited for your permission, but now? He's fair game, and you can't guard him forever.. I still haven't gotten my revenge for what happened.." I get even closer to Derek, staring him down as my heart beats like a drum at a rock concert in my chest, fists clenched. "And I'm feeling very.. fucking.. vengeful.. so get out of my way.." strike me, you fucker. I dare you.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: I kept my cool as Heath spitted his psycho nonsense in my face. “Out of respect? Seriously? You? The only thing you fucking respect is your own dick. I’m sure you went ahead and broke Jack out of respect for my future plans, no doubt. Go play with the Canadian, go beat your puppet, just stay away from Jack.” I’d love to finish this fucker, here and now, but holding this battered, broken, and bleeding boy in my arms is not the time to do it. I deliberately turned my back on the psycho fucker and walked out the door. Get out of his way? Fuck that shit. Fuming, I open the door, leave, then slam it in his fucking face, kicking the deadbolt home, locking him in the cell with his puppet. Let him stew for a bit, then I’ll send someone to let him out.

12:26 Enforcer_Heath_Wilson: The door slams in my face and I hear him lock it. I stay calm, placing my hands against the door and speaking loudly but with a fire lacing my voice. “Derek.. Open the fucking door..” I wait a few seconds, then shout louder. “Derek.. Open the fucking door, I swear to God..” A few more seconds, and then I see red. “DEREK YOU WORTHLESS, STEAMING PIECE OF BRITISH TURD GET YOUR FUCKING ASS BACK HERE!” I punch the door, then turn to Nolan, breathing hard. “Open the fucking door, Boy.. GO!”

12:26 Operative_Nolan_Dubois: I’m so confused.. What did I say that was wrong? Why did I upset Uncle Heath? I.. I was just saying Jeff Rogers’ name, I’m so confused.. And now we’re locked in this room and Derek has taken the agent away in his arms, what is going on!? Oh no.. he’s getting angry.. He’s getting really fucking angry.. He commands me to open the door and my palms go sweaty.. I fumble at the door but I know there’s no use, there’s no fucking use.. I turn sheepishly to Uncle Heath and I see that familiar rage in his eyes.. This is going to hurt. “I.. I can’t..”

12:26 Enforcer_Heath_Wilson: I stare Nolan down, watching his fucking pathetic, terrified face. “You’re clearly not trying hard enough then, boy..” I backhand him across the cheek and grip his throat tightly, slamming him against the wall. I lean in and hiss against his face. “And your fucking slip-up earlier nearly fucked up everything with Jack.. why can’t you just fucking THINK before you SPEAK!?” I slam my fist into his gut and it feels good. Really fucking good, all this anger I have inside me.. I can finally release it. I backhand him again, shoving him down to the floor. I soccerball kick his abs. “YOU DON’T” another kick “MENTION” another “JEFF” another fucking smash to his gut in between each word “IN. FRONT. OF. JACK!” I reach down and grab the chain, rolling Nolan onto his back and wrapping it around his throat, pulling it tight. His face goes red and tears fall from his eyes. I lift him from the floor, his entire weight hanging by the chain around his throat and then slam my forehead into his, releasing the chain. He falls to the floor again with a heavy thud and the chain goes loose. He’s out cold, but I’m still so fucking angry. I trash the place, anything that isn’t nailed to the floor gets thrown across the room like it weighs nothing. This is when people die, when men end up without eyes or their ears get ripped clean from their heads.. I’m fucking out of control. Eventually I stop, breathing fast and heavy as I lean against the wall, blood dripping from my knuckle.

12:26 Operative_Nolan_Dubois: Oh shit, he’s really angry.. “No, Uncle Heath.. Please, don--” The backhand shoves me to the side but then he chokes me, slamming me against the wall. I grip his wrist desperately and he mentions my earlier fuck up. “I’m sorr- EURGHH!” his fist pounds into my unflexed gut with such force that I cough on the air, then he throws me to the floor and “UNNF!! EUURGHH!” I grunt with each kick, he’s wearing steel-capped boots which make it hurt so much more. Fuck! What did I do!? I don’t know anything about Jack and Jeff, they’re just CSIS agents.. Why is it such a big.. Oh fuck, the chain.. NO! I gasp for air as the life rapidly squeezes out of me, I can feel the blood fill my face and tears roll down my cheeks.. Then he lifts me from the ground and-- darkness.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: I walk down the corridor headed towards the infirmary. I look down at Jack. He was pretty messed up. He looked pretty pathetic. I remember how exciting it had been to beat the fuck out of him in Toronto. But that was different. He had fire then, he was spitting in my face the whole time. This… this was just a broken, pathetic boy. You had to pity him. Fuck that Heath. I don’t say a word to Jack, but take him to the infirmary and lay him down on one of the examination tables, snapping my fingers, pointing at one of the medics, then at Jack. “Patch him up. Let me know when you are done.” I figured it was either get him tended to, or let him die. And I wasn’t ready to let him die. He was still useful, even broken… he might be used as bait for Jeff… Heath was right about one thing. Jeff hadn’t paid yet for his little part all those years ago. No he hadn’t. But he would. Yes, he would.

12:26 Fernando_Romero: The aftermath of the Toronto attack has meant lots of work for me and my fellow medics, wounded troops getting patched up and coming in every day for rehab. It makes me proud to know I'm doing my part for the Syndicate.. I was never a fighter, but I can sure as hell allow others to fight. Just as I start doing exercises with a young troop who got shot in the leg, Derek Steel walks in. Always a pleasure. With him a sorry fucking mess of a man, and at first I think there's been an attack on the base, but Derek is calm. I almost laugh at Derek's words.. patch him up? The guy is clinging on to a threat. "What the hell happened to him? I start getting things ready in a hurry. A shot of morphine, saline water and gauze to clean him up a bit and fresh bandages. The guy is clearly in a lot of pain, so I draw up the morphine first and give him a strong dose, maybe stop some of this annoying moaning. Then, I start wiping away the blood from his face and body.. I need to see exactly what I'm dealing with. It takes ages, but all that's revealed is blunt force trauma everywhere over his body. Bruises paint his ribs and abs, the left side of his face looks like the bones are completely broken.. he's going to be sore for a while. I get to work on bandaging up the wounds that are still bleeding, little openings all over his body that just ooze blood onto my once-clean table. I make sure to use the silver-lined dressings, fight any infection he might be brewing in these cuts.. the guy can barely fucking breathe!

12:26 Agent_Jack_Young: I have no fucking idea what's happening right now, all I can think about is this pain. That fucking chain pelted into my body and I think it's fucking ruptured something.. What the fuck did I do to deserve this? The question bites through my pain and makes me angry, I fucking hate everyone here. Sadistic, rotten pieces of shit. I've been moaning too loud to hear anything that's going on, but things got heated. I know that much. Finally, Derek takes me away from Heath and I'm so.. no. I will not thank him. He's done nothing to earn my thanks. He takes me to the infirmary and places me on a cold, metal table. The medic administers a beautiful dose of morphine and I hope to fucking god it's the fast-acting stuff. The sting in my arm is a welcome addition to the pain, as long as it starts taking it away. But then almost immediately he starts probing at my wounds with cold water and I wince again. I start to realise that I have no idea what I'm being healed for.. just to relive this nightmare again and again and again? Stuck in this endless loop of being tortured for fun, patched up, tortured again? No, this fucking stops now. I look over at Derek, so conflicted by how he just saved me but also how he.. killed Jeff. "Why can't you just kill me?" I ask him now not of desperation, not begging for death like I have in the past.. but simply to stop dragging it out. Enough is enough.. just let me go.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: I lean back against the wall, lost in thought, contemplating the events of the day, going over the plans I have to make. There is that Egyptian base I’ve been asked to pay a visit to. The Syndicate wants us to upgrade their defences. Suddenly, then, the broken boy speaks. I feel shocked somehow, almost as if the furniture had spoken up. I was so used to his silence for the last few months, it still came as a surprise to hear my property utter his words. I look at him curiously, it was a simple question. Hmmm…. And it had a simple answer.. Of course, as I was becoming aware, there was another answer, but that really didn’t matter. With a grin, I replied, “Because you are more useful to me alive than dead. That fucktard Heath wasted you… but even so, you haven’t outlived your usefulness yet.”

12:26 Fernando_Romero: I finish off dressing and bandaging the kid's wounds, then turn to Derek. "That will do for now, but.. take it easy, he was close then.." I've put two and two together and realised this is the enemy. He's probably getting tortured for information and they need to prolong his shelf life, I don't know. But the kid will live, he's just battered to shit. "His insides have taken a beating, that much is obvious.. but I don't see any life-threatening concerns just yet.." I turn to the kid. "Now get off my table.."

12:26 Agent_Jack_Young: Usefulness. What complete bullshit, was that even an answer? He can't even dignify me with a human conversation. The doc reluctantly patches me up and wipes his hands clean of me, asking me to move.. like that's fucking easy. I groan in pain as I bring myself up, trying to sit on the edge of the table. Oh fuck.. my knees, I can't weight bear and they better not fucking make me. If Derek wants me to move he'll have to carry me, not that I want his fucking hands on me again. "Usefulness.." I spit the word out. "You haven't asked me a single fucking question. You just came in, beat me, fucked me and left.. you're a sadistic bastard.. I'm clearly not here to give you intel, you just want me to hurt.. you're sick.." I have no fear of Derek, as I haven't for a while now. Only hatred. I will never cower before him or squirm under his gaze. "So what now? Dick sucking time?" I ask sarcastically, not breaking eye contact.. I'm so fucking exhausted I could collapse right here. "Or are you going to actually be a human being and just.." I blink away tears. "..just fucking end this for me?" It sounds like he has other plans for me but surely I've paid my dues now.. is this still punishment for everything I've done wrong? I'm not going down that path again.. the agents and how I exposed them.. Fuck, maybe I don't deserve death just yet.. FUCK I'm so sick of there being no light left in my world.. the one light I did have was snuffed out by Derek.. my guts churn then, thinking about how he left Jeff for dead. The one thing that ever made me feel okay, like I wasn't a completely useless piece of shit.. now he's gone, there's no life for me outside of here.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: My attention is focused on Jack now, really focused, and I look him over carefully. Yeah, Heath did a number on him. So did I, back in Toronto, and I would have done worse to him when it came time to train my class, but now… He is used goods. That’s always been my thing… I get off on the fighting and the breaking, but once a man is broken, then I’m done with him. And usually, I would kill them at that point. So, Jack’s request was entirely in line with my modus operandi. I had told him he would be useful to me, and well, he could be. But he was right about one thing… He didn’t have any intel for me. And having him suck my dick wasn’t any fun now, not now that that fucktard Heath had broken my toy. Hmmmmm…. Jeff… I toyed with the idea of telling him that his precious Jeff was alive. But Jeff… now, Jeff was a man I planned to kill, eventually. The thing is… the thing is I should just kill Jack. I’m feeling…. Confused about the whole situation. That would really piss Heath off if I killed him. But… I mean, FUCK. Look at him.. Starting to cry… wanting to end it all.. I mean, he was pathetic… I couldn’t kill him now. I should have killed him earlier. Sigh. This is what happened when you kept prisoners around too long. You got attached in strange ways. Well fuck me. I scoop Jack up off the table, and carry him in my arms. But… I don’t answer him. Sometimes my job was tons of fun… and sometimes it wasn’t. Fuck Heath.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: I carry him back to his cell then, take him in and put him down on the padded floor. I look down at him, my face impassive. FUCK. This, right here, is exactly why I kill them as soon as I break them. This… this is what happened to Ivan, wasn’t it? Well, I’m smarter than Ivan is. I turn to go, speaking finally, “I’ll see about getting you a new cell.”

12:26 Agent_Jack_Young: I’m so fucking exhausted that my head flops onto Derek’s shoulder as he picks me up, and it almost looks affectionate.. But it’s purely sleep deprivation. The fucker can’t even answer me.. I’m the son of Trent, the man who fucked him over big time.. Is he so fucking sadistic that he wants me to suffer for even longer rather than just fucking kill me. His silence makes me angry, but then he rests me down in my cell and looks at me for a moment. Come on, Derek.. Just get the gun, just fucking get this over with.. But no, he turns to leave and says about.. A new cell? A new fucking cell? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? I can’t help it.. This rage shoots from my gut and flies out of my mouth. “FOR FUCK’S SAKE I DON’T WANT A NEW FUCKING CELL!” I smash my head back against the wall and roar in frustration. “WHY!? Why are you dragging this out? What the FUCK could you possibly be keeping me for? You’re a sick fuck, you just want to beat the shit out of me and dump you fucking gross cum in me. The fuck is wrong with you!? You pretend to be more than this fucking twisted monster, but you’re just like Heath. You’re just like fucking Heath! The only difference is he gets the job done in a day but you.. You fucking drag it out. Every fucking day is worthless to me now, it’s just fucking pain.. You’ve taken everything--” oh fuck, no.. I’m going to throw up.. I can’t fucking breathe.. “YOU’VE TAKEN EVERYTHING FROM ME! You’ve killed the only two men on this planet that ever gave a shit about me so why haven’t you got the fucking balls to finish me off too!? I hate you, Derek.. I FUCKING hate you! So please.. PLEASE… just fucking END THIS!!” Fuck that hurt my throat, I think Heath smashed his chain into it.. But that rant was a small weight off my chest.. I realise all of this has been bottled up inside of me for so long, I was just a ticking bomb waiting to explode. With any luck I’ve pissed him off and he’ll snap and kill me.. But that sounds more like a Heath move, not that I can see much difference anymore.

11:55 AgentDerekSteel: And Jack explodes. I turn to look at him, my eyes snapping instantly onto the expression of sheer rage contorting his face. I start to grin as he lets it all out. And… Fuck me. I start to get a stiffie. Holy shit, his rage is HOT AS FUCK. Maybe that psycho shitbag Heath didn’t break him after all. But… all that rage, all that fury… he wants me to kill him. But nope… not in the cards, especially not after a surge of rage like that. And of course Jeff is still alive… I could tell him… but no, no.. not gonna do that. Not yet. He declares his undying hatred for me, which only makes me grin broader. My confusion, my uncertainty melts away, warmed by the fires of his rage. That’s the spirit, boy. Then, in two steps I’m in front of him. My hand seizes his chin, and I turn his face up to look into his eyes. I’m grinning as I speak, staring down into his eyes. “Nope. You and I aren’t done yet, boy. So, as I was saying, I’ll get you a new cell, and some new clothes.” I sniff… “And get you a cell with a shower as well. I like some good musk as much as the next man, but your odor, well … it crosses the line.” I shove Jack backwards. Then, strangely, I start to whistle. I turn to leave, and just before I shut the door, I catch Jack’s gaze, with a parting shot, “You know Jack… You got spirit… I respect that. I’m kinda glad that psycho Heath didn’t beat it all outta you.”

12:26 Agent_Jack_Young: I watch as Derek fucking enjoys my rage, and it only adds to it. I could fucking scream at him, I'm going to lose my fucking mind in this place! He grips my chin and I try and pull away, but he has me tight. A nice new cell, nice new clothes.. I don't give a shit. And apparently I stink, probably because I'm covered in old blood and sweat.. fucking asshole. Every second I spend with Derek makes me hate him even more, which I didn't think was possible. He leaves with his parting shot, complimenting me on my spirit. "Fuck off, Derek! You fucking piece of shit!" I start to bring my knees up but they flare up in agony, they're shot to fucking pieces. "AARRRGGHHH!" I moan, half in pain and half in pure fucking frustration. I roll into my side and bury my face into the floor.. "I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!!" I yell but I have no idea who I'm even talking to.. everyone, anyone that can fucking here. I'll kill them all, I'll fucking kill them all. I've never felt so alone, so fucking hopeless.. but I'll burn this fucking place to the ground even if I'm still in it.

Published: 2021-06-18, viewed 39 times.