Chapter 181 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 08:37:27 09/28/08 Sun
Author: taurus
Author Host/IP: CPE-124-188-8-245.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 124.188.8.245
Subject: Chapter 181
In reply to: taurus 's message, "The Rising Dragons - continued" on 08:30:04 09/28/08 Sun

Chapter 181

The two guards dragged a beaten and drugged Michael back up the stairs. His face was pale and bleeding while his body was limp. He did not look like the same proud Section operative who had left with such a fighting spirit. This was a man who had experienced unthinkable suffering at the hands of the Rising Dragons triad�s interrogator Andy Koo.

Sitting in her cage, Nikita watched with concern at Michael�s condition as they dragged him over to the lowered enclosure. They threw him in the cage, but when his feet blocked the cage door, one of the guards brutally kicked them in. As Michael tumbled inside he fell in a heap on the floor. His head hit the side of the cage then he collapsed into a stupor.

Laughing, the guards bolted the cage door behind him, raised Michael�s cage then left, their laughter echoing in the stillness.

Nikita anxiously looked over towards Michael. She�d been running on nervous tension ever since they had taken him away but what she saw made her catch her breath. He looked as if he�d been subjected to something far worse than a beating. Her heart ached for the pain he had endured.

�Michael?� she whispered with concern at his condition.

He didn�t respond.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

No one had come near the two Section operatives for some time. Not knowing what was to be their fate or when the triad guards would come for them again was obviously Andy Koo�s ploy to keep them off guard.

Meanwhile Michael began to rouse.

The after effects of the drugs that Andy Koo had injected into him were starting to wear off. Michael felt his body spasm with the pain of withdrawal while his head was throbbing from the chemicals that had just been injected into his body. Even the slightest movement set off a rippling pain that crossed his forehead and then settled into a dull thud. He tried to open his eyes but the ache was unbearable. Gingerly Michael raised his hand to his head then lowered it as his fingertips examined the congealed blood that had dried on his nostrils. When he attempted to open his eyes once more, the room began to spin before him. His blood was hammering through his body, while the acrid taste of his own vomit scorched his throat triggered by nausea rising up from his stomach. Taking a deep breath Michael tried to offset the impending projectile from his mouth. Thankfully the cool air in his lungs seemed to settle his stomach a little enabling him to swallow without gagging.

He was so aware of his battered and bruised body. All his training and conditioning at Section for interrogation such as he had been subjected to had offset some of the effects, but it still felt as if he had been through the wringer. Any slight movement of his raised metal cage only exacerbated his pain. The metal was cold but at the same time soothing to his battered senses. Nevertheless the jolting caused Michael�s head to throb and pound relentlessly while an unbearable burning sensation behind his eyes threatened to make his head explode. Not only was his body reacting to the effects of the torture but he could feel something else causing his body to jerk within the cage. Michael felt something kicking at his feet. His cage began to sway with the repeated movement. Then he heard his name through the fogginess of his mind trying to return to normality.

�Oh � Michael.�

He didn�t immediately respond, yet Michael heard Nikita�s sad whispering of his name. It sounded close but at the same time too far away as if it was just a faint echo that had ricocheted off rocks in a canyon. Michael instinctively shifted his bent legs from side to side and began swinging back and forth to rock his cage closer to hers. Nikita saw what he was doing and looked on with surprise. Opening his eyes he looked into her face only to see Nikita's worried blue gaze. Her face was an open book. Her heart was breaking for what he had suffered.

Nikita�s eyes were full of love; they caressed every part of Michael�s face as if she were wishing it were her lips that could ease the pain of his suffering. Her face radiated such an intense emotion Michael nearly drowned in her beautiful eyes. He edged the cage closer to hers as Nikita watched his attempts to bring them nearer to each other. Michael persisted and managed to propel his cage to and fro until the two cages collided with a thump. He reached out grabbing a hold of the wires on her cage while trying to pull them together. Pushing his fingers through the lattice grid, he held his cage firmly against hers. He looked into her face.

�How are you holding up?�

Nikita couldn�t respond to his question. She lowered her eyes and just stared into his cage. How could he think of her welfare after what he had just experienced?

�Nikita?�

She raised her eyes and looked at Michael. Their faces were close, nearly close enough to touch. The wiring of the cages was the only barrier that separated them. Nikita gazed at him tenderly, while Michael�s eyes took in her face. Their shared feelings were so powerful that she could not look away. Wanting to touch him, Nikita reached out her hand. She threaded her fingers through the wire where Michael�s fingers held the cages together. With the gentlest of pressure, her fingers rested over his in a tentative caress on his skin. She gripped his hand a little tighter gaining comfort from his warm skin against her own.

Michael watched her and delighted in the unexpected touch of Nikita's hand on his. His pulse leap in his throat, overcome with the emotion of her gesture but his eyes caressed her worried face. Her concern for his wellbeing was evident in her gaze.

We�re okay, so far. The team will rescue us before long.

Nikita had always been able to decipher his unspoken looks without talking. The team was coming soon and they would be here in no time but if they had come sooner they could have avoided their capture and torture. As it was they had no idea what would happen to them and there was no guarantee that the team would arrive in time to save them.

Michael�s gaze was intense and he knew that Nikita had understood. She closed her eyes briefly then returned his look but this time tears welled in her eyes. He�d already forgotten about his own personal demons and suffering, but on seeing her distress at his appearance, Michael tried to reassure her of his state of mind and that he was all right. �Nikita ... don�t ... it will be okay. I�m fine.�

She nodded in reply but in giving it she revealed her inner soul. Nikita could never hide the love she felt for him. Michael took strength in her feelings. He did not see the woman who had also suffered at the hands of Andy Koo. What he saw was his beautiful Nikita... the woman that he loved ... the one who had suffered so much for him and for Section ... the one he would do anything for to keep safe. Although she was pale and wore the scars of her ordeal on her face... Nikita was still beautiful.

�I�m sorry, Nikita.�

Nikita would not like it that he had been the one to break ... that he had betrayed Section by admitting their involvement in the deaths of the Rising Dragons triad members. However, there was no other way for the interrogation to play out. He had to appear believable so he�d capitulated on purpose to achieve the end game he wanted.

In her cage, Nikita opened her eyes and looked at Michael intently a questioning look in her eyes. �You told them?� she stated incredulously.

A wave of anger and bitterness swept over him.

Although it went against the grain to give any hostile the upper hand this time he had a valid reason. There was no way that he would have let them interrogate Nikita once more. She had suffered more than any human should. The triad had tried everything to humiliate and torment her but they had failed. They knew that she was strong and would not capitulate, so he had done it for her. He had been the one to break knowing that Andy Koo would have tortured her once more had he not given in.

Looking at Nikita in her cage, Michael struggled to keep his emotions in check. He�d used subterfuge to fool Andy Koo. It was feasible that he would think that as a man Michael would want to protect his woman because of his attachment to her. Karen knew of his relationship with Nikita and to not to use it against him would have been foolhardy. However, he needed to tell her why he�d done what he had done. Nikita would not have wanted him to give in especially knowing of his high level of resistance to torture and his unquestionable loyalty to the Section, but her life was at stake and there was nothing he would not have done to protect her.

However, what Andy Koo didn�t know was that this Michael Samuelle was a chameleon. Underneath the apparent broken fa�ade was a man who was biding his time until he met face to face with Andy Koo on an equal playing field. That day would come and when it did, he would see the ruthless cold operative who would grant no mercy. He may have won this battle but the war was far from over.

Although Nikita was amazed at what he had said ... somehow she understood why he�d done it. Their gazes caught and her unspoken words �It doesn�t matter,� were given in reply.

Michael had to make her understand. His eyes caressed her face. �When I was in there, and it started to get bad ��

As he spoke, Nikita looked at him not knowing what he might say but also afraid of what he might reveal of himself to her. She had seen his scrutiny. She�d seen his vulnerability. �Michael, don�t � Save your strength.�

The next words out of his mouth reached her ears but Nikita could not quite comprehend the significance of them. She was in a state of anticipation yet she couldn�t look away. She just couldn�t. Nikita felt the urgency of Michael�s need to tell her something significant of his private thoughts. Her eyes gravitated to his lips as they formed the words. Nikita held her breath as Michael softly spoke.

� �. I thought of you. You�re the only one of us who still has a soul.�

Staring into Michael�s green eyes, Nikita�s chest suddenly tightened with emotion. She gave him a tremulous smile; her bottom lip began to quiver as he continued.

�I don�t know what love is anymore � but the only part of me that�s not dead is you.�

Reaching out her fingers, Nikita placed them over Michael�s where they held the cages together. She was touched and overwhelmed by his declaration. His expression of his real emotions caught her off guard. Never in her wildest dreams would she have expected Michael to express so openly and honestly his feelings for her. She gave him a beaming smile overcome by the moment. Holding her gaze she saw Michael reciprocate her look just as the sound of footsteps entering the room echoed loudly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Witnessing the private moment between them Andy Koo ran up the stairs and stood before them studying Michael and Nikita intently. �Very touching,� he mocked. The sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable to their ears. �Both of you, so strong, so committed � it�s a pity that you won�t be able to act on your emotions ... especially now that we know everything.�

Michael grasped the mesh of Nikita's cage a little harder, holding her a little closer for a few seconds longer knowing that at any moment Andy would separate them which he did indeed do. He kicked the front of their cages. The force of the jolt loosened Michael�s grip. Although the cages swung apart, he tried to hold on but the force of the kick was too strong and Michael didn�t have the strength to do so.

Andy stared at the two people swinging to and fro a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. He signalled to the two guards to lower Michael�s cage and haul him out.

Nikita watched in alarm as to what were his intentions, Were they going to take Michael away for another session of torture or worse? but when they lowered her cage and did the same, she knew that Andy Koo had other plans for the both of them.

Forcing them to stand Andy ordered his men to restrain their hands. Nikita felt a groan bubble to the surface but she suppressed it from echoing from her throat, not wanting to give Andy Koo the satisfaction of seeing her in pain. The men handled her roughly but not as rough as they were with Michael.

�Why don�t you just kill us?�

�My, my Mr. Samuelle � your wish just might be granted.� Andy Koo looked at Michael disdainfully then gestured to the guards to take their prisoners away.

�Where are you taking us?� Nikita queried.

A sneer graced his lips. �Somewhere more comfortable,� was his cryptic reply.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from ... War

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