Cliff Ryder - The Ties That Bind

Tina gratefully took a long gulp of the water and her eyes regained some of their focus.

"I have been kind to you, see? Now, you be kind to me and tell me who he works for."

"He told me he worked for the CIA," she said, after a moment's hesitation. "Black ops or something silly like that."

"It is good work, if you can get it," Boris rumbled.

Wondering how a woman with Tina's background would even think to say "CIA black ops," Jason watched as Boris returned to where he lay.

"I have met several of your comrades, Mr. Siku, under similar circumstances. They were weak."

"I was pretty sure you had," Jason said. "You seem very practiced at this."

"I will accept your words as a compliment," Boris said. "Second question. What interest does the CIA have in this region? Why did they send you?"

"That's two questions," he said. "You only get one at a time."

Things got kind of hazy for a time after that. When Boris wasn't asking him questions or hitting him, he would move back to Tina and slap her around some. After a time, Jason had revealed that, yes, he worked for the CIA. Yes, he worked in the black ops division. Yes, they knew all about the submarine and he'd been sent here to confirm it. It was nothing they didn't already suspect or know.

Once, he asked for his phone call and a lawyer, which earned him another good pounding.

As he came to from that one, the first sound that registered was the very nearby whirling of helicopter blades. In fact, they sounded as if they were right on top of him. He opened his eyes and realized that the sound had stopped. The chopper was either shut down or gone.

"Ah, that is sad," Boris said. "Our time is at an end. Soon, you will meet the man I work for."

"I thought you were the boss," Jason said, his voice a croak. "That's what all the boys kept saying."

"No," the Russian replied. "I am his second-in-command, a lieutenant, if you will."

"So, who's the big boss?" he asked. "When can I meet him?"

"You will meet Feng Li soon enough," Boris said. "And you will not have as much fun with him as you have with me."

"Oh? Why's that?" he asked.

"Because Feng Li is the man who owns the tools on the fray. He will peel back your skin one layer at a time until you tell him anything he wants to know, Mr. Siku. I have seen this many times before."

"Everyone needs a hobby. Besides, what else can I tell him that I haven't told you?"

"The truth," Boris said. "You have not told me anything I did not already know and you have told me lies, as well." He moved to the door and opened it, gesturing for the guards to step inside. "Take them back to their cells. Mr. Li will want to see them soon, but not just yet."

"Yes, sir," they said.

Neither prisoner could walk back to the cells, so the guards dragged them instead. There was no point in resisting. Tina probably couldn't feel her legs and had been knocked around pretty good. And Jason had taken worse beatings, but not many that he could remember.

He glanced at Tina and saw that she was looking at him.

"Who are you?" he mouthed, but she shook her head.

The guards returned them to their cells and tossed them inside, locking the doors once more. Lying on the cold concrete floor actually felt soothing to Jason's battered body. He crawled closer to the slot in the door.

"Tina," he said. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"Who are you?" he asked. "Really?"

"Tina Kanut," she said. She sounded tired. "I've told you that already."

"Your Russian is flawless," he said.

"Thanks," she muttered. "I practiced hard to learn it."

They were both silent for a few minutes, the exhaustion setting in.

"I know that name," Tina finally said. "Feng Li. I know that name."

"How?" he asked. "From where?"

"I'm too tired, Jason," she said. "I can't think right now. I can't place it, but I know it."

"You need to tell me who you really are, why Boris said you have two identities," he said.

"Ask me again," she replied, "but after I've rested."

Then she went silent and while he was waiting for her to say something more, he fell into sleep himself.

The dreams were not good.

Consciousness returned slowly. The first thing Jason was aware of was the icy cold of the concrete floor, but the idea of getting to his feet seemed out of reach. A frustrated groan passed his lips and he struggled to his knees, trying to ignore the various pains the pounding Boris had given him.

He wondered how long he could hold out, how long Tina could hold out, but the answer was moot. The truth was that he'd hold out as long as they wanted him to.

"Tina," he called. "You awake?"

"Jason!" she said. "I've been calling your name for a half hour. I thought…I thought maybe you were dead."

"Not yet," he said. "But I've felt better."

"I was thinking maybe they came for you while I was asleep, and they'd killed you."

"Ha!" he managed to say. "Like they could."

"You still have the strength to be a smart-ass?" she said. "That sure helped you with Boris."

"Well, if you can't laugh when you're being tortured, when can you laugh?"

He could hear her pained giggle, followed by a few groans.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I've been better myself," she said, "but it's nothing that I can't handle so far. I think they are playing with me for fun. Boris and Chris both know I don't have the information they're looking for, and the Russian found me a dull playmate." She paused, then laughed again. "You know, I think Chris is just pissed that I turned him down for a date. I knew that some people didn't take rejection well, but this does seem a little extreme."

Jason laughed and felt some of his tension ease away. If she could hold up just a little longer — he knew he could — then perhaps they'd figure a way out of this mess yet.

A slow scraping sound was followed by a loud crash in the hallway, and Jason dragged himself to his feet.

"Sounds like our boys are getting a bit rowdy out there," Tina said. "Is that a good sign or a bad one?"

"I don't know," he said. "Stay on your toes."

Heavy footsteps sounded outside their cell doors, and Jason knew it was a sound that he wasn't likely to forget in this lifetime. He stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. Boris had already had his go at him, which meant they were probably coming to get him for Feng Li.

Boris didn't seem like the kind of man to lie. Feng Li would undoubtedly be worse. It was likely he wouldn't survive an interrogation with whoever the mystery man was. He was going to have to make his move now, before it was too late. Strapped down to a table, he wouldn't accomplish anything.

Jason stretched his arms and legs, trying to ease the cramped muscles. Despite his injuries, he could still fight and he felt a tight grin pass his lips.

Outside his door, he heard a familiar voice say, "How do we get them out of those?"

"I don't know," a second voice replied. "I thought you would know. Don't you work for these guys?"

Jason cocked his head. That last blow from Boris must have done more damage than he thought, because it sounded like Jesse.

"Grandfather?" Tina whispered.

Jason heard steps scurry to her cell.

"Grandfather, what are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Getting you out," he said, his voice gruff. "We just have to figure out how to get these doors open."

"Hey, guys," Jason called.

"Maybe if we smash the keypad the door will unlock," Jesse said.

"No," her grandfather argued, "that will keep them in there forever."

Jason couldn't believe that they were ignoring him. "Jesse!" he yelled.

"What?"

"The door code for Tina's cell is 1142658."