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Date Posted: 21:39:05 07/02/11 Sat
Author: asiacheetah
Author Host/IP: ppp-71-128-195-9.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net / 71.128.195.9
Subject: Chapter 39 - Michael
In reply to: asiacheetah 's message, "The Recruit (working title) - Michael pre-LFN story" on 03:47:50 04/25/11 Mon

Chapter 39 – Michael

Interrogator: “What should we do with him?”

Adam: “Lock him up and let me think up something.”

Michael watched Adam leave, his mind reeling from the latest revelation and betrayal. His captors released his arms first from the chair as two others stood out of striking range with their guns aimed at him. They secured his wrists together with a zip tie before uncuffing his feet. They marched him to another corner of the dark warehouse, where a small steel cage was located. The height of the cage was low, forcing him to bend down to enter. Once he was secured inside, the zip tie was cut from his wrists.

One of the captors tossed him his pants and he awkwardly put it on in the small confined space. It saved him from sitting naked on the filthy floor. The cage was just wide enough for him to stretch out his legs as he leaned against the side of the bars. Two goons left, leaving him with two armed guards who started smoking and cracking jokes. Judging from the language spoken, he deduced this cell were staffed mainly from the former Yugoslavia.

He straightened as much as his broken ribs would allow and surveyed what he could see of the warehouse. Judging from the vehicular noise, he determined they had moved him to the southwest corner of the warehouse, closer to the nearby highway. The low lighting in the building made it difficult for him to estimate the size of the warehouse and the number of people staffing it.

Michael leaned his head against the cage and closed his eyes. Although he had been awake for nearly 48 hours, he was not the slightest bit tired. Adrenaline rushed through his system, keeping him alert and hyper-aware. He listened to the various sounds of the warehouse and identified that most of the terrorists were in another room to the north of him. A smaller group was by an open door, closer to where he had been interrogated. If he were to make an escape attempt, that would be the best opening to make his exit.

His eyes snapped open at the booted steps approaching his cell. He looked toward the darkness until a figure emerged. Adam stepped forward with a plate with a sandwich on top and a bottle of water. He awkwardly smiled as he came to a stop in front of him, but his smile faded at Michael’s cold, aloof gaze.

Adam crouched down to be eye-level with Michael and held the bottle out to him. When Michael made no move to take it, he set the plate down on the ground and opened the bottle. He took a small sip to show the water was not tampered with and held the bottle to Michael again.

Michael took the bottle from Adam and slowly sipped the water. His mouth and throat was parched with dehydration, but he didn’t allow himself to chug the water down, slowly drinking instead in case there were drugs in the liquid.

Adam took a bite of the sandwich and held it out to Michael, who shook his head rejecting the offering. Adam shrugged and set the plate down before sitting down on the floor. In a strange echo of Michael’s previous question to him, before revealing himself to be working for the terrorist, Adam inquired: “Michael, are you alright?”

The irony of the situation did not escape his notice and he dryly responded, throwing Adam’s previous words to him back in his face: “I’ve been better.”

Adam grimaced in guilt before speaking: “Look, Michael, I’m really sorry. I never wanted to hurt you this way.”

Michael didn’t respond for a long time, just evaluating his one-time friend, trying to find the warning signs that must have been there. Other than a pretty severe depression Adam was hiding the past few months, he really couldn’t recall an instance that would have warned him that Adam had turned against Section.

He asked the only question on the forefront of his mind: “Why?”

Adam swallowed hard and looked down on the floor before raising his head with a grim expression. “Do you remember me telling you about the terrorist we had to retrieve who had two hookers with him?”

“Yes.”

“I just couldn’t do it anymore, Michael. I couldn’t work for an organization that thought nothing of killing innocent bystanders, while letting scum bags like him walk.”

“How is working for a terrorist any different?”

“I don’t have to kill anyone here. They just want me to help them train their recruits.”

“By teaching them, the blood is still on your hand, whether you’re the one to pull the trigger.”

Adam shook his head in denial before stopping to think. “I guess that’s true.”

“What happens now?”

“Save yourself, Michael. Work with them and they can get you out of Section.”

Michael turned his gaze away from Adam and replied: “You know I can’t.”

“It’s the only way you can have a life.”

Michael turned his gaze back to Adam and stated calmly: “That isn’t living.”

“Neither is what Section offers. At least this way you can have some semblance of control.”

“You’re just kidding yourself.”

Adam’s pleading look morphed into anger: “Not all of us can be noble like you, Michael. They didn’t recruit me because I was honorable. They gave me a second chance because they wanted a trained monkey to do their dirty work for them.”

“Why didn’t you just run?”

Adam scoffed: “What? And have them hunt me down? No, this is the only way I could be free of Section. I’m just sorry that you got caught in the crossfire.”

The anger faded from Adam’s face and was replaced by sadness. “I want you to know that you are a true friend to me. Despite how things worked out, I want you to know my friendship with you was, IS genuine.”

At Michael’s blank gaze, Adam continued: “I know you don’t believe me right now, but your friendship was one of the only things that kept me from putting a bullet between my eyes.”

Michael stared at Adam, reading nothing but honesty in the other man’s gaze and expression. A heavy sadness weighed down on him that a good man would turn to this out of desperation. While he was starting to understand what motivated Adam to take this drastic step, he knew that he wasn’t capable of it.

Before Michael could reply, they both heard approaching footsteps. Adam looked at Michael with a panicked pleading expression. “Please, Michael? Save yourself. If you can’t work with them, pretend to for while until we can figure out a way to get you out.”

Michael looked up as the interrogator appeared within view. He looked back to Adam’s beseeching gaze and replied softly: “I can’t.”

Adam’s face twisted in grief and remorse before he dropped his gaze down to attempt to control his emotion. By the time the interrogator came up to the cage, Adam’s face was an immobile mask.

Interrogator: “Did he give you anything?”

Adam: “Nothing. He won’t talk.”

Interrogator: “That’s too bad. I had so much fun trying to break you, but alas I don’t have any more time to waste on you.”

Adam couldn’t keep all the emotion from his voice as he spoke: “Maybe we can turn him. I just need more time.”

Interrogator: “No. This one can’t be turned.” The man turned to Adam before smarmily continuing: “He’s too strong to be turned.”

Adam ignored the barb and turned his gaze away. He looked back in alarm as the interrogator barked out order: “Yusev, Vlademire: dispose of the prisoner.”

Adam croaked out: “Now? You’re going to kill him now?”

Interrogator: “Why prolong the inevitable.”

Adam watched helplessly as the guards ordered Michael to turn around so they could secure his arms behind him with another zip tie. Once his hands were secured, the guards unlocked the cage and ordered Michael out.

It was awkward to crawl out of the cage with his hands secured behind his back. He finally managed to get out and stood facing his friend. Adam looked back at Michael with guilt written all over his face. The guards ordered Michael to start walking.

As he walked past his former friend, Adam called out: “Wait!”

The guards sneered in ridicule as Adam hugged Michael.
Adam: “Good bye my friend.”

Michael met Adam’s gaze, who was silently begging for forgiveness. “Good bye.”

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